Storm Of Wolves

• Grace Dillon, Grade 6, Ballarat and Clarendon College
• Short Story
• 2022

Finalist in the 'National Treasures 2022' competition

A loner, cast out from his pack. His parents, captive or dead. Prey plentiful, but packmates not seen. Isolated, despaired…lonely. Griffin continued his walk through the snowy forest, the morning daylight stretching over the land. The wolf shook his white and blue-grey fur and caught a scent. Wolves, Griffin thought. Like me, but friend or foe? The questions reeled in his mind for a moment until he heard something. Paw steps, treading through the snow at a worrying pace. He tensed, ready to spring, but then stopped at what he saw. Wolves prowled around him, about five. Too many for me to fight, Griffin thought. And I’m not going to run scared. One of the wolves, black and lean, let a growl escape his scarred throat. “Come on Java,” said a red she-wolf with brown markings. “Let’s take him back to Aragorn.”
“I’m not going down without a fight, Dawn!” said Java with a snarl.
“Try saying that to Aragorn,” Dawn murmured and walked off.
“Come,” said a white wolf, following her, and Griffin did.
Aragorn looked Griffin up and down and circled him distrustfully. Java padded up to the white wolf called Eskimo and muttered in his ear. Eskimo showed no expression, but cast a worried glance in Griffin’s direction, walking off with Kylo. Griffin felt his tail droop. I won’t ever be accepted, he thought, going over to the den where Lexa guarded. She stepped aside so he could enter the ‘prison,’ but he sensed her suspicion. Once he was in, he heard Roan start talking. “Java says he’s a loner. He’s going to tell Aragorn to kill him.”
Griffin tensed.
“Java’s always doing that…” Lexa trailed off as howling suddenly broke out and flame-coloured creatures entered the clearing.
“Foxes!” Someone barked.
Suddenly alert, everyone rushed to a tight formation line. River huddled her pups to her den whilst her mate Troy stood protectively over her. The foxes were scrawny but muscles rippled beneath their matted pelts and a snarl was set on their faces. Aragorn stepped forward. “What business do you have here,” he said in an authoritative voice.
A fox with a scar on his snout answered, “We’re here for your territory…and your food.” He glanced at River’s pups. Griffin, itching to get involved, came out of the den. Dawn glanced at him and stepped to make room. Griffin felt a warm sensation as he stepped beside her. The lead fox growled. “Attack!” Griffin lunged and met with a fox. He snapped at the enemy and found his mark on the flank. The fox yelped and ran as Griffin turned to grapple with a fox attacking Jade. He threw the creature off and turned. Dawn was fighting with a female and Griffin rushed forward to help. All this continued until only the wolves were standing alone. No-one had died. Griffin sensed Aragorn and turned. The wolf was bowing his head to him.
A pack, Griffin thought, happiness flooding him. My pack.