Hidden Secrets Book One

The Hunt

The morning Doves sang through the trees, as the sun came up. A few leaves danced across the forest floor, as the cold morning breeze sprung up. The grass was covered in dewy cobwebs, ready to be collected by a Medicine Dog.
Shacking off the dragging sleep off her fur, Midnight burst out the Apprentice den. The wind swept through her fur, the fresh scent of morning filled her nose. Cloud grumbled out of the Apprentice, her eyes heavy with sleep. She grunted at Midnight who blocked the exit of the den, who dashed away soon. Midnight grabbed a rabbit off the prey pile, waiting for Cloud to hurry up and pick her piece. "Over here Cloud" Midnight lay under the shade of a towering oak tree. Cloud padded slowly over, grumbling about being too early.
"I can't wait for today!" Midnight devoured her rabbit, "Our hunting assessment is today!". Cloud nodded, eating the last piece of her pigeon. "I bet I'll catch the best prey!" Midnight boasted, "I might even catch a whole deer myself!". Cloud laughed, and playfully pushed Midnight away. "You wish! I'm known as the best hunter!" Cloud bragged, "and I might as well catch TWO whole deer!". Midnight tackled Cloud, "Ha, I could catch FIVE whole deer". Cloud tugged his ear gently, "In your dreams".
The fallen leaves crackled under dogs' paws, as they padded through their territory. Dirt sprayed everywhere as two puppy chased each other, flattening plants. "Ah, watch where you spray that dirt" their mentor flinched as dirt hit his pelt. Midnight and Cloud barely heard as they splashed into a dirt puddle, spraying mud all over the deputy. "Stop it this instant!" the deputy's eyes flared, the two flinched under his gaze, "this is a time to focus not play". "Sorry" Midnight sighed sadly. "Sorry sir" Cloud looked down at her paws. "Anyways we're here" the deputy concluded, "Midnight you'll be hunting near Running Wind border, Cloud you will hunting at the Twisting Shadows border". "Understand guys?" their mentor smiled hopefully at his apprentices. "Of course they do, they're not dumb" the deputy snorted, "now go!".
The wind was fast and strong, the rabbits forever hopped around. Midnight stood at the border, looking out into the plains that were dotted with trees. The wind stung her muzzle, but in such a pleasing way. Midnight sighed and ran after a plump rabbit, who she killed in seconds. After killing a bit more prey, Midnight stared back out at the plains. Feeling the wind tickle her ears, pondering.
Cloud treaded through the swampier parts of their territory, wrinkling her nose at the slimy smell. Mud covered her paws, shadowy trees covering the sun up. After awhile of catching poor prey, Cloud slumped down. How was she expected to hunt in here? And more confusingly, how did a whole pack survive in this kind of territory? A beetle skittered past her, as a shadow loomed ahead of her. "Not thinking of crossing the border are you?" it snarled.
Midnight stood up and started carrying her plump prey back to where her mentor and the deputy waited. "Very good" the deputy approved. "Very good indeed" her mentor looked pleased. "But where is your friend?" the deputy asked, "she should be back by now". "I don't know" Midnight blinked. "Hmm, she's taking a very long time" the deputy shook his head, "I'm checking on her!". The deputy rushed off.
"I wouldn't cross the border even if I wanted to" Cloud snorted. The big Doberman loomed over her, "is that so?". "It is so" Cloud sniffed. "I think you're lying, I think the moment I leave you'll cross the border" the Doberman raised his eyebrows, "I think you are a very bad liar". "I'll fight you, if that's the only way to knock some sense into you" Cloud stiffened, "that might show you". "Ha! You fight me?" the Doberman cackled, "I could split your neck in seconds". Just as Cloud leap, the deputy pushed her away. "Cloud get your prey and LEAVE!" the deputy ordered, Cloud obeyed running as fast as she could. The Doberman leap, and the battle
began.