"It"s easier for us to protect," said Alpha. "Here in the meadow we"re a sitting target. Anyone can spy on us from the hill-they can sneak up on us and take us by surprise. . . ."
"Not if we place a watch-dog by the pine trees," said Bella.
Daisy shuddered. "But any dog up there would be all alone, with the others down in the valley. It would be dangerous." Her eyes shot up to the pine trees. "If the dog raises the alarm, they will just be the first dog to be killed!"
Whine and Sunshine whimpered, and Dart yelped in agreement.
"Settle down!" snarled Alpha, thumping his paw impatiently. The dogs fell silent. He spoke again in a low growl. "It is dangerous here-we have all seen that. Our old camp was more defendable, even if it was closer to the wrath of the Sky Dogs and the Fierce Dogs. But there is another possibility." He paused, making sure all the dogs were listening. "We could travel in the other direction, over the white ridge."
Lucky saw several of the dogs visibly tense at this. Even Sweet seemed shocked, turning to watch Alpha closely.
"But what about the giantfur?" Bruno yelped.
"In the end, he was no threat," said Alpha. "He only attacked because that pup provoked him."
"There could be others out there," said Moon. "Lots of them! Packs, even!"
"Giantfurs are not Pack creatures-not from what I can tell. They act alone." Alpha glanced pointedly at Lucky when he said this.
Lucky knew what the half wolf was implying. Whatever he thinks, I am a Pack Dog now.
Lucky pictured the white ridge. It had been tough terrain on the approach: parched, rocky, and unforgiving. He thought about small dogs like Whine and Sunshine-they would struggle out there. It would be even worse for Nose and Squirm. But maybe Alpha had a point-the Fierce Dogs were unlikely to stray that far, and their thick, heavyset bodies were not suited to climbing rocks.
"We didn"t get a good enough look at the land beyond the white ridge," said Lucky. "It was very dry, and it might not be an easy place to make a camp. But maybe Alpha"s right. I can"t imagine other dogs living out there. Daisy, you got the closest of any dog. What do you think?"
All eyes turned to the little dog, but before she could reply, Sunshine let out a loud yelp. The Pack all turned to see that she was gazing up at the pine trees. She stiffened; her ears p.r.i.c.ked up. "Someone"s coming!" she barked. "I can smell them."
"Dogs?" Lucky"s eyes shot up to the edge of the hill. Sunshine was right! Something was moving up there. His stomach clenched and he took a step forward, his eyes trained on the shivering gra.s.s beneath the pine trees. He saw a small, dark creature-too small for an adult dog-and instantly relaxed. It had to be some sort of prey.
"Yes, a dog!" yelped Sunshine. "But just one . . ."
Mickey was standing at the edge of the circle of dogs, nearer to the pine trees. "It"s a pup!" he yelped.
The Pack watched in amazement as a small dog tumbled out from between the long gra.s.s and scrambled over the hill, half running, half stumbling.
It was Lick!
Lucky"s heart drummed in his chest as she flung herself toward the circle of dogs. He stared into the tree line. Where were her littermates? Why was Lick alone?
"She"s hurt!" Martha cried.
The big water-dog was right. Lucky watched in horror as Lick loped over to them in broken, jolting strides. Her fur was torn with multiple wounds, the metallic tang of blood mingling with her sweet, milky pup scent. She made the final stretch on trembling paws and collapsed against Mickey, who covered her in gentle licks. Martha and Lucky rushed to join them.
Alpha surveyed the scene with his pale eyes. He spoke with surprising gentleness as he addressed Lick. "What has happened to you?"
Panting heavily, Lick broke away from Martha, Mickey, and Lucky"s affectionate embrace. She took a couple of wincing steps toward Alpha. Her body was a mess of bite marks and tears, but she addressed the wolf-dog bravely.
"It was Blade!" she yelped. "She attacked us when we were on the road. She kept saying, "You"re not my real pups! You"re not my real pups!"" Lick gasped, struggling to control her breath. Her small chest moved rapidly, and her whole body shook. She seemed desperate to speak, to fight her exhaustion and get the words out. "Then she killed him!" she howled. "She killed Wiggle."
Lucky"s breath caught in his throat. For a moment it was as though the Sun-Dog had vanished, and the whole world was black and icy cold. He could hear Lick"s voice, but saw nothing.
Then warmth returned to his cheeks and he opened his eyes. Sweet was licking him. "Lucky, are you okay?"
He gave a slow nod.
"The Fierce Dogs killed your litter-brother?" asked Alpha.
"Yes," whimpered Lick. "Blade killed him. She was going to kill Grunt, but he begged her not to. He promised that he was a real Pack Dog, and that he would earn his place. That he would be useful to her. He made her believe him. He didn"t seem sorry about Wiggle at all."
Alpha lowered his head though he still towered over her. "And how did you get away?"
Lick gazed up at him, her eyes wide. "Blade caught me and started biting and scratching. Then, from nowhere, the air was white. One moment Blade was attacking me; the next it was like I was invisible! The whiteness covered everything and I managed to escape. I don"t know what it was."
"Fog," said Alpha.
Lucky remembered how the mist had covered the land. His eyes shot up. The Sun-Dog blinked down at him-there was not a single cloud overhead. He gazed in wonder. Thank you, Sky-Dogs. . . . You heard me; you sent the mist.
Lick swallowed. "I could hear them following me. They were furious that I had escaped. I rubbed myself in leaves and dirt to cover my scent-just like Mickey taught us." She threw the black-and-white dog a grateful look and he took a step forward.
"You have been so brave," he told her.
"You"re my Pack," she replied. She turned to Lucky, then to Alpha. "You"ve always been my Pack. I am not one of them. I am no Fierce Dog. This is the only place for me, and I"ll do whatever it takes to fit in."
Lucky"s chest burned with pride. Lick was a remarkable little dog-loyal and resilient. "You"ll let her stay, won"t you, Alpha?"
The wolf-dog watched Lick, then turned his yellow eyes on Lucky. "You really believe in this pup, don"t you?"
"She will be a valuable Pack member," said Lucky. "She won"t harm these dogs. One day she may protect us all with all her courage and pa.s.sion. There is nothing to fear in letting her stay." He c.o.c.ked his head, holding Alpha"s gaze. "I think you see it too. Don"t you?"
Lucky wanted to beg Alpha to let Lick stay-or to bark and howl, to force the dog-wolf somehow-but he controlled himself. He had to let Alpha come to his own decision.
He hates me enough to cast her out again simply to spite me.
Lucky looked around the Pack. There was only tenderness in their faces as they watched Lick. It would all come down to the will of Alpha.
Their leader raised his muzzle, staring out toward the pine trees. Then he looked the other way, beyond the cave and the forest, in the direction of the white ridge.
There was finality in Alpha"s voice when he spoke again. "We have to move now; we have no choice. The Fierce Dogs will soon come after Lick. We leave today."
"I can stay?" Lick breathed in a small voice, her short tail wagging hopefully.
"You can," said Alpha. "We will see if you can be all that Omega has promised. The Pack needs loyal fighters, dogs who are brave and strong. For now, you should rest and clean your wounds. We must depart before the Sun-Dog greets the lake."
Bruno and Sunshine exchanged glances and Whine shivered. Lucky knew it would be a tough journey for these dogs, but there was nothing they could do now-Alpha had made his decision. Martha and Mickey led Lick away and the Pack dispersed, resting before the long journey ahead, bidding farewell to the peaceful meadow that had briefly been their home.
Relief flooded through Lucky"s limbs. Lick was going to stay with them. I"ll do anything it takes to keep this pup safe, he promised himself. Even if it kills me.
Only he and Alpha remained in the meadow. He turned to the dog-wolf. "Thank you. She won"t let you down, and neither will I."
Alpha"s yellow eyes were unreadable. "It will not be easy, keeping a Fierce Dog among us. Blade will come searching for her again."
"We can get a head start if we go at once," said Lucky. "And there"s an advantage in being mixed-Leashed and Wild, large and small. The Fierce Dogs all think the same way-they only know how to follow orders."
Alpha stretched out his forepaw and examined his scar. "That"s all they need to know."
Lucky shook his fur. "There are other things. We have skills and experience. Together, we are smarter than them. We have wit and cunning. That"s what you need to survive."
"I hope you"re right, City Dog," said Alpha. "Because wherever we go, we will need to be one step ahead of them."
Lucky thought of the Sky-Dogs who had brought the mist. "The Spirit Dogs are on our side; I feel certain of that. We will need their help for the long journey ahead. The world changed when the longpaws left. Maybe things will change back, and the longpaws will return. Or perhaps there will be another Big Growl to change the earth again. But for now, there"s only one thing we can do. We have to keep moving."
Lucky and Alpha gazed over the landscape. They had traveled long and hard to get here, and now they faced yet another journey. But at least the Pack was still together. At least Lick had returned to them. And for what it was worth, Alpha seemed to have accepted Lucky.
It was a start.
Excerpt from Survivors #4: The Broken Path
Lucky"s paws crunched on the forest floor as he ran. Dappled bronze light, scattered by the branches above him, burnished the fallen leaves beneath his paws. Just ahead, he could see Fiery"s powerful haunches as his huge Packmate bounded through the forest.
"Lucky!" Fiery turned to bark over his shoulder. "Remember-keep your nose alert for Blade and the others."
"Don"t worry." Lucky wasn"t about to forget the savage leader of the Fierce Dogs. He felt his hackles rise as he pictured her snarling, arrogant face. Lucky sniffed the frosty forest air for any trace of their enemy, but all he could detect were dying leaves, running water, and tiny creatures of the earth.
No, Blade won"t get near the Pack while I can stop her. . . .
"Good. Just stay alert, and make sure the others do too." Fiery swung his great head to scan the forest. "Alpha"s certain Blade will be back for revenge."
"I think Alpha"s right." Lucky increased his pace until he was running closely at Fiery"s flank. "And he"s right not to let any dog go out alone."
Fiery"s muscles bunched as he slowed his pace to a trot. "Let"s move carefully now," he growled. The half-wolf Alpha had insisted that Fiery go out with Lucky on this first hunt of his new status. Lucky was fairly sure that was for strength in numbers and not an indication of his leader"s lingering distrust of him. It felt odd that Alpha should care about Lucky"s life after all that had happened between them, but Lucky and the half wolf seemed to have reached a kind of peace.
For now.
Lucky didn"t think he would ever trust Alpha completely, but that wasn"t a thought he could share with Fiery. He was the Pack"s third-in-command after Sweet, Alpha"s Beta, and had always been deeply, fiercely loyal to their leader.
"Lucky!" The excited yelp came from a clump of gra.s.s to his left, and Lick burst into view.
"You kept up," barked Lucky, amused. "Well done."
The young Fierce Dog visibly swelled, her head lifting. Lucky"s surge of pride in her was mixed with a tingle of foreboding. Though she was young, Lick"s Fierce Dog heritage already showed in her powerful muscles and her glossy hide-and in that strong jaw lined with ferocious teeth. Some of the other dogs were still nervous about accepting a Fierce Dog into their Pack.
Fools. Lick"s about as vicious as a rabbit.
"Keep your eyes open, Lick," he growled softly at the young dog. "Remember, it"s a white rabbit we"re looking for, and Dart swears she saw one around this warren."
"Why does it have to be white?" Lick frowned. "I can smell so much prey here."
Lucky"s heart sank, but he kept his voice cheerful. "Alpha insists on a snow-white rabbit for the Naming Ceremony."
Lick"s head lowered, and all her energy seemed to seep out of her. "Oh. For Squirm and Nose. I bet it"s going to be amazing." In a resentful growl she added, "Not that I"d know anything about Naming."
"Neither do I." Lucky shunted her cheerfully with his nose. "I never had a Naming Ceremony, Lick."
"Really?" She c.o.c.ked her head, seeming a little more hopeful.
"Really. I don"t even remember getting my name. Sometimes there"s a vague memory, but . . ." Lucky shook his shoulders. "I remember a young longpaw with yellow hair like a tail. She was in danger. I remember my Mother-Dog being pleased with me. I hear a voice saying Lucky . . . but the memory slips away just when I"m about to seize it, like a sneaky piece of prey."
Lick gave a rumbling laugh, a deep one that reminded Lucky just how fast the young dog was growing. "At least I"m not the only one, then."
"It"s not something all dogs do," Lucky reminded her. "Think of the Leashed Dogs."
Lick sniffed and said wryly, "They don"t know how to do anything right."
Poor Lick. She"s putting on a brave face, but I know she"s desperate to get her adult dog name like the others. Covering his anger at Alpha, Lucky nudged her. "You"ll get a Naming Ceremony. Don"t worry."
"I hope so." Lick scowled. "Why won"t Alpha let me have one now?"
About the Author.
ERIN HUNTER is inspired by a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior. She is also the author of the bestselling Warriors and Seekers series. Visit her online at www.survivorsdogs.com.
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Also by Erin Hunter.
Book One: The Empty City.