Chapter 7: Wolf Trappers and Dog Catchers

Everyone suddenly stopped as they heard Daria crying out for help. When they looked over, they saw that she had a snare pole around her neck and was being restrained by a human holding onto it.

Several trucks had slowly driven up while they were arguing and had completely taken them by surprise. The wolf trappers and dog catchers had gotten word from Kenya's owner, Lucas, that his dog had gotten loose and had run off with a small pack of wolves, as he had found wolf tracks in his backyard. The local dogcatchers visited the man's home and sure enough, they found the tracks of four or five fairly large wolves. So, they decided to pursue them and get the man's missing dog back the next morning. They took the road around the side of the town, toward the forest, and then went off-road into the woods. They heard loud barking, so they slowed down, trying not to make any noise that might scare the wolves off.

As the wolves turned to help Daria, they stopped as they heard Kenya crying out next to them. Another human had come up from behind and grabbed her while their backs were turned. She struggled and pulled as hard as she could against the pole, but to no avail. The man was simply too strong.

Humphrey turned and leapt at the human holding his sister but was pulled back to the ground as a snare pole was looped around his neck. He hit the ground with a thud that almost knocked the wind out of him, but he paid it no mind. He turned his head, grabbed the pole with his teeth, and pulled the human down to the ground, causing the man to let go of the pole. Humphrey tried running back to his sister but was caught around the neck by a second pole and was dragged into a cage.

As Kate rushed to help Humphrey, she stopped when she heard her pups calling out to her. The humans took this opportunity to capture her as well and it wasn't long before the whole group was subdued and placed in cages.

Runt was stuck up a tree, which wasn't a surprise to the wolves, who had seen him in a tree plenty of times in the past, but left the humans dumbfounded, as they had never even heard of a wolf climbing up a tree before. But it was clear that he wouldn't be safe for long. Runt hadn't been able to climb up very far and was too scared to go any higher. Plus, the man had taken the crate he going to put Runt in and used it as a stepstool so that he could reach the pup.

"Dad," he shouted. "Please, don't let them take me."

"No!" Humphrey shouted. His memory suddenly became fully restored, and in that moment, he remembered every detail of what happened the day he lost his parents, because it was happening again, right now. In the exact same place, and the exact same way it happened twenty years ago. Humphrey's parental instincts kicked in and he knew he had to get out of that cage before he lost his pups, like his parents lost him.