Chapter 21.
The Lupine Call
Wolf ran through the forest as though the very demons he had been accused of being were chasing him. He crashed through the undergrowth, heedless of direction, only responding to his primal urge to escape. Run far! Hurry! Get away! Wolf's were capable and savage at times, but pragmatic. Running was always an acceptable method of saving one's skin. His wolf-self was totally dominant, more so than was usual at full moon time. His man-self, a tiny bubble of awareness locked away, remained ignorant, forgotten.
He plunged through a small stream, pausing at the other side to bend and drink. He recoiled from his own reflection, not recognizing his own face even, so changed as it was. His long hair was tangled and wild, his eyes glowed bright red in the dark. His teeth were fully extended and the tips showed through even when his mouth was closed. He heard stealthy sounds and looked up to see the full blood wolf pack finally show itself.
They had followed him for many miles, keeping pace easily with his headlong dash, communicating their thoughts with each other in their mostly silent lupine language.
"See how he runs"
"We will follow"
"Be careful. Is he not yet a man?"
"Not tonight. Maybe not ever again, no matter the shape of his flesh"
"Will we share meat with him?"
"Maybe. Let us see"
Now Wolf sat back on his heels, watching them as they approached, circling, preventing escape. He knew wolf etiquette instinctively, though he had never lived with full-bloods before. He was in their territory, at their mercy, or not. They were a good sized pack of some eight individuals, he could see. They appeared prosperous, well fed, well groomed. A large male stood out immediately, the alpha, he guessed correctly. He crouched, careful to keep his eye line below that of the pack leader. He ever so slowly assumed a submissive position, rolling on to his side, showing his throat and underbelly to the pack, his whole body language non threatening. He wanted no trouble, no fight to the death. He was too tired, too beaten already.
The pack alpha sniffed the scent of the stranger, learning much. The man-wolf was clearly showing subservience, as was wise, yet he had the overall bearing and sense of being an alpha male in his own right. A mated wolf, no doubt. He wondered where the mate was. The rest of his pack were sitting silently in the shadows, waiting for his signal. They would attack and kill this male if he so requested. It was normal behaviour to do just that, he knew. Wolves guarded their territories well, but in these years there were so few of them left that it was becoming rare for two packs to meet. Even lone travellers were tolerated for the fresh bloodlines they carried. He decided to speak to this man-wolf, using the ancient language of mostly inaudible (to humans anyway) growls, whines and yips.
"You may look at me, stranger" he said, giving permission for the man-wolf to meet his gaze, which he did.
"You have run far tonight" he continued.
"I do not wish for trouble" the man-wolf said, stating what was already obvious to them all.
"We will not bring it" the alpha stated, as much for the pack's knowledge as the strangers. Both the wolf pack and the man-wolf visibly relaxed at the decision, and then and one by one the fullbloods came forward, sniffing at the stranger, learning his scent and pack name. Each then gripped the man by the throat gently, a traditional wolfish greeting. Presently the leader looked up to see the moon falling behing the hills. It was late, time to move. He called them together, the man-wolf getting to his feet slowly, wincing in pain as he did so. They would have to go slower tonight, else he doubted the stranger would be able to keep up.
"Come with us. We return to our Den. Time for sleep soon" he said, moving off with the pack spreading out through the trees. Wolf followed.
Hours later as dawn crept through the world, Wolf was many many miles from his prison cage, not knowing or hearing that Virginia stood there calling his name, in vain. His mate had become a memory to him, a vision held tightly within his human-self. He lay down with his new pack friends, scratching together a small nest of bracken and fern. Presently, he slept.