Authors note: I liked this one alot, and thought you know why not, read and review, no flames!
chapter 2: Call of the Wild
Pain. . . .
Warmth.. . . . .
Heated touch. . . . .
Sweet Ease. . . .
And more pain. . . .
It was still there. That of which Bryan was aware when he came to again. Pain and warmth. Shifting slightly, he allowed his dreary eyes to open to the small cave he was in. Low growling catching his attention once again. Peering around with his head down he frowned.
Wolves. With only his luck he would be brought back to this cave as a meal for wolves. All were black and white alike in color, some with stripes, some with spots. All but the alpha, Bryan could tell he was the Alpha. Solid white, taller and bulkier than the others.
Bryan sat up slowly, catching the Alpha's attention who growled at him, approaching him slowly, teeth bared and chest out. Bryan crouched to his knee's, head bent low to the floor in submission, hands flat out in front of him. The white Wolf snapped, nipping at the bare skin of Bryan's knuckles. But the young man remained still, as the wolf sniffed him, circling him. Before turning and making his way from the cave.
Acceptence.
Bryan sat up slowly, mindful of the ache in his chest from his broken ribs and the new pain of his shoulder, looking over he could see the slashes from the black bears claws that had ripped through his vest and shirt. Sighing he attempted to stand only to fall down again.
He figured that if wolves could laugh, thats what the other wolves still in the cave were doing. Laughing at the weak human.
An all white wolf with a black spot surrounding her right eye, approached him, a bleeding peice of meat clenched within her mouth. She dropped it infront of him and snorted. As if to say, "Eat."
Bryan eyed her warily, only to recieve a nip to his hand once again, and a slight irritated growl. "Alright, alright." He said quietly. It was raw, but he paid no mind, the things they fed them in the Abbey were often raw or rotten. He paid no mind. But opted to eat instead. And when he was finished his stomach appreciated it. It had been quite a while since he'd eaten and he was quite sure that it would be work for him to eat again. Once he was fully healed anyway.
He gratefully allowed the White wolf he decided must be the Beta of the pack to lick him clean, and gladly snuggled into her warmth as the wrapped herself around him. He assumed she was saying to rest, that all would be fine. And somwhere inside he figured that he'd be safe with the pack for a while. So he'd stay.
XXX
Over the next time undetermined Bryan lived and thrived with the pack. Time set as allowed by the Alpha. After weeks of healing under the watchful eye of the white Beta wolf who he now called Alla he was able to fall into rank under the Alpha who he called Artur. He would do as needed. Keeping a watchful eye on the terriortory while the others hunted or joined the hunt himself.
Himself and the other males hunting more and more as the time for the 3 females in the pack to have their pups approached. Bryan did as told. Though he did not understand what the wolves were saying their movments and noises he learned to recognize. When to go and come. When there was danger and when it was safe. He learned and thrived with them. Now sporting the pelt of the black bear Falborg had saved him from as his coat, other than that he remained shirtless. Slowly learning to adjust to the cold of the Siberian Wilderness.
The night that the pups were born was cold and harsh. The wind howling against the side of the cave there on that mountain side. Bryan remained outside, with the Males. Perched beside Artur, waiting patiently through the howls of the wind, and howls of pain and tiny yelps coming from the cave. He listened and waited intently.
Living with the wolves had been good for him. It reminded him of Tala. And his obbsession with his bit beast Wolborg. He missed all of his team with a passion. And yearned to return to them. But he missed Tala all the more. Tala had been his captain and his best friend. His long time love though the Wolf had never known that fact. Bryan left it unsaid. Holding a great deal of regret for this. He remembered telling Tala his preference once.
Tala just laughed melodously, and shrugged. Tala had such a great laugh. Saying that in a place like the Abbey full of strapping handsome young men that it would be no doubt that all of them were fruity tooty. Tala always knew how to make an akward situation less off. He had that effect.
The others males rose around him, and he followed them into the cave, returning to his perch by Alla. Who had four pups. One all black, one all white, and the others were a mix of the two. The black one was larger than all the others, and Bryan knew that one day the young pup would be the strong leader of the pack. While the mixed colored pups were neutral in size the young white one he had already decided to call Cher had him worried. Small and thin she was the smallest of all the pups that now resided in the cave.
She would have it hard as the runt, but Bryan had a feeling being a runt himself that she would be great someday. He stayed awake through the night to keep a watching full eye on the pups, as did the other males.
XXX
Weeks went by and the pups grew older. As expected the Black wolf he now call Aloo was big and strong, massive over all the others. While Cher was small, and now as Bryan and the other adults could tell blind. It saddened him. They shunned her. The pups no longer nursing due to their teeth, she was left to fend for herself. So while the others learned to hunt she was unable.
Bryan knew the day would come, and it did. Artur cornering the small blind pup in the cave. Unable to care for herself or hunt she was useless to the pack.
Cher whimpered as Artur growled and Bryan could no longer stand by. Putting himself between Artur and Cher he took the sharp bite to the hand meant for the white pup. Keeping her safe.
Artur growled at him, but Bryan held his ground, taking more bites and scratchs for the pup. Until the Alpha finally gave in with a snort, turning away from him and exiting the cave. Bryan vowed then to teach the young wolf. Taking him under his watching eye to teach her how to survive.
He taught her to use her other senses, and she listened to himself and Alla alone. Sound, touch and smell were her allies. The scrunch of the leaves, the direction of the wind. The flowing noise of the river, which was always to be avoided. He taught her. And then the day came when all the young ones would go out on their first hunt. And Bryan stood at the caves edge, watching as his young charge left with the others.
A full moons cycle came and went and the hunting party had yet to return. And while the other wolves had no worries Bryan worrid greatly for his blind white pup. And weather when the others returned, that she too would return with them.
It was early one morning when howls could be heard close by in the distance, and Artur, was by the caves mouth in an istance. Waiting to see who had earned the largest kill. Which would be Aloo, his flanks and himself supporting a large buck, full grown in size. A nice prize for a first hunt. The others brought back rabbits, does, and other smaller animals.
Bryan waited as the last of the wolves arrived, and felt his heart clench not seeing Cher with them. Knowing that his attempts must have been in vain, she had not survived.
The scuff of snow and branches caught the packs ears seconds later, And Bryan couldnt help but smile brightly, more brightly than he'd probably ever smiled at the sight that greeted him. Cher emerged from the tree line, dragging a large buck by the leg behind her. Not as large as Aloo's. But still the only other buck. And she had done it on her own.
The blind white wolf using her nose, drug her kill before her Alpha. Lying down, head bent low in submission. Artur inspected the kill, before standing tall above her, crouching to nip at her ear before motioning for the other males to take it to rest. Cher's tail wagged as the Alpha began to leave, no doubt to eat his fill, and Bryan approached her, patting her head, her licking his hand. He was proud of his little wolf, that much was for certain. He knew she'd be great.
XXX
More undetermined time passed and the once pups turned adolesents, were now full grown wolves. Cher herself still being the smallest stood with her head at Bryans waist line. And Aloo the now full grown black wolf was nearly to his chest, matching hight with Alpha Artur.
The day came as Bryan had once predicted. A moment of challenge over a female. A moment dominance undecided, had Artur and Aloo circling each other. And Bryan watching intently, it wasnt like any fight he'd ever witnessed, and he'd seen all the many in the abbey. This was different, this was to decide who would be leader of the pack. And while Aloo was young and strong. Artur had experience and wit.
As expected Aloo attacked first going for the throat. Narrowly missing. And Artur struck back just as feircly, making contact, sending the younger male to the ground baring his teeth. The black wolf was on his feet in seconds, unfazed by the blow, coming back for another attack and suceeding taking off a peice of the white wolfs ears. Blood staining the white snow, and Leaving Artur whimpering.
Catching him off guard was easy now for Aloo, who latched onto his throat, flinging him into a tree with an audible thud. And Bryan winced, as Artur staggered to his feet, limping away from his once pack in to the tree's. Alone and an outcast now, no doubt to die in peice on his own with dignity.
Aloo Howled, chest out, the other Wolves joining in. And Bryan shook his head sadly.
XXX
Things had changed since Aloo had beaten Artur and taken over as Alpha. Alla had wandered off. Bryan had figured to find her mate. To die with him.
Bryan briefly had thought of Tala again the night she left. He silently wondered, if he told Tala his feelings for him and he'd returned them. Would Tala have followed him to his death as well. His thoughts were however squandered by exhaustion.
Aloo had been hard on himself and his young Cher latley. Tougher than all the others. Summer had hit hard the warm weather drawing more predators into their territory, which meant more watches.
It seemed to Bryan that Aloo and the rest of the pack were beginning to shun them. Excluding them from meals and leaving Bryan and Cher to fend for themselves, which they did. Bryan and Cher being left alone by the others most of the time.
Bryan knew why. Cher being blind and himelf being human made them outcasts. And while Artur had, had an odd respect for this. Aloo saw this as weakness. And their strong nature despite their weakness was somthing Aloo considered as disrespect and challenge he did not need.
So it was a surprise when the pack was called from the cave before dawn that day, and himself, Cher and two other males were chosen to go on a hunt with Aloo himself. Something that hadnt happened in quite a while.
Yet still they left as the sun began to rise. The sun rose and fell many times over them as they travelled down the mountain. Bryan had never know them to travel so far from the trail, but he kept quiet, as they apporached the mountains base at the end of the third day.
Still, something was off, even Cher was at attention as they reached the bottom. And Bryan was unaware of the danger he'd placed himself in until it was too late.
Aloo had attacked knocking him off his balance and down into a raveen, Bryan hitting his head along the way down. He
faintly heard the others growl and the whimpers of Cher, but he paid no mind, crouching into a defensive position. Eyes darting around just intime to land a punch to the black wolfs broad chest. Making the Wolf yowl in pain.
Being abbey trained Bryan was precise, hearing atlest two ribs snap withing his "former" Alpha now enemy. Aloo was back on his feet within moments, back on the attack. Bryan defended well, but no sporting a few heavily bleeding bites he felt himself waning.
And the Wolf knew this circling for its final attack while Bryan was panting on the ground. Bryan waiting as it lunged but the attack never hit, sheilded by a blur of whit. Cher. The two wolves rolled about the ground fighting for dominance, but even uninjured and strong, Cher wasnt strong enough, ending up on the ground with a yelp next to Bryan.
A gun shot was heard, and another. Aloo, and the two other males fleeing for the tree's.
Bryans head shot up to find the owner of the gun, finding the barrel aimed straight at cher. He put himself between her and the gun, hobbling to his feet.
"Wait! Stop!" He yelled, silver eyes trained on the barrel until it dropped, revealing the owner, and Bryans eyes widened.
It was a young woman mabie 18 with long brown hair and eyes. Dressed in different pelts of fur, mostly greys. Bryan starred, unable to help it. She'd been the first person he'd seen in he didnt know how long. He watched as the woman sighed, climbing slightly down into the raveen. Approaching him slowly, before reaching out offering him a hand. Her brown eyes posing a silent question. And Bryan took it.