Story Beyond Worlds

CHAPTER 2

Sapphire woke up early in the morning, as usual, even before her parents and nearly any other wolves. The only wolves awake at this time were the ones tasked with keeping watch, though even they many times dozed off while guarding. This did not mean they didn't do their duty however, afterall these wolves were born for this position. Sapphire's mother informed her a few years ago that some Midnight Wolves were born with a certain genetic condition which allowed them to sleep with one eye open. These wolves usually protect the pack when everyone else is asleep, a very important duty entrusted to certain bloodlines.

Sapphire quickly got used to them however, and they were used to her. Wolves don't climb trees, and being a wolf herself, though a very odd one, she was aware of that fact. While it was possible for them to climb, the aftermath of doing so could be disastrous as they did not possess retractable claws like many felines.
Knowing this, Sapphire sneaked away from her parents to a nearby tree. There, she transformed into her humanoid form and jumped onto it, with relative ease, jumping from branch to branch and going higher. She heard a sigh as she did, knowing very well one of the guards saw her, having gotten used to seeing her going about by herself in the morning. He could not follow her on the trees anyways, the reason why most guards left her alone.

She jumped from one flat branch to a hook-like branch, using it to swing she landed at another flat branch, making sure to not make even the slightest sound during the entire maneuver. The reason of the silence being the rare flower she spotted from far, easy to spot due to its bright colors. 'Sound Lily', a flower that closes when any sound is made. Any sound that can be heard by a wolf's ears can also be sensed by the flower. When open it is a beautiful bright blue flower with reddish orange stripes and yellow swirls on the outside. When closed it looks just like a leaf, fully camouflaged till it's time to disperse it's seeds.

She slowly crawled to the flower and looked at it for one second before it closed, the cause being the earth shattering howl that echoed through the forest. Sapphire could have sworn the tree shook from the howl, but when she glanced down it became apparent that it was just a Giant Brown Bear that shook the tree, having been climbing the tree to get to her. The tree didn't shake from the climbing however, those things are masters at climbing quietly, it shook as the bear fell down on hearing that earth shattering howl and bolted away in fear.

Sapphire quickly got up and rushed back, knowing very well that her father's howl meant she did something to make him mad, very mad. She turned back to her wolf form a just before entering the area, mostly to avoid extra scolding due to being in her humanoid form again. The entire pack appeared gathered there but she didn't spot her father, breathing a sigh of relief as she could pretend she was right here and escape any scolding.

The moment she stepped into the flat area something bit her left ear and tugged lightly on it. It wasn't a hard bite by any means, but for a wolf that still pained more than nearly anything else as their ears are very sensitive. She whimpered as she swung her front paws, trying to free herself. A moment later the bite was released and she looked up with her most innocent look, hoping her father's heart would melt and he would forgive her for whatever she did, which she was still unaware of.

"This girl…" He sighed turning and walking back to the boulder.

Works every time, she smiled to herself.

Suddenly her right ear was bitten, though instantly released too, not that it affected the intensity of the pain. "Don't get the wrong idea, he only forgave you since we are running low on time," Her mother reprimanded.

"Where are we going?" Sapphire questioned, jumping in excitement.

"To the tundra plains, the territory of the Winter wolves," Her mother explained, knowing very well how she dozed off during the speech.