Sierran Wolves

Wolves of the Sierra

'Why, oh why did I come here?'

You don't say the words out loud, but the distraught is evident on your face. On most newcomers' faces, actually.

The dark peaks of the mountains are stark in the moonlight and the woodland looks like something out of the horror stories your pupsitters used to tell you. Vivid stories of the dark ghost wolves who would steal misbehaving puppies away from their mothers at night.

Come to think of it, they were probably just stories, but when something rustles in the undergrowth behind you, you're suddenly not so sure. Surely... they don't steal adults away too? You can feel your fur rise on its ends and you flatten your ears back, baring your teeth in the direction of the sound. Seconds later, a hare rushes out of the undergrowth, narrowly avoiding your paws as it messes up the snow in front of you. You're too surprised to react in time and let it slip away, mentally berating yourself for getting scared of a hare.

And even though it was just a hare, and there's nothing else here, that nervous prickly feeling doesn't go away. Nor does the uncomfortable sensation that you're being watched. Slowly turning away from the direction of the hare, you stop in your tracks as you hear an unfamiliar voice.

"Oh, another newcomer."

The tone is derisive, and you bristle in surprise and annoyance as you turn to the one who spoke, only to take a fearful step back at her appearance. The wolf in front of you is darker than night and has bright white eyes. Her teeth are drawn back in a snarl and suddenly, running away seems like a great idea. You try to take another step away from the nightmarish wolf, but your legs are frozen to the spot.

You can feel your heartbeat rising, beating faster and faster as you try and move... to no avail. It's like your muscles just don't want to listen. It seems like the ghost wolves were real after all. Letting out a fierce snarl, you finally stare down the wolf, intending to make a last stand and ignoring the fear which is continuously rising in your body, only to see her... laughing?

"Relax, Puppy," she coos, taking a taunting step towards you. "I'm not going to kill you... well, not yet anyway," she adds with vicious delight.

Seeing your expression, she rolls her eyes, and seeing such a normal expression eases your fear ever so slightly.

"I'm only joking," she mutters, raising her tail and approaching you. "No one ever gets it. But it's fun either way!"

You relax at her sociable demeanour, but in this environment, nothing could put you at ease.

It's as if she's read your mind, because she shakes her head, laughing. "Don't worry so much, Pup. I think this place will grow on you. Welcome to the Sierra."

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