Shadows in the Birch Trees

By: ♥ Icewish ♥ The #1 Austria Hetalia Fangirl 05:18, June 19, 2012 (UTC)

Chapter 1: The Tiber
Two, tiny newborn pups drifted down the river known as the Tiber. It was sacred to the four wolf packs who claimed this land as their own. It gave them food and water, but also held a dark secret. The twin male pups' lives now hung in the balance. They were both inches from death at the hands of The River...

Chapter 2: The Wolves of Shadows
A she-wolf named Diana walked along the rushing river. She was a wolf of Umbras Pack, the pack of the shadows. She was the best hunter in her entire pack, but she felt her life had no meaning. "Why can't I have pups of my own? I see other she-wolves with them; it just isn't fair," she thought. She let out a small sigh and padded on.

She sat down by its edge and watched the crisp, cold blue water flow by. It was them when she saw the two pups slowly drowning in the river. She leaped in after them, because no good-hearted she-wolf wanted to see pups die. She pulled them out of the water and swam back to shore with them. They were both ice cold and death was watching them from the mist of the river.

She carried them back to her den and covered them in a blanket of feathers. "Twin pups?" she thought. ''"Sense I found them in the Tiber, and they have no known parents, I better take care of them!" ''She licked the pups' dark gray fur dry. "I'll call you Romulus," she said to one pup. "And Remus," she said to the other.

Chapter 3: The Tyrant Alpha
The alpha male of Umbras Pack, Obscruan, was evil and bloodthirsty. Many wolves wanted him dead, most of them his own followers. He glared at the two pups and Diana, and then padded into her den. "What's that?" he growled as he hit the two pups against the den wall. They both yelped in pain. "Leave them alone!" she growled as she stood up to protect the twins. "They are orphaned wolf pups! I found them in the Tiber and they need a she-wolf to take care of them!"

The alpha narrowed his eyes and pinned down Diana with his paw. He pressed down hard on her head as he stood up and said "They'll both be dead by tomorrow; this pack doesn't except weaklings." With that he left.

Diana stood up and growled. ''"Alpha Ferrus was a fool to choose Obscruan as the next alpha. He is cruel and a horrible leader. He and his mate will lead this pack to ruin!" ''she thought angrily.

She moved the pups back into the nest. "Don't worry, Romulus and Remus, I'll make sure that he doesn't hurt you," she said softly. "What's all the yelling goin' on here, girl?" shouted Diana's best friend, Flora, as she entered the den. "Oh, nothing," replied Diana with a small smile. Flora plopped herself down in her nest. "Diana, you can't fool me, what's with all the yellin' and the alpha?" she said, shaking her head. "Eh, just the usual death threats and beatings," replied Diana. Flora sighed and rolled over on to her back. "Stella Pack, these pups are killing me! I can't take them in there no more," said the pregnant she-wolf. "Speakin' of pups, who are they?" "I found them in the Tiber, their names are Romulus and Remus," she replied.

Flora nodded. "Good choice; I wish I was as smart as you," she said.

Chapter 4: Fighting Death
The very next day at the crack of dawn, the two pups ran around the den tirelessly. Diana and Flora woke up to two pups screaming and howling. "Hello, Miss," said Romulus. "Where is Mother?" "Yeah, where is Mother?" asked Remus. "And who are you?" Diana had both the urge to smile and cry, for she was so happy to see that they were O.K, but sad that they could not see their real mother.

"Um, I'm Diana," she replied, choking on her tears. She sighed. "I'm not going to lie to you both," Diana said. The two pups seemed confused, but they both waited patently for the she-wolf to speak. "I found you in the Tiber River last night. I don't know where or who your parents are, but I know that they must be very far away because there isn't another wolf pack for miles." The twins glanced around the den. Both of them looked a little hurt and scared.

Diana sighed and began to enplane what happened in more detail. After a long talk, the two pups smiled happily. "It's O.K," said Romulus. "You saved us, and that's all that matters," ended Remus. Diana let out a small sigh of relief and licked both of the pups on the head.