Chapter 7: A Territory

   As the orange sun touched the horizon, Midnight found a rocky cliff in the distance. Past the cliff where eagles flees, Midnight recalled. She began to jog forwards, eager to pass the cliff. She entered a forest once more, and she smelt a weird stench. Then, it hit her.

    She was trespassing into another wolf pack's territory.

    This must be a new territory, Midnight thought. Dusk didn't say anything about this.

    Midnight swallowed a lump in her throat and entered. She looked around. It looks empty. Either they moved or they're out for a hunt, Midnight thought, trying to calm herself down. She needed to use this path. There's only one path. One.

    The grass pricked her with every step she took, and sometimes she heard a wolf's growl. Suddenly, from behind, she was tackled. She stumbled and was pinned down to the ground. "Daddy, is this wolf part of our pack?" a squeaky voice asked.

    Midnight got up, barely looking at who tackled her- a young pup with brown fur. Midnight ran, but one path doesn't seem to apply to the forest. In the Silver Woods, there was a path. Here, no. "Intruders are not to be tolerated!" a voice cried.

    "Yes sir!" voices chorused behind her. Midnight weaved among the trees, unsure what path to take. Midnight dared herself to look back and at least six wolves were after her, their fur brown tinged with black.

    Midnight ran even harder, and she thought the ground shook. A wolf caught up and threw itself at Midnight. The she-wolf yelped and attempted to throw the wolf off her back. The wolf held on and bit Midnight's neck. Another tried to nip her paws. Midnight howled in pain, and purposely crashed her body to a tree, allowing her to be rid of her attacker.

    "Weaklings!" a growl rang through the sound of padded paw-steps and the wind rushing in Midnight's ears. Midnight advanced steps forwards again as some of the once chasing wolves helped their friends.

    Midnight hurried away, hoping to catch a glimpse of of light in the distance. Come on, come on! Where's the exit? Midnight fumed, her heart racing. She dashed side-wards just in time to avoid the sharp claws of a wolf, who had a surprised look on it's face when it missed Midnight and crashed onto the grass.

    A howl erupted, and Midnight dared look back. There was a larger wolf with white, black and brown mix of fur. At once, Midnight knew the wolf was in charge of capturing the intruder- her. Midnight tore her concentration away from the wolf and veered right. Come on... how big is this territory for fang's sake? Midnight growled. a wolf tackled her from the side, and she, in shock, tumbled towards a tree.

    There was a sharp pain from her hind leg. She forced her head to look at it. The wolf, that wolf with bitter glowing eyes, was scratching at her legs, nipping at anyone who dare to interfere from finishing his job. A he, and he looks pretty fierce too.

    Suddenly, Midnight realised what he's trying to do. He wanted to make sure she could never use her legs again. Quickly with her other good hind leg, she kicked him in the face when he was about to lunge for another attack. The wolf looked intimidated, and bared his fangs at Midnight. "Who do you think you are, low-life? Nothing but a shame to wolves be to be an intruder," the wolf snapped.

    "Oh, shut up," chided Midnight.

    Claws extended, his paw began to accelerate to her face, his mouth twitching, and his tone was hollow. "This will teach you manners not to intrude."

    "I won't learn anything if I'm dead," Midnight scoffed, raising her chin. As the paw reached for what seemed to be between her neck and heart, Midnight lunged forwards to bite the paw. The wolf forced himself not to show pain, only fury.

    "You fool! You will soon learn the feeling of death!" he cried in absolute hate. Midnight didn't let go of the paw, but began to sink her fangs even deeper into the paw. This time, the wolf was forced to let a yowl of pain, and the once-confident watching wolves suddenly looked concerned.

    Timber wolves, Midnight suddenly realised.

    Midnight didn't show any signs of hesitation as the leader wolf tried to pull his paw away, but Midnight pulled it back. With her two fore paws, she pushed the wolf away into a bush of what seems to be covered with thorns.

    Midnight was happy to be rid off her attacker once more, and no one else rushed to finish the job. Instead, they rushed towards their fallen leader. "Woods! Are you okay?" the crowd of timber wolves asked, panicking.

    "Tell... Darite..." a soft voice muttered. "She... harmed... not able... walk..."

    The leader, who seems to be Woods, was not able to speak in more than a few words, and Midnight seemed to be able to hear his breath. It was heavy.

    Midnight reached for her hind leg and licked it. Her blood tasted salty, but it wasn't the usual salty blood, but it has a rusty feel to it.

    Wolves eyed her warily, then to the small trickle of blood running down her left hind leg. "She wouldn't escape," nodded a timber wolf.

    A wolf prodded forwards. "I'll keep guard. You all find Darite."

    All the other wolves raced off into the woods and disappeared from sight.  Midnight was left with a wolf with chalky brown fur and hints of mouse brown. His eyes were sunken and deep. He reminds me of Shadow...

    Midnight reached over to lick her wound. The wolf's deep eyes eyed her, but suddenly jumped in full alert. The wolf gave a low, long howl, this easily translate to Beware! Humans! Run! Search for safety!

    At once, the wolf scrambled away as a loud growl was heard. Midnight tried to drag herself away, but she couldn't. Out from the bushes, about four brown hounds emerged and bounded towards them. They made noises that sounded like excitement, murmuring, Loot! Master shall be happy!

    Midnight gave a low growl, "Stay away!"

    "Ha!" laughed a hound. "You're pathetic."

    A brown hound with black paws tackled her, and Midnight tried to push him off. Before an official fight could start, a weird creature Midnight once saw appeared before her eyes. A human.

Author's note: This chapter is in advanced to replace the chapter for Friday the 13th. I have Music Camp to attend. Also, I have added a page of characters.