Okay, I just want to say how sorry I am that it
took me three stinking months to get this written...but I hope you'll
forgive my porcrastination and read this long chapter anyway. Why am I
even still talking to you? In fact, why are you still reading this
stupid thing? Let's get on with the chapter, shall we...
Chapter 12
History
Kavik swam in and out of consciousness for seven days, his temperature skyrocketing through the roof on the fourth and dropping dangerously low that same night. He was never moved from the den and was unable to distinguish between reality and his fever-induced dreams. Even the ability to tell night from day eluded him in the haze of his sickness. He often moaned and whined in his uneasy sleep, his eyes rolling in fear. Lakota stayed with him throughout, offering what comfort she could, licking his face, nuzzling him, offering murmured assurances that all was well and that he need fear nothing. Yet it did no good more often than not, for he was still plagued with nightmares where he would whimper and call out for his mother, father and two others named Lobo and Nig and another named Kemo. Sometimes, her mother or father was there to help her to do their best to soothe him…often without much success.
She felt her heart go out to him as she watched his paws jerk and his muscles twitch as he began to moan and cry once more as his fever again began to work its hideous black magic on his dreams. "No…Mother…Father…look out…for them!" She felt something deep inside her cry out as she saw tears begin to course down his face. "Lobo…Nig…Ikea…No…Run Kemo! Go…get away…got to go on…!" She crept closer and laid her own silver head across his own snowy one, gently licking away his tears, trying to give what comfort she could to her distraught friend.
"Kavik…Shhhh…it's okay…it's only a bad dream…" She cooed and was heartened a bit when he at least ceased to mumble and his tears stopped soon after. She stood, stretched a bit to relieve the stiffness in her muscles and then lay back down beside him. She watched as he began to sink into what looked to be a more peaceful reverie, for his breathing slowed to almost normal and the tremors slowly left his body. She smiled sadly. 'Oh Kavik…' she thought. 'You're so kind and gentle…but inside you're in so much pain….' She sighed. "What happened to you, I wonder…?" She puzzled over it, but not at great length for at that moment, Roland came padding quietly in, carrying with him a hunk of bloodied deer meat, still fresh from the scent.
"Father…" she greeted him with a smile and an affectionate nuzzle. She looked into his kind, wise face…and then for some reason, did not know what to say. A moment ago, she had been brimming with questions regarding Kavik – where was he from? Who were his parents? And (perhaps most importantly) how did her father know him? But in light of that gaze, her mind suddenly went blank, and she could – for some reason unknown even to her – find no strength with which to speak.
"How is he?" Roland asked, having noticed his daughter's momentary brain fart or not. He had glanced over her shoulder to regard the still ailing Kavik, who, for once, looked to be actually having a rather halfway decent time of it. He tried to make the question sound nonchalant…but she could sense how worried he was nonetheless; she was, after all, his daughter and knew him better than he knew himself as far as certain areas of his personality were concerned.
She too looked over at him. "He's fine, actually getting a decent rest for once…" She felt a small, tender smile creep onto her mouth. "He had it bad last night…but his temperature seems a little better now…" She paused and remembered how even his fur had felt hot to the touch and she – along with all the other occupants in the den – had feared the worse was coming to pass. But – amazingly – the hybrid's condition slowly lowered to the point where they needed not fear such a fate…at least not yet. "I have to admire him…" she said, unaware that she was still starring at the white-furred lupine. "It's like he's fighting fang-and-claw against whatever's wrong with him…such determination…"
Roland allowed himself the barest flicker of a sly smile. He could see what feelings Lakota might have begun to invest in their new addition to the clan…and there were some who wouldn't be happy if such feelings blossomed and word got out, as it undoubtedly would; you can't control gossip no matter how much you want to or how hard you try. But, the decision was hers, after all…and, to some degree, his own. "Yes, he certainly seems to be…" He chuckled. "Aniu and Loki would be proud…" He smiled and added, "and…you needn't keep a constant watch on him…I think it unlikely he'll go anywhere in his present condition…"
He chuckled once more as he saw his daughter's cheeks go a light pink as she averted her emerald eyes back to him once more. "I-I'm sorry, Father, I…" she trailed off, flustered and blushing furiously while her father only gave her a knowing look and continued to smile to himself.
"Nay, you needn't apologize, I'm sure he'd more than appreciate what you're doing for him…" He interrupted gently, returning her nuzzles with of his own.
"That…that's hardly fair to the rest of you!" She retorted, somewhat indignantly. "I'm not the only one who's been taking care of him. What about you, Mother, Bane, Ash?" She gave let loose a slight sigh. "We've all been worried sick about him…"
"Mayhap you're right," Roland allowed, still smiling, "but…none of us have stayed up for the last three nights in a row to watch over him…. Or lain at his side for hours at a time long after our shift as his guardian has passed…" His smile split into a grin as he saw her blush deepen as he went on. "Which brings me to why I'm here…" He dropped the meat before her and nosed it forward. "Here, I thought you might be hungry…"
She started to shake her head, but stopped halfway; her stomach voicing a loud, reverberant clamor that made her laugh. "I guess I am a bit hungry…" she said and then glanced over at Kavik once more and picked up the chunk of bloody venison, intending to try and give it to him instead. Roland was deeply touched by her good intentions…but interceded, stepping gently between the white wolf and his daughter.
"No," he said, shaking his head when she tried to go around him. "Nay, you need to eat something…"
"But Kavik – " she started, but the Alpha overrode her, his voice taking a slight edge that brooked no argument.
"Kavik wouldn't want you starving yourself for his sake." He said. "Besides…I think he'd rather you went out and stretched you legs for a bit as well." He gave her another of his soft smiles.
"But…" she began, looking at Kavik again. Roland really had to admire her devotion, but enough was enough. Heir to his throne she might be, but she was still his daughter, and it was time he reminded her his superiority.
"Lakota," he said, his tone hardening and catching his daughter's attention immediately. He continued in a softer tone. "Please, go out for a bit. You need a break. I'm sure Kavik wouldn't want you to waste away from watching over him…let someone else shoulder the task for a while. Your friends have been worried about you." He grinned. "There's been…talk. Gossip regarding the two of you…" He smiled at the way she blushed even darker than before and gave another of his loving nuzzles. "I love you…now, go and do as I say…and don't worry; I'll stay here and look after him for you. And, you needn't worry; I'll keep him safe from, ah…let's call it, 'competition'?" he added, with a sly little wink and a chuckle.
"What're you t – " she began and then faltered as she realized what he meant. "F-Father!" she chided him, blushing furiously, her cheeks now as dark as roses in full bloom. "I…I didn't mean–"
"Run along, run along," Roland replied dismissively, but she could tell he was very amused indeed by her reaction. And so, badly flustered and not knowing what else to do, she padded out and began to move down the long, winding path leading to the inner courtyard…
((()-()))
Roland moved to the mouth of the cave, watching his silvery daughter depart down the path. He smiled once more as he saw that she was immediately surrounded by a crowd of giggling females, most her age, some a little older. He could just imagine the questions that were being thrust upon his pretty daughter…'How's he doing?' 'Is he well yet?' 'What's going on?' 'When can we see him?' 'Is he as handsome as everyone's saying he is?'
He smiled again. He seemed to be doing a great deal of that lately, but he wasn't about to complain; it was having Kavik back in his midst and by his side. He turned and padded over to where the young crossbreed lay, thankfully still sleeping peaceably by the look of him. He chuckled as he recounted how he had first met this young daredevil of a wolf…and how he had forever earned a place of respect in the Alpha's eyes….
Back then he, Roland, had still been young…well, 'young-er' would've been a more accurate word he supposed, but he wasn't going to belabor the point, much less with himself. He had been in control of the pack for only a few years, and though he was strongly supported by the majority of their band, there were still a few scattered throughout who doubted his abilities somewhat…he still had yet to prove he was as great a leader as his Father, Virgil…well, let's be honest, no one could measure up to that wolf; he had been in a class of his own….
Hard times had befallen their then relatively well-sized clan. This was not uncommon for any wolf pack in the wilds of the far Northern countries; quite the contrary, starvation had become an almost constant threat to their livelihood. Sometimes there were bloody coups waged between two or more clans for dominance over what little game there was to be had in one territory or another…sadly, Roland's bunch had been involved in on of these. Upon their retreat, they had even been forced to split into separate groups so as to throw off their would-be killers. Their actions had only served to underline the direness of the situation; normally they would've never dreamed of splitting their numbers…but fate had demanded it to ensure their survival…. In response to the unexpected division of their quarry, those of the Black Hawk clan had begun to pursue them with greater vigor. Nor was theirs the only clan that had been killed off by these barbarous mongrels. More than once Roland and his own group of followers had come across the remnants of some poor slain wolf who had been brutally eviscerated, the entrails devoured, and what remains there were having been picked over by the scavengers… The black wolf tasted bile as he remembered one particular case where the victim had been a female…who had been with pups. He felt a shudder rack his body; he was glad Lakota had not been there to see …nor Bane for that matter either. It would not have done for them had they been witness such taboo killings at their age…for they had still been considered early adults back then, not long past their adolescent years but not accustomed to adulthood either….
Roland allowed himself a small smile of pride at one thing in particular; no matter how hungry they had gotten during that hellish period, never once had they resorted to devouring their own. Such actions were reserved for ravens and other such disgusting creatures. They were wolves after all and were, if nothing else during their long, ageless reign upon the earth, been nothing but adaptable. They would rather have survived on rats and vermin rather than resort to such atrocities – and they were often forced to scrounge for such despicable creatures.
They had gone on and on for three days. No food, no rest and no water save for the odd gobble of snow that really did little to ease the insufferable discomfort; it only reminded them of their still-empty stomachs. Then, on the fourth day, he had called them to a halt. Knowing that their enemies were not as far away as they would've liked had done little to ease his frantic mind at the time; to go on as they were, exhausted and malnourished would've done nothing to increase their chances of surviving a full-scale brawl with Black Hawk wolves. When it had finally come to that, as some part of him had always known it would, he had decided to hand select a small group of his most trusted and worthy hunters and trackers to lead in an ambush on their foes to try and slow them down so as to give the rest time to make their escape….
And that's when he had shown up….
((()-()))
Roland stopped in his tracks, head lowered and his tongue lolling from his mouth like a red flag. He risked a glance over his shoulder to see how the rest were faring; no luck there. The brothers Crash and Eddie were struggling to top a particularly troublesome snowdrift, Marcus, a brown wolf with a penchant for being unshakably optimistic was faring only a little better, having to stop and assist his young son Timber every once and a while. Roland felt his heart ache as he saw Jonas, his Beta, come to a stop beside him, looking tired but no less determined than when their little group of thirteen had set out a hour and a half ago. The gray wolf also stopped beside his leader to take stock of the small band that had accompanied the two of them from outcrop of sheltering deadfalls that was currently serving as the group's temporary residence until this bloody business was finished.
He checked them off one by one. Crash, Eddie (1), Marcus, Timber, Silvermane, Swiftpaw and Serpico – a trio of wandering brothers who had come to them from out of a great arid desert far to the east (2) – Dante, a loner who had somehow made a place for himself despite his tough, unyielding attitude. Chehalis and his son Mingan, accompanied by a cream-colored lupine named Ash, a long-time friend of Chehalis'(3) and last but not least, Ishmael, a wolf who had only very recently joined them and had previously been in league with the Ice River pack (4)…. Including Jonas and himself, the Strike Force was all accounted for. Ha…strike force, oh please. It was too grand a thing to call the eleven exhausted, miserable bodies moving up the hill. A hindrance was a more accurate description of what they hoped to accomplish. The Alpha smiled grimly. He wouldn't be surprised in most or all of them perished in this last desperate attempt to save their clan…. Not that he minded; he would've gladly laid down his life for his loved ones and could think of no other wolves he would die beside than these….
"It doesn't bode well Roland, our present condition…." Jonas said conversationally a few moments later when the others had caught up and they had once again started on what was almost certainly their death match. "We're outnumbered, outmaneuvered and most of all outclassed…" he smiled, his one good eye twinkling merrily. "But what the hell…at least we can all go down fighting together…."
Roland returned the smile and let out a humorless chuckle that the wind snatched away the moment it'd passed his cold lips. "Yes…but there's no one I'd rather walk paw in paw into the Spirit World with, old friend…you are all better wolves than I could ever hope to be."
"Aw…now you're just trying to butter me up, you big softie…." Jonas replied, a defeated grin capturing his mouth.
Roland open his own mouth to reply when he suddenly went rigid, tail raised in a silent warning to the others who all instantly stopped, bodies tensed, trying to ready themselves for whatever command their Alpha might issue. Roland sniffed the chilly night air. A full moon hung in the sky, fat and bloated, its light reflecting off the snow casting a dim throughout the woods around them. He could smell a thick musk, and another, more feminine reek. Both were very peculiar indeed. They were half a mile away at best…. Neither smelled like a Black Hawk scout…. He sniffed again. Their scent was heavier, muskier…and somehow oddly familiar…. He couldn't say for sure, but he knew he had sampled this particular fragrance before. His brow furrowed and he racked his brains feverishly, searching his memory banks, trying desperately to assign a face, a name, anything to identify these newcomers.
Jonas was looking at him closely. He too had scented this wolf and was now looking at Roland with some puzzlement. "They don't smell like any of Black Hawk's…but neither do they smell like two of ours either…."
"I know this wolf…" Roland replied. His voice sounded fuzzy in his own ears.
"What?" Jonas was regarding him keenly now. "You – "
"Yes…or one like him at any rate. His father or mother mayhap…" He sniffed again. The two were so similar…a brother and his sister perhaps? Out here, in a place where outsiders were often killed on sight without question…? He puzzled over this latest development. Whoever these two were…they were either very courageous…or very, very stupid…mayhap a bit of both, as stupidity and courage often go paw-in-paw with one another. But, judging from what his gut told him, it was more likely they were the former rather than the later…but why here, of all places…?
Roland shook his head, attempting to rid himself of this pointless distraction…they had a ways to go as of yet and they could ill afford to be waylaid by two travelers who might just happen to be passing through. Hell, they themselves had no business being where they were! With the matter decided, Roland signaled to the rest to follow and continued to plow through the snow. He prayed to all the Gods that were that they would at least be able to buy the others some time to get far enough away so as to be safely back in their own territory….
An hour later and it became painfully obvious that whatever deity held sway over the great scheme of things had declined to answer his prayer; the snow was now falling so heavily that Roland, skilled in the ancient art of tracking though he was, couldn't tell if they were even headed in the right direction anymore. He turned his head to the left, eyes narrowed against the wind that was tearing at his face like sandpaper and razors, and spied a small outcropping of rock and earth.
It was then that he realized that it was back, that strange scent from before…only much closer now… and coming from that very cave as a matter of fact….
Roland paused, considering. They were exhausted, all of them, and at the rate their party was moving, it would be impossible to navigate through this snow and hope to reach the enemy den site in time to make any difference whatsoever. Their best chance to help their loved ones was to hunker down for an hour or more and let the storm blow itself out…and catch up on their sleep in the meantime. Whoever these two were, they were outnumbered…mayhap they wouldn't mind sharing their shelter with a few weary travelers but if they favored opposition…it wouldn't be too difficult to turn them out, or so he hoped….
He looked to Jonas and gave his head a jerk to the right. "We're heading west! Towards that cave!" he jerked his head to indicate the jumbled pile of boulders from where the strangely familiar scent was coming. Upon closer inspection, however, he discovered it really wasn't fair to call it a cave; an abandoned bear den was a more accurate description of the ragged hole he could see that had been all but punched beneath the sheltering roots of some mighty pine.
"Are you sure?" the gray wolf inquired, casting an appraising sidelong glance at spacious den. "If those two are of a mind, they'll give us plenty of trouble if we just barge on in unannounced and uninvited. And I hate to say it, but I doubt we could do much in the way of defense against them in the state we're in…."
Roland sighed. "If it comes to that, we'll have no choice but to try and drive them out; theirs is the only place that's big enough – not to mention close enough – to accommodate all of us at the same time. We're all exhausted and at this rate, we won't find either a decent resting place or our targets until it's too late to make any difference in the matter. Besides, this wind is blowing to hard for any of us to even be sure of what direction we're going in, much less which is even the right one." And without further argument, the Alpha turned and started to head for the roomy den, leaving the rest to follow him of their own accord, if they had any inkling to survive any longer out here in this steadily increasing storm.
The gray warrior sighed in agitation, but followed his Alpha without hesitation. Why should he not? He would follow Roland to the End of Oblivion if need be…he was not just his Alpha; he was like the brother he'd so long pined for during his youth, and therefore, he would stick by him, no matter what the consequences.
((()-()))
Kavik lay in wait within the shadowy confines of the 'cave', readying himself to spring upon the approaching wolves should the need to defend himself and Ikea arise. His eyes narrowed as he caught the powerful scent of a wolf that was perhaps three, maybe even four years his elder, and therefore more seasoned in the ways of combat. Kavik himself was not helpless mewling pup when it came to the art of bloodletting, but he was by no means a fool; age and wisdom walked paw-in-paw with one another. More than once older and more experienced wolves had driven he and his sister away, Kavik's natural prowess in combat having been outmatched by his opponent's more cunning battle tactics.
Yet this time it seemed that age and experience might not be the deciding factor in this duel – should there prove no way to reason with these solicitors other than with claws and fangs and pain. The encroaching scent told him that this wolf and the others who followed in his pawprints were exhausted. He felt a grim smile rise to his lips. If there was a fight…he was confident he could best these weary beasts, though it would still be far from a walk in the park, make no mistake about that.
He stood suddenly, his corded muscles tightening like piano wires as he stared directly ahead of him. They were close, the leader not more than five or six feet from the entrance, followed closely by another, more seasoned warrior. Kavik stood, his tail high and straight as a ramrod as he called out "That's close enough, all of you," in a strong, clear voice that carried with it a touch of aggression.
Now, all would play itself out…for better, or worse….
((()-()))
Roland squinted, searching for the entrance to the makeshift shelter, and began heading toward it, all his senses tuned so as to warn him of an approaching enemy if any came calling. He was all but at the cave's very doorstep when a voice like a grizzly's deep-throated rumble ordered he and his bunch to come to a halt. There was power in that voice, and a good deal of it too and Roland didn't need his nose to tell him that this wolf was not about to be driven from his den by force alone.
His gut told him that this was one lupine brother he did not want to cross, and so he obediently stopped, trying to stare through the haze of blowing snow and raging wind and catch a glimpse of his…his what, exactly? He couldn't call the wolf his opponent, not when they had not even exchanged names as of yet, so…?
The commanding voice cut into his thoughts, jerking him roughly back into reality. "Who are you, and what business have you with me or my sister? Speak." Roland found himself taken aback. This was no simple scavenger, huddling in the corner. No, this wolf spoke with a note of authority in his voice, in a tone that demanded respect…. He was one bad son of a bitch to be sure.
Roland cleared his throat and moved forward a pace. "My name is Roland, Son of Virgil." He replied, his own voice sounding just as hard and flat as the den's unseen sentry. "As to my business, I seek no quarrel with either you, nor your kin. I am traveling with a group of my packmates and we seek protection from this storm, nothing more, nothing less. Yours happens to be the only one available and we would be forever indebted to you if you were to allow us to stay." He paused and then added, "And now you have me at a disadvantage, for while you know my name and reasons for being here, I remain ignorant of both of yours. The second I can do without I think, but might I know the name of the one with whom I seek shelter with?"
A few seconds ticked by. They seemed endless to exhausted wolf. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, there came a reply. "You are very wise, Roland, Son of Virgil, to keep your true numbers hidden from me…as well as your true intentions." Roland relaxed a bit. He could hear the smile in that voice and some of the bite had been worn out of it. Both were good signs. "You have earned my trust…for the moment. Come to the entrance, and bring along your Beta, if you so wish and if he is present among you." There was a short, good-humored chuckle. "If we're going to palaver, we may as well behold the face of those with whom we deal. Do you agree?"
Roland felt a smile of his own tug at the corner of his frozen mouth. "I do." He motioned for Jonas to follow and the two swiftly closed the gap separating them and their possible benefactor. Upon reaching the entrance, the reason for the unknown wolf's seeming invisibility became immediately apparent as he was stark white, blending in perfectly with the powder now showering them. But his eyes…they were an intense cerulean blue and blazed out at the world from his scarred face, the suspicion lingering deep within them even now. And he was big. As large as Roland himself, and he was larger than most of those in their party, including Jonas, who stood a good three or four inches below him.
The wolf gave them a soft smile. "I am Kavik, Son of Loki. Farther behind me is my sister Ikea." Roland noticed Kavik didn't bother to jerk his head to indicate her; he never even so much as glanced in her direction. He was smart. A good many others had made such a mistake before. By taking your eyes off your enemy, you exposed yourself to possible attack, even more so if you were foolish enough to expose your throat. This wolf, Kavik, had been taught well in the ways of both survival and war. "But, now it is you who have me at a disadvantage…for while you have my name, I've yet to learn yours…." He spoke, not to Roland, but to Jonas.
Jonas himself lowered his head fractionally, a sign of respect and trust. "I am Jonas, Son of Singe…." he said, sounding out his father's name as though it were a bad taste he wanted to rid himself of. Roland winced internally.
The subject of Jonas's father had always been a touchy one indeed. His father, Singe, had been a cruel monster, a demon in wolf's clothing that had facilitated a bloody war between the Western clans of the Rocky Mountains and the Southerners, those of the Plains, who had included Chehalis and his family. Among his earliest victims had been Ash – a good friend and personal counselor of Roland's – whom he had instructed to butcher an expectant female along with another bitch and her litter of young pups. He had refused, of course and had been forced to watch whilst Jonas's father slaughtered them himself before turning his attention to the rebellious Ash, whom he had severely injured and then left for dead. Amazingly, Ash had somehow survived, though he even now bore the horrible scars from the monster's claws, and had devoted his life to avenging the innocent females Singe had killed and his own attempted murder. He had succeeded…but only thanks in part to Singe's mate, Hope, and his then year-old son, Jonas, who had realized what a monster his beloved father was and helped to bring him down. After his father's death, Ash had taken a liking to Jonas and it was widely known that Jonas considered his father's killer a worthy replacement…not that Singe had or ever would offer up much competition in that regard. Apparently, Hope was of the same opinion, for a year later, she took Ash for her mate. Jonas had been nothing short of overjoyed at the news.
But, that was all a story best left for Jonas to relate, and Roland merely kept silent. Whether Kavik noticed his Beta's change in tone or not, his expression gave nothing away. He merely inclined his own head, still not taking his eyes off Roland. He smiled. It was an easy smile and it warmed Roland's heart to see it. Things were getting better and better by the moment. "And now, just to even out our playing field; my sister and I would be glad to accommodate you and yours…always assuming there's room enough, as we're still unaware of how many you are…?" He finished, raising one eyebrow in a good-natured jest.
"We are thirteen in all, including Jonas and myself." Roland said. He was immensely relieved. This Kavik seemed so compassionate…so willing to make friends. And he was a skilled warrior, much like Jonas and many others whom Roland had brought with them. This might turn out be advantageous in more ways that one…
Kavik's smile grew. "It is good then." He said, grinning now. "There should be just enough, though we may be a bit hard pressed for space." He glanced over his shoulder. "I'll gladly let you and your party stay here as long as you wish, though I'd prefer to take counsel with my sister before the final decision is made.""By all means." Roland replied, in no position to oppose the request – not to say that he would have, even under normal circumstances. A female wolf awakening to find herself surrounded by unfamiliar males was a time bomb concocted with nitroglycerin, just waiting to go off. However, if this Ikea was anything like her hardened brother, then she would be just as willing to take them in…or so he hoped.
A few minutes later, after a hurriedly whispered conversation between the two–of which both Roland and Jonas remained ignorant of–Kavik reappeared, still smiling. "We have consulted one another…and have decided to accommodate you for as long as either of our parties see fit."
Bowing submissively to show his gratitude, he and Jonas returned to the rest of their now very anxious group. In a matter of minutes, the situation was all told, orders had been issued and all the wolves were herded into their temporary home. To everyone's surprise, the cave turned out to be more spacious then their host had originally estimated, and was large enough to hold them all quite comfortably.
Hours passed. There was surprisingly little movement within the cave; almost all of the wolves were sleeping like the stones themselves, all but dead from exhaustion. Save for two. Roland lay in a sort of half-finished adjoining chamber – it was really nothing more that a large bubble in the cave's outer wall – contemplating his strategy for the coming battle. He tried to focus, knowing that not only his life but also the lives of his whole pack depended upon their success…yet thoughts of his mate Eravice and his beautiful children Lakota and her brother Bane kept trying to crowd all the rest out. He sighed in frustration. This was getting him nowhere…he stood, feeling the need to clear his head. Maneuvering around the slumbering bodies with the ease of long practice, he reached the entrance of the cave and looked out at the snow. The storm had shown no signs of letting up anytime soon when they had entered and the situation had not changed, which was troubling to say the least because dawn was not far….
He sighed, looking through the surrounding forest and into his memories. 'Ah…Eravice, how I miss you so,' he though, feeling a tug on his heart at the mention of her name. He could see her now…storm gray fur shining in the light of a full moon, her amethyst eyes sparkling like the throwback reflection of the sun off polar ice. Thinking of her got him thinking of Lakota as well…. He wondered how she was doing, leading half of their pack alongside her mother? He felt a smirk rise to his lips. She was no damsel in distress; that was for damn sure. She'd be taking charge, leading them with confidence and determination…. Roland sighed again. If only he could be there to see it…how proud it would've made the both of them….
"Couldn't sleep?" a voice to his left inquired.
Roland's heart leapt into his throat, and he barely managed to stifle a yelp of surprise. His head whipped to the left, seeking out the owner of the voice…and found Kavik, sitting next to him, eyes sparkling with mirth.
The onyx wolf favored him with a short chuckle. "You startled me."
"Sorry, that wasn't my intention." Kavik replied, with an apologetic smile.
"No, it's all right. You should feel proud of yourself Kavik, Son of Loki, for it's been a long time since anyone's been able to get the drop on me so quick."
"Don't berate yourself," Kavik offered an understanding smile. "Soul searching has the drawback of making you blissfully unaware of your surroundings."
"You speak as though from the voice of experience," Roland observed, his own smile resurfacing.
"Aye, you say true," was all the other had to say on that subject.
There was a slightly awkward pause between them, and then Kavik said, "The snow seems to be still going quite strong…."
"Yes," Roland replied, tone betraying his agitation.
"Something the matter?"
Roland opened his mouth, and then closed it, opened it once more and then decided to keep his own counsel. No need to burden this kind savior with his own problems. "Nothing you need trouble yourself over," he said at last.
Kavik was helpless to repress a small smile. "Your actions betray your true worry, Roland. You needn't worry about–"
"It's none of your concern!" Roland spat, more sharply than he had intended. He immediately regretted the snide remark.
Kavik did not wince or flinch away from that tone but his eyes widened slightly. After an awkward pause he said, "Forgive me if I spoke out of turn. You'd rather keep yourself to yourself, I more than understand." He seemed uncomfortable. "After all your affairs are not mine to meddle in…." He trailed off and then turned to go.
Roland felt a pang of guilt in his gut. Here was this perfectly friendly wolf that was just trying to help and he had rudely turned him away. He should feel gratitude towards this concerned lupine, not mindless anger. "No, no, it was I who spoke out of turn not you, Kavik. Forgive me…." He said quickly, voice laden with regret. After an awkward pause of his own he asked, "Would you still be willing palaver with a cranky old codger like me?" he offered the other a small, hopeful smile. If he didn't tell someone of his woes they would suffocate him like an impending avalanche.
Kavik's smile returned in greater force, the warmth spreading to his soft, comforting cerulean orbs. "If you trust me enough to tell, then what civilized answer can I offer other then to sit and be a confidant in your time of need?" His eyes softened even more, becoming swimming pools of blue that, at the very sight, seemed to assuage Roland's fears and doubts.
"First, before I begin, I must ask; are you familiar with the Black Hawk clan?" This would decide a great many things, the most prominent among them whether or not Roland would be forced to explain much more than he had to.
Surprisingly, Kavik's expression underwent a shocking change. His eyes grew stony and when he next spoke, Roland detected a note of anger and resentment embedded in his voice. "Ah…yes, I'm afraid so…." He glanced to his right, eyes searching out his slumbering sister where she lay next to Jonas. "I…we…my sister Ikea and I, I mean…the two of us had a rather rough encounter with them only a week ago…." He swallowed and Roland herd the click in his throat. But, when he continued, his voice was still firm. "We ran into a few rouges by chance while we were attempting to pass through here on our way to the forests of the great north…." His gaze returned to the falling snow. "They seemed to think us spies from another pack, one they called White Wolf. I tried to reason with them, saying that we two only wished to pass through unhindered–for it was obvious that this White Wolf pack had run afoul of them and I didn't want to involve either of us in whatever conflict was raging between them…." He sighed. The exhalation was tired sounding, as if this was not the first time such an incident had occurred.
"They didn't believe me…though I tried in vain to allay them of their suspicions, their ears were closed…." His tone suddenly dropped, taking on a dower note of bitterness. "We were surrounded and told to accompany them as prisoners. They were but a small party of five…but it was enough to keep either of us from trying to escape." He suddenly stopped and looked at Roland, seemingly abashed.
"Sorry. I must be boring you-"
"No," Roland interjected, his eyes bright. He was greatly interested in what this wolf had to say regarding his enemies. After all, who would know them better than one who had been their prisoner, if only for a short time? "Please, go on. Your story intrigues me."
This last earned him raised eyebrows and the amused grin of a wolf that shares some private inside joke with someone. "All right…if you insist. Though I was of the impression that we should be more concerned with your recent escapades rather than mine…unless the two are somehow connected?" he added, his eyes sparkling, an intuitive smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth.
"We'll soon see…but first, continue your tale, if you don't mind," the shady Alpha countered, as a small chuckle and the first smile in what seemed like eons graced his wise and tired face.
"As you wish…" He paused, trying to find the dropped thread of his story. "Ikea and I were taken into their camp–which, by-the-by just so happens to occupy a valley only a few miles trek from here." He added with a conspiratorial wink that made the other smile again. "We were interrogated…and to a degree, tortured some might say." His voice had lost the lightheartedness of only a few seconds before, falling back into what was now a bitter growl. "For three days they lorded over us. Throwing us into a dark wet cave with no food for the night with only each other to keep warm and then dragging us out at the crack of dawn for another merry-go-round of interrogation and persecution."
Again, the white wolf that fate had seemingly drawn Roland to paused, an unreadable emotion evident in his somber eyes. "This went on for four straight days and no matter how much he tried, their Alpha–a despicable warmonger with a heart like petrified wood called Flagg–couldn't get us to talk or tell him anything of use. Not that we would have, even if we had known; I don't give out information regarding the whereabouts of an opposing faction until I know where both sides stand and what their reasons for conflict are, and neither does Ikea. Flagg was not very pleased." Kavik smiled suddenly; it was a hard, flat look of one who has been victorious but paid highly for their success.
"Finally, after two straight days, he either got fed up with the standard tactics or simply wanted some 'entertainment'," Kavik went on, and Roland noted the tone of sarcasm in which the last word was spoken. "He dragged us out, same as always, only now, he posted more guards than usual around me…and I got a bad feeling." Kavik's lips pursed and he seemed to be unsure of whether on not to continue.
Apparently he opted to go on, for he took a deep breath and said. "Then, before I even knew what was happening…he had called forth two more and forced Ikea to separate from me." Roland's heart sank. He knew where all this was leading all too well. "Then, he ordered the two newcomers to…rape my sister, right before my eyes." His voice quavered for only a few seconds but it was long enough for Roland to be able to see that the experience had affected his snowy companion deeply. "She fought like the devil, of course," Kavik went on, his voice now taking on an oddly hollow tone, "and managed to hold them off for a while at least. Eventually, they overpowered her and one mounted her while the other held her down…."
Kavik face suddenly brightened the tiniest bit. "I'm not a bit sorry to say that he never got any further than that because…well, I guess you could say he was a little hampered by the fact that I went berserk and ripped his throat out." A grimly satisfied smile crossed his face. "After that, everything sort of blurs around the edges a bit, but I know we were able to make it out of there with our hides intact, and that was all we cared about. We've been traveling for the last few days, trying to get out of their territory…" He finished, looking at Roland with expectant eyes.
"You must be quite a warrior if you were able to get the both of you out of there alive…." Roland remarked with adoration.
Kavik smiled smugly. "I'm not bad, but then again, Ikea's no helpless pup either when it comes to physical force," was all he would say on that subject. "But, come now, here I am piling all this on you when you're the one who's supposed to be getting something off his chest."
Roland agreed and commenced his slightly longer tale and an hour later, when all was said and done, the two insomnia-stricken wolves had grown to know each other quite well. Kavik was more than sympathetic to Roland's cause and offered his services to his new 'comrade in arms' so to speak. The Alpha readily accepted this offer. His only request of this formidable ally was that he guide their band to the valley where the Black Hawk clan laid in wait. After that, he was free to do as he saw fit.
Needless to say, the idea of abandoning his friend to fight off these demons alone did not sit with Kavik, who flatly renounced the idea of taking Ikea and fleeing while the rest engaged in heated battle. "You can forget about my running away," Kavik snorted indignantly when Roland suggested he not get involved, "I'm sticking by you and yours to see fit that those marauding scumbags are punished for their crimes!"
It would be an outright lie to say that this bland sentiment did not please the older wolf….
((()-()))
Roland grinned as he remembered how close the two of them had become after that night's fateful palaver. The two had slept for as long as they could–which wasn't long at all considering how anxious they were for combat now that their plans had been initiated. Miraculously, the storm blew itself out only an hour or so before the dawn had broken and Roland had earnestly awoken the rest of his small party. It was amazing what the magic of a good night's sleep was capable of, for not only were their bodies revitalized but the fire of the impending ambush rekindled their spirits as well.
There had been mixed opinions regarding Roland's announcement that Kavik and his sister would be joining them in battle; none of them had known Kavik for more that 12 hours and this abrupt alliance with a complete stranger had unnerved more than a few. This had been quickly nullified however, when Roland had imparted to them the details of last night's conversation. In light of this newly acquired bit of history, most had found it easier to trust in their leader's decision, though a few had still held to their suspicions.
Kavik had not blamed them in the slightest. More, he was happy. Their reaction only indicated that they had all been trained by a more than component teacher in the Rules of Engagement. Suspicion was what had kept him alive through many a tight situation he had later told Roland.
They had set out with empty stomachs but determined minds and hearts, knowing that the lives of the entire pack depended upon their success in the coming conflict. Roland had kept both Jonas and Kavik close to him and Jonas in turn had kept Ikea close to him–much to Kavik's chagrin. Getting their battalion of destruction started had proved a tad difficult, but once it had, nothing had stood in their way for long. Roland and Kavik led them steadily onward with the white wolf relating to them his own story of how he had encountered these despicable wolves only a few days ago.
It'd had the desired effect, all right.
At the mention of the horrible fate that had nearly befallen his lovely sister Ikea, their hearts were further set on not only stalling the approaching pack, but wiping it's ugly smear of existence from the pages of their history by any and all means necessary. Even those who still harbored feelings of mistrust for Kavik soon tossed them aside, as it became apparent in a shockingly short amount of time how dedicated he was to aiding them. He even went so far as to instruct a few of the adolescent pups in the proper method of delivering the proper finishing move, which varied depending upon the circumstances. He had described them all in detail from the simplest and most common to a few he himself had invented over the years. These latter techniques were not lost on the older members of the pack either, as many of them, not even the oldest, had never before heard of one of the particularly complex moves that could be executed not by one, but three wolves simultaneously to maximize its efficiency.
Still, despite all he had to offer, a select few were still unsure of whether or not he could be completely trusted. What little suspicion remained did not last for long. By the end of that one, bloody confrontation, all traces of disbelief had been banished from all of their minds. Roland still marveled at their conquest, even now. They had been up against such overwhelming odds that victory had seemed like a bitter joke, and some had begun to lose hope even before the battle itself had ensued.
But Kavik was a different story all together. His anger and hatred towards those fools who had dared try to debase his beloved sister had blotted out all traces of fear and had pushed him to the brink of a terrible bloodlust. Upon seeing his hated the foes within reach of his seeking paw, Kavik had struck faster than any snake and with more ferocity than any of them had ever witnessed. The sight of him alone and unaided, holding his own against three or four of their adversaries had spurred them all on to greater daring, bolstering their drive, no, their need to win to levels before thought of as unattainable. Roland himself had fought side-by-side with Kavik, each seeking to hold his own alongside his comrade.
The battle had been something fierce, lasting longer than many on either side had anticipated, and though those of Roland's group were in the end victorious, their triumph hadn't come without a price; Marcus, father of Timber, had been badly wounded and Crash and his twin Eddie had fallen together, shielding each other with their bodies and working together as one to sew a great mass of destruction throughout the ranks of the Black Hawk clan. Dante too had suffered, having lost his ear and even Ikea had received a nasty blow to the back that had been the source of some worry for Kavik when he joined Roland and his pack, per the request of the surviving party members and the Alpha himself. But, all told, their casualties had far outnumbered those of the enemy's. When at last they had come to their senses and retreated, three dozen of their order lay lifeless on the ground, with only five left to turn tail and run.
Roland looked at Kavik's sleeping form. Had you been present for that skirmish, you never would have guessed that such a perfect killing machine could harbor such infinite kindness in his heart, but you'd be surprised. Upon joining up with what was left of Roland's own portion of his split pack and the retelling of their victory and how it was won, Kavik and his sister were welcomed with open paws by all. They had been formally inducted within White Wolf's ranks that very day in fact and oh, how the children had loved them both! Roland chuckled at the memory of his good friend and faithful advisor managing to hold the pups (of which there were nine in all) totally captivated with the outlandish stories of the adventurous wanderings shared by he and his sister…
His sister. Yes Ikea. She too had shared Kavik's uncanny ability to manage the little ones and she often volunteered to act as their guardian whenever the rest went off hunting–an ancient act she herself had thoroughly enjoyed and one her grievous back injure had prevented her from joining in, to her mild dismay. However, she had found solace in the newborn bundles of fur and it soon became a habit amongst them to refer to her as 'Auntie Ikea', a nickname that had failed to tickle her to no end.
They had traveled together like that for a few months, and during that time, Kavik and Ikea had related the sad tale of their family's murder at the hands of Man, and of the brother they both had still hoped to encounter. Roland too had told of his own family, of his beautiful mate Eravice and of the children born of their union. Sadly the opportunity to meet the other half of Roland's then still separated pack never presented itself, as on the very morning of their ambush of the Black Hawk clan, Lakota and her mother had begun to move their own portion of the pack steadily towards their home, which had lain far to the East, in the very heart of the Alaskan wilderness, an area left to Roland by his father Virgil, who had in turn received it from his own brother Nava.
As their months of traveling passed, it was discovered that Ikea's once hampering injury had completely healed, save for the scars. A few days later, Kavik and Ikea had regretfully approached Roland with the need to be off in search of their only living brother, Kemo a request to which the Alpha had agreed, albeit somewhat reluctantly.
The next day, the entire pack had seen them off. Roland recalled the event in great detail. There had been crying and a lot of wonderful things said, yet perhaps no one was more affected by their departure than the pups to whom Kavik and Ikea had grown to become a sort of second family to. They whined and cried, pleading for them to stay, but unfortunately, the two nurturing lupines could not, much to the distress of their small furry playmates. Finally, after they had received Roland's blessing and best wishes from all present, the two of them had left to continue their search.
Roland sighed expansively, marveling at the passage of time. 'Oh what a strange existence we lead,' he though. 'We move on and yet the despite the passing of years the world and the land in which we live still remains largely unchanged.' A lot had happened in just two years…and there was much Roland himself was still curious about….
He looked down at the wolf who had quite literally been the savior of his kin, indeed, the entire pack…and wondered what plans the Gods had in store for them all. If Kavik and his daughter were to… Suddenly, Kavik stirred and – amazingly- opened his eyes. Roland hardly dared believe it. They were clouded and rather unfocused but soon riveted on Roland's shocked face in almost no time at all. Never in all his years had he seen a wolf come down with what Kavik had and live to tell of it. This was unheard of! It–
Kavik was speaking. Well…wait, no, scratch that; his mouth was moving, yes, but he seemed to lack the energy for real speech. Hastily, his dark friend bent forward, leaning down until the white wolf's muzzle was pressed into the cup of his ear.
"…W…water…." Kavik's voice was little more than a choked rasp and sounded like dry, dead leaves fluttering over old, moldering bones. Yet he could talk, and so soon…. Again, Roland found himself utterly amazed; never in all his years had he seen a wolf withstand so much only to recover so quickly….
"I…we'll have to go outside, down to the stream…" Roland said. His whole body was a trembling, shaking with both exultation and shock. Kavik truly was a wolf in a class of his own. Roland's sky-blue eyes were alight with hope. "Do you think you can…? If not, I can always ask someone to–" "…Don't…don't baby me…I'm no pushover." The other replied as a ghost of a grin flitted across his features, momentarily brightening his haggard appearance.
Roland let out a sigh. "Yes, you're out of the woods, all right…your sense of humor can attest to that much at least…" Roland remarked, shaking his head in mock exasperation, as a doublewide grin spread across his face.
Kavik looked as though he wished to retort, but seemed unable to due the exhausted condition brought on by his bout of sickness. He wheezed, and–to Roland's further amazement–actually managed to force his body to assume a sitting position. He didn't hold it for more than a few second –the midnight wolf was forced to hastily position himself between his worn out friend and the stony floor of the cave to prevent a nasty fall–but still; he had managed to move….
'Where for the love of God does he get it all?' Roland thought stupidly as he gazed at the half-dead wolf that was all but hanging onto him for support. 'For all the Gods, is there no end to his strength?' The apparent answer to this inquiry was a definite 'no' for at that moment Kavik fixed his glassy, burned-out eyes on him and said something Roland couldn't quite hear, even as close as he was.
Twisting his neck strenuously, he moved his head closer until the breath spouting from his companion's nose tickled his ear once more. Kavik sucked in a ragged breath and let it out speaking; "Let's…let's…go outside…" he swallowed. Every word seemed to be costing him a monumental effort. "I…I want…to…to see…the others…" he licked his cracked, dry lips. "And…and maybe…to refresh myself…while I'm at it." He looked up at Roland, a hopeful expression in his eyes.
"I…I think it would be an unwise venture on your part, my friend…" his former comrade in arms replied after a few seconds' careful deliberation. "Your body is still too weak to – "
"Aw…c'mon…don't gimme that…" the other interrupted, though it seemed his voice was growing weaker with each passing moment. "I…don't wanna be…cooped up in here…for the next week and a half…." He shook his head, a lopsided grin twisting across his face. "C'mon Roland…please…?"
Roland opened his mouth to reiterate that it would be better for all involved if the alabaster wolf did not push himself so hard or so soon after his miraculous recovery…and discovered an amazing thing; he couldn't. The words simply refused to come out…. 'Gods curse that smile of his,' he thought with a flare of irritation sparked with more than a touch of amusement. 'If only he weren't so damn persuasive…'
Sighing resignedly, Roland steadied himself so as to better allow the injured lupine to gain support from his steadfast frame and said grudgingly, "Well…I suppose a little walk wouldn't hurt…." He snorted for effect. "Might even get you back into shape…." "And…and what's THAT…s'posed to mean…huh? You…you sayin I'm fat or something?" Kavik demanded sarcastically, rousing a chuckle from the wolf beside him as the two friends began the long, painfully slow journey out of the cave and down to the water where a great many others were gathered….
Oh, this was just going to be a perfectly lovely day….
((()-()))
Author's Note:
Well, there you have it folks. Sorry, as I know this chapter took WAY too long to write...but I've started Cross Country runs again and they take quite a bit out of me. Just today I was finally able to sit down in front of my computer for...oh, four or five hours today and crank out about 3/4ths of this extremely long chapter. Thanks to all of you for your undying patience!
But, let's not forget, there were footnotes in here.
(By the by: All the RP's and Fanfics referenced here can only be found at the 'Balto Source Forum' website.)
(1) Crash and Eddie - these two are just an all-too obvious homage to the two crazy spazmodic possums from Blue Sky Entertainment's masterpiece, 'Ice Age: The Meltdown.'
(2) Silvermane, Swiftpaw and Serpico - These three bundles of joy happen to be three main characters from a now-removed RP called 'The Great Rolling Plains'...though in truth, the last name, Serpico is actually a homage to the 1973 movie Serpico, staring Al Pacino as the title character of Frank Serpico in his first Oscar Nominated role.
(3) Chehalis, his son Mingan and their friend Ash - this little trio is from a rather lengthy RP entitled 'The Ghost White Claims a Territory', an RP of epic (and I do mean EPIC) proportions. The first two - Chehalis and Mingan, his son - belong to my good friend Eagle205, as I think he's long overdue for a little recognition around here. (seriously though: If you like Newfound Emotion: A Kodi and Dusty Romance Story!, then read his fic 'Balto: Starcrossed.' It's even go ME hooked!) The last one, Ash (who's name actually came from the main character of Sam Raimi's cult classic 'The Evil Dead' and whose life story is related above) is of my own creation.
(4) Ishmael - this furry little ball of...uh...fur belongs to my good friend and faithful reviewer Lone Wolffanwriter, who I promised to use at least once in a few of my fics as homage to his own great fic 'Dark Eyes, Cold Heart' the sequel to his first fic, 'New Life', both of which are worth digging up for a read.
Well, there you have it. The long awaited 12th chapter. Don't expect 13 to come all that soon...as I have another fic entitled 'Newfound Emotion: A Kodi and Dusty Romance Story!' that I'd like to finish before I devote all my attention to this one. Till next time, loyal readers!
BaltoLuver63
