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The large bulky pup went to his den sadly, head held down, and limping slightly. He was mostly white, with grey darkening up to black on his back. His mother was there, eating something her new mate had caught. Once she was done, she let him eat and licked his wounds. "Sokar, what happened now?"

"The other pups ganged up on me." He said in between bites. "They said it was my fault father went away, and now the new alpha is gonna let us all die." When he was done and had enough of his mother's licking, he curled up next to her warm body. It was a mild summer, snowing only every other day, but he liked pressing against her, feeling safe.

"It's not your fault. Grethor left on his own, you know that. He had his wanderlust again, that's all. Perhaps he's finding more wolves to join our pack."

"But what about Lemat? He might not let father come back." The pup shivered. He was scared of the new alpha, who'd come in when his father was gone. Lemat had chosen to keep Sokar's mother as his, and her ferocity had been the only reason Sokar was still alive. Of course, once the pups growing inside her were born, she would have to force her pup out of the den by instinct. And based upon how the other pups of the pack acted with him (for Grethor, former alpha, had allowed other pairs to breed if they wanted to, since he knew that would mean more wolves under his command), their parents told them those things, so no other wolf would take him in.

The she-wolf nuzzled her pup lovingly. "Don't be afraid. Grethor will come back, and he'll show Lemat his place."

"You think that coward will return? You're more deluded than I thought. Waiting for something that will never happen, and keeping that pup-thing with you." A dark grey wolf entered the den, his voice an amused growl. "And if he did, I'd kill him Anahti. Mark my words."

Sokar's mother merely lowered her ears and tucked her bushy tail over the pup, not wanting to provoke Lemat anymore, but also stating without words that her pup was under her protection.

Lemat gave an ugly laugh, then continued inside the den and lay down. "Don't bother me, I'm tired."

Sokar wanted to go run around outside, not tired at all yet, but he'd learned that making the slightest bit of noise when Lemat was resting meant he'd only get a harsh bite or smack of his heavy paw. Even now he still had a few tiny scars on his body. Lemat, horrid as he was, did not want to kill Sokar now that he said he would let him live, but he always bit him harder than was necessary, enjoying making the pup bleed. So Sokar just lowered his head and closed his eyes, trying to make himself go to sleep.


***

Sokar was trying to fight off six pups when one of their juvenile brothers broke it off. He was lanky, but almost a half-year older than all of them. "Sokar, why don't you leave? You're just an evil demon-pup, bringing bad luck to all of us!"

The stocky whitish grey pup (for when his father had been around he'd eaten well) glared up at the juvenile, growling and baring his little milk teeth. "I'm not a demon-pup! My great-grandfather was just a little strange looking, no big deal!" Most of the wolves of the pack had been in this for several generations. There had always been talk of Sokar's great-grandfather, who had almost blue, steel-grey fur, and pale blue eyes like the sky. He'd been a loner, and joined the pack. The female alpha was enchanted with him though, and left her position as well as her mate to be with him. But once the pups were born, he had left, never to be seen again. Every generation of that bloodline, including the first, had a pup that kept the color of his young blind eyes, but could see. Sokar had those eyes, which automatically made him seem odd to everyone.

Sokar was also the only survivor of his litter, as the others had all died when they were only a few days old. There was almost nothing he could do to seem normal to anyone. "So you take that back!"

A loud voice interrupted the pups. "Still fighting Sokar? You make me proud."

Sokar looked up and barked excitedly, then ran to his father. The light grey wolf had an ear missing and some semi-healed wounds on his left back leg, but otherwise seemed fine.

There were about eight other wolves behind him, a mix of whites and greys. Some had a few injuries, proof that Grethor had had to fight them. The little pup ignored them though, and ran right to Grethor's front, sitting up and licking at his mouth.

The other pups shied away, some running home. A few left, happy their alpha had returned, and wanted to pass around the good news. The rest were merely frightened of being scolded for whom they were picking on.

The newly returned alpha suddenly raised his head, and growled, but with a grin. "So, are you my new low-ranking mongrel?"

Lemat, who had come up to the clearing, growled back, licking at some blood on his lips. He was scared, but not as much as he should have been, which puzzled the watching Sokar. "I'm the new alpha, and there is nothing for you here!" There was a mad look in his eyes, and it was frightening.

Grethor laughed, but without any warning, launched himself towards Lemat, snarling and snapping, when it seemed the newcomer was about to say something else. He fought to kill, and the imposter alpha didn't even have a chance to assume the submissive position before Grethor had all ready ripped out his throat. Licking the blood off his lips, he suddenly took of towards the den, and Sokar thought he smelt afraid.

The pup followed as best he could, and when he almost reached the den, he smelled death. //Mother!//

Grethor was all ready inside when Sokar joined him. Sokar walked in slowly, but then cried out when he saw his mother, dead. The back of her neck had been torn, exposing her spine. The den smelled only of her and Lemat. "Mama!" Little Sokar ran over to her, and against what he knew, he tried to lick her face, whining as he begged her to wake up. His small paws pushed at her head, but she didn't respond.

Grethor pushed the pup out of the den, then sat outside with him. "Howl for your mother, son. She's going to join the Light Wolves." The Light Wolves were the pack of honored spirits that everyone believed in. It was they who were responsible for the Aurora Borealis that graced the sky often. Grethor's howl was long and heartbroken, and though Sokar tried to join in, his young howl was nowhere near as majestic as his father's. Soon he heard other wolves from the pack howling, as they heard what Grethor was saying in his howl. Anahti had been the alpha female since she had become an adult, and though she was strong and a good fighter, she was very maternal when it came to the other wolves of her pack. They would all miss her.

***

Sokar was only two and a half months old when Lemat killed his mother before he too had been killed. The pup was weaned by then, so his health did not suffer. But his father was the one who did feel the hurt. Grethor had chosen a new alpha female, but he was only courteous with her. He had truly cared for Anahti, and felt empty without her. Originally Sokar also felt lonely and depressed, but after a month passed, he noted the more severe change in his father.

The pack still respected and feared him (since occasionally his temper was shorter than before) but he was no longer the wolf with the same zest for life. At first Sokar pitied him, but now was constantly insulted and attacked by the other pups, and he grew to be angry. Mostly because he knew now that he had no strength on his own without his father to be his protector. Sokar had to learn how to fight off five or six pups at a time, including the older juveniles. One day he bit the bully in the face and left his eyelid wounded so it could not open all the way once it scarred. It was Sokar's first victory, and he loved how it felt.

At three and a half months old, he was the true alpha of the pups, including all the juveniles under a year old. He dreamed of cowing the older ones too, but his adult teeth still had a long time before they'd come in. He remembered his father had increased his own pack size by bringing in loners, and his mother had told him that before he was born, Grethor had also beaten the alpha of a small pack nearby and made all of them join his too. The idea of that much dominance over so many wolves burned brightly in the pup's head.

He sought out the strongest members of the pack, and asked them to teach him all that they knew. Most, seeing that his father wasn't training the pup as he should be taught, did so happily (also gratified that Sokar spoke to them respectfully, since the juveniles they tried to teach acted as if they knew everything). Sokar thus learned how to hunt before the yearlings, though of course most of that knowledge was in theory, since he was too small to really do anything on his own. He also learned how to track and hide his scent. One elder female, after teaching him about the weather and the hints it sometimes gave, told him to talk to the eldest member of the pack. "He can teach you more that anyone else can. He was all ready old when I was young, and that was a long time ago."

Sokar wasn't sure about it, but he was young enough not to be too prideful, so he went to the old wolf. He was mangy, and his grey fur was grizzled with white. His ribs showed, and he was missing an eye. An unapproachable wolf even during the best of times. "Kuthra, I want you to teach and train me."

The old wolf raised his head from where he was resting. He was amused at how little Sokar had approached him, without the fear that other pups and even adults showed him. "Teach you what, alpha-pup? I'm old and tired, and have nothing to teach you. Let an ancient wolf just sleep."

Sokar considered leaving him, but he knew that wasn't true. After all, how could such an old wolf still be in this pack, unless there was something important about him? He was the only adult who had no rank. He ate last of most pack kills, but most of the adults would never cross his path, or take his sunny spot where he liked to sleep. The messages were very conflicting. "I know you have much to teach me, One Eye. And you know what it is I want." Sokar had seen Kuthra watching him when he ordered the other pups around, which is why he had called him 'alpha-pup'.

"Yes. I know what you want. But you are not ready. You are a mere child." Kuthra was often called One Eye, but by this pup, it almost seemed like an honorific, not merely a descriptive or insulting term.

"Then it's better to teach me now, isn't it? I am ready to learn everything!" Sokar couldn't help wag his tail a bit.

Kuthra chuckled. "You're ready? I suppose you only think you are. You'll bore soon, and will only waste my time."

"Just test me. I'll prove that I won't quit until I've learned everything I can from you."

The old wolf was silent for a while, and then nodded solemnly. "Go catch me a rabbit. A dark furred one."

Sokar nodded and ran off, knowing it was going to be difficult. He was only a bit bigger than the rabbits and they were mostly white ones, to blend in with the snow. But he refused to give up before he even started.

The next day Kuthra woke up and saw Sokar coming towards him, dragging a dark brown-splotched rabbit. The pup had four parallel cuts on his snout, and was covered in mud. He was shivering and looked exhausted, but he was still dragging the rabbit towards him, stopping only when he was right in front of Kuthra. "Impressive." He started eating the rabbit while Sokar let himself drop.

He wasn't only tired from having to find the rabbit, but also from dragging it such a long distance. He had never slept away from home, as well as been alone for such a long time. He had only allowed himself quick naps when he came home, fearful of a larger predator coming to take his prize, or to kill him. It was the most difficult night of his young life. He wanted to curl up against the older wolf, for security and warmth, but was afraid it would make him look weak. He was also not sure if Kuthra would allow such a thing.

Kuthra finished his meal, then tossed Sokar what was left. "Good. I half-expected you to eat parts of it to make it lighter, or just because you were hungry."

Sokar started enjoying what was left of the rabbit, and only spoke once he was done. "This was a mother, and I ate her kittens after I killed her. But you wanted it, so I didn't think I should eat it."

The old wolf nodded at him. "Very good. You might just have what it takes to be worthy of my teaching you." He got up and stretched, then started walking off. "Come, training begins now. We won't return for a few months."

Sokar looked back at his home camp, then immediately followed Kuthra. He had no one to tell he'd be back soon. He was alpha of the pups, and wasn't under any obligation to bid them farewell. He was starting to lose respect for his father, still too young to understand the possible love between mates. And he had no close connection to the other adults, still considered too much a demon-pup to speak with them casually. So he followed the old wolf away from the pack, heading south to who knew where, but confident in Kuthra's leading him.