1 The Beginning Of Milo

I was confused, feeling as if this were a dream inside a dream. The icy breath in my lungs stung as I ran through the forest lit only by the soft gaze of the moon. My pelt was wet which made it all the while worse as the breeze rushed through my fur, or was it just the cold? Though as I felt the wind, I noticed I wasn't moving. As though I were immobilized by an unknown force. 

I could hear a voice. It was as though the wind was whispering to me. Oddly enough, I couldn't find the source. It appeared to have been calling out my name. I stopped running, for I saw no point in doing so. Then I looked around, and the forest began to fade away and appear pixelated. The voice got louder and did so until the forest was gone. The voice stopped sounding distant and was clearer. 

I opened my eyes to see that I was laying on a clean fern bed with a white she-wolf with a tint of grey on her back towering over me, whilst I was a multi-colored black, brown and grey wolf. We were in a cave so it was hard to tell. "Milo, wake up!" She practically shouted in my ear.  Milo, and I don't rest in caves, I've always lived in a forest with my pack. 

"Who's Milo?"I'd ask confused, she'd look at me with a gentle look in her eyes and a smile.

"Stop being silly, let's go outside and greet everyone for the morning. We're having rabbits and mice! Oh, I really hope I get a rabbit!-" 

As she continued to ramble on I decided to get up and follow her outside, absorbing my surroundings. I was astonished. There were around 50 wolves, which was much larger than my pack. 

There was a stream and quite a few wolves near it. Along with many more caves, and were strangely sorted in an almost perfect, yet large, circle around the camp with a giant rock in the center. 

I focused on some of the wolves by the stream. I looked at one dark wolf. a dark orange. At first, I was confused about why there would be a fox in a wolf pack, but I realized there are mixed breeds. I walked up to the wolf and tapped his shoulder.

He turned to me and snarled, "Seriously Milo? You know not to sneak up on me."

"Oh uh, sorry." I said, "Who are you again?"

"C'mon Milo, we've known each other since puppyhood."

"Well, I forgot." I said a bit angered.

"Fine fine, I'm Apollo." He stated.

I nodded and looked around, seeing other wolves that appeared to be hybrids. Although there was one wolf that caught my eye. I walked over to them but waited, as they were talking to another wolf.

"Look, Zion, I can't deal with your idiotic pranking anymore."

"But I haven't pranked since yesterd-"

"EXACTLY. You can't go a day without pranking and I am TIRED of it!" The wolf snapped. 

I watched as the larger wolf nodded at another wolf, who then grabbed the so-called 'Zion'.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Zion yelled, being dragged out.

"Oh yes, yes I can." The wolf inquired with a laugh. He soon turned to me.

"Milo? Aren't you supposed to be with Ivory hunting?"

"Oh, I am? I mean yeah I am. Sorry, I forgot…"

The wolf looked at me suspiciously. "Are you feeling alright? You never forget things."

"Oh I'm fine, so what's your name?" I'd ask.

He'd give a small chuckle, "Don't make me kick you out of here as I did Zion." He'd imply jokingly. 

My face must have looked disturbed because he looked at me a bit more seriously. Though you might not be able to tell when he was joking or not because of his permanently intimidating face. I'd straighten my face, as not to make him any more suspicious of me. 

He'd seemingly accept it and continue talking to me, though I didn't listen to a word he said I heard his name was Lycidas. I was much too absorbed in my surroundings and the smells. It was much more different than my territory had been. Right as that thought had passed through my head A strange scent caught my attention. It was a sweet smell, unlike Lycidas who had a very musky scent. I'd wander towards it, intrigued. 

I followed the scent to a small white wolf, whose pelt seemed to be stained with blood. I shook him as he was lying on the ground.

"Go away." The wolf mumbled.

I sat down and looked at a large gash on his leg. I found a leaf and wrapped the leg. I picked up the wolf and dragged him.

"Let me go!" He shouted.

I dragged him to where I saw the elders, who looked at me awkwardly.

"Milo, that's one of the omegas. You should know they go through this every day. He'll be fine." The largest elder stated. 

I set the omega down and watched as he limped away, tearing off the leaf. 

"I just thought…" I began to say before Lycidas cut me off.

"Milo go out to hunt," Lycidas said strictly. "You should join Ivory and the others now before you don't have time to catch anything."

I slowly turned and walked away, a little annoyed that they would just let the omegas suffer. 

I followed the scent of wolves into the forest. I soon found them stalking some rabbits.

"How is it?" I asked Ivory, as she was watching the newer hunters.     

"Oh it's fine, but I would say this is the worst generation of wolves I have taught."

"Oh, so who do you think is the best then?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"Well, by far Spartan and Ruby. They have obviously been taught some things. However, I will say Summer is alright, although she doesn't know how to pounce." She'd state with a slight tone of disappointment.

"I guess I could help teach them if you want." I insisted.

She nodded, telling me I could go ahead. I walked up to a reddish-brown wolf Ivory said was Spartan.

"How's it going?" I asked.

"It's going fine. Oh, you're Milo, the other delta."

Spartan mentioned.

"Yep, that's me. So what're you hunting for?"

"Well I like to hunt rabbits because they're easier to catch but I want to catch a mouse. Just for a challenge." He said confidently.

"Show me what you got." I said in spite of his snarky comment.

Spartan crouched and moved toward a small mouse that was easily spotted in a small shrub.

I watched as he accidentally stepped on a small stick but he quickly pounced on the mouse before it could react. He caught the mouse in his mouth, biting down on it and quickly ending its life. 

It almost made me disappointed in how he caught it, I was hoping for his failure. I wasn't surprised though, Ivory did say he was one of the best.

"Good catch, just watch for those twigs." I pointed out as he walked back.

"Alright, how about you show me?" He replied.

"Oh, I will show you," I mumbled hoping he wouldn't hear me. I crouched down and looked for some prey, but didn't spot anything small. I only saw a middle-aged doe and decided to move closer. I stepped over some dead leaves and twigs. 

I inhaled the scent of deer and got ready to pounce, only to hear a loud roar in the distance. I looked behind me to see a large bear towering over Ruby. 

"Oh no," I uttered in anguish. I walked over to Ivory slowly, her face full of fear.