Hey, everybody.
I just wanted to thank you all for reading
and reviewing this story. I really like writing it.
And I just wanted to say that if this story goes well,
and if I get enough good ideas, there will
probably be a sequel.
In the meantime, please keep reading and
reviewing this story. And thank you very
much.
...
Our Land.
Chapter 2 – a spy.
….
The old wolf sniffed the air again.
"Is that you?" he asked.
"Yes," said a sly sounding voice. "It's me, Seth."
"And?" the old wolf asked.
"Hamlin was right," Seth said. "They aren't a very big herd, but they've got enough strong animals to defend themselves. Three mammoths and two sabers."
"Hm," the old wolf growled.
"It's a strange herd, your grace," Seth continued. "I've never seen a herd with so many different animals before."
"And they can use that to their advantage." The old wolf mumbled to himself. He turned to Seth. "Continue spying on them. See if you can find out more. We have to know more before we can take action."
Seth bowed and tip-toed away.
Hamlin came forward.
"Your grace," he said. "Don't you think we should… you know, try to talk to them first?"
"Later, Hamlin, later," the old wolf said. "first we must find out their weaknesses. Then we will talk. If they won't listen, we can continue with plan B."
Hamlin bowed before his leader. "Yes, Your grace. And another thing…"
"Yes, Hamlin?"
Hamlin gulped. "Well," he said. "Don't…. don't you think Seth will betray you someday? You know he's a coward and will run away at the first sight of danger. And then his association with that… rogue. That lone wolf. "
"He is not associated with her, my dear follower," the old wolf explained. "They merely are old enemies. And do not worry, I've known for quite a while that Seth is a coward. But he's got something that you don't have, Hamlin. He's got stealth. He is a perfect spy, and I don't expect him to do anything else but spying."
"I understand, your grace," Hamlin said, bowing his head.
…
It was night again. While eating, Sid had this strange feeling that something was watching him from behind. He'd felt uneasy the whole day after finding that pawprint. Despite what Manny and Ellie said, Sid was quite sure he had really seen it and that it hadn't been his imagination.
He kept looking behind him, but he only saw the darkness of the forest.
"What's wrong with you, Sid?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah, you seem so nervous," Crash said. "Afraid of the dark?"
The twins giggled.
"I'm still sure there's a monster out there." Sid insisted.
The possum twins stopped laughing.
"A monster, where?" they asked, holding each other tightly and looking around in fear.
"Nowhere," Manny sighed, slightly irritated. "Sid is just seeing things. Don't pay attention to him."
Louis looked around with a worried expression on his face.
"But what if Sid's right and there really is something scary out there?" He asked, his voice trembling.
"Ah, don't be such a wiener," Peaches said.
Louis looked at her with hurt in his eyes. Peaches realized what she had just said.
"Oh, I'm sorry." she said truthfully.
Louis sighed. "It's alright, Peaches." He said.
He just couldn't be angry at her.
"Let's go inside," Manny said.
They all got up and went inside the cave to get some sleep, except for Sid. He remained outside and looked at the dark trees of the forest.
He cleared his throat.
"You don't scare me," he said in a loud tone. "I know you're out there, but you sure don't scare me. I bet you're just a coward who's afraid to show his face. And I bet you're really ugly too. If you're not a coward, come here and proof it to me."
A growling sound came from the darkness of the forest. Sid gave a high-pitched scream and ran inside the cave as fast as he could.
Manny opened an eye when Sid came running in.
"What were you doing?" He asked.
"Nothing," Sid said, a little embarrassed.
"Fine, just go to sleep," Manny said, closing his eye again.
Sid walked over to his bed and lay down. He looked around to see if everybody was asleep and not watching him, then he put his thumb in his mouth and closed his eyes. It didn't last long until he fell asleep.
Outside, the wolf named Seth chuckled.
"Stupid sloth," he said. "I eat creatures like him for breakfast."
"Still spying, Seth?" a female voice behind him said.
Seth turned around. "Oh, it's you again." He said. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see what you're up to," the female wolf said.
"That's cute," Seth giggled.
The female wolf growled.
"Tut, tut, so touchy," Seth said mockingly. "Why don't you lighten up?"
"I don't have time for your nonsense," the female wolf said. She turned around. "Goodbye, Seth."
Seth watched her as she ran away. Should he inform his master that she was here?
No, he didn't have to. She wasn't going to try anything funny, Seth was sure of that. She wanted nothing to do with the pack. If she wanted to become the new leader, she would've tried something by now. But she was still alone, still wandering around, still a lone wolf.
"Any news?" a voice behind Seth said.
Seth turned around to see Hamlin standing behind him.
"Not really," Seth said. "But they do seem really close, these animals. And the sloth is an idiot, that's for sure."
"Did they see you?" Hamlin asked.
"Of course not," Seth said. "I'm a master of stealth, remember? Only the sloth suspects something, but the others don't believe him."
"Good," Hamlin said. "But if something goes wrong, Seth, I will tell the alpha about it. And he will not be happy."
"I won't screw up," Seth said, slightly insulted. "I'm not big and clumsy, like you."
Hamlin growled and pinned Seth to the ground.
"Take that back, you pathetic worm!" he growled.
"Go ahead, kill me," Seth said. "the alpha will destroy you if you do so."
"One wrong move, Seth, and you're dead," Hamlin shouted.
"Sss!" Seth hissed.
They both looked around to the cave of the herd.
Manny had come outside and looked around.
"Anyone there?" he asked.
The two wolves kept quiet.
"If you're out there, keep you mouth shut," Manny shouted into the darkness. "Some mammals ere trying to sleep here."
He went back into the cave.
"See what you've done?" Seth hissed. "I will tell his grace about this."
Hamlin let him go and the wolf ran away in the direction of the wolf den.
…
The old wolf, the alpha male of the group, was lying in the shelter of a rock, his eyes wide open, his head resting on his paws. He didn't move.
After a while, he sighed.
"Just because I cannot see you, doesn't mean I don't know you're there." He said.
"You are good, your grace," Seth said. He chuckled.
"What is it now, Seth?" the alpha wolf asked.
"I was spying on this herd," Seth said. "And then Hamlin came and ruined everything."
"What do you mean?"
"He was shouting at me, and the male mammoth heard us. We were almost caught."
The old alpha wolf growled.
"Hamlin!" He shouted.