threw her head back and howled with them. The wolves suddenly fell silent and faced the girl.
Adriane stifled her howl, self-consciously aware that she was not a part of the pack.
“This is a time of peril for all mistwolves,” the pack leader said to Storm. “You must run with us now.”
Adriane’s world began to crumble. She understood the joy that filled Storm’s heart and the white-hot fear that filled her own.
Storm locked eyes with her. “I must follow the call of the wolfsong.”
Adriane lowered her head.
“Be strong, warrior.”
Adriane felt tears running down her face. “Take me with you.”
“That is not possible,” the pack leader said. “The mistwolf belongs with her own kind.”
Adriane felt numb. How could she stand in the way of her friend discovering the most important thing in her life? If Storm left, she’d feel deserted by her best friend. If she made Storm stay, she’d feel worse. She braced herself as Storm went to stand by the pack leader.
“Remember.” Storm’s golden eyes gazed warmly at Adriane. “You found me once. You will always find me.”
Without a backward glance, all the wolves drifted into mist and swept through the portal. The portal swirled closed behind them, and vanished. Adriane let the pain wash over her as she howled in the empty field, alone.
“A RE YOU SURE there are no snakes here?” Heather’s voice trembled as the redhead gingerly picked her way down the trail.
“Maybe there’s pythons!” Joey ran up behind Molly and pretended to choke her. “They sneak up and crush you to pieces!”
“Ewwww. Stop that, Joey!” Molly squealed and ducked behind Kara, knocking into their blond tour guide.
“Dude.” Marcus laughed. “Pythons only live in, like, South America.”
“The Ravenswood Wildlife Preserve is home to many different species of animals, but we haven’t seen any snakes.” Kara Davies’ voice carried over the group as they made their way from the Mist Trail into Wolf Run Pass. Kara’s friends, Heather, Tiffany, Molly, Joey, and Marcus, followed their intrepid tour guide through the lush forest.
“Where’s the dinosaur bush?” Joey asked.
Marcus mock-punched his friend. “Dude, that might be too scary for you.”
Kara scanned the map that folded out from her notebook. “The hedge animals are in the topiary gardens.”
“You should have bear wrestling,” Joey suggested.
“Man, I’d pay to see that!” Marcus jostled Joey as he roared like a bear.
“You are so immature,” Tiffany scolded. “There’s no more bears here.”
A growl from the deep, dense forest answered back.
“What was that?” Heather nervously looked around.
“Well, this is an animal preserve,” Kara said slyly. “If we’re lucky, we’ll see some wild animals through Wolf Run Pass.”
“Are you sure this is safe?” Molly moved close behind Tiffany and Heather as the group entered a wide glade surrounded by large, moss covered rocks and trees on either side.
“Ravenswood is a natural habitat for animals.” Kara waved her arms and called out dramatically, “You never know what might drop in!”
Her friends looked at each other, puzzled.
“Aerobics?” Tiffany asked.
Heather shrugged.
“Ooo, I think I hear something,” Kara carefully called out again.
Suddenly a shadow passed overhead as a large, flying creature circled the group.
“What’s that?” Molly squealed.
“It’s a bird—” Joey started
“It’s a plane—” Marcus continued.
Heather crossed her arms. “It’s an owl, you morons.”
Ariel gently landed on Kara’s outstretched arm, her wing feathers shimmering with purple-and-turquoise sparkles.
“A great snow owl. Hi, Ariel,” Kara, beaming, said to the owl. “These are my friends that have come to meet you.”
The owl surveyed the group with huge turquoise eyes. “Hoo doo yooo doo.”
“Hey, that owl almost sounds like it talks,” Joey said.
“You are so silly. Animals don’t talk,” Tiffany
Adriane stifled her howl, self-consciously aware that she was not a part of the pack.
“This is a time of peril for all mistwolves,” the pack leader said to Storm. “You must run with us now.”
Adriane’s world began to crumble. She understood the joy that filled Storm’s heart and the white-hot fear that filled her own.
Storm locked eyes with her. “I must follow the call of the wolfsong.”
Adriane lowered her head.
“Be strong, warrior.”
Adriane felt tears running down her face. “Take me with you.”
“That is not possible,” the pack leader said. “The mistwolf belongs with her own kind.”
Adriane felt numb. How could she stand in the way of her friend discovering the most important thing in her life? If Storm left, she’d feel deserted by her best friend. If she made Storm stay, she’d feel worse. She braced herself as Storm went to stand by the pack leader.
“Remember.” Storm’s golden eyes gazed warmly at Adriane. “You found me once. You will always find me.”
Without a backward glance, all the wolves drifted into mist and swept through the portal. The portal swirled closed behind them, and vanished. Adriane let the pain wash over her as she howled in the empty field, alone.
“A RE YOU SURE there are no snakes here?” Heather’s voice trembled as the redhead gingerly picked her way down the trail.
“Maybe there’s pythons!” Joey ran up behind Molly and pretended to choke her. “They sneak up and crush you to pieces!”
“Ewwww. Stop that, Joey!” Molly squealed and ducked behind Kara, knocking into their blond tour guide.
“Dude.” Marcus laughed. “Pythons only live in, like, South America.”
“The Ravenswood Wildlife Preserve is home to many different species of animals, but we haven’t seen any snakes.” Kara Davies’ voice carried over the group as they made their way from the Mist Trail into Wolf Run Pass. Kara’s friends, Heather, Tiffany, Molly, Joey, and Marcus, followed their intrepid tour guide through the lush forest.
“Where’s the dinosaur bush?” Joey asked.
Marcus mock-punched his friend. “Dude, that might be too scary for you.”
Kara scanned the map that folded out from her notebook. “The hedge animals are in the topiary gardens.”
“You should have bear wrestling,” Joey suggested.
“Man, I’d pay to see that!” Marcus jostled Joey as he roared like a bear.
“You are so immature,” Tiffany scolded. “There’s no more bears here.”
A growl from the deep, dense forest answered back.
“What was that?” Heather nervously looked around.
“Well, this is an animal preserve,” Kara said slyly. “If we’re lucky, we’ll see some wild animals through Wolf Run Pass.”
“Are you sure this is safe?” Molly moved close behind Tiffany and Heather as the group entered a wide glade surrounded by large, moss covered rocks and trees on either side.
“Ravenswood is a natural habitat for animals.” Kara waved her arms and called out dramatically, “You never know what might drop in!”
Her friends looked at each other, puzzled.
“Aerobics?” Tiffany asked.
Heather shrugged.
“Ooo, I think I hear something,” Kara carefully called out again.
Suddenly a shadow passed overhead as a large, flying creature circled the group.
“What’s that?” Molly squealed.
“It’s a bird—” Joey started
“It’s a plane—” Marcus continued.
Heather crossed her arms. “It’s an owl, you morons.”
Ariel gently landed on Kara’s outstretched arm, her wing feathers shimmering with purple-and-turquoise sparkles.
“A great snow owl. Hi, Ariel,” Kara, beaming, said to the owl. “These are my friends that have come to meet you.”
The owl surveyed the group with huge turquoise eyes. “Hoo doo yooo doo.”
“Hey, that owl almost sounds like it talks,” Joey said.
“You are so silly. Animals don’t talk,” Tiffany
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