Darkness Falls by Erin Hunter Page A

and grass, he began to relax.
    Then he caught the scent of something unexpected—another dog!
    Lucky froze, breathing deeply. The odor was familiar.
    Twitch!
    Lucky followed the scent-trail, his ears pricked and his tail straight behind him. After a little while, Lucky peered through a screen of lumbering vines and overgrown grass, and spotted Twitch in the distance. The injured dog was limping with deliberate, dragging steps between the trees. He disappeared behind a thick trunk, emerging on the other side to continue his slow progress.
    Lucky felt a shudder of pity in his belly. The poor dog had left the Pack before Lucky. He should have covered twice as much ground by now, but surely needed long rests in order to build up his strength to keep going. Maybe there were times when the pain in his leg became so great, he just had to stop. At this pace, he would be stuck in the forest at least another day.
    Where is he heading?
    Peering between two shrubs, Lucky watched the floppy-eared dog. He thought of barking to announce himself. But what if Twitch was angry at having been found? He’d left in the night, while the Pack was sleeping—surely he wanted to be alone?
    Doubt gnawed at Lucky. He knew that dogs in pain could be highly dangerous. But Twitch was frail; he needed help. Warily Lucky started trailing the chase-dog, careful not to get too close. He watched as Twitch limped over fallen leaves before coming to a dead stop.
    Lucky paused. He must have picked up my scent . He waited but Twitch stayed still, and it was impossible to read his mood at this distance.
    Maybe it’s better if I approach him side-on. From behind, it might feel like a challenge .
    Lucky trod a wide arc between the trees, along Twitch’s left. The injured dog moved a few paces to the right, taking a defensive stance. A low, unfriendly growl rumbled in his chest.
    He obviously wants to be left alone . Didn’t Twitch understand that the wild world was no place for a dog with a damaged leg? That he had almost no hope of surviving without some dog to watch his tail?
    Lucky took another step forward, but Twitch shook his head and turned away, vanishing into the forest as quickly as his injured leg would take him. Lucky thought about following, but what could he do? He couldn’t force Twitch to come with him. If this was his decision, Lucky had to respect it, even if it meant Twitch’s death.
    Lucky’s tail drooped despondently as he turned away, resuming his path through the forest. Twitch’s scent was soon lost beyond the smells of foliage and small creatures.
    A wind rose through the trees, making branches shudder and leaves rustle. The Sun-Dog had moved across the sky and left a deeper shade of blue in his wake. White clouds hung long and the air felt damp. Coursing between them, the black cloud was like a dark lake hanging in the sky. Lucky’s tail wound around his flank as he gave a whimper.
    Forest-Dog, I know you’re here, watching me as you watch over everything in the forest. Please keep me safe as the Sun-Dog moves toward his rest .
    As he peered into the darkening sky, Lucky felt a drop of water tap his nose, and another blur in his eye before he blinked it away. He hurried beneath the trees, seeking shelter under a large tree with a broad trunk and a web of bulging roots that looked like snakes burrowing into the soil. Huddling among them, Lucky made himself as comfortable as he could.
    The rain started coming more quickly, sheets of water escaping between the branches and tapping down from leaves. Lucky licked his sodden paws. How has life come to this? he thought miserably. He gave a long, lonely whine and lowered his head to ground.
    A large raindrop hit Lucky’s forehead above his eyes. Unlike the others, this one seemed to stay where it had fallen. Lucky felt a warm, tingling sensation creeping through all the way to his skin. He barked, shaking his fur to chase away the strange feeling of