I was inspired by this picture...isn't it cute?!

Enjoy :D

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A little coyote bounded down the countryside along with her pack. They yipped and barked joyfully as they chased each other. This was her favorite part of the day, running freely across the wild, cool, late autumn air ruffling their thickening fur. This was also her favorite time of year. Vibrant colors of yellow, orange and red littered the ground and clung to the trees. Annoying geese migrated north, babies from the spring had grown into teens, frost glimmered in the browning grass in the mornings.

The pack of energetic coyotes entered the forest where they would rest under the cover of the sycomore trees. The little coyote saw one of her friends slow to a trot and wander in a different direction. Her ears pricking up with curiosity, she followed after her friend and saw him sniffing at some sort of prickly brown ball that lay on the forest floor. She also sniffed it and detected a sense of warmth from the little creature and saw it trembling. Her friend poked at it with his paw and she growled at him to not. He snarled back and continued to toy with the poor creature.

She barked again, leaning forward on her paws and her tail wagging in the air. Her friend barked back but did not move. Barking, she tackled him onto the ground and they wrestled until the little coyote sprinted toward the direction the pack went. She heard paws beating against the earth but they grew fainter and fainter. She slowed to a stop and whirled around. No sign of her friend. There was also no scent of the pack. She had lost her friends.

The dark forest seemed to close in on her and she let out a terrified howl. The faint howls of her pack echoed through the trees. She howled again but it was cut short when she heard the crack of a stick. She heard a high pitched yelp from her friend and the low growls of wolves. She whined and took off running. Light paw-falls came from her right, her left, behind. A mighty form leaped in front of her and she skid to a halt at the sight of glittering white fangs, scars and silver fur. She backed up and yelped when another wolf snapped at her tail. Baring her fangs, she snapped at the wolves at her right and left. Her hair stood up and she spun around in circles.

One of the wolves sunk his fangs into the loose skin on the back of her neck and she whimpered when a massive form came into the moonlight. Scars littered his face and his sleek black coat ruffled in a sudden breeze. The pitiful cries of her friend came from the darkness. She hung her head, readying herself for the final surge of pain to end her life. To her surprise, she felt a muzzle sniffing her. She lifted her head and snapped at the muzzle. A low growl rumbled in the throat of the wolf as he backed away.

The jaws that held her captive released her. The wolf barked an order and the pack raced further into the forest, the moonlight making their coats shimmer. She heard whimpering and crept towards the noise to see her friend licking a bleeding scratch on his leg. Together they let out a desperate, mourning howl and their packs howl replied in a strong howl. Their energy was renewed by the sound of how close their pack was and they sprinted toward the howls.

They came to a river and there was their pack, stopping for a drink of water. They were greeted by tackles and sniffs and together, they continued their way through the countryside.