Reign of the Timberwolves, the story of Mathias

by SirMorgarath

This book is about a wolf who strives to survive as his father repeatedly attempts on his life. This is a combination of the Medieval Era and the stone age. I accept any and all reviews and/or criticism, so please don't be afraid to correct me on anything. NOTE: This was my first attempted story.

Reign of the Timberwolves

Written by: Chris Ambrose

Regards to: Jeffrey Walker

Underneath a full Blood Red Moon five tiny pups are born lifeless- maybe an omen from Fenris, a Wolven god, that the Timberwolves should not exist- but that will not deter the Alpha of the newest breed of Wolf-kind, in fact the Timberwolves were formed from a White Wolf female, and a Black Wolf male, both leaders of an old pack. The Black Wolf was kicked out of his pack for mating with the White she-wolf; the Black Wolf's name is… Bashana, son of the fabled Wolfbane, leader of the most feared Black Wolf pack, formed by Wolfbane who led for many years and an extra one after the "end of his life", where he was granted a wish by Tor, another Wolven god, his wish was to be immortal and to rule a land of dead wolves. Even though it was two wishes, Tor granted them for Wolfbane was a most feared wolf. His pack grew to be 100 at the most and he called it the "Greater Pack", other wolves called it "Wolfbane's Revenge" due to the packs that had been slain, because of when he was a pup and was turned down by all of them. He left no survivors when he attacked, although, occasionally, if there were pups he would take them and train them to be the fiercest Wolven Warriors known to Wolf-kind. After awhile of the "Greater Pack" the wolves rebelled, fatally injuring Wolfbane, and killing those who were loyal and tried to defend him. After that the Greater Pack split up into ten groups of either 3-4 wolves per group, later called packs. One of the females loyal to Wolfbane was alive only because she was out scouting for a new pack to conquer. When she arrived, she saw the bodies of both loyal and rogue wolves. Five years later during an eclipse, three pups were born; two lifeless, both female, the one that survived is a male named Mathias, later renaming himself Bashana for a Dragonelle he was in love with. With Bashana's father being immortal he was also given a fraction of that power by Tor- he has had 10 lives in the Human World- in fact Bashana lives on in the soul of a mortal who is close to few yet caring he cares for many. The White she-wolf's family tree had no special ancestors other than her 5th great grandmother who united the first White Wolf pack which she called "Nytheria's Pack", the pack consisted of 50 White Wolves, more than half of them female, but the special thing about White Wolves is that any two wolves can mate not just the Omega and Alpha. Lexara, the White she-wolf also lives on in the soul of a mortal.

If the pups had been born alive, it would have added to the total population of Timberwolves from eight to thirteen. Of the five still-born pups two were female and three were male. In the first year of the Timberwolves, there were originally nineteen but after the fight there were fourteen remaining, six had died all believed to have been caused by Fenris. One day Lexara asks Bashana,

"Bashana, are we cursed by Fenris?"

"Lexara, I'm not sure if we are cursed, but I sure wish we are not." Bashana looks at her, his expression a mixture of anger and love. The anger was due to the pups that were still-born and the love for his mate.

"If we are, would you leave me?"

"Of course I would not leave you Lexara! Lexara even if you were sterile I would stay with you until I die of excitement and pure joy of loving you."

"Really Bashana, I mean, are you sure?"

"Of course Lexara, remember, you are my True Love."

"If I am your True Love, then prove it to me."

"Alright, I will."

A year later on that date, three small pups are born full of life. One was white with black streaks, another black with white streaks, and the last a complete combination of both. Of the three pups, one is female; she was the one that is the combination of both Bashana and Lexara.

"Lexara, you are officially a mother."

"And you are officially a father, Bashana."

As the months passed the pups grew to be half the size of Bashana who is six feet tall on his hind legs.

"Lexara, I think they will be taller than us when they are fully grown."

"I agree with you, Bashana."

A week later the female's eyes opened for the first time, her eyes were a stunning amber color. The males' eyes opened a couple weeks later, their eye colors were the normal black and brown of wolves' eyes. The odd thing is that the female was stronger than the males together, and normally the male is stronger. After awhile when the pups were able to defend themselves with effect the Black Wolves attack again with Wolfbane among the ranks.

"KILL ANYTHING THAT STANDS IN YOUR WAY!"

The White Wolves are stronger due to Bashana's mass training; they are more skilled in combat and speed than they originally were.

"Defend the Alpha, Omega, and their pups! Do not give up unless you die!"

A mass battle ensues with only twenty White Wolves against fifty Black Wolves. All of them armed and armored to the claw. Even though the White Wolves are outnumbered, they have strength, speed, and teamwork on their side. The first of three waves of the Black Wolves attacks leaving five of the White Wolves dead and three more injured. The White Wolves decide to take the offensive and send six of their best to the battlefield. They take out fifteen of the thirty remaining Black Wolves but sadly all six of the White Wolves die. A second wave is sent, taking down three more White Wolves, all fifteen of the Black Wolves are killed. Six White Wolves and fifteen Black Wolves are still alive. One of the Black Wolves is Wolfbane still with the mark left by Bashana two years ago. All twenty-one wolves clash into a major fight. Only two of the six White Wolves survive and no Black Wolves live, except for Wolfbane. It was when Bashana was returning from the fray still going down that he heard the growls and snarls of wolves fighting each other. He ran towards the sounds and burst into a clearing to find that the female was cornered by three Black Wolves and bravely fending them off even though she was not a fighter. Bashana, outraged by the infiltrated attack rushes to his daughter's aid, but Wolfbane jumps in as well as two more Black Wolves. Wolfbane and the two wolves corner Bashana while he desperately watches his daughter fend off the three Black Wolves. When Wolfbane notices that the three Black Wolves would not take her down, he charges her and buries his canine teeth deep into her jugular vein. Bashana snarls and jumps at one of the Black Wolves near him, catching the wolf off guard. He then charges Wolfbane whose eyes expressing pure joy of the slaughter until he feels a deep gash along his right side where he turns and snaps at Bashana with one of his canine teeth catching his muzzle and scraping a large gash down the side. Wolfbane then runs out of the clearing, laughing and his five allies behind him. Bashana rushes to his fallen daughter and howls a deep, mournful howl and he lies down, resting his head on his daughter's side, his eyes changing to a deep blood red color. Lexara then comes into the clearing to see her daughter dead and Bashana almost in a blind fury. Lexara is followed by the only two wolves who survived the encounter with Wolfbane's attack party. The two other White Wolves who survived are a male and a female. Frost is the male's name; the female's name is Sky. Because of the need for defense, Bashana left to ask other White Wolf packs for help after a few months' time for mourning, his eyes rarely changing from their blood red color to his normal brown eyes. At one pack; the Alpha, Skycutter and, the Omega, Skyblade, had approximately thirty White Wolves in their pack, not counting the young. Bashana asks as he walks in,

"I am no enemy of yours, I ask for defense of my mate's pack to defend from the Black Wolves. Again I am no enemy, I am an ally."

Skycutter replies,

"How many do you have left?"

"Four not counting the young, we originally had twenty-seven, but fifty Black Wolves attacked."

"I shall see what I can do to help."

"Thank you, Alpha Skycutter."

Skyblade speaks then,

"If we defend you, what is in it for us? Granted, we will help you regardless, but we at least want some compensation."

"I will think as we go along with this defense … If it lasts for a full year … We will share our kills with you for an entire year, deal?"

"We have a deal, Alpha Bashana"

"Thank you, Omega Skyblade."

On the morn of the next day, Bashana was awakened by a soft, low howl.

"It is the Sky Pack."

That was his nickname for them, for he did not know the true name of their pack. Skycutter then came to Bashana to discuss important details with him,

"We have decided to join you permanently."

"Of course, you said you are an ally, so after you left we decided to join you permanently."

"Really, are you sure, Alpha Skycutter?" Bashana replies, somewhat shocked

"If we are allies, then I, of course, accept." Skycutter replies, "Although I have one question."

"If you are a Black Wolf, why did you mate with a White Wolf?"

"I am not sure; I guess the Black Wolves I knew were more like a family to me."

"Ah, I see, may I know the name of your mate, Alpha Bashana?"

"Yes, you may. Her name is Lexara."

"Ah, I know her. May I speak to her?"

"Of course, she is in her den between the two oak trees."

Skycutter walked to Bashana and Lexara's den to talk her.

"Lexara, are you in there? It is Skycutter, may I speak to you?"

"Skycutter, is it really you?"

"Yes, it is me, do you mind coming out so that we may talk and catch up to old family relations?

Lexara left the den to talk to her brother and Skycutter spoke first when she approached him,

"Ah, sister it has been along time, five years to be precise."

"Yes, it has been a long time brother, far too long."

"Aye, it has."

The two talked for awhile catching up on things lost or forgotten. The next morning they were woken up by howling again, this time though, it was a war howl, and it was very close. Bashana recognized who had made the call, and it was his father Wolfbane. He tells Lexara,

"Lexara, Wolfbane is coming back, I can sense it... we have to pack everyone up and get out of here."

"But this has been the site of my pack ever since I was removed from my old pack."

"Unless you want to die by my father's claws, WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!"

"I followed you one time, but I will not follow you again! I would rather stay and fight for the small amount of land that I own!"

"I understand Lexara, if you stay, I stay... I will ask for help from other packs... I doubt that they will help us out though. Also, I am sorry for my outburst, can you forgive me?"

"You are not going... we will send my brother, he is a White Wolf after all and yes I forgive you Bashana."

"Thank you Lexara. Also, you may be right they would probably just attack and imprison me, or worse, kill me."

As he said that, Lexara shivers for she can not bear to lose him

"We are sending Skycutter and his mate Skyblade." Lexara said

"I agree with you, Lexara."

At dusk, Skycutter and Skyblade left for help from other packs. At the first pack, they walked in with the kill of their area to symbolize which area of the forest they are from to rid suspicion of possible attack later on. The Alpha, Fireclaw, and the Omega, Firefang, both looked at them suspiciously. As they entered the middle of the pack clearing, Fireclaw speaks,

"What is your business here?"

"We seek help for defense from a large Black Wolf attack."

"Why do you seek our help? In our time of need no other White Wolves helped even though we howled for a half-hour straight."

"We did not hear the signal."

"It does not matter! No one came to help us in time of need! WE SHALL NOT HELP!"

"I understand."

The two wolves left again in search for the next pack. The Alpha's name being Earthen-leaf, and the Omega's name being Oak-blade. When they entered, the response was the same as the Fire Pack's response, but the answer to the question was different.

"Can I help you fellow White Wolves?" Earthen-leaf asks the two-wolf part.

"Yes we seek help from a legion of Black Wolves. We number only thirty-seven White Wolves."

"Our pack is 100 so we can spare maybe a bit more than half."
"Can you merge with our pack permanently?"

"Hmm... possibly, I shall have to seek the council, you can join if you want, but I would not get my hopes up."

"I will join you to the council meeting."

"OK, like I said, do not get your hopes up. They have turned down other possible merges with other packs."

"Alright, I understand Alpha Earthen-leaf."

At the meeting, spoken by wolves unknown,

"If we merge, what are we going to do with our lands?"

"Yes, what shall we do?"

"I was offered one full year of their kills if we defended them, but we decided to join them, because of their urgency, and the fact of young pups to defend."

"How far away is the pack?"

"About a mile away, although, I must add that our Alpha is a Wolf of the Dark, and our Omega is a Wolf of the Snow."

"A mixed mating, but then that means the two leaders are of different species. Why and how could this happen? We are constantly at war with the Black Wolves."

"Yes that is why the Black Wolves are attacking, but I am not sure as to how it happened, I just know that the Omega is my sister, though she was removed from the pack by our parents for certain crimes to the pack which I will not list."

"Is the Alpha of your pack nice or is he a cruel leader?"

"Very nice, he fought off a Black Wolf pack more than double his pack's size, because of his training, but this happened before I arrived there."

"Hmm I did not expect that a Black Wolf would help White Wolves much less mate with one."

At the meeting of the elder wolves of that clan they discussed the decisions to mostly no avail. After three hours of discussion, however, they reached a decision.

"I say we merge. Whoever agrees with me, say 'Aye' if not say 'No!'"

"Aye, I agree!"

"Aye he is a wolf after all!"

"No, he is our sworn enemy!"

"Aye, the Black Wolves have already broken the treaty!"

"No, it is pointless to help a Black Wolf!"

"Aye, they deserve the help, even if it means our demise!"

"Aye, we are all brothers, no matter the coloring of the fur!"

"Aye, the other Black Wolves need to be put in their places!"

"No, we will be annihilated within a few hours' time!"

"Aye, we should help everyone even if they are of a different species than us!"

"It is settled then! We converge into the pack! At high-rise, we leave! Everyone get a good night of rest, and spread the word to the entire pack!"

"Yes Alpha Earthen-leaf and Omega Oak-blade!"

They left the court area and went to their dens after spreading the word to any wolf willing to listen, and then they stretched out and slept the entire night except for a certain few who stayed up because they were too occupied with their thoughts to sleep.

War of the Wolves

(Before the Fight)

On the morning of the next day, they got ready for the one mile march to Bashana's pack, in between that is the Fire Pack. When they passed through some of the wolves spoke among each other.

"What is happening?"

"I do believe it would be a war party… or possibly a defense pack."

"I say we join… I have not fought for a few months and these spars are pointless."

"Let us go and get the armor and weaponry."

"Agreed, anyone else who wants to join us, follow me!"

Ten of the twenty wolves joined the marching group, making it 110 wolves strong, when Fireclaw and Firefang saw this they stared in shock, because it was the largest pack they have ever seen, and at the front they saw Skyblade and Skycutter walking proudly. The entire party stops to let them talk to the Alpha and Omega of the Fire pack.

"Will you join us now? If you join us, you would have as much of a defense you would require."

"I guess… the rest of my pack may be the saving of yours, so we will join you."

"Ok get anything you need and let us get out of here."

"Alright, everyone suit up! We are leaving!"

The group, now containing 124 wolves reached Bashana's land after ten minutes of marching through the forest. Bashana and Lexara walk out of their den to talk to Skyblade and Skycutter. Lexara speaks first,

"I take it you were successful." She looks at the group of 122 wolves

"Yes we were successful. We now have 122 wolves added to the pack, not counting us two"

"That is excellent!"

At that point there are 159 wolves in the entire pack.

"How are we going to feed all of these wolves?" Lexara asks with a worried face.

"Expand our territory?" Bashana offers.

"That might just work… but we would have to convince other packs to give us a bit of their land."

"Hmm… let us send someone to converse with other packs… but not Skycutter and Skyblade since they deserve a rest from their marches… how about Fireclaw and Firefang."

"OK we will do that."

Lexara calls the leaders of the Fire Pack into the den have a chat,

"Yes Omega Lexara?" Firefang asks as they walk in.

"We need you two to run an errand for us to other White Wolf packs about our territory."

"What do you want us to ask Ma'am?"

"How does, 'Alpha Bashana and Omega Lexara wish to speak to you of the current territory of your pack.' Does that sound good?"

Firefang and Fireclaw both lower their front paws toward Lexara, which is the traditional Wolven Salute and at the same time they report out loud, "Yes Ma'am!" then left to go on the errand.

"What an eventful day." Bashana remarks, spooking Lexara who was lost in thought.

"Do not do that!" she said, then softly bit his ear.

"Hey now, that is not nice!" he pawed her face gently. Their game was interrupted by a large war howl which could have only come from a 200 or more wolf war party. What surprised them the most is that when they walked out of their den it was a White Wolf war party, carrying the armor on their backs except for the leader and his defenders.

"We heard of the attack, so we decided to help." The leader said.

"We would be glad for the help in the impending war." Bashana said to the leader.

"And I would be honored to join you in war even though you are a Black Wolf. Everyone suit up and get ready for war!"

The two hundred or so wolves helped each other put on their armor. The wolves report that they are after about ten minutes. Meanwhile at Wolfbane's war camp.

"How many wolves do we have?!" Wolfbane yelled to his second-in-command

"About two thousand White Wolves sir and there is one Black Wolf!" The second-in-command of Wolfbane's forces reports.

"Good! We attack in 5 days' time!"

Back at Bashana's camp, all of the wolves are hard at training.

"Do not attack first! If you attack first you are sure to lose the fight! Always look your enemies in the eyes anticipate what they are going to do! Never take your eyes off your enemy!"

After three hours of intense training; Bashana allows the wolves to rest.

"I have to admit… I was impressed by your efforts today. Good work my friends."

Fireclaw and Firefang return with a force of about 500 White Wolves following them, all in their prime. Now the size of the defense party is about 859 wolves, still outnumbered by Wolfbane's attack force by 4:5. Bashana decides to put those 500 wolves to work on their training.

War of the Wolves

(THE WAR!)

After the training the entire defense party slept until high noon the next day. The only ones awake were Bashana and Lexara who were keeping guard. At Wolfbane's camp he hears metallic marching and it was headed his way. After a few minutes, according to Wolfbane, men in white cloths with a cross on the front show up with armor and blade on, altogether there were 5,000 soldiers. Wolfbane immediately identifies them as Crusaders, and somehow their commander could speak Old Wolven which was rare for humans since Old Wolven is a dead language to them.

"We heard you are going to war with the White Wolves... we want to fight as well."

"How many are in your ranks?"

"5,000 fully trained knights."

"Good we could use all the help we can get."

The leader told his troops to set up camp while he studied the battle plans. Back at Bashana's camp he set the wolves to training again.

"Remember my lesson! Do not attack first! If you attack first, you are sure to lose the fight! Always look your enemies in the eyes! Anticipate what they are going to do next! Never take your eyes off them until they are dead!"

Fireclaw and Firefang return two hours later with another 5,000 wolves after two days' worth of traveling. Bashana now has 5,859 wolves in his camp. Three days later Bashana hears a howl and he knows that the war will happen soon, so he trains the wolves for an extra two hours that day. By the end of the training half of the wolves are exhausted, he only stopped due to their exhaustion.

"Great work today! Sorry I worked you so hard, but with the fight coming... you will all thank me for this added time to the training."

At Wolfbane's camp, the entire war party suits up and gets ready for the march. All of the wolves help each other put on the wooden armor, and the Crusaders help each other put on their steel armor. The wolves sharpen their claws on oak and yew trees while the Crusaders sharpen their blades with a stone. At Bashana's camp he lets the wolves rest until he hears the sound of a massive amount of metal directed towards his position three hours later. A couple scouts run into the camp yelling,

"Wolfbane is coming!"

"Get the wolves up! Make sure they eat! They will need their strength. Scouts, come here now!"

"Yes sir?"

"How many approximately?"

"About seven thousand enemies, sir and they are all ready for war!"

"7,000? Just wolves or is it mixed?"

"No sir, we counted about 5,000 humans with crosses on the cloth. The rest are wolves."

"Crusaders… I should have known my father would bring them into this!"

"How do we fight them? They are wearing metal armor!"

"Make haste! Get everyone up, fed, and ready to fight!" Bashana ignores his scout's outburst. At 5:00 by Bashana's reading Wolfbane's army appears out of the forest and into the clearing. Bashana smiles about this challenge.

"Bashana, my pathetic excuse for an offspring, I see you have increased your numbers dramatically."

"Yes, I have, 'Father'. And I shall still win regardless of the fact that you outnumber us by almost a thousand."

We shall see about that 'son'. CHARGE! NO MERCY FOR THE TRAITOR OF THE BLACK WOLF! KILL ALL WHO STAND IN YOUR WAY!"

The two armies meet in a bloody clash with wolf and human bodies alike in the wake. Fireclaw is fighting with a Crusader when he bites off the Crusader's shield hand, the Crusader cries in pain and rage and was about to kill him when Firefang bites the back of the Knight's neck creating a bloody fountain.

"Thanks Fang."

"I'm always here to help Claw." An arrow passes by Firefang's head, barely missing her ear.

"Shall we get back to the fight?" Fireclaw asks nervously,

"We shall." Firefang replies, equally as nervous.

Many of the dead Crusaders and Black Wolves had a missing limb or a bite mark on their necks. Many of the dead White Wolves had either sword slashes in their sides or bite marks on their legs or neck. Bashana and Wolfbane met in the middle of the clash, and they start fighting the instant they see each other. Bashana gets a gash along his shoulder but he just shrugs off the pain. He charges Wolfbane and bites his shoulder, Wolfbane howls in pain just as Bashana bites his neck, shattering the bone which splinters and kills him instantly, as Wolfbane's body hits the ground Bashan rips him to nothing but blood and bone. After that Bashana pants from the effort to destroy what had been his father he then growls at the remains when Lexara comes up to him, pulling him away from the un-recognizable stain. As their leader dies, the remaining Black Wolves fled, only 200 of the 2,000 Black Wolves survive. 3,000 Crusaders are dead and 500 of them injured. Of the 5,859 White Wolves 2,500 are dead. The remaining 2,359 White Wolves stick with Bashana and Lexara for the rest of their days in harmony, without any more Black Wolf attacks.