In the world of Meswolme flying wolves are basically non-existent. No wolf knew what they were, nor their mystical powers over the elements. Then Freezing Rain was born. At one year (or 2,555 suns) she opened her wings and got cast out of the pack for it. She never knew why. Then a few years later she meets Blowing Wind. A fellow flying wolf that got his wings from humans. She lives with him for awhile until she encounters Minnow. A husky who was bred for the wilds.

Freezing Rain lives with them in peace and harmony, until one day she meets an unwanted animal and gets kidnapped. That's when she learns the truth. Follow Freezing Rain as she learns what it means to have wings and that all animals have their own secrets to hide.

Chapter 1:

A white, blue, and black pup squirmed. She had no idea what was going on. I can't see! Help! She started to whine. Suddenly something wet touched her back. What was that?! She started to whine more. Her stomach rumbled. She sniffed trying to find some food. The delicious smell of milk entered her nose. She followed it to the source and started to suckle. This must be mommy. She has food. I'm going to stay right here. She felt something try to push her away. Indignant, she pushed back harder. No! I'm staying! You have to move!  Three more times, did she feel this. She didn't understand. What we're all these bodies? Eventually, she just gave up trying to move them and fell back asleep.

                         -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

She woke up to find that the squirming had stopped. They were also curled up with her mom. These must be my siblings. I guess I can deal with them. Doesn't mean I have to like them. She sighed and went back to sleep.

                         -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

One Hundred Forty-Seven Suns Later

The white, blue, and black pup wrestled with one of her brothers. She nipped at his ears. He flipped her over and growled. She pushed him off of herself. Just then her mom barked. All the pups rushed over to her. She looked down at her pups, thinking. 

"Yes, mommy?" The white pup yipped.
"Today is the day you get your names."
All the pups bounced. They were so excited! It was about time! They were so done just being called pups. The mom looked down at the white pup first. 
"You will be called Freezing Rain because just like frozen rain your heart is soft but on the outside, you are very fierce."

                            -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Two Hundred Ten Suns Later

Freezing Rain ran over to the dead elk. Yum! Food! She had been waiting very anxiously for her first taste of real food. It has only been about fourteen suns since her mom and weaned Freezing Rain and her siblings off of milk. Since then she was very excited to try what the hunting party brought. Everybody else had eaten so now it was her turn. Freezing Rain sniffed the elk. She felt her mouth start to water. This smells so good!  I can't wait to try it! She plunged her nose into the elk. Looking up she saw Warm Sun and Moon Shadow walk over to eat as well.
"Hi, guys!" Freezing Rain yipped. "How are you liking the elk?"
Both Warm Sun and Moon Shadow were the same age as Freezing Rain. Three hundred sixty suns old. They also had just been weaned off their mother's milk. So, this was their first taste of meat. 

Warm Sun gave Freezing Rain a big smile. "It's delicious! How are you liking it?"
Her smile grew wider. "It's better than anything I have ever tasted!"
Warm Sun laughed, "All you have ever tasted is your mother's milk silly."
"Well, you knew what I meant! I can't believe this is what all the other wolves have been eating! Could there possibly be anything better?"
Warm Sun shook her head. "Definitely not. There is no way anything can taste better than elk meat." They both plunged their muzzles back into the elk.

                             -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Two Hundred Twenty-Four Suns Later

The pack had moved so much. Freezing Rain, however, was used to this. She had also sprouted a good few inches from head to paw and from head to tail. She was the middle child in height. She wasn't the smallest, but she wasn't the biggest either. She bounded around her siblings daring them to attack her. Tree Leaf finally succumbed to the teasing of his sister and jumped on her. Freezing Rain growled playfully. Rolling on her back, she felt the cold snow sticking to her fur. She batted at Tree Leaf's belly. He growled back then trapped her by putting one paw gently on her neck. Freezing Rain feigned death. "Ok, ok! You win!" She barked. Laughing Tree Leaf let her get up.

Freezing Rain's fur was covered in snow. She shook, getting it all over Tree Leaf. "Ha! Got you!" She howled. Tree Leaf shook his head. She then pounced on him, pinning him to the ground. "How do you like it?" Freezing Rain half whispered, half yipped in his ear. Tree Leaf growled, batting at her. Suddenly a bark snapped both their heads up. It was their mother. "Get over here! There is no time for rough-denning!" Freezing Rain got off of Tree Leaf. "I win." She whispered.

"I would call it a tie. Come on we need to catch up with the rest of the pack." They both ran over to where their mom was. She turned and looked at them. Immediately both Freezing Rain and Tree Leaf lowered their eyes, and their tails lowered. Freezing Rain looked up and whimpered, "I'm sorry Momma. We just wanted to have some fun."
"You know that when the pack is moving there is no time for fun! You risk losing the pack because you are so absorbed in who can pin who first. Now come I have a feeling we will be settling somewhere for the night."

                             -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

A few hours had passed. Freezing Rain's mom was right. The pack had settled down for the night. She sighed. She still felt bad about upsetting her mom. I'm just a pup though! It's natural for me to want to wrestle with my siblings. She mentally shrugged. It's life. Hopefully, the pack stayed here for a while. Freezing Rain thought that they might. It's a nice small clearing surrounded by pines. As was a lot of clearings. Freezing Rain really couldn't tell why the pack kept moving. There was no reason for it! Each place they went to was perfect! I have to lay these thoughts to rest. It really shouldn't matter tonight. I need my sleep. Freezing Rain sighed and closed her eyes.

                             -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Freezing Rain opened her eyes. The rest of the pack was up and about. She didn't see any sign of the pack moving. She guessed that they would be staying there which made her extremely happy. She hated moving. It left her no time to have fun and was very boring. She hated walking. She would much rather be running. Feeling the wind hit her face. The ground flying beneath her paws. Maybe I should ask if I could join the hunting party? She took a deep breath, got up, and went to ask one of the wolves in the hunting party if she could join.

"Hey, Flowing River!" Freezing Rain greeted. So far, so good

Flowing River wagged her tail in response. "Hey, there Freezing Rain."

"I was just wondering if I could join the hunting party?"

Flowing River chuckled. "You sure? Aren't you a little young?"

"I'm five hundred eighty-four suns old!"

"I'm sorry, you have to be at least one thousand two hundred seventy-eight suns old to apprentice as a hunter."

"Oh, come on! I'm close!"

Flowing River shook her head. "Five hundred suns isn't close Freezing Rain. How about this. I will let you watch every now and then, but you can't join. Nor come with us every time. Also, there is a lot of running involved. Are you sure you are up for it?"

Freezing Rain nodded vigorously. She knew she was.

"Ok. I want to see you in action follow me."

Flowing River trotted for a little bit, Freezing Rain in tow. Flowing River stopped when they were a good distance from the camp. She looked over at Freezing Rain. "I want you to run back to camp. I'll be waiting for you there." She nodded. Flowing River started running very quickly back to camp. Freezing Rain started to follow, but eventually, she got left behind. Fear gripped her chest. Oh no! I can't be lost! Why would she do this to me? She started to pant, hard. Her heart was racing. While she was panting, she felt something odd. Trying to figure out what it was, she started to follow it. Walking at first, then running. Freezing Rain looked around her. Then down to the ground. She noticed some pawprints in the snow. Oh! My! Gods! Am I following Flowing River's scent? She started going faster and faster. Pushing herself as hard as she could. Eventually, she broke through the trees and found her pack.

Flowing River trotted up to her. She was surprised that she didn't have to go back and fetch Freezing Rain. Most pups just stay where they were and start to whine once she took off running. Freezing Rain however made it back all by herself. "I see that you were able to make it back." She nodded. Her tail wagging very quickly. "Guess what! I followed your scent! I didn't know what I was smelling at first, but then I looked down and saw your pawprints in the snow and connected them!" Freezing Rain rattled off without taking a breath.

Flowing River laughed. "Woah there. Slow down. You found my scent?"

"Yeah! Isn't that cool?"

Flowing River shook her head. Freezing Rain is going to be just fine as a hunter wolf. She is very smart.

                            -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- 

Six Hundred Ninty-Four Suns Later

Freezing Rain jumped up. Today was the day that Flowing River would teach her to hunt! Every now and then she would take her out into the forest further and further away from the pack, and expect her to find her own way back. She also pushed Freezing Rain to go quicker. Each day she was sore but ready to get back at it. Freezing Rain ran over to Flowing River.

"You ready to teach me how to hunt?" Freezing Rain yipped happily.

Flowing River nodded, "You do know that you won't actually be hunting right?"

"What do you mean?" Freezing Rain's tail dropped.

"You pups get to just watch us at first, then after a while, once we think you know your role in the hunt, you can help us and join the party."

"Oh."

Flowing River noticed her sadness. "Perk up! It's not that bad. It's all about practice. First, you observe. Hunting is very dangerous. Multiple wolves have gotten injured, even killed while hunting. It's best that you just watch. Wouldn't want you getting hurt ok?"

Freezing Rain nodded. Flowing River noticed this and barked happily, "Ok then. Let's go!"
Flowing River started walking over to the hunting party. "Hey Firm Grass, is it alright if Freezing Rain joins us as an apprentice?" Firm Grass looked over at her. "Have you tested her?"
Flowing River nodded. "When she was a pup. She very quickly learned how to follow scents and I've been helping her to get faster ever since then." Firm Grass gave Freezing Rain one more look over.
"Ok, I guess we can give her a shot." Freezing Rain beamed. She never expected this!

Firm Grass looked over at the rest of the hunting party.  "Let's go, group! We have food to get!" They all nodded then started to follow Firm Grass. Flowing River looked over at Freezing Rain. "Now this is when you put your nose to the ground and start sniffing for any sign of prey." She nodded and put her nose down on the ground.

                         -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Days had passed with no sign of prey. At this point, Freezing Rain knew that the pack would be following their scent knowing that the hunting party wouldn't want to have to drag the elk or whatever they found all the way back. Suddenly some wolf yowled, "I got a scent!" Firm Grass looked over and barked, "Lead the way, Silent Falls." Freezing Rain smiled. The chase is on!

                         -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The hunting party stood on a hill. The heard of elk at least a hundred wolves lengths away. Flowing River glanced over at Freezing Rain. "This is where you stay and watch. Let us do the work. You are here just to watch. You got that?"
Freezing Rain nodded. Just then, Firm Grass started to run towards the elk. The rest of the party followed suit. Flowing River and the rest of the females started running towards the side of the elk, making sure none of the stronger elk tried to interfere with the kill. The males started trying to make one of the younger or sicker ones break rank.  When the hunting party started to get out of sight Freezing Rain started to run after them. As she ran after the party she saw an elk break ranks. The females continued to herd the rest of the herd away from the one that broke rank. Freezing Rain sniffed behind her.

The rest of the pack was almost there. They better hurry and make the kill! Firm Grass jumped up and bit the nose of the older elk. Another wolf bit at the hind of it while another bit at its throat. They continued to do this until it fell. Freezing Rain gasped at how quickly they took it down. Eventually that will be me!

                             -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

One Thousand Two Hundred Seventy-Seven Suns Later

Freezing Rain woke up to the call of the hunting party. She had finished with her apprenticeship with Flowing River. Just as she decided to stay with the elders. Freezing Rain ran over to the leader, Silent Falls.

"Morning!" Freezing Rain yapped.
"Morning, Freezing Rain." Silent Falls replied. "You ready?"
Freezing Rain nodded. This would be her first time going hunting and she was really excited! Her whole life led up to this moment! She flexed her now fully grown legs. As soon as everybody was gathered Silent Falls howled and they were off. Noses to the ground. Sniffing for any sign of prey. The ground was nice and soft with green grass. The smell of pines dominated the air.

                               -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- 

Freezing Rain looked at the heard of elk. She knew what she had to do. At Silent Falls command, she started running after the elk. The ground passing beneath her paws. The wind whipping her in the face. She got engulfed in the thrill of the hunt. Then she stopped feeling the ground. Her wings had opened.  

Chapter Notes:

Rough-denning is the wolf version of rough-housing. Since a wolf's "house" is it's den it's rough-denning instead of rough-housing.

Chapter 2:

Stepping out into the light, two bright red ruby eyes looked around the mysterious animal. Seeing that no one was around, the mysterious animal stepped out into the light and stretched its feathered wings as high as they could go.
"Ah! That felt good" she sighed.
    Pumping them hard and slow she gradually got up into the air, cruising over the land she knew. The tall pines reaching up into the sky. Birds squawked and moved out of her way when she flew by. The wolf didn't have to worry about being spotted. No wolf ever looks up. She glided for a while scouting for any wolves that were trespassing on her territory. Once she was satisfied that there weren't any intruders she landed. The sun was in the middle of the sky by the time she got home, the heat beating down on her.  She felt the soft grass brush the bottom of her paws when she landed. Time for a midday nap if you ask me. She chuckled to herself. She took a deep breath. The sweet sappy pine smell dominated all others. She followed the ritual of circling before she laid down. The moment her eyes closed a horrible memory made its presence known.
    Her pack. The roughest, toughest pack in the forest, but just because they were really strong didn't mean they weren't caring. Her mother was a mom to five spastic pups. Quintuplets, you would say. Freezing Rain would wrestle with her three brothers- Wet Sky, Tree Leaf, and Bark Stream– as much as any pup. Her one sister– River Rock– was more laid back than the boys.  Life was good until when she reached two thousand five hundred fifty-five suns. "Freak! Monster!" That's what her pack said when they saw her open her wings for the first time.
She was very hurt. She didn't know that wolves weren't supposed to have wings. She ran to her family, who recoiled in disgust. "Mama! What happened to me? Why do I have wings?" She cried. Her mother shook her head. "I don't know, but you can't stay here. The pack won't take you seriously anymore."
    Freezing Rain felt her heart break into a million pieces. She ran, ran as far as she could on her legs. Eventually, she collapsed into a pile and sobbed her broken heart out. "Why me? Why did I have to be the freak of the family?" She asked herself between sobs. A little while later she decided that this was her life and she has to deal with it.
That night, while out in the woods, she practiced her flying. Jumping and flapping she tried to get an arch. Getting a little higher every time, she decided that this was the first step on flying.
    She felt hopeless. If she couldn't fly how would she escape her pack? She had to learn how to fly since no one could teach her she knew nature was her mentor. What animals have wings? She creased her eyebrows. Trying to bring back memories of the animals that her pack and brought back for food. Birds! Birds have wings!
    She looked around for some birds. Spotting some she looked at them as teachers, not food. Focusing on their wings, she saw them make circles. Not good circles, but their wings made a "slide" that went down, straight at the top of the circle, made a "slide" that went up, then straight at the bottom. This cycle continued.
She decided to try what the birds were doing. Though she knew that she was weak. Freezing Rain needed a hill or a mountain. She started looking for a really big hill. There! There's a hill!

                           -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- 

"Finally! I made it to the top!" Looking over the edge her stomach did a flip-flop. "Why? Why this high up?" She sat down.   
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, stretched out wings...and walked off the edge. She fell. Her heart started pounding in her chest. Adrenaline coursed through her body.
    Suddenly she remembered how the birds flew. Doing that same motion she started to fly. "Oh! Praise the Gods!" She opened her eyes."I'm flying!" Slowly she descended.  "Now what do I do with my wings?" Looking around her she saw a bird land then fold its wings to its sides. "Huh? How?" She tried to fold her wings like the bird. To my sides. She looked at her sides. "Oh!" She figured out that they can't be up and down. They have to be on their sides. "Cool!"

That night she slept soundly. Her mind replaying over and over how she learned to fly and how to close her wings. Making it instinctual on how to fly. Never again will she have trouble flying.

                           -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Freezing Rain woke up. It's been about five thousand one hundred ten suns since she left the pack and she felt good about her decision. She hated them for being so judgmental. It's not like it was cancerous or anything. She thought to herself. I could've helped them hunt once I learned to fly. Or see if there were any other wolves around. Nine hundred thirteen suns ago her pack stopped calling for her. The last thing she heard was, "Give it up Warm Sun she won't come back." The voice of her best friend Moon Shadow.
Every night his voice plays in her head. Saying those exact words. She would never do something like that. I'm glad she didn't join in with making fun of me. That would've been awful. Though, living on my own is fun. I don't have to do anything if I don't want to. I can hunt whenever and wherever I want. I should think about getting a pack just as well though. Nonetheless, I shouldn't think about this too much. I don't need a pack right this instance right? The sweet smell of elk brought her back to reality. "Mmm!"She sighed, plunging her snout into her kill. Freezing Rain's ear perked up when she heard twigs snapping. It's been forever since any wolf stalked her. She lifted her nose to the air and sniffed. She was instantly suspicious. She unsheathed her claws, prepared to safeguard her prey.
She kept sniffing, trying to figure out what type of animal it was. It wasn't an animal she knew. That was normal for her. Most animals she did not know. Then it came into full view.
A shiny brown wolf coat. What? How come I don't know its scent? She wondered to herself. "This is my prey!" She growled. "No matter how pretty you are."
"I don't want your prey." The wolf replied in a deep gravelly voice,"I smelled another wolf scent so I followed it."
"Why?"
"Because I feel that you are just like me."
"What do you mean just like me?" Freezing Rain questioned after a while.
"You have wings."The mysterious wolf elaborated.
"No, I don't have wings, what makes you think this?"
"Well, you must. Normal wolves are in a pack not on their own."
"Well, there can be lone wolves. Have you ever heard of that?" Freezing Rain countered.
The wolf stood there stumped. "But your scent..."
"What about it?" She growled.
"It goes up." The wolf challenged when he saw the fear in her eyes.
"Fine," She admitted. "You caught me. I have wings. But how can you have wings? My pack didn't have any." Freezing Rain looked hard at the wolf that said he had wings. She couldn't find any sign of there being wings. "If you have wings show them, and tell me your name."
"Well I don't know if you're lying or not so I don't know if I should, and my name is Blowing Wind. What's your name?"
"Fine I'll open mine too on the count of three, and my name is Freezing Rain"
"One...two...three!"
Two pairs of wings opened at the exact same time. Blowing Wind's wings were a beautiful tan that reached one heads-length above him, and two wolves-lengths to his side. "Whoa!" They both howled. Freezing Rain's was the color of rain, a brilliant blue that stretched just as high and wide as Blowing Wind's.
"Nice wings!" They complimented each other.
Wow, Freezing Rain thought to herself. I didn't know that flying wolves can have such beautiful wings! "Ok so Blowing Wind how did you get your wings?"
"I got my wings when some no-furs captured me and tried to mix me with a bird when I was younger. They thought they did something wrong so they brought me back to the forest. I just got my wings ten thousand two hundred twenty suns ago." He recounted. "What about you? How did you get your wings?"
"Oh. I've had mine since birth I'm pretty sure. When I finally opened them my entire pack went hysterical."
Blowing Wind started to laugh, a sound that was low and friendly at the same time.
"Wow....just...wow I feel sorry for you. It must have been horrible having everybody laugh at you. That's how it was for me when every wolf in my new found pack saw my wings. Some were amazed, others not so much."
"Maybe we can be friends." Freezing Rain mentioned to Blowing Wind seeing as they were becoming more open.
"Yeah maybe." He hesitated, " I don't see why not."
"Hey come have some of the prey. There's plenty left."
"But....you just said......whatever." Shaking his head, Blowing Wind walked over to Freezing Rain and slowly put his muzzle in the elk and started to eat.
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She decided that it was time for Blowing Wind to learn how to fly. She couldn't keep getting the food. It was tiring, and he needed to commit some. Looking around, she saw some birds flying by. This would be a great time to teach him how to move his wings!
"They can't just be flapped up and down they have to go in an arch. Notice how the birds fly." Blowing Wind looked up and saw some birds.
"But they look like they are flapping up and down." He stated.
"Look harder. Focus on the wings."
Blowing Wind squinted his eyes, and focused more intently on the wings. That's when he saw the way they moved. Back, curved down, straight, curved up. Back, curved down, straight, curved up. That same process kept repeating. Freezing Rain saw him look back at her then at the birds. "What? How? How did you notice that?" He asked her.
"I noticed because I needed to. If I didn't want my pack to find me I needed a fast mode of transportation."
"Can't you run?"
"Yes, but not fast enough. And running won't help me keep my scent hidden if I'm out hunting. If I fly my scent is basically hidden." Blowing Wind looked thoughtful as she said that. Carefully he tried to rise.
"Mmmpphh!" Blowing Wind lets out a deep breath. Freezing Rain looks over at him to see him trying his hardest to rise. "Bahahaha!" Freezing Rain burst out laughing. "What?" Blowing Wind's husky voice strained. "Just stop, like now." She replied still giggling like a female pup.
"You can't get very high right now. You haven't practiced for as long as I have. Just do a little bit."
Blowing Wind looks over and lands. "Wait, what? How long have you practiced?"
"Honestly I don't know how long I had to practice before I saw some birds fly by. "

"Oh" Blowing Wind replies looking down in defeat. Freezing Rain noticed this. "Oh perk up! I practiced for months!" She replies in an upbeat tone. Blowing Wind still looked down. Freezing Rain tilted her head, trying to figure out why he was so upset. "Why are you upset?" She asked gently "I'm upset because I can't fly. That means I can't follow you if you go hunting and your scent will be on me so your pack will find me and most likely find you." He replied remorsefully.