The lake was not new, but it was new when she was alone. Everything would be new when she explored it by herself. Without the eyes of her mothers everything looked new and different. It was the first time where she needed to look at it like they did, with no one to protect her or to teach her what everything meant. Like the rings the water made when she touched it, or how the furs on her leg grew stiff after wet and exposed to the cold air. Why had no one explained that to her?

The pup enjoyed the newness of life, taking it all in and making it whatever she wanted it to be. Her chocolate colored pelt danced in the dreary day’s breeze, and her breath was still the visible smoke she had yet to understand. She had recently found out that when in the warmth of the cave or mansion, there was no smoke. But in the cold air it came again. Figuring it was just one of those life mysteries that her momma Anu liked to talk about, she decided to forget about it for the moment.

The icy shore the circled the great lake was much more entertaining. Large round paws touched it ever so gingerly, listening to it crack and break. Not even a foot wide the icy ring gave her a small insight to what winter night just look like. It was all just another milestone.

For a moment she thought that there might be someone shouting, but it must have been the creaking of the ice, and her small ears. Looking up she heard it again and violet eyes searched for the maker. They fell upon a dark wolf, unfamiliar in sight and smell. She immediately became weak in posture, the stranger’s tone and words telling her that what she was doing was completely incorrect.

The back female seemed to be very different then the wolves she was used to. The fact that she smelled different then the rest made it almost impossible figure out where she really belonged, because it wasn’t in her pack! The knowledge of the fact gave her just a bit of confidence. She repeated the idea in her head, you don’t belong here. a few more times. Then the fourth time she spoke it aloud, You don bewong heres. Her small voice spout out, unsure how the grown wolfess would feel about her accusation she stood very still and waited.

Blinking she realized that the dark fey was talking to her, and it was a challenge. Ears back for a moment while she process the others objection the little pup was truly unsure what she was going to do. She had to do something? Wouldn’t her mothers come and take care of this renegade?

All thoughts were extinguished as she watched the rod and the little thing that hung on the line. I’ll get my mommas. A pause for a little more examination and the discovery of the bowl that hide some new mystery. They’ll tell your mommas. There! Now all she needed to do was figure out what a pipqueak was.

You knows momma Nani ors momma Anu? She questioned, wondering who had a sister and why they had never told her. There was so much that they hadn’t told her yet. She didn’t feel like they were keeping things from her, but still lit wasn’t fair for her to be the last to know.

I haves a sister too, Brooklyn. But shes mean. There would be a day when she would forgive her sister for her teasing, but she still had a lot of growing up to do. Looking at the ice her ear folded against her head, Is just touching it. She spoke meekly, feeling like she had been scolded.

The line that was almost invisible to her young eyes jumped, bringing it to life and startling her. Wah was that?!? She hoped backward but took the step forward to see what else was different about this stranger.

She sat, eyes staring up at the larger female. Taking in all the words she spoke, even though she spoke really fast and said things that didn’t make much sense. What was a bitch, and how could she stay away from someone that living in the same cave as she did? She almost missed the warning the dark fem gave while she thoughts about it all.

But I likes the water. She claimed, not to sure what drowning really was. Well, what you doing? Are yous drowning? Maybe drowning was playing around the water, or was it just touching it?

To not breathe, Mati pondered over the idea. Brows crossed and she inhaled a deep breath. Holding it, her chest began to hurt and her eyes started to tear. She couldn’t keep it in. the air rushed out of her mouth and she inhaled as quickly as she could. Chest buffing up and down Mati realized that the female wolf was talking again.

Still a little dizzy it was hard to focus on the thing that flopped on the lakeshore. It was like magic, dipping the almost invisible line into the water, then a moment later a fish would appear at the end of it. Purple eyes looked in awe, her tail wagging so quickly that her entire body wiggled with it. She bounded from paw to paw around the fish.

Looks! Looks! Eyes danced between the older female and back to the fish. Well, whats do we dos now??

Eat? it was the only really word she understood in her distracted mind. Before her could blink the fish’s guts were flying and the smell of death coated the insides of her nose, and hung heavy in the air. It was nauseating, the sight and smell. The killing of the fish left her wide eyed, having had no idea that the outcome of the game would be its death.

She was light headed, tired and her breath was lost to the death-ridden wind. She blinked, hoping to wake herself of the dizziness. Once only made her mind foggier and when she blinked a second time her lids refused to open.