Sapphirejas's Moon Pack Legacy - Fanfiction

## Stories from the heir and mate's perspective:

Luna's backstory

The rise of the sun pack

It was mid-spring in the Yellowstone National Park. In the forest of Slough Creek, a mother mule deer was grazing with a fawn hiding somewhere in the distant away from the mother. The wind blows, collecting the red leaves from the deciduous trees. The air smelt of pine trees and a wolf could be heard howling in the distance. In the woods, there was a sandy wolf den. In the den was four pups. One is Moondancer, the daughter of Feather and Cosmos and the littermate of Libra, Lyra and Heather and her deceased siblings Cherry and Gaia. She was soundly asleep, tossing and turning in  her dreams. Moondancer is a pup of the Moon Pack of Yellowstone. National Park. Moondancer’s fur was gray and her eyes were blue. She was 2 moons old. She dreamt of her siblings, Gaia, who was taken away by an eagle and Cherry, who was killed by a Crevice Lake wolf. As she woke up, her nose started running and her chest felt heavy. She started coughing. That woke up her parents, Feather and Cosmos.

“Great wolf ancestors, you caught Libra’s illness!” Feather barked. Moondancer looked to her left to see her sister Libra, struggling to breathe and is barely alive.

“I caught her illness, am I going to die?!” Moondancer thought.

Cosmos looked at Moondancer

“Don’t worry you will be fine” he said with a worrying look in his eyes.

Feather then turned her head to see the wildeness and and looked back at the pups. She let out a soft bark.

“Get inside pups, we are going to mark territory and will be back with food. Don’t leave the den.”

All the pups, including Moondancer went inside. Cosmos carried Libra inside because she was too sick to move. Inside the den, she rested, but she didn’t sleep because she was alert.

“Want to play guess the animal, Moondancer and Heather?” Her healthy sibling, Lyra asked. “I know Libra won’t play because she is under Star Pack’s paws.”

“Sure” Heather said sadly.

Moondancer let out a few coughs.  An eagle screeched in the distance.

“I’ll play!” She woofed “I want to go first!”

“Okay, sick pup!” Lyra teased.

“I’m not that sick” mumbled Moondancer “Dad said I will be fine!”

As Lyra, Heather and Moondancer played, Moondancer choose her animal, the fox.

“Are you orange?” Heather asked.

“Yes” Moondancer said quietly.

“Are you a fox?” Asked Lyra.

“Yes” Moondancer barked.

“Good game, It’s my turn. I guessed fox, pretty quickly didn’t I?”

As they continued playing, Lyra did bison while Heather did cougar.

After playing, the pups were quite tired, especially Moondancer, as she was sick. She closed her eyes and slept. But it seems that as soon as Moondancer closed her eyes, she heard a loud squeaking noise.

“Pups, we’re home!” Shouted Feather. “We brought some elk meat!”

Moondancer perked her ears, excited. She rushed outside and wagged her tail,  waited for her mother to regurgitate the meat.

**Chapter 2: Feather’s Backstory**

A few weeks had passed, and the pups had grown bigger. Moondancer’s sister, Libra who was close to dying and joining Star Pack, miraculously survived and her body is healing. However, Moondancer has gotten way sicker. Her muscles ached and every step she took hurted. She was resting as her sisters, Lyra and Libra were playing. She heard her mother tell Libra not to go too hard on herself as she was healing.

Suddenly an odd scent filled the air which smelt like other wolves. Feather barked loudly in alarm.

“Pups, get in, in, in! Stranger wolf attack!” Moondancer’s mother,

Her siblings, rushed in the den with Moondancer lagging behind.

“Hurry up Moondancer!” Barked Cosmos. “Do you want to get killed?!”

As the scent got stronger, she went inside the den. Outside, she heard Feather and Cosmos growling and fighting the stranger wolves. When the noise died down, Moondancer heard her mother squeaking.

“Come out pups, it’s safe.” Feather breathed.

Moondancer made her way outside, with her paws hurting.

“Mother” spluttered Moondancer “I don’t feel very  well! I can barely move!”

“It’s going to be okay” Feather woofed. “I was very sick once like you, but I got better. As I was about to die, I had a dream from Star Pack, saying I must carry on the legacy of the Moon Pack.”

“Am I going to get that dream? I mean, Libra must’ve gotten that dream too, she’s all better”

“Yes” paused Feather “from my experience, you will.”

That night, Moondancer coughed all night and couldn’t sleep.

“Shut up Moondancer!” Woofed Libra “I’m trying to sleep”

“Ss-sorry” whimpered Moondancer “It came out naturally, I couldn’t help it!”

Moondancer coughed for a few minutes before passing out to a deep sleep.

**Chapter 3: The Star Pack**

As another week passed, Moondancer and the other three pups had gotten bigger. However, Moondancer has gotten way worse. She lay in her den, almost unresponsive. Her ears perked up to listen to the tiniest noises.

“Moondancer, wake up! Haven’t you heard mother’s squeaking, we are going to the summer hunting grounds!” Shouted Libra.

“Summer hunting grounds…” thought Moondancer “Not like I’m well enough to do any hunting.”

“I hate to say it” Heather whispered “but I think Moondancer… is in Star Pack’s paws”

Moondancer’s stomach lurched.  *Am I going to die?!*

“No, she will get better” barked Lyra “I mean, Libra did. Right?”

“Right” Heather’s said softly.

Sudddenly, Libra jumped onto Moondancer, with her paws raking her pelt. Moondancer slowly got up. Her muscles ached so bad as she walked slowly out of her den. Her nose was fully blocked and she couldn’t breathe.

“To the Summer Hunting Grounds!” Woofed Cosmos.

As they headed away from the den, Moondancer’s siblings and her parents were far ahead. However, she was lagging far behind. Every step that Moondancer took, hurted tremendously. Her legs were shaking so much.

Feather halted in the distance. “Where’s Moondancer.” She looked behind her.

“Oh, Star Pack, she’s barely moved!” Feather shouted

Feather rushed back, and picked Moondancer by the scruff. She lifted her from the ground. She watched as the ground moved under her. Her mother planned to carry Moondancer all the way to the Summer Hunting Grounds. The grip on her scruff hurt so badly that she wanted this journey to be over already.  Feather started rasping and coughing non-stop. She could feel her paws go numb, and then the rest of the body. She could not feel anything anymore. Slowly she closed her eyes. The pain from her mother holding her scruff went away.

“Moondancer is not moving!” She heard her father say. “Oh Star Pack, help us!”

The voices became more muffled.

“Moondancer within the paws of Star Pack” Feather said, trembling. As the voices got quieter and more muffled she heard panicked voices.

“Mother!” Cried Lyra “Moondancer is not breathing.”

“Breathe Moondancer, breathe!” Shouted an alarmed Cosmos.

Moondancer then could make out  a small sad voice. She felt herself gets laid on the grass below her by her mother.

“Moondancer now hunts with the Star Pack.”

Her heart sank. All of the voices of her family from the journey to the Summer Hunting Grounds faded. She felt her life ebbing away. All she could hear was silence. She couldn’t feel herself. It was peaceful.

After what it felt like a few minutes, she could make out the excited yipping noises of a female she-pup.

“Moondancer is here!”

She heard her running up, and climbing over her.

“Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!”

Moondancer opened her left eye. She could feel her body again. She could see a brown pup with blue eyes, with her coat touched with stars.

“Hello” Moondancer mumbled. She opened her other eyes. “Who are you?”

“I’m Gaia!” The she pup squeaked. “I am one of your littermates.”

Gaia is one of Moondancer’s deceased littermates. She was taken by an eagle, when Moondancer was only one month old.  Because of this, Moondancer is bigger than her.

“Sister…” Moondancer woofed. Then a sudden realization hit her mind. If her deceased sister was there, then that means…

Moondancer then thought about the dream that her mother received from Star Pack when she was very ill. Maybe this is a dream. Maybe someone like her grandmother, Luna would come and tell her to continue the legacy and return her back to the living world.

“Do you know if this is a dream?” Moondancer asked Gaia.

“Sorry, I’m not sure,” Gaia said quietly with her tail low. “We got to ask Luna, she’ll know.”

Luna was Moondancer’s grandmother (Feather’s mum) who died a few sunrises after she was born. She doesn’t remember her, however her mother, feather, told her stories of her and her mate Sol when she was a moon old. Feather was told that she was a white wolf with piercing golden eyes.

Moondancer heard more yips coming from the distance.

“Cherry is coming. You would probably remember her from earlier in your lifetime.”

A dark brown pup, slightly bigger than Gaia but smaller than Moondancer rushed up to her.

“Hi Moondancer!” Cherry said excitedly. “Did you miss me?!”

“Yes, I did.” Woofed Moondancer. “I was devastated when you died.”

“We need to get Luna to decide whether you can return to your living family.” Said Gaia with a hint of sadness.

“If you do return, would you miss us?” Asked Cherry.

“No.” Said Moondancer calmly. “I would miss my life more at Yellowstone National Park.”

“Ok, that’s understandable.” Said Cherry disappointed.

**Chapter 3: Luna, the Goddess of the Moon**

Moondancer nervously followed behind her deceased siblings Gaia and Cherry. It was night at the hunting grounds of the Star Pack and there was a massive moon shimmering above the forest.  The trees in the mysterious forest twinkled like stalights and the whole forest was lit up with luminous lights. The plants that appear like sage bushes glowed a vivid purple, while the tall grasses glowed a bright green. As Moondancer walked, it left pawprints in the earth, which glowed of starry light. The path that she and her littermates took to see Luna, narrowed and led to a small cave entrance.

“Follow me inside” woofed Gaia, with her tail pointing. “Luna is in there.”

Moondancer crawled in the cave entrance. As she went further in the cave, it opened up drastically. There was glowing green moss on the cave’s edge. There was also a small creek, glowing a luminescent blue going into the distance. At the distance, she could see a dim white light. As she walked further into the cave, the light grew lighter and lighter and she could no longer see the cave walls, leaving only bright green moss signifying the edge of the cave.

Suddenly, as she walked into the heart of the cavern, she was looking at an enormous she wolf, at the size of a large tree. Her fur was pure white, surrounded by misty glows, her eyes lacked an iris and pupil and was silvery white. She had a crescent moon on her forehead.  Her silvery eyes shone like flashlights in the dark.

“Granddaughter Moondancer” the mysterious white wolf said softly, with a tear visible in her eye. She had a solemn look. “Welcome.”

“Gran...gran… grandmother Luna?” Moondancer gasped. She stared at her with shock. Moondancer imagined her the same size as a regular adult wolf with black flecks in her coat. She also expected her eyes to be yellow, like when she was alive.

“Grandmother, why… why are so… so big?!” Squeaked Moondancer,

Luna closed her huge silvery eyes “After I died from old age, I arrived at the Star Pack’s hunting grounds, where I was greeted by the wolves of the Ancient Pack. As one of the founders of the Moon Pack, the Ancient Pack blessed me with the ability to become the goddess of the moon and death.  So, I became larger and was blessed by the power of being immortal.”

“Are you blind, Luna?” Asked Moondancer, looking at her pupil less eyes.

“No, I can see,”  Luna replied. “I just lost my golden eyes as I ascended to the status of goddess.”

“Luna” said Cherry sharply “why weren’t you at the edge of the Star Pack’s hunting grounds, to see Moondancer?!”

“I was too busy looking at visions of the future, in my moonpool, sorry.” Luna replied. “Looks like something terrible is going to happen to the Moon Pack in about four moons.”

Moondancer’s spine shivered. *Something terrible about to happen in four moons?! Oh Star Pack!*

“Anyways, back to topic” barked Cherry. “Can I ask you, whether you can bless Moondancer to come back to the living world?”

Luna looked even more solemn. “About that…” She hesitated “it is not possible.”

Moondancer’s eyes widened with horror. *Not possible?! I’m dead?!*

She started trembling. *How was my mother and my sister, Libra able to come back?!*

Her fur brustled.

“I’m so sorry Moondancer.” Luna sniffed. “Unfortunately, your lung damage is beyond repair. If you returned, you would live your life full of pain and suffering.You wouldn’t be able to hunt or do anything!”

Moondancer broke down into tears. *I’ll never see Mum, Dad, Libra, Lyra and Heather again!*

Moondancer bared her tiny teeth. Her ears flattened back and her tail, high into the air.

“Why did you let my sister, Libra and my mother, Feather come back!?” Growled Moondancer.

“Calm down sister!” Shouted Gaia. “Don’t argue with a goddess!”

“Sorry” whimpered Moondancer.

“The reason why I let your sister and mother live” Luna said, irritated, “Is because their lungs were able to repair themselves with time. Unfortunately, the damage of your lungs was so bad, that it was irreversible.”

“Then why didn’t you send a dream to me earlier, so that you could save me earlier!?” Cried Moondancer.

“You weren’t unconscious then” woofed Moondancer “Earlier in the moon, you were simply in a very deep sleep. The Star Pack couldn’t reach you with that kind of dream, that allows me to examine your body and decide whether it is possible for you to return.   Your mother as a pup and your sister went into the unconscious state when their lung damage was reversible with time.”

“And I’ll never see my siblings and parents again!” Sobbed Moondancer.

“Don’t worry, after many moons, you’ll see your parents and siblings. Time actually goes by faster here, than it is on earth.” Comforted Luna.

“But then I’ll never see my home, Slough Creek of Yellowstone National Park again!”

Luna gave Moondancer a sad look. “The hardest thing about dying is that you’ll never see your home place again and the fact you may see your family suffer.”

Moondancer’s eyes widened.

“Can I return, despite the pain?!” Moondancer shouted.

“No” said Luna sternly “Sol, the god of the sun could recarinate you but you would lose all memories of your family, your home and your previous life. Is that what you want?”

“No, I don’t want to lose my memories!” Shouted Moondancer.

“Then stay at the Star Pack!” Said Luna.

But Moondancer ignored the goddess. “I think I need some time alone!” Stammered Moondancer. She ran away from Cherry, Gaia and Luna. And rushed towards the cave entrance. Once, she got out, she found it was still night and the giant moon was shimmering above her. She ran through the luminous forest, finding a giant pool of water. The pool shined a bright blue luminescent.   She sat beside the pool, crying. Her tears dropped into the pool. Suddenly the pool started changing shape. Alarmed, she looked at the pool. It showed pictures of her family,  Feather, Cosmos, Libra, Lyra and Heather. It also showed her home, the forest of Slough Creek. Perplexed, she bent towards the pool.

**Chapter 4: The Moonpool**

As Moondancer leaned towards the mysterious pool of water, she tripped on a small slippery stone on the edge of the pool. She fell in the pool! Alarmed by the shock of freezing water, Moondancer splashed in the water, but realized that she couldn’t swim. The small waves pulled her underwater. The pond was deeper than she imagined it to be. As the heavy water pulled her underwater, her lungs filled up with water. She couldn’t breathe!

*“Am I going to drown, die a second time?!” Thought Moondancer alarmly. “Surely that is not possible?! I would be ‘nothing’, would I?”*

She closed her eyes, preparing herself for her fate, a second death. Miraculously, she felt her lungs full of air now and could breathe. Suprisingly she felt light as a feather, a trait she did not have while she was in Star Pack’s hunting grounds nor when she was alive before her first death. She breathed in the air. It’s scent was full of pine and she could smell america’s wildlife.  She opened her eyes. She was walking in the familar forest home of Slough Creek!  She was astonished!

“*Am I alive?!”* Thought Moondancer. She stepped one her tiny paws onto the earth.  *Is my second death is about returning back into my body in the living world.* Although Moondancer did admit that she felt oddly light. She heard the familiar screeching of crows, gathering around to feed on an elk carcass. “*I’ve got to find my family and tell them that I’m alive.”* she thought*.* “*Maybe no one returned from the dead before because they were too afraid to face the second death.”*

She breathed in the fresh air. She started running across the forest. ‘Mum, dad, where are you?!” She woofed. No response.

She searched the whole forest. No sounds or scents of any wolf pack nearby. There were only scents of grizzly bear and an elk herd. Then she remembered. *“Before I died my pack was moving to the Summer Hunting Grounds. They are probably there! The only problem? Where is the Summer Hunting Grounds? I didn’t live long enough to see that for myself. Now that I’m back, alive, I need to be with them.”*

As she wandered down the big hill that the forest lay on, she caught a whiff of her family pack in the air. It was very faint, meaning she still had a journey ahead of her to find her family.  Following the scent led her to massive floodplains that she only ever saw in the distance of her family den and forest. She remembered her mother pointing her tail at an odd looking mound in the distance calling it ‘Little Butte’.  She said that when she and her mate, Cosmos arrived at Slough creek to have Moondancer and her littermates, she stood on top to decide where they wanted to settle and start a family.

She ran across the floodplains, with her paws quickly moving across shallow water, using her nose to tell her which way to go.  When she reached the river, she jumped in it, hoping for the best that she could swim. She found that she could, and she was floating on the surface of the water. She swiftly swam to the other side of the river. To her surprise, the current didn’t carry her downstream. When she reached the other side, she shook off the water off her pelt. She sniffed and noticed that there were fresh scents here. She let off an excited yip. She was almost home from Star Pack Hunting Grounds! Moondancer had a sudden thought. *How will my mother and father react to me coming back from the dead?! Would mum believe that I became a member of Star Pack temporarily and came back?! Would she believe that her mother, Luna had become a goddess of death and the moon?!*

As she swallowed, she headed into the forest on the border of Slough Creek.  She didn’t know what to expect from her parents and her siblings. She picked up the sound of her mother.

“You three are at the Summer Hunting Grounds and are old enough to eat real meat. You must behave if you want to survive!” She shouted. Feather seemed angry at Moondancer’s siblings”

She went in deeper and caught a glimpse of her mother standing in front of her siblings, looking angry and frustrated.  Her eyes were red from all the crying that she experienced after Moondancer’s death. Her ears were flattened back and her teeth were baring.

*“Well, I’m alive!”* Thought Moondancer happily.  *I faced my second death and came back to my body, here in Slough Creek. Wait until I come out from the distance to see you!*

“We are sorry, I miss Moondancer, so does Heather and Libra.” Cried Lyra.

“When I tell you, you MUST go into the tall grass. Do you want to get yourself killed or eaten and join the Star Pack prematurely?!”

Moondancer had enough, she couldn’t bear to watch them get scolded by their mother. They were all suffering due to grief.  *“They don’t need to feel grief, since I’m actually alive”* Moondancer thought quickly.

She ran and jumped in between her mother and her siblings, hoping to end the conflict. However, Feather didn’t notice her and her siblings didn’t seem to notice her too.

“Mum, dad, I’m back, I’m here. Look at me, I’m standing next to my siblings!” Moondancer shouted.

Feather continued scolding the other pups, taking no notice of Moondancer.

“I miss her too.” continued Feather “However she is watching over all of you from Star Pack!”

“I’m back, from Star Pack, I’m here! Alive! WHY CAN’T YOU SEE ME! I’M LITERALLY NEXT TO YOU!” Moondancer started screaming.

“She would be disappointed in your behaviour if she is watching right now! I’ll come to you, my babies.” Feather seemed to have calmed down. She walked towards Moondancer.

*“Notice me!” Moondancer thought.*

Moondancer starred in horror as her mother walked through her to give her siblings a nudge.

*This can’t be happening, my mother is literally walking through me! What is going on?!”* She thought frantically.

*“I’M HERE! I’M HERE!” Screamed Moondancer.*

Suddenly a voice echoed from somewhere above her. “They can’t hear or see you,” the voice said, coming from the sky.

A beautiful light grey she wolf with a white head and pale yellow eyes was hovering above her. Her fur was transparent.

“What the…!” Gasped Moondancer with shock.

The she wolf chuckled. “Crazy, right?”

“How are you doing that?! Are you dead?!” Moondancer shouted.

“Yes, I’m a member of the Star Pack.” Said the she wolf.  “I died before you were born.”

“Who are you, what do you want, flying wolf?!”

“Peace young pup, I am called Lux. I am a counselor of the Star Pack, and I want you to get out of this moonpool and return to the territory of Star Pack”

Moondancers hopes and uplifted spirits that she was alive and will be back with her family was crushed.

“*I am dead.”*  Thought Moondancer. “*There is no way back to Slough Creek. Wait, how did I get here anyways? Am I supposed to be over in Star Pack’s Hunting Territories?!”*

“What is a moonpool?” Moondancer mumbled to Lux.

“It is a special gateway that celestial beings use to go back to anywhere in America to watch over and enter dreams of living wolves.  Celestial beings that are connected with the minds of living beings in their dreams are teleported to Star Pack Hunting Grounds. There, they are told prophecies and what's not.”

“What is a celestial being?” asked Moondancer, confused.

“they are spirits of living wolves who are transported through dreams to become wolves of the Star Pack. Celestial beings that believe in different ancestors, are sent to their own elysium, afterlife. The moon pack’s elysium is the hunting grounds of Star Pack.”

Moondancer swallowed. That was a lot a new information to take in. She never knew how dreams from Star Pack work or how wolves who believe in different religions (ancestors and deities) are taken to different elysiums when they die. She never, in her brief life, learned about the words “celestial beings” and “elysiums.”

“Why did the Star Pack keep all this information a secret from the living wolves?!” Moondancer said, antonished.

Lux breathed “We don’t warrant that kind of information. In order for peace to remain between the living wolves and celestial beings we keep our worlds a secret.”

“Worlds a secret… Do you mean the worlds of life and death.”

“Yes” said Lux peacefuly. “We want the living wolves, following our ancestors and deities to discover this for themselves when they die.”

Her heart sudenly raced and her temper picked up . “If you, Star Pack are all powerful, why didn’t a celestial being connect to my mind when I’m in deep sleep, rather than unconcious?! Luna could’ve saved me!” Moondancer flattened her ears and her transparent fur bristled.

“Woah” barked Lux “ Calm down! Dreams involving life or death situations can only occur in wolves that are unconscious, due to the laws of living beings. It seems very unfair doesn’t it?”

“Why is obeying the laws of living beings so important?”

“No one knows about that area very much, even celestial beings. However, according to a legend, told in the Star Pack Hunting Grounds since ancient times, living being law was created by beings, even more powerful than the gods and goddesses in our world. It is said they created the universe and planets. Anyways, it is said that living laws are very important. This one is especially important since without it, everyone would live on earth with help from the goddesses of life and death. When many new beings are born, the planet would eventually get so populated and so on. I will not explain the consequences of overpopulation. But it is said that if a lot of celestial beings disobeyed those laws the higher beings set would get furious and destroy the planet that we, as living beings, live on.”

Moondancer’s head was spinning, as she could not keep up with the complex legend.

“Enough of superstitious legends, even if a wolf tried to go into a moonpool and put his/her paw on the forehead of a critically ill or injured wolf while in a life or death situation during his/her, the celestial being and living wolf’s mind would simply refuse to link together. Even when a wolf tries very hard to do it. Celestial beings would only connect with the minds of sleeping wolves when the wolf is not in a critical state.  Unfortunately, your unconsciousness came too late, and Luna wasn’t able to save you.”

Moondancer felt her heart breaking. *Those stupid living being laws! Those stupid legends!*

She yearned to live again like her siblings did when they were very ill.

*With all the new knowledge that only* DEAD *wolves learn, even if I returned, how would I fit with normal pack life again with my family? My siblings would think I’m very weird and make fun of me and my mum and dad would probably disown me, thinking I am possessed by an ancestor, or something.*

That was when she lost all hope of ever coming back to life again and living her life like a normal wolf in Yellowstone National Park. With the new knowledge she learnt about the Star Pack, death was definitely irreversible at that point. She was now an official Star Pack member, staying there forever until it is time to return to earth, by being recarinated by Sol, the god of life.

After a long conversation with Moondancer, Lux looked around her. It was getting dark and the last of the light was leaving the earth. “It’s time for you to get out of the moonpool. Your grandmother Luna and your siblings, Cherry and Gaia are very worried about you. They are worried that you will get addicted to being a ghost out here and not want to leave, ever.”

“What’s a ghost?” Asked Moondancer, curiously.

“It’s a term we use to describe celestial beings that are in the moonpool, travelling around on earth.”

*“Wait?”* Thought Moondancer. “*how did Lux know my sibling’s names and my grandmother. Also, if my celestial body is in the Moonpool, how come I haven’t drowned from it?”*

“Lux?” Moondancer said sadly. “How come my celestial body hasn't drowned in the moonpool? I felt like I have been in Slough Creek for about an hour.”

“It’s quite simple, when submerged in the moonpool, celestial beings do not drown. When the water fills up the lungs of the celestial body of a wolf, they simply ‘leave’ the celestial body. The celestial body remains unconscious until the ghost returned to the body.”

“It is time to go!” Said Lux, starting to get irritated. “No more questions! I know this is all new to you, but we must leave before Luna, Cherry and Gaia go crazy about you not being there.”

Moondancer looked finally at her family at the Summer Hunting Grounds, after asking so many questions. Her living siblings were  asleep and her mother and father were out, probably marking territory. She let out a sad, long sigh. It wasn’t interesting to stay there anyway, and she was also thinking about family at the Star Pack Hunting Grounds.

“How do we return?” Moondancer asked Lux.

“Just close your eyes and don’t open them until you feel the weight of water in your lungs. You are too young to be swimming up to the moonpool’s surface yourself. Just wait until I pull you out of the water.”

She didn't bothered to ask Lux how she got into the same pool as her. She just closed her eyes, relaxed. She listened to the peaceful sounds of jays, cardinals and other birds tweeting. All was peaceful.

Suddenly, a horrible weight of water filled her lungs and she felt freezing, again. She must have ‘arrived’ to the moonpool that she accidentally fell in after she hid away from Luna and her siblings. Sheshe was back at the Star Pack hunting territories. Moondancer couldn’t breathe and  splashed around with her tiny paws. Suddenly she felt teeth clutch onto her scruff and started pulling her upwards, towards the surface. She opened her eyes. All she saw was bright blue. However that didn’t last long.

#### Chapter 5: Grief

Lux, now in her celestial body pulled Moondancer onto land. Moondancer coughed and spluttered, letting the water escape her lungs.  Her fluffy grey coat was very soaked. She shook her fur. It was still nightime at the Star Pack Hunting Grounds. Moondancer breathed in the fresh, unfamiliar air and looked at all the plants which glowed in the dark.

Suddenly two other pups came rushing to her, with their tails wagging. It was Cherry and Gaia!

“Where have you been?!” Squeaked Gaia.

“We were so worried about you!” Cried Cherry. “We thought you would become so addicted in staying at Yellowstone National Park as a ghost that you wouldn’t return!”

The glossy silver and white she wolf, Lux, who was still a bit wet looked a little angry, but she remained calm.

“Why did you go into the moonpool?” Lux said, a little bit irritated.

“I was crying beside it,” woofed Moondancer sadly, “Then it suddenly changed shape to show images of my living family and my homeland. I then took a closer look as I was curious. However I think I accidentally tripped and fell in.”

“When a wolf’s tears go into the pool, the pool then shows their emotions and thoughts.” Said Lux.

“I didn’t know!” Moondancer said gruffly. “I’m feeling sick,  I think I need to go somewhere to be alone!”

“Don’t go…!” Shouted Lux

It was too late, under the enormous moon, Moondancer ran. She ran for a long time, with luminous plants scratching her starry pelt, through the trees twinkled with starlight.  She ran so far that she got lost in the massive forest and she started panting. She stopped. She looked around her. There were glowing trees everywhere and reeds touched with bright blue. She did not know where she was. She did not know where other celestial wolves were. Her eyes widened, she was lost in this very unfamiliar forest!

“Mother lied!” Cried Moondancer. “Mother said to me that I will survive from the illness!”

Moondancer did a small howl.

“But I’m not fine, clearly! Not only am I dead, I’m so lost in this horrible place!”

She started sobbing uncontrollably.

“WHAT DO I DO?!”

She howled mournfully, under the giant moon. After a few minutes, she heard footsteps. She was facing upwind, so she didn’t smell any scents of celestial wolves.  A bush, glowing a turqiose colour, started to rattle.

“Who’s there?!” Moondancer barked, “Show yourself!”

A silvery white she wolf, none other than Lux apeared. Moondancer’s heart sank, she found her. She must have found her scent trail.

“Moondancer, no matter far away you run, we can still smell your scent.” The she wolf woofed.”

“Where is Cherry and Gaia?” Asked Moondancer.

“They are spending time with grandmother Luna.” Replied Lux.

Moondancer broke down in tears, with her head batting at Lux’s legs. Lux leaned over, so that she was up against her chest.

“I never ever be able to talk mum, dad, Lyra and Heather for many, many moons!” Moondancer cried.

“I’m sorry Moondancer, but, you can look forward to the day you are able to speak to them again.” Comforted Lux

“And I’ll never be able to walk on Slough Creek again in Yellowstone National Park.” Moondancer continued.

“You can visit Yellowstone National Park when you enter the Moonpool. You will only be able to do so, when you are ready.”

Her heart sank. “When is ‘ready’?” Moondancer whined sadly.

“When you have accepted your death.” The she wolf said a bit sternly but calm. “So you don’t become tempted to stay there and never leave when you do visit.”

“Ok” Moondancer said. “*I still can’t wrap my head over my death. I can’t accept it, atleast not yet.”*

“I’ll never be able to taste meat again and learn how to hunt!” Moondancer cried.

“Actually,” Lux said. “There are plenty of prey in the Great Meadow of Endless Hunting.”

Moondancer’s heart leaped, but then she started to wonder. *How did the prey animals go to our Elysium when they died?*

“Lux, I thought that prey animals would go to different elysiums than us when they die.”

“The prey here, aren’t real prey that can think.” Lux said “They were created by Venari, the god of the hunt, in order to give all the wolves here an option to hunt for fun and taste meat, like they did when they are alive.”

Suddenly, something popped into Moondancer’s head. *How did Lux fly?!*

“Umm, Lux, how did you fly at Yellowstone National Park as a ghost?”

“It takes some practice,” The silvery she wolf said. “You will be able to fly one day, it just takes time.”

“Ok” Moondancer said quietly.

Moondancer looked up to the sky. The enormous moon haven’t moved a bit and it was still night at the Star Pack’s Hunting Grounds.

“Lux, will it ever be day at the Star Pack’s Hunting Grounds?” whispered Moondancer sadly.

“No,” said Lux “Unlike Yellowstone National Park, Star Pack’s Hunting Grounds is always night The moon always sits in the sky at the same position.”

Moondancer’s eyes widened. “So, I’ll never see the light of day again?!”

“You will,” Lux breathed “while you are visiting Yellowstone National Park from  a moonpool.”

“How many moonpools are there at Star Pack’s Hunting Grounds?” Moondancer asked Lux.

“There are many,” said Lux “All across the Forest of Starlight and the Meadows of Endless Hunting.”

“Wow…” gasped Moondancer. She was taken aback. But, who was Lux and what was her heritage? Was she a member of the Ancient Pack?”

“Who are you exactly?” Moondancer asked Lux.

“I am your great aunt…”

“Really?!” Moondancer gasped.

“Yes” Lux said sweetly. “I am one of your grandmother Luna’s sisters and littermates. When the Ancient Pack fell due to the war with the Prospect Peak pack, I dispersed, along with my sister, Luna. Unfortunately, one moon before my sister met her mate, Sol, I was hit by a monster on one of the thunderpaths in Yellowstone National Park, and died.”

*I know that story on how the Ancient Pack fell, from my mother!* Moondancer thought.

Lux shed a shear.

“I wasn’t able to watch my sister and her mate raise their pups, which included Feather, your mum.  However, due to being the sister, chosen to become the Goddess of the Moon, during that time, I trained to become a consular with Alba, my mentor, to help wolves who had passed on and joined the Star Pack. My job is to help newly arrived, celestial wolves accept their death, and to be allowed to use the moonpools anytime they wish without being addicted to it.”

*Wow!* Moondancer thought.

“Moondancer, would you like to learn how to hunt?” Lux asked.

Moondancer’s ears perked up with excitement. “Are you going to teach me?!”

“Yes,” she replied. “We’re going to the Meadows of Endless Hunting. Follow me!”

Lux started walking in one direction with Moondancer following closely behind, bouncing with excitement.