Wolves Of The Ravine (abandoned)

Chapter 12

Brincel's tail pricked up, and his fluffy fur was even more voluminous. "Let's start off with the dens. I bet that you already know close kin share the same dens." Brincel assumed.

Ferone was slightly surprised. "Er... No, I didn't know, until now." A quick thought hit Ferone. "But I'm in the fourth den with Tyun and Dremre, they're not exactly-"

"It's obvious how much they like you!" Brincel cut in with a huff.

"Tyun? He obviously doesn't like me." Ferone snorted.

Brincel's eyes glittered with amusement. "You haven't lived long enough in the ravine to know Tyun. He's actually cold to everyone, but he loves messing with the ones he loves more." Brincel quickly added, "except Dremre, he's super nice to her."

"Wait, so that makes Tyun and Dremre-"

"Mates." Brincel interrupted. "Dremre's even carrying his pups. If you surely haven't noticed, you must have brains the size of a rabbit."

Ferone let out a defeated sigh, he was trying to settle into the ravine that he was oblivious to the most obvious. "I guess I really do have brains the size of a rabbit." He muttered.

Brincel playfully cupped his ear. "Don't forget I'm still showing you around." Brincel reminded. "There are eight dens. The alpha, the right claw wolf and in most cases; the beta live in the first den."

"Right claw wolf?" Ferone echoed. He remembered Dremre mention something about a left claw wolf having high authority, he presumed the right claw wolf to be somewhat similar.

"The right claw wolf guards the alpha day and night to the 'near' end of his very life." Brincel explained, "I heard it was a law our alpha from a few generations ago established, but Alpha hasn't appointed one yet. Eclipse gets paranoid about it."

"Near end?" Ferone questioned.

"Well a right claw wolf is relieved of his duties when he becomes old, basically." Brincel simplified.

Ferone nodded. Then he realized, what were left claw wolves meant to do? "What about left claw wolves?" Ferone asked his thoughts out loud. An annoyed prickle ran past Ferone's haunches at the thought of the left claw wolf who unfairly made Ferone fight a ravine wolf.

"Oh Ipuos? He's Tyun's littermate. Well left claw wolves come up with battle strategies, we'd been on par with the Parnes for a while. Well I don't think he particually hates you nor favours you." Brincel answered.

Ferone didn't question Brincel's opinion. "And what about the rest of the dens?"

"The left claw wolf and his family inhabit the second then. The medicine wolves get the third den; the largest and well, for the rest of the five dens, we just have families. The fifth den is actually kind of broken, no wolf lives there anymore." Brincel explained.

"Okay, is there anything else interesting about the camp?" Ferone asked, scratching his ear.

"Of course!" Brincel snapped excitedly. "I'll show you around the territory." He gestured for Ferone to follow him. Brincel led Ferone to another exit of the camp, which was a narrow opening opposite to the giant slope that led to the grasslands.

"You can find lots of mice, voles and thrush around here, there's also a pesky pack of rats around here; they smell terrible, but taste decent." Brincel noted. "Watch your step, it becomes steep around here."

Ferone dared to look down, he could make out the lithe shape of a stream. He gulped and pressed against the wall, while Brincel casually trotted ahead of him. Of course, Brincel was born in the ravine, he probably was used to the heights. Ferone assumed.

They finally reached an empty clearing, smaller than the grasslands, but large enough to fit a crowd of wolves. Ferone could smell the heavy scent of the Parnes mingled with Brincel and his. He glanced at Brincel, the fluffy brown wolf was bristling with what seemed like apprehension.

"This place... Is where we fought the Parnes last time, it was over this bit of territory." Brincel began. "We won, but..." He trailed off.

"Never mind that, is there any where else interesting in our territory?" Ferone murmured, shifting his paws uncomfortably.

Brincel nodded. "But the sun is setting soon, we should get back to camp."

Ferone agreed, although he felt unsettled. What happened at the last battle with the Parnes?