Book The Crack in the Ice

*If you haven't read the introduction first, you should probably do that so you aren't lost. It isn't a big deal right now, but eventually it's going to be a big mess for you to remember what happened. The story can be found here. Thanks and enjoy! ^-^

Chapter 1​

A storm had brewed (and one that was not Crystal's own creation), so she was glad that her and her brother were warm in their parents' snow cave. A real rock cave would have been better in Crystal's opinion, but the great Moon ancestors had been living in this land for thousands of moon cycles. They had dug these tunnels and dens themselves, and the snow had slowly melted and refrozen into ice. The result was a semi-translucent network of tunnels and dens that allowed light to filter in, keeping the entire place pleasantly warm. Her and Night were curled up fast asleep while their mother and father conversed in the other den. Crystal lifted her head, instantly alert. She thought she had heard paw steps padding outside, but with the wind roaring through the entrance she couldn't be sure. The flurries didn't help her eyesight either. As her eyes strained into the storm, a shape appeared. She was on her feet in an instant. The shape charged into the den and Crystal had just enough time to sidestep before the intruder pounced on Night, who woke up immediately. He attempted to get to his feet as well, but the weight of the other wolf kept him pinned to the ground.

"Wha-what? Get off of me!" he tried to growl, but his vocal chords only allowed a few gruff grunts to escape his throat.

"You're such a rabbit-brain." The bigger wolf sneered, showing perfectly sharp teeth, "Crystal had enough time to get out of the way. Why not you?" He leaned close and barked loudly in Night's ear, making him flinch and shrink farther down into the floor of the cave. Crystal stepped forward to sit in a shallow dip in the ground. She began to eat some of the leftover Caribou from yesterday's hunt. When she lifted her head, her eyes were like daggers through the air.

"What do you want Storm? Aren't you supposed to be on the morning hunt today?" Storm, feeling an atmosphere change, dug his claws into Night and jumped off. Night stood up and shook himself off before sulkily padding over to sit next to his older sister. Storm stood tall and proud.

"Nope! The council said they have some business with me. So I figured I'd drop by and see my good friend Night!" He sneered once again and Night shuffled closer to Crystal.

"I'm willing to bet he just slept in and decided he didn't want to get his coat wet." he whispered. Crystal stifled back a chuckle. Then from Storm,

"What'd you say, runt?"

"Oh no." Then Night was bowled over. They rolled around the den and Crystal had to dodge the onslaught again. She darted to her sleeping dip and sat down to finish her meal. No sooner had she taken her first bite than her mother and father stepped in. They looked around at the mess and at the two males who were still locked in combat.

"Alright, now that's enough!" Crystal's father barked fiercely. Night and Storm broke apart. Crystal's brother sat panting and his black hair was tousled and dusty. He sat shifting his hands in the dirt. Storm stood by and watched with thinly hidden disdain. His stunning grey coat was slick and clean. He noticed who had entered the room and bowed his head dramatically.

"I apologize for our misconduct your majesties. I was just minding my own business when-" Their father turned his back.

"The council wishes to have an audience with Crystal and Storm." Storm began to say something, but thought better of it and instead bowed his head again and trudged into the other room. Crystal looked up from her Caribou in surprise. The council only ever saw people for very important business. Her mother gracefully padded up to sit besides her.

"Please be on your best behavior, darling. And remember that Storm is a very charming young wolf. Do try not to upset anyone while you're in there." Her mother's voice was calm and melodic; perfect for a queen. Behind the words, though, was an imploring request; a certain urgent message. Being the queen's daughter meant being an extension of the royal family. As such, there was a certain air that must be given off when in the company of any pack members. This was the case of all types of social situations. It was all fine though. Crystal had grown up with a mother that had always taught prose and poise. That was who she was now. She nodded and dipped her head to retrieve her uneaten Caribou. Suddenly, like a wisp of air, Crystal felt a paw on her head. She looked up to see her mother, with her gleaming silver coat sparking from the dim light, smiling at her. Her blue eyes glimmered with excitement, but there was sadness and understanding in them as well. Crystal began to understand why she was being summoned... and she didn't like it. However, she smiled and got up to move. Her mother grabbed her Caribou piece and settled down to enjoy it. The Crystal was at the entrance. She looked back at her father, who was trying to contain her pride, and at her brother, who sat looking forlorn. Crystal took a deep breath and entered the other room.

So this is the end of chapter 1. Sorry it took so long. I was afraid to post the rest for fear of it not being up to par with everyone else's literature. Hopefully it was an ok read. Thanks for taking the time to read it!