Wolves Of The Ravine (abandoned)

Chapter 14

"What business do you have here?" Rift growled, her eyes were steady and her stance was composed. Ferone's jaw dropped open, he had enough common sense to know that the Parnes were probably up to no good.

Starling exchanged a confused and nervous glance with Ferone, she had remembered him. But a larger figure overshadowed her.

The wolf next to Starling stepped forward, he had ruffled grey fur and slanted hazel eyes; which bore down on Ferone. "You are one of the East Paws, are you?" He asked, menace edged his voice.

Rift bunched her muscles and kept her eyes narrowed, but did not show any sign of resignment. "Answer my question, what business do you have here?"

The wolf prodded Starling, who shifted her paws uncomfortably. "Why don't you explain, Starling?" He snorted. Ferone's neck fur ruffled, that sounded more like a command, and it probably was.

"I- Alpha says we're going to take back rightful land." Starling stammered, her voice was full of uncertainty. Ferone felt sympathy for the she-wolf, but anger and surprise as well.

Rightful land? Starling could not have meant the new piece of territory they were standing on.

"You heard that, didn't you? East sparrows." The wolf growled vainfully.

"Is that a challenge? You must be wanting to claim this territory you lost your fur over." Rift guessed, her green eyes glinted, but Ferone could not tell what she was thinking.

"Yes, you're smarter than you look." The wolf answered, his claws flexed with annoyance. "Next sun high, we will set our markers here. You can tell that cowardly Alpha of yours that we can all fight tooth and claw; that is - if you show up." He dismissed Rift and Ferone with a flick of his tail, leaving them silent as he walked away.

Starling's face drooped with fear. "Star-" Ferone almost called, but the she-wolf turned away and hurried after the bigger wolf.

Thankfully, Rift hadn't heard him. "Ferone, you know what that means." She whispered.

Ferone had clearly understood the message, he felt angry that the Parnes had so casually challenged them over the territory which the omega- no a wolf died over, yet he couldn't think of fighting Starling or hurting her friends, let alone shed blood. "Rift, we can't!"

Rift's eyes betrayed no emotion. "This is a decision Alpha will make, we follow his orders, wherever we like it or not."

Ferone's stomach felt hollow with apprehension. Rift touched the tip of her tail on his shoulder, as if she were reassuring him. "We're going back," she whispered. "We need Alpha's word."