Hey guys. So I know that it has been a long time and I apologize for that. Basically I had started working on this chapter a while ago. But I kinda got lost. I didn't know where to go with it so it was put on hiatus. But now, after a long, LONG hiatus. Loud Pack returns.

Chapter 8

Lori ran through the forest with her father right behind her. She could hear the coyotes snarling and growling behind them as they gave chase. As they continued to run through the forest, Lori came to a sudden realization. They were leading them to the camp.

"Dad! If we don't do something we are going to lead them to our camp!" Lori yelled. Both wolves stopped running at the realization. Lynn angled his ears and he heard the coyotes getting closer. They had to do something and they had to do it now.

"Ok. Here's the plan." Lynn said. "You hide under the bush while I lead them away from camp. While I divert their attention, you go to camp and warn everyone. Got it?" Lori nodded and ran toward the bush.

Lynn turned around and waited for the coyotes to get close. On the outside, he wasn't afraid. But on the inside, he was terrified. He thought Zeta was gone. He thought he left the forest. But apparently that wasn't the case. Zeta was still in the forest and he seemed to have formed an alliance with the coyotes. As soon as he saw the coyotes got close, Lynn jumped on the lead coyote and tossed him into the other coyotes. After he did that, Lynn ran into the forest with a pack of angry coyotes chasing after him.

After Lori was sure that the coyotes were gone, she crawled out of her hiding spot and stared in the direction that her father led the coyotes.

"Be careful dad." Lori whispered. She then turned around and dashed towards camp.

Rita sat outside the nursery watching ten of her eleven pups playing throughout the camp. She felt her heart swell with pride as she watched her pups get along so well. As she watched her pups play, her eyes rested on one pup in particular: Lucy. She knew that Lucy was almost ready to start her training and she and Lynn had to choose one of their pups to mentor her. She knew that Lori had mentored Luna and Lynn. While she knew Lori had the most experience in mentoring, she was going to start her training to be the next Alpha. She then considered Luna who mentored Lincoln. But, while Luna did do a good job with Lincoln, Rita didn't think that Luna had the patience to train Lucy. She then thought of her other pups. Leni wasn't focused enough to train. Luan didn't take training seriously. Rita knew that first hand because she had mentored Luan personally. Lynn was too competitive to train Lucy. So that left Lincoln. Out of all her pups, Lincoln was the most patient and focused and he took training seriously. But she had to ask herself one question: was Lincoln ready? Rita shook her head and decided to wait on making a decision. They still had a moon before Lucy started her training. So they still had time.

She looked around and watched as Lincoln and Lynn wrestled in the clearing while her other daughters looked on with excitement. She knew her pups did this often to hone their skills. And it also served as a way for the younger pups to learn some moves that they could practice.

As she watched her pups, she heard a set of paw steps coming towards the camp. She turned her attention towards the entrance and saw Lori run through the entrance. Rita quickly ran up to meet with her oldest pup who was currently shaking with fear.

"Lori? What's wrong? And where is your father?" Rita asked concerned. Lori looked at her mother with wide eyes as she tried to catch her breath. She took a few deep breaths and then answered her mother.

"Coyotes!" Lori shouted.

"Where?" Rita demanded.

"I don't know." Lori answered. "Dad and I were hunting and we caught a strong scent of coyote. Next thing we know, there were dozens of coyotes all around us. Dad told me to run and we were lucky to get out of there."

"Where is your father?" Rita asked seriously.

"I don't know." Lori answered. "When we realized we would be leading the coyotes to our camp, he told me to hide while he led them away. I'm sorry."

"Lori, it's ok." Rita assured her with a nuzzle. She then turned to her remaining pups. "We must prepare for an attack. Lucy, you will take Lana, Lola, Lisa and Lily into the cave. Don't come out until someone gets you. Got it?"

"Yes." Lucy answered.

"Good. Lucy will be in charge." Rita says. "As for the rest of you, I want you all to be ready. Lincoln, do you feel well enough to fight?"

"You better believe it." Lincoln growled. "Chandler has a lot to answer for."

"That's what I like to hear." Rita said with pride. "All of you. Come here." All eleven young wolves gather around their mother who nuzzles each of them. "I just want you all to know that your father and I love you very much and that we are very proud of all of you."

"We love you too mom." Luan says with the rest of her siblings voicing their agreement. The pack then hears rustling coming from a nearby bush. The older wolves prepare to face whatever is coming out of their while Lucy is ushering her younger sisters to the cave. However, what came out of the bushes weren't coyotes. It was Lynn Sr.

"Everyone ok?" Lynn Sr. asks.

"Yes we're fine." Rita answered. "Where are the coyotes?"

"I don't know. I think I lost them." Lynn Sr. said. They then hear growling and snarling coming from outside the camp. "Or maybe not." The coyotes then make their way into the camp and growl at the pack.

"Well what do we have here?" Chandler asked. "Lynn Sr. and his pack." He then turns to Lincoln. "Surprised to see you back on your feet Larry." Lincoln lets out a snarl.

"You and your fellow coyotes aren't welcome here." Lynn Sr. growled. "I suggest you leave."

"Yeah that's not happening." Chandler tells him. "You see, you aren't going to be chasing us out anymore. You know why? Because our new friend said so."

"What new friend? A cougar?" Lynn asked.

"Not exactly." A voice answered. The coyotes parted to reveal a large black wolf with a white that had a scar across it. "Hello Lynn. It's been a while."

"Zeta." Lynn Sr. growled. "I thought you left the forest."

"I did for a while but I decided to come home." Zeta calmly tells him. "Hello Rita."

"Zeta." Rita snarled. "Last time I checked, my father banished you from the pack."

"You lie!" Zeta snarled. "I left on my own! And I wouldn't have left if your father had chosen me as the next alpha!"

"He didn't choose you because he knew that you would lead us into unnecessary wars." Rita argued. "How many of us would've died?"

"Silence!" Zeta shouted. "Enough talk." He turns to the coyotes. "Kill them."

So yes, it's a short chapter. But next chapter will bring the awesome. The pack will face off against Zeta and his coyotes. Now I don't know when I will update again. But it will hopefully be soon. So I guess I'll be seeing you.