The Broken Path

by Erin Hunter

  Limping forward, Twitch lowered his ears and head. He crouched, trembling. “Please. I had nothing to do with the attack in the forest.”

  “Who planned it?” growled Alpha. “Was it this ‘Terror’?”

  “Not really.” Twitch shivered. “Terror doesn’t really plan things. He just—”

  “Then why are you here?” barked Alpha. “Not to beg for your Pack-place back, I hope. I have no use for crippled dogs.” He glanced contemptuously at Twitch’s three remaining legs. “Especially traitorous cripples.”

  Twitch winced, an expression of hurt flitting across his face, but his voice remained meek and respectful. “I don’t ask for that, Alpha. I know you wouldn’t take me back. I only came because we saw Fiery being captured. We were on our way to our camp after hunting, and we saw the longpaws take him.”

  “So you’ve come to gloat?” growled Alpha. “That would be stupid.”

  “No! I—you see, I know where they took him.” Twitch glanced anxiously over his shoulder. “I know where Fiery is.”

  Hope leaped in Lucky’s rib cage. Beside him, Moon gasped and sprang forward. “Tell me. Tell me, Twitch! Where is he?”

  Alpha paced forward, pinning his ears back menacingly. “And why should we believe anything this crippled dog says? Why should you trust him? I know I don’t.”

  Moon looked from Alpha to Twitch, her eyes desperate. She licked her chops doubtfully as Twitch gave a low, pleading whimper.

  “Twitch, what’s going on?” Lucky said at last. “The longpaws hunted dogs in the city. That’s how they caught me and Sweet to put us in the Trap House. But I know why they did it there—because they don’t like dogs roaming around their streets and parks.”

  “You said the longpaws shared their food happily,” snorted Alpha.

  “Yes, some of them did. But others didn’t like that, and they didn’t like us dogs running free. They thought we made a mess, spoiled their pretty places. But why would they bother to catch dogs running wild out here? It doesn’t make sense.”

  “No, it doesn’t,” Martha agreed softly. “And they can’t be looking for Leashed Dogs. Not when they left all of us behind.”

  Twitch’s tail thumped the ground once, unhappily. “I don’t know what they’re thinking. But I know which way they were going, and I can guess where he is. He’s in the Dog-Garden.”

  That was enough to set the whole Pack barking and whining. “The Dog-Garden?” barked Bruno. “No!”

  “That’s where the Fierce Dogs come from,” whimpered Sunshine.

  Lucky’s fur prickled. He had hoped they’d seen the last of the strange and sinister Dog-Garden, where the Fierce Dogs had lived their strict, rule-bound lives. Lucky and Mickey had rescued the Fierce Dog pups from there—and that had already caused so much trouble between the Packs.

  “Are the longpaws working with the Fierce Dogs?” barked Dart. “If that’s true, we don’t stand a chance!”

  “Can you imagine?” howled Spring. “Longpaws and Fierce Dogs!”

  “Is that it?” demanded Alpha. “Is that what’s happening?”

  “I don’t know,” mumbled Twitch. “I just know what I’ve seen. When I was on my own—before I found Terror’s Pack, I mean, when I was still injured—I saw the longpaws in the forest a few times.”

  “And didn’t they hunt you?” asked Martha.

  Twitch shook his head. “There aren’t many things that are easier without a Pack, but it was much simpler for a lone dog to stay out of their way, and I didn’t make much noise on my own. Most of them stayed around the Dog-Garden. They’re up to something there. Something they must think is important. I don’t know if the Fierce Dogs are still there, though. I never saw any.”

  Lucky scratched at his ear with a hindpaw, then thumped his tail thoughtfully. “Last time I was there,” he murmured, “when I rescued the pups, the adult-dog scents were very faint and old. I don’t think the Fierce Dogs make their home there now.”

  “But if the longpaws want to make a Pack with them . . .” said Snap doubtfully. “They might have gone back.”

  “And they will,” growled Alpha. “Fierce Dogs want to be with longpaws. That’s why we call them Longpaw Fangs, remember?”

  “They do seem to worship the longpaws,” murmured Mickey. “And not the way we did. It seemed very . . . odd.”

  With a shudder, Lucky remembered Fang’s ears, mutilated in imitation of the way the longpaws treated the Fierce Dogs. But he could hardly mention that now. “Remember the last time Blade’s Pack attacked us? They were too far from the Dog-Garden—they’d never have come all that way from their territory to retrieve the pups. It doesn’t make sense.”

  Daisy shivered. “Who knows what makes sense to a Fierce Dog?” she yelped.

  “And what would a City Dog know, anyway?” sneered Whine.

  Lucky bared his teeth at him, then gave Daisy a reassuring lick. “I don’t think the Fierce Dogs are at the Dog-Garden,” he told her. With a glance at Moon, he added, “So I don’t think we need to worry about them hurting Fiery.”

  Moon stepped forward determinedly. “But we still need to rescue him.”

  “Yes,” agreed Lucky. “Who knows what the longpaws are up to?”

  “No,” snarled Alpha. “The most important thing is the safety of the Pack.” He glared around at them all. “How do we know the crippled dog isn’t lying? He’s weak—he always was. He could be luring us straight into a trap of Terror’s. I have no doubt the mad dog wants revenge.”

  Because that’s the way your mind would work, thought Lucky, but he kept his muzzle shut.

  “I promise I’m not lying,” whined Twitch. “I’m telling you the truth. It’s the only reason I came here.”

  “Then you wasted your time,” snapped Alpha. “We are moving on. Now.”

  Whine was the first to creep forward to Alpha’s side. “Well, I’m leaving. Alpha is the leader, isn’t he?”

  Dart nodded, then padded over to Alpha. Snap and Spring looked at each other, hesitant. They took a few paces, paused again, then followed as Alpha led the way confidently out of the Food House. With an apologetic glance back at Lucky, Bruno joined them, and so did Mickey. Daisy and Sunshine crept out too, in the shelter of Martha’s big, protective body.

  “Wait!” barked Moon, her pups at her side. “What’s happening? Are we really leaving a dog behind?”

  The others looked away, but Sweet growled, “It’s Alpha’s decision.” Lucky thought she didn’t look at all happy about it.

  “And if Alpha was caught in a longpaw trap?” insisted Moon, her eyes narrowing. “Wouldn’t he want to know his Pack was coming for him?”

  “I wouldn’t get caught in the first place,” sneered Alpha.

  Lucky’s hackles sprang erect, and he felt a growl rise in his throat. Sweet shot a warning glance at him.

  “Lucky!” she barked. “Don’t start.”

  Disbelieving, he bared his teeth. If she was trying to calm him down, she was having the opposite effect. Anger swelled inside him like a threatening storm.

  “Why not?” he barked. “Why should I listen to you, Beta?”

  Alpha snarled and took a pace toward Lucky, but Sweet interrupted. “That’s enough, Lucky.”

  For long moments he stood still, furious but undecided. Why should I listen to Sweet? he thought. She supports him even when she knows he’s wrong! Never mind Fiery, he thought. Sweet should have challenged Alpha herself, long ago!

  Lucky swiped his tongue across his jaws, desperate to say everything he was thinking. But what would be the point? It would solve nothing right now. At this moment, the important thing was to free Fiery. To stop Alpha from abandoning him to his fate.

  He shouldered past Sweet, almost knocking her off her paws as he ran out into the street, where the other dogs waited for Alpha’s orders. Facing them, he straightened his back and lifted his head. I have to look like an Alpha dog myself.

  “Saving Fiery is the only choice,” he barked. �
�Alpha knows that as well as any dog in this Pack.”

  Alpha stalked to face him, snarling. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to, Street Dog. You want to lure my Pack into the same trap!”

  Lucky stared at the half wolf in disbelief. How could any dog think that of him? He raised his head to the others. “You all know that isn’t true!”

  “As Pack-leader, I would be at the front of any rescue group.” Alpha’s eyes were hard as yellow stone. “That means I’d be the first dog to set paw in the longpaws’ trap. And that would make the Pack yours to take—wouldn’t it, Lucky?”

  “That’s ridiculous!”

  “Is it? I’m not falling for your City Dog lies, even if the others have.” Alpha scraped his claws along the hardstone track. “I am doing what a leader must do—protecting my Pack.”

  “Then why are you leaving one of them to die?”

  Alpha raised his head to howl: “I have had enough of this bickering, City Dog! Go on a death-mission if you want to—but you’ll go on your own. If you want to leap into a trap, you do it alone. You will not take my Pack with you!”

  “Should we ask them?” snarled Lucky.

  Alpha turned so fast, his tail lashed Lucky’s face. Lucky took a sharp breath, as anger made his heart pound in his chest. Don’t let him provoke you into a fight—you can’t know whether any dog would back you up right now.

  One by one, Alpha looked into the eyes of his silent Pack, every dog now gathered in the corpse-strewn road. The smell of death seemed thicker and stronger than ever.

  “Any dog with a death wish, feel free to leave this Pack and follow Lucky.” His muzzle curled back to show his fangs. “Every loyal dog: Come with me.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Lucky barged forward to Alpha’s side. “It doesn’t have to be like that,” he growled. “There’s no need to split up the Pack for good. That’s foolishness!”

  Alpha seemed ready to leap at his throat, but Sweet interrupted, watching Lucky closely. “What do you suggest, then?”

  Lucky nodded to Twitch, who was sitting at the Food House door trying to look inconspicuous, his body hunched low and his ears pressed close to his head. “Twitch can lead a few dogs back to the Dog-Garden, show us where Fiery’s being held. Alpha can lead the rest of the Pack farther along the path of the River-Dog, and start looking for a new camp.”

  “That might split the Pack up for good whether you mean to or not,” pointed out Sweet, tapping her tail on the ground.

  “Not if Alpha’s group leaves a well-marked scent-trail. Then we can catch up later—me, and any dog who wants to join me.”

  Alpha opened his jaws, but Sweet interrupted before he could speak. “Good idea. We will leave a trail.”

  Lucky blinked. Sweet was Alpha’s loyal Beta—yet Lucky’s fur almost stood on end with the tension in the air between them. Alpha said nothing, but Lucky knew how significant Sweet’s declaration was. She had made a decision against Alpha’s wishes, and every dog knew it—but how could Alpha possibly contradict her now without looking like a fool?

  What was more, Lucky realized, Sweet knew Lucky would return. She trusted him to find the Pack again, and that faith gave him a warm feeling in his stomach.

  Clearly it didn’t do the same for Alpha. The dog-wolf’s throat rumbled with contempt. “All right, Beta. Let’s pretend any dogs will survive Lucky’s foolish mission.”

  Sweet dipped her head gently, but did not rise to the taunt. I have to make sure her trust in me is justified, Lucky thought. I’ll bring back any dog who comes with me. If any dog joins me in the first place . . .

  He wasn’t entirely sure they would. The dogs were murmuring among themselves; tails tapped the ground indecisively. Whine sat close to Alpha, smirking; Well, thought Lucky, I wouldn’t have expected his support anyway. But what about the others?

  Moon immediately trotted over to his side. Beetle and Thorn raised argumentative barks, but Moon turned and murmured to them. “No, you’re staying. That’s final, pups.”

  “But we want to help rescue Father-Dog!” yelped Thorn.

  “No. I told you, I have to know you’re safe. If I’m worrying about you two as well, I won’t be able to concentrate on helping Fiery. Do you see?”

  Beetle dipped his head unhappily. “I suppose so.”

  Moon licked each pup on the head. “I’ll find him; don’t worry.”

  Lucky nodded to Moon as she joined him. She was the one dog he knew he could count on to join him—now, what about the others? He flattened his ears, trying not to hear their quiet discussions. If he wanted to return to this Pack, he couldn’t nurse resentment against any of these dogs.

  It’s a free choice, he told himself, glancing from Bruno to Martha to Snap. I have to let them make it.

  Sunshine’s expression was mournful, but she had the courage to meet his eyes. It’s all right, Sunshine, he tried to tell her, just with his blinking gaze. The little dog must know she would be more of a hindrance than a help, anyway. It didn’t mean she wasn’t loyal.

  Bella, on the other paw? He didn’t know how he’d react if his litter-sister let him down. . . .

  But as his eyes met hers, he realized he needn’t have worried. Calmly she padded to his side. Lucky found his wagging tail bumping into hers.

  Sweet sat on her haunches a little apart from the other dogs, gazing at nothing. Feeling as if a rabbit-bone was stuck in his throat, Lucky rose and went to her side.

  She didn’t turn her head, and he knew immediately. “You’re going with Alpha, aren’t you?”

  Sweet gave a regretful whine. “I’m his Beta, Lucky. I don’t have a choice.”

  Inwardly he flinched. She’s choosing Alpha over me. Again. “Every dog always has a choice.” He couldn’t keep the resentment from his voice.

  “You don’t understand, Lucky.”

  Lucky got to his paws, his muscles tense and trembling. “For once, we agree, Sweet. I don’t understand at all.”

  Martha sat beside Bella, her expression calm and determined. Good old Martha, thought Lucky. Martha, Moon, Bella, and me—I suppose this is a good-sized rescue party. Too many dogs would be too confusing. He paced over and nudged himself gently between them. This is my team.

  Lick bounded up, sending small stones flying. “So when do we start?”

  Lucky’s belly felt as heavy as a stone as he gazed into the young dog’s eager eyes. “I don’t know, Lick.”

  She sat down, looking puzzled. “What do you mean? Let’s go as soon as possible!”

  “No! I mean . . .” Lucky took a deep breath. “Lick, I don’t think you should come. The Dog-Garden is where you were born.”

  “So what?” she barked. “What’s the problem?”

  Lucky shut his eyes. He hated having to say it, but Lick had to know. And there was no way he could take her; he was sure of that now. “Lick, I don’t think you’re ready for a job like this.”

  “What do you mean?” she barked in disbelief.

  “You aren’t in control of your instincts yet. It’ll come, but you’re too young. I’ve seen you lose your temper. On more than one occasion,” he added as she tried to interrupt. “You get angry too easily, and you let it rule you. And . . .”

  “And what?” Her eyes flashed.

  “You’ve been meeting secretly with Fang,” he reminded her quietly. “Deep down, you’re still attached to your Fierce Dog family. That’s understandable! I know it’ll take time, but . . .” He heaved a sigh. “I don’t think it’s wise to take you back to the Dog-Garden. Not yet.”

  Lick’s hackles sprang up and her fur bristled. “I’m loyal to this Pack and I’ll prove it to you! Take me. I will be useful!”

  Now he almost understood how Moon felt, having to say no to her impetuous pups. Lucky shook his head. “You must stay with the Pack this time, Lick. It’s too risky. I’m sorry.”

  The young Fierce Dog held his eyes for long moments, breathing hard with anger. At last, without another word, s
he turned and stalked away.

  The Sun-Dog was high in the sky, blazing brightly on the dusty streets when the rescue dogs said their sad farewells to the rest of the Pack. Twitch waited patiently a little way off as Moon licked Thorn’s nose and nuzzled Beetle. Lucky gave Sweet a glance, but she was staring resolutely away from him.

  Alpha, though, met his gaze. There was no expression on the half wolf’s face, but Lucky knew their conflict wasn’t over. Turning on his haunches, he barked to his small group of dogs and set off after Twitch.

  “Good-bye, Lucky,” barked Sunshine sadly.

  “We’ll see you soon.” Mickey’s farewell howl echoed from the Food House wall.

  At the edge of the trees, Moon paused and looked back, and the others turned with her. Distantly they could hear Alpha’s barked commands as the Pack moved out of the longpaw settlement. Snap, Spring, and Daisy yapped their good-byes; now Lucky could hear Beetle and Thorn as well, their young voices clear among the others.

  “Stay safe, my pups,” howled Moon.

  I hope we all do, thought Lucky. And I hope we see each other again very soon.

  For a day in Red Leaf, the Sun-Dog held a lot of warmth, and Lucky was glad to enter the cool shade of the forest, for all its dangers. Twitch ran ahead, moving faster and more nimbly than Lucky had expected.

  “You don’t seem to miss your injured leg,” Lucky told him with surprise.

  “I know. It was holding me back, always worrying about it.” Twitch pricked his ears as he darted on between the pine trunks. “Now it’s gone, and I can get on with living on three legs. Dogs have adapted to worse things since the Big Growl.”

  That was true. Still, Lucky was impressed with Twitch’s positive attitude to his loss. Alpha dismisses dogs too easily, he thought. Twitch could have been an asset to the Pack.

  An acrid scent tingled in his nostrils, interrupting his thoughts. Lucky stopped and went still, sniffing. But the Sun-Dog was so strong, and the sky so blue . . .

  “What is it?” Bella halted at his side.