Where Loyalties Lie
Author note: Hello everyone. Sorry about the long wait if you guys were still waiting on the next chapter. I finished this a while back but got busy and completely forgot I had finished this chapter. But well, here it is. Read, enjoy and hope you all like it.
(Siku's mindscape)
Siku awoke to an expanse of white. Raising her head, she look in every direction only to see no notable features or colours. "Where am I?" she thought to herself as she climbed to her feet. The last she remembered was facing Karr ready to fight and then darkness.
"You are in your mind," a feminine voice spoke from behind her causing her to jump and whirl around only to face Aniu. "Aniu!... what do you mean in my mind?" she asked pausing to take another glance around her.
"You were knocked out cold… by Jenna," Aniu spoke, a look of annoyance briefly glistening in her eyes, though it went unnoticed by Siku who continued to scan her surroundings.
Siku's eyes shot straight back to the she-wolf in front of her at the mention of her self-proclaimed sister's name, "What do you mean by Jenna?"
"It is as I said. Jenna was the one to knock you out and take your place in the Alpha Challenge. It broke the rules laid down by our ancestors, but Karr accepted and is now suffering for his choice as will the pack," Aniu answered.
"What do you mean?" Siku questioned, "Jenna would not let anyone willingly suffer…. Atleast not unless they deserve it… I guess." Aniu caught on to the uncertainty in Siku's voice.
"My point exactly. This is not the Jenna you know and have come to cherish. This is a different wolf, one that has taken over the being known as Jenna and only you can help me save your sister."
"What must I do to save her?" Siku questioned, a look of worry settling on her face. Jenna had been acting differently, but was she not herself anymore, or was she just affected by everything she had to go through.
"I need you to take her place as alpha of the pack, banish her and use my gift to seal her abilities so that I may act and set Jenna free," Aniu spoke in a flat tone.
Siku's mind went into overdrive. 'Take her place as alpha', 'banish her', 'Seal her abilities'. The words continued to run through her mind. 'To take her place as alpha, I have to fight with her…. And to banish her I must win that fight….. but that means I have to hurt her when I promised to look after her…. And seal her abilities?...' Siku's eyes widened as she realised just what Aniu ment. 'She wants me to use "Wolf's Curse" on my sister… but that will render her as defenseless as a rabbit in a flat open field surrounded by foxes.'
Siku continued to play back the entire conversation, overriding words with her understanding of what Aniu told her. She couldn't understand what was going on. At the start, Aniu had supported Jenna and now she wanted to throw Jenna as far away from the pack as possible.
That was when it struck her, her mis-matched eyes widening at the conclusion her mind drew. That couldn't be the answer, could it?
"What will happen to Jenna?" Siku spoke, "If I go through with what you ask of me… what will become of Jenna?"
Siku saw Aniu's eyes harden as she replied, "I will strip her of the then vulnerable spirit that prevents me from acting."
"And?" Siku prompted wanting to hear more. "There is more to it…. I know it."
"It is not your place to question me Siku. But to put you to peace, I will strip her of her wolf body and leave her at peace."
Siku's eyes hardened as she analysed Aniu's speech for any double meanings and what she arrived at, it left a sour taste in her mouth.
"You intend to kill her!" Siku growled.
"Do not take that tone of voice with me Siku! I never said that I would kill her. I will take what my mate gave back to her and leave her at peace," Aniu reprimanded the younger she-wolf.
"That is the same thing! Whether you kill her yourself or turn her back into a dog who can barely survive these conditions… It will still end up with her dying and I refuse to do anything that will bring any sort of harm to my sister."
Aniu opened her mouth to argue but Siku cut her off. "I know what you are doing. Jenna is just a piece on the board for you…. One you thought that you could use to make your son happy and carry forward your bloodline, but you can't control her…. She's too strong for you to control anymore and that irks you that you are powerless to stop her from writing her own destiny….. one that may mean a future where your bloodline ends with Balto. Now you want me to be the ever loyal right hand and do what you ask of me? Well, I didn't ask for this! I had a life… a family…. A mother, a father, siblings… and because I was taken to train by you I couldn't save them when the hunters ran across the den site. I'm not giving up my new family just because you tell me she is bad for the future you want!"
"Insolent child, I will withdraw all my gifts if you carry on this path and you will be nothing better than a simple wolf pup with an attitude problem," Aniu growled.
"I don't care…. Its better than being an old bitch with a major superiority complex to go along with that attitude problem. Now….. GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Siku argued right back before drawing on her mental fortitude to launch the figure of Aniu into the vast expanse of white that had slowly started to bleed black.
(Real World)
'UGH… my head.'
(Mara's pack)
"Balto!... look at me….. how many paws am I holding up?" Mara spoke as she stood in front of her son who had just regained consciousness.
The wolf in question released another pained groan before trying to concentrate at his mother's raised paw through bleary eyes. "I see….. a…. blob," he spoke before shaking his head in a bid to regain his vision.
"Is there any pain? What is the last thing you remember?" Mara asked as she settled in front of her son.
"Ugh….. my head hurts… and…," Balto paused has his vision cleared and he stared at the wolves gathered around him. Lana who had been closely observing her brother was the first to notice something wrong. "… mom, where is dad?" he asked.
Mara felt a hammer blow to her heart as she stared at her son who asked the question only for the pain to amplify at his next question as it brought back memories that she had been trying to suppress. "Is he out hunting? He promised that he would teach me to hunt today." Her mate's death was a wound that had practically torn her heart in half and given the circumstances the wound had only festered as she had to remain strong to hold together what was left of her pack. She hadn't had the time to grieve nor knew what had become of her beloved.
Lana instantly pulled his brother's focus away from her now grieving mother, "what is the last thing you remember?"
"Um… Sasha brought over some wolf for dinner saying something about becoming mates and something about puppies." Lana could only stare at Balto. The incident described had indeed happened but three winters ago and Lana's pups were already approaching the start of their third spring.
"Amnesia," she whispered more to herself but the keen pairs of ears around her picked up on it.
"What do you mean amnesia?" Balto asked as he cocked his head to the side, one ear drooping while the second perked.
"Son….," Mara spoke nodding her thanks to her daughter, "its been three winters since the day Lana brought her mate home. A lot has changed since then."
Seeing the confusion in her son's eyes she continued. "Lana's had a litter of pups for over two years now… we're no longer in our territory ….. and….. and… we're all that's left of our pack," she said the last portion in barely above a whisper.
"Wha?" Balto asked starting to show signs of distress.
"Our pack was ambushed by hunters…. We're all that made it out alive that day… we're presently boarding with a second pack and have to meet their new leader… a she-wolf called Jenna," Mara answered solemly.
At the mention of that name, Balto winced. He felt that he knew the name and that it was somehow important to him but the only thing he could remember was a warning from a mystery wolf in his dream.
"Is something wrong?" Mara asked as she gently nuzzled her son seeing his distress.
"That name….. I feel like I know her….. and that she's important not in the sense of being a pack leader if that makes any sense….. and….. and….," Balto spoke his words fading as he tried to remember the warning.
"Yes…. Go on….," Lana urged.
"It was weird….. in my dream I met a white she-wolf that said to beware of a wolf called Jenna and something along the lines of rallying support, crushing and chasing?" Balto continued ending in more of a questioning tone.
"This white wolf…. What did she look like?" Mara asked.
"She was large… like a head taller than Hugo and white as snow with piercing eyes."
'Aniu' ran through everyone's mind. But the question that it brought was, just what was the she-wolf planning?
Behind the group, Fire quietly stood overhearing every word being spoken. Was it just him or was Aniu actually stirring trouble? But what he knew for sure was that things were not as they seemed and he would have to pick a side and he already knew which. With that in mind, he limped out of the den in preparation for the dinner with the new pack leader.
(Healer den)
"Sir, its time to have your medication," the healer spoke as she approached Karr carrying a leaf in her jaw.
Karr groaned as he rolled onto his belly, "ok fine…. And I already told you its just Karr now. I'm not pack leader anymore."
"With all due respect sir," the healer spoke as she set down the leaf in front of the former pack alpha revealing the greenish paste it contained to the latter, "I still feel that you are our rightful pack leader. She interfered in a challenge that means that she has already broken the rule of alpha combat. That disqualifies her. So, in my eyes, you are still pack alpha."
"I agree with her sir," spoke another voice as a wolf entered the den followed by a group of five, "and so do the others with me. So sir, what will be our next move? How can we help you regain your pack?"
Karr sighed as he looked at his supporters…. Was that what he would have to call them? He was injured, and with his brother's life also on the line as well as that of the remainder of the pack he didn't want to make any move.
"We will do nothing!"
"But sir!..."
"No….. I'm in no shape to lead anyone and underestimating that she-wolf is the biggest mistake you can make. You may be a brilliant planner but never discount your opposition. There is something very off about that she-wolf and I don't want to put any of you in danger," Karr spoke as he took a lick of the paste only to cringe in disgust.
"But she'll run our pack into ruin! She's not even a true wolf!" one of the wolves gathered argued back.
"We don't know that!" Karr raised his voice. "Do you want to ignite a forest fire this close to home? You all have a home in this pack! Families! Pups! Are you so willing to put all of them at risk? I accepted that challenge and lost. No matter how she got involved, the minute I agreed to fight, the fight was legal. What you people are suggesting is mutiny! It could destroy the very pack."
All the gathered wolves look to the ground, eyes narrowed as they each seemed deep in thought. Suddenly one of them shot up. "I have an idea," a brown wolf spoke. "We can quietly rally support for our cause. Karr, sir, the pack will still look to you for guidance. We can use that to rally support for ourselves. We can…."
"Run head first over the edge of the den cliff-face and into a pile of rotting caribou dung!"
All eyes shot towards the entrance of the cave only to meet a shadowy figure with glowing red eyes.
"My, my boys! I was expecting some backlash but for it to happen this soon? I commend your guts. I could end this farce right here and now with Karr's life but alas I'm forgiving," Jenna spoke as she sauntered into the den.
Faces paled as she walked to within touching distance. "So, does anyone want to challenge me? It's an open challenge. You win, I leave the pack. I win though…. Hmmm let me see… Ah yes! That will be nice. If I win, I will break all your legs and make you walk yourselves out of the pack in front of everyone. Do we have a deal?"
"N..n…no," one of the wolves muttered. Jenna eyed each one of them, they were courageous behind her back but chickens in front of her.
"That's what I thought…. Now you…" she spoke as she faced Karr.
"What do you want with him? Haven't you already done enough?" the healer interjected putting herself between the red she-wolf and former leader.
"I may be the new pack leader but I am civil. I have arranged for a dinner at the leader den and want his presence. It would not be prudent to be a pack leader and know nothing of the pack I lead unless you want me to start making my own rules?" she spoke, a grin making its way to her muzzle.
Before the healer could reply, Karr spoke, "I will be there….. but I request the presence of the healer."
"Granted….. now I shall see you tonight…. And as for the rest of you boys… you'd better watch your tails…," Jenna spoke, leaving her threat hanging as she calmly walked out of the healer den.
"Sir was that wise?"
"At this time…. Yes. She's already onto you and I see no harm in being civil with the new pack leader. Do not get me wrong, I too dislike the fact that I am stuck in this situation but if this meeting means that I can make the leadership transition as smooth as possible, it is best I attend," Karr spoke before he laid his head back on the ground and promptly went to sleep.
"Okay, boys… he's tired. You can visit tomorrow," the healer spoke as she shooed the small gathering out of the cave.
