| "Out of the dim interior of the den emerged Alpha, a sandy-colored ball of fluff held carefully in her jaws. 'This is our male pup, Tumble!' Lucky said, and Alpha set the puppy down on the grass outside. He was shaggy and golden-colored, and had floppy ears, just like his Father-Dog. But his muzzle was longer, like his Mother-Dog's, and when he blinked up at the gathered Pack, there was wonder in his large, dark eyes." |
| — River's Den Break in Dead of Night, page 69 |
| River | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Affiliations | |
| Current: Past: |
Wild Pack[1] N/A |
| Description | |
| Species Breed Gender |
Dog Sheltie-Retriever Greyhound mix[2] Male |
| Names | |
| Names | Pup: Tumble[3]
Adult: River[4] |
| Family | |
| Family | Mother-Dog: Sweet |
| Rank Positions | |
| Rank | Pack-Mate |
| Status | |
| Status |
Alive |
| Book Appearances | |
| Living | Storm of Dogs, Dead of Night, Into the Shadows, Red Moon Rising, The Exile's Journey, The Final Battle |
| Dead | N/A |
River is a golden-furred[5] male Sheltie Retriever[6] Greyhound[7] mix pup with a fuzzy narrow body,[2] shaggy fur,[5] a long muzzle,[5] a large soft head, a slender muzzle,[2] floppy ears,[5] and large[5] dark-brown eyes.[2]
History[]
In the Original Series[]
Storm of Dogs[]
River is first seen with his siblings in Lucky's dream. Lucky is in a warm place where he feels content, when he hears a series of high-pitched yaps, and realizes that they are pups. He trots through the long grass to a circle of trees by the pond, and can see four puppies sitting on flat rocks. Two of the pups have sandy fur, one has a deeper tan coat, and one has dark brown fur. Storm approaches the pups, and the sandy, shaggy-furred pup asks what happened next, with the other pups agreeing that she should tell them more. Storm explains that the ground started shaking very hard, and dogs wondered if it was the end of the world. The dark brown pup asks if it was, but the short-furred sandy pup answers that of course it wasn't, or Storm wouldn't be telling them the story. Storm answers that she almost had died, and explains that everything was terrible and went wild. The tan pup has trouble believing this, but Storm clarifies that she was there, and it happened before the Storm of Dogs. Lucky guesses that the pups have heard the term before, because they gasp and beg to hear what happened next.
Storm goes on that the battle was terrible, and not all dogs survived. The dark brown pup asks why the dogs were fighting, and Storm replies that a female dog named Blade thought that the world would end if she didn't force the battle, but she thinks that Blade just wanted a good fight. At hearing this, the pups shudder and press close together, and Storm informs them that their Mother-Dog and Father-Dog had been very brave.
At hearing this, the pups admiringly look at Lucky, and the dark-brown pup asks if he fought the mean dog. When Storm tells the pups that their Sire-Dog had an important role in the battle, the shaggy-furred pup wonders what it was, and the short-furred sandy pup asks if he killed a bad dog. Storm looks at Lucky, then tells the pups that the told their Father-Dog what to do.
When the pups look at Lucky, he suddenly realizes that their names are Forest, Sky, River, and Earth. The short-furred sandy pup, who Lucky now knows is named Sky, bursts forward and yaps that their Father-Dog is a hero, and the other pups run after her, crowding around Lucky.
River is then seen after the Storm of Dogs battle, when during the Great Howl, Lucky sees four Spirit Dogs; Sky, Forest, River, and Earth. Beside them are the four pups Lucky had dreamed of. The dark brown pup raises her head and stares right at Lucky before fading from view. Before the pack goes to sleep, Lucky wonders if he should tell Sweet that he saws a vision of their pups, and he wishes he could see them again. However, he doesn't tell her, yet is positive that the pups will arrive when Tree Flower comes.
In the Gathering Darkness Arc[]
A Pack Divided[]
Although River is not yet born in A Pack Divided, he and his siblings are mentioned several times.
When Storm comes back from a hunting patrol and sees Lucky and Sweet together, she notes that Alpha's sides are rounded with her and Lucky's pups. Lucky's gaze is a combination of love, pride, and faint anxiety, and Storm is surprised that his first pups should really be so exciting. She thinks it is right that Lucky should be focused on his mate and their soon-to-be-born pups, and she notes that he would be a wonderful Father-Dog. Thorn and Beetle are seen wrestling in camp, and Beetle tells his litter-sister, who reports of a fox, and if it would come near camp, Alpha and her pups would get a new fox-hide bed. As they eat that night, Alpha takes a modestly sized rabbit, and Storm thinks that it is a good choice for a future Mother-Dog, as it is enough for her and her unborn pups, but not too much.
Later, as Lucky and Sweet talk together, the Beta asks his mate what stories he will tell their pups. Alpha laughs that she will tell them about her Spirit Dogs and his, and that she expects that he would do the same. Alpha offers to tell her one of his Mother-Dog's stories, and Lucky accepts.
When a loudbird flies near camp, Lucky gazes at Alpha, and Storm wonders if she can even run very fast while carrying a litter. Storm realizes that he isn't acting like an Alpha or Beta, but is only thinking of his mate and their unborn pups. After the loudbird leaves, Bella and Lucky discuss how he had been panicking, and Bella sympathizes that it is understandable, as he will be a Father-Dog and is obviously going to worry about his mate and pups. Lucky turns his head away, embarrassed, but Bella goes on that the best way to help Alpha and the pups is to do what they must do it the city.
Right before Moon gets accused of stealing prey, Lucky offers to get Alpha some prey, but Alpha objects that she is carrying pups and not the weight of the Earth-Dog. Later that night, after Moon is punished, Alpha's head is down and her tail droops, and Storm asks her if everything is alright. The Swift-dog replies that she is making sure that her legs don't get stiff, and she adds that she needs to stay strong, for both her pups and the Pack.
When the foxes attack the camp, it is noted that Alpha is too heavy with pups to fight, and must be protected. After the foxes leave and the dead fox pup is discovered, Lucky backs protectively against Alpha as if thinking of his own vulnerable pups in her belly. Dogs within the Pack discuss about who might have killed the fox-pup, but Lucky chastises them for picking fight with one another when their Alpha is about to give birth to her first pups.
When there is another squabble among the patrol-dogs, Alpha squirms from her den, and her belly is noted to look heavy and round, as if her flanks can hardly contain the growing pups.
Later, when Storm goes to talk to Alpha about how Beta and Snap went to hunt the Golden Deer, Alpha's silhouette is very distended, and Storm thinks that it can't be long until the pups come. Alpha is concerned for her mate until Storm tells her about the chase that he went on. Later that night, when Storm goes to talk to Moon while she is on the High Patrol and the two discuss the dead fox pup, the farm-dog mentions that she hopes that Alpha and Beta's pups will be safe and happy, and notes that she would hate it if anything were to happen to them. When Storm goes to help catch the Golden Deer next time, she tells her Beta that she thins that the Wind-Dogs are helping them because they want to Pack to have it for Lucky's pups. When their Pack howls, however, Snap, Lucky, and Storm go to them, where they find Alpha, who howls but is unharmed, her flanks still rounded with pups.
Dead of Night[]
Sweet's pups are ready to come after they have a moment of silence at Whisper's burial. She winced, her strong and noble stance sagging as she bent her nose low to the earth. She looks up, her large eyes wide as she announces that the pups were coming. While Sweet is birthing, an anguished whimper splits the air around the camp. She yowls during the process. Moon is with her to help with the process.
River is born along with his three siblings. He experiences his Den Break, the pup's first time outside when his eyes are open and they are ready to be introduced to the Pack. He is the first pup introduced. Alpha emerges with a sandy-colored ball of Earth held carefully in her jaws. Lucky announces him as the male pup, River. Alpha sets the pup down on the grass outside the den.
River is shaggy and golden-colored, and has floppy ears, just like his Father-Dog. But his muzzle is longer, like his Mother-Dog's, and when he blinks at the gathered Pack, there is wonder in his large dark eyes. Sweet says that also he is too young to walk, he does not seem to know that. There is pride resonating in her voice. After him, Forest is set down beside him.
When Earth is introduced and placed down, she tries to sniff River, who rolls out of her way.
When Sky is the last one introduced and placed on the ground, River shuffles towards her like all of his litter-mates, and nudges at her with the top of his head. The fur between his eyes is licked by Sky.
The Pack welcomes them with a Welcome Howl. Lucky helps nose the pups toward Alpha, who is lying down, and they all suckle happily while the rest of the Pack feasts.
Later, one of the foxes gets into the den and bites River, and would have killed him, if Breeze had not saved him. Sweet and Lucky are angry at Storm for failing to save River.
More coming soon!
Into the Shadows[]
Coming soon!
Red Moon Rising[]
Coming soon!
The Exile's Journey[]
River is at the Wild Pack camp when Storm arrives, and he asks for Storm to stay. Storm thinks that he must've forgiven her, then.
More coming soon!
The Final Battle[]
Coming soon!
Trivia[]
- It was likely that River would be a male because of his namesake Spirit Dog (Forest-Dog) being a male. [1]
- This was later revealed to be true.[5]
- River is referred to as Forest in Storm of Dogs.[1]
- River and his siblings were born in Tree Flower,[8] the term dogs use for Spring, as well as New Leaf.
Family[]
Members[]
Sire-Dog:
Mother-Dog:
Sisters:
- Sky:[3] Living As of The Final Battle
- Forest:[3] Living As of The Final Battle
- Earth:[3] 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
References and Citations[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Revealed in Storm of Dogs, page 192
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Revealed in Storm of Dogs, page 191
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Revealed in Dead of Night, page 71
- ↑ Revealed in The Final Battle
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Revealed in Dead of Night, page 69
- ↑ Revealed in The Empty City, page 94
- ↑ Revealed on Gillian's Facebook
- ↑ Revealed in Storm of Dogs, page 288