Suddenly, whimpering sounds filled the air, and Malakai turned to his sister.
Her wolf eyes seemed... sad? But from her tone, he understood her. He didn't know how, but he knew she was seeking attention.
Their mother looked at her daughter and gently picked her up with her mouth.
She was much more gentle with her than she was with Malakai, and didn't nibble her too much.
This wasn't favoritism; female wolves were treated more gently than males because males were toughened up.
Usually, the father would teach the pups to be strong, but since the wolf mother was alone, she took care of her pups by herself.
Malakai wanted to join in, but before he could, his mother stood up.
Then her voice sounded again in both their heads, "You will learn to hunt food. And be strong. Now follow me close."
She began to walk, then started running, and the two pups started running after her.
This was their first time coming out of the cave, and you could see it in their reaction.
They were excited, their tails wagging furiously as they tried to keep up with their mother.
Malakai was beginning to forget about his life as a human. In fact, he had already forgotten.
His new life as a wolf was all he knew now. He was learning to adapt, to survive, and to thrive in this new world.
And with his mother by his side, he knew he could face anything.
As they ran, the wind rushed past Malakai's face, and the snow crunched beneath his paws.
He felt alive, free, and wild. He was a wolf, and this was his world now.
He would learn to hunt, to fight, and to survive. And with his mother's guidance, he knew he would become a strong and powerful wolf.
The three of them ran through the forest, their paws pounding the ground in unison.
They were a family, a pack, and they would face whatever challenges came their way together.
Malakai was no longer a human; he was a wolf, and this was his new life.
As they ran, Malakai and his sister began sticking out their tongues, feeling the wind rush past their faces.
They saw their mother stop ahead of them, but they didn't, too caught up in the excitement of the chase.
But then a voice spoke again, firm but gentle, "Stop!" Malakai and his sister skidded to a halt, looking up at their mother with wide eyes.
From the looks of it, their mother didn't like that they didn't imitate her and stop. She gazed at them sternly, her tail held still.
"What do you think you're doing, little ones?" she asked, her voice firm but patient.
"When I say stop, you stop. We're not just playing around here. We're hunting."
Malakai and his sister looked at each other, then back at their mother. They didn't understand.
Their mother explained, "We need to catch food to survive. And to do that, we need to work together."
"I'll show you how it's done."
She paused, looking at her pups expectantly.
"First, we need to stalk our prey. That means we need to be quiet and sneaky, like this."
She demonstrated, crouching low to the ground and moving stealthily forward.
Malakai and his sister watched, fascinated. They had never seen their mother move like that before.
"Then, we need to chase our prey. That means we need to be fast and strong, like this." She demonstrated again, running swiftly across the snow.
Malakai and his sister nodded, their ears perked up.
"Finally, we need to catch our prey. That means we need to be quick and clever, like this." She demonstrated once more, pouncing on an imaginary target.
Malakai and his sister looked at each other, then back at their mother.
Malakai tilted his head, his ears perked up, and his tail wagging excitedly.
He took a step forward, his paws flexed, and his eyes shining with excitement.
His mother smiled, her eyes shining with pride.
"Let's do it," she agreed. "Together, we'll hunt and catch our prey. And we'll survive."
*****
Their mother led them to a nearby thicket, where a small rabbit was hiding.
She crouched low, her ears perked up, and her tail twitching. "Watch closely," she whispered. "I'll show you how it's done."
Malakai and his sister watched in awe as their mother stalked her prey, her movements silent and swift.
She pounced, and in a flash, she had caught the rabbit.
Malakai's eyes widened, and he let out a high-pitched yip, his tail wagging excitedly.
His mother smiled, her tongue lolling out of her mouth. "It's not that hard, really," she said. "You just need to be patient and quick. Now it's your turn to try."
Malakai and his sister looked at each other nervously. They had never hunted before, and they weren't sure if they could do it.
But their mother encouraged them, her voice gentle and reassuring. "Go on," she said. "Try it. I'll be right here behind you."
Malakai took a deep breath and crouched low, his ears perked up and his tail twitching.
He spotted a small mouse scurrying through the underbrush and pounced, his paws barely missing it.
His sister tried next, but she was too slow, and the mouse escaped.
Their mother praised them both, her tail wagging encouragingly. "You're both doing great," she said. "It takes practice, but you'll get the hang of it. Keep trying!"
And with that, the three of them continued their hunt, stalking and pouncing and learning together.
Malakai's mother smiles, her tail wagging softly.
"I'm proud of you both," she says. "Hunting takes skill and patience, but you're both natural born hunters."
"Keep practicing, and you'll be catching prey in no time," she encourages. "You're doing great, and I'm honored to be your teacher."
"Keep up the good work, and we'll feast on delicious prey in no time." She licks their foreheads, her warm tongue a comforting gesture.
"You're both my precious pups, and I know you'll excel at everything you do."
Malakai and his sister were exhausted but exhilarated by the end of it, their bellies full and their hearts proud.
As they curled up together in their den, Malakai let out a contented sigh, his tail wagging softly as he drifted off to sleep.
Although they didn't catch anything, it was evident that they would be master hunters/huntress.
Malakai, who was sleeping, was having a dream
In the dream, Malakai found himself in a desolate, dark landscape, devoid of any vegetation or light.
The sky was a deep grey, and and no sound could be heard, the only sound was the faint rustling of unknown entities in the distance, their presence heard but not seen.
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed through the landscape, "MALAKAI! MALAKAI! MALAKAI!" The voice was like thunder, shaking the ground beneath his paws.
It grew louder and louder, until it became a deafening roar, "THE TRUE BEAST!"
As the voice reached its climax, a massive wolf emerged from the shadows.
Its fur was a radiant white, like the snow that covered the mountains, and its eyes glowed like embers from a fire.
The wolf's presence was imposing, its muscles rippling beneath its skin as it moved closer.
Malakai could feel the ground trembling beneath its paws, and the air grew hotter with its approach.
The wolf's eyes fixed on Malakai, and he felt a chill run down his spine.
He could smell the wolf's scent, a pungent mix of earth and blood, and he could feel its hot breath on his fur. The wolf's gaze was piercing, as if it could see into Malakai's very soul.
Then, the wolf tilted its head back and let out a haunting howl. The sound was like nothing Malakai had ever heard before, a mournful cry that sent shivers down his spine.
The howl seemed to go on forever, echoing through the landscape and filling Malakai's heart with fear.
As the wolf's howl faded away, the landscape began to dissolve, and Malakai found himself back in his den, his heart racing with fear. But the memory of the dream lingered, etched in his mind like a scar.
As Malakai's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw that he was in a small cave, the walls made of rough stone and the ground covered in soft fur.
He looked around, his eyes scanning the darkness, and saw that his mother was sleeping nearby, her body curled up and her eyes closed.
His sister was lying next to him, her eyes still closed, and her body trembling slightly as she whimpered.
Malakai got up and walked towards his sister, his paws making barely a sound on the soft fur.
He lay down next to her and nuzzled her gently, trying to comfort her.
She didn't stop whimpering right away, but as Malakai continued to cuddle her, she slowly quietened down, her trembling subsiding until she was still.
As they lay there, Malakai could hear the wind outside, blowing through the trees and rustling the leaves.
It was a soothing sound, and he felt his own fear and anxiety start to fade away.
He looked around the cave again, taking in the familiar surroundings. The cave was small, but it was cozy, and Malakai felt safe and protected within its walls.
He looked at his mother, who was still sleeping peacefully, and then at his sister, who was now calm and still.
He felt a sense of gratitude towards his family, and he knew that he was lucky to have them by his side.
As he drifted off to sleep, he felt the warmth of his sister's body next to his, and the comfort of his mother's presence nearby.
The sound of the wind outside was the last thing he heard before he fell asleep.