Storm! Are you alright? Is Nibble? |
— Bella's last words to Storm in The Final Battle, chapter 19, page 273 |
Bella | |
---|---|
Affiliations | |
Current: Past: |
Forests Beyond[1] Leashed Dog,[2] Leashed Pack,[3] Pup Pack,[4] Wild Pack,[5] Lone Dog,[6] Bella and Arrow's Pack[7] |
Description | |
Species Breed Gender |
Dog Sheltie- golden retreiver mix Female[8] |
Names | |
Names | Pup: Squeak[8]
Leashed Dog: Bella[9]
|
Family | |
Family | Sire-Dog: Unnamed Sheltie
Mother-Dog: Unnamed Retriever
|
Rank Positions | |
Rank | Unknown[1] |
Status | |
Status |
Deceased (Pushed off a building by Breeze)[14] |
Book Appearances | |
Living | Sweet's Journey, The Empty City, A Hidden Enemy, Darkness Falls, The Broken Path, The Endless Lake, Storm of Dogs, A Pack Divided, Dead of Night, Into the Shadows, Red Moon Rising, The Exile's Journey, The Final Battle |
Dead | The Final Battle |
Bella was a long-legged[15] golden-and-white[15] female Sheltie-Retriever mix[16] with large,[17] dark,[9] golden eyes,[18] thick,[15] shaggy,[19] golden, sleek fur,[20] a long snout,[17] and a sleek,[21] narrow head.[22]
History
In the Original Series
The Empty City
Before Mother-Dog begins telling her pups a story, Yap's litter-mates are a jumble of warmth against him. Squeak clambers over Yap and sticks a paw in his eye, but Yap shakes his head and rolls away, making Squeak fall off. She squeaks with indignation as always, so her brother licks her nose to show that there are no hard feelings. Mother-Dog stands over her pups and nuzzles each one in turn, licking their faces clean, and treading her circle before curling around them to sleep. Yap thinks that Squeak is as bossy and demanding as ever when she tells him to wake up, explaining that Mother was going to tell a story.
Mother-Dog asks if they would like to hear the Storm of Dogs, and though Yap whimpers yes in excitement, Squeak whines, disappointed at hearing the story again. However, the other pups tumble over her and drown her protests, begging to hear the Storm of Dogs. When telling the story, Mother-Dog explains how Lightning was very quick and could outrun death, and when Yowl murmurs that he wants to be like Lightning, Squeak silences him, and squashes his nose with her paw. Despite her protest, Yap knows that she is as caught up in the story like the rest of them. When Mother-Dog mentions that their Sire-Dog’s body fed the Earth-Dog, the pups are suddenly solemn, and listen in silence, and when she reaches the part where Earth-Dog sends the Big Growl, Yap huddles close to his litter-mates. At the end of the story, the pups snuggle more tightly against their Mother-Dog’s side and gaze up at her. Mother-Dog tells her little ones to watch out for the Storm of Dogs.
After the Big Growl, Bella and her friends await the return of their owners in their homes. When bits of food were scattered around her house, she carelessly eats them.
Later, Bella and her Leashed Pack find a dog with meat in his jaws in the mall surrounded by hungry foxes. Bella enters with her Pack, fights the foxes, and drives them off. Bella soon recognizes the dog she saved: Yap, her brother, now known as Lucky. She's happy to see him again and tells him her new name.
Bella gives Bruno a nudge when Bruno starts sniffing the meat on the counter and tells him playfully he's always hungry. Sunshine tells her she wishes Bella wouldn't say that, since they that didn't know it was the end of the world. Bella responds with an answering whine and questions her if it's not then where are their longpaws.
As they share the meat, Lucky murmurs to Bella that her friends are interesting. She gazes at him fondly and says they weren't like them and she used to think all dogs were sheltie-retrievers. Bella introduces her friends to her brother.
Lucky then starts to wonder who was the Alpha of the Pack. He thinks that Bella talked a lot, and she was kind but brusque with Sunshine, but she didn't act as Pack leader. He adds that she didn't have the air of unquestioned authority; she didn't expect to be obeyed at her first bark or nip, and even when she seemed decisive, she looked to the others for approval or advice.
Bella looks at Sunshine anxiously, while the small dog yelps in pain. When Lucky tells Sunshine to lick her paw, Bella gazes from him to Sunshine, and back again with delight since Sunshine's paw doesn't hurt anymore.
Bella asks her brother to stay with them and he agrees to for a while. Bella is delighted by this and play-fights with her brother. At last, Bella and her friends are exhausted from playing and lie down panting. Bella invites Lucky to sleep with her on a long-paw seat.
Bella asks him for what he was doing when her brother closes his eyes, tilting his head up to wish for a good sleep. He replies that he was getting ready to sleep, which she responds that he was ready for sleep. Lucky cocks his head curiously at her, and wonders if Bella prepared for sleep properly. She softly tells him to soft fidgeting, and he responds that he couldn't help; it was just too comfy. She yawns that there's no such thing, and he'll get used to it quickly.
He then tells her that she must have been happy with her long-paws. She says that she was, and he asks her where they were now and what happened. She lies her head down on her fore paws, lifting her ears as if hearing something from her memory. She sighs and says that it was such a rush when the Big Growl came. She adds that it was such a terrible panic, and that they had to leave in a great hurry. They had packed all their possessions in the loudcage, all but her. Lucky thinks what did she expect and that they were all longpaws. She shouldn't have relied on them, and built all her happiness on Leashed life. But he nuzzles her head and licks her ear. He tells her that he is sorry. She says it was alright, and she didn't need them, responding that she needed to take charge of her friends and not mope.
Bella asks Lucky what happened to him after the Pup Pack, and he tells her how his longpaw abused him; she nuzzles Lucky and tells him that his longpaw didn't sound like hers. She nestles closer to him, and asks him if he remembers the stories their Mother-Dog told them. She tells him that she's thinking of the story of Omega Wind and Forest-Dog. He frowns and says he didn't remember. She then tells him the story. After she finishes the story, she nuzzles him and says that he reminds her of that story.
After the storm, Bella wakes up and takes Lucky and her friends to their homes.
Bella muses that living with their longpaws was like their Pack: they played together, sometimes ate together, and they all knew one another. Then Bella begins to understand how much things have changed. She wishes her friends happy dreams and takes Lucky to her house.
Bella affectionately comforts Lucky when he hesitates at the doorway. Bella brushes off her brother's worries and refuses to sleep outside her home. Bella is told by Lucky she has a lot to learn and she begs him not to think badly of her friends.
The two littermates sleep in separate rooms. She sleeps in a room which was furnished with tables, lamps, and a longpaw picture box. Lucky rests on one of the large, soft longpaw seats while Bella is crouched in a corner, sniffing mournfully at a small pile of longpaw things between her paws. He pads over to her, and she barely stirs. All she does is snuffle and whimper at the scent on a burst cushion. Along with it was longpaw fur, crumpled and smelling of sweat, and a leather leash. She nuzzles with it longingly. Bella jolts when Lucky licks her ear and scrambles to her paws, avoiding his gaze.
Gruffly, Bella tells him that she was only tired and the things help her sleep. Bella is restless throughout the night, even though she sleep next to her treasure. Bella tells Lucky the longpaw house wouldn't collapse. Soon, Bella is alert and changes her mind about the safety of her home. Bella and Lucky quickly leave the house and join their scared friends outside. As a second Big Growl occurs, Bella becomes hysterical. She knows Alfie is trapped in a house and is scared to rescue him. Bella and Sunshine bark something to Lucky, when he races to save Alfie, which he doesn't seem to hear. She watches Bruno take off to help Lucky free Alfie.
Bella is relieved to see Lucky, Bruno, and Alfie come back in one piece. Sunshine tells Bella that it was the right think to do to save Alfie, and she shouldn't have tried to stop them, which Martha objects that she didn't want to help either. Alfie pushes forward, squeaking in disbelief that Bella wanted to leave him. She hangs her head in guilt, and Mickey replies that he mustn't be angry and she was thinking about everybody. She licks Alfie's face gratefully, which Alfie gives a reluctant nod. Lucky lies down and watches his litter-sister sadly. Her dog-spirit is quiet, repressed, and buried so deep. Lucky draws Bella aside, and she glances at him, her tail wagging low to the ground.
Before Lucky can speak, she says bitterly to not say anything and that she didn't want any harm to Alfie, to the Pack, or him. Which he replies that she was making excuses. She replies that she wasn't making excuses and he had went against it. Lucky responds that he was able to look after himself, which she snaps that Bruno nor any of them could. The argument gets interrupted by Sunshine's wailing whine. She cries that Daisy has gone missing. When Bruno suggests that they must think in order to find her, Bella agrees. As Lucky goes to try and find Daisy's trail, Bella and Mickey appear behind him so they don't seem hesitant again.
Bella joins Lucky to wake up Daisy by licking her face. She whines at Daisy to wake up and pokes her with a paw. Lucky orders his sister to leave her, but she tells him to look at Daisy. As the little dog opens her eyes, Bella washes her face. Daisy sits up unsteadily, and Bella questions where she had went. Daisy replies that she didn't want to listen to the arguing so she had left. Lucky tells all the dogs that they must leave their homes. Bella shows her teeth at him, saying they couldn't leave and those were their homes. Daisy whispers, but Bella cuts her off saying Lucky didn't understand since he was a Lone Dog.
Angrily, Lucky barks that it was dangerous for them to remain at their homes, reminding her how Daisy was almost killed and Alfie's house collapsed and adds that it was actually Alfie's longpaw's house, not his, and they had abandoned them. She defends her longpaws, saying they didn't mean to. As they continue to quarrel, Lucky finally says that their longpaws didn't say to get them out of trouble, making her looking downcast and for the first time, uncertain. She finally admits that the place is dangerous and they must leave. Before they do leave, though, they fetch their longpaw mementos. Bella's memento is a tattered stuffed bear-toy and drops it at Lucky's forepaws, telling him that those were their longpaws' and they needed something to remind them. He licks her nose in understanding.
Bella prevents the dog from racing after Alfie to a water source. She whines to Lucky that there's something wrong with the water. Lucky stops Alfie before he gets a chance to drink the water, and they all notice how the water's no good. Bella tells Alfie to stop being impulsive, which he apologizes. Bruno senses longpaws, and all the dogs are excited except Lucky. Bella is yearning toward a corner of the field they are in, panting, her ears pricked forward in enthusiasm.
They start to notice that the longpaws are different. She chases after them, and Martha tries to warn her, but she doesn't listen. Bella's in the lead while the Leashed Dogs are chasing after her. After the longpaw had roughly shaken Daisy off, Lucky had dashed toward her and planted himself in front of her to make sure she didn't chase them again. Bella tells her to not chase after them. Mickey says with shock that he had never known a longpaw that had tried to hurt a dog, and Lucky says darkly that he has, as he was treated badly by his longpaw. Bella gives her brother a worried glance, but she is more concerned with Daisy.
The dogs travel away from the city. As Sunshine continues to whine about her fur, Bella snaps at her to shut up. Mickey calms the two dogs, and gathers the whole Pack around.
Lucky finds a river, and he races beside Bella. Lucky says the river wasn't poisoned, and springs into the deepest pool. She splashes in beside him, her temper forgotten. She and the other bigger dogs enter the water up to their bellies, lapping happily, and shaking their fur free of dust and easing the ache of their paw pads.
Alfie starts speaking about how much he missed, pointing out Sunshine's "battle scar". Bella reminds him that he had some excitement his self. As the dogs tell Lucky to teach him how to hunt, he starts picking out the likeliest hunters: Mickey, Bella, and Bruno, who is missing. After Martha saves Bruno from drowning, Bella questions if she was alright, which she responds that she was fine and was more worried about Bruno.
Bella is woken up by Lucky so the Pack can hunt early. She nudges her brother's muzzle affectionately. She, Mickey, and Bruno are doing their best in trying to hunt. They are slinking low to the ground, avoiding twigs and rustling brush as they sniff the air for clues, though they are not used to being unseen.
Mickey and Bella chase after a rabbit, with Sunshine joining them.
She and Martha scrape a pile of soft fallen leaves together into a thick bed, broad enough for all the dogs if they snuggled close together. Bella steps back, and examines her work in satisfaction. Sunshine flops down, panting, remarking how hard it is to be a Wild Dog. Bella licks her ear, and responds that they hadn't finished yet. Lucky agrees and adds that they had to organize themselves, since they all had different talents. As she and Lucky decide on the talents, Bella agrees that Mickey should be in charge of food, and Bruno and Martha can stand guard.
Daisy, Lucky, Alfie, and Sunshine return with soft loudcage skin-stripes, and only one tattered soft-hide. Bella is curious to know where they had found the loudcage skin-stripes and tattered soft-hide. After Daisy and Sunshine tell Bella where they found it, she gazes admiringly at the new sleeping-place. She informs that they had good luck, too; Mickey had caught a squirrel, and they caught another rabbit.
Bella shows her brother something else that Mickey and Martha found, leading him to the two dogs. Bella and Lucky wade into the water so they can see what Mickey and Martha are doing by a boulder at the banks of the stream. Martha shows Lucky a big flat rock, and beneath was a small cavern formed by thick tree roots, which Mickey and Martha had hollowed it out. It had now formed a deep hole beneath the bank, and the very edge of the stream rippled across its entrance. Bella is terribly proud of her friends for finding the cavern.
The dogs share the prey Mickey and Bella had caught. She and Mickey divide the rabbit and the squirrel, tugging them into bits of fur and flesh and nudging the pieces to their friends.
The dogs decide to save the rest of the prey in the cold-box. Lucky asks if they can call it the 'river-store' instead of cold-box. Bella agrees, as it sounds more doggish.
When the Sky-Dogs fight in the sky, Bella and her Leashed Pack go into their shelter. Bella sleeps with Lucky.
Later on, Bella is surprised when Daisy catches a mole. Lucky exchanges an affectionate glance with his sister, since they both knew how important it was to encourage a young dog like Daisy. He thinks warmly of how Bella has a great deal of good sense and instinct, and she would be a great leader once he moved on. Daisy starts saying how she's grateful for Lucky teaching her how to hunt. Bella agrees that she can now hunt well.
After Mickey gets trapped in a bush, Bella and the others race to his rescue. Lucky tries to help Mickey, and calls for Bella to help him, which she is at her brother's side in an instant. Since she had a narrow head, he orders his sister to try and reach for Mickey's collar. She nudges and forces her way into the bushes, getting scratches on her muzzle and ears, but she manages to get a hold of Mickey's collar. As Mickey starts to back into the bushes, Lucky tells Bella to pull on his collar. Mickey is free from his collar, which is now dangling loose in Bella's jaws.
Mickey goes over to Bella to get his collar back on. Bruno grabs the other end and helps put it on Mickey. Lucky is angry with them, so he proves it to them by attacking Bruno. The Leashed Dogs tell Lucky about how they won't let go of their collars.
He glances at Bella, and her gaze is beseeching. She tells him that the collars were important to them, and were a part of who they were. Suddenly, Alfie starts yelping for the dogs. Bella is behind Lucky as she and him go searching for Alfie. He tells them that he thought they forgot about him.
Alfie informs the dogs about a garden he saw that had dogs and food. Bella thinks they should investigate, though Lucky is shown to be cautious. She compliments on how he was a wonderful leader, but it was something they Leashed Dogs were used to. Lucky is still shown to be nervous, though. She suggests that only a small patrol of the dogs could examine the garden, why the rest stay guard. Lucky reluctantly allows, as it is reasonable. Bella, Alfie, Daisy, and Lucky go to the garden.
As the four dogs make their way toward the garden, Bella sees the kibble. She gets excited about seeing the kibble for the first time since the Big Growl. She, Alfie, and Daisy all want to eat the kibble, but Lucky begs his litter-sister not to leave. She snarls at him that she was now the Alpha of the Pack, and he should listen as she commands. Lucky tells her that she had no dog-spirit, which she retorts that he pretended he knew everything. The littermates are circling each other, avoiding the whimpers from Alfie and Daisy. She yelps that she ordered him to come with them, which he says she wasn't his Alpha. She points out how she was the Alpha, and he replies coolly that she was welcomed to it, scratching his ear with a casual attitude. She, Alfie, and Daisy leave him as they go to eat the kibble.
Bella tells the two that they should return some of the kibble back to the others, and adds contemptuously that she might return to some back to Lucky.
Suddenly, the Fierce Dogs return. They are outraged to find the three Leashed Dogs eating their food supply. Daisy and Alfie back down, which Bella is stubborn. Daisy pleads that she'd stopped challenging them, which she yips at her, ordering her to be silent. But she finally dips her head in defeat and lies down awkwardly.
The Alpha of the Fierce Dogs, Blade, emerges from the other Fierce Dogs and demands on how they entered. Bella lies that they had jumped over the fence, which Lucky thinks was a stupid idea of a lie.
Blade turns to the Beta, Mace, and questions if he believes they jumped over a fence, which he responds no and they would eventually get the answer out of them. Before they do, Lucky comes to the three's rescue, distracting the Fierce Dogs, by insulting their bloodlines. While the Fierce Dogs chased Lucky, Bella and the others were able to escape, which one of the dogs reports it to Blade who demands to Lucky where they were.
Bella, Alfie, and Daisy escape from the Fierce Dog garden and meet Lucky when he comes after them. She apologizes to her brother about her error in not believing him. She tells him softly how she wouldn't make the mistake again. He accepts her apology, and the four dogs return to the others. Bella and Daisy follow Lucky close on his heels.
When the four return, they inform the others about the Fierce Dogs. Lucky says they should leave before the Fierce Dogs follow their scent to their camp. Most of them complain about this, but Bella tells them briskly that they must leave and they wouldn't want to meet Blade.
Bella and her friends move on, and they stop at a field. A longpaw appears, and some of the dogs get excited, Bella snaps at them to be quiet. However, some of her friends didn't listen and race toward the longpaw. Bella is, understandably, enraged.
Sunshine agrees, saying it was trying to scare them even if it didn't try to hurt them. Lucky snarls furiously that it would kill them next time, which Bella interrupts. She waits till the surprised look on his face fades before she continues. She turns to the rest of the dogs, saying she missed her longpaws as well, but they couldn't chase after every longpaw they saw. Alfie whimpers, but she scolds firmly that it was no good, asking if Lucky got through to them at all. Lucky looks up at his sister, pride and nervousness jangling together in his mind, as he is impressed by her leadership. They apologize to their Alpha, and she accepts it. As the dogs rest, they stare at their city.
Bella tells her Pack that they must become free dogs now, and says they have to survive on their own, as they have no choice. She says they're acting like a real pack, but they can never be self-reliant if they don't trust themselves. She adds that it was time to listen to their dog-spirits. Alfie tells her that Lucky doesn't understand, and how she's not understanding either. Mickey agrees with Alfie, saying Bella knew how much it mattered. Bella says it mattered, but not as much as their survival. Alfie says she's only saying it to please her brother, and she snaps that she was saying it because it was the truth.
All the dogs take their mementos and say they wouldn't abandon their longpaws. She barks that they weren't coming back. After being silent, Martha takes her red scarf and buries it. Bruno follows her grumpily, digging up his peaked cap, then Alfie, then Sunshine. Daisy takes a bit longer to bury her's, but Mickey is stubborn. He tells her that he wouldn't give his faith up in his longpaws, and he would be the dog who carried the memories of his longpaws. Bella agrees. She howls to the Earth-Dog to keep their mementos safe.
The following day, Lucky is preparing to return to his life as a Lone Dog. He brings the Leashed Pack to a new territory. Lucky tells them that he was returning to a Lone Dog, which they were all upset about. Bella pads forward to her brother, licking his nose. He wishes that his sister won't try to stop him. She touches her nose to his and tells him to not worry, and she wouldn't argue with him again. She invites him to stay one more night with them.
Her gaze holds his, and she says if he feels the same at sunup, they wouldn't try to stop him. Lucky sighs and closes his eyes, and finally agrees. They don't allow Lucky to hunt, since he was their guest and so they could say farewell. Bella catches a rabbit for him. As they finish hunting, Bella stalks forward, lowering herself onto her forelegs, and bows her head, allowing him to eat first. Lucky obeys. Once the feast ends, Bella lies down by her brother.
Bella is sad to see Lucky leave, but she understood it was in his nature. Bella and Lucky exchange their farewells and watches her brother bounding away. Bella and her Pack then encounter the Wild Pack.
A Hidden Enemy
When Yap returns to where his littermates and Mother-Dog are after hearing a wolf howl, his littermates greet his return with a wild chorus of yipping, and he squeezes in among them beneath his mother's belly. Their nuzzling and licking calms his heart, and when he asks what the noise was and if they heard it, his littermates agree. Mother-Dog informs them that it was a wolf, not a dog, and the word 'wolf' makes Bella and her littermates nervous. Mother-Dog tells them that wolves and dogs are similar, but wolves are wild and crafty, and she informs her pups to always remember to be noble and honorable. Squeak bets that she could outsmart a wolf, but Mother-Dog hopes not, telling her daughter that dogs are clever but not devious, and tells her pups to always remember that dogs are noble and honorable.
When Mother-Dog tells her pups to be careful around wolves, she reminds them of Nuzzle, who followed the Wild Wolf-Pack because she was brave and inquisitive. Squeak interrupts that she is brave too, but her mother tells her that there is brave and foolish. She finishes telling the story of Nuzzle to her pups, and reminds them that although Lightning saved Nuzzle, they cannot rely on Lightning, and must learn from Nuzzles mistakes. The howling is heard again, and the pups cuddle even closer together. Yap feels relaxed that Mother-Dog would protect them, and guesses that even if a wolf came, they would be all right. Squeak gives a scornful Yip and reminds her brother that he heard what their Mother had said, and that a wolf couldn't get to them there. Before falling asleep, Yap feels warm and safe nestled in the pup pack, and thinks that life should always be far from the Wild and wolves, and in the protective huddle of his family.
Bella appears in the battle with the Wild Dogs, giving her Pack orders. Though she is scared, her voice is brave as she gives commands.
As Lucky returns to the Leashed Dogs, she is proud to see her brother again. She is upset about the death of Alfie, and when the dogs are speaking, Bella is seen standing on a rock, speaking. Lucky remarks to himself on how she looks like a real Alpha.
She and Lucky speak alone, away from the Pack. He asks her on what had happened when he left. She tells him how they noticed how the water he led them to wasn't good, so they searched for some clean water close by. The Leashed Dogs had found a lake, so they all start to paddle inside, after Martha and Bruno. They were unaware that they were in another Pack's ground until they saw a long-legged guard. Bella tells her brother that she tried to reason with their Alpha, but they wouldn't listen, and the alpha gave the order to attack. They ran at first, but they got closer to the poisoned river, and they couldn't keep running, which was when Lucky came back. Then, the two return to the pack's makeshift den.
The dogs are searching for clean water, and Daisy suggests that if they gave the River-Dog a gift, he may clean the water for them. Lucky asks what gift would they give to the River-Dog, which Sunshine barks excitedly that they should give him food, which Bella contradicts her, saying they had no extra prey to spare. Mickey suggests that they should give the River-Dog something to play with, which Bella wonders how that would help. Mickey tells her that they should the River-Dog a stick, which she cocks her head, saying it could work. Mickey says they should ask Martha if it was a good enough gift, which Bella barks in approval.
Martha is worried that the River-Dog is unwell himself, and Bella nuzzles her neck, saying they should hope he enjoys their offering. The pack goes to sleep, and Lucky is hopeful they could learn how to survive in the wild.
Lucky wakes up when he hears a crash in the sky. He turns to Bella, who snaps awake, trembling. All the dogs awaken as well, whining anxiously, as the rain begins battering against their bodies. Lucky watches as the pack as they run in chaotic circles, and he orders they stop, but they won't. As the dogs continue to freak out, he orders they go with him.
Lightning turns a pine on a tree on fire, which the dogs are frightened by. Mickey howls that it was a wildfire, and Sunshine yelps, fleeing from the safety from the trees. Bella barks at her to return, but she was already racing away. Bella speeds after Sunshine when the little dog is running toward the river. Lucky sees why she was stopping Sunshine; because the river was rising, and he races after his sister. Bella is seen on top of Sunshine, holding her down. Lucky helps her, by grabbing one of Sunshine's forelegs while Bella takes her collar between her teeth. Sunshine settles down, and they realize the River-Dog didn't enjoy the stick given to him. He and Bella drop Sunshine unceremoniously on the ground, and Lucky spins on his paws. He orders the pack to run, which they obey.
They reach a slope, and halt there. Daisy asks Lucky if the hillside was safe, which he responds that it was the safest as it could be, which Bella agrees, saying they would protect her. Lucky gives his sister an affectionate glance, wondering that after what had happened to Alfie, Bella would be more protective of the smaller dogs than ever. The dogs try to get as much extra sleep as they can.
After speaking with some of the dogs from the Pack, Lucky returns to the exposed caves. Bella pads quietly to his side, sniffing and gazing at the great holes with him. She murmurs that they look like they would be useful, but she wouldn't want to stay in them for very long. Lucky agrees with her, adding how the river can rise again, and if it did, it would wash away anything in the caves. She adds with a shiver that it was just like when it washed away the mud that was there. Lucky ventures that it would make it good temporary camp. She averts her eyes, and says yes. She apologizes to her brother to what happened during the Sky Dogs' fight, and says she had panicked. While Lucky is in the middle of asking her where he wonder she would go next, a sickening, choking, heaving growl is heard. They realize that it was Bruno.
Lucky saves Bruno's life, by head-butting his belly multiple times, and Bella nuzzles him, thanking him for saving Bruno's life. She questions what had made Bruno so sick, which they find out that the river was poisoned. Bella commands her pack to not drink from the river, which they obey.
Suddenly, they hear Daisy call for them. Lucky is worried that now she is in trouble, but she is looking into one of the caves excitedly. She informs them both that there was really clean water in there, with sort of a bowl in the rock, since some rain has gathered. Bella congratulates the younger dog. They bring Bruno and Martha in there to rest.
Mickey finds some small objects in the cave, which Bella and Lucky go to see what he has. Lucky questions what they are, and Mickey asks Bella if she knew, nudging a stone bowl, making it roll and clatter to Bella's feet. He tells her that they were longpaw things. She cocks her head and gives a happy bark, saying he was right. She points out how one of the skin covers that they would put over their bottom paws before they went for walks. She picks it up delicately with her teeth and shows it to Lucky, who asks with bewilderment why it matter, since they weren't too far from the city.
Before he can continue, Mickey yelps that when the water washed the mud away, it showed them all of it, and it wasn't the River-Dog at all. He thinks their longpaws are still watching over them, though the dogs disagree, Mickey is too stubborn to back down. Before Lucky can say that they're trying to convince themselves that the longpaws are watching over them, Bella nudges his shoulder. She tells him softly to come with her, and there was something she wanted him to see.
Bella and her brother get out of the caves and walk away from the camp. She leads him to a thin copse of trees a few paces up from the bank, where the ground was soft and wet. She stops and sits down, nodding her head at something in the ground. Lucky notices that she looks very solemn, almost afraid. Lucky bends his nose to the paw prints in the ground, and sees that they were from a small dog. Bella says beside him that she was scared, and his neck prickles as she echoes his exact thoughts. Bella tells him the reasons why she's scared: because Martha is injured, Bruno has been poisoned, and if nobody drank from the river, they would get sick from not drinking at all.
She adds how soon the water will run out if it didn't rain that night, and they hadn't hunted for awhile. Lucky questions what was she suggesting, and she lies down on her forepaws. She gazes at him with her determined eyes saying they needed the other Pack's water supply, and they had to be able to share it. She wanted to be able to have their water and to be able to hunt in their valley. Lucky realizes that it was just his litter-sister's typical thinking.
Lucky reminds her that because of that, it killed Alfie. He yelps at her to think, and the Pack wasn't going to change its mind. Bella looks at him with her stubborn look, telling him it was exactly why they had to insist on sharing it. Lucky argues that they needed to get away, which she curls her lip back over her teeth, saying she wouldn't give up. He tells her that she didn't have to be so stubborn, trying to control his temper. He tells her the smart decision is to leave. Bella says it would be different this time; he barks how would it be any difference. Bella says this time they would have a plan. She says she will make the Pack leader listen to her, and Lucky growls that he wouldn't wait to listen.
Bella tells Lucky her about her plan. She tells Lucky to infiltrate the Wild Pack, since they have never met him after he left. She tells Lucky to earn the Wild Pack's trust and promises to meet him up the valley at the longpaw camp during night. Bella pleads Lucky to do it for Martha and Bruno. When Lucky accepts, Bella thanks him.
Next morning, Lucky is hunting with Daisy, Mickey, and Sunshine. They return their catches to Martha, Bella, and Bruno. Lucky decides that it was time to go to the pack, nuzzling Bella's ear. Before he leaves, he gives Bella a last glance. She is watching him with a solemn look in her eyes. More and more, Lucky thinks the she seemed to fit naturally into her roles as Alpha, and more and more he wishes he could be she was capable of that responsibility. He licks her nose fondly and presses his face to hers before forcing himself away.
One night, Bella takes Mickey to the longpaw camp and wait for Lucky. The two fall asleep and become shocked when they are woken up by Lucky. They calm down and listen to his report.
Lucky apologizes that he was unable to get their water supply because there were dogs always watching. Bella responds on how she understood, but the poison crept farther and farther downriver. She adds on how the hunting is poor, since all the prey was moving away from the bad water as well. She also says that they need to get out of the caves unless it floods when it rains. Lucky licks her and tells her that it was sensible and it must be difficult.
Bella raises her eyes to his and asks him that if he found a way to get to the lake, which Lucky responds that he did. He says that the Wild Pack will not allow them to share, but they can go to a gully, and they would need to follow it around the long way to the far side of the lake. The patrols didn't go there, and if they were there at night there wouldn't be enough wind to carry out their scent to them. Lucky adds that the best time was sunset, and says that it wasn't only a good time to travel, but the dusk gave them good camouflage.
Mickey begins to paw at the ground, and Bella's brows furrow. She says that Martha and Bruno were still recovering, and they wouldn't be able to travel. Lucky assures them that the strong and fit dogs can retrieve some water back to them. Bella and Mickey exchange a glance, much to Lucky's dislike. She starts to peer at the stars above her, as if searching intently for the shape of the Rabbit or one of the other star-creatures their mother had pointed out to them when she was a pup.
Lucky happily tells them that he was happy to be returning to them, adding how he missed them all. Bella sighs, saying he couldn't return. Startled, Lucky asks why, though his litter-sister shakes her head determinedly. She says he has done a wonderful job, though the Wild Pack now trusted him and he can figure out more ways they can get the territory and water supply. Lucky reluctantly agrees to return, and begins to say his sister's name, though she sharply responds what, he shakes himself, saying it was nothing. Bella gives Mickey a guilty glance, but Lucky shrugs it off, leaving the two Leashed Dogs to return to the Wild Pack.
Bella sends Sunshine and Daisy to meet with Lucky tonight and goes on her special mission. She meets the foxes and tells them about her plan to attack the Wild Pack. When she returns, Sunshine and Daisy tell her information that could help in their attack.
The night before the attack, Bella finds Lucky in the longpaw camp. She calls him Yap, and says she wondered if he had given up on her. Lucky nuzzles her, saying that she shouldn't give up on him, calling her by her Pup Pack name, Squeak. She questions him on how it's been a few no-suns since his last arrival, asking what kept him. He tells her that since he is now a higher-ranking member, he's running out of excuses. He then notices that Bella has scratches on her nose and a shallow gash on her left shoulder. Curious, Lucky tentatively sniffs her shoulder, catching the dark and musky scent of other animals.
He takes a step back from her, demanding what was going on. Brightly, Bella responds that they were all fine and his instructions on getting to the lake and the hunting grounds had worked perfectly, and she was sure they would all by stronger soon. Lucky remarks that she looked hurt. She tosses head dismissively, explaining that some Wild Dogs came along, and they had to fight them off, but they managed. She eventually asks on what had happened since his last visit. He notices that she sounds bright and curious, and tells her everything, though he begrudged each word.
Bella listens keenly, and gives a sharp little bark of encouragement as he pauses, saying Daisy had told her about his adventures with the loudcages, remarking on how she thought it was terrible. Lucky responds that they were, pointing out that it wasn't much on an adventure, instead it was frightening, and starts to speak about how Alpha saved them. Her ears prick up sharply as she hears the respect in his voice as he speaks about his Pack leader. She demands to Lucky about him, though he doesn't explain, changing the subject back onto the longpaws and their loudcages. Eyes full of sympathy, she noses anxiously at his flank, asking if he was hurt. He tells her no, and begs her if he can return, explaining that Whine knew about him spying for the Wild Pack, and could expose him at any moment - by the next turn of the Moon-Dog he would be back to Omega, and would reveal his betrayal.
Bella barks cheerfully that it was long time away, and he has kept the "horrible dog" happy for now, so he would be fine. Lucky stares at her, and says that it wasn't just Whine, but if the other dogs found out of his allegiance to the Leashed Pack, she would no longer see him, and he would be hunting worms with the Earth-Dog.
She stares at her paws, and tells him that he couldn't come back. He asks her what she meant, and Bella said that not forever, but he had to remain with them for now, and he didn't understand. Angrily, Lucky said he didn't. Bella placates him, ordering him to listen, and he could come back, perhaps in a few days. She adds that Martha and Bruno were still unwell. He doesn't understand on why they are still unwell, and she says hurriedly that he mustn't worry, and he had nothing to think about. He tells her that he had to betray a dog for her in the pack, and she said they are such at low strength, and she needed him to spy for her pack a little longer, adding that they needed him. He agrees, and asks if he could go see Bruno and Martha, but she said she wish he could, but he couldn't. She nuzzles his ear, and licks him affectionately calling him Yap again, and she didn't want him to get hurt. She tells him goodbye, and leaves. Lucky is annoyed on how she dismissed him like a pup.
The next day, Bella, her friends, and the foxes go to attack the Wild Pack. Bella challenges Alpha for a portion of the territory. Bella's bark silences the low growls of a challenge. She orders that they share it, or they would take it by force.
Alpha invites her to try with a silky growl, and calling her stupid for wanting to fight. Bella doesn't even blink or cower. She draws herself even stiffer and higher, saying he made a big mistake. Surprised, Alpha gives a great bark of laughter, saying it was her that was making the mistake. She says nothing; only wrinkling her muzzle in disdain and giving a great summoning bark.
Foxes emerge into view, and one of them says they were with her. With a cool and certain growl, Bella tells Alpha that she knew he was making a mistake. She says that they were no longer weak Leashed Dogs, and he couldn't drive them away from the valley. Alpha stands stock-still in disgust, rigid and stunned. Bella barks at the foxes to attack.
Bella knocks Sweet flying, though the swift-dog quickly recovers, onto her paws again and snarls in rage as she tears at Bella's neck.
After the deaths of Mulch and Fuzz, Alpha orders Bella forward, saying he was now going to kill her. Sunshine whimpers to Alpha to please not kill her, and that she was a good dog. Bruno puts in that she was a good leader. Alpha shakes his head, saying a good leader would have thought ahead, and she put her pack in much peril as his pack. Before he kills her, the Mother-Dog, Moon, paces forward, asking if she could speak. Alpha allows her, and she begins that she lost a pup because of Bella. She says that Bella was honest, and it was obvious the foxes duped her; she had never intended the deaths to happen the way it did, and it was stupidity, not wickedness.
As she explains more, Fiery nuzzles his mate and agrees with her. Alpha scowls at the two, but their is fondness in his frown and her turns to Sweet, ordering her to advise him. She starts to speak to him on how they could join them, but begin as patrol dogs. As he questions about Bella, she says she was willing to agree with Fiery and Moon. Alpha says they will join the Wild Pack, and start as patrol dogs, given the hardest tasks. Sweet prompts about Bella, and Alpha growls that she would be Omega. After he explains to her about her new role, she stands up, hackles rising. Before she can make her decision, Whine comes and reveals the truth about Lucky.
Darkness Falls
In the prologue, there is a storm outside, and Lucky buries his face against his Mother-Dog's belly as Squeak presses next to him, trembling. Mother-Dog comforts her pups that there is nothing to be afraid of. Later that night, after Yap has woken up, he walks back toward his littermates to fall asleep. Yap settles down next to Squeak, who gives a small snuffle but doesn't wake up.
Bella is next seen after Whine had informed the Wild Pack about Lucky's betrayal. Whine is excited that he was right, and points out that Lucky had met with Bella. In response, Bella glares at him until he cringes and cowers. His words trail off when she does so.
Sweet tells the pack that Lucky had defended the pack against the foxes, and he was no Leashed Dog, but truly part of the Wild Pack. Lucky gives a grateful bark and glances at Bella. She stares hard at him, head slightly cocked. Lucky realizes that Bella knows that it's true; he had grown loyal to the Wild Pack. Alpha growls that they had saved the Leashed Dogs—calling them a band of weaklings—and they couldn't be expected to save grown dogs that are as feeble as pups.
Daisy bristles, and Mickey scratches the grass, but Bella is the one to step forward. She admits that it was very stupid of her to bring the foxes to his camp, and Lucky had no part of it. She adds that her pack would join his and do as he commanded. As she finishes her speech, she glances at Moon, who whines her agreement. Lucky is proud that his sister hadn't deserted him. He begins to remember her as a puppy, when she was still known as Squeak, who was bright, bossy, curious, and loyal, like she had always been.
After Bella's submissive speech, Alpha scratches one of his ears with a ragged claw, and looks around his pack. Dart's hackles are still raised, though Twitch and Spring are more relaxed. Snap's tongue lolls from her mouth in a grin, and Whine turns away while Moon and Fiery stand tall and glance at their leader. Alpha allows them to join his pack, but they would be given the hardest tasks, and begin as Patrol Dogs. He informs the Leashed Dogs that Lucky would become Omega, and would be given a permanent reminder of his treachery: a scar on his flank.
Mickey tries to stop Alpha, saying Bella and Daisy are good hunters, and they shouldn't wait to use their skills. Snap disagrees, and they needed to have order. Before Alpha can give Lucky his scar, Bella begs for him to release her brother, and it wasn't fair. Alpha responds that an Omega's duties aren't honorable, and continues his job. Lucky pushes Sweet and Snap off, passing by Bella and Daisy.
Suddenly a howl comes in the air, and the sky is sick. Lucky tries to detect the smell, and Bella appears at his side, telling him it was bad smells. He agrees with his sister. The dogs are wondering if the dark cloud could hurt them, making Bella shift from paw to paw, saying it was too far away. Lucky tells the Pack that the needed to leave the camp, which most of the pack disagrees. Bella turns to Dart and Twitch, saying that if Lucky said they needed to leave, she believed in him. The dogs evacuate, and Bella leads the Leashed Dogs after the Wild Pack.
Lucky hears paw-steps behind him, and it's Bella. She's starting to begin a sentence, when she trails off, spotting Alpha. Following Lucky, the two both go over to the dog-wolf. Alpha speaks lowly to himself, saying it was an evil Sky-Dog. Bella draws closer, squinting in the direction of the cloud, remarking on how she thought all Sky-Dogs were good. Alpha whines that they said the same thing about the Earth-Dog, but she didn't stop the Big Growl.
A loud cry of pain comes throughout of the forest. Bella shoots forward toward the sound, followed by Lucky and Alpha. The three run through the trees to the source of the noise, when they see Twitch lurching in a circle, howling in agony.
Bella is seen dropping back so she can walk at Lucky's side. She throws a worried glance at Twitch, and Lucky realizes that she and her are thinking the same thing - how much pain Twitch is in. When Snap asks Alpha where they should shelter and they don't respond, Bella barks that they should stay where the water meets the rocks. Lucky agrees. He looks up at the sky, observing on how it would be dark soon. In response, Bella steps forward, saying they didn't have a moment to lose.
As the Sun-Dog begins to go down in the sky, Bella and Lucky are skidding on the pebbles. She is again seen when Bruno nips Whine on the flank. Because of this, Bella barks at him to stop.
After Lucky has another dream of the Storm of Dogs, he wakes up to see Sweet snarling at Bella. Sweet is snarling on how Bella's Pack had brought nothing but trouble since their arrival, and they should leave before everything fell to pieces. Bella doesn't budge, and responds that it wasn't her fault, or the fault of the pack that Twitch decided to leave. She adds that they had slowed down for him, and that Twitch was with Sweet when he was injured. Sweet growls, but Lucky interrupts, asking what happened to Twitch.
Sweet finishes telling Lucky what happens, and barks at Bella, inching closer to her. They didn't know where Twitch had gone. She informs Bella that their pack was too big to allow them to remain with them since the territory wasn't that big to allow the whole pack to stay, telling them it was time for the Leashed Dogs to find another territory somewhere else. Bella ignores the worried glances of Daisy and Martha, and the wary looks of Bruno, Snap, and Fiery. She seems to not allow herself to be cowed. She tells Sweet that she was rather full of herself, and it was Lucky who spotted the dark cloud and helped the Pack to safety, and in case she had forgotten, he was one of them. Bella finishes by saying that the Wild Pack needed the Leashed Dogs.
Lucky thinks how it is unfair of his sister to bring him into the argument, and he wanted the whole pack to forget about how he betrayed the pack. To stop the argument between the two she-dogs, Alpha lands between Bella and Sweet, who both start in surprise. Head high, Alpha paces between Bella and Sweet, saying how arguing wouldn't help. He comments to Bella, while giving her a dubious look, telling her that her dogs look up to her as well, and Sweet and Bella must both demonstrate courage and good sense, so that they wouldn't compromise the security of others by being reckless or selfish, adding the way Lucky did. Alpha blames Lucky for everything bad that happened.
Bella points out reasonably that the cloud wasn't Lucky's fault. Alpha growls to her to address him by his proper name. He adds that she had seen the form of the evil Sky-Dog as well. When Sweet questions on what he meant, Alpha explains to the pack on what the dark cloud was. Speaking softly, Alpha says the Leashed Dogs will live as one of their packmates now. He turns back to Bella and Sweet, avoiding to share any eye contact with Lucky. Alpha tells the two that they had both spoken to him, as though he was their ally, but he had brought them to constant bickering and was the center of all that has gone wrong for the Wild Pack. Alpha barks that Lucky must leave the pack.
Before Lucky leaves the pack, he turns to his sister. She stares at him with a blank expression, and remained silent. He yelps her name, and she drops her gaze. Lucky wonders what she was doing. Her abandonment stings Lucky deeply as he realizes that she now obeys Alpha's commands. He exchanges a quick glance with Bella. She looks sad, but stern. Without another word, Lucky leaves the pack.
While Lucky is on his own once more, he thinks about his litter-sister Bella and the other Leashed Dogs, wondering how they were faring in a much large, more disciplined Pack, hoping Alpha wasn't being too hard on them.
Lucky later finds Mickey, and the two travel for a little while. Mickey suggests that they return to the Wild Pack, and Lucky replies quietly that he left and he cannot return. Mickey whines why not, and tells him that he had left as well, and begins that if they reason with Bella, there could be a possibility of rejoining. Lucky suppresses a growl, saying it wasn't Bella they needed to worry about, thinking about the dog-wolf, Alpha.
When Lucky and Mickey return, Lucky sees Bella. Her head hangs low and she stands beside Dart and Spring. When Lick, Grunt, and Wiggle enter the camp, Bella, Dart, and Spring fall back to let them pass. Dart whines about where their lair is, and Lucky assures her that it was far away, back through the forest and toward the city. Bella asks him if he was followed. Lucky notices how those were those were the first words Bella had spoken to him since he left.
After Alpha's explanation of why he despises Fierce Dogs, Lucky meets Bella's questioning gaze and knows that she thinks he's done the wrong thing as well.
Bella nudges Lucky after Alpha allows him, Mickey, and the Fierce Dogs pups to remain in his pack. Her pink tongue lolls from her panting mouth, and she reaches forward to lick his nose, but he backs away. Bella paws at the ground, telling him to not be that way, and approaches again. Lucky raises his haunches and she stops in her tracks. She tells him she was sorry, and they didn't even had a chance to speak alone since the dogfight, so she needed to talk to him. Lucky makes an attempt to leave, and Bella calls after him. She says that what she had told Alpha was true, and she was a fool to attack the Wild Pack, and even more of a fool to do it without warning him. Lucky raises his muzzle, questioning about the foxes.
In response, she drops her head. She admits how it was a terrible mistake, and she should have spoken up to him when Alpha was casting him out of the Pack. She adds that she really wanted to, but she felt like more than anything, she had to do what was best for the Leashed Dogs, and was scared for what would happen if Alpha attacked them or kicked them out, so she didn't know how the Pack would survive. Bella ends her sentence by asking him if he could forgive her.
Lucky angrily tells himself that Bella stayed silent when Alpha was casting him out, and she let him carry out the worst of the blame for the dogfight, and she had betrayed him; what she did was unforgivable. His tail shoots out behind him and he tries to walk away, but he doesn't get three dog-lengths when she calls him Yap. Lucky stops in his tracks, and in an instant he feels at his Mother-Dog's side again. He turns and meets Bella's eye. Her long snout is low, and she gazes at him with her large, sad eyes. He sighs and tells her that he knows that what she did was for the good of the pack, and her heart was in the right place; it always was. Bella repeats in a whisper and if he could forgive her, which he replies for her to come by him. She bounds up to him and licks his muzzle, nudging him and whining with relief. Lucky thinks that he could forgive her, but he wouldn't forget. He adds in his thoughts that he wanted to trust Bella, but he couldn't. Not after everything she had done.
Mickey tells Bella, Daisy, Bruno, and Sunshine about the crumbling city. A moment later, loudbirds come by. All the dogs are surprised and shocked by the arrival of the longpaw tool flies over the sky. Mickey backs into Bella, who throws her head up and barks. The two dogs stand close as chaos breaks out around all of them.
When Sunshine helps Lucky out with his Omega duties, she explains to him on how she was Omega before he returned. When his head droops sadly, Sunshine raises to her full height, jutting out her snout, saying Bella, Martha, Daisy, and Snap were very kind to her still.
She is seen again on the other side of camp, standing up and padding toward Lucky, throwing a look at Martha as she and the Fierce Dog puppies rounded behind the pine trees and disappear from view. She says that she saw what Wiggle had done to him, and it looked painful. She leans over to inspect the bite, but he pulls away. Lucky defensively says that he was only playing. Bella whines uncertainly and he can already cause damage and he was a play-fighting pup. She questions about what would happen once the pups have deadly weapons in their mouths, and reminding him about the Dog-Garden. She shudders, her ears twitching.
Lucky reminds her that they were still young, and they could raise them in the right way. His sentence is interrupted by a howl. He bolts toward the river with Bella at his side, in the direction of the sounds. By the time the two reach the river, half of the Pack are already there, though Alpha wasn't among them.
Bella is seen watching the standoff between Martha and Moon with Mickey and a few other dogs at her side.
After Grunt attacks Squirm, Alpha makes a meeting. Most of the dogs in the pack attend it. When Alpha suggests to no longer shelter the Fierce Dogs. Martha steps forward, saying they were not cruel and violent by nature, and they were all very sorry about what happened. Bella barks in agreement.
Sweet leads Daisy and Lucky to Alpha, passing by Bella. Bella stands sentry at the entrance, eyeing them curiously but turns away as they step out of the cave.
Bella is seen again when Blade and the Fierce Dogs raid the Wild Pack. She whimpers that it was Blade, and she returned to get revenge. Sweet gives her pack orders to fight back, but they are all frightened. Bella charges forward, lips pulled back into a defiant snarl. She barks at the pack to form a line, and to let Alpha and Beta through, and to protect the pups.
Blade releases Daisy, and the little dogs scampers back over to Bella's side. Sweet is later seen speaking to Lucky about his loyalty, briefly mentioning about his loyalty with Bella and the Leashed Dogs.
Bella goes over to Lucky after his challenge with Snap. Bella presses if his wound hurts, taking a tentative step toward her brother. He responds that he was fine.
Alpha is later seen speaking to his pack about their failed fight with the Fierce Dogs. He says that they would need to be more organized, and their standoff with the Fierce Dogs was a disgrace. He adds that no dog acted with sufficient discipline or bravery except for Sweet and Bella, who gave sensible commands when needed. At the rare compliment from the Pack leader, Bella's ears prick up. Alpha makes a suggestion on leaving their new camp behind.
Bella adds how the camp was perfect, telling him to look how well the Pack had settled there. The hunting was good, and the cave provided them cover from the wind and rain, though Alpha disagrees.
The Broken Path
In the prologue, Squeak breathlessly barks to Yap to give up, as she is his Alpha. She tumbles over her litter-brother and the pups roll together in the longpaws' bright flowers. Yap wriggles out from beneath his litter-sister's weight and flings himself at her, claiming that he is the Alpha. Squeak sneezes out grit and lets out a high-itched growl, telling her brother to just wait. As Squeak clumsily springs for his scruff, Yap rolls backwards and lets her stumble over him, then grabs her foreleg with his teeth. When Squeak whines in pain, Yap, though not letting go of her leg, is worried that he hurt her. However, Squeak had tricked him and she runs away. Yap bounds to her feet, addressing her as Omega and saying that he will get her, when he cuts himself off, noticing an odd smell. Although Squeak has vanished around the side of the house, her yelps fading, Yap no longer cares.
Later, Squeak is mentioned, though not by name, after Yap alerts the longpaws of the fire. When he walks back the shed with his Mother-Dog, it is mentioned that they sleep in the shed with Yap's other littermates.
Bella has now been promoted to hunter. Lucky is returning to camp with a white rabbit, when Bella comes out. She begins to speak to her brother about the foxes raid. Lucky is still angered for her about this. The two siblings argue about this matter for awhile. During this bickering, Bella accuses her brother of not defending her when Alpha was preparing to kill her. Lucky feels guilty as she says this, but before this verbal fight can go any further, Lick comes into view. The Fierce Dog pup apologizes for eavesdropping, but tells the two that they shouldn't argue, adding on how that they could lose each other. Bella and Lucky agree that she was right, and they forgive one another.
Lick runs off to camp at Lucky's order, and Bella and Lucky trek onward together. During this stroll, Lightning begins to bark in the skies. The two are in complete awe and alarm, so they run the rest of the way. They continue bounding toward camp until they encounter a badger. The badger turns on Bella, scrambling onto her back. It sinks its teeth into her neck and raking long claws across her shoulder, causing her to yelp and stagger in affliction. Lucky comes to his sister's rescue, taking the badger off of her back. Bella and Lucky are surprised the badger has tremendous speed.
Together, they kill the creature. Bella pants to her brother on how it was now dead, crouching low to the ground while trembling. Lucky questions his sister about her condition, and she confirms that she was fine, pointing out that he had an injury himself. Bella is assured by Lucky his injury was only a scratch. Bella and Lucky meet Lick out in the storm again and they assure the pup they were fine. The dogs return to the camp and are late to the Naming Ceremony for Nose and Squirm. Bella, Lucky, and Storm explained to Alpha about the encounter with the badger.
Bella discusses Nose's new name with Lucky. Bella wonders what her own name would be if she were born in the wild and is saddened by the thought. Bella comes to Lucky's defense when Whine starts to pick a fight with him. She is thanked by Lucky when Whine walks away. She reminds her brother about the day of the longpaw house when he had received his name.
While the Pack is searching for a new home, Bella trots over to Lucky and Lick, informing the two about the food supply her and the other hunters came across. At a pack meeting, the dogs are searching around the area of how largely the Big Growl affected the new grounds. Bella notices a nest of swans and whispers it to the dogs.
When Fiery issues his challenge to Alpha, Bella comes to Lucky and asks what do they do now.
More coming soon!
The Endless Lake
Coming soon!
Storm of Dogs
Coming soon!
In the Gathering Darkness arc
A Pack Divided
Coming soon!
Dead of Night
Coming soon!
Into the Shadows
In the beginning of the book, Bella defends Arrow when the dogs suspect him of putting the clear glass in the deer. She says she was with him the whole time, and when they question this, she announces her and Arrow are mates. The pack is shocked and question the validity of Bella's defense of Arrow.
Bella is shocked when Storm reveals a few dogs from the pack have been spying on him. Later, when the dogs call Arrow a traitor, Bella and Arrow leave the pack.
More coming soon!
Red Moon Rising
Coming soon!
The Exile's Journey
Storm finds Arrow, they hear a howl split the air, which is Bella's. She announces that she's giving birth. Arrow leads Bella into their den. Throughout the day Storm can hear Bella's howls of pain. Bella then stops howling. Arrow says there's something wrong and that the pups haven't come yet. He thinks one of them is stuck. Storm tries thinking of something, and then remembers Thoughtful. She runs into the wolves' territory, howling for help. Instead the Alpha wolf comes, attacking her as a warning. Thoughtful later appears when the Alpha and a few others leave. Storm explains the situation, and Thoughtful says his Sister-Wolf, Peaceful, can help.
More coming soon!
The Final Battle
Bella and Arrow come into camp with Nip and Scramble to find Storm, as promised, after ten journeys of the Sun-Dog. They said they came to see if Storm ran into danger, or if the Wild Pack was mistreating her. Towards the end, she goes with Lucky, Storm and, Arrow to save Nibble from Breeze. She climbs the rocky slope to fight off Breeze. Storm catches Nibble and Bella asks if Nibble is okay. Breeze than cannons her haunches and shoves her off the slope. She's found her body is shattered. She is given to the Earth-Dog later. Storm then sees her in the forests beyond with Tufty at her side, and bounds off happily.
Trivia
- Her longpaw memento was a tattered stuffed bear toy.[23]
- She was mistakenly described with brown eyes.[24]
- Her name means "beautiful."[20]
- Bella will not be having her own point of view.[25]
- Bella will have a love interest in The Gathering Darkness series.[26]
- This is shown to be true when she takes Arrow as her mate.
- Gillian Phillip stated that there may have been a low-key attraction between Bella and Mickey at one point. However, Bella's heart now belongs to Arrow.[27]
- Gillian says that although she doesn't think that Bella is bipolar, she does have mood swings and is very temperamental.[28]
Family
Members
Mate:
Mother:
- Unnamed Retriever:[8] Deceased[30]
Father:
Brothers:
Sister:
Pups:
- Tough: Living As of The Final Battle
- Golden: Living As of The Final Battle
- Tufty: Deceased As of The Exile's Journey
Nieces:
- Earth: Living As of The Final Battle
- Forest: Living As of The Final Battle
- Sky: Living As of The Final Battle
Nephew:
- River: Living As of The Final Battle
Tree
Unknown | Unnamed | Unnamed | Unnamed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sweet | Lucky | Yip | Yowl | Snip | Bella | Arrow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sky | River | Earth | Forest | Tough | Golden | Tufty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
= Male
= Female
= Gender Unknown
Quotes
- "Please don't think too badly of them, Lucky. It's all they know—being carefree, never having to worry. I've never had to worry about my next meal, either, but I do understand that's not how it is for every dog. I know things are different now."
- —Bella to Lucky The Empty City, page 112
- "I'm not making excuses! I made a perfectly sensible decision, and you went against it. If you had been killed inside that longpaw house, it would have been your own fault."
- —Bella to Lucky The Empty City, page 131
- "But Bruno isn't. None of us are! You have to understand, Lucky. We're not like you. I need to make my own decisions. You made the right one in the end with Alfie. But it might have been the wrong one! It could have been disastrous. So you don't need to tell me I was wrong."
- —Bella to Lucky The Empty City, page 131
- "That's it! I'm the Alpha of this Pack, Lucky. I brought you in. You might be clever on your own, but this is our kind of place. And I say we're going in!"
- —Bella to Lucky The Empty City, pages 211-212
- "Listen to me. This is a different world. You can almost see the whole of it from here, can you? The whole world. You can see how it's changed. And a different world needs a different kind of dog."
- —Bella to her Pack The Empty City, page 254
- "Bella had the energy of a bad mood to keep her moving, and for a while Lucky was content to let her take the lead. She trotted ahead, her leg muscles working fiercely. He could almost hear the angry thoughts tumbling around inside her head."
- —Lucky's thoughts about Bella The Empty City, page 155
- "I won't let them drive us away. We've survived this long, out in the wild without any longpaws to take care of us! I won't give up now. We can do this."
- —Bella to Lucky about the Wild Pack A Hidden Enemy, page 75
- "I am sorry that I brought the foxes to your camp. It was unwise, and it was stupid of me. I was duped into believing that the foxes would act honorably. It was a mistake I will never make again. Truthfully, we only wanted to share in what you have here. We didn't intend to harm your pack. I make you a solemn promise, Alpha, on behalf my Pack. If you let us stay, the Leashed Dogs will serve you faithfully. We will obey your commands and fight alongside you, making your Pack even more formidable. We are better hunters than we look and we are keen to help with the tasks of the Pack. All we ask is to share in your food and water, and that you spare Lucky. He meant you no harm. He didn't know our plans; I swear it. And he did his very best to defend the pups when the foxes attacked: the Mother-Dog said so."
- —Bella's apology to Alpha Darkness Falls, pages 12-13
- "You must be kidding! Look at the state of you! Do you really think you can beat me in a fight? Well, that fits your lack of judgement. Don't confuse fear with loyalty or affection. You threw in your lot with Alpha and now he's gone. The other dogs might've been too afraid to say it, but he was a bully and we're better off without him. Your time as Alpha's sidekick is over. You're no better than any other dog now. You should be down there with Sunshine, taking orders."
- —Bella to Sweet The Endless Lake (book), page 255
- "Then we have no time to lose. Let's name me leader once and for all. Than I will choose what we should do about Storm and those attack-beasts!"
- —Bella to the Wild Pack The Endless Lake (book), page 257
- ""No. I can't say that I would. If my own longpaws returned, well, that would be different. I'm not sure I could ever turn my back on them, if they wanted me. But I'm a Pack Dog now. I've heard my dog-spirit and have gotten used to the freedom of being able to roam where I like.""
- —Bella to Lucky about longpaws Storm of Dogs (book), page 27
- "I won't be [a good hunter and fighter] then. By Long Light, I'll be clumsy and awkward. I'm expecting pups, Lucky!"
- —Bella to Lucky and Storm Into the Shadows, page 248
References and Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Revealed in The Final Battle, page 309
- ↑ Revealed in The Empty City, page 87
- ↑ Revealed in The Empty City, page 105
- ↑ Revealed in A Hidden Enemy, page prologue
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Revealed in Darkness Falls, page 14
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Revealed in Into the Shadows, page 113
- ↑ Revealed in Into the Shadows, page 121
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 Revealed in The Empty City, page 1
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Revealed in The Empty City, page 84
- ↑ Revealed in The Empty City, chapter seventeen
- ↑ Revealed in The Final Battle, page 147
- ↑ Revealed in The Broken Path Pack List
- ↑ Revealed in The Exile's Journey, chapter 10
- ↑ Revealed in The Final Battle, pages 273-274
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Revealed in The Empty City, page 81
- ↑ Revealed in The Empty City, page 89
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Revealed in Darkness Falls, page 179
- ↑ Revealed in A Hidden Enemy, page 144
- ↑ Revealed in A Pack Divided, page 157
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Revealed in The Empty City, page 86
- ↑ Revealed in The Broken Path, page 289
- ↑ Revealed in The Empty City, page 196
- ↑ Revealed in The Empty City, page 142
- ↑ Revealed in The Broken Path, page 23
- ↑ Revealed on Gillian Philip's Facebook
- ↑ Revealed on Gillian's Facebook
- ↑ Revealed on Gillian's Facebook
- ↑ Revealed on [1]
- ↑ Citation Needed
- ↑ Revealed in Darkness Falls, page 123
- ↑ Revealed in The Empty City, page 6
- ↑ Revealed in A Hidden Enemy, page 3