Moon's Choice by Erin Hunter Read Free Book Online Page A

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    â€œI’ll come back,” he had promised her gravely. “As soon as I can, I’ll return and see how you’re doing. You and your Pack, of course,” he’d added hurriedly, looking a little embarrassed.
    Moon was eager for him to return. When he comes, she thought, I won’t hesitate, I won’t waste time. I’ll tell Fiery exactly how I feel. The thought made her ribs shrink with nervousness, but it had to be done. I need to thank him properly for what he did. Anyway, I can’t just let him go, not now.
    â€œAll right, Moon.” Snap interrupted her thoughts gently, bringing her back to the terrible present. “We’d better give Pebble to the Earth-Dog.”
    Shaking off her reverie, Moon nodded. “Of course.” She sighed. “Poor Pebble. I wish she could have made it, too.”
    Respectfully, Mulch licked the mud from his claws before gripping Pebble’s body and rolling it toward the hole. Snap hauled on the black dog’s scruff, and Moon pushed, and with just a few hard efforts, Pebble’s body rolled and tumbled into its grave, landing with a soft thump. Sorrow stabbed Moon’s heart yet again as she gazed down at her dead Packmate. Turning away, she began toscrape soil over the black dog’s body.
    With her back to the grave, she found she was looking straight at Omega. The little dog sat apart from them, thin and even more wizened than he usually looked. His shoulders were hunched and his eyes were dull and surly. He was still too weak from his illness to help with Pebble’s burial, but Moon couldn’t help wondering if he was being lazy, too.
    I mustn’t think that way. We need to learn to live as a Pack again.
    Should she be Alpha to the remnants of their once-proud Pack, she wondered? Were there even enough of them left to count as a proper Pack? Four dogs, only three of whom were decent hunters; how could they survive alone?
    Though if the half wolf’s Pack remains friendly, and if they help us, I think we can manage. . . .
    A big shadow moved in the trees beyond the dogs’ graves, padding toward them, and Moon felt her heart swell inside her chest. Letting her tongue loll happily, she trotted to meet him, leaving the others to finish burying Pebble. “Fiery!”
    His eyes were warm as they rested on her. “Moon. You look so much better!”
    She dipped her head shyly. “Fiery, I wanted to say—”
    â€œListen,” he interrupted urgently, and his gaze grew pained. “Ineed to say something first.” He took a breath and averted his eyes slightly, as if afraid to meet hers. “Moon, my Pack is moving on.”
    She couldn’t help her startled gasp. Why hadn’t this possibility occurred to her? A wrench of pain silenced her for a long moment, and Fiery lifted his head to gaze at her again.
    â€œThe thing is, Moon . . . I thought . . . if you wanted to, that is . . .” He clenched his jaws determinedly. “I hoped you might want to . . . come with us.”
    She licked her chops, lost for words. Her gut was heavy with sadness. He’s leaving. . . . But he wants me to go with him. . . .
    â€œFiery,” she began, twitching her ears in distress. “I—I can’t do it.”
    â€œI wish you would.”
    His face was so kind, his eyes so full of affection. But, she thought, he must know deep down that she couldn’t. He forced me to get better. He fought for my life, and he did it by reminding me how much my Pack matters. He wants me to be with him, but he knows that I can’t.
    â€œI’ve promised to lead my Pack, Fiery.” She lowered her head. “I can’t abandon them.”
    Fiery sighed heavily. “I think I knew that would be your answer, Moon. I know how you feel about your Pack. I know you have a duty to them, and you won’t turn your rump on that.” Hisexpression became rueful. “But I had to ask you,