The Life of Kiowa

Introduction
The story of Kiowa’s life is one that started with a few stray ideas and a little wolf RPG I did just for fun. I let her story unfold as I went, never really knowing where I was going with things until they happened. More than once I found myself a little shocked at what she had just done or what had just happened to her. But even though it was my hands writing the words, I felt as if she was writing her own story and was just using me as a kind of middle man. Not that I really minded. From birth to death, Kiowa’s story is full of joy and despair. I welcome you to the story of how one wolf surpassed all the odds, the story of one wolf who overcame everything in her way, the story of a wolf named Kiowa who had her very soul ripped out and tortured…but who kept going in the hope that there was something better.


Chapter 1, The Bringing of New Life
The season was winter and it was one of the worst winters the Moniku wolf pack had ever seen. Prey was extremely scarce and most of the pack had already died of starvation come mid winter. But the four wolves who were left were strong and, for the most part, healthy. They had been able to survive off scrawny rabbits and some birds, but with each passing day it seemed that hope for the wolf pack’s survival grew thinner and thinner. As if to make matters worse, the Alphess, Silver, was pregnant. Her and the Alpha, Kapu, greatly regretted their decision to mate when Silver’s season had come around late. But there was no denying the fact that her belly was rounding more and more each day…and it was certainly not from eating too much. But as if fate wanted to be even more cruel and twisted, the cubs were born smack dab in the middle of winter during a fierce blizzard. Zira, the faithful Betan and Maiden to the Moniku pack stayed by Silver the whole way through, making the labor flow easily through her wisdom. But as was custom, Kapu and the bitter Omega, Galamite, stayed outside the den, pacing restlessly for awhile before they laid down and curled into a tight ball near the entrance, needing to keep their bodies warm.
Kapu was a proud, large black wolf. He had inherited the throne to the Moniku pack by right of birth. Silver, named for her stunning silver pelt that always seemed to sparkle when she moved, was the daughter of another set of Alphas in the eastern pack. Her sister had come with her, but she had died with most of the other wolves. Silver was a wise, charming wolf, never really having much to say unless it was really important where as Kapu was extremely outspoken and had a quick temper. But with Silver at his side, the Moniku Alphas made a fair team, always listening and seemingly with endless patience. Zira was Kapu’s little sister. She was a short, creamy colored wolf with who always was willing to offer you a smile. So it was only natural that she had a mate before she was even a year old…and cubs by the time she was a year old. Zira was a natural mother, full of sweet patience, but could be firm at times when she needed to be. She loved cubs and she had never once had a still born which was, considering how the wilderness works, a miracle. It total, Zira had had four litters of cubs before Kapu had even decided to have one. Most of her children left to join other packs when they came of age, but a few of them staid behind. All who had were dead…all except for Galamite. He was from Zira’s very first litter and he was, by all means, a rotten egg…a splotch in over a dozen well raised cubs. But it was not really Zira’s fault. Galamite was bad to begin with. He had never once respected his mother or father. And when he was grown, he didn’t have a problem with showing the Alphas and the rest of the pack that he didn’t respect them either. He was quickly demoted to an Omega and had stayed there ever since. The only reason Kapu had not banished him was because, one, he was Zira’s son and his sister would be heartbroken, and two, because Galamite had been given a perfect, slim, graceful body, prefect for hunting. If he had not been so bitter, he could have easily been the Chief Hunter, but instead he chose a life of rebellion. Even so…these days no one hardly ever spoke. They were all too tired, too hungry and too full of despair at loosing so many of their family members to really care about snapping at each other.
There was a small squeak from the den and Kapu’s head shot up, his ears alert as he starred at the dark den entrance. He already had a small wound on his muzzle from where Silver had bitten him when he had tried to come in the last time he had heard a cub’s tiny voice, so he stayed back, his tail batting heavily on the ground. Galamite merely rolled his eyes and went back to sleep. But a few minutes later he was woken up again as Zira crawled out of the den, smiling softly at Kapu. “Four. Two gray males, a gray female and a black female. Wait a few days and Silver might let you see them.” But the wait didn’t seem to bother Kapu as he lost himself for a moment. He pranced around, his tail wagging like crazy with a puppyish grin on his face. “I’m a dad!!!” Zira watched him with cool, steady eyes. “Indeed brother…you’re a dad.” Kapu trust his maw into the air and howled loudly, telling the whole world of his wonderful news, but he was cut off by a low growl from within the den. “Shut up Kapu, you’re going to wake them up again.” Kapu quickly lowered his maw, looking so dejected that Galamite even laughed. “Their ears aren’t even open yet.” He muttered. Zira seemed to find it all so amusing that she had to step away to calm herself and stop from laughing at him.
But things were not about to get any easier with four new mouths to feed. The next day Kapu and Galamite went out on a hunt. Thanks to Galamite, they were able to catch a rabbit. Kapu went to take it from Galamite so that he could give it to his mate, but Galamite didn’t want to give up his kill. In the end, Kapu attacked him. Galamite, though full of snappy remarks, was not a fool. he surrendered at once and gave the rabbit to Kapu. It was only right that Silver be given the whole rabbit since she was feeding four other members of the pack.
Three days went by before the pack was able to find any more prey and even then, it was just a few small rabbits. It was hardly enough for one of them to survive off of, but they split it up, giving the most to Silver. Another week passed and the consequences came. Silver’s body had been unable to produce enough milk and one of the male cubs died. Silver herself took him from the den and dug at the frozen ground until she had a grave in which she buried him. Kapu had wanted to help, but Silver’s instincts had forced her to push him away. Two days after that the pack ran into a bit of luck. A wounded stag stumbled upon Silver’s den. His leg was broken and he had been too delirious to pay attention to the wolf’s scent. When he had nearly stepped on Zira in the middle of a snowy night, the pack had taken quick action. Kapu had leapt at the stag’s side, digging his fangs into the soft flesh. Zira, who had been startled at first leapt after Kapu, clawing her way to the stag’s back. Silver had heard the noise and, in hunger, leapt from her den. She went for the stag’s flank just as she saw Galamite move. With quick precision, the bitter Omega launched himself at the stag’s throat. The poor beast had been distracted by Silver and he had turned his head, trying to lash out at one of the wolves with his antlers. Galamite’s fangs hit their mark and he pulled back with all his strength, pulling the stag towards the ground. The stag never stood a chance. he collapsed under the weight of four wolves and accepted death quietly.
The kill lasted the four wolves about a week. By this time the cubs had their ears and eyes open and Silver finally brought them out of the den. Not surprisingly, the black female was the first to boldly strut out into the world. Her brother and her sister followed after her, a little unsure of things. Kapu greeted his children happily, sifting them and knocking the black cub over with his nose. When she growled fiercly at him he chuckled and lay down so that he could look into her eyes. She was a spitting image of him when he had been a cub. The cubs spent about five more minutes out of the den before Silver picked them up and took them back in to nurse.
The black cub and the gray male tied for biggest in the litter, but the smaller gray female was not deterred by that. With each passing day the cubs’ personality grew. The smallest female was a quiet, peaceful wolf, born to love and to follow. But she had a I-Don’t-Put-Up-With-Your-Crap attitude that made the others know better than to take advantage of her. None of the cubs were given names as was custom in the Moniku pack. Cubs died too often to give them names and then have your heart torn out when they did not live. But even as much, the winter began to melt away and the prey seemed to be coming back. The cubs grew quickly and soon they hardly ever slept in the den. The black cub was a born leader just like her father. She had a few tussles with her brother, but the gray male was too passive to care much about leading.
When spring came, the cubs were weaned. The pack was strong again and it looked good for the cubs. Silver and Kapu were even talking about names. One night, when Kapu was getting ready to go on a hunt with Silver and Galamite, the black cub strayed away from the others, Silver grew frantic and Kapu was about to go and find their daughter. But the black cub trotted back from the darkness, her head and tail held high and a proud look about her. A fat field mouse dangled from her maw. She was so proud that Silver had barely been able to tell her off. The cubs were growing fast.