Free A Pack Divided by Erin Hunter Page B

growl rose in Storm’s throat at the unfairness of it, but she bit it back, and shook herself. Rage. I shouldn’t feel such rage! That’s what Fang spoke about in my dream.
    â€œI told you,” she snapped, “I just went for a walk. I couldn’t sleep. Would you rather I fidgeted all night and woke every dog in the Pack?”
    Dart snorted with disdain. “Suit yourself. I’ll never understand Fierce Dogs.”
    This time Storm had to tense every muscle in her forelegs and dig her claws into the earth to stop herself from flying at Dart. She might have barked in fury anyway, if something hadn’t distracted her: under her paw pads, the grass was wet and cool with dew.
    Like the stuff in my dream. The liquid that sucked me down. Is Earth-Blood nothing but dew? Momentarily bewildered, she hesitated and glanced down, and in that instant Dart turned and sauntered off toward the camp.
    Storm gritted her teeth and glared at the patrol dog’s disappearing haunches. As Dart left, Bella padded toward Storm, giving Dart a curious glance as she passed.
    â€œAre you all right, Storm?” Bella sat down, tilting her head. She might be inquisitive, thought Storm, but at least she wasn’t hostile.
    â€œI’m fine,” she managed to mutter. “I haven’t been sleeping well, that’s all. I went for a walk.” All these half-truths , she thought remorsefully, but there’s no way I’m telling Bella—or any dog—the real story.
    â€œStorm, you need to pull yourself together.” Bella’s growl was kind, though. “There are dogs who are uneasy around you already. Don’t give them extra reasons to mistrust you.”
    â€œI’m not trying to!” barked Storm, exasperated. “I don’t go out of my way to unsettle them, believe me.” Her voice lowered to a resentful growl. “I just seem to manage that without any effort.”
    Bella stood up to give her ear a friendly lick. “Try anyway, won’t you? The last thing the Pack needs is to think Fierce Dogs can’t be trusted.”
    Storm pricked her ears in surprise. What does she mean by that? The Fierce Dog Pack wasn’t a threat anymore; it had fallen apart after Blade’s death. And there were only two Fierce Dogs in this Pack: Storm herself, and Arrow.
    â€œThere’s peace in our Pack now, of course,” Bella went on, “but it’s fragile. Do you understand, Storm? There are dogs who can’t let go of the fear; it clings to their hearts. It wouldn’t take much for them to turn on one another.” Bella’s deep brown eyes were anxious; she seemed desperate to make Storm understand. “You’re not a pup anymore. You’re a strong dog, you’ve proven that! You need to start acting like it. A strong, grown-up dog, a full member of the Pack. You don’t want our Pack to split, like Earth-Dog in a Growl!”
    Storm opened her jaws, unsure how to respond. But before she could say anything, the calm air was shattered by a roaring blast of wind.
    She and Bella leaped to their paws, hackles bristling as they scanned the sky through the branches. This was no natural gust, Storm could tell. It wasn’t the Wind-Dogs who were making the trees shake. Storm’s heart slammed against her rib cage. There were dark shapes in the sky above them.
    â€œLoudbirds!” barked Bella in horror.
    Together they dashed back into the camp, as the wind stripped leaves from the trees all around them and branches were torn and tossed in the gale. In the glade dogs were hurtling from one corner to another, or spinning on their haunches, or standing deadstill and shivering, and the air was filled with terrified yelps and barks. Sunshine cowered beneath a jutting rock, her tiny white body trembling.
    â€œRun!” barked Bruno.
    â€œWhere to?” howled Ruff.
    â€œWe have to do something!” That was Woody, but he didn’t