Sweet's Journey (7 page)

The sensation of belonging filled Sweet as if it was a second
stream of blood in her veins. With that knowledge came a deep feeling of peace. Beta couldn't touch that, not deep down; and even Alpha couldn't affect it with his tricks and manipulations. Her connection was with the Pack and its spirit, and only she could break it.

And I'd never want to
. After all the times she'd run away—from the Trap House, from Lucky, from her first swift-dog Pack—she found suddenly that the urge to run was gone.

This was where she belonged—this land, this forest, this Pack.

The high of the Great Howl
couldn't last forever, and Sweet was exhausted and aching from her long watch by the time the sky began to pale where the Sun-Dog would rise. Her leg muscles ached from the fast sprint to find Fiery, and her mind felt stunned by the Howl itself, but its message had lodged firmly inside her heart and guts. She wouldn't let her Pack down now. She'd defend their home against anything.

If she truly had abandoned her post, she mused, she'd have earned this punishment, and worse. She still wondered if perhaps Alpha knew more about that than he was letting on. Did he in fact know why no dog was there to stop the coyotes? Did he know what had really happened? And if so, why had he gone through with this?

She didn't trust the half wolf, Sweet admitted inwardly.
But I'm not at all sure why. . . .

A branch cracked behind her, and she leaped to her feet, hackles high; but instantly she recognized the two dogs. Fiery was unmistakable, with his square head and his massive body, and Moon's white-and-black coat gleamed in the early dawn. The new mother dog leaned weakly against her mate's flank, but as they drew closer to Sweet she left Fiery's side to lick Sweet's ear and nuzzle her neck.

“Thank you for what you did, Sweet,” murmured Moon. “I'm so sorry it got you into trouble. But Fiery came to me in time to see the last of his pups born. I don't know if I'd have had the strength, otherwise.”

“I can't thank you enough,” rumbled Fiery. The sire-pride in his eyes looked as if it would never dim. “Our pups don't have names yet, but one day soon they will—and I hope they grow up to be as loyal and brave as you, Sweet.”

The two dogs' words made Sweet's gut twist and her heart warm with gratitude. She returned their fond licks. “Thank you. Both of you. I'm only glad I could help.”

“You helped more than we can say,” Moon told her. “And you didn't deserve this punishment. We both know you'd never have left your post and abandoned the camp.” She took a breath, as if to say more, then shut her jaws.

“We have to go back to the pups,” said Fiery softly, nuzzling his mate. “But remember what we owe you, Sweet. Because
we
won't forget.”

Sweet watched them go, vanishing into the shadows. The warmth inside her was kindling to a fierce glow of protectiveness.

No. I'll never let my friends down again
.

Just as the Sun-Dog was rising, his light glinting fiercely through the trees, Fiery returned, relieving Sweet of her watch and telling her kindly but firmly to get some sleep. Gratefully Sweet accepted, slinking exhaustedly back into the camp. Her eyes and ears drooped and her paws felt like boulders, but it seemed she wasn't to get any sleep just yet. Alpha was summoning the Pack into the clearing, his tail tapping impatiently on the rock where he sat.

As he caught sight of her approaching, he gave a low bark, and every dog turned, pricking their ears.

“Hear this, dogs of my Pack. Sweet's punishment is over. She is forgiven her error and she will rejoin the hunting dogs today.”

Just behind him there was a low snarl, and Alpha half turned. Beta stood there, her muscles trembling with anger and her hackles bristling.

Alpha said nothing. He kept his yellow stare level on Beta till she was forced to meet it. The red dog's tail lowered, and she fell silent.

“That's settled, then,” growled Alpha. “Every dog, go to your duties. Sweet, get some sleep. You'll need it before you hunt.”

Without the refreshment of a brief sleep, Sweet didn't think she'd have managed to catch any prey at all. The hunt that day was long and hard, and as she returned to her den afterward, she felt hunger gnaw at her belly; the sting of it reminded her that she hadn't eaten anything since before her long night's guard duty. But the ache in her muscles was a good one. She was a part of the team again, a good and hardworking dog, a valuable member of the Pack.

She stopped at the entrance to her den and sniffed.
Food?

Happiness made her light-headed. Fiery and Moon had left her a rabbit from the Pack's earlier meal.
It's good to have a Pack
, she thought.
It's good to have friends
.

She could barely even wait to give thanks to the Forest-Dog. Falling on the rabbit, she pinned it with her forepaws and began to tear at it, gulping chunks of it down. The feeling of warm food in her empty belly was bliss, chasing away all the fears and worries
and sadness of the night before. For long, ravenous moments, Sweet didn't even see the shadow that fell across her.

Only when Beta's howl rang out above her did she jerk her head up, startled.

“Sweet has eaten the common prey! She has deprived the Pack and its pups, and filled her own belly!”

Sweet stared up at the red dog, her jaw loose, dizzy for an instant with disbelief and bewilderment.
What?

Then, as she caught the vicious glint in Beta's eyes, she realized.
Beta left this rabbit here! It was Beta!

Sweet shuffled hastily back from the torn prey, but she knew it was too late. Her mouth was bloody and stained, and still full of rabbit meat.

She could only crouch, trembling, on the ground as Alpha stalked toward her, followed by her Packmates. The taste of the meat in her jaws was like acrid dust; she couldn't even swallow it.

“Sweet.” Alpha's bark was thunderous. “This is the worst offense a Pack member can commit.”

“Alpha, I—” Her whine was so hoarse, she could barely hear it herself.

“If you really did this, Sweet,” Alpha growled, “you will be scarred both as punishment and as a sign to every dog of what you
are. What do you have to say for yourself? How do you respond to Beta's charge?”

The half wolf's yellow eyes were entirely unreadable. Sweet stared into them, transfixed with horror, searching for a trace of pity, or a trace of doubt.

I won't be scarred for something I didn't do. I will not let it happen!

But how can I stop it? I have no witnesses to speak for me! Beta planned this, she planned it perfectly from the start. . . .

She could spring to her paws right now, she thought, turn and run. No dog here could catch her if she was determined. She was the fastest of all of them.

But then she could never come back.
Never
. Finally tearing her eyes away from Alpha's, she met Fiery's steady clear gaze.

Fiery wants me to deny it. He wants me to prove myself—he wants to know he and Moon were right to trust me. . . .

Something churned in Sweet's belly, and a spark of fire flared in her heart.

I will not be the Dog Who Runs. Not this time. I will be the Dog Who Stands Her Ground
.

Sweet raised herself to her paws. She stood foursquare, her legs so rigid she was afraid they would tremble. But she gazed once more, this time with defiance, into Alpha's eyes.

“Alpha. Dogs of my Pack,” she barked, and her voice rang out clear and strong. “I reject Beta's charge. She is lying. I will prove myself, here and now, in combat.”

She turned to the red dog, and gazed at her icily.

“
I challenge Beta
.”

The air in the camp crackled
with tension, lifting the roots of Sweet's fur. Dogs were drawing back into a wide circle, their eyes wide and their ears pricked in nervous expectation. There were small whines of anxiety, and a few excited growls of anticipation, quickly stifled.

Sweet kept her eyes on Beta, who stood rigid, as if in shock. The red dog's jaws were slightly parted, but as Sweet watched, she recovered, and her lips stretched in a sneer over her sharp fangs.

At Sweet's side, Moon murmured, “Is this what you wanted all along, Sweet? To challenge Beta and become Alpha's second in command?”

Sweet cocked one ear at her friend. “Of course not. That has nothing to do with this.” She frowned. “I'm tired of putting up with her, that's all. Taunting me, playing tricks. The Wind-Dogs wouldn't put up with it from the Hare. If I tolerated it from Beta,
I'd be letting down Alpha Wind-Dog herself!” A fierce thrill of determination went down Sweet's spine as she said it.
Wind-Dogs
, she thought,
be with me! Give me the speed I need!

“Hear me, dogs of my Pack,” barked Alpha. “Sweet the swift-dog challenges Beta.” He glanced around them all, then stepped back and nodded to the two challengers.

“Be careful, Sweet,” Moon whispered, licking her ear. “Beta is a good and clever fighter. And she's ruthless.”

“I know she is.” Sweet nodded calmly. “But I can either stand up to her, or I can run. And I won't be the Dog Who Runs, not anymore. I've tried that, and I always regret it. Now, I'm going to be the Dog Who Stands.”

“You'll stand,” snarled Beta, “till I grind you into the dust.” She flung herself at Sweet, fangs snapping, claws lashing.

Sweet whirled, ducked, and flew beneath Beta's charging body. If Beta had hoped to catch her off guard with a single violent charge, thought Sweet, she was wrong. She twisted, raking her claws at Beta's underbelly as the red dog tumbled and rolled off-balance.

Sweet missed, but Beta had not laid a claw on her, either. Furious, Beta sprang back to her paws and charged again. This time Sweet's haunches were bunched beneath her and she propelled
herself upward so that Beta skidded in the dust, missing again. But Beta was fast, too, and one of her flailing paws caught Sweet's flank, drawing blood.

Sweet scrabbled to a stop, turning quickly to face her enemy. She could feel blood beading on her flank, and the warm trickle as it began to flow. She clenched her jaws.

“You're pathetic, Bony Dog,” snarled Beta.

Sweet resisted the temptation to return insult for insult. She was faster than Beta, but she was going to need all her breath and all her wits to stay out of reach of those savage claws. She dodged sideways again as Beta lunged, feeling sharp teeth graze her leg, but she'd escaped once more without a deep wound. As Beta stumbled, Sweet snapped her long muzzle at the red dog's hind leg. Her jaws closed satisfyingly on flesh and bone, and Beta yelped. Sweet released her, and sprang back out of reach.

Both dogs stood rigid, eyeing each other, panting hard. Around them there was silence from the rest of the Pack; Sweet didn't hear so much as a whine or a quiet yelp.

Beta began to circle again, and Sweet turned slowly, watching her.

This time, Beta's attack was still powerful, but she took more care, and Sweet darted forward to meet her, teeth bared. Beta
dodged her bite, and swiped her claws at Sweet's eyes, one claw nicking her cheekbone. Sweet gave a yelp of anger.

She's fighting like Callie used to. Aiming for my eyes! She doesn't care if she blinds me—she'd rather kill me than see me part of this Pack!

The realization sent new strength and determination flowing into Sweet's blood.
This is one fight I won't lose
.

Beta's moves were slyer now, more considered, but Sweet could see the red light of fury in her blazing eyes.
She's not in complete control of herself. If I can tempt her in closer —

Sweet bounded forward, head twisting as if to bite. Beta lunged for her eyes again, but this time Sweet ducked and rolled. Beta's forepaw slammed into the dust beside her head, and Sweet took her chance. She snapped for the red dog's foreleg, seizing it between her jaws and crunching down hard. Through the pounding of blood in her ears, she heard Beta's screaming howl of pain.