For the first time since she had left the nursery, Kiela felt that she was truely happy. In the village she never truely belonged. She still considered Lono to be her only true friend. Tori, Meha, the others had all abandoned her. They turned away from me in the end. She thought bitterly. In the wolf pack, she not only belonged but was needed. That was what had settled it for her. She had become an integral part of the pack, as constant as the rising sun. She had risen quickly through its ranks, at the side of the ever watching blue-eye. The pups were fully-grown and participated in the hunt. The black wolf was expecting another litter come spring and the pack had stopped babying the youngsters. The young white wolf was no longer so young and the tawny leader seemed a lot older. Ever since she had dfeted the brown wolf in single combat the rest ofth the pack gave way to her. All that is, except for the mated pair and the brindled male. Even he, ough, treated her with a new respect. There came a day when blue-eye rose to chalenge the brown female that had always terrorised her. She defeated her in the same sly and clever way that she lived in the pack. The white wolf was no longer at the bottom of the pack but had been replaced by the gray wolf. Kiela felt so proud of the day that he had retured to the pack covered in his own blood but with his head held high. She had been the first wolf to treat him with the respect that he deserved.

Kiela also noticed a change in herself. she hadn't shifted for many months. There was no reason. Also, serectly, Kiela had grown to resent her human form. Its fragile bones, weak skin and low tolereance, had no place in the life that was now hers. It was much colder now and the land lay blanketed in a thick laayer of snow. The waving grass of the plaind was bent over where it poked through the thick layer of white. Kiela's breth steamed in the frozen air and the pack woke up every morning coated in a thick layer of snow or ice that had accumulated as hte heaat of their bodies melted the snow. Inside, Kiela was perfectly warm. She, like the other wolves has grown hte double layer winter coat that was peculiar of their kind. Kiela knew that if she was to shift she would freeze to death in the harsh climate without the heavy clothing that she wore in the village.

As it became colder food becmae scarce. The lemmings that the pack ate in the summer were hibernating and the mice were buried in snow tunnels under the ground. The caribou had passed throught the land and there were no deer on the plain. The pack had to range farther and farther in order to find game. There came a time when they came back with nothing. The pack leader howled and the pack came together.

He gestured to the pack with his head and made the short growl in the back of his throat that meant to get into the line. He proceeded in walking away and made it plain that he wished the pack to follow him. They went up a large hill until they got to the top. Hre sat and faced the dark line of trees that could be seen faintly on the horizon. It was if her was saying: "We must leave. There is no prey. we need to go where there is trees."

The rest of the pack did not seem pleased at his suggestion. The whined and pleaded. Blue-eye wound her slender body up to him and pressed against his flank. She stared up at him, worry in her eyes. He was deaf to their pleas. He marked the spot to ensure that in his absense no other pack would claim the spot as their own. Then, wihtout warning, he headed down the slope, leaving the rest of the pack as a confused mess at the top.

The pull to stay at their home was strong, but the pull to follow their leader was stronger. One by one they fell into their running line and followed him. THe pack ran at a faster clip than Kiela had coming in, although they were slowed by the snow that had accumulated in huge drifts at the bottom of the hills. They ran into the night, fueled by the possibility of prey to fill their empty bellies. They ran on the mind energy of the hungry, and they dregs of their last prey days before. Their spped was suh that they were able to accomplish in a day and a night going out what had taken Kiela four coming in. The morning of the second day foun them enering the pine forest at the edge of the great plain. the white wolf caught the old scent of a deer trail and they set off following it. The pines filled the air with a spicy scent. Kiela was glad to be under the cover of trees again but found that the palin wolves seemed wary. The red wolf evn growled softly at the large trees loomig overhead. The brown and the brindled wolf, however, seemed perfectly at ease. Kiela deducted that they must have lived in a forest before whatever had caused them to leave had ocoured.

***

Kiela stared aghast at the frozen river. Seeing it meant that she wouldn't get another full drink of water for at least two months. The leader seemed happy, though, and Kiela understood why. It was a lot easier to get everyone across a frozen river rather than a thawed one. Hesitantly, he stepped onto the ice. He walked around a bit and then with growing confidence jumped straight up into the air and came down on four paws. Nothing happened. The rest of the pack joined him on the ice and began to cross. After about a minute Kiela started to feel uneasy. She shared an uncertain glance with blue-eye. She had her black tail tucked and her ears laid back. The rest of the pack slowed down and began to stop, looking at each other.

The brindled wolf huffed in exasperation and bounded forward to the middle of the river, where the ice was thinnest. The leader barked out a warning and started towards him, but it was too late. An ominous cracking sound emanated from under his paws. With a look of horror on his face he turned back to face the pack as the ice under his feet cracked and he plunged into the icy water.

The brown wolf let out a short howl of grief. The tawny leader snarled and Kiela looked at the ground. Cracks were webbing out from the hole in the ice. Kiela turned and ran. The shore was nearing as the ice heaved and cracked. She made a mighty leap for the shore but missed and fell into the swirling water.

The water closed over her head and she thrashed in the icy darkness. She felt her breath leaving her just as her head broke the surface. She sucked in a huge breath of air and paddled with her front legs to stay up. She could barely see over the chunks of ice that elders surrounding her. She reached out with her front paws and heaved herself onto a floating piece of ice. She lay on her side for a moment as her sides heaved and she fought to catch her breath. She sat up, dazed, and looked around her.

Blue-eye was on an ice floe near her. She was gazing around with wide eyes. Her black fur was plastered to her sides. Not far beyond her lay the black wolf and the grey one. The white wolf was helping the tawny leader onto another floe. The brown was reaching into the water for something. Kiela moved forwards until she saw that it was the red she-wolf. She did a quick count in her head and then realized that the brindled male was missing.

She bounded across the floating chunks of ice, eyes scanning the water for movement. Finally she saw something. There, in a gap between ice floes was a large mass of fur. She lept into the water and began paddling towards the lump. She sank her teeth into its scruff and began pulling the brown wolf towards the far shore. She managed to get him onto the shore and looked at him. He wasn't breathing. She huffed into his nosed and began kicking his fur, trying to warm him up and dry him off. After what seemed like too long her gave a cough and vomited water. Kiela say back, relieved. The rest of the wolves had joined them on the far shore and were tipping in delight. the brindled wolf sat up and immediately had another coughing fit.

The black wolf looked over at Kiela with appreciation shining in her eyes. She lowered her front legs into a bow to show Kiela her gratitude.

~

One the brindled had recovered the pack set out one more. They ran with a new energy as they scented much deer. They came upon a large herd and split into two parts, quickly taking down the animal.

Kiela paced around it, taking large bites of bloody snow. The pack leaders were eating more than normal, filling their bellies until they bulged. Finally, they signalled for Kiela and the male to come up. Kiela barely noticed when they were joined by the white male and blue-eye, and then the brown female and the red she-wolf. Even the gray wolf was allowed to eat with the rest of the pack. Kisla rejoiced at the taste of meat again, and she felt that in the pack, all was good.

THIS CHAPTER IS UNDERGOING MAJOR EDITING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. THE ABOVE WOLF IS THE BROWN FEMALE.