Stormy Sky twitched in his sleep, lost in a distant dream. He was not trapped in the tiny cave he and his mother occupied but was rather running free in the woods with a trail of wolves behind him. Their howls resounded in the night sky together, and when Stormy Sky turned, he saw the shape of a wolf who he only could assume was his father.

Stormy Sky leapt down the boulders he had climbed to meet him, yet it seemed with each pounce he made, his father was becoming more distant from him, fading farther into the shadows.

"Wait! Dad!" he called out.

Stormy Sky woke with a jolt, finding his mother staring down at him concernedly.

"You were crying out in your sleep," she said.

"Bad dream," Stormy Sky muttered. He was on the verge of tears, but he tried not to show it. He hated feeling disappointed waking up in the den beside his mother. After all, he loved his mother, but it could not compare to the joy he felt in those moments that he thought he was in a wolf pack. It was where he was meant to be.

Gentle Breeze nudged Stormy Sky with her nose, then let out a sigh. "I need to go hunt. You know the rules. Stay here."

Stormy Sky nodded. His mother exited while Stormy Sky sat and watched the dawn come upon the horizon. With a sigh, he laid down and placed his head on his paws, longingly awaiting his mother's return. Sometimes he would entertain himself inside the den with a stick he swung around in his mouth or sometimes a stray beetle would make its way into the den and he would practice hunting. He was not in the mood to play today.

Stormy Sky instead gazed ahead, wondering when he would be large enough to go out hunting. He knew times were tough, though his mother didn't like to show it. She always gave him more to eat, but one day he wanted to bring home a big, juicy rabbit to her. One day, he wanted to bring her home to her wolf pack. He imagined she must be missing life there. Stormy Sky missed life there without even knowing it to begin with.

His tail began to wag when he saw his mother returning in the horizon. She carried what looked like a deer leg in her mouth. Stormy Sky was excited, until he realized it was just the remains that some buzzards had left behind. Still, Stormy Sky ate at his mother's command and made sure there was enough for her.

"When will I be big and strong?" he asked as Gentle Breeze licked the bones clean. 

"One day soon," she promised. "I know I'm a small wolf. That's why I became an omega. But you have your father's blood, so you'll be much bigger."

"When I'm big, I'll hunt!" he exclaimed.

Gentle Breeze giggled. "I look forward to that day, but you have to learn first."

"Then teach me," he begged.

His mother shook her head. "Not until you're older. I'm not even that good at it. I'm learning for myself."

"Would the wolves of your pack know?"

Gentle Breeze went quiet. "Stormy Sky, you know we can't--"

"Go back, I know. But what if things change? What if I can fight off all those big, mean wolves who didn't like you?"

"It's not that simple. It's not a matter of fighting off those wolves. It's a matter of changing tradition. Their ideals won't change so easily," Gentle Breeze murmured.

"I don't understand. You're such a cool wolf. Why does no one like you?" Stormy Sky murmured. He could not imagine life without his mother in it. Of course, she was the only wolf he knew, but he was unsure how her kindness and gentleness could be so overlooked and despised in her old wolf pack.

"It's more complicated than that," Gentle Breeze said. "Don't worry about this for now."

"I want to see him," Stormy Sky murmured.

"What was that?"

"I want to see Feather Wings...Dad," Stormy Sky said. 

"I do, too," Gentle Breeze sighed. 

"If I went back, would I see him? I want to see him one day," Stormy Sky complained. "Do you think he wants to see me?"

"Of course," Gentle Breeze said. "But...well, I don't know. I guess you can never say never. Let's not think about this anymore. How about we go on a walk around the woods?"

Stormy Sky's eyes lit up at the idea. Most days he was confined to the den, so it was a special occasion when his mother took him outside. Spring was in full bloom. All the flowers had sprouted, the plants were green, and white and yellow butterflies drifted past Stormy Sky's nose.

"Soon, the days will get even warmer," Gentle Breeze told him. "And prey will be plentiful."

"I can't wait," Stormy Sky said.

She took him to a small clearing that was heavily fortified by trees and thorn bushes. Stormy Sky wrestled with his mother playfully. Their laughs echoed through the forest.

These were the peaceful times of the days when Stormy Sky did not think about the future. He merely enjoyed the moment for the time being, enjoying the way his mother would smile and laugh when she was around him. He pretended not to hear her shed tears at night. Right now, she seemed blissfully happy.

After playing for a bit, they had both collapsed in the grass and flowers. Stormy Sky was panting and out of breath while Gentle Breeze teased him about using up his stamina so fast.

"You have to preserve your energy," she said. "That way, you can take down big prey. Like deer. Or, well, that's what I've heard anyway. I wouldn't really know myself."

"I'll work on it!" Stormy Sky promised.

Gentle Breeze chuckled beside him. "How about we head back? We can rest before I go out hunting again."

Stormy Sky nodded. He bounced alongside his mother as they made their way back to the den, and when they returned, he plopped alongside her and nuzzled into his fur. His eyes grew heavy with sleep as his mother's tongue lapped his fur, and eventually, he fell asleep, comforted by her warmth.