Storm of Dogs (4 page)

The frost had melted on the
ragged grass of the camp, but Lucky still shivered in the bitter air. The afternoon was tinged with a violet light. Sweet lifted her long, pale muzzle, glancing for a moment behind her, in the direction of the cliffs and the Endless Lake. Then she turned back to the Pack.

“So we left the town immediately,” she finished.

Dart's eyes grew wide, and she pawed the ground. “But the longpaws saw you? They know we're here?”

Bruno gave a low growl and Snap stiffened, the fur bristling on her wiry muzzle.

Lucky looked to Sweet, admiring her calm authority.

“They saw us in the town, yes,” she replied. “But they didn't follow us when we left, so they don't know the location of the camp.”

Moon's blue eyes were as cool and clear as the water of the frozen stream. “In my opinion, they're still too close. We're not safe here. Those creatures hurt Fiery. If they can
bring down such a powerful dog, they can do it to any one of us. What if they decide the town isn't big enough for them and they come this way?”

Dart yapped in agreement, her slim tail clinging to her flank.

Martha shook her dark head. “I don't think they'd do that,” she said reasonably. “There are no longpaw houses up here for them to shelter in. They feel the cold more than we do; they'd need to have somewhere.”

“That doesn't mean anything,” said Mickey. “I've seen longpaws
building
their houses. There's nothing to stop them from coming here and starting to build. They're
very
clever, they can do anything, and . . .” He trailed off, looking guilty. “I'm not saying they're good, I don't mean . . .”

He doesn't want the other dogs to think he's still loyal to the longpaws,
thought Lucky. He gave the Farm Dog a reassuring look, then turned back to Sweet. The Pack watched her expectantly.

Sweet spoke decisively. “I'm not scared of longpaws. We're better hunters than them, and by Tree Flower there will be plenty of prey in the surrounding valleys. Till then, we'll make do with geese and whatever else we can catch.”

“What about the Fierce Dogs?” whined Dart. “What if they come back to the town? Where
are
they?”

Sweet raised her muzzle. “The Pack isn't going to move again. I'm sick of running away. It will just tire us out and leave us unable to fight—and we may have to yet.” Her tail jerked and her eyes flashed. “If the Fierce Dogs come back, we'll deal with them.” She looked at Martha and Mickey. “If the longpaws want the town, they can have it. But the cliffs and the valley belong to us.”

“What if the longpaws come here?” whined Dart. “Mickey said—”

“We're not going
anywhere
,” snapped Sweet.

Silenced, the skinny chase-dog lowered her head. A tangible sense of relief ran through the Pack. Few had the appetite to move again, particularly during Ice Wind.

When Sweet spoke again, her tone was softer. “There will be a ceremony tomorrow,
when the Sun-Dog begins his next journey.”

Lucky cocked his head. “What kind of ceremony? All the dogs have names. . . .”

Sweet met his eye. “A ceremony to mark your role as my Pack's Beta.”

The original members of the Wild Pack barked in excitement, and Lucky felt his fur tingle.

Snap's tail was wagging as she turned to the perplexed former Leashed Dogs. “Every dog except the Beta needs to find something they can offer to the Spirit Dogs.”

“It could be the pelt of a prey-creature,” said Moon, “or maybe a feather, or a special pebble. Something to show the Spirit Dogs we are keeping them in our thoughts, and to represent the qualities we wish for in our Beta.”

“I saw some pretty white stones by the pond,” yipped Sunshine. “They shone with the light of the Moon-Dog. Will they do?”

Moon's ears flicked back with satisfaction. “They will do very well.”

The Pack dispersed to hunt for offerings, leaving Lucky alone in the grassy clearing. He hadn't been around when Sweet was made the half wolf's Beta, and he had no idea what to expect.

I used to be a Lone Dog, responsible for nothing, looking after no dog but myself.

He belonged with this Pack now, and he felt a warm, comfortable certainty about his place at Sweet's side. But could he really have gone from a Lone Dog to a high-ranking Pack Dog in such a short time?

Am I really ready for this?

As the sky darkened, Lucky padded over to the den he shared with Sweet. The swift-dog was out with the others, searching for offerings for the Spirit Dogs. Lucky settled onto the bedding of moss and leaves with a long yawn.

Bella appeared at the entrance to the den, panting with amusement. “All the stress about the ceremony tiring you out, Yap?”

Lucky's fur bristled with irritation. “The ceremony doesn't bother me,” he said gruffly. “It's
the responsibility that comes with being Beta.”

Bella sat on the bedding with a snort. “You're practically Sweet's Beta already—nothing will change after the ceremony. Anyway, it's the perfect role for you.” There was a playful glint in her eye.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, this way you get to tell the other dogs what to do, without being the one who every dog looks to for answers.” She leaned over and nudged him affectionately.

“What nonsense!” yapped Lucky, nipping his litter-sister's ear. She gave him a good-natured lick, and he relaxed against the bedding, panting.

Bella's face became more serious. “I've been watching Sweet grow into her role. I know I challenged her for it, but I have to admit she makes a good Alpha, and the two of you make a good team. Having both of you in charge has given the Pack a lot of confidence—the dogs are happier than they used to be. So why not make it official?”

Lucky looked at her gratefully, feeling truly close to her for the first time since they'd joined the Wild Pack.

After Bella left to find her offering, Lucky nestled down and went to sleep. His dreams were peaceful. He saw a long, murmuring stream winding through a valley. The light was golden and the air was warm. Small flowers dotted the grassy bank, and the branches of a tree shifted in the wind, one low-hanging branch tapping him on the flank. The wind picked up and the tapping grew more insistent. No. That wasn't tapping. It felt like . . . a muzzle.

Lucky's eyes snapped open. Sweet was butting his ribs with her wet nose. The light of the Moon-Dog was weak inside the den, and he could barely see her.

“Finally!” Sweet drew back her head. “I've been trying to wake you for ages!”

Lucky rolled onto his paws, shaking away his sleepiness. “What's wrong? Is there trouble?”

Sweet shook her head. “The camp is safe. I need you to follow me quietly.”

The two dogs stepped out of the den and crept around their sleeping Packmates. Moon sat with her back to them at the edge of camp, watching for danger. Mickey and Snap were
curled up beneath a low bush, and a short distance away old Bruno was stretched out by himself, snoring loudly. A twig snapped under Lucky's paw, and Bruno's lip twitched but he didn't wake up.

Lucky watched Sweet's long legs step lightly over the cool grass as they left the camp for the circle of trees. He wanted to ask her what they were doing, but somehow he knew not to. She was walking with purpose, kicking aside foliage.
I guess I'll find out what's going on soon enough.

When they reached the pond between the trees, Sweet finally stopped. The air was damp and smelled of the Earth-Dog, as it did after heavy rain, but the sky was cloudless and illuminated with a silvery light. The Moon-Dog flicked her tail over the surface of the pond and the water shimmered, rippling slowly. Would it also turn to ice, just as the stream had grown cold and hard?

Sweet stood gazing into the water, and Lucky joined her. Their reflections appeared faintly on the surface.

The swift-dog spoke without taking her eyes off the pond. “There is a part of the ceremony that is only between an Alpha and her Beta, a part that no other dog can know about. I did it when I became Beta, and now it's your turn. You have to swear loyalty to me and vow to serve the Pack as best you can—you must do this before the Sun-Dog returns. If you do, you will begin the new day as my official Beta. Unless . . .” Her head dipped, and her eyes were hooded. She continued in a quiet voice. “Unless you'd rather not be my Beta? It isn't too late to change your mind.”

Lucky reached over and licked her ear. “I don't want to change my mind.”

She looked up at him. “It's just . . . you're hard to figure out sometimes. You can be the bravest dog I've ever seen, but you don't seem to want responsibility. I still remember what you said when we escaped the Trap House, all that stuff about being a Lone Dog.”

“That was a lifetime ago, Sweet. I've changed.” He eased himself down onto his haunches. “Before the Big Growl, I had only myself to answer to, only myself to look after, and I was fine with that. When I met Bella and the Leashed Dogs, all of them looked to me
to make decisions, and I started to dread the day when I ran out of answers—when I let them down.” He cleared his throat with a gruff cough. “Some Lone Dog I turned out to be!”

Sweet rested her head against his neck. Her voice was soft. “Haven't you learned yet? You were
never
a Lone Dog, not really—you just hadn't found your Pack yet. You've proven that you want to serve the Pack to the best of your ability. The only question now is, will you be loyal to me, whatever happens?”

Lucky tried to shift his position so he could look her in the eye, but Sweet's head was heavy on his neck. Instead he spoke into the darkness. “
Always.
You should know that by now. Whatever happens, I will always stand by you.”

Sweet gave a satisfied sigh. “Thank you, Lucky. I needed to hear that.”

Then she plunged her fangs into his neck.

Searing pain shot through Lucky. Sweet
bit harder, forcing her teeth deeper into his flesh. A choked whine escaped Lucky's throat, but he was too shocked to move.

She's attacking me!

Sweet lowered her chest against his back, her thin tail curving around Lucky's flank. He froze beneath her weight, feeling the pressure of her chest as it expanded and relaxed with each breath. His limbs tingled, and he struggled to order his thoughts. Pain surged through the deep punctures in his skin, and his pulse thumped against his ribs. Or was it Sweet's pulse? They seemed to be thumping to the same beat.

Feeling flooded back to Lucky's limbs as Sweet eased her grip. His leg muscles flexed. He could throw her off now, turn on her angrily, but he found he didn't
want
to. His body
relaxed beneath Sweet's grip. He hardly noticed the pain in his neck as her warm, soft pelt pressed against his. It felt right to be so close to her.
This is where I'm
meant
to be.

He felt Sweet's breathing slow down to the same pace as his. Then she let go of his neck and slipped off his back, stepping around him to meet him face-on.

Lucky stared at her, seeing his own blood glistening on her fangs. It dribbled down her bottom lip and spilled onto the grass. “I have bitten you beneath your fur,” Sweet said solemnly. “It is a mark that no other dog will ever see. But the wound will scar, and
we
will know it is there. You are my Beta, and you must always be loyal to me.”

Lucky's tail drooped, and he dipped his head. His body seemed to know what to do, and the right words seemed to slip from his tongue. “We will know,” he echoed. “I bear your mark, and I will always be loyal to you, Sweet—my Alpha.”

A ripple of unease ran over his fur.
Alpha
. . .

Had Sweet gone through the same ritual, when
she
became the Pack's Beta . . . when she had sworn her loyalty to the half wolf? Lucky's eyes trailed over Sweet's long neck. The short fur looked smooth and velvety in the light of the Moon-Dog. But was there a mark underneath it, a sign that no other dog could see—that only Sweet and the Pack's former leader knew about?

Jealousy pricked at Lucky's whiskers. He could hardly stand to think of his mate so close to the dog-wolf.

Sweet gazed at him unblinking. “You have accepted your role as my Beta. In turn, as your Alpha, I promise by the Moon-Dog to always be honorable, honest, and courageous. I will reward your loyalty by always protecting you.” She lowered her muzzle but held his gaze. “If I ever break this promise, or I'm no longer Alpha, the connection between us will be broken. And if it is broken because I do something wrong—because I fail you as your Alpha—it can never be repaired.” Lucky caught a glimmer of anger in Sweet's brown eyes. Was she thinking of the dog-wolf's treachery?

He took a step toward her and she licked his nose, her eyes softening.