One day he went outside the borders and started exploring like he always did. There were so many fascinating
things to see outside the clan including lots of new creatures and other wildlife. Inside the clan life was very
much in order but outside their borders everything was wild and free and something about that called out to
his very being. Outside the clan there seemed to be no need to fear what made him different and instead he
got to enjoy a world that was just as strange and wild as he was. Anytime he went out there he could forget all
that he missed because he was an outcast because out in the wild he belonged and felt accepted for the first
time in his life. It was both liberating and scar all at the same time. Yet he was ready to explore even further
than ever to discover more of what was out there.
Sharpe had reached a cliff's edge and was about to turn back when he heard a strange noise. It sounded almost
shrill but rang out over and over again. Soon more joined it and he had to cover his ears. The noise hurt but also
seemed strangely inviting. Eventually he stopped and started making his own sound. It was supposed to be
bleating but always came out as some kind of dry heave. In fact back at the clan a lot of citizens were afraid of
him because of that sound. Even he knew it was awful but could never get bleating right like the rest of his
family. He was always told that it was because of the wolf attack.
For a moment the other noise stopped and soon Sharpe could see shapes below. He crouched down low from
his positive above. Not ready to be discovered by these foreign creatures that he could not be sure if they were
friend or foe. As he watched he came to realize that they looked a lot like him. But these creatures had longer
hair that stood out, dirtier too and behaved much more aggressively. None of them seemed concerned or
ashamed of how they looked and displayed their sharp teeth proudly. A few even bit at each other and both
seemed amused by that act. Was this the play these animals played around with each other? Sharpe found
everything about his discovery fascinating and decided he needed to observe and learn more about these
animals.
Suddenly a few stopped and looked up. Sharpe hid further away but noticed that a group of them were coming
closer to the bottom of the cliff. Then there was loud chorus of noise and several of them started to climb up
the cliff's edge. He then realized that the creatures had seen him and something in their demeanor told him
that he didn't want to be at the edge when they reached the top. So he turned tail and ran back towards the
clan. But to his horror he soon heard footsteps and knew something was chasing him. He didn't need to look
back to know that the creatures were following him. His best bet was to find a stream to jump in so that his
scent would be masked and he could get away. That was one of the few ways that teens were taught to protect
themselves in the event of an attack. Otherwise it was instructed that the young ones run and hide or try to
find a grown sheep or ram for protection.
Just as Sharpe was starting to fear the worst he saw a stream and jumped in. Unfortunately his disguise had
come loose from all his running and floated away. As he tried to catch up to it the other creatures came to
arrive at the stream and made the same loud noises again. Sick of the racket Sharpe turned to snap a bleat at
them but instead made the same noise they did. Horrified he stood frozen in the stream as a few came up to
him. With no idea of what to do Sharpe just stood there waiting for his demise.
"What goes on there brother?" one of the creatures asked his eyes wild and hungry.
"Brother?" Sharpe asked, "how am I any brother of yours?"
The other creatures seemed to be watching everything closely and spread out surrounding the two.
"You new about these parts? My name is Remus, yours stranger?"
"Sharpe with an 'e'. My parents hate it when people say or spell it wrong."
"Really? I never knew that wolves were so touchy," Remus joked and the others laughed.
Sharpe went ramrod stiff. If he had just heard right Remus had called his kind wolves. That would mean that he
had just run straight into a wolf pack. A pack that was calling him brother because he looked like them. Then it
hit Sharpe like a truck. All the disguises, being so different from the sheep clan and having to live the life of an
outcast because of his deformity. None of it was true at all. He was not a freaky sheep. In fact he was not really
a sheep at all. This truth hit Sharpe hard and fast as he thought about all the problems he had living with his so
called family and getting sick all the time before his father started giving him a special concoction. One he had
started to notice smelled quite similar to sheep but a bit stinky in comparison. Then he realized something else
again and howled loudly into the oncoming night.
The next second he was off not caring who might follow.
He carefully snuck back across the clan's border to his house and slipped on a back up disguise. Then he went
seeking out his father. Or at least the sheep who claimed to be his father.
"Sharpe it is nighttime," Berry rushed up to him, "where have you been?"
"Wouldn't you like to know," Sharpe growled, "where is father, I need to talk to him."