Separated

  Rain poured down as a large amount of land to my left broke off and slid down into the large current of water rushing down the slope. Lighting flickered across the sky as the rain started to fall harder against my fur coat slowing me down. My fur shook as my body started to shiver from the coldness of the falling rain. Looking forward my eyes caught sight of our alpha, his legs stood strong and capable as he pushed himself up the wet and rocky path, leading the pack to our new home. Our alphas name was Gray, and he was my brother. His pelt was black in color, and a few shades darker than my own as was most of the pelts belonging to the males of our pack.

  But he had a special metallic look to it, making it shimmer in the light of the moon, showing off his many battle scars. Or at least, it would have, if not for the rumbling storm overhead. He was always the strongest amongst our pack, even as a 9 week old pup he was able to go toe to toe against our strongest warriors and come out on top. But as strong as he was, not every member of the pack could go on without rest, we needed a break.

  “Brother, the pack needs rest, we should find a safe place to hold out until the storm blows over!!”

  I howled to allow my voice to be heard over the thundering storm.

  “We are almost there, the pack remains strong, just a little bit farther.”

  My brother howled back as he continued to climb up the rocky path. My eyes scrolled around as I noticed the exhausted movements and the shaking of our pack members as we continued to force our way through the storm. My eyes returned back to my brother as I scrambled to think of what was the right solution at this moment. Was my brother right?? Should we continue on?? We were currently on a rocky narrow path with very little space to turn so the chances of us finding a place to wait out the storm was slim to none, but the pack couldn't take much more of this so finding a place to rest might be paramount to our continued survival.

  We had been traveling non stop for almost a week before we were suddenly hit by this raging storm. Me, my brother, and my brother's mate had moved out of our parents' den in order to make a pack of our own. As a sign of non aggression and of future alliances, our parents had allowed any members of the pack that had wished for it, to follow us to our new home. But was that the right choice? Could we just be leading them to their deaths, perhaps we weren't ready.

  “Mother I’m so cold, how much farther??”

  My ears perked up as the worried voice of one of our young pups turned my head to stare in their direction. He had only just recently opened his eyes so this was all a new experience for the young wolf. My heart panged in sympathy as one of the first things the young pup was to see after just recently being born had to be a raging storm. Slowly walking forward I moved in the direction of the young pup as he turned to stare at me, hearing my approach. The young pup leaned down in fear as I nuzzled my nose against his fur. I gave a toothy grin before saying words of reassurance to hopefully take some of the worry off of the young pup.

  “Do not worry young one, it shouldn't be much farther, I'm sure we will be there before you know it.”

  The little wolf looked at me with worried eyes, but the slight wag of his tail reassured me that my words helped, if only a little. Yet, even if my words held reassurance, they did little to subside my own doubt as I looked ahead where my brother now stood, waiting on top of the rocky path watching as our pack made its way up and passed the top of the hill.

  “Keep moving, our new home is just right past this hill, we will be able to rest after we have made it over!!!” My brother barked as his eyes swept over the pack.

  Hering this, my heart sped up faster as I let out a sigh of relief knowing that we could finally rest, and I wasn't the only one. I could hear the relieved sighs of my fellow pack members as my brother's voice reached them, but unfortunately, the world always has ways of bringing you down when your hope is at its highest point. There was a loud thundering crash as lightning struck a lone tree standing on top of the hill. A large crack sounded as wood splinters flew everywhere while the tree started to fall down the hill heading towards the rushing water on a downward slope. And unfortunately my brother was right in the way.

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  “NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

  My howl rose over the roaring wind as my body moved on its own. Rushing forward, all my exhaustion was gone as I ran up the rocky slope forcing myself to keep purchase on top of the wet rocks as I flung my body forward against the roaring wind and heavy rain. Pushing past my pack members, my body jumped as I pushed my brother out of the way. Time seemed to slow down as despair overtook my brother's eyes, seeing the rolling tree heading right towards me. Looking down at my brother, tears rolled down my eyes as my muzzle opened up into a large toothy grin as I looked down at my brother. At least you're safe, I thought as my eyes locked onto my brothers. My eyes held acceptance while all I could see in my brothers was despair.

  Looking down at my brother my muzzle opened up as I spoke what would probably be my last words.

  “I love you brother.”

  Time sped up once again as I felt the painful sensation of the large tree as it impacted my body and I was thrown off of the narrow rocky path and into the waiting murky river below. The last thing I saw before my head completely vanished under water was my brother trying to jump in after me as the rest of my pack clawed and bit his hide, holding him back.

  On impact with the water, the tree had exploded apart, sending wood shards flying all across the water where some had embedded themselves inside my pelt. My body shook and twirled as I was swept away in an underwater current, paws swinging fruitlessly as I tried to swim my way out. The water's murky image grew darker as my blood swirled within it casting a deeper shadow as my body was forcefully twirled within the strong river current. My body screamed in agony as the river current crushed and pulled at my pelt, forcefully pushing and pulling at my wounds. As my wounds grew increasingly worse, white dots started to fill my vision from the pain.

  I was losing a lot of blood as my bodily functions began to slowly stop working while my strokes grew increasingly weaker. The water current sped up as my body was forced once more into unwanted positions, worsening the wounds across my body as the wood shrapnel from the tree dug deeper and deeper into my body. Non-existent screams were let out from my muzzle as I was dragged under the water, my tears of pain and screams of agony carried away by the reddish hues of the bloody current. Rounding a bend, my eyes took in the sight of a large dark silhouette as I immediately tried to move my body, hoping to dodge it.

  Unfortunately with the condition that my body was in, and the strength of the current, that was a hopeless dream. Feeling my body impact the dark silhouette, my vision started to go dark as the feeling of multiple bones breaking could be felt. With the pain from my multiple puncture wounds and the hard impact of my body colliding against what I could only guess was a very large rock, my body could no longer stay awake as I lost consciousness and my body went lax as it was swept away farther and farther down the bloody murky river.

  …………………….

  Pain that's all I feel, no thoughts, no warmth, just pain. I can barely breath, and I'm cold, so very cold. Through my mind's clouded haze I could vaguely feel the absence of the shrapnels of wood that had once been digging into my pelt. My cuts once open to the air were now wrapped in some kind of stringy white animal pelt. As the drowsiness covering my mind starts to recede, the pain from the wounds covering my body finally make themselves apparent. Explosive agony is sent through every one of my nerves as howls of pain escape my muzzle, tears budding in my eyes as my body starts to spiral out uncontrollably. Paws move across my body, pinning me to the ground as I do everything I can to make the pain stop. Voices shout beyond the pain overcoming my body as more paws come to hold me down.

  “It's waking up!!!!!”

  “Hurry and pin it down!!”

  “keep it from moving”

  Vaguely I can hear one of the other two leggeds shout something but they're too far away to hear over the sound of my blood pumping through my ears. My howls of agony echo through the strange burrow as strange 2 legged creatures gather around my body forcing me to the ground. Strange silky white fur covers their bodies as blue paws forcefully restrain me. Pain, that's all I can feel as I whine in agony.

  A 2 legged paw circles my snout, forcing it shut as I continue to struggle. My screams turn to pitiful whimpers as I struggle to figure out what's happening. Tears race out of my eyes as I look at the 2 leggeds holding me down. At least 5 of them gather around my massive body as I am held in place. Another 2 legged slowly walks close to me, something clear held within his right paw as he waves them both up and down.

  “Shush shush shush, everything will be okay, don't worry, everything will be just fine.”

  My eyes follow his paws as they move up and down, probably what it meant to be a calming motion, but it does little to keep away the agony. My body continues to fight uncontrollably as white spots flicker across my vision. Vaguely I can see the 2 legged coming closer as he lays one of his hands across my stomach.

  “That's a good girl, easy now.”

  The two legged's second hand seems to come closer to my body before I feel a small twinge, barely noticeable against the roaring agony going through my body. A second later my eyes roll into my head as I go into unconsciousness.