Chapter 5: Family Matters
Humphrey woke to the bright sunlight streaming in through the entrance of the den. He opened his eyes but squinted as the sun was in his eyes. Humphrey yawned and slowly got up and stretched. A shadow passed over the cave as something blocked out the light of the sun. Owen entered the cave and approached Humphrey.
"Sleep well?" he asked.
"I've had better nights," Humphrey replied.
"Come to me once everyone else is up." After saying this, Owen turned and left the cave.
Not too long after, Kate began to wake up, and it wasn't long before the others were up, too. Humphrey led them outside where Owen was waiting.
"Come with me," he said. "We have a lot to talk about."
Owen led them into his den. They all sat down, and he began telling them about Humphrey's time in his pack.
"It happened many years ago, when I was much younger, and my son, Kyle was just a pup," he said. "There was a terrible storm one night and the next day, Kyle wanted go out and look around because he heard a large crash of thunder just outside the territory. So, I let him. Not ten minutes later he came back, saying that there was a wolf pup stuck underneath a tree. So, I gathered three of our strongest alphas and followed him into the woods. When we got past the tree line, sure enough, we saw a young pup with his tail pinned underneath a tree that had fallen during the storm."
"We quickly came up with a plan to free you from underneath the tree. We all got on one side and simultaneously lifted, and Kyle pulled out.. Once you were free, we could see that you were seriously injured. So, we took you back to the pack and nursed you back to health. You lived peacefully here for about year or so. That's when you started getting mischievous."
"One day, you were out on your own beyond the territory. Kyle stayed behind for Alpha School. It was around mid-day when I told him to go and get you-"
"That was the biggest mistake I ever made."
Everyone turned their heads to see another wolf standing in the entrance of the den. Kyle was much younger than his father and had bright tan, almost yellow fur. But the thing that was most noticeable was that his back-left leg was deformed, as if the leg had been broken, then re-healed in an irregular position.
"Dad sent me to go and find you," Kyle said. "I went past the tree line and stood at the bottom of the hill looking around for you. Then I heard a noise coming from the hill. I looked up and saw you sliding down the hill in a log. You were already at the bottom and I couldn't get out of the way in time. You hit me with so much force that my leg was shattered and then you jumped out of the log before it hit a nearby tree. Dad banished you on the spot. Thankfully, once my leg healed, I was actually faster than before. Hunts are much easier for me than for anyone else."
Kyle looked at Kate and then back at Humphrey.
"So it's true," he said. "You did marry an alpha. You know, I heard about all that commotion about an alpha marrying an omega around seven years ago. I just never imagined it would be you."
"So," Owen said. "Why are you here?"
"I'm looking for my parents," Humphrey replied.
"Your parents?" Owen said in surprise. "Humphrey, your parents are dead."
"Do you really know that?" Kate asked.
"No," Owen replied. "You told us your story. But it's best if you just accept it and go home. I wouldn't waste your time looking for them. From what it looks like, you've got a good life in the Western Pack. Don't throw it away so quickly."
"I'm going anyway," Humphrey said. "I set out to find my parents and that's exactly what I'm going to do. No matter what, I'm going to find them."
"Fine," Owen gave in. "We'll send you with some of Kyle's hunt. You'll need it. But just know that this will not end well. You'll either find something you won't like, or you'll find something you will like and will have to make an impossible decision between your old life and your new one."
"Your concern is touching, but I've got a family to find," Humphrey said.
As the morning came to an end, Humphrey and the group set out from the pack with Marcel and Paddy carrying the rations in their golf club bag. They traveled for a few days with Stinky leading the way and they soon ran low on food. One day, Stinky gave some alarming news.
"I smell humans."
A feeling of worry passed over the whole group as they'd had their fair share of unpleasant experiences with humans.
"How far, Stinky?" Kate asked.
"There's a whole town not too far down that hill over there," he replied.
"Okay, let's find another way around," Garth said.
"Wait a second," Humphrey said.
"What is it now?" Kate asked him, a little annoyed.
"I smell something. Something I haven't smelled in years. Not since-" he stopped, and his eyes suddenly shot wide open. Kate noticed this immediately.
"Humphrey," she said. "Please don't do this again."
But it was already too late, and Humphrey bolted down the hill toward the town.
"Not again," Marcel said. The group hurried to catch up to him as the sun set.
Humphrey stopped at a chain-link fence around a small backyard. There was a small doghouse in the corner with a name plate above the doorway that read, "Lizzy".
Kate came running up behind him. "Humphrey, it's not safe to be out in the open like this," she urged.
"Yes, Kate," he said. "I remember what happened last time."
"Then you know that we can't stay here, Humphrey."
"Humphrey?" said a voice from the other side of the fence.
Everyone stopped and looked at the doghouse as a dog slowly emerged from the entrance. She was a bit smaller than Humphrey and she had both purple fur and eyes. She was wearing a collar with a chain attached to it. The chain was no doubt tied to a stake inside the doghouse, as she couldn't reach the fence.
"Wait a second," Humphrey said, approaching the fence and looking at the purple dog. She looked almost nothing like a dog, resembling a wolf more than anything else.
"I know you," he said. There was silence as Humphrey racked his mind, trying to remember who this was. Then it hit him.
"You're my sister," he said.
"Humphrey? Is it really you?" the dog said.
"Yes, Kenya. It's me. I'm here," Humphrey said, his voice quivering.
The group stood in amazement, not believing what they had just heard.
"I thought I lost you," Humphrey said. "What happened?"
"What happened?" Kenya asked. "After we lost our parents, they took me to this town where I was put in another cage. And then a few days later a human came in and took me here. He calls me Lizzy, but I don't know why."
"Are you okay?" Humphrey asked.
"I'm fine. It's an okay life. It's safe, I don't have to work for food, even if it tastes strange. It wasn't always like that. He used to very demanding, never letting me interact with the other dogs, always making me sleep outside. It didn't last long though. He changed and life's been pretty good since. But I would still rather live with you. With my real family. Can you help me?"
"Of course," Humphrey said. "Family matters more than anything. Marcel, Paddy. See if you can get her free."
"We're on it," they replied.
The two flew over the fence and landed in the yard. They went into the doghouse and before long, the stake was out.
"Now we just need to get you on the other side of that fence," Humphrey said.
He looked around, looking for something to use to get Kenya out. Then he saw the perfect tool. He turned back to Kenya.
"I have an idea," he said. "You might want to get out of the way." Then he thought of something. "Actually, you know what?" he said. "Go into your house thingy."
"You mean my doghouse?" Kenya said.
"Um, yeah, let's go with that," he said, then ran back up the hill.
Once he was at the top, he yelled down to the others to get out of the way. He ran over to half of a hollowed-out log and pushed it down. Then he got in and rode it down the hill toward the fence. Humphrey jumped out just before it crashed through the chain link fence into the backyard. Kenya looked out of the doghouse and seeing the logboard, she turned to Humphrey.
"I should have figured you'd do something like that," she said.
"Really?" Humphrey said. "How'd you know?"
"Humphrey," Kenya said. "You're Dad's son."
"Fair point," Humphrey agreed.
Suddenly, a light turned on inside the house as the owner was coming outside to investigate the noise.
"Come on, let's go," Humphrey said, and they ran off into the woods. As the lights of the town faded from view, Humphrey couldn't have been happier to have his sister back.
