Alpha's Tale/Cliffnotes

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.