The sounds grew louder as I drew closer: a roar, a snarl, a whine.

I broke through the line of trees and into a clearing where Cloud and Spruce were already facing the scene.

My attention snapped toward a thundering growl. A mountain of dark fur rose on two wide and trunk-like legs, while a small, white form dashed back and forth in front of it. Cloud kept its attention on herself, all the while dodging swipes from a pawful of deadly, black claws. She met the ground with a skid in the soil, then whipped around to face the creature. Pushing off the dirt, she soared through the air toward the bear's throat.

In a blur of flashing dizziness, her fur turned gray. The she-wolf leapt from the shadows, colliding with the cougar as he strode toward me. Her body slammed into his chest, and the feline stumbled back. She landed on top of him, and the two writhed on the ground in a growling ball of hazy terror. He tore at Mother's side with sharp, curved claws. Even as she threw her whole weight into him, determined to get the beast down and beneath her jaws, the cougar used his bloodied fangs to tear at her flesh.

I shut my eyes, unable to watch anymore. Any more blood. Any more death. I wanted to run and leave it all behind. To find somewhere safe and quiet away from all the danger. I longed to be curled up in my mother's sweet warmth.

The bear roared again.

No. I had to be brave. I had to be brave like my sister and fight. I had to stand up, face my fears. For Ripple. For Wade. For Mother. I couldn't cower any longer.

When I opened my eyes, they focused on the other side of the clearing. A tree lay against a small face of crumbling rock. The stone had collapsed over a hollow opening in the earth.

Spruce was paws-deep in the rubble, his claws moving quickly to dislodge the heavy rocks and scoop out the layer of crushed stone and dust. A group of small pups cowered beneath his legs, with rounded bellies not even weaned. The furry balls of brown yowled in fear, staring with wide, tear-filled eyes at the monster before them.

The towering creature still swatted at Cloud as she darted a tight circle around it. She had it handled.

I ran to Spruce, who was working to keep the pups contained and help their trapped mother. When I tried to usher them out from beneath him, they only ducked further under his legs. They crowded his paws as he tried to dig, tripping him up and slowing his progress.

Finally, their yelps quelled, but they were hesitant to leave their temporary source of safety. I met their teary eyes with a gentle smile, but they weren't convinced, and they gazed longingly at the she-wolf trapped beneath the stone. But as the monster made a thudding bound through the clearing ahead, they were persuaded to follow my beckoning nose. The four gathered beneath me with terrified squalls. I was at least less scary than the bear.

Once they'd gathered beneath my legs, making each limping step even more of a struggle, I led them away from the scene. We crept into the edge of the forest, and I picked a tree a distance from the clearing. We could still hear the chaos, but maybe they wouldn't have to see it. If only I could keep them from witnessing the same horrors I'd been through as a pup.

My mother faced a gruesome death to save my life. I couldn't let them see a grizzly tear any wolf apart. I wouldn't let it harm a hair on any of their tiny muzzles. And we would save their mother.

I used my muzzle to shove them into place at the base of the tree's winding roots. I cleared my throat in an attempt to sound stern and barked the order: "Stay put."

They seemed to understand, not yet old enough to respond with anything but whimpers and trembling nods. I didn't have time to see if they'd listen, turning on my paws and running back to help Spruce.

I couldn't dig with three paws, not fast enough to be of any help, so I climbed up some of the rubble covering the mouth of the den. As I placed my hind paws against the bottom of a large stone, Spruce looked up with a questioning glance. I nodded, urging him to keep chipping away at the bottom of the pile.

Steadying my forepaw, I planted my hind feet where two of the bigger rocks met one another. My nails scraped against the stone, stinging as they bent backward away from my toes. Then, with all the strength I could muster, I pushed with my rear and forced my paws beneath the stone. The rocks budged just a little at my weight, but they didn't seem to be moving.

With a grunt, I dug my paw pads even harder into the sharp surface, feeling warm blood trickle out from my tender skin. I shoved backward with every muscle in my body, then a fierce roar drew my eyes.

Cloud still bounced before it, but she'd grown tired, slower, and each dodge was less spry. The grizzly raised its paw in the air, ready to strike.

Then her step faltered, and she tripped on her paws. Before she could stand, claws met her side in a flash of brown, white, and crimson.

The rocks gave way beneath my feet and I lost my footing. My hind legs slid out from under me, and I landed muzzle-first on the tumbling stones. One rolled over my tail, sending a spike of pain through my rump. My jaw cracked against the ground, and a bitter liquid seeped from my gums. Bearing the brunt of the impact were my ribs and belly, and my skin scraped raw on the rock's sharp edges.

My bones sparked to life with a roaring fire, but I didn't have time to think about the agony. I picked myself up, blood dripping from my jowls, and dove headfirst off the pile of stones. Landing in a painful tumble, I dragged myself over to where she lay. The grizzly was stomping wildly, first on all fours then raising up on his hinds. It came back to the ground each time with a ground-shaking thud and an even louder bellow.

I had to get Cloud out of here. I gazed at her quivering form. Thee jagged wounds were etched across her ribcage and flowed like a crimson river. I blinked away the tears in my eyes, only to open them and find a sight more awful.

There were teeth marks in my mother's throat. Her eyes were wide and lifeless.

"No!" I had to focus. Concentrate. That was the past, and this was now. Cloud was okay. She had to be.

I took her scruff in my mouth, watching her eyes grow dreary. She'd already lost a lot of blood. I yanked her backward, and her body followed with the tiniest nudge. The grizzly's paws came down a hair's-breadth from Cloud. I tried to pull her further, but the weight was more than my aching muscles could move. My legs burned with a growing blaze, and even as I dug my teeth deeper into her skin, yanking and thrashing while her blood stained my tongue, I couldn't move her.

Releasing my tired Jaws, I watched the grizzly rise up once more. I crawled to Cloud's side, curling myself in front of her. Her body was warm against my belly, and my back faced the bristling beast.

Maybe the grizzly's claws would only land on me. It would tear open my hide and spill out my blood, but I didn't care. As long as it gave Cloud another moment alive.

I closed my eyes, squeezing the tears from the edges as I prepared for the blow of death.

A growl rang out behind me. The swish of a tail swung over my head, and I opened my eyes. Mist stood between my feeble form and the grizzly, teeth bared in a snarl. She threatened the bear with fangs all her own, and the beast fell back onto four paws. It wasn't advancing, but it certainly wasn't backing down.

Pine stood alongside her brother at the pile of rubble. A brown-coated wolf emerged from the den, covered in dust and debris. Spruce pointed with his nose, and she raced off in the direction I'd taken her pups.

The littermates ran to Mist's side, joining in her growl and warning the bear that there would be no getting through. If they wanted one of us, they would get all of us.

It seemed to take the hint, backing up with an irritated huff. The grizzly forced out another faint roar and turned its head to scan the forest. Only then did I notice the look of worry in its big, round eyes. The desperation in her voice. She called out with a cry.

Finally, a small roar answered back. A brown ball of fur came tumbling from the trees on the far side of the clearing, falling over its feet as it ran toward the sound of safety. The cub cried out to its mother as their gazes met, and both bounded toward the other. They met with an embrace, the cub ducking under its mother's tree-like arms and burying its head in her fur. The grizzly gave us another wary glance before she lumbered into the woods, her young right behind her.

I inhaled deeply and held it in my chest. It was over. But a groan came from behind me. My stomach twisted, acid rising in my throat. We hadn't all made it out unscathed. Cloud's eyes were closed now. Her breathing had slowed.

Nudging her with my nose, I licked her face and urged her silver, sparkling eyes to open. I couldn't lose her too. I placed my head beneath her chin, pressing my muzzle against her neck to take in the last moments of warmth her body would offer.

Why hadn't it just been me?