Chapter 3

Squeaker pounced on Amy as she nuzzled her, "Are you ready?"

She laughed and pushed Squeaker off, "Yes you doofus now get off of me." Once she stood she was Moon approach them.

"Hello dear." She wrapped her arms around Amy and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Today is the big day."

She nodded as Moon pulled back, "Yeah...were you this nervous?"

Moon laughed as Squeaker hugged her, "Yes I was, but once you get out there that nervousness goes away."

"I'm jealouth. I thill have 2 more yearth until it ith my turn." Squeaker sighed as both Moon and Amy pat her shoulders.

The usually chatter of the pack had subsided as the young alpha made his way to the three. Amy stood up straight as the other two bowed slightly to respect him. His eyes glossed over Squeaker as he gently pet her head, "You are looking very pretty today."

She looked up at him blushing. Amy and Moon shared a smirk. After clearing his throat the young alpha spoke, "Happy Birthday Amulet. As is the tradition of the Boldclaw pack a mature wolf is to hunt and only return once they are successful. Are your affairs in order?"

Amy looked around as the pack was now surrounding her, their paws drumming against the ground at a steady beat. She saw her father among the crowd looking proud at her. She gave a bright smile, taking a deep breath she looked at the alpha "Yes sir."

Slowly the chanting of her name began, first it was quiet and it grew louder as he spoke. "Amulet, remember to stay within the neutral and hunting grounds. Do not disrupt another wolfs hunt. Do not trespass onto another packs territory. Last but not least..." The alpha turned to the side and the pack parted leaving a path for Amy. "Make us proud!"

Everyone was yelling and cheering her on at full volume. Amy bolted through the crowd and out of her packs territory. She ran until the cheering faded away. Taking a moment to get a bearing of her surroundings she was able to deduce that she was in the hunting grounds. She saw a few deer grazing in the open. She crouched but before she could move she caught a whiff of another wolf not that far off. She stood up and scanned around noticing another young wolf like herself already advancing on the deer, using the grass to hide. Their eyes met and she gave him a slight nod as she backed away from his hunt. She ran until she was in a new area only to be pounced on.

"What the fuck!"

"Sorry love, I didn't mean to scare you." Des laughed as he helped Amy up.

"What did you do that for?" She asked as she shook the dust off of her fur.

"I thought it would be a great way to get your attention." Des smiled as his tail wagged lightly. Amy shook her head and sighed as she walked off. Des was close behind her.

"Have you decided where to get your game?" He asked.

Shaking her head she looked at him, "Not yet, are you going to tell me why you are following me?"

Des paced in front of her. "I wanted to make sure you are safe." Rolling her eyes she pushed back him.

"Can you please leave me alone?"

"How do I know you won't trespass into pack territory again." Des asked

"I was a pup and I was still learning the boundaries of my territory." Amy growled. "Look Des, I am thankful for what you did for me when we were pups but now that I am and adult you can't be following me around anymore. I mean what are you going to when I find my mate?" Des growled when she mentioned getting a mate. Amy rose her eyebrow and Des looked away.

"I will leave it too you though. Just be careful." Before she could respond he ran off into the foliage. She was torn between following him or resuming her hunt. He seemed irritated and hurt so she figured it would be best to continue along her way. She came to another set of hunting grounds and saw some deer grazing again. After checking the perimeter to make sure that one else as trying to hunt she focused in on a lone doe. Her vision focused on her tunneling at she turned everything else out.

She started to creep closer, careful to not step on anything that light give her location away. She let out a warning growl and the herd looked up and scanned the field before returning to their grazing. Just as she was about to charge, a loud boom rang throughout the forest. A flock of birds flew overhead and the deer were startled enough to run. Amy growled in frustration as she ran after the pack.

The pack split and soon she was zeroed in on the lone doe that had veered off of the path and deeper into the forest. Another boom and the deer collapsed to the ground as it bleat in pain. Amy froze and dove into a nearby bush as she watched the deer writhe before seizing up. She steadied her breathing as she heard crunching leaves approaching. She watched as her nightmares had come true. She watched three beings that stood on their hind legs. They walked over and examined the deer.

"Nice shot, but I see you missed the damn wolf! Did anyone see where she went?" One of them asked.

"I didn't see where she went. Did you?"

"Nope."

"You guys are fucking useless. Search the area, she couldn't have gotten too far."

Amy started to back away, doing her best to be concealed by the bushes. As she backed up her right eye started to throb, "not now!" She whispered. She felt something slice through her eyelid and she growled in pain.

"Over there!"

She turned and ran. She heard a few booms as the dirt on the ground flew and the bark of the trees splintered. She felt heat close to her ear as there was a boom and the grass beside her paw exploded. She turn as she heard yelling, "Don't kill her you dumb ass!"

Then she felt it, a sharp pain in her leg. She toppled onto the ground as she howled in pain. The three beings approached her. She growled at them in warning but she was unable to move.

"Nice shot Mark."

One of them beings saluted as he placed a weird item at his side. The main one leaned down and grabbed Amy's leg roughly causing her to bark at him. He squeezed her leg and she turned her head and chomped her jaw at him. The being jumped back as he chuckled.

"We got ourselves a feisty one here boys."

"Hey Major, Look at her eye." One of them motioned.

"Your right Bobby, hold her down."

Amy felt panic start to choke her as she tried to kick back in a desperate attempt to get away. One of them grabbed her legs and pulled her back. Another went around and grabbed her head and help her in place. She winced and whined as she noticed her vision was getting dizzy. The main one reached down and ripped off her eye patch.

They all gasped, "Gentlemen, I think we found her."