This was a fun one to work on!
Hope you enjoy the second chapter. This is all that's going to be posted till I get a little further in Pack of Outcasts. I plan to start the next chapter for that tomorrow... with no known completion date. It usually takes me two days to do a chapter... once I get past the writers block that is now very common in the middle of each chapter. -_-
Characters belong to their respective authors...
-Chapter 2-
Welcome to Stay
Dawn came swiftly enough as Joseph and his two sentries, set out to the den where Beo and his family were staying. Joseph had some particular things he wanted to discuss with Alvar and was unaware of the small pup that followed not far behind them. Catori was determined to try and help find a way to help her new friend stay for a while longer, even if it meant she might get in trouble later.
"Keep up you two... " Alvar growled. *he growled*)
"But da…" Beo whined, he was still tired from his lack of sleep the previous night.
"No... were leaving... " They continued to plod forward. They had only been traveling for several minutes but had already covered a decent amount of turf.
Joe stood sniffing the entrance of the den. Noting the musky pine scent of the three travelers. "...it would appear our guests have already started out on their journey.…"
"...Should we go after them?" Taknar expressed his concern.
"Only to escort them...there are many dangers in these mountains that few know of as well as we do.…"
Brog, the other sentry looked up from a short ways from the den, sniffing the air. "They're heading north...further into the mountains…"
"Then that's where we need to go...Move out!" Joe ordered. They broke into a run in the direction the travelers had left. Following the strange scent across the all too familiar ground. Catori fell further behind, doing her best not to be seen. She was determined to see Beowulf one more time, despite her father telling her to stay home, and out of trouble.
"So... where'd you go last night.…" Tib whispered to his younger brother.
"Oh, no where.…" Beo replied, trying to avoid the question. Had he really noticed he had left?
"Oh, come on... I saw you get back. Where'd you go?"
Yep, he had noticed. Beo only hoped his father had stayed asleep the whole time. The last thing he wanted was to have his father come down on him for, well, he didn't say he couldn't go anywhere, did he?
It wasn't long before Joseph noticed the scent had grown significantly stronger. He looked up to see the two toned gray wolf with his pups not far ahead of them.
"Alvar! Wait a moment!" Joe hollered, making the other wolf stop in his tracks.
"What now.…" Alvar groaned as he turned around. Joe and his sentries ran up and came to stop in front of the trio. A total of six wolves along the trail that led into the northern part of the territory, and the packs that lay beyond.
"I believe I told you yesterday that my sentries and I would escort you to our borders..…" Joe said, walking closer, holding his head high like the alpha he was.
"Must have slipped my mind…" He smirked, both his pups hiding slightly behind him. Even to the pups Joseph seemed a very powerful wolf. With his sentries, and vast territory. The only one obviously not impressed was their father.
"I suppose it does not matter as we are here now." Joe glanced at the two pups that stared questionably at him.
"Yeah... so do your... Escorting…" Alvar sneered. He didn't really like this Joe character, all his power seemed to go to his head. Alvar was a fighter, if it wasn't for the two guards he would fight him right there. Something was odd about the way they had rushed to catch up to them. It was like he knew something that he didn't, and Alvar didn't like that.
Joe looked hard at Alvar. "...Taknar, take the lead, Brog the rear...I wish to speak to Alvar as we walk"
Catori runs breathlessly behind them, ducking behind a large rock when she see's them. She had taken a short cut through the meadow she had met Beo in the night before.
Alvar shrugs and starts walking, Joe taking up beside him as they started out, quite a bit slower than Alvar would have liked. Both Beo and Tib filled in behind the two adult wolves. Keeping a nervous eye on the red wolf that walked beside their father.
"You start your travels early I see...are you that desperate to be away from another pack so soon?" Joe questioned, trying to get the large wolf to open up.
"I... uh," he glances back at the pups, "we have a long ways to go…"
"Is it so important that you can not stay and rest your paws a while longer?"
"Clearly we're not welcome... Your 'sentries' made that quite clear..…"
"One cautious sentry should not decide if you should rest or not.…" He looks to the wolf keeping a decent distance in front, giving the two travelers some privacy. "Besides, Taknar is always like this with new wolves in the area.…"
"I have my reasons." Alvar grunted.
"What of your boys?" he glanced back at the pups "...are they not reason enough to rest for a day or two?"
"They can travel... they're tough... Enough…" He looked quickly back as if to confirm they were still there.
"…I understand.…" Joe let out sigh.
"yeah... I bet you do.."
Joe quietly walks beside Alvar for a moment before speaking again. "There is no convincing you to stay longer is there?"
"Give me one good solid reason why I should consider it…"
Joseph comes to an abrupt stop and stares him dead in the eye. "My pups are all that I have left of my immediate family... My youngest has never laughed nor smiled once since the day she was born...since the day my mate died... Last night was the first time both had ever occurred... Thanks to your son.…"
"My son…?" He stops dead in his tracks and glares at his two pups.
"Don't be cross with him...I am willing to offer you shelter and food, and time to rest safely in exchange for him to act as a playmate...…"
"Which one of you…" he started, growling at the pups. " ... hold that thought... What did you say?" he looked questionably at the red wolf.
"I am willing to offer you food, shelter and safety within my territory... in exchange for your son to be a playmate for my youngest..…"
Taknar had stopped and come back after noticing his alpha had stopped. "...Sir...do you mean to say that the laughter last night...that was Catori?!"
"Indeed it was...I would not have believed it myself if I had not gone to the river side to look for her…"
"A playmate huh..?" Alvar looked lost in thought, trying to think for once since they had come there. All he had thought about was getting away from this place. The thought of actually staying hadn't even crossed his mind.
The other sentry came up behind them. "...Sweet little Catori...actually laughed?"
"Yes she did... one of the sweetest sound I think I have ever heard too...Which is why.." He looked back at Alvar. "I would like it very much if you and your pups stayed a while longer."
Catori peeks out from around a large rock she had taken cover behind. So far no one had noticed her and she was close enough to hear everything that the two large wolves were saying.
"I'll think about it.…" Alvar mumbled under his breath.
"Please mister!...Please let Beowulf stay and play!" Catori rushed out from her hiding place, running up and standing in front of her father and the wolf that was evidently Beowulf's father.
"Catori!? I thought I told you to stay home with your sister."
Catori ignores her father and stares up at Alvar with big, pleading puppy eyes. She knew she'd get in trouble later, but she was more worried about losing the only wolf that she could call a friend.
Alvar stares down at the sable pup, a sly grin spreading across his face. "So... that's where Beo was off to last night.…" Beo immediately felt his heart sink. His father knew he had left last night. He was screwed.
"...It.. It was an accident...I was singing by the river...I didn't know anyone had moved into the old den near by...I guess I woke him up by accident...PLEASE let him stay and play!…" The pup whined, trying her best to sound convincing.
"Hmmm... I guess we could stay... for a few days at least."
"Thank you Mister!" Catori smiled brightly up at him making the three wolves from her pack gasp in surprise.
"Catori...?" Beo peeks out from around his older brother.
"Beowulf!" She giggles as she runs over to him.
"Hi ya!" He said shyly, taking a hesitant look at his father.
"Hey you wanna go play by the river again?" Starts wagging her tail.
"Sure!" Looking with pleading eyes at Alvar.
"Go... be back before dark." he looked down, not believing that he actually just essentially told him to go play.
"Yippy!" Catori started to run back down the trail when she stops and looks back "...Do you want to come too?" She looked at the tan wolf, Beo's older brother.
"Dad, can I?"
Alvar lowers and shakes his head, "I don't see why not…"
The three pups start to head down the path towards the river at a brisk gallop. Leaving the four older wolves to their business.
"Thank you, Alvar...For blessing our pack this way...…"
"yep…" he grumbles, more to himself.
"Come...allow me to show you around the valley while they keep busy...…"
"Okay.…" Alvar proceeed to follow Joe, flanked closely by the two sentries. While Joseph began to Alvar the valley the trio of pups raced down to the river side.
"I'm gunna win!" The sable pup cried out.
"Hey guys wait up!" Tib complained, panting heavily.
"Oh come on! hurry it up already!" Beo teased, racing after Catori.
Catori was running as fast as her puppy legs could carry her. "Last one to the tree takes a bath!"
"No FAIR!" The tan pup hollered.
"You're bigger!" The sable pup yipped back.
"But he's slower…" Beo explained, running right behind her.
Catori laughs as she races away from Beo, "then it looks like he'll get the bath!" She pants heavily as she flops down in front of a cotton wood tree. " I WIN!"
Beo comes to a stop at the waters edge... Staring hesitantly at the river as it lapped on the shore. Tib runs up beside her the younger female pup. Plopping down, all four legs splayed out as he tries to catch his breath.
"I guess you're still tired from traveling huh?" Catori asked, looking at the exhausted wolf.
Beo turns back from the waters edge, "He's just fat…" He states matter-of-factly.
"Am... not.…" Tib panted.
"Are too!"
Catori looks between the two pups and lowers her head, she really didn't want to get in an argument with them. She could do that whenever she wanted to with her sister Renee.
"Do you know how to swim?" Beo asked Catori.
"Yes...can't you?" She cocked her head to the side.
Tib looked up at her, "No... dad never had time to show us.…"
"wow! do you guys travel THAT much? Don't you ever stop to play?"
"We hardly have time to do anything when we're traveling…" Beo mumbled.
"Which is like... ALL the time…" Tiberius chimed in.
"Where are you going?" The sable pup asked curiously.
"I don't know... Dad won't tell us…" He said, glancing at his younger brother.
"oh...well...if you want...I can show you how to swim while you're here."
"That would be great!" Beo said, excitedly, wagging his tail furiously.
"Come on then, we'll go to the shallows...it will be easier there," She smiles slightly.
"Okay!" Beo said cheerfully, grinning idiotically.
Catori led them both to a small, shallow pool that branched off from the river and started walking in. Tiberius gingerly put one paw in the water and hastily drew it back.
"YOW! That's cold!"
"It's mountain water...it's gunna be a little cold…" Catori smiles.
Beo cautiously puts his nose down to sniff at the water... A loud splash is heard moments later.
"You can learn first!" Tib laughed.
"Hey! That's not nice...um...what was your name?"
"Brrr..…" Beo stands up and shakes his now dripping coat out.
Catori sticks her tongue out at Tib and walks up to Beo, "are you alright?"
I'm Tib! hey what are you.…" Suddenly a second, larger splash occurs as Beo pushes his older brother in.
"Ha! now we're even."
Catori starts giggling, "I guess you were gunna get wet anyways."
Tib shakes out, and then slips, landing on his belly with the water up to his chin, "Hey...!"
Catori looks at the two wet pups and starts laughing, "Now you're BOTH all wet!"
Beo's ears get plastered to his head... one flipped inside out on the top, the other almost covering his eye
"Man you look silly…" Tib says, trying, and failing to keep from laughing. Making Catori laugh even harder.
Argh You!" The black pup pounces at his brother, the two of them splashing around and chasing each other in the shallow water.
"EPP!" Catori scrambles to get out of the boy's way as they tumble closer to her and falls into the water.
"Hey Catori.. you okay?" Beo paused to look at her. Suddenly The sable pup disappears under the water, swimming to the other side of the pool before resurfacing and shaking her fur out.
"I'm fine…" Shaking her fur a little harder to get the last bits of water out.
"Whoa! how'd you do that!?" The black pup stared open jawed at her.
"Do what? I SWAM!"
"Cool! I wanna..…" he gets knocked over as he and Tib continue to wrestle. Catori charges over and pounces on the two of them.
"AH! no fair... " Tib cries out as he is suddenly dunked.
"Ha serves you..…" The black pup getting dunked as well.
"Haha!" Catori laughs and jumps off of them. Tib bursts to the surface, gasping for air, as Beo resurfaces beside him, coughing up some water.
"Lesson number one...learn to hold your breath so you don't drown."
"No kidding…" Tib gags on the water still in his throat, "Bleck... that was.…"
": ..Fun?!" Beo chimes in.
"Not really.…" Casting a wary look at his younger brother.
"You boys okay?"
"YEAH! that was FUN!" Beowulf says excitedly.
"ah shut up Beo…."
Catori lets a small smile slip onto her face and wags her tail.
"So... When can we START!" The silver tipped pup barked.
"Right now...starting with this…" She wades out a ways into the water and starts doggy paddling. "...It's just like walking...but you raise your head up higher"
Beo rushes after her, "Like this?" Splashing wildly as he tries to stay afloat.
"Try walking faster!"
"No goofy, like this..…" Tiberius wades in and slips, getting back up dripping wet.
"Okay...…" He improves a little but is still pretty sloppy, barely able to keep his head above the water.
"Keep going Beo! You've almost got it... take higher steps!"
"I'm trying!" He shouted as he splashed about more. His older brother waded to the shore and shook his coat out... laying down in the sun to try and get warm again.
"Come back to shore if you can...kick harder on the side you want to turn into" Catori advised.
"Um... I don't think its working Catori.…" Noticing he's slowly spinning in circles.
Catori makes it back to shore and shakes her fur out "...when you're facing the way you want to be you don't have to kick harder anymore silly!"
"Oh.…" He starts spinning the other way for a few turns before getting it figured out and making it back to shore, his silky black fur dripping wet as he shook out on the two other wolves. "HA!"
"AH!" Catori giggled as she got sprayed. Beo grins madly at her, no longer soaking wet himself.
"HEY! watch it!" Tib barked.
Catori shakes her fur out again, leaving Tiberius dripping wet as he lay in the sun. "...Okay Beo...WATCH my paws.…" She takes a few big steps, sweeping them way up and out before bringing her paws back to the ground. Beo tries not to laugh at her as she parades past him. She walks the same way back out into the water and starts swimming again. "...now YOU try!"
"You got to be kidding.…" Tib mumbles to himself as he rolls onto his back, sunning his belly.
Beo does his best to imitate her, "why am I doing this?"
"Just do it!"
"It feels funny.…" He stops and looks at her.
"I know it feels funny but it will help...I promise" Catori encourages him, swimming back to shore.
"Okay...…" He cocks his head to one side before he follows her back into the water. Catori gently wags her tail again before diving back out into the water.
The rest of the afternoon was spent learning to swim, mixed with the playful antics of the pups as they continued well into the evening. Meanwhile, Joseph continued to show the lay of the land to Alvar, who was very slowly getting accustomed to the two sentries that followed them everywhere…
Hope you enjoyed it! XD
Don't forget to comment...!
Also check out WolvenLights DevaintArt Page to see reference sheets of many of the characters!
