A Pack Divided by Erin Hunter

seem to have any ideas himself. He was dodging from side to side in indecision.
    Storm crouched, flattening her ears and tail as she stared up into the sky. The loudbirds were flying low, wings whirring, one directly behind the other; they circled lower and lower before rising again. All the time they made that terrible roaring, and the wind of their wings lashed the forest and the camp. The barking, panicking dogs could barely make themselves heard.
    Leaping up, Storm dashed to where Lucky was staring upward, his fur rippling in the storm the loudbirds had created.
    â€œWhat are they doing?” barked Storm. “Are the loudbirds going to take our camp?”
    Lucky didn’t answer. He turned to gaze at Alpha, and there was intense worry in his eyes.
    Alpha , realized Storm at once. Is she our most vulnerable dog right now? Can she even run very fast while carrying a litter?
    And if she can’t run, what do we do?
    â€œBeta!” yelped Storm, but he still stood, immobile. To her shock, he took no notice of her at all, or of the frantic dogs racing around the glade. He stepped deliberately to Alpha and stood in front of her, paws planted firmly on the earth, glaring up at the loudbirds as if he was acting as a barrier between her and them.
    He’s not acting like an Alpha or a Beta , realized Storm, her heart plummeting. He’s not concerned for the Pack, and he’s not calming them down. He’s thinking only of his mate and their unborn pups.
    In that case, some other dog had to do it. Storm spun on her haunches and raced back across the clearing. She almost tripped across the panicking Snap, but shouldered her aside and bounded on, barking.
    â€œCalm down! Every dog, be quiet!”
    Rake turned on her, wild-eyed. “But they’re coming for us!”
    â€œNo, they aren’t. Not yet.” Storm tipped her head back to give a penetrating howl. “Calm down, all of you!”
    The racket in the glade subsided, just a little, as dogs began to halt, panting, and turn to watch Storm. They were desperate for leadership at this instant. That was her only way to get through to them.
    â€œListen,” she barked fiercely, her voice carrying even above theloudbirds’ roar. “Loudbirds have no teeth, no claws. They aren’t predators! All they’re good for is carrying longpaws.”
    â€œBut if they land in our camp—” whimpered Daisy.
    â€œYes, they have to land first , before they can hurt us. And loudbirds are slow! We’ll have plenty of time to escape if they decide to perch here.”
    Whisper bolted forward, pressing his flank tightly against Storm’s; she could feel the terrified tremors in his skin. “But even if we run, where will we go?” he whined. “We’ll never find another camp as good as this one! Where will we find prey? Storm, help us!”
    Storm clenched her jaws. The last thing she needed right now was Whisper’s cowering hero-worship. It riled her even more now that there was such a need for calm and focus from the whole Pack.
    Breeze had stopped dead, and she was glaring at Storm. “You really think you should be giving the orders?” she snarled.
    Storm stiffened so abruptly, her legs trembled. She wanted to let out a bewildered whine, but she was speechless with shock. Breeze had never spoken like that to her before. So why—
    â€œIf your leaders are in no shape to make a decision”—Breeze jerked her head at Lucky and Alpha—“then it’s Twitch we should look to!”
    Lucky’s head snapped around, and there was shock in his eyes. But if he felt any guilt for his lapse in leadership, it was clearly still overwhelmed by his confusion and his concern for Alpha. He backed even closer to his mate, who was panting with alarm as she licked her swollen flanks.
    â€œBreeze is right! You’re not our leader!” Dart’s snarl came from behind Storm, and she twisted