Free Moon's Choice by Erin Hunter Page B

and Mickey were her seniors in the Pack hierarchy. Though I wish they didn’t treat me as if I’m still that vulnerable pup Mickey and Lucky rescued. She gave a silent inward sigh, then nodded at her patrol.
    â€œI want to plan ahead of time, so that we don’t have to make a sound later. Arrow and Snap, when we’re closer to the warren, you circle around toward the creek. If the rest of us take points between the warren and the wider plain, the rabbits will have nowhere to go. We should manage to take two or three. Stay low, and remember to watch for other prey.” With a nod that Storm hoped showed both respect and quiet authority, she led the patrol carefully toward the line of aspens on the horizon.
    All the dogs were alert now, placing their paw pads with care and keeping their bodies low, but Whisper slipped past the others to stalk at Storm’s side. She gave the young dog an inquisitive glance.
    â€œI think this is a brilliant strategy, Storm,” said Whisper, in alow but enthusiastic growl. “You’re a great hunt leader!”
    â€œThanks, Whisper,” Storm told him, pricking her ears in slight surprise. “I’d really like to lead the hunt more often, so let’s hope this goes well.”
    â€œOh, I’m sure it will. So what else do you think we’ll find? Maybe a deer!”
    Storm gave a huffing sound of amusement, and shook her head briefly. “I doubt we’ll be that lucky, but let’s stay alert.”
    â€œYou always do,” said Whisper. There was a light of adoration in the gray dog’s eyes, and Storm looked away, trying to keep her focus on the careful stalk-and-slink of the hunt.
    A ripple of unease traveled between her fur and her skin. Whisper had treated her with something close to hero-worship ever since Storm had killed Blade, the Fierce Dogs’ vicious leader, in the great battle last Ice Wind. Storm had had to do it—and she’d been glad to do it, after all that Blade had done to her litter-siblings and to her Packmates—but the days of battle were over. She was a hunter now.
    She hoped Whisper wouldn’t always be bringing up the dreadful Storm of Dogs, and Storm’s role in it. They had a new life to look forward to now, and Storm was determined to play her part in making it one of peace and plenty for the Pack. It hadtaken her so much time and effort to live down her reputation as a savage Fierce Dog, a struggle made far harder by the hostility of their old half-wolf leader, Alpha. She didn’t want to have to go through all of that again.
    Storm raised her muzzle to test the wind direction, pausing with one paw lifted.
    Forest-Dog, if you’ll listen to me as you listen to Lucky, grant us good New-Leaf prey today!
    Her optimism returned as she leaped easily over a small tributary of the stream, enjoying the sleek movement of her muscles and the springiness of the earth beneath her paws. Every sense in her body felt awake after the long, hard Ice Wind, and a slight flash of movement at the corner of her eye sent her twisting in pursuit almost without a thought.
    The squirrel shot up the trunk of a tree, panicked, but Storm’s snapping jaws found their target. Crunching down, she felt the brittle bones of its body through the scrawny flesh. Skinny, she thought, even for a squirrel. Ice Wind has been hard for every creature.
    Her swift kill, she realized, had served as a signal to the others: the hunters bolted into the chase. Arrow sprinted across a dry streambed, sniffing and searching without luck, but Mickey and Snap began to work together at the foot of a gnarled oak, diggingin showers of earth until their paws and muzzles were filthy. Just as Storm bounded to join them, they unearthed a nest of mice. As the tiny creatures skittered in panic, blinded by the light, the two hunters pounced and bit and snapped till they’d created a pile of tiny corpses.
    â€œThey’re barely a