Haven's Story

They say when you have a kind and gentle mother and fathers life is good. I believed that, for a time. I could say that my pup-hood was joyful, though i wont. My father, Night, spent much time with me during the day but disappeared at the night and evening time. He would never talk about it. I followed him once but he found me. He was furious, so I never tried it again.

My mother was kind and gentle, but when it came to survival, she was extremely strict and could turn mean if I talked about something else or didn't do the move right. I watched her fighting moves in awe, but was never extremely good at them at the beginning. You could say I was a derpy and clumsy pup. My father always looked at me in pity, which I never understood. I was big for my size. All my other siblings ran away, moved away, or died. I never knew any and was lonely when I played, so I guessed that was why he looked at me in pity.

I grew up under mother's control, she got older which made her very grumpy and impatient. She looked sick to me, but I refused to believe it. I loved her very much until one day came by. I was doing a fighting move in front of her, when I tripped on a vine and fell into a burrow. My mother roared and grabbed me. I squeaked in surprise. "Your are such a disgrace, Haven! We have done this move ten thousand times over and you still have not mastered it!," she raised her voice to a howl. She leaped on me and dug her claws into my front paws. "I'm so sorry, mother. I tripped on this...." My words were drowned by a furious howl from my father, who was coming in.

My father took care of me that night and didn't go away. He looked tired and his paws were covered in mud. I asked him, "Where have you been?" He sighed and just lamely answered, "Just out for a trip." He gave her a glance that meant no more questions. I obeyed but was secretly upset that he wouldn't tell me where he had been.

The next morning I slowly came in and saw Kiante's side slowly breathing. I ran to her and barked, "Mother!! What's wrong!?" She answered in a hoarse voice, "It is time for me to leave you. I have taught you everything. I'm so sorry for what happened yesterday! Remember me and be serious, stand up for yourself. But don't forget to be my joyful pup when you can." She breathing was slowed down and I howled, "No! I'm sorry, mother. I will do everything you asked! Don't leave me!" Her side took one last reliving breath and then was still. I howled and my father walked in. Night widened his eyes in surprise and grief then grabbed me and dragged me away. "It is time now, Haven. Be brave and don't be afraid." I shook my head in confusion and followed him out of our home, the only place I know by heart.

We took a long trip and ended up at a camp looking place. I heard many barks and howls and suddenly became excited. Night toke me in and two big she wolf and wolf came and stood in front of me. The she wolf narrowed her eyes at me then barked to Night, "Night, how many times do I have to tell you to not bring random wolves into our camp!?" As my father replied I caught the eye of a cream and grey wolf. I kept the gaze until he turned his head away. I grinned in satisfaction, and turned my attention to the she wolf again. Night told me quietly, "That is Tavia, a Monarch of this pack. This pack is The Pack of Broken Silence." I nodded intently, secretly confusion by all this mess.

The wolf that was standing next to Tavia growled and just turned away, noting to Tavia, "I'm not getting involved in this. This is your business now, Tavia". I blinked around me and saw a she wolf staring at me in disbelief, a dark brown she wolf with black spots. Tavia barked to me, "You may join. But first let's see your training. Battle Acacia, then later you must hunt."

She figured out that the cream and grey wolf was Acacia and she sighed. With a howl, Acacia leaped at me. I unsheathed my claws and reached as far has she could to dig her claws in his side. He howled and leaped off. I recovered as fast as possible. His eyes glimmered with interest and rage. Then he raced at me, I moved to the side out of the way and ducked down to claw the bottom of his back paw. I couldn't remember many moves. While I was thinking Acacia leaped on me and dug his claws into my shoulders, I struggled to get free, hoping he wouldn't make the final move.

I sighed in relief when Tavia howled for Acacia to let go. I got up quickly and looked at Tavia. She growled, "Well fought. You stood well against a Head War Commander. How many moons are you?" I replied slowly to her question, "I am 16 moons." Tavia looked interested for a moment until she growled at Acacia, "Go. Let Aura tend to your wounds." Acacia dipped his head to the monarch and raced away. She turned back to me, "Now, go hunt. Bring back what you can find. It is a hard winter this year, so be careful."

I spent a long time searching for some food for the pack. I wanted to impress Tavia and the other wolves. Finally, I found a deer. It was scrawny, but big. If I could get it would feed at least half of the pack. After a while she slowly made it to the camp, dragging the deer into camp. The wolves look at the deer then at me. I couldn't tell if they were suspicious or surprised. Tavia leaped down from her den and looked at the deer then at me and barked, "Good job. That is a rare piece of prey this winter. It will feed half of my pack. I am grateful. Night was right to let you join. You are an official wolf of The Pack Of Broken Silence."

I raised my head proudly. Night came next to me and told me, "meet at the forest. We need to talk." I walked into the forest and found Night with a other she wolf. I automatically realized she was the wolf who looked at me when I walked in the camp. When Night saw I was here he slowly barked, " This is Forgotten. Your half sister. You both always asked me where I was. I will now tell you. I was with Haven when I wasn't with you, Fog. Haven, I was with Forgotten when I wasn't with you." He dipped his head in shame and I gasped. I have a half sister! How amazing and surprising is that! I couldn't believe it until Forgotten walked up to me and growled, "Hello Haven. Nice to meet you and know I have a half sister. Congratulations on being part of the pack now." I nodded to her and did all the nice things, secretly wishing I never came. Wishing that Kiante, my mother, was still here with me. In my heart I was glad to not be alone anymore. I shook my head and looked at my father, "You lied to me! You lied to Forgotten! How could you? It is shameful to call you father! You could have told us when we were young, but you didn't!" I didn't wait for a reply, and ran away. I found a cliff with pretty flowers everywhere and a beautiful sunset ahead.

I thought of my life, self pitying myself. I convinced myself my life wasn't as bad as others. She heard a bark behind her and gasped, "Hello, Haven". She looked behind her and saw Acacia standing behind her. She breathed a sigh and moved over to the left side for him to sit. She narrowed her eyes at him for a bit. I didn't know what to do or how to start a conversation. I was glad when he started the conversation. "You fought well today. You gave me some scratches to remember." He smiled. I looked at him slowly, "Thank you, Acacia. I surely thought you would have killed me, the way you were fighting. I didn't know if Tavia would allow you or not." He slowly blink at me and moved closer to me, "I would never kill you, Haven." I sighed and smiled at him, then i put my head on his shoulder.

Many moons past and I became fully part of the pack. Everyone excepted me and I was happy. Forgotten and I became best friends. I was walking to the prey pile to dump in a rabbit I caught when Acacia asked me if I wanted to go out for a walk. We stopped at the meadow and sat down. "Haven, will you be my mate?" I turned my head and stared at the sunset. Acacia slumped his shoulders forward. I took a deep breath and after a few moments I decided. "Yes, Acacia. I will."

The End (for now)