Chapter 2 - Break Away

Chapter Two: Break Away

The dusk was falling on the summers evening, the sky glowed in tones of rose pink and sunflower yellow, the zoo had now shut and there was no humans about. “Right everyone you know the drill. Keep together and move swiftly.” There was an air of anticipation half excitement and half fear in the air. As soon as the keepers and other people left they had put all there weight against the chains keeping them from freedom. There were the sounds of straining paws against concrete as they pitted all there weight against the spikes, finally there was a crack as the chains came free, leaving only the collars still attached. MoonRise bounded to the locks she waited for a signal. She and the two other `alphas' hit the locks, the doors opened; they went out swiftly one at a time, there paws hit the hard concrete, padding silently and stealthily, breathing was uncomfortable, it was very slow, trying not to make much noise, in the cool autumn air, PrintMoon quickly glanced, he whispered “Right everyone to the gates And then to freedom.” The bunch of lupines quickly padded over the uneven tarmac, there paws leading the way, nostrils flaring to sniff in the smells; one of the wolves was leading up the back like a sentry. “It's safe PrintMoon, sir, we can proceed.”

“Good, we must not dither, we must go now, before the head keeper hears us, or his dogs smell us.” The pace hastened to a slight trot, the gates soon came in sight, they unlocked by means of a pressure pad, but as well there was a padlock confining them in, but it had become quite old and rusty, the head keeper hadn't had it changed in about ten years Tyain made a jump up at that lock, and as predicted the chain gave way and it then fell the floor with a thump, it made a rattle as it hit the chain mesh gates.

“Now, everyone, jump on the pressure pad and then RUN!” He almost shouted the run part, but it was not more than a whisper really. The `pack' of about twenty wolves made the pad the gate swing open, enough for the wolves to escape; some of the faster wolves, picked up pups on there backs, and helped to shepard the slower older wolves out, until they were all out of the gates, out of there life of misery and ill treat, but that was if they could get to a place of freedom, with out the humans catching them, or the head keeper, and no one knew what he would do to them…

“PrintMoon, where shall we end up leading from here, where is there a place of refuge, for at least tonight?” One of the wolves asked still hushed.

“There is some old woodland, it is near human lands still, behind the human pups, `playground' as they call it, no one goes in there we should be safe for maybe a few days…” He replied, scenting the air,

“Thankfully most those humans now are asleep in there dens, so they may not notice us, but we must go quickly, we must go now!” He said it with authority. The pack then moved swiftly, making there way as silently as possible through the human lands. Most people where asleep at this time. If they did notice them they may misrecognise the wolf for a large house dog, or maybe an urban fox, but for the most part no one noticed the strange creatures during the night. They finally made there way into the children's play park, the swings creaked and sometimes moved, like the wind was sitting in them, a roundabout creaked as the wind twisted it around, making it spin slightly.

“So this is what human pups play with…” Tya whispered still not raising her voice, on fear of humans hearing the `pack'.

“We are safer form humans here, none seem to make there dens around this area, but still we should be careful” PrintMoon turned head facing backwards, checking that none of the `pack' had got lost.

“Don't be fooled young Tya, these humans are mean creatures, and many don't use this park, many human pups stay in there dens with there parents playing something called `video games' and they seem to rarely come outside now, since they don't need to be taught to hunt for food…” A white wolf, quite old, called PrintStar, who was another one of the elders, who was PrintMoon's mate.

“PrintMoon, how do the human's get food?” MoonRise questioned with a look of puzzlement on her face.

“My, you two are just like pups, but I suppose, I may as well tell you. Humans are very complicated… Well, there is this odd thing with humans, unlike us they don't actually have there `packs' go on hunts, there are these people called farmers, they technically make the food for the humans, humans eat things called `vegetables' and `dairy' products as well as meat, and well these farmers, grow the humans food, then another lot of people make the actual food they eat, and then it is put in places called `shops' and then the humans go to these `shops' and then `buy' the food with stuff called money, its made of metal, and is quite shiny, or if made of something called paper, and humans are always losing it, or some humans take this money from humans and then these humans have no money and the other humans have more money, and well as you know humans are greedy, mean creatures that don't really treat animals very well…” She finished, she knew this for her mother had told her when she was a pup.

“Hmm... humans are confusing, why can't they be content with what `money' they have, like we are content with what part of the meat we get.” Tya shook her head as she said this, the pack was no longer in such a hurry to move, since there were no humans about the park.

“Tya, as I said before the humans are greedy and selfish…” PrintStar whispered shaking her head and sighing.

PrintMoon turned his head back to the trio. He signalled to Tya and MoonRise to leave PrintStar so he could talk to her. The duo split from PrintStar, and headlined back into the group.

“PrintStar, we are growing old, are you sure young Tyain can take over lead, when we pass?” PrintMoon asked his love.

“PrintMoon, dear, he may be young but he is capable, I am sure of it.” She replied to her mate.

“Well, if you put faith in him, I will have faith in him also” He replied, he didn't feel that Tyain could take the pack on, that he was inexperienced.

**

By the time they had reached the woodlands, it was fast approaching midnight, and of course all the wolves wanted was to have a restful night in the new found freedom. They had to ford a very small shallow stream, and well they didn't really notice it was there, they were so tired, all the wolves did when they arrived there, was find a comfy area under a tree or maybe in the open, the night was quite warm, and the inky black sky that was pin pricked with stars, like candles silhouetted trees reached the sky, the trees rustled in the wind like they where sharing secrets.

“Goodnight Ty.” MoonRise said yawing as she rested her head on her paws.

“Yeah, see you in the morning my friend.” Tya said as she curled her white tail around her paws and putting her maw on her paws.

“Ty” MoonRise said.

“What?” Tya said sleepily.

“You know the new wolf, FrostPaw,” Moonrise began.

“Yes what about him?” Tya asked confused.

“You know you told PrintMoon, that you wouldn't let him die…” She then stopped slightly.

“Yeah, I thought it wasn't a good idea, to let a wolf die.” She replied.

“Sure… c'mon I know you have a crush on him.” MoonRise replied grinning foolishly. “Best friends know these things.”

“I DO NOT!” She said a bit too loudly.

“Shhh… Tya the pups are trying to sleep” A bit of a grumpy PrintMoon said.

“Sorry.” She drooped slightly embarrassed, blushing slightly.

“Whatever Ty,” MoonRise said a yawn spread over her maw; she put her maw on her paws and fell asleep. Tya soon fell asleep soon, peace was on the pack. <P>

<P> But unbeknownst to the wolves, there secret had been found, the head keeper had gone out on a very rare midnight check of the zoo.

“What the…?” he said as he looked at the cages, the doors were open, the skates and chains were there, but where were the wolves. He then proceeded to the gates, the gates where shut but the padlock was on the floor.

“Time to get those mangy mutts” He said, he made a call on his mobile, to Denis and a few other keepers,

“Yes, those mutts have escaped… no I don't know how, just get here quick!” He shouted down the phone, he was steaming, how dare those stupid mangy curs escape here, and how on earth did they get out! A rambling van made its way up to the gate.

“Hello boss don't worry we will get those mutts.” Denis said grinning evilly. A loud bark was heard.

“Shut up Brutus! And you to Tyson!” He shouted at two guard and tracking dogs in the back of the van.

“Don't worry boss they'll pick up there scent in a jiff, sand then who knows what hit those dogs.” He said smirking.

“Let `em loose on that scent mate. NOW!” she shouted the now part, and smugly grinned. The two dogs where on chin leads, they padded and sniffed, tongue lolling form there maws, there pads covered the ground, then there was a loud “Arrrooww!” as they howled. They had found the scent and where hot on the trail, there orbs flashed tails went back fangs bared, ears perked, they where hot on this trail and where going to stop at nothing to get those wolves…

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