PACK ORDER (Shinto.)

Valterra (Leader, Male, White.)

Garreth (SC, Male, Black.)

Cain (TC, Male, Dark-Red.)

Emery (R.M, Male, Dark-Blonde.)

Lakia (R.M, Female, Dark Grey.)

Paki (R.M, Female, Dark Grey, Lakia's Sister.)

Dakota (R.M, Female, White.)

PACK ORDER (Kiru.)

Jackson (Leader, Male, Brown)

Kensal (SC, Male, White/Brown Mix)

Adam (TC, Male, Grey)

Alka (R.M, Female, Dirty Brown)

Elisabeth (R.M, Female, White)

PREFACE :

I ran through the forest. It was hot, and muddy, from having rained the night before. I felt alive, much more alive than I had ever felt, and also, very warm. Something about my new life, and new body, made me sweat - but that could also have just been the weather. I didn't honestly want to face what had just happened.

My mouth hung slightly open as I pant now; I had been running for a long while, trying to find Montall. I knew I should have paid attention when he gave the directions.

I could smell everything, and I tried my hardest to smell the others, but the rain had washed them away.

I worried frantically, wondering where my family had gone, and I wandered for hours. Once it was dark, I finally saw the flickering light of the fire they had going outside of the olden houses that were so worn down, they looked like simple twigs.

"Welcome Home." Valterra smiled up at me as I walked into the newly formed circle, a sigh of relief coming through from my chest, and once I saw Garreth; I truly was home.

CHAPTER ONE

It was the end of winter, just turning into spring. It, the day of course, was coming to an end. I walked through the front thralls of a meadow that me and Garreth had discovered sometime during last summer.

The front thrall was nothing more than a swaying field of wheat-grass stems that woe back and forth obediently with the wind.

My brown curls were lost easily in the grip of my pony-tail, and the slightly chilled wind felt good upon my warm skin.

My smile welcomed it.

I looked over the horizon of grass that welcomed me, going as far back as to even touch the trees, and that was when the dog caught my attention.

He was huge - greatly oversized - my smile eagerly faded as I noticed his serious expression.

He stared at me, just as still as I stared at him, and I began to feel as though we were frozen in time together, as the grass' sway matched that of the trees. As I watched him, my vision was suddenly zooming in on him. His stature, and his face, stood out to me the most, and then I realized why.

His red eyes beamed slightly now from the light - undoubtedly from the sun - that shine upon them.

There we were; frozen together, and I could no longer move.

I knew him, though. T he black, monstrous looking dog -- red eyes, and all -- that stared at me just then, was somehow... my friend.

I WROTE, HAPPY WITH MYSELF ON THE GOOD BEGINNING. The most unusual part about my new inspiration to finally write a book, was that it was my dream. It was my newest dream. I had figured it to be provoked by Garreth, though I couldn't honestly be sure at this point.

It was unusual for me to dream of something pack-related, but something about the dream was off. Something was disturbing about it. My reason for writing it, was that I considered it a good idea to write it down, and keep every detail to make sure I wouldn't forget it.

The only worry I had now, was that Garreth would read it. What would come up if he did?

He was very nosy, and had read some of my writing before, but he was starting to get curious. He often questioned where it came from, though I always told him it was either simple creativity, or pack-inspired, which at least wasn't entirely a lie. My mind often wandered - sometimes into stupidly over-creative situations - and my dreams were definitely pack inspired.

I didn't know what else I could tell him. I didn't want to worry anyone, or make Garreth upset. I was happy to know that Garreth at least enjoyed my writing. He would tell me that it often left him thinking -- so I considered that to be good.

"Hey!" I exclaimed happily as I opened my door, inviting Jackson in out of the falling rain.

He smiled, nodding to me politely, and he stepped inside.

"Lucy," he smiled again as he spoke, watching me as I shut the door behind us.

"Coffee?" I offered as we walked into my kitchen, and he pulled out the chair that was usually meant for Garreth, and he sat down contently.

It wasn't long after we sat, talking over coffee, that Garreth decided to join us.

"So, Jackson," Garreth began slowly as he watched him sip his coffee. "How are things with the Kiru?"

his question was subtle, and casual, but I knew how territorial it was truly meant to be. I questioned whether or not Jack knew though, once he smiled and sat his cup down in front of him.

"We are well." was his simple answer, and we - even though Garreth meant it in a much more territorial way - were both glad. And soon after that, the rest of the pack - our pack - showed up. I wasn't sure why the rest of the Kiru couldn't attend. The most he would say about the matter was that they had to keep watch. Apparently, they had been very busy lately.

So busy, that it even had our pack questioning it. We all ate to the point of being utterly full, and the amount of dishes I would have to do was incredible, but we had fun in the end, filling out time with useless talk and rantings of how busy everyone had been lately.

"Where are you to keep guard this summer?" Jackson asked Valterra casually, as he joined us by the fire place that we had just started up, it had been getting slightly chilly outside.

"We're not entirely sure yet." Valterra replied hardly. Garreth shot a glance toward Valterra just then.

"What about Montall?" Dakota suggested, standing now in the doorway to the kitchen.

Montall is a small Indian village that was abandoned some hundred years ago, and it sits just north of Portland.

It is only accessible by a long hike through the forest, but far off of the trail. I wouldn't know how to get there, but Valterra would, of course.

Valterra only nodded, and smiled. "We'll consider it."

It was late, and very dark outside when the last pack member of ours had gone. Jackson had only left a few minutes before, and me and Garreth were happy to finally have some alone time.

My shower was quick, as usual, and I waited on him as he took his own. I figured that it must feel good to him, since he had spent the last few days in the forest with Valterra.

I took a sip of my glass of water that I had placed on my night stand beside the bed, and I smiled politely as he entered the room from our bath room.

"Come to bed, it's cold." I whispered softly, even though he was already climbing in.

We laid happily together; my head to his chest, and his arm around me. It felt good to finally be one with him again. He was always very busy during the hunting season, so I never got to see much of him any more. But tonight, he was all mine.

"Forever." he whispered, promising it to me again as we were falling asleep. I remembered then, the promise that he had made to me some time ago. He promised that he would always be here, forever, and that was still in effect. He had also promised me that one day I would be like him, free to honestly spend my eternity with him.

"When?" I asked him softly, and as I opened my eyes to look up at him, he still had his eyes closed contently.

"When, what?" he smiled softly.

"When will I honestly have you?" I bit my lip lightly as I asked, watching his expression carefully. His eyes suddenly opened, though he didn't look at me. "Not now." he whispered hardly, and he closed his eyes again, his smile no longer over taking his expression, and I sighed softly.

"Soon." I replied, watching him, and he simply nodded.

"I love the white one." I smiled up at Alka as she held the bridal dress catalog out in front of me, and she returned my smile easily.

"Perfect choice. It matches the cake." she giggled under her breath, and I knew how much she loved helping me with the wedding. Garreth was with Valterra, of course, and he wouldn't be back in for a few hours, at least. So I had a lot of alone time with Alka, for girl stuff. I enjoyed it as much as I could, especially since I was alone now more than I thought I should be, and I was really becoming close with her. She was my best friend.

"When is the date?" she asked casually as we sat on my big leather sofa. She had a note pad in her hand, and a pen in the other.

"January Twenty-First." I grinned devilishly up at her as I revealed the date that me and Garreth had chosen a few nights back. No one had known yet, other than Alka, and we were having a hard time keeping her quiet about it.

Once I told her, she bounced excitedly in her seat, and I shook my head playfully.

"Do you need me to get the leash?" I threatened playfully, and we continued to talk about random choices after we had settled down.

It wasn't long before we were watching movies, and sleeping on my couch, even though it was during the day. I knew I would have to get up soon to make dinner for Garreth, so I decided that I had lounged around long enough.

"Are you going to eat?" I asked her, with a smile, once I had gotten up and straightened up my living room.

"If it's not too much trouble."

"No, of course it's not. I don't mind."

I grabbed the bowl of steaks out of the fridge that I had marinating, and set them on the counter. He would be home soon, so I got started on making dinner.

"...I know, right?" I was whispering to Alka as she explained her new pack problems - and Jackson's immaturity - when Garreth walked in, with a large smile on his face.

I was just taking the steaks up onto a platter, when he sat down at the table, soon to be joined by Alka.

"Where's Jack?" he grinned as he spoke, watching Alka carefully.

"He's..." she paused for a moment, looking down at her hands. "He's attending a pack meeting."

"But isn't that over, now?" I asked, taking my seat.

"Not quite. The area is still... active."

"What? Active?" Garreth asked quickly, watching her angrily.

She nodded, and sighed briefly.

"But... What about the cold season? Isn't it over?" I wondered if my question was stupid, but that was how it always had been.

"Technically, yes." Garreth started in again, smiling at me.

"But we can have an attack at any time." Alka chimed in just after him.

"Oh." was all I could think to respond. That must have been why they were going to be stationed in Montall during the summer.

Dinner dragged on, but only because of their chatter. I stayed quiet through out almost the entire meal, throwing in small nods and smiles when ever they were needed, and I paid close attention to listening. Alka had been very busy lately with Jackson, and she was going over the small problems that the Kiru had been going through.

I cleared the kitchen of dishes, and joined them in our living room, before I headed off to bed. I didn't know how long it was before Garreth joined me and Alka had finally left, but I awoke softly to him climbing into the bed.

"I missed you." I whispered to him honestly as I opened my arms; he all but fell down into them, his head on my shoulder as he kissed delicately along my collar bone.

"Are you alright?" I asked him softly, my fingers tracing slowly through his hair, as I noticed he wasn't speaking to me just yet. He'd seemed happy enough when he got home.

"You told Alka the date?" he questioned me, and I simply smiled.

"Yes, of course, she'll be maid of honor. She's helping me with decisions -"

"What am I suppose to do now?" he cut me off unhappily.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," he spat back at me, and I let my hand drop from his hair.

"She'll tell the others, and I'll be dead."

"Garreth, no, she wont tell them, and why would you be dead? Valterra -"

"Valterra will eat me alive, you know there's not suppose to be a head female."

"Then why did you ask me in the first place?" I asked, a little upset now. Why was this my fault? I obviously couldn't plan it all on my own, and I knew Alka wouldn't say anything in the first place, but it also bothered me that Garreth didn't want any one to know.

"I asked you because I loved you."

"Loved?" I questioned in a small voice, looking down at him now.

"You know what I mean." he shook his head as he spoke.

"Yeah... I think I do." I replied softly, and he moved back onto his pillow.

My eyes wandered over the dark room now, the only question running through my head being what happens now?