Prologue - The Homeless Pup

    It was a rainy day, clouds rolling above like a giant wheel in the sky.  I hear something coming.  I hope my Ma will protect me. I know she will...she always did. I am only 5 moons old and not old enough to hunt for myself; well, I know how but I am horrible at it. She would not leave me right? I heard my mom stifle a yawn and look up. I saw her lush green eyes open with fear. Her fur sprang up stiff and straight.
   I felt my brother look up and whimper. "Hey, wake up...I think...someone...is coming," he said in a series of whimpers.
  "I'm already up," I answer back. I hear an ear piercing howl split the air. I looked over to the space where my little sister Lalani usually rested. Then, I remembered that she was killed by a wolf. I leaned against my mom's fur but stumbled. My mom stood up. "Off," she said.
   My mom was lifting her nose up to the air. I copied her. I sense something. I could smell other wolves!
   The leaves near us rustle and out came three wolves; Reed, Viper, and Cobra. "I know you just joined the pack, Nohia. But you know the rules," snarled Cobra, the leader of our small pack.
   Nohia is our mom. Our dad went off to war against the shadows. Our ma won't tell us anything about the shadows, only that they are evil. Anyway, ma fixed the visitors with a glare.  Her large teeth bearing wide.
  "I know the rule," she barked.
  "Well, why haven't you gotten rid of these pups?" barked Viper in a hostile voice.  
  "Quiet, Viper," said Cobra. Cobra looked at me and my brother, Swamp. "You two must leave.  And Viper, you must also leave," he barked.
   I looked at my Ma for support, but she was being pinned down by Reed. "G-Go," she managed to say.
  Swamp and I turned to run. We looked at each other for which I thought would be the last time we would be together and I started off toward the open Grasslands of Honta.
  "Good Bye, Griffin," said my brother.  It was his last words to me before he disappeared into the shadows. I did not know what I would do there but I knew one thing for sure, I would never return to my homelands.