3.
Balto smiles after his daughter finishes howling before chiding her lightly, "Aleu, it's too early, you're going to scare the humans."
Aleu grins at her father before hopping around him. She may have grown in the past year, but she still possesses the playfulness of the puppy he raised.
"Sorry papa," she finally says, "but you know how I get excited."
Her father could only shake his head, but it's true, she would always howl whenever she played, ran, or hunted. She once started howling like crazy when she chewed up her mother's human's socks.
"Of course I do," Balto replies as they continue walking along the ravine, heading deeper and deeper into the forest, "but that's not a good excuse to put yourself in danger."
Her smile grin is replaced by a frown, "Papa," she says in an agitated voice, "I'm not a baby anymore, I can take care of myself."
Her father shakes his head, "I know you can, but you have to remember you are now the leader of a wolf pack, all their lives depend on you."
"Oh, right," she said, suddenly becoming solemn, "well…I'm sure Sika will do well as the next pack leader if I-"
"Aleu," Balto says sternly, "don't even think like that, it may be…wise, to prepare for such things, but don't talk like it is going to happen."
Aleu watches her father from the corner of her eye, wanting to make a comeback, but she knew he was right. Nava chose her to be his successor for a reason; it would be unwise if she should meet an early end.
"Besides," her father continues, "if you want your pack to stay here, this close to the human's, you need to keep a close watch on your wolves to make sure they don't cause trouble, especially Nuk, Yak, and Sumac."
Aleu shakes her head, "Those jokers? After Niju's 'fall from glory,'" she says mockingly, "they've been listening and following my commands without incident, they probably think the pack will tear them apart if they cross me."
"Yes, but still…I don't like it," Balto finally confesses, "Aleu, you have to admit the fact that those three, along with some of the other wolves I'm sure, would rather follow a…more aggressive leader, especially because of the hatred they feel towards man."
"Which is why I have the Beta's watching over things," she counters, "every time I'm hunting or visiting you, they will keep their eyes open for trouble."
"I don't know about them Aleu," Balto says in answer.
This causes Aleu to pause before walking again as she demands, "how can you complain about who I chose to be my Betas papa? They're the most trustworthy wolves I have in the pack."
"I don't doubt their loyalty Aleu," Balto answers, "I'm glad that you have friends and allies, but does the pack respect them?"
"Of course they do," she responds as they walk between the trees now, "They follow Kila's orders without question."
"Only because you made her a Beta," counters her father, "the wolves find her strange because of her curiosity and consider it a threat."
"Well…what about Nuju?" she asks.
"He mostly watches the skies and expects the stars to answer all the problems of the Earth, again, strange," her Balto reasons.
"And Sika?" she asks with a tinge of desperation in her voice.
"He's probably the only one the wolves like," Balto says as he stares at the ground as they walk, obviously in deep thought, "he's a fighter, a hunter and smart, a natural-born leader."
"See," she says with a smile, "I make good choices."
Her father sighs, "Too good Aleu," he looks up into her eyes, "I wouldn't be surprised if some of the pack are wondering why they are following you and not him."
Her eyes widen at this, "But Nava said-"
"Exactly," Balto cut her off, "because of what Nava said. He led this pack for so many years and had always cared for their welfare; he earned the pack's trust."
"But Nava said I was meant to lead," Aleu says, "He saw it in his dream vision."
"They follow Nava's commands out of respect for him," he looks down, "not because they chose you Aleu, but because he chose you."
She is quiet for a full fifty paces before announcing, "Well, it's been nearly a year now, surely I must have earned their trust by now."
"I hope so," her father speaks with weary, "because you're going to need it if you wish to keep them-"
"Halt!"
Father and daughter come to a stop. They are in a cluster of trees, not far from the pack now, but Balto realizes they are in a good place for an ambush. He scans the bushes and sure enough, he sees shadows moving within them, menacing eyes staring out at them. He makes ready to fight when the speaker calls out again.
"You are entering the Nava pack territory," announces the voice, "speak your name before we kill you."
Aleu shakes her head before stepping forward, "calm down boys," she orders, "it's me."
There is ruffling coming from the bushes before they hear a solid smack and a small yelp.
"Idiot," a male voice snarls, "we're so dead now."
There is another thud followed by a deeper cry of pain as a new voice answers, "well you should have told me it was her, you're the one with the good nose."
Aleu sighs before shouting, "Sevgu, Levgu, get out here."
Balto frowns slightly as two wolves emerge from the foliage, never seeing such duo before. They are of the same height and judging from their similar coat colors, he guesses they are siblings. They have spotted hides, brown, black, and a bit of red color on the top of their heads. Yet what he notices is that one of them has a torn ear while the other has a large scar on his snout, one that covers and probably disabled his nose.
Sensing the impending questions, Aleu turns to Balto, "Papa, this is Sevgu and Levgu," She points out Sevgu, the one with the scar and points out Levgu, the one with the torn ear.
"We ran into them when we were traveling here," she explains before leaning in close and whispering, "they have been alone for years, this is the first time since they were pups that they have a pack of their own."
Intrigued, Balto wanted to question what happened to the boys, but he can tell from their blemish bodies that their pup hood was probably not a happy tale.
Sevgu steps forward and says, "It's an honor to meet you Balto," he says before dipping his head, "Aleu has told us many stories about you."
"Really?" Balto asks before glancing at his daughter who suddenly looks embarrassed.
Before more could be said though, Levgu walks to Aleu and reports, "the pack has now fully settled in the gully, and that hill we saw when we arrived is perfect for tonight's howling celebration," excitement has coursed through the wolf's voice before finishing, "and, if you don't mind me saying, it might be best if we hurry, the pack will surely be missing you if you aren't there."
The pack or the males? Balto questions himself, but he keeps his emotions hidden from Aleu and the two wolf boys.
They pause when they hear a sudden howl pierce the air, but this one is rougher and the high pitch suggests it's a female. The sound though isn't originating from the woods; it's coming from behind them, back towards Nome. It sounded like something a dog would produce, nothing like the clear musical voice of a wolf. This is concerning though, was this some sort of warning.
He glances at his daughter before saying, "I think I need to head back," he already turns and starts to pad away when Aleu calls out.
"But papa, I thought you wanted to see where the pack has settled," she calls out in a slightly concerned voice. She must have guessed something is going on as well. She wouldn't voice it, but he knew she was concerned about his well-being.
He gives her a gentle smile before saying, "it's probably nothing Aleu, besides, I can always visit tomorrow."
He can see she is still worried but nods nonetheless before saying, "See you then papa," with that she and the twin wolves turn to leave.
Balto remains where he is, keeping an eye on them as they go. Before turning another corner in the tree line, his daughter pauses briefly to look at him over her shoulder. He gives her a warm smile, hoping that would help. She timidly grins back before turning and leaves.
He waits another few seconds before turning and takes off at a dead sprint. He didn't voice it, but he knew who it was that howled, it was his mate, Jenna. And she would never howl unless there is trouble.
Jenna is pacing back and forth outside the old warehouse, hoping that her mate and daughter heard her. She knew all of Nome heard her call, dogs and humans alike came out to see what had produced the call. Never suspecting a canine to produce such noise, the humans looked around for a wolf before returning to their homes. The dogs, however, knew better, they conjugated upon the warehouse to find Jenna there. She would tell them to head inside while she waits for Balto; the fear on her face ensures the dogs that whatever the emergency is, it is real.
Finally, she smells his aroma and sighs with relief. Balto always knew what to do, especially in a situation that is considered impossible by all accounts. Racing beneath a hole in the nearby fence, her mate came charging out before stopping upon seeing her.
She immediately feels relieved and before she could stop herself, she rushes forward and nuzzles into Balto. He responds in kind by rubbing his jaw over her head and occasionally licks her face. This continues for a few more moments until Jenna pulls back and asks, "Where's Aleu?"
He peers at her curiously before saying, "she's with the pack, what's wrong?"
She gently grabs his forepaw with her mouth and tugs a little before saying, "let's go inside so I can tell everyone."
She can see his confusion, but he does as she says. Together they enter the building which by then is full of dogs, all had gathered to hear what the news is. Jenna suddenly feels nervous, there hasn't been a meeting like this since the disease broke out and nearly killed half the people of Nome. Is this issue that big of a deal?
She shudders upon remembering the monster's words, yes, yes it was.
She takes one last look around at the different breeds surrounding her before taking a deep breath.
"Taylor," she finally says, "is correct," the indicated husky tilts his head a little in confusion before she finishes, "there is a human in town that smells like a wolf."
This causes everyone to look among themselves in fear and confusion. Initially, they didn't believe Taylor because of his youth and his story is just plain crazy. But Jenna has been a part of the community for as long as they could remember; she was always honest, caring, and loyal to both men and dogs alike; earning respect and trust from everybody. If she agrees with what Taylor is saying, then there is truly a reason to be afraid.
Balto steps up next to her and asks, "How do you know?" his face suddenly becomes tight with concern, "did you go looking for him?"
She shakes her head, "no, he came to my human's house," she returns her gaze to the group, "I smelled him before seeing him. He does smell of wolves, but he appears as a human male, young, but haggard. Despite that though, he…he threatened the lives of the wolves in the forest…" she trails off after these words.
Balto is immediately pressing his body against hers, offering her warmth while burying his face in her mane. But she feels his tense muscles and knows her mate has become just as anxious as she has.
There is a sudden snort and someone says, "This is nothing new, no offense Balto, but there has always been a rivalry between men and wolves."
Jenna opens her eyes, unable to find who it was that spoke, but speaks anyways, "this may be true, but the way he said it, the look, the voice…everything," she looks at each canine in the eye before finishing, "it is not human."
The dogs slowly look among themselves in fear, all wondering what this means.
What is this creature that they are facing?
The night is turned briefly into the day before the light fades again, but all around chaos still erupts.
Kyle is squatting in his trench, surrounded by strangers, he can't see their faces due to the shadows their helmets cause, but as long as they're not shooting at him he doesn't care. He puts in another clip into his rifle before standing once more.
The Earth before him is black and barren, covered in dirt and ash. Barbwire, craters, leafless trees, and occasionally bodies are the only thing that he could see on the floor. There is an occasional flash as a flare or an artillery shell brightens the landscape. Only a couple of yards away, Kyle can see the occasional pointed spear tip of German headgear rising over their ridge before he sees the flash and the muzzle flames would briefly light the shadowy figure as they continue their effort to kill Kyle and those with him.
Acting on instinct, he puts his rifle up to his shoulder, aims, and fires. A round explodes from the weapon as it flies through the air and towards his enemy. He is a Marine, trained to the point that it's pure instinct to aim down the sights and kill the target. But it is pitch black and feels as if the whole world is ending. He can only hope he hits his target as he pulls back on the bolt before shoving it back to its original position as a new bullet takes the palace of the old. He fires three more shots until he is on his last bullet, and that is when he hears the cry.
It came from his left and he turns just in time to see a man, standing over a fallen soldier, as he raises his rifle high and stabs him using the bayonet attached to the end of his gun. He briefly sees the pointed hat of a German on the man with the improvise spear and doesn't even think.
He lowers his rifle and fires from the hip. Inaccurate for most, but not to him, not after training for hours on end to get his aim correct. Following the crack of his rifle, a geyser of blood erupts from the German's chest as he falls backward in slow motion, helmet flying as a scream escapes the man's throat.
Kyle shivers, but he crouches down and moves towards the fallen soldier. He wraps his arms around the man's head as he tries to identify the face when a flare went into the air and a large burst of light showers the land. He is holding Eran Carilina, his eyes are wide with fear, his mouth is moving but nothing is forthcoming while he wheezes in the last lung full of air.
Kyle could only watch when someone screams, "Gas! Gas! Gas!"
He jerks his head up but it's too late. Appearing out of nowhere is a dark cloud that looks yellow as it roams over everything as it gallops towards him in a massive wave. There is nothing he can do, anything that he does will be futile, but he holds his breath and lowers his head as he feels the wave wash over him. His skin burns, his lungs are threatening to explode and he sees nothing but yellow. This is it, he's going to-
Kyle gasps as he sits up in horror, he scans his surroundings, trying to figure out what just happened.
He briefly panics when he couldn't remember where he is until he slowly recognizes the wooden floor, the cramped space, and the newly acquired stove resting in the corner as it gives off warm heat. He looks around, everything appears normal, he is positioned three paces away from the door and two steps from the window. He rises from his place on the floor where he made a small nest with his only blanket.
He stretches, causing a series of pops to sound as he does so. He shakes his head briefly before making his way to the window and looks out.
The sun is descending and blackness is starting to cover the land. In Nome, he can see lamp lights being lit and casting the building's silhouette against the impending darkness. He notes hardly anyone is outside, which is good for the change without anyone seeing.
He glances at the sky and barely makes out the blooming moon as its pale light is starting to break from the cloud front. It is almost time.
This is the moment that excites yet terrifies him all the time. He is wary of the monthly pain he has to endure whenever he changes. He shivers as he thinks about it; his bones being crushed, his face being rearranged and the feeling that scaling water has replaced his blood would take over. He wishes there was a way to avoid the pain, but there is no real solution other than to bear it and get used to it.
Despite this though, he is excited by the prospect of running through the forest, an activity that he has become quite fond of. Whether he's running on bipedal feet or all fours, he always gets a kick out of it. It's as if he can run; sprint away from his worries and his problems and the curse. He has also grown a liking to his wolf self, a black-furred creature that has a better sense of smell, in-tuned ears, and immense strength that no human can match. Truth be told, he feels invincible when he is in wolf form and vulnerable as a human, this is a type of relationship that he cannot comprehend.
At most times, particularly when he is human, he hates being a wolf. On the other hand though, when he is a wolf, he resents his weak human side. It's like he is living with two different personalities as if he becomes a different person with whatever skin he is in. Is this normal or is he truly a freak?
Of course, I am, he thinks bitterly to himself, a freak of nature.
The dogs he has run into in the past have often yelled this at him, whether he is in human or wolf shape. Slowly, he is starting to believe them. It has almost been eight years since he was bitten and after the creature died, he feels as if he is alone. He searched everywhere, smelled every corner of the cities, towns, and woodlands he has ever visited, but not once has he found a scent identical to his. He is alone in a world that will hate him if they ever discover what he is. Kyle is almost tempted to give himself over to the people, to reveal his secret, maybe they know what he is. The best that he can figure he is some sort of shapeshifter, like the ones he often hears of in ancient lore.
He couldn't help but smirk as he shakes his head, what would the guys think if they could see him now?
Waylen, Holtsoi, and Ben are the only people he knows who are still walking around after their time in the service, or at least the last time he checked. Everyone else is either unknown to him or dies.
He shivers as he remembers his dream.
Eran, Eran Carilina…he didn't know him. He heard that he is from somewhere in Illinois; he feels slightly guilty for not knowing anything more about him aside from his name. The only thing of great significance about Eran is that he was the first man Kyle witnesses die. He died in Kyle's hands, a sight or feeling he will never forget. He wanted to help, wanted to save him, but couldn't, despite all the training, all the boasting of being a Marine, he was powerless.
His hands tighten at the thought of the gas. Was being cursed a bad thing? The curse was what saved him after all, but he was forced to inhale the toxic and feel his innards burn for days on end. Would it have been preferable to have died then or is there truly a reason for him being here, for living the life of a fugitive?
He hears the howls in the dark and he looks back at the moon. It is slowly making its appearance and he feels his body reacting. His joints suddenly feel loose, his head is beginning to throb and the room is becoming unbearably hot.
Knowing it's only a few seconds away, Kyle closes the flaps on the stove door, dimming the light until he can barely see at all. He checks outside again to make sure no one is watching before he sheds his clothes. When he took off his shirt that is when the pain started.
It feels almost like an unbearable cramp struck him in the torso, making him want to stretch and relieve himself of the torment, but he knew there was no way of easing the pain. The only thing he can do is to crouch down on the floor and grit his teeth as he tries his best not to scream in agony.
He starts to pant as his arms go numb before a sharp pain strikes his bones. He sucks in a large breath of air as he feels his bones tighten before being crushed. The closest thing he can compare this sensation to is when he broke his wrist during a fight and didn't feel it until the adrenaline left his body. Only this time it feels as if it's happening all at once, his skeleton is crushed, leaving a senseless sensation before unbelievable pain takes over.
It's all he can do not to moan as he falls to the ground as his body twitch and churn with every pinch to his organs. He can feel his bones mending themselves back together, but now they are longer, stronger, and wider, he knows this as the new form skeletal system push and stretches his skin like an extra small shirt being forced to accommodate a large man. Now his skin is starting to itch like a thousand insects have just bitten every inch of skin.
He groans as the finale hits home. He forces his new body to stretch as hard as he could to relieve himself of the pain, but it has little effect. His eyes are burning; it feels like a machine gun is chattering away in his head as it thunders with full force. His skin is quivering as waves upon waves of pointing objects break through and covers his skin, from toe to head. He moans as his hands and feet quiver before, with a distinct pattern, his nails drop to the floor, replaced by wicked talons that curve in a deadly arc. Finally, his nose shoots out before his eyes and he howls as his skull is forced to transform along with it. Tears are streaming as he closes his eyes, waiting for the agony to go away as his suffering continues for what feels like hours.
Finally, after a span of what he counts as thirty seconds, the pain ceases.
He breathes heavily as he lies on the ground before he carefully forces his eyes to open.
He can instantly sense the differences between his human and wolf self.
He could hardly see in the darkroom before, but now he can see into every blackened corner, he can even see a small spider as it makes a web on one of the ceiling's trusses. The moonbeam that now filters into the room is like sunlight, a ray of light that is beckoning him to soak in like sun rays. He can smell the forest, a heavy musk that fills his nostrils, almost intoxicating to him, pine needles and scents of various animals covering the whole area. To him, it's the sweet taste of freedom, the freedom that he has lost, but found again.
Shakingly, he pushes himself onto his haunches and he inspects himself. His black matted fur shines in the light and, though embarrassing, he has to admit his hide feels soft, like puppy fur. He looks at his hands and can see the rough callus pads that mark his palm and fingers while his wicked nails stand out by an extra inch. He puts his arms on either side of him, lifts his rear and stands to his full height. He has grown an extra foot and his body has become a little broader while the hair covers all parts of his body. His feet are like that of a canine, slightly raised in the back with long toes and heels. He didn't need to look for he knew his new face well; the protruding snout, the fur, and the flimsy ears that now rest on the top of his skull are the only changes from the transformation, though he has a suspicion that his cranium has also grown some.
He raises his arms and stretches again; prepping his new muscles and getting them ready for a night of exercise. It has been a long time since he last made a stop and he wishes to run without being chased by a mob for once.
All remnants of sleep have rubbed off after his transformation. He carefully looks out the window, trying to see if there is anyone out for a midnight stroll. Then again he is in Alaska where the nights are ten times colder than the day, what fool would want to be out during this late hour. Well, there is him, but with his warm body and fur, he hardly feels anything most of the time.
With assurance that nothing is moving about, he carefully grips the bottom of the window frame and pulls it upwards. The air blows through his hair, bringing the fresh scent of the forest that makes him want to jump with childish joy. He steps out of the opening quickly before closing the window shut. He lowers himself back down and scans the landscape once more, but he is relieved to see that he is still alone.
He kneels low before placing his hands in front until he is on all fours. His new joints don't restrict the movement, far from it, they let his bones roll into different positions, allowing him to be on all fours, feet and hands flat on the ground, like a natural wolf. With the transition complete, he takes off like a shot and is sprinting into the woods.
It feels glorious, the wind blowing through his fur, the trees passing at an unbelievable pace and with the moon guiding him. This is what he was made for, and he's going to enjoy it tonight.
Aleu laughs with glee as she watches her pack as they sing to the moon.
After spending the entire day attending to each of her wolves' needs, roaming the pack's territory, and hunting for enough meat to store for the coming winter, she is quite appreciative of this small celebration.
The hill the pack is howling on is partially filled with trees, allowing many lupines to find a place to sit and to sing. Now far away from them is the gully that they have transformed into their home. From a distance, one probably wouldn't even notice it was there, but if they keep walking then they will see the crevice in the ground, revealing a ten-foot drop. At the bottom is a smooth stone that stretches almost fifty yards along the length of an old underground river bed. Carved into the walls on either side are huge holes, big enough for the entire pack to sleep in comfortably. The only entrance is a small hole, big enough for the wolves to crawl through, starting a hundred yards away from their sleeping areas. Though it's kind of an annoyance to walk all that distance, Aleu likes it, and adds to the security measures as far as she is concerned.
The best the wolves can figure, the ravine was created by an ancient river that has, for some reason, dried up long ago. They use the stone slab at the center of the gully to socialize, play, and eat together while the holes are used for their sleeping areas. It's perfect for them, a great hiding area where they can hide for days on end; the damp earth is excellent for burying their food in, keeping the meat fresh for days on end.
They have a new home, it's beautiful, hardly any threats, plenty of food, and they haven't run into any trouble whatsoever.
And yet…for Aleu…something doesn't feel quite right.
Maybe it's the fact that she is at the base of the hill, looking at her fellow pack members as they sing to each other. She notices that almost all of the wolves have broken up and are now sitting in pairs, mostly males and females. She looks to the left and sees one of her Beta's, Kila, with another wolf, a male who is probably courting her. Kila leans her head back and is about to release another howl when the male moves in and nuzzles her exposed neck. The Beta's song turned into a giggle as she turns her attention to the male and licks him on the forehead.
Aleu suddenly feels heaviness in her chest, causing her to turn and walk away. She doesn't know why, but she suddenly feels very uncomfortable watching what is unfolding before her. There is no doubt more wolves are doing the same thing, a fact that for some reason causes her to shudder.
What is wrong with me, she wonders to herself. I should be happy for Kila, having a male around must surely be a wonderful thing. Someone to take care of you, to nuzzle with, hunt with, talk to and eventually have pups with…
Her mind slowly trails off before she sighs; now discovering what is wrong. She is jealous of one of her friends no less. She isn't interested in that one specific male with Kila; she is interested in having a male of her own, but who? No doubt all her Beta's are already taken, save for Nuju and she doesn't want to be rude, but she is having trouble envisioning herself being with him in an intimate relationship. No, it might be better if her Beta's are just friends, not potential mates.
She is so preoccupied with what she is doing; she walks by the very wolf in question without realizing it.
"Something wrong Aleu?" the male asks.
She couldn't help but smirk, she finds it amusing that Nuju acts like he is a wise elderly wolf rather than the young male he is.
She looks towards him and sees that he is sitting on top of a boulder; his grey coat is startling bright whenever the moon is shining on him. He doesn't glance at the female though; his eyes are staring into the sky as he observes the stars with a solemn, but interested expression on his face.
The pack leader hesitates before saying, "I'm fine Nuju, I just…"
"Couldn't stand the crowd?" he offers.
"Well not that I can't stand them," huffs Aleu, "it's just that there's something…"
"Different?" Nuju suggests again.
"Yes," she looks at the twinkly lights as she finishes, "I don't know what it is, but for some reason, it just feels like there's something wrong with me and I don't know what it is."
"You're lonely," Aleu eyes the male closely, wondering if the stars are giving him the answers for he hasn't so much as taken a look at her the whole while.
"I guess…" she ventures hesitantly, "but I don't know why, I mean, I have you, Kila, Sitka, and the entire pack, I don't understand," she looks down in slight embarrassment, "I just don't understand…"
Nuju remains quiet, not speaking for almost a whole minute before saying, "So where are you going?"
She is taken off guard by the question. Weren't they discussing her confusing situation a few minutes ago?
"Uh…" she thinks to herself before answering, "I don't know, just going to walk along the border of the territory I suppose." She muses over a thought in her head for a moment before asking, "Do you think it will be ok that I visit my parents?"
"If that is what you wish," Nuju says, "I can inform the other Betas and we'll stand watch until you return."
She nods in appreciation to Nuju before turning in the direction of Nome. She starts walking, but pauses and looks at the male, "Would you like to join me? I do not mean to sound rude, but it looks like you could do with some company as well."
Nuju merely shakes his head, his gaze never wavering from the night, "I know it may sound odd Aleu, but I prefer the company of the stars than other lupines"
She tries her best to not look confused by this so she says, "Alright then…I guess I'll see you later then."
Finally, Nuju looks away from the stars and turns his light blue eyes towards her. He dips his head and says, "Have a pleasant visit pack leader."
Aleu nods in turn before she begins walking away. She briefly looks over her shoulder and sees that the Beta has returned to his stargazing, appearing to be at peace with the world.
Why wasn't it that easy with me, she wonders to herself.
For her peace wasn't an easy concept to come by, it was almost impossible with the turmoil she was in the previous year.
She remembers her life as a pup, playing with her brothers and sisters as they ran in circles, wrestled, and occasionally ganged up to find their uncle Boris and use him as a chew toy. However the memories she cherished the most was her spending time with her papa. She thought it was neat that she looks just like him while everyone else looks more like their mother. She thought the fun times would never end, but that was before she found out they had to be adopted.
The idea was very foreign to her and at first, she was frightened. She didn't want to leave her mother's human's home, to be separated from her siblings and parents. After a while though, she started to play with the thought, thinking of how it would be exciting to visit a new place and to have a new human to play with. That was when tragedy struck though.
Her siblings easily found homes, it was as if the humans couldn't resist not taking them, but by the end of the day, it was just her. Days, weeks, and eventually months went by, she grew big and strong, but despite all that time nobody so much as a glance in her direction. She started losing faith that she would never find a home, and the doubt was supported greatly when she was almost killed by a human, a hunter.
After that, her life changed forever, because that was when her father told her the truth. Nobody accepted her because she looked like a wolf. The people tolerated her in town, but to want to keep her is a whole different topic entirely. She always believed being part wolf was something to be proud of, but on that day she realizes that she is an outcast, not wanted by humans, dogs, or wolves. She was a freak.
She was so torn up by it she left home that very night and ran, she ran as far as she could, wanting to get away from it all, to escape what she was. She has no idea how far she went, so far that she couldn't find a way back. She remembers being afraid, hungry, and alone as regret piles up within her. On that night she slept in a cave, believing she was alone but was proven wrong when the morning came.
It was then that she found Muru, a simple field mouse that didn't appear to even be afraid of her wolfish appearance.
She sighs, she wishes Muru was here, he was strange, but he gave good advice. Maybe he was here.
She shivers at the thought. It was Muru who taught her about each animal having a spirit guide, the spirit of their ancestors who helps protect them and lead them in the right direction. Not long after explaining all that to her, Muru disappeared, leaving her to muse over whether or not Muru himself was her spirit guide.
Because of him, she had a purpose, to discover who she is. Not long afterward she discovered Nava and his pack. The few days she spent with the elder wolf was amazing, his guidance and wisdom still fascinates her and makes her wonder if she will ever become just as wise as he is. She was shocked when he proclaimed the next leader of the pack would be "the one who is a wolf but does not know."
At first, she thought it was her papa, but it wasn't long before she realized it was her, she was the wolf who did not know. After accepting her wolf self, Nava made her the pack leader before she and her newfound pack were forced to leave their old lands in search of food. She was afraid to lead and hoped her parents understood. When she looked into her papa's eyes and saw the pride within them, she knew he did.
The first year she spent away from them was one of the hardest things she ever had to overcome. It didn't help much that she lived off kibble treats for most of her life and didn't know a thing about hunting. Eventually, though she learned to live as a real wolf, to lead and have a life of adventure.
Yet that overwhelming urge to return home was too great for her. Which finishes with her here, in the forest she played in as a pup and now a permanent resident. She had her pack, her family, and what could count to be her old life again. Everything should feel great.
So why does she have this empty feeling in her gut?
She sighs once more as she finally forces her head up and gazes into the forest. She can't be that far away from Nome now, maybe she'll go to her papa's boat, that way she won't wake mother's human-
She freezes when she sees something break through the bushes on her right and is heading right for her. She twists her head and sees a black mass heading right for her, she backs away but knows it's too late, she's going to be run over by whatever this thing is.
Snow suddenly flies through the air as the thing digs its feet in and it comes to a sliding stop right in front of her. The thing, a creature, slightly crouches as it leans away from her in an almost submissive position. She looks down before gasping as her eyes lock with two orbs that are staring right back at her.
The two circles are ruby red, appearing like flames that are cutting through the dark. They are clear to see against the thing's matted fur and shines with the brightest gleam she has ever seen. Yet what captivates her is the emotion that she can see in the creature's eyes.
The crimson colors are evil looking as if they belong to a deadly and dangerous beast, but what she sees contradicts that belief. Deep within the irises, she can see what appears to be a surprise and something else, a flicker like an ember. Is it kindness, or is it something else?
The thing begins to move; it shifts away from her and sits on its back legs. Her eyes widen at what she sees. Before her is probably the largest wolf she has ever seen. Its head alone looks like it could squish her if it wanted to. It's two heads taller than her, fur that is blacker than the night's, and the blazing eyes stare down on her. Slowly, she takes in its whole form and that's when she notices something even stranger about the creature. Its front paws are larger than that of an ordinary wolf, it looks like they split at a point and form their own individual digits that are standing apart from one another. Aside from the claws that form at the tip, they remind her of a human's hand.
Her eyes travel to the thing's rear and sees its legs are also different. They too are bigger, so big in fact that they are folded together, allowing it to sit on its rear like a lupine, but with a lot of the limb left over. He sits with the attention of one of her warrior wolves, all business with its back straight and its tail lying limply by its side.
She returns her gaze to his blazing red eyes, appearing almost warm to her, yet with an icy tinge to them. Their eyes continue to scan the other as if her orbs are just as memorizing as his.
Finally, he moves, he rises back to its feet, but she notices the creature's limbs are still folded together as if it's keeping its body restrained. Then it turns and starts trotting away from her. She stares for a couple of more seconds before she shakes her head and hurries after the wolf-like creature.
"Hey wait," she calls after it. Instead of heeding her words though, it picks up the pace and starts running.
Aleu follows close behind, trying to catch up to the creature, but it's larger body is out sprinting her minuscular self. She starts huffing, but ignores the discomfort, her curiosity is fueling her, pushing her to discover what she is chasing. Trees pass by as nothing more than a blur and the snow's coldness fades from the mind as the friction beneath her paws keeps them warm.
She stops when she finds the tracks have come to an end. She is in the middle of a clearing, but the creature has disappeared. She follows the trail to the point where it came to an end. Here there is a small crater with grooves cut into the ground. She has seen these before, once when she saw an Eagle land on the floor before taking off again, its talons left the same marks in the dirt.
She glances at the branches above her in wonder. Can this thing jump that high?
"Wait!" she calls out, "I just want to talk!"
She hears something rustling in the branches and she knew it was still here. She tries to pick out the creature's figure, but somehow it was able to camouflage itself well in the tree. She sniffs the air, trying to pick up some kind of foreign smell. She is surprised when she picks up the remnant of an unknown wolf. This creature is a lupine of some sort, yet there is a kind of exotic taste that is familiar, but she can't remember where she smelled it before.
"Come on," she growls as she looks around, "I know you are here, come out!"
Silence greets her.
She snarls more savagely before shouting, "Come on! What are you afraid of?"
She hears a thump come from behind her before she is showered in a small downpour of snow. She twists in a quick circle and gasps.
The wolf is standing before her, but that's what frightens her, it was standing.
Its long legs have extended to their full length and now it is standing over her with a blazing fire set in its eye. The front paws are at its sides now, but they are balled up like a human who is in a rage. She realizes its ribcage is a lot broader, almost equivalent to that to a large man. Here stands the lupine she has been chasing; its shape like a human but retains the fur, tail, and head of a wolf. What is this creature?
She is brought out of her thoughts when she hears a growl, one that seems to shake the very ground and causes her head to vibrate.
"Afraid," the creature growls in a male voice, "Do you think I am scared of a little scamp like you?"
Slowly he steps forward with human-like movement, causing Aleu to back away in fear.
She trembles a bit before digging within her and finds some courage. She has done nothing wrong, she has just wanted to talk, she isn't in the wrong here. Yet this creature's ferocity almost makes her want to leave him alone. Almost.
Finally, she digs her paws into the snow and stands tall in the path of the approaching creature. He comes to a halt, one step away from her, his red eyes never leaving her face.
She tries to subdue a shudder before saying, "I mean no harm, I just want to talk."
He gives her a sideways glance, almost like a sneer, before turning and lowers himself back down until he is on all fours. With that, he starts walking away.
"Wait," Aleu cries out and tries to approach, but he turns and snaps at her with his jaws.
"Just leave me alone," he glowers as he continues walking.
This doesn't dissuade Aleu; in fact, it challenges her fiery spirit, urging her to follow.
She trots after him, keeping a distance of about three feet as she comes striding next to him. She saw his left eye flick in her direction before returning it forward.
They walk in silence, time that Aleu uses to continue examining this wolf. Where did he come from? Are there others like him? What is he exactly?
"Are you done staring," he suddenly demands.
She jerks back a little, surprised, and annoyed at herself for staring without even knowing.
"Sorry," she ventures, eyeing him for a reaction before asking, "What are you exactly?"
"Why do you want to know?" he asks, "so it'll be easier for you to come up with insults?"
She gapes at him before snarling, "No, I just want to know, who would even do that?"
"Just about everyone in the world," his voice is angry, but she could have sworn she heard what could have been wistfulness at the end.
"Well I don't," she says, "what's your name?"
He remains inaudible, probably trying to ignore her the best he could.
She sighs and thinks for a moment before saying, "Were you called names because you were different."
He doesn't speak, but for some reason, she sees the silence as a form of an answer.
"I know the feeling," she continues, "I'm part husky…and part wolf," finally she sees his red orb look at her before glancing away, he was listening. "Everyone was nice to me, dogs and wolves and humans…but it wasn't until I tried finding a home did people reveal what they truly thought of me…" she didn't want to go to detail but figure it will her to get the creature talking, "but I found a place to call home and have a lot of friends, I may have been rejected by some people, but I eventually found who I was, who I am, along with wolves who welcomes me as a companion," she finishes with a smile.
She is surprised when he snorts, "Well that's a lovely story," he says sarcastically, "queue the snare drums and curtains."
She suddenly snaps at him and he glances at her with some surprise in his eyes, "look," she growls, "it may sound lousy, but it's my life and it's quite rude of you to make fun of it," she eyes him, "not unless you are making fun of me like you think I would do."
He watches her for a moment before he exhales heavily and he comes to a stop. She pauses as well, waiting for his response.
He is motionless for a while before finally, he says softly, "No…I'm not making fun of you."
"Well it sounded like it," she says defensively.
He looks up and snarls, "If you don't like it then just leave me."
She growls in return "Look, I just want to ask you some questions."
"Why?" he demands.
"Because I need to know if I should see you as a threat to my pack or not," she answers, but she knew she was just plain curious about who this person is.
He looks down again, clearly deep in thought before saying, "I do not quarrel with wolves unless they come looking for a fight."
Aleu gulps at the words. Hopefully, her wolves have the sense not to pick a fight with this lupine; he looks like he can bring down the entire pack without even trying.
"Alright," she says, "but if you don't mind me asking, where did you come from? I've lived in these woods since my birth and I have never seen anything or…anyone like you before."
He watches her briefly before saying, "I'm new, just got here."
She nods along, "Well if you would like a tour of the area, then I can give it."
He looks back up at her before asking, "Why?"
"Just to be friendly," she says truthfully.
He shakes his head as he looks away, "You just want to know who, or rather what, I am."
Now it's her turn to be quiet and think things through before eventually saying, "Alright, maybe I am a little curious, but I want to help you."
"Why?" he repeats.
She makes sure she is looking him in the eye before saying, "because I know what it's like to be an outsider as well."
They stare into each other's eyes before he turns away and mummers, "I'll think about it," before he starts walking off. She notices the change instantly, his muscles are laxer, his tail is close to hiding between his legs and he just generally looks downcast. What did she say wrong?
"Are you alright?" she questions as she tries to follow, but stops when he looks back at her.
"I…just need time to think," he responds.
She looks around at their surroundings and says, "It's a nice night though," she ventures cautiously, "no one should be alone."
"I'm used to it," he says stoically.
"Well why don't we spend more time together then?" she asks.
"Now that's something I'm not used to," he says in a truthful voice that instantly raises sympathy for the lupine.
"Ok…" she says as she thinks her next words carefully, "we'll take it slow then, how about we meet again tomorrow?"
He only thought for a moment before nodding, "Yeah, sure…I need time to think."
She nods, "Alright…let's meet at the edge of the forest, near Nome, do you know where Nome is?"
She sees his hackles rise in amusement for some reason, "As a matter of fact I do."
"Great," she smiles and her tail wags before a dark thought crosses her mind and she frowns slightly, "uh, you're not the sort of wolf who likes to go into town and marauder the people right?"
He chuckles, "No, in fact, I try to avoid that."
She breathes a sigh of relief, "Good."
An awkward air hangs in between them before finally, the wolf says, "I should go," as he turns and starts treading off.
"Alright, see you tomorrow…" she trails off again before calling out, "What's your name?"
He stops dead in his track and his face consorts as he sinks into deep thought, concentrating on her question. Was it that hard to answer? Or did he simply not want to tell her?
Finally, he mutters, "Eran, call me Eran."
She tilts her head, "Is that your name?"
"Just call me Eran," he says again.
She restrains from releasing a sigh.
Well, it's better than nothing, she thought.
"Alright Eran," she says, "my name is Aleu."
"Aleu," he says in an undertone as if he is curious with how it sounds on his tongue before nodding himself, "see you tomorrow then."
"Ok," she says, leaving another awkward silence.
Finally, he shuffles his feet before turning and walks off, without offering a final farewell. Aleu finds this odd, but doesn't call after him, she just watches as his hide walks between the trees and he is gone, leaving her alone.
Aleu has no idea what to think of what just happened, only that the lupine, Eran, is definitely different and wonders if it was a good, or rather, safe idea to say to meet him tomorrow.
She just shakes her head before turning and starts walking back to her pack, all thoughts of a good visit with her parents are dashed with the appearance of Eran. Not in a bad way, but in an interesting way. Who is this wolf, or rather what is he? Maybe Nuju or Kila can help her figure this mystery out, she can just hope no trouble will arise from this.
Secretly though, she hopes, one way or another, she can help Eran, it is clear he has been through a great hardship like her. Who knows, they could be more alike than they realize.
John 3:16, John 11:25-26, (I do not own the quotes or the Bible)