Author's Note: This story's from back in my Fanpop days, and it's about an original character belonging to a friend of mine from there. When I asked him recently about posting it here, he was very happy to give his permission. It's a 5-part story - my first multi-parter.

Hank's POV: I'd left my pack to the north two days ago, and headed south. I was looking for another pack to join, since I wanted a chance to be more than the lowest Beta in the pack. Just this morning, I'd started to find scent-marks from other wolves - I'd found another pack's territory. Now I just needed to find someone from that pack to talk to about joining it. But I also needed to be sure that I wouldn't be attacked on sight. I needed to be cautious. An unwelcome lone wolf is a dead wolf.

I heard two wolves coming up the path, so I hid in the bushes beside the path so I could see them and judge as to whether or not to risk trying to talk with them. Then the wind shifted, and I scented something else. There was a Mountain Lion in some bushes on the other side, up the path about 100 feet away. I knew it was waiting in ambush for the wolves who were coming up the path. Though I didn't want to risk being attacked myself, I had to warn them. Just before they got to the bush I was hiding in, I poked my head out and whispered "Psst... Guys, there's a Mountain Lion in the bush on the other side, up there." I pointed to the bushes up the path.

They both stopped dead in their tracks and looked over to where I was. One of them was short and squat, and radiated a sense of "don't mess with me". The other one looked kind of like me, except his fur was dark gray, with some lighter gray, while mine's blue. The shorter one growled, bristled, got up in my face, and said "And what're you doin', hidin' in our territory like that? You don't belong here! You'd better leave before I MAKE ya leave!"

The taller one whispered to him "Cando, we've got a bigger problem, here. I just caught scent of it, myself. Don't tell me you can't smell it, too. I can sense it, getting ready to jump out of the bush up there."

Cando turned, sniffed, and looked uneasy. "Yeah, Hutch," he whispered back, "I c'n smell it. Plan Delta Three, right?"

Hutch nodded once, and they both backed off slowly, and I joined them in retreating a ways down the path. Once we were all what we thought was a safe distance away, the two turned to me. Hutch spoke first "Thanks for the warning. If you hadn't stopped us we would have walked right into that Mountain Lion before the breeze shifted." Cando glared at me, but kept his silence. He knew I'd likely just saved their lives.

I nodded to Hutch. "So, now what's the plan?"

He looked at me like he was deciding something. Then he said "Plan Delta Three is to fall back and get ready to attack the enemy. Or at least try to scare them off. Are you with us?"

"Well, I don't like messing with a Mountain Lion, but you'll have a better chance with my help than without it." I nodded. "Since I want to try to join your pack, I'll help you."

"Formal introductions will have to wait until this problem's taken care of, but I'm Hutch." He indicated the other wolf with a paw, "This is Cando. We're on scout duty for the Western part of the United Packs."

"I'm Hank. All right, since this is your party, what do you want me to do?"

Hutch said "Just follow our lead, Hank."

"And stay outta our way! Got it?!" Cando growled, glaring up at me.

I could sense that Cando's attitude was his way of showing that his size didn't affect his ability to take care of anything needing taking care of. I knew it wouldn't take much to set off his temper, so I kept my silence, since the last thing I needed right now was a fight.

They both started walking up the path as if they didn't know anything was wrong. I followed.

We got within 75 feet . . . 50 feet . . . 25 feet . . .

Then it leapt out of the bushes, directly in our path! It screamed the bloodcurdling cry Mountain Lions have. The one that usually sends someone running in the opposite direction. That's just what they want you to do, so they can chase you and attack you from behind. It's a lot easier to kill you that way.

I noticed something about this one, though. It was smaller than average. It was just old enough to be out looking for a territory of it's own. I glanced over at the others, and saw in their faces that they'd figured out the same thing. This still might not be easy, but it wasn't going to be as tough as we'd feared, either. Maybe we could even bluff it into leaving . . .

Hutch and Cando both laid their ears back, raised their hackles, and growled ferociously. I did the same, stepping up beside them across the path.

I saw the fear come into the young Mountain Lion's eyes as it realized it was facing three angry wolves. The odds weren't in it's favor. It turned and ran, and we ran after it, barking and snarling, but careful not to get close enough for it to feel it had to turn and fight for its life. It didn't even glance over its shoulder. It just RAN!

Once we were sure it'd keep going, we all stopped, panting for breath after our run. After a few moments to catch our breath, Hutch laughed. "Well, that was easier than we could have hoped for!" He looked over at me and grinned. "Thanks for the assist, Hank." He offered his paw for a paw-bump. I gladly gave him one. I looked at Cando, but all I got was a glare. He still wasn't happy about my being here. I guessed that he was the type that, until someone was officially welcomed, didn't like having strangers around. I felt a bit annoyed, since I'd just helped him and Hutch chase the Mountain Lion off, but I knew there was no changing his mind, either.

Hutch smiled over at me and said "Well, Hank, let's get you to our den area, so you can talk with our leader. Or her father, really, since she's out on a hunt this morning with some of the other Alphas.

"This way," he added, trotting back down the path. I followed him and Cando.