Wolves of the Beyond, Lone Wolf, by Kathryn Lasky

The wolves of the Macduncan clan have many rules. One of them is that if any pup is born deformed, it had to be abandoned, and the pack would move on. If the abandoned pup somehow survived, then it would be taken in to the pack as a gnaw wolf, whose job is to chew stories in bones, like a recorder for wolves.

One wolf in the Macduncan clan was about to have pups. She knew that one of her pups would be deformed, so she left the pack in hopes that no one would find her and take away her pup away. But one wolf who was the best tracker followed her trail and took away the pup with the splayed paw. The pup was abandoned.

A bear who had recently lost a cub found the pup. She adopted him and named him Faolan. Faolan called her Thunderheart. Thunderheart taught Faolan how to walk on his hind legs and jump very high. She made him use his splayed paw the most, and soon it was as strong as all the rest of his paws.

Soon it was time for hibernating. Thunderheart explained it to Faolan and told him that could leave the cave when ever he wanted. During Thunderheart's hibernation Faolan left the cave many times to go hunting. One day Faolan went farther then usual. Thunderheart woke up and couldn't find him. So she left the cave to try and find him.

When Faolan came back, Thunderheart was gone. He went far and wide, searching for her until he found her skeleton. Faolan was heart broken! He howled and howled, and when he did other wolves howled back. They were calling him, and Faolan knew it was time to go back.