The sled cut through the snow, the runners hissing as they skimmed over ice. Nate, a small Husky pup, perched high on the sled, his fur fluffed up against the cold. Anton, his human and the best musher in the region, guided the team with steady hands. They were on a mission—bringing back supplies before winter tightened its grip.
Nate was too small to help, but he watched everything, his sharp puppy eyes catching every flicker of movement in the towering, snow-laden trees. The world smelled crisp, wild, and full of mystery.
Then—wolves.
Their distant howls echoed through the valley, sending shivers down Nate’s spine. Anton’s grip on the reins tightened. The sled dogs pushed harder, sensing the danger. The wind whipped against them, and the sled picked up speed.
Too much speed.
A hidden rock—sharp, frozen—lurched up from the snow. The sled struck it hard. Anton shouted. The world flipped. Nate tumbled through the air and landed with a soft whump in a deep snowdrift.
Dazed but unhurt, he shook himself off, but his heart pounded as he spotted movement—dark shapes weaving through the trees. The wolves.
Their glowing eyes locked onto him. Their teeth gleamed in the moonlight. They stalked forward, their breath misting in the cold air. Nate whimpered and pressed himself low against the snow. He was small, alone, helpless—
Then, the forest rumbled.
A deep, earth-shaking growl rolled through the trees. The wolves hesitated. From the shadows, a massive shape emerged—a bear, thick with winter fat, its fur dusted with frost. It didn’t charge, didn’t roar—just stood, powerful and unshaken.
The wolves faltered.
A gunshot cracked through the night. The wolves yelped and scattered into the dark. Not far away, two hunters stood at the edge of the trees, their rifles raised, watching carefully.
Nate didn’t move. He barely breathed. But then—Anton’s voice.
“Nate!”
The pup scrambled toward the overturned sled, where Anton had already built a fire, its glow keeping the wild at bay. He scooped Nate up, brushing snow from his fur.
“Scared you, didn’t they, little one?” Anton murmured, tucking him into his coat.
Nate snuggled in, his heart still pounding. He was small, yes. But he had faced the wild, and the wild had let him go.
Tomorrow, he would ride again.
Animalstories 