Pup life

My eyes opened. It was dark. The world I had just entered moments ago was very dull. My small eyes blinked twice as I stared around the darkness. As I searched for light I was startled. I squeaked as two lime green glowing eyes flashed in my face. A laugh filled the dark cavern.

“It’s a girl!” A joyful yowl followed the laughter. I felt scared. Nothing but the green eyes could be seen.

“A girl and a boy. I’m so proud.” Another voice joined. The voice was like water flowing over stones. It soothed me. I yawned my first yawn and crawled into the soft fur that held the voice. I forced my mind into itself as I fell asleep.

“Come on! It’s not even that cold out.” My brother ran to the cave entrance excited for our first outing.

“But it is cold.” I whined as I pressed against my mother. She looked down at me smiling. Her bright red fur and blue eyes stood out in the dark gray cave. I pouted as my brother carried on about the outside.

“My dear, there is nothing to worry about.” She groomed my head and sighed. I once tried to count all of the spots on her pelt but failed. She was covered in them. Black spots covered her. I stared down at my black paws and glanced at my back. As far as I could see I had no spots, just orange fur, and red stripes. Someone once asked if my mother was even our real mother. My mother didn’t like that.

“Hurry up before father comes back with dinner.” My brother galloped over to me and jumped around. I shivered as the wind entered the cave.

“But the snow is all the way up to our bellies. We can’t possibly walk in that.” I glanced at my mother looking for some backup.

“Now Squirrel, you haven’t been out of the cave yet. You only have two moons until you start training. Snow won’t kill you.” She nudged me toward the entrance. I scrambled to go back into the warmth. My paws clawed at the floor desperately. We were almost outside. My brother eager and stupid jumped ahead into the snow. His squeals of excitement turned into yelps of terror as he disappeared into the deep snow. My mother stopped pushing me and ran outside. She dug through the snow searching for him. A sharp scent stung my nose. It was fear, it flowed from my mother and from the snow. I took this opportunity to run back into the cave. Our nest was still warm and soft. I laid down in the nest and hid from the cold. A whine echoed in the cave as my mother walked in with my brother in her mouth. She dropped him next to me and growled quietly.

“Sorry.” He squeaked. His orange fur matched mine, but his stripes were black, his paws red, and his face covered in black stripes.

“I told you to wait for your sister. Did I not?” She scolded. He cowered down into the nest. His fur was frozen at the tips with snow. I sat up and looked over the nest. The snowflakes drifted down lazily. I was curious on where they came from. They swirled and danced around. I jumped out of the warm nest and padded up to the line of snow. My eyes followed them as they dropped. I reached out and stuck my paw into the cold, white snow. It stuck to my fur.

“Why does she get to go outside?” My brother whined. Mother quickly hushed him. The snow reached my belly and surrounded my legs. I moved slowly in the thick snow. Nothing moved outside. The large pine trees caught my attention. They held the snow in their wide branches. It sparkled with the sunlight. I looked closely at the ground snow. Dark holes surrounded the small open area I stood in. I never knew there were other caves. My paws were numb from the cold. I continued and stumbled onto a path through the snow. Excitement at the discovery sent me running down the path. My breath made clouds in the air as I ran down the path. A flash of blue ran into me. I fell and slid across the ground.

“Hey watch out!” Another pup stood and shook off the snow. His pelt was as blue as the sky, his back, and tail were striped with yellow.

“You watch where you’re going.” I snapped at him. He growled at me. I growled back and pounced on him. My teeth tried to bite him, but his thick, shaggy fur got caught in my teeth.

“Get off me!” He rolled over and I fell off him. I jumped up and crouched ready to pounce again. He blew his blue fur out of his eyes and stared at me. His calmness and lack of fear confused me.

“What’s your problem.” I growled at him. He smirked.

“My name Is Indigo Spirit. What’s yours?” His head tilted in curiosity. The way he acted made me feel suspicious.

“I’m Squirrel. Why are you so calm?” I relaxed my muscles and stepped closer to the blue wolf pup.

“I don’t really get to see many other pups. I’m the only pup in my cave.” A hint of sadness glinted in his eyes. As I studied his face the scraping of claws made me turn around.

“Making new friends I see. Where’s your mother?” My heart stopped as I stared up at my father.

“Hi there Blackblood.” Indigo Spirit called to my father. I felt his gaze bore into my pelt.

“Hello Indigo Spirit. Squirrel, pups shouldn’t be out on their own without an adult. Isn’t That right Indigo Spirit?” I turned and saw fear race through Indigo’s face. He quickly turned around and raced back into the snow toward another hole in the snow. I hesitantly turned back to face my father. His large antlers reflected the sun and his red face stared down at me.

“Mother said I could go.” I stared down at my quaking paws. He sighed and grabbed me by my scruff. My first day outside of the cave and I’m in trouble. I dangled from his mouth as he walked down the path and into the cave. Mother was in the nest with my brother. She stood up as we approached.

“What’s wrong Blackblood?” She asked. Father dropped me in the nest and turned to her.

“We can’t let our pups just wander around camp. Just because the bears are hibernating doesn't mean we should be reckless. Linnea, I can’t lose my pups again.” He shivered and my mother brushed up against him. Mother’s two, ringed tails went across his back soothingly.

“I promise they won’t be harmed.” She nuzzled his red masked face. He wore his battle armour and it was a shiny metal. I was never able to feel the metal before. My brother said it was cold and smooth. Our parents walked to the other side of the cave and started talking to one another.

“What did you see outside?” My brother sat next to me. I turned and walked around the nest.

“I met another pup.” I told him nonchalantly. He opened his mouth in surprise.

“There are other pups!” He squeaked and ran in a circle.

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t there be?” I licked my paws. The wind picked up outside and a snowflake floated into the cave. I crouched down like my father had taught me and lunged at it. My paws missed it by a few tail-lengths. A growl escaped my throat.

“You got in trouble didn’t you? Ha! I told you didn’t I?” He jumped on me and we wrestled. My teeth sank into his scruff. He yelped loudly and it was followed by quick pawsteps.

“Stop fighting your brother!” Our father growled at me. My ears flattened against my head in fear. I let my brother go and curled up in the corner of the nest. My father walked back out into the snow and my mother climbed back into the nest. She started to groom my brother.

“You shouldn’t upset your father like that. Squirrel, are you listening to me?” I covered my face with my paws.

“Squirrel why are you sad?” My brother crawled over our mother and nudged me with his nose.

“Amoux leave her alone. I’m not done grooming you yet.” Amoux gave me a worried glance before climbing back over mother. I stared at her back angry at the world. My mother continued grooming Amoux. I closed my eyes and decided to push everything away.