Family Trails

That night the family joined together around the large camp fire in the center of the huts. The wolf pack joined with them, their fear of fire had long since been bred out of them. Sara looked around at the gathered group, everyone seemed to be there. Jeff, the leader, sat atop the only rock, able to be seen over the dying fire. Next to him was Moon Seeker, his wolf companion. To one side sat Robert with his son, Rob, and their two wolves, Wildflower and Glasseyes.
Since the time when Silven claimed these lands and became friends with Rocket and Smudge some two hundred years ago, the pack began to link with the humans for mutual survival. Now two hundred years later, the links were even stronger and a natural part of the Arka family world.
To Jeff's other side sat Mark, his arm in a sling from the attack earlier. April sat beside him with their wolves, Swiftheart and Peaches, also seated there.
“We have to do something about these attacks. We are weaker than the clan in numbers but we have the wolf pack. Maybe we could attack the clan, then they would think twice about attacking us again.” That was Jack, he was seated beside Mark with his wife Jen and their wolves, Snowshoe and Heaven.
“Better to look weak from a distance than attack and remove all doubt.” Running Wolf's words made Sara raise a brow. Are we weak? Sara thought.
“Either way a battle is coming. We can either prepare for it or run from it.” Mark said. Sara glanced at her uncle then to her father, his face grimly blank as he listened.
“I don't want to be in a battle but waiting on the edge of one I can't escape is even worse.” Sara whispered.
“Attacking them would only leave us with more wounded and winter is coming fast and strong this year. We can't attack them. But I do agree that something must be done. If they attack us and we are forced to flee, we will not survive the cold. I can feel that this snow will be among the worst we've ever faced.” Joan's words reflected everyone's thoughts. She was the only mother with a young child anymore, and her fear for Tom flowed off her like a flood. Sara looked over to her brother, he looked back at her with the same hopeless look on his face. All the apprentices, but Rob, sat on the other side of the fire just listening to the adults. For the most part they stayed out of the conversation.
“Maybe we should move to the other camp after the harvest?” Sam's words were tiny as she spoke them but they made the adults glance at each other with thoughtful expressions.
“It may protect us for at least the winter.” Jen nodded to Jeff. Jeff also nodded his head.
“It just might. But that means that we must work hard from sunrise to sunset so that we may leave within the week. That way we can make it to the other camp before the first storm blocks us in. Good thought, Sam. Alright everyone to bed, we have a long hard day tomorrow. Zat will be sentry tonight.” With that the family broke into little groups and headed to their own huts. Sara watched Sam and Chris, he was staying with them, go to Mark and April as they headed to their hut. Flora picked up her sleeping brother and followed Joan into their hut. Kelly followed Robert and Rob while Annie, another apprentice, joined her parents, Jen and Jack. Darkwing helped his father, Running Wolf, get up then followed Swiftbeat and Joey. Sara joined her father and brother as the wolves picked places to sleep beside the fire.



Sara’s eyes were closed as she lay in her bed. She listened to the gentle breathing of her brother and father. She felt uneasy as the sounds of the pack drifted to her ears. They were settling for the night with Zat, the beta of the wolf pack, on sentry duty atop the nearby hill. Things were calm and peaceful, and then became silent.
The next thing Sara knew, her father had ripped her from her bed then grabbed at her brother. The sounds of screaming horses, people yelling and the crackling of fire came from outside. Sara grabbed up her clothes as her father dragged the two from the hut. The scene before them in the dead of night was terrifying. Huts were bathed in flames, wolves and people were running about or fighting. Horses were screaming from fear of the flames around them and men on horseback galloped through the huts. Sara could not pick out any faces.
Through the huts Jeff pulled Sara and Lance towards some horses. Lance jumped to the back of his horse, Colorado. Sara screamed wanting to help but was lifted by her father to the back of Diablo. From nowhere Joan forced a crying Tom into Sara’s arms.
“Take care of him. Tell him our stories,” Joan sobbed as Jeff pushed against Diablo’s neck.
“You take them to safety and don’t you stop,” Jeff ordered the horse as he slapped his rump. Tears were rolling down Sara’s cheeks as she yelled at Diablo to stop, but the horse rode off into the night. The last thing Sara saw was the silhouette of her father and Joan running back towards the others.

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It took Sara awhile to stop trying to turn Diablo, her head was pounding from crying as she held tightly to Diablo’s mane and the crying Tom. She looked back over her shoulder to spot her brother. She hadn’t even seen the other teen jump up behind Lance. Behind them were the shadows of two other horses with riders, Diablo’s calm canter told that they were friends not foes.
After entering the great forest at the Southern part of Arka lands the horses gathered in a half circle, heads together. They stood waiting, Sara’s head was hung and little Tom had at last cried himself to sleep. The only sound was the breathing of the horses and the sobbing of Annie, who was the one behind Lance.
“How could this have happened? Where was Zat?” Sara asked looking to her brother for some kind of answer.
“I saw the form of a wolf, most likely Zat, on the hill top pierced with arrows. They killed him, he’s dead.” The cold voice was Rob’s; he sat upon the back of his father’s horse, Jumper. Sara’s lip trembled and Annie’s sobs were joined by Flora who was seated behind Joey on the fourth horse, Joker.
A noise sounded behind them as a small group of wolves entered the forest. Sara's eyes struggled to put faces and names to the wolves. Snowshoe was first followed by three smaller wolves, pups. Driver, Feathers, and Kep, Sara sighed in relief at seeing them but her heart ached. She placed her hand to her chest for she knew their mother, her companion, Whisper, was dead.
Rob’s almost war like scream startled the whole group.
“Why did they do this?! Why did this happen?!” He screamed out in anger. But nothing was said, no one knew why. The only thing they knew was that in the lightly falling snow, they were completely alone.