
The cliffnotes below detail events in the book as they occur.
Chapter 1[]
- Pup is stalking a weasel.
- Pup loses the weasel thinking about his Name.
- Pup finds the weasel and catches it.
- Pup's Mother-Dog tells him he is a fine hunter.
- Pup thinks about how his sire was a dog.
- Pup and Graceful walk back to their camp.
- Pup overhears Bold and Fleet talking bad about him and Graceful.
- Pup runs into Daring.
- Daring and Strident snap and snarl at Pup.
- Beta comes and tells Daring and Strident to go do something.
- Pup decides as soon as he has his name he will challenge Daring, and he swears he will never be Omega.
Chapter 2[]
- Pup talks to his half-brother, Quick.
- Alpha is watching Pup.
- The wolves Howl to the Great Wolf.
- Alpha tears apart a Rabbit and calls Pup forward.
- Alpha asks the other wolves to name him.
- No wolf says anything.
- Quick says they should name him Dog.
- The whole pack loves the name, though Pup despises it.
- Alpha says his name is Dog now.
- Dog runs up to Quick and snarls at him.
- Quick runs off to join the other wolves.
- Dog tells himself he'd prove to them he is a good wolf.
Chapter 3[]
- A full year has passed; it is Ice Wind once more.
- By now, Dog is fully grown, powerful, and the leader of his own hunting patrol.
- Dog, Noble, Daring, and Brave are hunting deer.
- Daring and Brave ruin the plan by running at the buck too early.
- The patrol only manages to catch the buck.
- Noble and Brave quarrel with Dog.
- Dog challenges Daring, even though he is already her superior.
- Daring comes up with an excuse not to fight.
- The patrol heads back to camp, and Dog is forced to carry the buck.
- At camp, Dog argues with Graceful about his Sire-Dog.
Chapter 4[]
- The next day, Dog, Quick, Brave, and Wise hunt. Quick leads the hunt.
- They go to hunt sheep, but although Dog warns them of odd smells of other dogs, Quick dismisses him.
- The wolves attack several sheep, but four Fierce Dogs come.
- All the wolves but Quick escape, and Dog goes to save his half-brother.
- The Fierce Dogs trap Dog and he passes out.
Chapter 5[]
- Dog wakes in the Rancher's house, and is collared.
- Calamity introduces herself to Dog, and decides to call him Wolf.
- The Rancher comes inside, and Calamity acts submissive toward him.
Chapter 6[]
- Dog eats the food and water provided to have strength to escape the Rancher's house.
- Sundance introduces his Pack to Dog.
- The Fierce Dogs hear howling outside, and Sundance orders his dogs to start wolf-hunting.
- The wolves come back, and say that Dog's Pack has abandoned him.
- Sundance tells Dog that he killed his Mother-Wolf
- Dog grieves for Graceful. Calamity briefly tries to comfort him, before leaving him to mourn along.
Chapter 7[]
- Dog is hit with the loudstick when he growls at the Rancher.
- Dog gets a new collar that squeezes his neck when he tenses. Dog hates the new collar.
- The Rancher and Longpaw Fangs begin Dog's training.
- Sundance translates Rancher's orders for Dog
- Dog slowly gets used to it. He begins to admire the Longpaw Fang's behavior and teamwork, and feels a tug obeisance toward his the Rancher's voice.
- After about 15 to 20 days, Dog has learned all of the words by heart, and is offered his first treat.
- Rancher changes Dog's collar, and Calamity tells Dog that he is doing a great job.
- Dog gets to sleep with the other Longpaw Fangs that night, and he gets more food, too.
Chapter 8[]
- After several moons, Wolf is a Longpaw Fang, and has good feelings for Calamity.
- That night, instead of clipping him to the leash, the Rancher assigns Calamity and Wolf to guard.
- Before going, Sundance tells Calamity to keep an eye on Wolf.
- Wolf enjoys guarding with Calamity. They race, and he asks her to be his mate.
- They are interrupted by squawking, and Dog smells a coyote.
- The coyote kills a hen. Wolf hesitates in pity for too long, and the other Longpaw Fangs come and kill it.
- The Rancher comes outside, and Sundance tells Calamity and Wolf that they will be punished.
Chapter 9[]
- Sundance tells Wolf and Calamity that they will be given scars.
- Zorro and Belle have to hold Wolf down as Sundance scars his paws, although Calamity accepts the scar without even being asked.
- After the other Longpaw Fangs leave Wolf and Calamity, Wolf decides that he can't live with the Longpaw Fangs, and he asks Calamity to come with him.
- Calamity says that she must stay with her family, but she tells Dog that he must go quickly. Calamity promises to give him a start before raising the alarm.
- Wolf tries to escape through the hole in the fence, but it is stuffed with earth and stones.
- Wolf jumps on top of the sheep shelter, then onto the fence as the Fangs chase him.
- Wolf barely manages to reach the other side, and he runs for freedom.
Chapter 10[]
- Wolf wanders on his own, and hopes to find a Pack.
- Wolf hears a pup squeal, and he runs toward it.
- He comes face-to-face with a giantfur, and he sees a dog pup is trapped between the roots of a pine.
- Wolf defends the pup, and the Giantfur flees.
- The pup introduces himself to Wolf as Snail, and asks to come with him.
- Wolf doubtfully accepts.
- Snail asks Wolf what his name is and, after thinking, the half-wolf says that it is Alpha.
Alpha's Tale Chapters | |
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Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6 • Chapter 7 • Chapter 8 • Chapter 9 • Chapter 10 |
Survivors Cliffnotes | |
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Survivors Books | The Empty City • A Hidden Enemy • Darkness Falls • The Broken Path • The Endless Lake • Storm of Dogs • A Pack Divided • Alpha's Tale • Sweet's Journey • Moon's Choice |