Chapter Two: By Chance or Fate...?
Jen looked at her friend from finishing the last piece of sausage.
'You're not going back there, are you?' She wondered as she straightened and stretched her legs calmly.
Nikki nodded.
'Yeah. We'll need more for later, Jen.' She replied.
Josh straightened from lounging next to the gray and black wolf-dog, looking at his pack leader.
'I'll go with you.' He offered, knowing his height in his human guise would intimidate anyone who dare question the black wolf.
She shook her head.
'I'll be fine on my own. Thanks for the offer, though.' She smiled at him, nosing his cheek.
Mary looked at her.
'Be careful.' She said.
Nikki nodded. 'I will.' She smiled again, turning to sprint out of the clearing.
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The brown poof-ball Pomeranian resting in the cardboard box with the red cushion looked at the two wolves – chestnut brown pup and midnight black she-wolf – with wary black eyes, his ears lowered fearfully as a soft growl brewed in his small throat.
The brown wolf looked at him and smiled lightly as his older-sister-figure fished in her coat pocket for cash to pay the butcher for meat. "He's a cute dog." He noted calmly.
The butcher looked at the younger boy and smiled slightly. "Aye, he's a good little alarm system." He replied.
The black she-wolf took the wrapped meat and smiled gratefully.
"Thanks for the meat, mister." She said, perking the brown wolf's ears as he straightened to follow her when she turned away to open the door.
The white, tan, silver and gray wolves had gone to check out the rest of the town for some sort of shelter for the night, splitting up the pack at least two hours ago.
The white wolf had scowered the east end of the town and found nothing that wasn't occupied, now walking down a narrow alley with his hands in his jacket pockets.
The scent of a foreign she-wolf still bugged him; he had no idea why it did, but it just did.
He was starting to become frustrated.
The distant sound of a door banging open pricked his ears; a small dog was barking like mad as a human was swearing at the top of his lungs.
"Get back here, mongrel!" The human shouted as he could hear the sound of rushing footsteps in one of the alleys nearby.
He perked up slightly as the same scent of a she-wolf flooded his nostrils again.
He paused short of crossing into another alley as a blur of black crashed into him, sending them both to the snowy ground…
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She opened an eye stiffly to look up and blearily see a head of brown hair staring down at her, her vision coming more into focus as she saw a pair of glacier greenish-blue eyes looking at her; the vision faded until she saw a white wolf with amber eyes hovering over her, his amber eyes curious and guarded at the same time.
She growled loud and kneed him in the stomach sharply, sending him back against the alley wall as she scrambled to her feet to stand against him, her tail high like a flag.
The white wolf growled at her.
'What was that for?' He demanded, flashing his teeth and lifting his tail out of reflex.
She scoffed and bared her teeth as her ears fell to her head.
'You ran into me, you tell me!' She snapped coldly, a low growl echoing in her throat.
He glared at her, bristling.
'I ran into you? You're the one who was running from the humans.' He growled, inwardly noting to himself that she appeared to be either an alpha or a very domineering loner.
She scowled, remembering the meat she'd stolen and stiff-leggedly walked past him to gather it in her jaws. She looked at him with cold silver eyes. 'What's your name?' She wondered.
He looked at her, slightly thrown off at her sudden question, before he scoffed quietly. 'Kiba.' He replied.
She nodded. 'Nikki.' She returned.
He pricked an ear to see that she'd calmed her stiff-legged stance somewhat.
'So just what's a white wolf doing in this town? Can't be hunting for pathetic house-dogs, can you?' She wondered sardonically, shifting her weight from one front paw to the other as she stared at him.
He scoffed.
'Just passing through. And it's not like dogs taste very good.' He growled in the same tone.
She perked her ears.
'Where're you headed?' She wondered curiously.
'Well, it's not just me…' He began.
A low growl sounded before a silver she-wolf appeared, surprising the black wolf; her garnet eyes narrowed suspiciously as she went to the white wolf's side.
He looked at his sister. 'What're you doing here?' He demanded curiously.
She threw a look at the black wolf before scowling at him.
'Idiot, I was looking for you! The others were starting to wonder where you ran off to.' She scolded.
His ears lowered briefly. 'Sorry. Didn't mean to make you worry…'
'You have a pack?' She asked curiously, perking both siblings' ears as they looked at her.
The silver wolf scowled.
'Yeah, what's it to you?' She growled back.
He nudged his sister. 'Calm yourself.' He looked at her.
'Yeah, where's yours?' He replied to her.
She glanced at the defensive younger she-wolf. 'Not that far away. Just came to get food.' She answered.
'Do you have a place to take shelter for the night?' She asked; her mouth moved before she could even think of what to say next.
Both siblings looked at her again. 'Not really. We're leaving before nightfall, though…' He replied, making to turn and walk away.
'Brother, it would be wise if we took shelter for a while; that last snow storm will probably bring more soon.' The silver wolf noted, pricking his ears as he looked at her to see she was leery of taking shelter with a strange wolf pack, but she deemed it a reasonable idea.
He seemed to sigh. 'All right.' He looked at the black wolf again.
'We'll take up on your offer.' He obliged rather reluctantly, despite the fact that the subconscious part of his mind seemed gleeful about being around the black she-wolf he – although he refused to admit it out loud – found attractive, despite her tough exterior.
She nodded. 'Follow me, then.' She replied quietly, picking up the meat from the snowy ground at her paws and taking off at a run through the alley towards the outskirts.
He looked at his sister and nodded as they followed the black wolf's lead.
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A loud howl sounded, alerting the four wolves to their leader's return to their clearing.
The blonde wolf straightened first from lounging near the slate gray she-wolf, perking his ears as the foreign yet familiar scent of stranger wolves mingled with the black wolf's scent.
Sure enough, the black she-wolf came into view, her sprinting paws coming to a halt when she saw her pack gathered where they'd been a few hours ago.
The gray wolf looked past her at the white wolf and silver wolf at her heels, her eyes throwing a second look at the handsome wolf with amber eyes.
The blonde wolf growled and raised his tail when locking gaze with the strange male, his garnet eyes narrowing.
He met his brazen stare and returned the challenge, his lip curling into a snarl as he stood his full height to silently say he was leader.
The chocolate brown wolf stiff-leggedly walked forward to stand next to his blonde brother, his green eyes sharp as he eyed the white wolf's bold stance.
'Do I want to know?' Jen wondered first, looking between the bristling males and her leader.
She sort of sighed.
'Everyone, these are Kiba and Eri. Their pack is going to stick around here for a few days.' She informed patiently, looking at her pack-brothers. 'Kiba, Eri, these are Mitch, Josh, Jen, and Mary.'
She bumped the white wolf's hip with hers as she walked forward. 'Calm yourself, wolf boy.' She growled, keeping her tail poised in mid-air as she passed him.
Kiba reluctantly eased his stance at her words and scowled after her, looking at his sister. 'Did you call the others yet?' He wondered.
Eri nodded, 'they should be here soon…' She replied, quieting and perking her ears.
Four wolves came near the clearing, one gray, one brown, one tan, and one a midnight color.
'I thought I smelled more wolves!' The pudgy tan wolf declared lightly as they drew closer to the pack of five, his tail wagging as he eyed the three females.
'Three pretty babes, that is!' He said playfully.
Mary and Jen exchanged a look before they laughed gently.
The midnight-colored wolf elbowed his side, 'don't be such a pervert, idiot.' She growled, her clear blue eyes shooting him a look.
The tan wolf smiled cheesily at his mate. 'Sorry, Blue.' He apologized.
The gray wolf looked at the two males of the stranger pack and he snorted slightly.
'The way Eri was howling, I was under the impression there would be a pack that looks stronger than this.' He mused in a gruff tone.
Nikki huffed and flashed her teeth, 'Yeah, and who the hell're you to say that?' She wondered in a growl.
Tsume returned the huff.
'None of your business, brat.' He growled.
Eri nipped his shoulder, scowling into his gold eyes.
'Knock it off, Tsume. They're offering their place to us for a few days; you should at least be grateful.' She scolded.
He stared into her annoyed garnet eyes and quieted, huffing and flicking his ears absently at her scolding. 'Fine, whatever.' He grumbled.
Kiba flashed his sister a thankful smile, looking at the black she-wolf. 'I see you've already become acquainted with Tsume. These are Hige, Blue, and Toboe.'
His eyes sort of turned reluctant, as if he didn't want to do something that would go against his pride. 'Thank you, for offering to let us rest here.' He thanked her with a slight nod.
Nikki raised a brow before she nodded back and smiled a little. 'You're welcome.' She said…
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