Chapter 1: 'Tis the Season (written from October 7th to October 11th, 2022)
December 15th, 2012
Christmas was the only holiday the wolves of Jasper Pack shared with humans. No one knew precisely when or how the festivities first began in the Valley, but legend stated that a band of Omegas was taken by humans. As part of an experiment to test their level of tameness, the Omegas were treated as domesticated dogs for two weeks in late December. It was in their captivity, they observed humans perform their own traditions, and when they were returned to the wild, traditions such as caroling and decorating one's home were spread throughout the Omega communities. Next, it was thought the observance was gradually appropriated by Alphas seeking an easy day for themselves, and from then on grew the modern form of wolf Christmas. To say that every wolf loved the holiday would be an understatement. It was the only time the social hierarchy was ignored. Omegas could interact with Alphas without fear of put-downs and Alphas could suspend their busy routines and relax. It was the day everyone could mingle and do fun activities together.
Since Humphrey and Kate knew this year's Christmas would be the first with their pups, they sought to restore a tradition that was once incredibly meaningful to the Grand Pack during its early years. Long ago, members of the royal family would have grand feasts, inviting friends and special wolves to the royal den, sometimes including leaders from other packs. A feast could only be possible during periods of food surplus. As a result, they became symbols of prosperity and happiness, which was why the tradition ceased to exist during the two decades of tension spanning between the start of the Black Mountain War and what became known as the Alpha and Omega Event, the day Humphrey and Kate made history as the first interrank couple. The two wolves' love for each other led to the East and West's reunification, spurring a new age of prosperity and happiness, so bringing back the grand feast seemed appropriate. Kate, being the Alpha she was, took charge. Christmas was ten days away, and she wanted her mate's help with cleaning and decorating the family den, or the Western royal den as it was formally known.
"Okay, parents' first dinner. Let's get this place in order." The first thing Kate wanted to change was the broken logboard near the mouth of the den. It was the same one the couple used in order to rescue Winston and Tony two and a half years ago. "Oh, Humphrey, can you move the logboard to the wall?" The Omega stepped closer to the two wooden pieces. Out of all of his logboards, he considered sacred the one that survived the stampede. It hadn't been moved an inch since he brought it into the den.
"This is where we fell in love," he reminded the Alpha as he reminisced fondly.
"I know... Against the wall," she repeated firmly. The Alpha was far less sentimental.
Begrudgingly, Humphrey pushed the log with his head—with minimal effort. "Completely against the wall," Kate clarified.
"I don't know. I think the angle makes it a little less..." Suddenly, the Alpha walked past him and pushed it herself. "...militant," he finished.
"Oh, and I almost forgot. Can you retrieve the buried bones?"
"Retrieve? As in dig them up?"
"Right. Where I buried them." She pointed her snout to the loose dirt in the center of the floor.
"We're serving bones? Our first dinner?"
"Are you criticizing my dinner choice?!" she snapped.
"No! No, no. Not at all. Bones have lots of... roughage," the Omega replied nervously. Kate shook her head as she moved on to another part of the cave.
"Humphrey dear... just dig!"
"Sheesh, what am I? The family pet?" he remarked under his breath. After he began digging, one of his Omega friends appeared from outside. Humphrey smiled. It had been many months since he had last seen Salty. During his time as a young father, it was rare to have an opportunity to speak with any of his Omega friends.
"Hey, Humphrey," Salty greeted. "Nice digs."
"Ugh, don't get me started."
"Looks like you already have. How's life with an Alpha?"
"Efficient," he answered, mimicking Kate's voice.
"That is what we thought," Salty replied.
"'We'?"
"The guys. We thought, 'Wouldn't it be cool to take our Omega brother to the wild berry patch?'"
"Yeah, I'm not really a fan of berries."
Humphrey remembered eating them the first time when he tried to impress Kate years ago. It wasn't the best experience.
"Fermented berries," Salty corrected. Immediately, Humphrey's opinion switched.
"I... love... berries." Humphrey had totally forgotten about the alcoholic variants that sprang up naturally near Moonlight Howl Rock. Not long ago, the Omega had a cache of fermented berries near the back wall, but his mate soon discovered it and ate what was left without telling him. Humphrey had been without a buzz longer than he wanted to be, and this was his chance to reclaim it before Kate could torment him with her nagging.
"Oh, hi, Salty!" Kate greeted. She then noticed her mate no longer digging. "Humphrey... did you find all the—?"
"Hey, Kate, got an idea here! How about a few fermented berries to go with the dry... uh, I mean uh... the delicious and nutritious marrow! Heh, heh! Right, Salty?" His scrawny friend replied with a short howl. "Come on, what do you say?" The Omega sat upright and panted which reddened Kate's face.
"Humphrey... you're begging."
"Sorry. Instinct."
"Um.. well... okay! It would make for a nice before-dinner snack."
"In so many ways," Humphrey added hungrily.
"And it is the holidays after all."
"Joy to the cave."
"Okay, Humphrey," she yielded. "Oh, if you see some holly, bring that back too."
"'Tis the season!"
"And if you see the pups, send them home."
"Okay! Love you, babe!" The two Omegas took off.
Meanwhile...
Near the Ceremonial Valley, the three pups were busy examining the slope their parents sledded on during the stampede. While every wolf knew Humphrey and Kate for their famous declaration that violated pack law, it was their daring rescue that made them heroes in the eyes of the pups.
"Whoa! Dad and Mom were able to logboard this?" said Stinky.
"Woah!" Claudette exclaimed. None of them expected the slope to be so treacherous.
"I don't know if that's even appropriate for an Alpha," Stinky remarked.
"I think it would be killer, Stinky," Claudette replied, "and I'm an Alpha-in-training."
"And remember... Dad is a proud Omega as I hope I'll be," said Runt.
"Well, as the future leader of the pack, I wouldn't allow Alphas to be doing things like this," said Stinky, widening his chest.
"Mm-hmm," Claudette agreed sarcastically.
"How about things like this?" said Runt. "Pick a tree. Any tree."
"Runt, do you need to take a whiz?" his sister asked.
"What?"
"Claudette, inappropriate," Stinky reprimanded, "This is male-to-male stuff, alright?" He turned back to his brother. "Runt, do you need to take a whiz?"
"What is wrong with you two?! I may be the runt, but give me a break! I was born only like a few minutes later than you wolves."
"But you're still so cute," Claudette replied, which irked Runt. The little pup couldn't stand the c word.
"Cute?!" he exclaimed. He would show them what he actually meant when he asked them to pick a tree. He chose one himself, one tall enough to be a challenge, and ascended the trunk at unimaginable speed, much faster than his siblings had ever noticed. Although half their size, many months of tree-climbing practice made Runt on par with their strength and twice as agile. He was still the only wolf who could climb trees—at least the only one willing to do so—and he was proud of it.
"Runt, it is unsightly for a wolf to be climbing a tree!" Stinky reminded. "Runt!" His brother ignored him. The earthbound wolves could only see Runt's rear end as he climbed onto the highest branch he could reach.
"I think he's saying, 'Talk to the butt,'" Claudette suggested to Stinky.
"Don't forget what Mom and Dad always say!" said Runt. "Our uniqueness makes us strong!" On the highest branch, the pup came across a gathering of blue jays. The dozen or so perching birds were shocked to see a wolf in their midst. "Hey, what up?" Runt greeted. The pup used his paws to mimic flapping wings. He was trying to communicate with them!
"That is unique, alright," said Stinky as Claudette snickered beside him.
Runt walked down the branch, to the farthest he could go without it snapping. Up high, he was able to see large portions of the Valley. He could discern Moonlight Howl Rock, Mt. Victory, and he could even see Rabbit Poo Mountain, but much farther than that, he could see the perilous Rockies that enclosed the entire Valley. The Canadian Rockies put the other mountains to shame, trapping the wolves inside a cage of geography. There was only one route through the Rockies that was considered safe. Runt squinted so he could make out a distinct gap in the range. It was known as Eclipse Pass, and as he squinted extra hard, he could see a green point of light shining through it. It was the entrance to the Old Country known as Banff, Jasper's sister park to the south.
"Wow, this rocks! You can see Banff! And—" Peculiar movements on the ground then caught his eye. "Hey, check it out! I see three wolves closing in on us!"
"Are they of our pack?" Stinky asked.
"Hm, not that I recognize."
"Well, maybe I should go welcome them!"
"What?!" Claudette exclaimed. "Remember, Grandpa Winston said there were Rogue wolves in the area."
"Let me handle this," said Runt. "HEY! WHO ARE YOU GUYS?!" The adult wolves looked up, astonished to see a pup in the sky. Suddenly, they scattered. "Well, that was real."
"Wait a minute," said Stinky. His nose twitched madly. "I do believe there is a large inhabitant entering our presence."
"Like what? A moose?" Claudette replied.
"No... It is..."
"A GRIZZLY!" Runt yelled. "I see it right there!"
A light brown bear quickly approached Stinky and Claudette. It was strange to see a bear wandering alone deep in pack territory. That meant it was only around to cause trouble, but neither of the two pups was daunted, for they were the offspring of Kate.
"No worries. We got this," Stinky assured.
"Let me do my thing," said Claudette. Like her mother before her, she knew how to use a bear's huge size to her advantage. "Come on, big guy! Show me whatcha got!"
"Go, sis'!" Runt cheered from above. His siblings slithered in and out between the legs, befuddling the mountain of fur. Roars were met with innocent chuckles. Then Claudette gave it a chance. She shook her tail in front as a way to have it follow her.
"Okay, right this way, wolf-eater!" she taunted.
Claudette planned to catch it off guard by doing the spin-off move. She ran far ahead of the beast and met up with Stinky at the edge of an outcrop, but her brother needed to tell her something.
"Claudette... other wolves, and not of our pack." As if on cue, the new wolves from earlier leaped from out of nowhere. To the pups' amazement, they pounced on the bear and bit it fiercely, showing no mercy. It was clear the bear was young and inept. It had no way to stop the overwhelming sequence aside from fleeing the scene. Stinky and Claudette didn't know what to think. What wolf or wolves would be bold enough to attack a bear directly? "As future leader of this pack, I say CHARGE!" Nevertheless, the pups joined the new wolves who ran a short distance after the now-bruised bear to make sure it wouldn't consider a second round.
"And pick on your own size next time!" Claudette yelled. Once the grizzly was gone for good, her brother wasted no time meeting with the adults. It was at this point Claudette noticed one of the new wolves was missing. Runt had reported three wolves, not two. She lifted her head to ask Runt for confirmation, but surprisingly, the top of the tree was bereft of him. "What?" Where had he gone? Runt couldn't be seen on the ground. Claudette was beginning to get very suspicious of the new wolves.
"I don't believe I had the pleasure of a formal introduction. My name is Stinky, and that's my sister, Claudette. And somewhere around here is my little brother, Runt."
"Runt? Ha, ha, ha!" the wolf with large bags under his eyes laughed. "Aren't you Winston's grandpups?"
Stinky turned to Claudette, grinning with pride.
"See? They saw him in me!"
The she-wolf shook her head and squinted her eyes.
"So... what? You guys just here to hang out?"
"Yeah, yeah. We're... we're just passing through," he answered Claudette.
"What pack are you from?" Stinky asked.
"We're from Banff," he answered vaguely. "Just lost our way."
"Yeah uhh... we'd better get over the train tracks before nightfall," the second new wolf added.
As the new wolves left, Claudette motioned Stinky to follow her. They walked to the base of the tree that Runt had climbed. What they saw in the dirt was an obvious tussle.
"Just what I thought," said Claudette. "Pawprints! Right by the trunk! I think Runt was jumped! He probably rushed down to help and—" Stinky interrupted with his olfaction.
"The third wolf was here."
"Not a 'third wolf,' Stinky, the third Rogue..."
