For my dog, Kiki

    One sunny afternoon, Aspen the wolf was walking along the dirt trail. All of a sudden, he put his snout in the air and smelled a squirrel running into its den. So, Aspen chased after it. Unfortunately, Aspen failed to catch it because the den was too small for him to go in. 

    Aspen started to trot back to his pack, “Aspen, we have decided something very important, you are now going to replace me and become the new leader, since I am too old now.” his father told him, “Thank you, I won’t let you down,”Aspen replied.

    The very next day, Aspen and his pack walked outside their cave and started the day. Aspen’s pack decided to hunt for some prey and also knew to avoid their enemies, the coyotes. 

    He and his pack had ventured out into the wilderness. Suddenly, Aspen heard a yip-howl, and he immediately knew that it was the coyotes. He ran back to his pack’s cave quickly, “Coyotes! Coyotes are in our territory!” he told everyone.

    “That’s right you dirty, filthy wolves, who always just have to take OUR land.”  One of the coyotes said, “I am the leader of the coyotes, and my name is John the coyote.”  John added. The wolves started baring their teeth and showing their claws at the coyotes.

    “You have five seconds to surrender to us.”  John warned as his pack of coyotes readied for battle. Aspen’s pack did not surrender, so instead, they told the coyotes to back off.

    But the coyotes decided to stay put and try to irritate the wolves, But the wolves weren’t fazed at all, and they held firm for the first few minutes.  Unfortunately for the coyotes, that just made THEM more irritated. So they were about to attack right from the start of their irritated minds.

    John decided to just take his coyote pack and go back home. 

    “We’ll be back next time, to get REVENGE!”  John shouted at them.

    Aspen’s father stormed off into the wild, soon he found himself at the coyote’s cave, “Newcomers are not welcoming here. Especially wolves.” said a voice that came from inside the cave.

    Aspen’s father still did not listen and kept trotting forward and peeked inside the cave,

    He saw John planning a sneak attack behind the cave of the wolves and will surround all of the wolves and force them to surrender and leave this part of the forest.

    As John was telling his pack the last details of his plan, Aspen’s father started running toward the wolves cave to tell them what he had heard. When he arrived he was out of breath but still tried to tell them what happened, “Coyotes!  Are going to attack from the back of the cave to catch us by surprise…” 

    And then Aspen’s father told them the whole story about him running into the coyotes cave, and remembering how he needs to help the pack however…

    “I believe you, but you left us the last time we had a conversation,”  said Aspen. Instead of  arguing, Aspen's father started to apologize, “I’m sorry, but right now we need to prepare for the battle against the coyotes.” 

    “Yes.” Aspen agreed.  So there it was, son to father, getting ready for the great battle of  the forest!”                        

    As soon as Aspen announced that, one of the pack members saw a coyote sneaking around to the back of  the cave, “ They’re here!” He announced.