Short Story- The lone wolf- part 1

[McGu]

I wrote a story a while ago that I thought was quite good and I just found out about the writers on Newgrounds, so I decided that I would upload the story here and see what other people thought about it.

The lone wolf

The gazelle ate the grass on the dawning savannah. It was sure it would be safe, after all, predators usually gave up the chase after they witnessed its speed. Unfortunately, it had never been pursued by a wolf. The gazelle bent its h ead to scoop up another pile of grass and then they struck. The wolves leapt from the bushes, charging to capture their prey. The gazelle realized its fault only too late. The wolves landed on it, teeth tearing and shredding the leathery skin like it was made of paper.

The wolves dragged the bloody carcass back to the rest of the pack, all of them eager to receive the glory for the kill. âEUoeNice job on the clean kill.âEU The head female, Tasha congratulated them.
âEUoeThanks, it wasnâEUTMt easy to get.âEU One of the hunters replied, communicating in that special way that only animals could.
âEUoeThe bossâEUTMll be back in a while; theyâEUTMre still looking for some more game.âEU Tasha said. The wolves sauntered off, feeling confident in their new, rare kill.

âEUoeThe prey is getting harder to find.âEU Skoll said. He was one of the top dogs.
âEUoeYeah, we might need to move the pack somewhere else.âEU Connor suggested.
âEUoeWeâEUTMve been here a while. ItâEUTMd probably be smart to move somewhere with fresh game.âEU Hati, SkollâEUTMs twin, continued.
âEUoeFine, but first weâEUTMll need to stock up on supplies before making off for the north. People are still hunting us.âEU Markus said. He was the head of the pack. They returned to the rest of them, excited to see the new meat available, âEUoeWho found the meat?âEU Markus asked.
âEUoeSome hunters, Markus, whenâEUTMre we moving on?âEU Tasha asked, the rising sun reflecting off of her light brown fur.
âEUoeWeâEUTMve decided to move to the north, so soon.âEU Markus growled softly. He didnâEUTMt like moving the entire pack such a long distance, but they had to evade the Christian hunters; they were hunted because, according to their religion, the wolves were evil and were the epitome of greed. The wolves thought of them as stupid. In their eyes there was only one deity, the moon goddess, Selene. Markus gathered the wolves around to tell them the news, âEUoeQuiet!âEU Markus barked. The wolves fell silent and turned to face their leader. âEUoeI have some news, weâEUTMll be moving north to find some fresh game.âEU
âEUoeHow far north will we be heading?âEU one of the wolves asked.
âEUoeIâEUTMm not sure, but we will be moving far. We should just prepare for a long voyage.âEU Markus said.
âEUoeBut, most of us are with children, we canâEUTMt move that far.âEU one of the females said, this was a major issue considering Wolves were almost extinct.
âEUoeI know, so weâEUTMll just have to proceed cautiously and slowly.âEU Markus said. There were grumblings among the group but they agreed reluctantly. âEUoeWeâEUTMll be moving through the mountain.âEU Immediately there were protests.
âEUoeThe mountain is too dangerous.âEU
âEUoeThe beast is waiting for us.âEU
âEUoeWeâEUTMll be torn apart.âEU The wolves argued.
âEUoeQuiet! There is no beast in the mountains. All of that was speculation. The mountains are perfectly safe.âEU Markus assured them. That helped restore some of the unrest but the pack was still afraid of the beast in the mountains, âEUoeThere is no beast. We have been in the mountains and searched but found no sign of the beast.âEU That settled the panic in the pack. Now they had an assurance that the monster didnâEUTMt exist. âEUoeWeâEUTMll be leaving in three days, make sure that you use up all the resources you can. We wonâEUTMt be taking anything with us when we leave.âEU were MarkusâEUTMs final orders. He leapt from the rock and set off to examine the mountain. Even he didnâEUTMt know if there truly was a beast there, âEUoeSkoll, Hati, Connor, weâEUTMre going to the mountain in advance, to scout it out.âEU Markus told them. They closely followed their leader as they set off for the mountain.

[McGu]

It was around mid-day by the time they arrived and the sun was already scorching the dead grassy field surrounding the mountain. âEUoeWe better be cautious about this.âEU Hati said. He tended to be the voice of reason in their group; the opposite of his blood-crazed brother.

They proceeded cautiously through the stony mountain, carefully sniffing the air for signs of danger; they found naught except the stone walls and the beating sun.
âEUoeI hoped there wouldâEUTMve been a beast,âEU Skoll sighed, âEUoeI wanted to take it down.âEU
âEUoeLike you couldâEUTMve taken it downâEU Hati said. Skoll growled and chased Hati around playfully. The two were young and unburdened with the horrors that came from the struggle to survive, unlike Markus, who grew up on the Russian tundra, struggling to scrape any kind of food together. Maybe this was what made him a natural leader.
âEUoeIn any case, the way is safe; weâEUTMd better tell the pack that weâEUTMre leaving tomorrow.âEU Markus ordered. They made their way back to the pack to break the good news.

âEUoeI hope this is for the best.âEU Tasha asked Markus, the both of them curled under a tree, watching as the moonlight danced among the leaves.
âEUoeWe need to move the pack. The hunters will come for us soon. We were lucky to avoid them for so long.âEU Markus admitted.
âEUoeI just hope the cubs can make it.âEU Tasha said. She was always thinking of others before herself.
âEUoeWeâEUTMll stop for rest to allow them to keep up. Either way we need to move the pack.âEU Markus had resolved, although he was initially hesitant. He finally realised he had no choice but to flee the savannah. Tasha and Markus lay there for the rest of the night, fearing the next day and the horrors it could bring.

They proceeded cautiously through the mountain, checking and double checking the area. Since they left their watering hole the cubs were panting for fresh water. The adults were close to snapping, âEUoeFine then!âEU Markus barked at the cubs, âEUoeHati, Connor, go check for water.âEU Markus ordered. They complied with a grumble; they didnâEUTMt want to waste any time getting through the mountain.
âEUoeMarkus, calm down, the cubs are scared.âEU Tasha said, her voice soothing his rage. Markus stormed off to help Hati and Connor find water.

âEUoeThose cubs are getting irritating.âEU Connor mumbled, sniffing the ground.
âEUoeNot much we can do about that,âEU Markus agreed, âEUoeItâEUTMs not like we can force them to ignore their needs.âEU
âEUoeCâEUTMmon guys, just remember, we were all cubs once.âEU Hati pleaded, Markus and Connor shot him a cold look and searched further. They eventually found a large mountain spring, covered in flowers. âEUoeThat took a while,âEU Hati said. He lowered his head to the ground and sniffing the flowers. âEUoeI recognize these. These are lunar blooms. Dad told me about them. TheyâEUTMre supposed to be gifts from Selene.âEU
âEUoeMaybe this whole place was a gift.âEU Connor wondered.
âEUoeThen weâEUTMll thank Selene while we drink.âEU Markus said, âEUoeGo get the cubs.âEU

They were resting at the spring after two or so hours walking. The cubs weren't used to such manual labour, but theyâEUTMd need to get used to it soon. After all; only the strongest would survive in this world. Even still Markus couldnâEUTMt help but relax in the field of flowers; it was as if Selene herself was reaching out to him. Markus had almost drifted off to sleep, and then the beast struck.

It came down the mountain, lumbering and rabid, swinging wildly, hurting several wolves in its rampage. Markus was up and challenging the beast in a second. Hati, Skoll and Connor quickly bounded to his side while the others gathered the cubs, âEUoeTake them and run. WeâEUTMll fend off the beast.âEU Markus barked at the others. They didnâEUTMt need to be told twice.

Tasha led the others away from the four. Skoll was the first to run at the beast, zigzagging to dodge the beasts attack. He leapt at its flank and his teeth sank in, blood spurting out of the hairy beast and staining the blooming flowers a deep red hue. The beast howled in pain and shook Skoll off of it. Skoll went tumbling over a cliff face, landing on the solid stone floor of the valley. Hati and Connor ran at it. It swiped and managed to stop Hati, but Connor leapt at it, swiping and scratching the beastâEUTMs eyes. It howled again and charged in a blind fury. Markus leapt over the beast and swiped at it, but the beast had learned from its last mistakes. It ducked under Markus and kept charging forward. Markus landed safely on the other side of the beast, watching carefully as it charged away from them. The beast realised its fault and turned to face the three wolves, while they scanned the beast for weaknesses, the beast charged again. Markus leapt at the beast, biting and managing to penetrate the thin skin surrounding his jugular vein. The beast screamed and howled again, finally striking Markus and sending him hurtling at a rock formation surrounding the mountain spring. He yelped in pain as he hit the sharp rocks, falling into the clean water, corrupting it with blood.

Hati dragged the bleeding Markus out of the pool. His once snow white fur now stained in crimson, âEUoeCome on Markus, you canâEUTMt die yet.âEU Hati said, patting Markus with his paw, trying to make him respond. Markus let out a small whimper in reply, âEUoeConnor, go get Tasha and Skoll, they can help.âEU Connor ran off. Skoll was too hurt to make it to Markus but Tasha was there in a flash, panicking for the safety of her old friend.
âEUoeMarkus, what happened?âEU Tasha asked, panic present in her voice.
âEUoeIt was the beast. Markus managed to take it down butâEU¦âEU Hati trailed off. Tasha walked over to Markus, prodding him with her nose. Markus gave little reply.
âEUoeWill he be okay?âEU Tasha asked.
âEUoeIâEUTMm not sure, he took a bad hit-âEU Hati started.
âEUoeWill He be okay?âEU Tasha asked again, more insistent, panic evident in her voice. Hati couldnâEUTMt bring himself to tell her. Tasha turned again to her old friend, bleeding slowly on the lunar blooms. Tasha felt tears come to her eyes, she howled. She howled for her friend, she howled so all could hear her pain, she howled so long and loud she threatened to wake even the gods, then maybe they could save Markus, but they couldnâEUTMt. If any god cared for them they wouldâEUTMve saved them from the Christians a long time ago. Not even the gods shed an emotion for a tear, not even the gods cared if a being died, be it beast or wolf or man, they didnâEUTMt care if any of them died.

Tasha left the lifeless Markus on the field of flowers, a fitting resting place for one so pious, or perhaps as spite to Selene, for allowing him to die. Tasha led the wolves out of the savannah, along with Skoll, Hati and Connor, leading them to safety. She led the pack now. They left the mountain valley and scaled the mountain, the white snow falling and concealing their tracks. The wolves were now alone and in their element. Maybe they could survive for another few days, maybe they could survive until the end of time, but it would all be meaningless without Markus there. He was the only one who could ever have led them to paradise.

Sometimes, on a cloudless night, when the stars are bright and the moon glows high in the sky, a howling can be heard, âEUoeIt was the sound of the wind passing through the valleyâEU the people told each other. They couldnâEUTMt be more wrong. It was the sound of pain, it was the sound of grief, it was the sound of one whoâEUTMd lost their loved one, it was the sound of a lone wolf.