Ant's Hope

## Note

This backstory takes place before Crystal River Roleplay, and features Ant as the protagonist, as this is her backstory.

## Prologue

"Mama?"

The desperate wails of the her pups floated up from the hollow where she had left them. Smoke paused, feeling her heart break into two pieces. *They need me. They're too young to survive on their own...* she glanced up at the sky, and a sudden gust of wind buffeted her backward, pushing her back to her only kin left.

She frowned, and whispered, "Thalaj? Are you sure?"

There was silence except for the continueous falling of the snow, and she sighed. *It must of been a coincidence...*

Suddenly, a small speck of black in the snow caught her eye, and Smoke bent down low to observe it. The ant raised it's miniscule head, and it's feelers waved as it moved slowly across the top of the snow, too light to even create the slightest of imprints. Ants didn't usually survive in areas so cold; they were far too small. And n that instant she understood what Thalaj was telling her. *Ants are small and helpless... like my pups. They need me.*

She turned, and began to run through the snow, refusing to let it hinder her in any way what-so-ever. *My pups. I must find my pups!*

The snow was falling quickly now, and the hollow she had left them in was no obscured by snow. She surveyed the scene desperately, searching for her pups with ever increasing speed. Pups as young as her own had not yet developed thick fur, and therefore would be helpless, buried somewhere beneath the whiteness that enveloped all.

Smoke's heart sank, and she lowered her head. *They'll die of cold if I do not find them soon... oh why did I ever leave them? They need me...*

A sudden whimper came from nearby, and she galloped towards it, hope shining through the darkness that had threatened to overcome her. *My pups... my pups, I am coming.* The whimper came once more, and she dived at the area it was coming from, paws scooping snow out of the way in a frenzy.

It seemed Smoke's efforts were pointless, as the snow kept drifting down, and she made little progress. However, after what seemed like an infinity, a small face came into view. The small pup stared up into her eyes, and she let out a yelp of relief. "My pup, my darling pup."

Seizing the miniscule pup between her teeth, she raised her daughter, lifting her out of the snow. "Do you know where your siblings are?" she asked the moment the pup's scruff had slipped out of her teeth.

Smoke's daughter surveyed her for a moment, then nodded. "Yes Mama! Brothers in there." She pointed with her paw to a spot just to the left of where she had been buried.

"And your sister?" she questioned, urgency in her tone. The pup blinked. "I don't know... should I know?"

She bit back a growl of frustration, but shook her head. "No, my pup. There's no reason for you to know... stay here!"

The pup nodded, and Smoke dashed towards the area her pup had indicating, sending great waves of snow flying behind her in her attempt to rescue her two male pups, trying not to think of the still missing female... *This wouldn't of happened if I hadn't misread the signs,* she reminded herself. *They'd all be safe in the cave...*

After what seemed like moons, two tiny faces came into view; her male pups. Relief swelling through her, she quickly heaved them out of the snow, and glanced at her female pup. For some reason, a name flashed into her head at that moment; Ant. This pup, the runt of the litter, was just like that ant, defenseless against the cold.

"Ant!" Smoke called, and the pup looked up at her, face furrowed in confusion. "Why call me Ant?" the pup asked, and Smoke pressed down her feelings of exasperation. "That's your name, little one. Ant."

Ant nodded slowly. "Oh... okay." She shook her head, then looked up at Smoke earnestly. "I found sister!"

Smoke's heart suddenly began to beat very fast, and she nodded, glancing at her male pups. She made a mental note to name them soon. "Come with me, my pups. We must be swift."

Bounding through the snow, she glanced at the runt of her litter. "Ant, where is she?"

"Sister here!" Ant cried, bent over the fragile form of a pup. The instant Smoke's eyes fell upon this, she turned away, eyes full of grief. "Ant, come. T-there's no saving her. Your sister is... dead."

Ant frowned. "What?

Smoke shook her head. "Ant... come on. We can't do anything to save her... she's gone." *Because of me,* her mind whispered. *My pup perished because of me.*

And she lead her three pups through the snow, heart heavy. *I promise, my pups. This will never happen again.*