Hollow Strike

TUMBLEWEED✨🌾:

- "You deserve the world" 

The young pup trotted along the path, other pups, among his siblings, walking with him. Ahead of them treaded their alpha, Atherial. The leader padded along, his dark paws damp as he stepped into puddles gathering in the wet earth. Behind them, a light she-wolf strolled, her pads and claws a bright blue as they sunk lightly into the mud. Her nose, the same bright blue, disappeared into the beige fur of his sister as she trailed back. 

"How long until we get there?" She groans, a yawn taking over her small face. 

"One more rock mound and we'll be there sweetheart." Said the she-wolf just as they rounded a bend in the path, bordered by a small mound of slippery rocks. 

"We're here." Announces the leader, tiredness seeping into the tone of his voice. 

They trot into the camp, shifting into a single file line as they walk in between some low-growing pine trees. A white patched wolf greets them, an anxious air around her. 

"Who are you, why are you here?" 

"I'm Atherial, and I've come to talk to Hollow about taking a couple of these pups." He motions with his snout to the pups gathered behind him, scared with their damp fur sticking to their frames. 

The young she-wolf glances over the band of wolves, holding cautious eye contact with their leader for a couple of moments before stalking off to an old, overgrown pine tree settled at the end of the clearing. A large black and white wolf stalks out of the tree, a knowing look on his face. 

"Ah, Atherial, my good friend. What do I owe the visit?" 

"Nothing, can I not visit an old friend without needing anything?" Atherial teases, a grin on his face. 

"Of course you can, but by what time it is, I don't expect you're simply visiting for a small chat."

"Well, you are right. I was wondering if you were interested in taking any of these pups into your pack, with the little space I have I must give these to others."

The leader contemplates the choices for a moment, looking over each pup calmly before turning to the same splotched she-wolf as before. 

"How about you choose, Beloved?" 

"W..What?" The she-wolf hesitates, clear anxiousness settling in.

"You may only pick two," He turns to Atherial once again, "We ourselves don't have much space."

"That fine by me, I just need my camp load to be a bit lighter."

Dubiously, the she-wolf's ice-blue gaze looks over each pup, full of pity as she looks at each of them. Her eyes slip to a pale male wolf, his coat shining lightly in the moon's light, his heterochromatic eyes full of fear and uncertainty. Behind him stood a redder pup, his fur blending into the autumn leaves coating the ground around them. 

"Those two..." She muttered, walking over to the young pups and introducing herself with a certainty that had never been seen with her before. 

"I'm Beloved, and you two are?" Her voice was soft, not wanting to spook the poor things. 

"We don't have any names..." The sardar pup mentioned. 

"Hm, well, we'll fix that up quite quickly," She offers, a light smile on her face. "In the meantime, why don't you two come with me, it's warm over here and we can give you some food." 

The two pups followed her, caution and curiousness mixing together in their steps. As they slept in the dark cave, fur dry and warm with full bellies, they knew that this would be a turning point in their lives.

Sweet Heart🌸☁️

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The story of this young wolf starts with a little something similar to a hobby. 

Hollow has this...hobby of sorts. It usually begins with his duties for the day being finished or pure boredom settling in when his legs start to take him to the large open space known as the Trading Center. He wanders there often, walking among the shopping wolves taking glances at young pups being sold. It's more of a pastime than anything, one that his mate definitely doesn't quite appreciate seeing as their dens are getting pretty full. The story of this wolf starts off the same way as a lot of the wolves filling these dens do, a simple glance at the price, another at the wolf, and Hollow can't help himself. The king is as observant as he is soft, falling for the begging eyes of a young pup hidden amongst the shade. 

"Look mama, another one's coming! This is the one, I can feel it!" The young pup alerted, his optimistic personality shining through. The mother, however, continued to lay in the grass, tired eyes raking over the white-furred pup.

"Come back and lay with me, sweetie. We wouldn't want to bother anyone." 

Hollow gazed at them with light pity, 

"Oh c'mon mama, please get up, he's the one I know it!" The pup was adamant, yet the mother simply sighed. 

Hollow walked over, now sitting down in front of the young pup.

"How are you, little one?" He asked with a caring tone.

"I'm good, I mean it's a bit hot out here but other than that I'm feeling okay! What about you, mister?"

"Oh, I'm doing well. Do you have a name, sweet pup?"

"Um, not really..but when we get into a pack, I want to name myself Toby!" 

"Toby, an interesting name."

"Mhm, came up with it myself!" The pup shined in pride. His mother, now rising to a sitting position, gave the king a warm smile.

"Toby, does your mother have a name?" 

The pup paused for a second, excitement painting his face.

"Not yet she doesn't, she wants to wait until we get into a pack to think of a name." 

The king, with a glance at the small fee, slid along a pile of about 200 silver cones, flashing a light smile at the pale she-wolf. "How about she thinks of a couple of names on the way home, yeah?" 

A grateful smile spread across the young mother's face, "Of course." 

Walking through the ferns, the king leads his new packmates through the shaded back path to his territory, all the while the young Toby bounces at his side, chatting on about name suggestions for the lovely she-wolf. They settle on a sweet name as they near the camp, and Hollow prepares for a small lecture by his mate later on as they fall asleep in the security of their den.