Sweet's Journey by Erin Hunter Page A

pups born. I don’t know if I’d have had the strength, otherwise.”
    â€œI can’t thank you enough,” rumbled Fiery. The sire-pride in his eyes looked as if it would never dim. “Our pups don’t have names yet, but one day soon they will—and I hope they grow up to be as loyal and brave as you, Sweet.”
    The two dogs’ words made Sweet’s gut twist and her heart warm with gratitude. She returned their fond licks. “Thank you. Both of you. I’m only glad I could help.”
    â€œYou helped more than we can say,” Moon told her. “And you didn’t deserve this punishment. We both know you’d never have left your post and abandoned the camp.” She took a breath, as if to say more, then shut her jaws.
    â€œWe have to go back to the pups,” said Fiery softly, nuzzling his mate. “But remember what we owe you, Sweet. Because we won’t forget.”
    Sweet watched them go, vanishing into the shadows. The warmth inside her was kindling to a fierce glow of protectiveness.
    No. I’ll never let my friends down again .
    Just as the Sun-Dog was rising, his light glinting fiercely through the trees, Fiery returned, relieving Sweet of her watch and telling her kindly but firmly to get some sleep. Gratefully Sweet accepted, slinking exhaustedly back into the camp. Her eyes and ears drooped and her paws felt like boulders, but it seemed she wasn’t to get any sleep just yet. Alpha was summoning the Pack into the clearing, his tail tapping impatiently on the rock where he sat.
    As he caught sight of her approaching, he gave a low bark, and every dog turned, pricking their ears.
    â€œHear this, dogs of my Pack. Sweet’s punishment is over. She is forgiven her error and she will rejoin the hunting dogs today.”
    Just behind him there was a low snarl, and Alpha half turned. Beta stood there, her muscles trembling with anger and her hackles bristling.
    Alpha said nothing. He kept his yellow stare level on Beta till she was forced to meet it. The red dog’s tail lowered, and she fell silent.
    â€œThat’s settled, then,” growled Alpha. “Every dog, go to your duties. Sweet, get some sleep. You’ll need it before you hunt.”
    Without the refreshment of a brief sleep, Sweet didn’t think she’d have managed to catch any prey at all. The hunt that day was long and hard, and as she returned to her den afterward, she felt hunger gnaw at her belly; the sting of it reminded her that she hadn’t eaten anything since before her long night’s guard duty. But the ache in her muscles was a good one. She was a part of the team again, a good and hardworking dog, a valuable member of the Pack.
    She stopped at the entrance to her den and sniffed. Food?
    Happiness made her light-headed. Fiery and Moon had left her a rabbit from the Pack’s earlier meal. It’s good to have a Pack , she thought. It’s good to have friends .
    She could barely even wait to give thanks to the Forest-Dog. Falling on the rabbit, she pinned it with her forepaws and began to tear at it, gulping chunks of it down. The feeling of warm food in her empty belly was bliss, chasing away all the fears and worriesand sadness of the night before. For long, ravenous moments, Sweet didn’t even see the shadow that fell across her.
    Only when Beta’s howl rang out above her did she jerk her head up, startled.
    â€œSweet has eaten the common prey! She has deprived the Pack and its pups, and filled her own belly!”
    Sweet stared up at the red dog, her jaw loose, dizzy for an instant with disbelief and bewilderment. What?
    Then, as she caught the vicious glint in Beta’s eyes, she realized. Beta left this rabbit here! It was Beta!
    Sweet shuffled hastily back from the torn prey, but she knew it was too late. Her mouth was bloody and stained, and still full of rabbit meat.
    She could only crouch, trembling, on the ground as Alpha