Night scurried after Strike and Runner as the raced down the hill towards the group of approaching wolves. They lugged behind them a deer. Strike rushed to Red's feet and sniffed at the dead animal with Runner at her heels. Night joined them. The deer smelt strongly of blood. It was a delicious scent to Night. Eagle padded over with Sky lingering near her. Jaw pushed his head forward and opened his mouth to take a bite but Red snapped at him and growled. His fur bristled. Jaw and the other wolves backed away. Night spotted Sam and another wolf, watching in the shadows. Red looked down at Strike and Runner and nodded for them to eat. Night joined them. Strike had sunk her teeth into the meat and tried to tear it off but she was not strong enough. Eagle tore a large chunk off meat off and dropped it to the ground, Strike and Runner leapt at it hungrily. Night tried to tear his own piece off. With a growl, he sunk his fangs into the deer's hide and tried to tear a piece off. Red approached and gripped the deer's hide with his teeth then with a jerk of his head, tore of a large piece of meat. Night watched in awe. Red set it down for Night and he licked it apprehensively. The taste was strong and tasty. He took a small bite and chewed carefully. Tastes flooded into his mouth and he dug in for more. Sky joined him and took a small bite, frowning she scuttled back to Eagle. Once Night and his siblings had finished, Red and Eagle feasted. Night and Sky sat nearby, watching their parents while Strike and Runner pranced around, wrestling. Bone tried to get a nip of the deer but Eagle snapped at his snout and he backed away, dipping his head resentfully. Finally, Red and Eagle were finished and the other wolves leapt onto the food. Out of nowhere, four other wolves, including Sam appeared and tried to get bites of the food. Tall was one of them and he crawled through a gap to get a bite but Snap clawed his head and he jumped back. The new comers tried to jump in to eat but the Selsa's kept them at bay. 

              "Who are they?" asked Night, looking up to Eagle. 

              "Tall and the other younger younger male have just earned their place in the pack, his name is Thunder. And that is Stone, over there," said Eagle, eyeing a dark grey wolf with yellow eyes with disdain. 

             "Ah, look, here come the other hunters," said Red. "They went on two patrols to the edge of our border just now." He nodded to a light grey wolf with gentle eyes, his name was River. A wolf with beautiful grey markings of different shades was Storm and a dark grey, muscular and big wolf was Point. The last wolf was sleek and strong with dark brown fur, her name was Dark. After the Selsa's were done, Tall, Thunder, Stone and Sam leapt in to eat, eyes hungry, but the Delta's barked at them to back off. River took Sam's snout firmly in his mouth and shoved him roughly away. Sam limped off, whimpering. 

              "Why can't they eat?" asked Sky, frowning. "Why did River do that to Sam? What did Sam do bad?" 

              "Sam is just an Omega," explained Red. "They eat last along with the Iotas, Tall and Thunder. Soon, Tall and Thunder will be part of the Deltas." Sky frowned but didn't say anything. After ravaging the deer, the Deltas padded away but a few joined the Selsa's, resting on the ground, watching the horizon. The deer had almost been stripped to the bone except for the worst parts. Tall and Thunder growled and spat over a piece of meat and Thunder dodged Tall to quickly try and steal Stone's small chunk of meat but Stone barred his teeth and his fur bristled. His eyes flashed angrily and Night thought how scary he looked. He wondered how Stone had not been one of the Delta's. 

              "Why isn't Stone a Delta?" asked Night. 

             "I'm bringing you all to the river," declared Red, ignoring Night's question. "Who wants to come?" Red addressed to the wolves still in earshot and Daisy, River and Bone nodded. Red nodded and trotted through the long grass. Eagle nudged Night forward. Strike and Runner raced after Red. 

             "We're going?" asked Night. "Like to the river?" He couldn't keep in his excitement and without waiting for an answer, he shot after his siblings. The grass was long but he could see where his siblings and Red had trampled on it and it lay messily plus he could smell their warm scent and hear the squeaks. Daisy trotted up next to Night. 

             "You've seen the river from up the hill right?" she said. Night nodded. "Well, it's even bigger up close." Night grinned, thinking of swimming in the river. Finally, the grass stopped and he broke through to a long stretch of stones leading to a moving ground of flowing water. The pebbles poked Night's pads but he kept trotting towards his siblings, Red and River. Night gasped. He approached the water, it moved slowly. He touched his paw to the water. It was cold but refreshing. He bent down and lapped at the water. The water was fresh and cold, swirling in his mouth sweetly. It wasn't deep and the current wasn't too strong although it was very wide and Strike waded into the water. 

              "Be careful, the middle part might be just a bit too deep for you to stand. I don't want you to be carried away by the current," warned Red and he walked into the river with Strike. Night watched, unsure. Finally, he padded in. The water sipped under his feet and he almost stumbled and fell. If Red hadn't warned him about the current, he could have been swept away. The water seemed to want to sweep him away but he stood firm and continued towards Red and Strike. The water rushed around his fur, cooling him. It felt good. He imagined what swimming would be like, without being able to touch the ground with his feet. He would have to follow the current and let the water take him where it wanted to. He grinned at the thought, maybe it wasn't too bad. Finally, Eagle called them back. 

              "Time to go back!" She barked and Night reluctantly trotted over to her, shaking his pelt and letting droplets of water fly around in the air. He grinned happily, he couldn't wait to come back to the river.