Free Storm of Dogs by Erin Hunter

angry? Is she sick?” She sprang back, turning to Lucky. “Why does every dog seem to know what’s going on except me?”
    â€œBecause it’s happened before,” murmured Lucky. Of course Storm couldn’t know—she’d been born after the Big Growl. She had heard about it, but she couldn’t have guessed how it felt. There was no time to explain. He whispered urgently to Sweet andBella, “We need to get out while the Fierce Dogs are distracted.” Sweet burst forward first, her light paws pounding a path over the trembling ground. Bella ran after her, zigzagging past the Fierce Dogs, who were too stunned to stop her. Lucky gave Storm a shove. “Run!” He didn’t wait for her reply as he charged along the tunnel and was relieved to hear her pounding pawsteps behind him.
    The ground still quivered beneath their paws. “Earth-Dog has spoken!” barked Blade. “This is a warning—she will send the Big Growl to destroy us all if the pup escapes!”
    Lucky threw a look over his shoulder. Mace was sniffing the ground, his thin tail clinging to his leg. Dagger started along the tunnel after the Wild Dogs but paused, one paw suspended in front of him. “The air is trembling!” he whined.
    â€œI don’t care what the air is doing! Get the pup!” howled Blade, but her Pack recoiled in fear.
    They’re not coming after us! thought Lucky with a surge of relief. It gave him the energy to push on. Turning back to Storm and gritting his teeth against the pain in his paw, he hurried to bound alongside her. Together, they slipped around a dark corner to see Sweet and Bella escaping through a gap in the rocks, out into the open.
    Lucky and Storm burst outside, gulping the clean, cold air. Their paws skidded on the hard earth, but the ground seemed more stable now. Maybe the Earth-Dog won’t growl again after all, thought Lucky with a quiver of hope. He ran for his life, fighting to keep up with Sweet, Bella, and Storm.
    He followed the other dogs over low hedges and around sharp boulders, cutting a path along the cliff and back over the valley toward the camp. Twigs lashed at his legs, and burs clung to his tail.
    Sweet had come to a halt up ahead and was waiting for Storm and Lucky to catch up. Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t think we’ve been followed.”
    â€œThey will march straight to our camp to hunt down Storm,” Bella muttered. “Blade seemed determined. And after what she did to Fang . . .”
    Lucky dipped his head, still queasy at the thought of what they’d seen.
    â€œI’m not scared of her,” snarled Storm.
    â€œYou should be,” Bella snapped.
    Sweet started for the camp. “Come on. We need to have the Pack around us—we’re still isolated up here.” Her eyes fell on Lucky. “You look terrible. Hang in there, we’re almost safe.”
    The Sun-Dog was bounding beyond the horizon as Lucky limped into camp, propped up by Bella and Storm. Sweet had run ahead and now greeted them with Sunshine, Mickey, and Daisy, who gathered around Lucky, offering their help.
    â€œHe needs to rest!” barked Mickey, his black-and-white head cocked with concern.
    â€œWhat he needs is food!” yapped Sunshine.
    Daisy licked Lucky’s nose. “He’s so cold! ”
    Sweet barked impatiently. “Bruno! Snap! Go and get him something to eat.”
    The hunt-dogs dipped their heads and bounded toward the trees as Lucky limped to his den. His body was trembling again, as it had in the cave. Deep, violent chills ran through him, and he struggled to stay upright. As he crept into the den, Bella, Sweet, and Storm squeezed themselves around him. He felt the warmth that rose from their fur, but his teeth still chattered and his body shuddered.
    â€œYou’ll be okay soon,” Sweet soothed, reaching over to lick his nose.
    Lucky wasn’t so sure. I was cold for so