The Plot Begins

Plot:
The movement of the evening clouds made it apparent that in time, wether it be moments, hours or days, a deluge of rain would fall upon the heads' of those who dwelt in the Shintu Pack. Some who looked to the skies knew that in the near future not only would rain fall, but a flood would come and wolves would be lost, only the strong surviving.


Setting:
A large hidden cave is the only entrance to a large, pine filled forest and an open plain which is filled with plump Red Deer. The deer have become very strong with the vast amount of food and are not easy to get down. Deeper in the valley, a large river cuts down the middle of the forest. A fallen tree is the only way to cross it. Past the river is a place not many creatures go. It's called the 'Dark Unknown'. Light does not enter through the thick, bushy trees. Only the bravest or the most foolish enter it.

The rushing noise of the water hypnotised a young, healthy female wolf. She had been beside the river for most of the evening, looking at her reflection as if it was the first time she had done so. The light brown wolf went by the name of Lydda. She had been travelling for weeks until she came to this strange forest filled with mysteries and a forgotten past. It was time to make a fresh start which didn’t involve Lydda's previous pack.

The evening air was full of familiar and the not so familiar noises, such as the crickets who were clicking in the long grass, the clattering of antlers while Bucks test their strength with one another, wolves howling at the moon and the birds singing high up in the trees. This was the night when all creatures were peaceful, the night before the storm...

Meanwhile, a lonely little wolf pup named Lola, who had a very uniquely mixed personality and strange markings was wandering through the forest. Finally she found a plain where she could see nothing but grass. Lola decided she had to cross it if she wanted to find a family. After about 2 hours of nothing but plains and dodging the hooves of deer and catching bugs and amphibians for food, she saw a river. She was dehydrated and she knew it. She dashed to the river as fast as she could only to find herself screeching to a halt a bit too late and crashing into a bigger wolf's leg. She gazed up at the older wolf and dared to say, "Um, hi, I'm Lola. I was the runt of my litter and rejected by my mother so I've been wandering throughout the world for weeks catching bugs for my food along the way. You seem kinda lonely." She paused for a moment and her voice studdered, "C-can I join you?"

In the midst of thinking, Lydda realised that something had crashed into her back leg. She opened her maw and showed her sharp white teeth, only to close it once she realised that what had bumped her was a little pup. "Uhhh i'm Lydda." She quickly realised that the pup was dehydrated from the lack of water. "Please don't let me stop you from having a drink from the river." Lydda tried to force a smile so the pup would know that she was harmless. "This is not a good time to lose you're family little one, the creatures of the forest can cense danger coming. You best stay close to me although i'm not sure how much help I can be."

"Hi Lydda. I really appreciate the company, I can hardly find anything alive but deer and bugs and trees, and they aren't much of a family." Lola laughed uneasily, and drank what seemed to be by the gallons. After she was done, she lick her lips. "Hey, have you heard the bad news? About how the caribou on the other side of the Dark Unknown sensed a huge flood coming when they was huge gray clouds coming this way? They told the birds and the birds are telling everyone."

Lydda looked towards the direction of the Dark Unknown. "Is that so. Well it's very unlucky for us since there isn't any high ground around here. A few high rocks may protect some but not all of us." She turned and faced Lola. "I don't think we have much hope of survival, little pup." Her head bent low to the ground.

"Yeah. Well, the cave leading into the pine forest is very high. But as steep as it is I don't see how we could get up there. We're not strong enough to push a tree down. I was also thinking we could dig an extremely steep tunnel, then dig it going upwards to trap the water at the bottom, but we probably can't do that in time for the flood. We might have to dig an underground tunnel to past the Dark Unknown and travel East toward the mountains. Or go past the cave and near the city onto high hills. We've got to pick one or we die..."

Lydda looked suprised. "You are quite an intelligent little pup, arn't you?" She then smiled but then thought of the flood. "Well I know one thing and that is, we can not make it alone. I have not known anyone in the past to brave the Dark Unkown, so we have no idea what is actually in there and which way to go if we do. Its impossible to see in there." Lydda glanced to the cave far in the distance. "I don't think I can go through the cave again. I've seen the terrible furless creatures and their metal monsters they ride around in. I think i'll be better off going through the Dark Unknown." She said sarcasticly.

"Not exactly. I've just travled most of the area and know it. But it doesn't take a pack leader to figure out we have to pick one or die." There was a moment of silence. Then Lola said, "And no, not alone. We'll abandon crossing the cave, the crows told me all about the creatures, and they are pretty smart. They think of us as evil and mean and that we eat them, and they get those ideas from tales they pass down to each generation of pups." Then she said, "And I don't think we could cross..." her voice trailed off. Not wanted to call the 'Dark Unknown' by name, she picked up, pointing in that direction, "It, not even together. But it's pretty obvious that unless light shines through It, we'll have to abandon that idea too. What in the world are we gonna do?" She looked down and sighed, then lay down. "All this talking and thinking as passed much of the time. Look, it's gotten dark and we didn't even know it. Maybe we can find a strong, large rock and sleep behind it incase the flood comes in our sleep. Or should we keep awake and continue to try and solve our problem?"

Both of the wolves laid by the river. Yuko's dark grey fur was matching perfectly to his sisters dark brown fur. The river was like a howl to them,sometimes soft,and sometimes loud. They had been there for a few days,trying to start a new life. Their eyes watched the water crash against the land. They where putting their pasts behind them,to forget all the cruel the other pack had. Tally was the one with the worst past out of the two. "Hmm.."She said looking into the glintsing river. Yuko looked at Tally and sighed the word,"What?" Tally didn't make much since to most wolves,but at least she knew what she was seeing and speaking. Tally shook her head. "Nevermind.."

Lydda picked up a scent from two wolves who were close to this area. She felt that they were watching her and Lola, waiting to make thier move. "The mountains are straight ahead past the Dark Unknown. Maybe if we just keep in a straight line.....no that won't work. We may end up tripping over or falling in a ditch." There was silence for a second while the wolves were thinking, then Lydda pricked her ears up as if she had an idea. "I'm sure the Dark Unknown doesnt carry on forever. There must be a way around it. The river water comes from the mountains, what if we just follow the river?"

Tally and Yuko got up to see Lydda. "Umm,Hello."They both said dipping their heads. They turned their attention to the river then back to Lydda. Yuko stood in front of Tally protectivley even though she wasent a pup. Tally stepped next to him so she could see.

Lydda glanced at the strange wolves. "Uh hello. My name is Lydda and the little pup is Lola. I guess you two havnt heard about the flood coming? Its going to be a bad one". Lydda looked up at the dark clouds, hoping the rain will hold out until tommoro. She then glanced at the male wolf who seemed to be very protective of this other wolf next to him. Lydda didnt want to cause any trouble between them so she dipped her head, meaning that she meant no harm.

"No we havent heard of the flood. Im Tally and thats Yuko."She said gracefully. Yuko just watched Lydda. "Flood?"He repeated.

Lola stood next to Lydda to show that she meant no harm either. Breaking the silence, she said, "Yeah, there's a horrible flood coming. The caribou on the other side of the Dark Unknown saw the large gray clouds coming this way. The told the birds and the birds are telling everyone. I'm also sure..." again, she pointed in the direction of the Dark Unknown, and not wanting to call it by name, continued, "It doesn't go on forever. I like Lydda's idea of following the river, but here's the problem: when we get to the end of It, how will we cross if it's too wide to jump?"

"We swim."Said Yuko standing tall and looking at Lola and Lydda. Tally nodded to her brothers two words. Yukos dark gray fur swayed as the wind gently blew. Tally sighed and watched the sky.

The crickets chirped loudly and the owls hooted. The water crashed against the rocks in the river.

Lola stood up. "Are you crazy?" Her voice got a little loud and angry. "We can't swim the river! The current is too harsh! We'll be swept away to the waterfall and be killed!" She realised how she was speaking, stepped back and laid down. "In any case, it's getting dark, and we have a choice to make. Get some rest and hope it doesn't come, or walk along the river, since we've obviously decided on that to escape the flood?" There was a long moment of silence.

Yuko held back snapping at the pup. "No Im not crazy!"He grumble-growled. Tally laid down. "Shes right Yuko.."Said Tally starting to fall asleep. Yuko laid down behind Lydda,the pup,and his sister.

"Well if we're gonna sleep, we need to find shelter incase the flood comes tonight," Lola said, treating the statement as if it wasn't obvious to the others.

Yuko laid under a leaning rock. "This is my shelter.."Tally laid in a hollow log. "This is my shelter..."

Spotting a tall hollow tree stump, she said, "I'll get in there," she said as she pointed to it with her snout. "It's short enough from me to get in and out by myself and tall enough to make me feel safe from the flood." Then she trotted hesitantly to the stump as if she were afraid the flood was coming right that second. She stopped at the spot where she was going to hop inside. "What about you, Lydda?" she asked before hopping in clumsily, clawing her way in since she misjudged the distance.

Yuko looked at Lydda with his soft green eyes. He sighed after what he had been told no way NO WAY he could sleep.

Tally moved in the hollow tree trunk. "Ouch.."She mumbled hitting her head on the side of the trunk.

Out of character: Lovewolven, you there?

Out Of Wolves: Uhh I'll Nm her on neopets

Lydda watched the wolves get confortable in thier resting places. "I think ill stay watch. Ive been sleeping through most of the day anyway." The wolves heard the thunder coming from far off. It wasnt soon now before the rain comes.