An eerie, wavering wolf's howl sounded over the mountains--the piercing note traveling many miles away from it's origin.
A man shivered and grabbed his heavy jacket more securely around his shoulders. His companion only flicked a cigarette into the dirt and ground it out with his heel before he grasped the gun at his side.
"Wolves." the first man said after a moment, feeling cold in spite of the blazing fire in front of them.
The second man grunted in response and began to rub his gun down with an oily rag.
"It's miles away," he grunted and squinted into the forest before spitting into the dirt and going back to his gun. "We'll find them soon enough."
* * * *
Anlage stood, his head whipped around towards the forest.
"That's the patrol!" he said--simultaneously leaping off the rock where he had paced till near sun-high. Curiosity burned in him as well as anxiety but he glanced around the camp to gather a patrol in case it was an emergency.
"Roulette! Sparr!" his eyes scanned for the two wolves. "Go find them and report back if stronger forces are needed."
Roulette jumped up, a look of importance on her face.
"Come on!" she called to Sparr. She was as interested as Anlage to discover what had happened to the patrol that had left earlier that day.
31 comments:
Sparr, who had been joking around with Siku and Raiden just a few moments before, was on what would best be described as 'alert mode' within a moment. He was on his feet, his face set. This was a big deal, an important task. And despite the number of quailified wolves around, they were choosing two of the newest, two that seemed the least likely to be trusted? That was a big leap. He had to be sure he didn't mess anything up, that he did the best he could. He trotted to where Roulette was, with a slight nod in greeting. "Let's go." He said, leading out of camp and into the forest, the tree clouding the secrets of their packmate's welfare.
Roulette trotted beside Sparr after briefly taking in his appearance. His fur was a very attractive golden tan and his amber colored eyes caught hers briefly as he nodded his greeting. She flipped her mind to the task at hand and broke into an easy lope.
"I've been here before--" she said. "I know where they are."
Sparr nodded slightly, glancing in her direction. "I'm glad you do." He replied. "'Cause I don't have the slightest idea." he added- as much of a joke as he could come up with, in face of the task they were given. Who knew what had happened, if there had been death or bloodshed? He wasn't too excited to found out, admittedly.
Roulette slowed as she came around the bend and found Desire lying splayed on the ground beside two bear cubs (remember we need to find something to do with them,), Ananza and Kuoza hovering nearby.
"Hey! What happened here?" Roulette asked, scanning the site.
"What the.." she took in the dead bear and then glanced back at the bear cubs. Cold spread through her stomach.
"Is...is Desire.."
Kuoza raised his amber eye's from Desire's bloody pelt as he heard Roulette and Sparr comeing through the brush. He tried to keep his voice steady, but the defeated look in his eyes gave away his feeling. "She's alive now, but we need a safe way to get her back to camp while taking care of the cubs." He added with a slight nod towards the whimpering balls of brown fur shivering nearby. It was obvious how terrified the things were. "If you wouldn't mind taking over care of the cubs, I could try to take her back." Between her wounds and the deep on still seeping blood on his side that stung like fire, he wanted to head back as soon as possible. It was just his unwillingness and cluelessness on what to do with the cubs they had unwillingly acquired that was holding him back.
Sparr glanced at Roulette quickly, as if looking for consent, before replying. "I suppose we could do that."
Roulette tensed, wondering if she would already be witnessing a death in the pack after just joining. She turned to the cubs.
"What are we doing with them? They were hers?" she glanced at the dead bear.
Just then Desire gave a low moan. She staggered upright once again and Roulette moved forward to help her.
"Are you okay?" the brown wolf gasped as her eyes found Desire's five clawmarks on her underside.
Desire was trembling and didn't answer as she stood with her legs splayed to either side, her head low and moving back and forth. Her eyes staring ahead blankly.
"I can't see." she whispered
Kuoza moved next to Desire, bending slightly to support Desire with his shoulder, figuring she would recognize the feel of his abnormally ratty coat. "Let's get you back to camp, Desire." He said softly, his voice shivering with fear as he tried not to show his fear. The wolf Faeinora had some healing knowledge, or so he had heard, but enough to help Desire? He just had to hope she did. He touched her side with his muzzle as he tried to hold her up, the closest he could get to a comforting gesture. "We'll get to camp soon, just stay calm..." He knew just how impossible that was.
Still thinking about how Ananza had almost killed her friends, Ananza padded(is this cat) up to Desire. Looking at Kio with fear and acknowledgment of what she had done, she supported Desire's other side, and whispered, "Desire, it's me, Ananza. We're gonna try to get you to a healer, kay?" Then she looked at the newcomers. One had a golden tan, and the other a brown coat.Dipping her head in greeting, but her eyes showing anxiety, she looked at Kio for the signal to take off.
Ardal staggered within view of the other wolves, blood literally pooling onto the earthy from his sizable wounds. He had been frozen in shock before jumping into battle, earning at least three hefty paw swipes to his body.
His eyes flickered to the the remaining wolves, including two from a fresh patrol. Ardal also noticed Desire's rather injured, limp form. But really caught his attention were the two bear cubs at the side of all the commotion. Within a second his muzzle was drawn into a snarl,"Ananza, before you go anywhere - kill those cubs."
While waiting for the signal, she stared at Ardal's wounds. He was also bleeding heavily. Ananza was about to ask him to apply cobwebs, when what he said caught her attention. Then her eyes got hard. Slowly, carefully, with much power, she said, "No." After letting it sink in, she said, "I will not, not kill innocent cubs. NO." She briefly thought she might be scaring Desire, but it quickly left her mind. Silently calling over the cubs, a determined look on her face, she stared at her friend. Hard.
Desire coughed. Somehow the fall must have punctured something, because a little blood dribbled from her mouth. She growled and turned her head towards the sound of Ananza's voice.
"Kill them." she rasped in a hoarse voice.
Roulette scowled at the two cubs with distaste.
"Why do you bother to try and protect them, Ananza? They may be innocent now, but they have blood-thirst in their veins. Kill them now before they grow old!" she showed her teeth in a disdainful snarl at the two scraps of fur. Desire spoke again, this time her voice more like her own.
"We cannot care for them if we tried, Ananza," she said--directing this at the young wolf's obvious hesitation.
"It isn't a hard choice," Ardal muttered darkly. "Do you hesitate to take down a fawn or rabbit, a sparrow or fox? In turn, do you think the bears will not grow up with vengeance and kill wolf cubs? We are predators, Ananza, we live to kill and to be killed." Maybe it was Maja's influence, but his eyes glazed with a sort of knowing indifference. The scarlet from his veins continued to dirty his fur and the ground beneath him, but he waited Ananza's decision patiently. He wanted the she-wolf to understand and learn how the world worked, even if he was puzzled as to why she would show such hesitation in killing another species. She was a wolf. He wanted her to kill the cubs herself.
Kuoza paused at the first mention of the cub's end. It had been what he was thinking before, the best way to deal with the situation they had been presented with. "Listen to what Ardal says, because he is right. It was you who started the attack, let it be you to clean up after it, to take the blame." He paused, glancing around, before continuing. "Besides, what was our plan? To move the bears, not to kill them. You, however, changed that plan and got the mother bear killed, as well as almost killing all of us. The cubs will die anyways without their mother, you've killed them already. End the cubs, relieve them of their misery. It is both the right thing to do and a punishment for your heedlessness to instructions given to you." He spoke calmly, like an alpha addressing an unruly trainee. Every moment of wait was only putting Desire, as well as everyone else present, at more risk. If Ananza didn't give in, then their plight could only grow worse. He just hoped that the unruly she-wolf could see the desperation of their predicament and do as told.
Glaring with a hard look in her eyes, she repeated, "No." Though hearing Desire say no almost changed her, she made sure not to let in her voice. Speaking again, she said, "Absolutely not. Desire, you obviously have some sort of punture, and I want you to a healer. I'm sure a healer would say the same. Kuoza. I have deep regret for what I have done. But let it be known that I have a motive behind this. A very painful one," looking at Ardal, she continued," You did not see me hunt. I spare all young ones. I will spare a baby sparrow, rabbit, anything. This does not exclude bears. I will care for them fiercely,as I owe this to them for killing their mother. We are equal now. When they are old enough I will let them go, before they turn vicious. I believe everyone has a chance."
Roulette suddenly seemed to transform. She stepped forward stiffly, her eyes narrowed to slits and her white fangs bared at the young female. Her hackles raised fully upwards and she stopped in front of Ananza with her head low. The tension in the air was like the heaviest winter fog.
"Step aside." her low growl was all that could be heard in the quiet clearing.
Staring intently at Roulette, she strongly said, "NO." Hackles raised and fangs bared as well, Ananza didn't want this to turn into a fight, after all, she had just made friends...then lost them...But these cubs were hers. And would be. This newcomer would not make Ananza back down. All sustenance gone from her speech, Ananza would save these cubs.
Roulette snarled once more.
"Ananza, I warn you. If you do not. . .I will."
Desire turned her face toward the black wolf.
"Roulette," she growled her warning and left it at that.
Desire's eyes stared dazedly in front of her, her vision out of focus and mostly blackened. Her head turned halfway towards the group. She inhaled to regain her composure and then spoke quietly but with the hint of aggravation in her voice.
"Ananza, as a wolf, a predator, you must frequently choose between sentimentality and survival. There is a time for mercy, and there is a time when mercy must be withheld."
******
Anlage paced back and forth around the camp.
"Where are they.." he muttered. "Something must have gone wrong." he turned around. "Faeinora!" he shouted across the clearing, beckoning to the healer wolf.
Ananza snarled louder, then turned to Desire while keeping her eyes on Roulette. "Desire. I understand. But these cubs are clueless. They do not know. I believe this is the time to let them survive. Any child should have the chance to grow up, live a life. I. Will. Not. Back. Down." Ananza, barely holding back tears as she realized revenge didn't feel so good, and nosed the cubs.
Ardal tensed at her reply before pausing and giving a defeated sigh. His vision dizzy from blood loss made him a bit desperate to end the argument. "Fine. Let's leave already. I'm worried for myself and Desire, and we can have Maj- I mean the alpha see what we should do." The male wolf also pointed his muzzle toward the cubs. "Leave them in their den and you can come back after whatever decision the alpha makes."
Kuoza grunted in annoyance, but nodded at Ardal's words. "It's not worth the pain to argue with her." He said in agreement, with a head nod at Ananza. "After all, she isn't thinking in the mind of the pack. We can leave the alpha to deal with her consequnces." He spoke scanning over the wolves, but refusing to even look at Ananza. As much as he hated the idea of having to kill the cubs, they were practically dead already. After all, what young could survive without their mother? Wolf pups without someone taking care of them often die withing days, if that, why should bears be any different? Thanks to Ananza, many of the wolves present were seriously injured for nothing, no advantage and no gain. Pointless, stupid injuries that could have been avoided. Still, they gray wolf was trying to keep an even mind, not let anger cloud his judgment. Lives depended on getting back to camp, and right now it was time to go, especially for Desire. Kuoza was supporting the white she-wolf at the shoulder, ready help her walk back, but if it came to it, he would carry her back to camp himself. Waiting was only causing more harm.
Sparr glanced around the group, then at the cubs. "I'll watch them, make sure they don't try to flee. Go." He decided, moving to spand over the brown bundles of potentially deadly fur. Right now, they just looked like nervous, shaking balls of dark fluff, but that would change. Underneath their crying muzzles they hate teeth like sharp flint, and claws just as dangerous. Though innocent now, it wouldn't last. Therefor, they couldn't be allowed to escape. He figured that, since he wasn't part of the battle, the least he could do would be to keep the prisoners and stay behind alone to others could seek help.
****Back at camp****
Faeinora was sorting herbs when she heard Anlage's call. She emerged from her den, trotting across the clearing to the alpha. "Yes? Is something wrong?" She could clearly tell that something was troubling the wise leader. But what could it be? Had something gone wrong with the patrol that she hadn't heard, because she was so intent on sorting the herbs correctly to impress her new pack? She surely hoped not.
Eyes gleaming when she realized she had won, her eyes soon changed to a pang of sadness and anger. But looking at Ardal, she said, "Ardal, get some cobwebs on that. You'll lose too much blood." Then she continued to the cubs. Hoping Sparr wouldn't hurt them, she flashed him a look of gratitude. Feeling another a pang of worry, she padded up to Ardal and started to support him, applying cobwebs as well. Knowing the proud male might protest, she looked at him with a look that said, "I'm sorry-I'll spill later" and waited for a signal to move forward, while staring, for one of the first times in her life, straight down.
Although hesitant, Ananza had come up to him and tried to support Ardal. He gave a thin smile; he knew her heart was in the right place, even if her reasoning wasn't. "Thanks."He said softly, leaning against her. He glanced around at the other wolves, and seeing as they all were prepared to leave he grunted, "Let's get going then."
***
Maja wasn't oblivious to what was going on around her. Her sharp, intuitive nature continued to poke and prod her relentlessly until she did something. The delicate mottled wolf had her jaw set for a while, waiting - worried. What if something happened to Ardal? It didn't help that the alpha looked anxious too, subtle signs of uneasiness shown in his movements.
"Faeinora." Maja blinked when he called the young healer. She came into sight a few seconds later, smelling strongly of herbs and something sweet. Unable to keep herself as collected as she would have liked, Maja got up from her spot a little ways under a fir tree. She padded swiftly up to the two other wolves, determined.
"Alpha," she bowed her head respectfully before meeting Anlage's strangely dark colored eyes. "If you decide to call for the patrol's return and they do not answer with their own howls, could I be allowed to find them?" She also glanced at Faeinora, but only very briefly.
Padding forward, Ananza looked around, and looked back at Ardal. Still worried about what would happen to her, Ananza fought back tears. She would not, would not cry again. Even though she had reason to. Ananza could not show her weakness, but she still trembled a bit as her head dizzied for a moment. Though her pelt had minimal scratches, her head felt foggy, and even though she was the one supporting Ardal, she felt glad he hadn't protested. She looked up at Ardal, smiled a tiny smile, and walked forward, one paw at a time.
Roulette growled, annoyed at the decision to leave the argument for later discussion, but not willing to go against her packmates as the single wolf disagreeing. She raised a paw to step forward towards the cubs but then turned and began to walk towards the camp. Her eyes flickered towards Sparr momentarily, his own eyes were on the cubs, then she glanced back at the trail and stared at her paws.
Desire nodded.
"Anlage will decide their final fate," she said. "even if there are disagreements." she shook her fur, staggering slightly as she blinked and tried to clear her vision.
~
Anlage dipped his head to Faeinora.
"The patrol should return shortly, I am unsure if they are wounded or not, but-" he broke off as Maja walked over.
"Alpha," she said and dipped her head gracefully. "If you decide to call for the patrol's return and they do not answer with their own howls, could I be allowed to find them" she asked. He considered for a moment. It would be good for her to have a "mission" as it were, to find them if they do not return. He inclined his head.
"Yes, that is fine." he agreed. He smiled kindly and turned back to Faeinora.
"Please insure that the herbs are stocked, especially Aspen Root for deep puncture wounds and moss for large cuts and scrapes." he dipped his head once more.
"That will be all."
He did not move from his position, but raised his head to the sky and howled a long howl that wolves often howl when connecting to the pack after being separated in a large hunt.
~
"That's the alpha." Roulette said as Anlage's howl reached the traveling group.
******
A female wolf padded up to Faeinora and Anlage. If she remembered corretly, her name was Maja. "Alpha," she said, bowing her head."If you decide to call for the patrol's return and they do not answer with their own howls, could I be allowed to find them?" The alpha paused. "Yes, that is fine." Faeinora agreed with his choice. The dappled wolf looked like she needed a mission, especially if the patrol didn't return soon. She was clearly close with someone on the patrol. Faeinora shivered. What if Eleryn had been on the patrol? The alpha's words interrupted her thoughts."Please insure that the herbs are stocked, especially Aspen Root for deep puncture wounds and moss for large cuts and scrapes." he dipped his head."That will be all." As she walked back to her den, she heard him howl long and clear. "Aspen root..." she muttered under her breath. The pile of roots was fairly low, but if less than half of the patrol was injured, it would be plenty. The pile of moss was a reasonable size, definitely enough even if all the wolves needed it. Hopefully there would be no serious wounds on the first chance she had to heal her new pack.
Eyes diluting in fear at the consequences that were probably going to occur, Ananza felt glad for Ardal's warmth. But she looked forward, and stared at the edge of camp. "Here we go," said Ananza. She stride forward, with as much bravery as she could muster.
Ardal's ears perked at the long, drawn out howl. It was calling to them, asking for their condition, wanting some sort of reply. It caused Ardal's muzzle to become very wolfish - very unusually amused despite their situation. "Well if that's the alpha, we should probably give him something to chew on. Let him know we're alive." Ardal chuckled good-naturedly. He then stopped midstep to answer with his own howl, the deep sound vibrating against through his body.
Anlage smiled.
"They're headed back--that howl was closer." he said to nobody in particular. He shook his fur out and then sat back on his haunches. After the anxiety eating at him all day he now felt tired and hungry as well.
"Siku, Maja, will you two check the borderline along the north-east section and while you're there, catch some prey?" he asked, trotting over to them.
Smiling, Ananza knew that the pack would know they were safe. To some extent. Ananza could almost see the camp- but it was taking longer with the injuries. But at least she'd probably get some medi attention and a bite of food before she had to face Anlage. But at the moment, Ananza was singing a happy tune as they got closer to camp.
Post a Comment