Larroka's Reign

By QuietOwl

Chapter Two: A Second Chance

"Are we as terrible as they for engaging in acts of mass murder? No! Good brothers and sisters, we have long endured their cruel hands now, not only shall we be forever free but so will the world we need to protect! A world they now seek to destroy!" -Larroka

The storm had eased in the passing hours and the six wolves continued their journey. The force of nature still pressed against them; ever threatening to pick up and swallow them whole in a heartbeat. They did not travel in silence, Corazón, the she wolf, told them the legends that she and her mate had come across in their vast travels.

"One of mi favorite legends came from a Russian pack we stayed with and first heard about Larroka." Corazón continued slowly, letting her soft voice be carried to them by the wind. "The legend of two Russians of long ago, the Russians wouldn't tell us the names but they told of a great male who was pale hued with a streak of gray on his back. And of his sister, a gray, tan and white she wolf. Together, they brought the secrets of the Russian wolves across North America. And through teaching, they brought stories of equality between male and female wolves along with the knowledge on how to evade the monstrous humans of their time."

The youthful red Toboe's expression faltered, his ears fell a notch as his eyes darkened. "Humans aren't that bad..."

"They were to this fine male of legend. It tells of his years in hell at their hands, forced to fight his own kind for no reason but to live to fight another day. He knew they were monsters and suffered at their hands, because of them he bred but once before his passing. His sister carried on his tradition and managed to return home after years of struggling and she told of his courage and wisdom.

"Now, to know why this is so vital you must know what the Russians have had to endure; they had long been victim to man's poisons long after the other regions stopped. They heeded her words and found a way both united but separate to live. They are still the greatest force of wolves today thanks to the vastness of their homeland."

"So is this Larroka Russian? Her name certainly doesn't sound like it." Hige spoke up, he'd been unusually quiet, having been slightly unnerved by the two Mexicans talking amongst themselves as they looked at him earlier. They continued to eye his collar as the male Mexican, Mandíbula, drew closer to his dear Corazón.

"No, she created her own name. She is of mixed descent, both of North American and Russian blood. But, she and her half brother, Ludvig, are rumored to be related to the Russians of legend." Corazón replied more slowly this time.

"Yeah right. I bet they just spread that stupid rumor around." Tsume snorted dismissively, his ears twitching in annoyance, clearly, this wasn't worth his time.

"How do we know that my Paradise exists?"

The words themselves seemed to drain the world in which they were uttered into a momentary silence. Only the Mexicans seemed to share his sympathies.

"What!" Tsume snarled and lunged to block Kiba's path, his lips peeled back from dagger like fangs. "You've led us all of this way just to say you're giving up!?"

The white wolf stopped and stared at the gray, his eyes meeting the other wolf's evenly.

"You can't just give up now!" Toboe joined in coming to stand by the white wolf's left shoulder.

But, the white wolf took note that his first companion said nothing, Hige had the same doubts.

"Porky just wants to eat, and no doubt he hopes that there will be females present. It sounds like the easy way out." The gray wolf shook his head.

"No, actually I kinda think that Kiba's right," The tan cocked his head but before he could speak again his stomach growled. He grinned slightly embarrassed as all eyes fell upon him. "And yeah, I'm kinda hungry."

The Mexicans eyed him with the up most suspicion in that moment, even Corazón lost her gentle way at his words. And she paused, her eyes narrowed on the heavy tan.

"¡Usted es un traidor!" Mandíbula snarled quickly.

"¡Calma!" Corazón reprimanded him quietly. Before she turned her attention to those around her, her eyes fixed icily on Hige; "You wear man's collar, Ludvig has warned us of your kind."

"Huh?!" Hige's eyes widened and he raised his head and tail uncertain what to make of the accusation. His yellow eyes moved to his pack mates, all who remained silent. Would no one speak up for him?

"Hige? He wouldn't do anything!" Toboe protested as he looked from his pack mate to Corazón.

"What do you mean, warned you about?" Kiba asked.

Corazón shook her head to clear the snow from her ears, "They are used to track us, I should have thought about it earlier, it's hard to see how a wild wolf could get so fat."

Hige groaned, and added defensively; "I'm not a spy, I've got a great nose that's how I find so much food."

"He lived in the city so he didn't have to hunt, he just stole." Toboe spoke up, even though he had no idea how these wolves might react to the notion that he was already a fairly experienced sneak.

"And your asking Larroka to put her army at risk?" Corazón inquired solemnly, eying up the large tan with suddenly cool eyes.

From a distance, unsheltered from the wind and the storm, two wolves watched the six. One was a large male, his light gray fur was lightly dusted with red, especially around his ears. His fur was patchy in some places, suggesting the wolf had known a hard life, and the fact that half of his tail was missing suggested the same story. His eyes were a golden-brown mix that was almost surreal.

At his left shoulder stood a smaller female with pale blue eyes. Her fur is pale with slate gray markings that fell to her shoulders and flanks and dark gray that traced from her face down her back. Her eyes are narrowed.

"Two are ours." The female spoke first.

"And using the storm they have kept the others going in a circle?" The male spoke with a deep and thick Russian accent.

"Yes. But still nothing." She informed him more slowly her own voice tinged in a Russian accent.

"Is removal an option?" He inquired slowly and calmly.

The she wolf looked at him momentarily, "It has not been approached yet, do you think it is worth the risk, Czar Ludvig?"

"We can't let it wander around and risk our pack being discovered so, yes, I do. Czar Larroka."