"A Ranger in Wolf's Clothing"

A story created by Wolfsaurusrex and L0RD3N

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Chapter 1: Carry on, Wayward Ranger

I had to flee tonight. It was my only chance to get away from them.

They terrorized me for my whole life. Beatings every other day, incessant shouting and yelling, crying myself to sleep every night.

"Why can't you just be like your brothers?"

"I'd trade a beautiful lass for you anyday, you little prick."

"The only reason we're keeping you is to have someone to take our anger out on."

"We like ourselves a punching back, hahaha!"

I've had enough of hearing this every single day. I've had enough of my brothers' stupid, superior attitude. I've had enough of them all.

I went to get water in my hard-leather bottle so I could have it for the journey. When I came back into the house that was about to stop being my home, I heard his voice.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I took a deep breath.

"Just went to fill my water. I like to have a drink during the night." That was mostly true, as I always woke up with my mouth dry and sweating from nightmares.

"Why are you lying to me?" he growled.

I turned to face my father, drawing a deep breath.

"I'm not lying." I said simply.

He got up. "Shit." I thought.

He came towards me very calmly and slowly. But I knew what that calm was. The calm before the storm. Every step that he took towards me was a wind that would announce the rain.

"I ask once more. Where. Are. You. Going?" That pressure on every word. That pressure I knew all too well.

"None of your business. Not anymore." I responded through gritted teeth.

It was now or never.

Before he had even a chance to react, I threw him a punch right on the mouth with all the force I could muster. To my surprise, he staggered so much that he fell. "Good that he was drunk again…" I thought briefly.

I sprinted up the stairs and to the attic. Or my room, I guess. I quickly bolted the trapdoor, but I knew that wouldn't stop him, it would only buy me just a few extra moments of sanctuary. I was hearing him step heavily up the stairs. It was like the thunder of an approaching storm.

I threw my cloak on and got the only weapon I had, a small dagger.

"You beat him good!" spoke my so-called "mother".

He was already up on the ladder. I briefly looked at my only possession: a cold metal ring.

He started pounding on the door already. I had even less time than I thought.

"WHAM!"

I tied a rope around a pillar next to the window and threw the rest out…

WHAM!

I quickly grabbed an empty bottle he had left in my room…

WHAM!

It broke open. I jumped towards him and smashed the bottle right into my father's face. He initially was struck dumb, and I used that brief moment to kick him right into the forehead. He was knocked out, and fell down the ladder. A perfect execution.

I put my hood and mask on from the cloak. I could go.

Then I heard a voice right from below me.

"What happened?"

That voice. High and just so goddamn annoying. That irony and contempt she always had in her voice when talking to me, and that stupid honey-dripped voice she used with my brothers. There was another bottle on my bed. Just too good of an opportunity to miss.

"Where are you, you ungrateful little worm?" she hissed, looking up, using the voice that rang through my ears all these seven years. That voice that I hated so deeply.

I grabbed the bottle and threw it down at her. Because she made the mistake to look up, she was hit squarely in the mouth, cutting her lips and face, knocking her down. I couldn't help but laugh derisively. She had that coming for SO long.

I heard the door slam downstairs.

"Shit, I wasted too much time." I thought. I slammed the trapdoor and bolted it again.

"Mother, Father, we are back from the Edoras!" my brothers called.

I ran to the window.

"Hello?" my brother called again.

I started descending down the rope.

Steps thundering on the stairs.

"What happened?!"

I made it down.

Muffled voices I couldn't make out anymore.

I ran to the stables and unhinged my father's horse, which I had saddled earlier before, so I could just bolt when the time was right. The horses were the only thing in this house that weren't disgusted by me, or by the mere sight of me.

I broke into a gallop and went right out the village. I was so lucky our house was so close to its edge.

I was free. I couldn't believe it. I thought I could never say that word about myself. I was free.

Present

"Rohrrin? You there?" I got out of my meditating state and looked at Talion.

"Yeah. Was just meditating." I answered and jumped up.

"They here yet?" I asked.

"Not yet, we're still waiting for Fastred and Altor to come back." answered Fendor, who was wiping his blade.

Talion laughed.

"You know that's useless, right? They're elven blades, don't need to be cleaned or sharpened."

Fendor shrugged and continued.

"Just something I do when I'm bored."

The warm wind carried to us the sound of footsteps and jumping. We looked up at the trees behind us, and there were our two scouts.

"They'll be passing by us in about five minutes now." said Fastred.

We should go now, to be ready for the ambush." added Altor.

We nodded, grabbed our weapons and went up the trees.

##########

After a few minutes

Talion motioned up the road. There was the oncoming small force of Harradrim. They wanted to try to raid a small camp of healers and medics a short way from there. Altor luckily overheard the plan, and informed us immediately. We therefore prepared the ambush.

We all waited patiently in the trees. We were perfectly blending in with the thick foliage of the proud oaks.

Just a little while after they passed us, I motioned Holdgel to jump down. We both landed noiselessly behind the soldiers, blades unsheathed. They had no idea what was behind them.

We silently started dispatching the ones in the rear of the row, not even leaving them a moment to splutter blood, and neither leaving their gear to crash onto the ground and give away our position.

After we got a few kills, we noticed we'll be seen if we try anymore. I made a quick sign behind me, and I barely made out footsteps up in the trees going ahead of us.

Holdgel and I finally jumped the next two soldiers, and just as we had predicted, we were seen almost immediately after we slit their throats.

"Feinde!" one of them shouted.

We did a few flips to quickly put distance between us, and arrows flew at the back of their necks from behind the Harradrim, hitting them squarely in the neck.

We unsheathed our blades and the other rangers also dived. They were already surrounded. We were almost easily overcoming the small force, even though they definitely had the numbers against us. At least more than twenty, compared to our measly crew of seven.

We were masterfully deflecting and slashing at their necks. They somehow always fell hook, line and sinker for feints, allowing us to cut whole limbs off at a time.

Thirty became twenty, twenty became ten, ten became five, and five became one. We all weren't hit even once, except for Herumer, who had a small cut on his shoulder, having mistimed a dodge slightly.

We left him alive for just one moment more, and he jeered at us:

"Ihr Narren, ihr werdet bald gegen den wahren Feind kämpfen!" He kept laughing until Talion rolled his eyes and cut his throat open, with just a flash of the tip of his blade and a lazy wrist flick. He stopped laughing, and he gagged on his own blood.

" 'You'll fight the real enemy soon?' The hell's that supposed to be?" asked Fastred, sheathing his short-sword and dagger.

I suspected it, but I never told them. This fight was too easy. There has to be something else. I turned to Talion:

"Tal, how about we go check the camp?"

He nodded. "Would be an idea. Don't wanna get deceived by these guys, they could've sent another force."

"The rest of you maybe should watch this road, make sure more of them don't pass by here." I added.

The other rangers nodded.

Talion and I jumped up the trees, and quickly went to the camp.

##########

Mist and green light started creeping up the road, making the young rangers stare at each other in confusion.

"What in the whole sweet hell…?" asked Fendor.

Altor held up a hand, and Fendor fell silent.

"Am I the only one hearing hooves?"

They listened hard, and they did hear faint hooves sounds, which were heading right their way.

They unsheathed their weapons and waited for the mysterious rider to make his appearance.

##########

Talion gracefully made his way back up the tree I was waiting for him in.

"They're all safe." he said simply.

I frowned. "Alright… let's head back." We started to jump and parkour our way back smoothly.

"Is there something you're expecting to happen?" he asked. "You certainly look like it."

I didn't answer.

I saw mist coming from the road ahead.

"NO!" I screamed, and sped up. I heard Talion swear viciously from my left as he also matched my pace.

I jumped down and unsheathed my blades, as Talion landed beside me, his sword already drawn.

Holdgel was laying on the ground, his chest sliced open with one smooth, perfect cut, already mostly drained of blood.

Herumer was against a tree, barely standing up, a long gash on his abdomen. He had collapsed.

Altor tried to jump on the enemy from behind, but he was evaded with a half-turn, and his left arm was cut from a pirrouete. He fell on to the ground, blood spurting out from his stump, as the rider went on to deflect a well-aimed blow from Fendor, not being deceived by the latter's feint.

We rushed to their aid, but we were already too late. With another masterful deflect, Fendor's forehead was slashed open.

The enemy's next blow was beautifully deflected by Fastred, who also managed to cut him, and then did a blade blockade, crossing his dagger and blade in an X shape and dragging them both along his enemy's blade, but the rider suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind the ranger. Having his momentum fazed, Fastred couldn't stop his opponent from decapitating him with one quick and fluid motion.

With a yell of anger, Talion tried to attack him from a leap, while I tried to slash him from a right slide.

He turned, and almost imperceptibly, made a sign towards me, and I was thrown back, dropping my twin swords. I had no damn chance to even start a reaction.

I only saw how he caught Talion's sword in his spiked steel glove, and drove his sword through Talion's chest. He then grabbed his hand and threw my friend, like a ragged doll. Talion fell and stayed motionless.

I didn't want to believe it. My whole crew died. We were mutated together, trained together, defended Ithilien together for the last three years, for all of them to die right in front of my eyes. In but a few moments.

The ring on my hand started to shine. I knew I was the only one who had a chance. I picked up my blades, and looked the Nazgul in his misty green eyes from beneath his helmet.

"Let's dance, you bitch." I said savagely, as I got into a fighting stance.

I charged towards him, and slid on the left, but mid-slide I flipped forwards, over the Nazgul's sword which came to meet me, and in passing, I cut his right shoulder. I didn't expect for such a fast kick from him though, so I step-dodged instantly after landing, but he still hit me staggeringly, and I was forced to parry his next heavy attack. He managed to get a pretty good cut on my forearm with an upper-cut, but I deflected his next hit and managed to stab him. That cut was damn worth it.

We put distance between ourselves, as we both looked daggers at each other, even taunting, to try to get one another to make the first move.

He finally did it.

He teleported behind me, but then instantly dashed in front of me, and tried to slash my back. I hastily danced around his blade and greedily tried to kick his right arm, but he passed his blade into his left hand, then caught my left leg, and drove his blade through it painfully. I tried to not let it faze me though, as I quickly controlled my adrenaline, so it wouldn't flood my leg and amplify the bleeding.

I teleported behind him, focusing my thoughts on the fight rather then the wound, then dashed on his left side. He turned quickly and desperately tried a sweep attack, to force me to pull away. In his hastiness, he lifted his sword too high up. I ducked under his weapon, quickly went behind him and slashed his back with both my swords. I then dashed away again.

This time, I was slightly taken aback that he chased me aggressively, and I was forced to defend myself, as he unleashed a whirlwind of fast attacks and teleports. I managed to parry most of them, but I couldn't avoid many cuts and gashes.

I finally managed to teleport behind him surprisingly, then underneath him, and slashed his left hip, before somersaulting over his blade, and teleporting away. He wasn't as aggressive anymore this time.

I thought of a short plan, and I executed it hastily, not thinking twice.

I ran towards him, ignoring the throbbing pain in my leg, and slid on my right one. I was about to try and slash him, but at the last moment I teleported to his left to try and cut his arm. With an inhuman agility, he made a sign with his fingers and sent me flying backwards. I managed to slam my blade into a tree, then propelled myself briskly right into him, holding out my uninjured right leg, not realizing that it was a mistake. He ducked right underneath it. Before I managed to dash away, he caught my left leg painfully and slammed me on the ground, forcing me to roll away to avoid his next attack, dropping one of my blades in the process.

He teleported right on me, and I managed to lock his sword with mine. We both were trying to get an advantage for a full minute, each of us pushing heavily. He finally took his left hand off the hilt, and tried to punch me with it. The hand with the ring on it.

I didn't like the idea that sprung into my mind then, but I knew it was most likely my only chance to win.

I let my blade slide into his right shoulder, while he let his slide right into my heart. But what he didn't notice was the hidden blade that I got out of my wrist, by pushing a button on my hand. I achieved just what I wanted: to cut off his ring finger. His middle and pointer also came off right after it.

Time seemed to slow down, as his ring finger flew, rolling in the air. He pulled back, clutching his hand, while I mustered what power I had left, pulled out his blade out of my heart, and got out a forging hammer out of my cloak with my right hand. I got up and quickly crawled towards the ring. The cause of this damned massacre.

I slammed the sharp end of the hammer in the ring. It shattered. I've done it. Millions of pieces flew in all directions, along with black slime, as a long drawn out scream was heard, under the echo of my own yell.

I slumped on my back, and lifted my head and saw the Nazgul disintegrating. His helmet fell off, as he shined blindingly with misty green light. Another shriek was heard, as the armor crashed loudly on the earth, lifeless. A spirit materialized next to me. One of a king's, with a crown on top. He bowed deeply to me, and then it had dispersed.

I let my head fall back down on the ground.

I did it. I managed to destroy whatever was that entity in the ring, and the Nazgul itself. I'm gonna die too? For sure.

"But to hell with that." I thought carelessly.

My vision was getting blurrier, and blurrier… Did my ring start shining…?

Was that a voice somewhere…?

I couldn't see anymore.

There was a goddamn sword driven through my heart, they can't do shit to save me.

I wasn't feeling my body anymore.

Can they just leave me to at least die in peace…?

I could hear no footsteps. At least that they let me do it in peace, goddamn die.

##########

I felt cold and tired as hell. I could finally rest. I prepared for the afterlife.

"Rohrrin…"

That voice. That familiar male voice.

"It's time, Rohrrin."

I know my friend, I'm coming to join you.

"No. You won't fall into death's cold grasp this time. My gift shall save you this once."

What?!

"You have suffered long enough. You will be able to forge your own destiny. Be happy, and enjoy it, my friend."

I then felt a strange warm presence all around me. I kept my eyes closed. There was a light coming somewhere from my hand. I then felt the warm light vanish, and it was replaced by wind. I felt it whizzing by my ears. I open my eyes to see the ground looking small.

Am I a giant? I then see the ground getting closer.

Nope, nope, I am falling. Craaaaaaapppppp. I then hit the ground hard.

I slowly opened my eyes to see a… beak?

I quickly jumped up, but fell on my back. I dragged myself a distance away before I turned to see the owner of the black beak. I realized how much I overreacted when it was just a bluejay, a big bluejay. No, the bluejay wasn't bigger, I was smaller. I came to the conclusion when I could see all the trees around me were gargantuan. Not only that but my swords towered over me as well.

That damn bird flew away and left me to my own thoughts.

My head still hurt after the fall, but I had to answer some questions: what happened to me, why am I small, and where in the whole hell am I? This didn't really look like any part of Middle-Earth I've ever seen.

I tried to stand again, but I fell forward. I caught myself this time with my front paws and…..PAWS?!

I HAVE PAWS?! Sure enough I had black paws. I looked behind me and saw that I possessed back paws that were also black, a black body….and even a goddamn tail.

If I ever get my hands or paws on that elf, I'll find a way to kill him a second time.

Well, at least I found out what I am. I am a black canine. I wish I knew what kind, but, considering I am in the woods, I think I'm a wolf. I should find some water, just to make sure.

I stood on my back paws again, and fell.

Crap.

Four legs Rohrrin, four legs. Just take it slow. I then took a look at my swords. I can't have anyone or anything taking these, they're my most prized possessions. If I ever find out how to turn back, I'll certainly need them. There's no way I can use them in the state I'm in.

I winced a little as I noticed one of my digits was bleeding slightly. I didn't have the ring anymore.

"My gift shall save you this once…"

The ring broke to save me. That's why he told me to never take it off, when he gifted it to me. It saved me from death, and it turned me into a wolf and I'm the devil knows where.

Thanks, but not really, I guess?

I picked out a tree, a towering oak, and started digging a hole next to it. I noticed the scars which were usually covering my human hands were concealed by fur, I guessed the other ones on my body were the same. At least I won't get questioned where I got them from. Many were from my time as a ranger, but quite a few were from my time at home.

"At least this is going fast…" I thought bitterly, as I finished it in only a few minutes. Once I had my swords hidden, I scratched the Ranger of Ithilien's symbol on the old and rough bark. The White Tree of Gondor.

It was hastily and roughly made, but it was good enough.

I set forth to find water.

A calm breeze blew by me as I walked slowly on the silky grass. I quickly got used to walking on four paws, it was just like crawling. I even began to jog a little, as I faintly heard a stream somewhere in front of me.

I finally reached it. A small river was flowing lazily, as fish jumped merrily out of it, and it even carried a few fresh green leaves. I bent and looked into the crystal-clear water.

I was a wolf, that was for sure. That snout was unmistakable. I had jet black fur all over with some silver streaks through it, and a gray underbelly. My eyes were still bright yellow. I sighed out loud.

"This is… great." I thought sarcastically. "One minute I'm finally someone, an ass-kicking ranger, and now, not even a few minutes, I learned to walk all over again. You hit a new low, Rohrrin." I continued bitterly in my head.

Well, that answered one question, on to the next, where in the whole hell am I? I decided to head upstream. I severely doubt any human will help me, and I definitely don't wanna see what happens when wolves find an outsider wandering in their vicinity. As I was walking, I began to think about the last things the voice said to me.

"You won't fall into death's cold grasp this time."

"You suffered long enough."

"Forge your own destiny."

How am I supposed to do that as a wolf?

"Hey, do you smell that?" spoke a voice nearby.

My blood ran cold at the sound of a voice I never heard before.

"Uh-huh. Foreign." spoke the other voice.

Both the voices sounded male, and did not sound happy to smell a foreigner.

I'm foreign, and I'm outta here. I quickened my pace upstream. I have gone from a light jog to a trot. Behind me, I couldn't hear anything, but that made me feel worse. That meant two things: either I lost them and they're bad, whatever they are, or I am being trailed. I'm just going to go with the latter of the two.

I stopped when I found a block in my path. The block was grey, hairy, had teeth, claws, and was canine. Not to mention it was bigger than me by a rather significant bit. This canine was definitely not a dog, too big. This was a wolf, and it was a possible enemy.

"Hey!" he shouted. I paid him no mind.

That's one voice, but where is the other?

I turned around, and tried my luck going downstream.

As I turned around, I was stopped by another wolf, this one was mostly dark-brown, and it was even a bit larger and more muscular than the first wolf; both were much bigger than me, that was my main problem.

"Hi," it said.

Great, now I have two possible enemies in my path.

"Hello…" I spoke, already stepping back slowly.

"You're not from around here..." spoke the grey wolf.

Let's see how fast I can move these paws.

I then turned to the trees, and broke out into a dead sprint.

"Hey, stop! We just want to talk!" I heard the dark-brown one yell.

Maybe I can't run, but I can hide. I just need to find a spot. I heard brushing behind me from two sides.

I leapt through another bush only to see a grey blur leap in front of me. I quickly slid under it and I lifted my front paw up in hopes of hitting this guy where it hurts. I scored a direct hit with my paw. I then heard a yelp, and the wolf fell by the time I slid out from under him. Thank the mutations and that training for those quick reactions.

No matter how much I wanted to stop and laugh, I wanted to live more than anything, so I kept running. I guess the other wolf was checking on his friend, as I couldn't hear any other steps around me. As I continued sprinting for my life, my day went from bad to worse. I ended up at a huge rock face. It was a complete vertical and there was no way of climbing it.

"He went this way!" said a voice behind me.

They were close; too close. I then looked at a tree that fell over onto another, which was still standing as well at the top of the rock face. I immediately ran to the fallen tree. I thought for a second, than ran past it a few feet, doubled back, and started making my way up.

"He's just… up ahead..." wheezed the grey wolf. "Dammit, that really hurt." he added. I smirked when I heard that.

The dark-brown wolf began laughing while I was still scaling the fallen tree. I was lucky he was wasting time, laughing like an idiot, instead of staying on me. I then clawed my way up the still standing tree. To say it was a struggle was an understatement, but I did it as fast as I could, and I made my way onto a branch with a lot of leaves. Not a moment later, the two wolves burst out of some blueberry bushes. They then stopped and faced the rock face.

"No way a pup that small could climb that." stated the grey wolf.

He was then nudged by the dark-dark-brown wolf.

"Hey…" it said. "Check out the tree."

The two then began sniffing it.

"He was definitely here," stated the dark-brown canine. "I bet ya he climbed on top of the ridge."

"I bet you he did too," agreed the grey wolf. "He wouldn't have climbed the tree."

"His scent continues this way!" the dark-brown wolf exclaimed. "Come on!"

I put a paw up victoriously, seeing that tricking them with trying get my scent to carry that way worked perfectly.

The two then climbed the fallen tree and on top of the ridge. As the sound of paws became more and more distant, I allowed myself to sigh out loud in great relief.

"Maybe a normal wolf wouldn't climb a tree, but I would," I boasted to myself, smirking proudly. I stood on my branch, and I lost my balance. I landed on the dead tree, and began rolling down to the ground.

I landed on my stomach. My smirk turned into a grimace.

Aside from my pride hurting, and having the wind knocked out of me, I was alright.

"What did I do to deserve this…?" I questioned nobody. "At least I lost those two." I muttered to myself. I barely noticed a small field of yellow flowers.

"I gotta neutralize my scent for a bit, in case they come back. I don't wanna leave 'em a clear trail."

I quickly headed there and managed to get the sweet smell of dandelions on me. I smiled, and then went back into the forest, careful to not step through mud or anything else that'd make my pawprints visible.

I still was surprised that I managed to sprint, and not trip over myself like an idiot. The sun started setting, sending beautiful velvet orange light across the sky. I had to find a place to rest.

From a hunter, I came to be a hider. Quite ironic how life can turn in only a matter of moments.

##########

Half an hour later

3rd person POV

Scar and Hutch returned to the pack with the rising bright and silver moon, and the two immediately headed to the Leader's den. Tony, Winston, Eve, Kate, Garth and Lilly greeted them there.

"Anything worth of note?" asked Tony, bored.

"Yes, actually." answered Hutch.

All the wolves perked up their ears and looked at them.

"What is it?" asked Kate interestedly.

"We found a pup, near one of the smaller north-western rivers -" started Scar, but Lilly interrupted him.

"A pup?!" she exclaimed, wide-eyed. "Then how isn't it with you, you didn't leave it there, did you?!" she spoke quickly and slightly startlingly. Her excitement only grew at the word pup.

"No, no! It's just that we didn't… um no… he really didn't want to come with us." stuttered Hutch, reddenning slightly.

"What?" asked Eve, confused.

"Basically, we found him, then he started running, quite fast I might add. We chased him from two directions. Hutch leapt at him to pin him, but he slid beneath him, and…" Scar stopped and suppressed a laugh.

"And what?" Kate urged him on.

"He hit me… down low… I was… neutralized for a few moments…" Hutch muttered, blushing more and more by every word.

Kate, Garth and Lilly covered their mouths with their paws, while the Leaders managed to keep almost straight faces.

"Don't worry, any male can get… neutralized." smirked Tony. Hutch bit his lip and didn't respond, pawing the ground embarrassingly.

Scar continued, once more in a serious tone, "Anyways, we have reasons to believe that this pup is quite smart, and fast. Besides that he managed to run so fast and execute that perfect slide on Hutch, he also managed to trick us."

"Trick you? How?" asked Winston, raising his eyebrows.

"We were at a ridge, and he went over a fallen beech tree, towards the top of the ridge and another big oak, which was still standing. I was checking on Hutch, so I didn't notice exactly where he went. We initially checked the oak, but I noticed his scent carried past it. We didn't sniff the oak furthermore and went after it. It broke off after a bit, and we doubled back." explained Scar.

Hutch continued.

"Then I realized his scent was also further up the tree, and there were claw marks on the back of it. He must've went a bit past the oak, doubled back, and climbed up it. That trick gave the pup enough time to flee, leaving a faint scent behind. We managed to track it, and it led to a field of dandelions. Some were bent. He rolled over them, lost his scent. We didn't see any pawprints around the field, we checked three times. Basically, he had masked his trail completely. At this point, he could be literally anywhere."

The two wolves fell silent.

"Well… this is quite interesting…" spoke Tony thoughtfully. "A pup with skills of an Alpha, but the mind of a clever Omega and hunter."

"Well, if you find him, try not to lose him next time." said Eve. "This time is fine, we probably wouldn't have done any better ourselves."

Garth was silent through the whole discussion. He was stunned. To think these two Alphas, who were in no way pushovers, were bested by a pup.

"I find it very hard to believe you two got completely played by a pup," he said wearily.

"It's true!" spoke Hutch with Scar nodding.

This made Garth want to see this pup for himself.

Lilly spoke up: "How old did he look? And what was he like"

Scar shrugged. "About… four, five months should it be? He had jet-black fur, with some streaks of silver, gray underbelly. Why?"

"I don't know why, but for a pup, especially a four or five month old pup, to outsmart two trained Alphas is unheard of. I sure would like to see this pup."

Winston raised his paw, noticing that the silver moon had started rising.

"We'll continue this talk tomorrow. It's getting quite late."

Kate also nodded. "I'll return to my pups, to let Humphrey catch his breath." she said, smiling.

The younger wolves left the den.

Lilly and Garth still talked a bit more in their den near the tall grasses, Lilly's favourite place, about the mysterious pup. Before sleep overcame both of them, Lilly's mate was fully agreeing that this pup was something special.

##########

I was running madly from the wolves behind me. Don't slip up, or they'll get you.

I was ducking under thick branches, vaulting over small rocks, and jumping off trees to avoid any bigger obstacles. Don't slip up, or they'll get you.

I tried to jump over the river they found me at the first time, but mistimed it slightly, and landed in the water. I quickly swam on the other side, panting, but they made the jump without failing.

My parents were laughing somewhere. Laughing at me.

You slipped up. They got you.

I was a failure, and always will be.

You failed to forge your destiny, Rohrrin. Only one mistake was all it took.

You slipped up. They got you.

I tried to resist but I was pinned to the ground and jaws were closing down on me.

##########

The next day, at sunrise

Rohrrin's POV

I rose up from my slumber, and noticed the sun was just rising. I looked around the small bush that protected me from the elements, and kept me hidden from the wolves. The first thing that came through my mind was flashes of the close shave from the previous day, and my nightmare.

"I was lucky they were slightly treating me like a normal pup, but that won't work anymore. Only once would have I slipped, they would've caught me, and there would have ended the whole 'carving my own destiny' thing and I'd have been dead."

"Should I leave this place…? They might be on the lookout now, that they have seen a 'foreign' around their place. They must have a large territory. But just how large is that? How much would I have to run to get away from them, and would I even survive such a blind journey?"

These thoughts kept annoying me for a while, as I vainly tried to get some more sleep. I just quit trying at some point and left my bush to search for water.

My mouth was dry as hell, like everytime I had nightmares.

##########

A few minutes later

I had found another stream and was stretching next to it, as I gulped water from time to time.

"To get outta this place, or maybe try to stay? Even if I leave, where the hell would I go? I have no idea where I am in the first place.

Maybe you'll find something or someone friendly?

And what if I bump into someone or something worse along the way? I have almost no ways to defend myself. Pretty much my only chance is to run for my life.

My cynicism will probably not let me trust anyone anyways.

"My swords are buried here too… I can't just leave them…"

I kept fighting with myself in my head, until I heard a voice somewhere to my left.

"Wait, do you smell dandelions?" asked a male voice.

A female responded. "I certainly do. Think it's him?"

"Might be…"

I'm not sitting here to let them find out, that's for sure.

"Let's spread out, and keep our voices down, we don't want to scare the pup," spoke the female.

"Right." Answered the male.

Too late for that, I'm already scared, and now I have to lose my dandelion scent.

I looked at my reflection and then a solution came to me. The stream didn't look so fast, or so long, so I decided to test out doggy paddling. I ever so quietly slinked my way into the water so as to not make a sound. Once I found my bearings, doggy paddling was pretty easy. The water actually felt pretty nice on some of my sore muscles, it was also surprisingly cool and refreshing. I made my way across, and climbed out of the water.

I might have made it...

"Kate, I found the pup!" spoke the male voice from across the stream.

It was a brownish-red wolf, and cream underbelly.

"Hey, little guy, I'm coming over, alright? Don't be scared!" he said in a what-should-be a calming voice, but for me it was both a warning and an opportunity. A golden she-wolf was also approaching from behind him.

"I'm not gonna run. I invite you to come here", I thought, carefully hiding that I was preparing to counter his jump.

He leapt. But he didn't expect me to do the same thing.

I landed right on his face, kicked him with my front paws as powerfully as I could, and landed only slightly stumblingly back on the bank. I had controlled my balance surprisingly well.

The she-wolf had landed on my side of the bank. I turned and bolted through the bushes.

"Slow down, you might yourself!" I heard her yell behind me. I scoffed and kept running on.

I could hear that she was chasing me, and she was definitely faster than me. I could faintly hear the other wolf also approaching quickly. Too quickly.

A large rock came into my view, and I quickly made up a plan, as I sprinted towards it. I had to gain height on them.

I jumped onto the rock, and I waited for just a moment, to hear the sound I wanted. I heard the she-wolf also jump, trying to pin me. There was my call. I blindingly leapt backwards and landed right where I wanted: the she-wolf's head.

Using my momentum and height, I leapt onto a towering lodgepole pine, than kicked off and dug my claws into a neighbouring oak. I took a glance and saw that I leapt even higher than I had intended to.

My chaser recovered way too quickly for my liking. She tried to do the exact same thing, but I quickly moved to a side, making her miss me by just a few inches, hanging on for dear life.

She landed back down, and I heard the male also arriving.

"Come down here, we don't wanna hurt you!" she shouted desperately.

Either she was an excellent actor, or she actually cared for my well-being…? Definitely the first one.

"You're gonna fall, just get down here already!" the other wolf also yelled.

"Thanks, but no thanks!" I responded ironically.

I climbed onto a branch, but I didn't notice what I felt when I climbed up the oak. It was quite old.

The branch snapped with no warning, and I found myself falling. I tried to dig my claws into the bark, but I hit other branches, which denied my attempts to latch back on.

I heard a shout, and something leaping. A paw circled my abdomen and caught me. The male landed gracefully back down, and set me down gently. I immediately tried to bolt, but the she-wolf put a very firm paw on my tail and that made me fall to the ground. I swore viciously.

"I. Hate. That. Damn. Tail."

"Come on, little one, we'll take you to our pack." said the she-wolf grabbing my scruff in her mouth, denying my attempts of pawing at her. "And language." she added severely, as they started jogging.

I only rolled my eyes annoyedly, and bit back a retort. I was rendered utterly defenseless, just hanging from her mouth. There was no use in struggling at this point, just wasting my leftover energy.

My 'forging of a new destiny' might just end right here. Unless they'd have mercy or something. Which my cynicism made me severely doubt.

Incoming dual transmission…
Hello & welcome everyone to this brand new A&O story!
Wanted to mention this, the language that the Harradrim speak is German. We'll probably offer translations in the story, but if we don't, we'll just leave 'em down here for you guys.
Hope y'all enjoy this, review it if you wanna tell us your thoughts, and we will see ya :D
Transmission ended.