//------------------------------//
// Meeting the Challenge 
// Story: Applebloomed 
// by StormDancer 
//------------------------------//

I hid in the whelping den until Yellow Red returned.

She looked unharmed but surprised to see me. I can understand, I was left to guard the herd, but she seemed happy to see me none the less. She growled softly at me in a comforting way and curled back onto her cloud-thing before shushing me underneath like she used too. I understood. I needed to stay hidden.

Quietly, I snuck back underneath, keeping my alpha safe so close to Ambercrown would be my duty tonight.

I eventually fell asleep, the image of that angry cub seared into my memory. Of all the threats so far, she was the first to still possess all of her thorns and barbs. She may be small, but she had snuck up on me, shown no fear, and had managed to alert Evil of my invasion... though my howling probably could be blamed for that as well.

It was a troubled sleep that found me, but one that I sorely needed after such an active night.




I woke to the sound of Yellow Red quickly shuffling around the whelping den, a routine she had performed almost every day since I could recall. First she would groggily rise from her cloud-thing before dropping to the floor with a satisfying thunk. She would look around, a glazed expression across her diseased muzzle, before forcing her suffering to the far reaches of conciosness. Next, she would grumble softly before roaming around and yawning a few times to show her lack of concern for the efforts of Ambercrown and the Predator before pulling on a spare ruff to augment her striking mane.

I had seen the process so many times that I had just resolved to return to sleep when she suddenly used her magic to dispell the hard air and look outside. Curious, I slid out from my hiding spot and crept over to peer at her, wondering what she was about. For all her wisdom and skill, she rarely explained her motivations; relying instead upon example to teach.

Even though I had tried to be silent, her vast skill let her track me with her leaves as I approached, earning me a backwards glance and, a moment later, a gentle rise as she lifted me to show me the outside world I had followed her through the night before.

For the first time, I looked out upon the world from her magic tunnel... it was bigger than I expected. While I had looked out through the hidden den's exit many times, the whelping den's magic tunnel seemed to make the world bigger. The Unmoving, despite their number, seemed shorter and less threatening, standing in straight lines but appearing no more hazardous than the grasses that grew far below. The barrier, from here, seemed as little more than something of note rather than a thin line of Unmoving corpses. Even the sky seemed larger, as if somehow pushing the Unmoving into the soil and stealing their height for itself. It was a confusing, but heady, experience.

My alpha was showing me her world.

All too soon though, she turned and put me down, growling softly as she began to pace again. I followed quietly, determined to guard my alpha in case Ambercrown, the Predator, Evil, or that cub returned.

I still do not know what to think of the cub. It is a clear threat but, at the same time, is also the first wolf to show any true awareness outside of my pack. It stalked with intention, acted with forethought, and retreated to alert its pack. While Ambercrown and the Predator are both dangerous wolves in their own rights, they act as alphas without regard for our pack. At least the cub had the decency to retreat, showing some kind of respect.

Perhaps it can be placated?

I shouldn't worry about that though, Yellow Red will have already determined our best course of action. She is the alpha and I trust her.

Before long though, she turns to me and glances over to the cloud-thing. I know the look and, though I do not wish to leave her unguarded (especially with Ambercrown nearby), I comply - retreating to my hiding place. A moment later, she uses her magic to stalk through the side, leaving me behind.

I wait patiently, my twigs hearing activity in the den below, as I track her. Evil is there, along with Ambercrown, chattering at one another while Evil conjures her unnatural racket. Despite the painful noise, I hear Yellow Red as she approaches. I listen intently, ready to try and burrow my way to her aid as she nears our enemies, but then she suddenly barks out.... almost happily?

It is only a moment before I hear the responding barks of Ambercrown, Evil, and even the Predator, but no sounds of combat.

Tensely, I wait, time seeming to stretch and pull as I fear for the inevitable ambush. Yet, against all odds, it never comes. Instead, the scent of freshly killed buds, burning Unmoving, and other things wafts from somewhere below and the wolves all begin to growl and bark at one another.

I lay in stunned silence as it finally dawns upon me: Yellow Red has used her magic to trick them into allowing her back into the den. Somehow, my alpha has beaten not one, but all three of our greatest rivals after being routed from our own territory.

I blink slowly from my hiding space as I realize that with such power, my alpha could conquer entire packs without a single injury.

My alpha is.... whatever that is, smells delicious.




It is some time before Yellow Red returns, but when she does, she brings a flat rock with some of the smelly stuff on it. I scramble out of my hiding place, following dutifully behind as she sets it down.

Blinking, I look at her and wait, but she just watches me.

She's testing me again. She's putting something down and seeing if I'll steal it. It smells delicious but I dare not take her meal. Even so, I find my maw wanting to sample some and am forced to snap my jaws shut as I wait.

A few moments pass before she growls softly again and prods the stone with her root, eventually showing me it's alright to eat as she takes some and leaves the rest for me.

I oblige as she growls pleasantly.

It is delicious... she watches me as I eat.




It has been a few days and we are nearly back to our original habits with Dirty Sap and Whiteflower returning from their hunts from time to time. I have remained hidden in the whelping den, silent and ever watchful even though Ambercrown and the Predator should no longer pose a threat to us. Even so, Ambercrown has shown resistance to Yellow Red's magic, though it seems to be only temporary. She has burst into the den, sending me into a panicked flight to hide on two occasions. Thankfully, she has yet to see me. I fear how Yellow Red would respond were I to fail at my stalking training

Worse, even though Ambercrown, the Predator and Evil have been placated, the cub (who I have come to think of as "Second") seems entirely too focused to be tricked by Yellow Red's magic into ignoring me. Second has continued to rest just beyond the Side and has taken to barking threats at me through my alpha's magic. Second speaks a language which is familiar yet... different. I can almost understand it. Second is both curious about and furious with me... it doesn't know me, and yet Yellow Red's magic seems to have clouded its mind for it thinks I am a threat to Yellow Red.

Imagine that... me, a threat to my alpha.

Regardless, Yellow Red has continued bringing me things to eat from Evil and, while her voice and magic are wicked beyond measure, her skill at butchery is beyond even Yellow Red's. I admit, I look forward to Evil's offerings... even if they aren't meant for me.