"I... I'm sorry to hear that you lost your father," Nova began as she lowered her eyes, "My parents were just like yours, except they were both wolves. I had a brother, but he died in a war that we started with our neighbors to the north of us. The initial story was that some wolves from the pack up north had ambushed and murdered one of our alphas, but as it turns out, our leaders killed him and then framed our neighbor in order to justify an invasion. Our leaders wanted their land because it was full of valuable resources from medicinal plants and herbs to meat and wild game, but by this point our pack had been so brainwashed that they followed them blindly into battle with an innocent pack that sought only to protect what was rightfully theirs. I pleaded with my brother not to join in the Alpha's Defense Squadron, because I knew that we were wrong to have ever set foot in their lands, but he had been brainwashed by patriotism and went across the border."
She paused as a sigh escaped her mouth.
"That was the last time I saw him alive. I couldn't stand to watch my friends and family kill innocent wolves, and I certainly couldn't watch them die for a leader who cared only for his own power, so I left and made my way south. Now, here I am."
"Wow... that.. that's terrible, someone has to do something about this." Alyssa responded with a sense of urgency and concern.
Nova sighed and shook her head.
"I'm afraid it's already too late," she replied dismally, "the only way to end the war would be to convince an entire pack that their leaders tricked them, and it won't work. I've already tried."
Alyssa could feel herself welling up with tears, then one managed to seep across her muzzle.
"I... I.. don't know what to say, I'm sorry that happened to you."
Nova flattened her ears and nodded then lifted her eyes up to see Alyssa had begun to cry. "Aw, don't cry, Alyssa," she said as she laid a paw on hers, "I'll be fine. Now, you wanna talk about something else?"
"Yeah, sure I guess," the saddened vixen said brushing off a tear, "what do you have in mind?"
Nova shrugged.
"Nothing in particular honestly," she replied, "just so long as it is happier than this."
Alyssa thought for a second.
"Well... have you ever done, you know, THAT yet?"
Nova blushed as she recognized the message hidden behind what she had asked her.
"No, not yet," she replied, "I've been waiting for the right guy. What about you?"
"No... I haven't either." Alyssa replied thoughtfully.
Nova picked up on her inquisition and she arched a brow.
"Something tells me you've got more to say," she teased.
"Well," Alyssa began, "have you ever been around someone and had a thought flash across your mind, like, I wonder what it would be like if I did it with that person?"
"Yeah... I guess once or twice," Nova admitted then added with a laugh, "it's like 'what the hell brain.'"
"Hehe, yeah, well it's getting late," Alyssa said looking at the sunset over the skyline, "think we should call it a day?"
"Sure." Nova agreed.
Likewise, the evening faded into darkness, so the duo settled in for the night in some thick underbrush.
Birds chirped overhead signaling that morning was here. Alyssa was wide awake while Nova still slept; something had alerted her, hence why she was up earlier than what she usually would be.
"Nova," Alyssa said while stirring her slumbering friend, "wake up."
Nova had opened her eyes, got up, and stretched.
"I sensed about three wolves nearby," Alyssa added, "this maybe be their territory, so we probably should leave."
Nova yawned then sniffed the air; three unfamiliar scents registered nearby.
"You're right." She replied.
"Hey!" Shouted a light grayish wolf maybe several yards away and closing in on them fast.
The girls simultaneously turned around to evade this probable attacker, but were halted by a dark-furred wolf hopping from behind a tree, as if he had already been there the entire time anticipating them to escape in that particular direction.
"Where do you think you're going?" The wolf questioned, menacingly.
Before you know it a third dark gray wolf slowly walked up as the light grayish one finally arrived, completely surrounding them, closing off all possible escape routes.
"Nova?" Alyssa said, addressing her friend in confusion and deep concern.
"Rogue wolves." She responded in a low monotone.
Nova examined the wolves, whilst Alyssa stuck close to her in fear. They were all males, and definitely alphas for they were larger than normal.
"Say boss, what'd'ya make of this?" said the dark gray wolf to the light gray one, in a deep intimidating voice.
"I don't know, Connor," he replied, then looked at the dark furred wolf, "what about you Chance?"
Chance studied the fearful pair carefully, then responded.
"Well it looks like we have some damsels in distress Mason, and one's smokin hot."
"Hm, you're right," Mason agreed, now getting closer to Nova, "what is a sexy specimen such as yourself doing in this part of Jasper without a pack?"
"Look," Nova began, "we were just leaving, alright. Leave us alone and we'll be on our way."
"Yeah, just leave us alone!" Alyssa exclaimed.
"Shut up pipsqueak!" Connor snapped at Alyssa, "The boss isn't talking to you."
"No, it's alright Connor," Mason responded, then looked at Nova, "I like how feisty your little friend is, maybe we can some fun with her too isn't that right men?"
His associates chuckled.
Ash continued to walk along with Caleb at his side. For the last several minutes they had carried on in silence changing direction every now and then hardly regarded each other's existence with the exception of the brief moments that one shot a sidelong glance at the other. Ash didn't know why, but he just couldn't stop thinking about that fox he had met yesterday, and he couldn't explain why it was that he felt this way. He hadn't ever found foxes attractive before, then again he's never met one up that close and personal to ever make such a judgment. But In fact, he had never planned to date outside of his own species, though there was something about that vixen that made his heart flutter. He sighed, which caught Caleb's attention.
"Ash, why are you doing this to yourself?" Caleb asked him.
Ash lifted his head as he heard his brother's question.
"What do you mean?" Ash inquired.
"Alyssa," He began, "I know you see something in her, so why did you let her go?"
Ash sighed.
"Because, Cal, it isn't natural," he replied dismally, "and besides, she probably wouldn't like me anyway."
"Ash, you're reading too much into this," Caleb replied, "who cares if it might be different for a wolf to love a fox? You can't control what's in your heart."
Ash sighed again.
"Even so, I doubt that she would have liked me."
"Well, how do you expect to know this if you never even tried?" Caleb questioned.
"I don't," Ash snapped, "but it's a little too late for that no-... wait a minute, you smell that?"
"Smell what?" Caleb responded.
Ash paused and sniffed the air.
"It's Alyssa and Nova, they're nearby."
"Heck, we must've walked in a giant circle." Said a disgruntled Caleb.
"I smell other wolves too, you think they might be in trouble?" Ash asked his brother only to receive a shrug in response, "Well I'm gonna go check it out."
With that Ash chased down the scents in the direction from whence they came, along with Caleb in tow. They arrived on a small hill close by looking down only to see Nova and Alyssa helpless and surrounded.
"Look Cal! They are in trouble!" Ash exclaimed ready to take off once again but was stopped by his brother.
"Wait, Ash, those wolves look massive; they're probably alphas." Caleb warned.
"I don't care Cal, I'm not gonna sit here and watch while the love of my life is in possible danger!" He replied now making a mad dash for the slope.
"Alyssa!" Ash shouted, charging down the slope of the hill like a raging bull at a matador, adrenaline pumping to the fullest extent.
"Ash!?" Alyssa said, looking up to see the furious wolf approaching at full sprint.
Mason & company directed their attention towards the oncoming threat.
"Who's this joker?" Chance questioned.
"I don't know," Mason replied apprehensively, "ay, Connor, go see what he wants."
"Sure thing boss." He replied confidently, and trotted away "Oi! You! What's the big id-."
Ash tackled the wolf before he could finish his sentence, thrashing him into a tree which instantly knocked him unconscious. Ash didn't feel anything from the impact because of his adrenaline high, but without warning Chance pounced on him before he could pick himself up off the ground. The dark and black speckled wolves engaged in a raging scuffle. Nova and Alyssa wanted to help Ash so badly but they couldn't for Mason had them cornered behind a tree.
"Once my partner mauls that idiot to death, we're going to resume our unfinished business." He threatened.
"Hey! What's going on here!?" Shouted a scarlet colored alpha whom had approached with four others.
Seeing that he was outnumbered Mason abandoned his comrades and retreated into the brush.
"Hutch, Claw, apprehend those two," the wolf commanded, pointing at Chance and Ash still engaged in their wrestling match, then turning his attention towards Nova and Alyssa, "are you ladies alright?"
"Yes, we are now and thanks, but who exactly are you?" Nova responded.
"I'm Garth, and I alongside my mate Lilly are the leaders of the now United Pack of Jasper. We control this territory and one of my scouts just so happened to send a report about a disturbance in this area." He answered, "Now I have a few questions if you don't mind..."
With that the girls explained everything about their situation and how Ash had saved them.
"Interesting," Garth said, intrigued, "well it's a good thing we got here in time."
"Yeah, and thanks again." Alyssa replied.
"No problem, and you all are more than welcome to join this pack if you would like. Alright alphas, lets escort these rogues from our territory." He commanded, and they were off.