A Hidden Enemy

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 in A Hidden Enemy, page 75

A Hidden Enemy
Series	The Original Series
Book Number	2
Pages	288
Word Count	55,343
Author	Gillian Phillip
Date Released	Hardcover: May 7th, 2013 Paperback: February 11th, 2014 eBook: May 7th, 2013
Identification	Hardcover: ISBN 0062102605 Paperback: ISBN 0062102621 eBook: ASIN B009NG12VS
Preceded by	The Empty City
Succeeded by	Darkness Falls
Additional Information	A Hidden Enemy Cliffnotes Characters Pack List Chapters Cover Gallery Sample

A Hidden Enemy is the second book in the Original arc. The main dog on the cover is Alpha with Sweet, Fiery, and Mulch behind him. Lucky is the dog behind and to the left of Alpha.

Dedication

With special thanks to Gillian Philip

For Jamie Philip

The Blurb

The lines between Packs will blur—and not every dog will survive.

Bella and the Leashed Dogs have finally settled in the forest. But a fierce Pack of Wild Dogs has laid claim to the land, and their menacing Alpha will stop at nothing to ensure that the territoy is his alone.

Lucky has taught the Leashed Dogs much about survival since the Big Growl, and they refuse to back down. Bella hatches an intricate plan--a plan that centers on Lucky's sly and cunning intelligence. Though he still feels the pull of a Lone Dog life, Lucky agrees to help, knowing that he can't leave his friends until they are safe. Now Lucky will be tested in more ways than one—-and his true loyalties will be determined. Is it with the Leashed Pack and Bella? Or the Wild Pack with Sweet? Read to find out!

The Praise

"Wild and wonderful adventure."

—Kirkus Reviews

"Well-rounded characters, deep folklore and difficult problems without obvious answers drive the story. These dogs are not just loyal human companions, but warriors, leaders and friends. Perfectly crafted."

—Kirkus Reviews

"Hunter expertly explores the tensions between responsibility and freedom; risk and safety; and loyalty and acceptance. Viewing the unfolding adventure through Lucky’s eyes makes even the most mundane or familiar seem alive with magic. Wild and wonderful adventure for middle-graders."

—Kirkus Reviews

”It’s an awesome book! I recommend Erin Hunter to everyone!

-MarthaRules

Detailed Plot Summary

In the prologue, Yap, who will be known as Lucky in the future, is hunting a beetle when he hears a howl in the distance. He runs back toward his family in fright and tucks in beside his littermates. Their mother-dog explains that it was a wolf and describes them as sneaky creatures. She tells them a story of Nuzzle, who was Lightning's grandpup, and her encounter with Greatfang and her wolves. The mother-dog uses this tale to warn her pups to stay away from wolves. After the story, Yap goes to sleep.

Lucky races back to the valley to save his friends, and stops to see the enemy Pack attacking them. Upon looking at their Alpha, Lucky realizes that he is part wolf. Alfie dashes in to challenge their Alpha, and upon seeing Lucky return, the small dog leaps at the Alpha with renewed courage. The dog-wolf slashes Alfie and he collapses. Suddenly, the ground begins trembling and all the dogs realize it it is another Big Growl. The two Packs scatter in separate directions and Lucky sees a dog fall in the opening chasm. Barely surviving himself, he decides to help the dog who is trapped. When Lucky looks over the edge, he is shocked to see it is Sweet, the same dog who escaped with him from The Trap House. He helps Sweet climb out and she tells him she is the Beta of the Pack. Sweet invites him to join her Pack. He declines her offer and Sweet wishes him the best. She leaves to return to her Pack and Lucky goes to find the Leashed Dogs.

Lucky finds the place, where Alfie is dying. A few dogs are lamenting that he was barely out of puppyhood. Lucky was there right at Alfie murder, and Bella goes to him. They start talking, and eventually, Bella has a plan, trying to make Lucky feel bad a little so that he would follow it. He reluctantly agrees to act as a spy in the Wild Pack. Bella shows him a abandoned longpaw camp, where they would meet up every night to share details and new finds.

Lucky goes to the territory of the Wild Pack, and is questioned by Twitch, Dart, and Spring. He claims that he knew Sweet from the city, and wishes to speak with her. They correct him and say she is called Beta. The three patrol dogs attack him. Suddenly, Sweet happens upon the skirmish, sees Lucky being attacked and commands the Packmembers to leave him. At her orders, they stop, back away, and question Sweet. She stops them from protesting, and she says that she's going to show Lucky to the Alpha, without any objections. No dog attempted to argue with her because of the Beta's high status in the Pack. As she walks with Lucky, he questions her but Sweet dismisses his words.

Lucky is taken in the camp, and is questioned by the leader, Alpha, the Dog-Wolf from before. He states that he needs no more dogs in his pack. Lucky tries to convince Alpha, saying that Sweet would vouch for him. Alpha corrects his use of Sweet's name instead of Beta. Still hesitant, Alpha asks the Beta to do what a Beta is supposed to: advise him. She convinces Alpha that he should stay in the Pack by vouching for his skills and value to the pack. She says that he could fill in Moon's spot as Patrol Dog since she is nursing pups. Alpha accepts him as a member to the pack but he begins with a low rank.

Lucky is underneath Twitch's rank but above the Omega and he already begins to think of ways to rise in the ranks. The next day, he is patrolling with Twitch and Dart, already irritated at Twitch's bossy commands. He finds it strange that they have to follow the same tracks everyday but Lucky makes use of the territory patrolling by identifying areas Bella's Pack could hide or use to their advantage. He wonders if Dart or Twitch suspect his sniffing around, but observes that the two are not very alert. The two come across a clean river, and Lucky notes aloud that the river has not been poisoned. Dart affirms his observations, stating that the river-poison couldn't taint so much water. When Lucky expresses pity for the Leashed Dogs' desperation, Twitch dismisses their plight for resources, stating that it was not their problem. Lucky feels the urge to drink and dips his muzzle to quench his thirst while the two patrol dogs talk poorly about Bella's Pack. Dart catches him and is horrified, claiming that he is indulging. Twitch is stern, restating that Alpha commands them not to indulge on patrol beyond a quick lap of water, for it would dull their senses and distract them.

Lucky is surprised at this and rejoins the patrol to continue their patrol. He is shocked that Alpha would not permit his dogs to indulge in water, but admits that he was vulnerable and blissfully unaware of any potential dangers while taking a long sip. Dart says that they are also forbidden from eating anything they catch or find, that a Pack Dog learned the lesson recently: apparently the dog ate a rabbit corpse while on patrol and was later on exiled by Alpha. They do not speak of his name. Twitch commands him to search over a hill, since it could shelter three dogs in hiding. At Lucky's questions on what they were supposed to be looking for, Twitch says any signs of dogs, raccoons, foxes or sharpclaws. Dart grumbles that if it was a small threat, they could handle it themselves. The patrols are set up in pairs of three so that one dog could run back for help while the other two fought.

After that conversation, Twitch praises Lucky on his thorough checking. His tone is like that of an indulgent but strict Mother-Dog. Lucky realizes this is because he took Twitch's former rank before. He felt the urge to ask why Twitch and Dart insisted on living under such a harsh rule after comparing it to his Leashed Pack equal prey-sharing and friendship. But he kept himself silent. He then asks about Beta. Twitch tells him that Beta joined only half a Moon-Dog's journey ago, but she rose up in the ranks very quickly. Lucky is impressed but feels a strange twist of pain in his belly.

Twitch says enough, stating that they needed to check the boundary the way Moon would or else she would have something to say. Lucky wonders why he is so afraid of Moon since it's clear that Moon would have no idea if he did it right since she couldn't see from the camp. Lucky sniffs the ground and realizes they are following the same pawprints from previous patrols, and repeating the same path of each patrol prior. He is in disbelief, thinking it must be crazy to repeat the same procedure every day. Lucky wonders if the Wild Pack is oblivious to potential danger or just hardened enough to not mind an occasional shake of the Earth-Dog.

Prey-creatures begin to cross their paths and Lucky instinctively pounces for a mouse's tail, pinning it. Dart interferes, slamming into him and letting the mouse escape. He is shocked. Dart snaps that he had no business catching it. Twitch chimes in to scold him: patrol dogs do not hunt, especially on patrol. Lucky is still in disbelief, not believing his ears and claims it's natural to hunt. Twitch says that it was not their role and that they had to be promoted to the Hunter's Den to gain the privilege to hunt.

Later on, the patrol dogs head back to camp for prey-sharing. Alpha hops down from his rock towards the prey-pile. Lucky takes this as the time to eat and begins to walk forward towards the meal only to be nipped sharply by Dart. She firmly tells him that they can't eat yet and must wait. Lucky asks if Alpha will divide up the prey as their leader begins to eat his fill. He is dismayed as the prey-pile begins to shrink as higher-ranking dogs each take their turn to eat. Lucky begins to feel rotten at the bottom of the pecking order. He wonders if there would be anything left for him.

Mulch tries to steal a mouse that had fallen awhile from the pile. Sweet savagely bites at him, warning him that he would be demoted if he repeated that act. Lucky is shocked by Sweet's nature. Lucky asks if Spring was Twitch's sister, to which the lame dog confirms with a bitter tone that she was also born with all her paws working. Lucky then learns of challenging another dog to improve their rank and after Twitch eats his meal, Lucky comes forward to eat his. He feels guilty, seeing the Omega waiting. He plans on leaving some for Omega, but Sweet scolds him harshly and threatens to bite off his ear. She says that Omega does not need pity, for the lack of a proper meal would be an incentive for him to try harder to raise in the ranks. Lucky is shocked that this was the same shy, gentle Sweet he had met at the Trap House. He eats his fill and the Omega comes forward to make the last measly scraps last by chewing on the bones.

The pack finishes their prey-sharing and begins the Great Howl. At Sweet's invitation for Lucky to join in the Great Howl, Lucky realizes he can feel the Spirit-Dogs around him. In the energy of howling with the Pack, he feels as though he were united with them. He feels loyalty and pride for his newfound Pack. Gradually as the Howl ends, so does the invigorating feeling. Lucky retires to the Patrol Dog den, but as he sleeps, he sees Sweet with Alpha. He feels the sharp fang bite of jealousy.

Then Lucky in a few chapters later challenges, Snap, the hunter. He wins out of trickery, though, Snap being a good sports says good job, and wishes that he could teach her some of those city dog moves. Lucky agrees only if she teaches him a few of her moves. He is promoted in place of Snap, and Snap is demoted one rank. Mulch is demoted to a Patrol Dog.

Lucky meets with Bella, and when leaving, he feels that Bella was waiting for him to leave, but scolds himself that they're both anxious. Whine had followed him, and tells Lucky what he must do, if he doesn't want to be found out, Lucky does this, and targets Mulch. He eats a few bites of a carcass, and puts Mulch's fur on it. Mulch is scarred and demoted to Omega, while Whine is promoted to Patrol Dog.

Bella and the Leashed Pack attack with foxes on their side, for only a few moments. One fox kills Fuzz, Moon's pup, and Mulch also dies protecting the Pack's youngest members. Both packs start fighting against the foxes, eventually driving the creatures out. Alpha says he should kill Bella, but Moon defends her, saying that everyone's made mistakes. Fiery agrees with her. Sweet says that maybe the Packs should join together, and that Bella gets to choose. Alpha agrees, but Whine reveals Lucky's secret, forcing Lucky to choose which side he's on.

Trivia

• This is the first book to have a Pack List.
• Instead of saying, "On the other paw," it is mistakenly said, "On the other hand."

Publication History

• A Hidden Enemy (EN), HarperCollins (hardcover), 7 May, 2013
• A Hidden Enemy (EN), HarperCollins (paperback), 11 February, 2014
• A Hidden Enemy (EN), HarperCollins (E-Book), 7 May, 2013
• Ein verborgener Feind (DE), Beltz & Gelberg (hardcover), 12 May, 2014
• 诡影迷踪 (CN), 中国少年儿童出版社 (paperback), 1 August, 2014
• Yllättävä vihollinen, (FI), Jalava (hardcover), 7 November 2014
• L'ennemi dans l'ombre (FR), Pocket Jeunesse (paperback), 11 August, 2015
• Ein verborgener Feind (DE), Beltz (paperback), 11 July, 2016