Chapter 2

Meetings and borders

Amber stood there, her fur slowly bristling as she formed a silent snarl. She snapped out of it with a shake of her head.

" Well, let's go then. It seems we have company."

She turned around irritatingly and ran out of the camp, followed by the others, even Dagger. The howls and barks got louder as they approached. Dagger slowed down as they got nearer and they were able to smell the other wolves.

"Blade..."

He growled. The others looked back at him curiously, but kept going. When they finally got to the borders they saw a patrol from another pack. They had five in the group and they were all pacing with their nose to the ground and barking. When they approached Amber raised her head and growled menacingly. A brown and black large male took a step forward and looked at each of her members, smiling once he saw Dagger. Amber followed his gaze and once she saw it was on Dagger she stepped into his view.

" You're getting real close to that border."

Amber growled to him. The male looked to Amber and bared his teeth but the smile still on his muzzle.

" I just wanted to say hello to my brother."

He replied. The look of puzzlement flashed on Amber's face then quickly disappeared.

"Blade I think you have over stayed your visit."

Dagger growled back to his brother, walking up to him.

" Ah, the wolf I wanted to see. If I must go, why not come with and we can talk about this at home."

Blade bared his teeth, with a wicked grin playing at his lips.

" Why don't you just let it go?"

Dagger asked his brother, making his way to the front to confront his brother.

" There's no need for you to be mad."

He finished staring at his brother with a stern look in his eyes.

"Ah brother, I don't get mad, I get even."

Blade replied with a crazed look in his eyes. He still had the grin as he took a step towards Dagger. Amber crept up so she was beside Dagger, the others morphed around the two, uncertainty shining bright in their eyes. Blade then took in count how many was in their pack and smiled wickedly. His pack-mates were bigger than theirs. His pack was consisted of the rebels in his brother's pack, the rest had run away. He then unexpectedly snapped at his brother, catching his shoulder in his fierce grip. Dagger winced horribly at the pain, the pain from earlier was just about to fade... Amber was quicker than Dagger and took advantage of Blade's open neck. She took hold and pulled him off. Blade's pack and Amber's then started fighting themselves while Blade and Dagger and Amber fought their own battle. Emmy was scared and pounced weakly at a grey dappled male who also looked like an omega; Emmy felt she had some of a chance with another omega. Kate charged after whom she assumed was the beta, a grey female with a white underbelly. Rose was quickly surrounded by a female and a male. The female looked hesitant but simply followed the red brown male. The male was snarling at Rose, he knew she was the beta and he pounced quickly after her, pinning her harshly to the ground. Rose quickly noticed his strategy, he used brute strength. She could fight against this with agility, as for the other one she wasn't sure. She struggled out of the male's grip as he turned his head to his comrade. She then charged at him stopping right before she hit him, she hit him enough for him to stumble but she didn't get tangled in. She then pounced on top of him as he was recovering from the fall, unluckily he was semi-ready and when she was about to jump off he caught her paw and dragged her back down to the ground with her. Rose yelped at the sudden pull on her paw. All the while they tumbled the blonde colored wolf stayed to the shadows, once in a while getting a dirty glance from the male. Kate was coping well with the beta. When she charged into her she caught the female off guard and got her to the ground. Once down Kate tried to keep her like that, pinning her down punishing her shoulders with sharp fangs. The beta eventually pushed off and they continued to circle around each other, snarling fiercely at each other. One would pounce at another, tangle for a while then circle again then repeat. Emmy was avoiding fighting the male, he apparently wasn't an omega, they were all small since they had few meals, and it was mostly muscle that made the others look so big. She would circle around him then stop and give him a look. Do we HAVE to fight? The male could see the message clearly in the small female. When they tangle you could tell he was going extremely easy on her, like they were pack mates and were practicing. Amber and Dagger were taking turns at slashing out at Blade, who surprisingly since he was alone was taking them well. He took his chance as Amber snapped out at him and he bit her neck and tugged her forward and pushed her out of the way, scratching her side as she stumbled by. He then turned his attention to Dagger and pounced, his paws landing squarely on his shoulders; forcing him to fall under the sudden weight. Blade then started to punish his shoulders and stomach. Amber recovered fast considering the blows she received. She turned to the two and new rage filled her. Amber was born with extra strong jaws, it almost looked crooked but right now it was coming to her advantage. She barreled to Blade and instead of knocking him off, bit his hind-leg. She bit down with all her force, the cracking of bones starting barely audible but then turning into a sickening sound. Blade let out a quick howl that held pain and retreat. The beta, that Kate now had pinned down, struggled out of Kate's grasp and ran to support her Alpha towards the way they came.

"We'll meet again!"

Blade yelled out bitterly at them. The dark male that was fighting Rose reluctantly jumped away from Rose following his Alpha. Amber made her way towards the small group, followed by Dagger, which was forming from her pack and the ones that didn't leave. A high growl formed from deep in her throat.

" Why are you fox-brains still here?"

She asked harshly as she pushed her way to the grey male and tan female.

" W-We don't want to be with them."

The male stuttered.

" You had the choice to leave them, why now?"

Amber asked, a snarl hinting her knife sharp words.

" Blade said those who chose to leave he would eventually hunt them all down, he already killed three of them..."

He answered then continued.

" We figured your pack is strong enough to make sure he doesn't kill us and yours."

He finished with the female nodding along with his story. Kate circled around them with a blank expression, waiting for Amber's word. Rose was near the tan female, studying her. Emmy was beside the grey dappled one, as if she was supporting him. Amber looked at the male with a raised brow. The female gave Amber a pleading look. Amber immediately saw the pain they had to go through, having to obey that mouse-brain of a leader or be hunted. She looked to Rose who just shrugged as a response. Amber looked to the ground and scratched the dirt with her paw; she looked to Dagger and Kate who simply stood there signifying that they didn't know what to do either. She looked back to the other wolves with a blank expression; making them thinks she decided against them. Amber sighed and shook her head.

" This must be loner accepting day."

She answered. The female sighed in relief and rubbed against the grey wolf; making Emmy tense up.

"I'm sorry, we should have introduced ourselves."

The tan female exclaimed and turned to the others.

"I'm Xena and this is my brother; Aneko."

She finished gesturing to her brother and a relieved Emmy. Amber nodded and gave a small smile.

"We might as well go home."

Amber said with a last glance at her new pack-mates turned around and padded home at a slow pace because of their wounds.

By the time they all got home and Emmy healed Amber, Dagger, and Kate it was almost sun-set. Amber and Kate and Rose were eating the fawn while Dagger and Xeon were talking about their old pack near the food pile; Emmy had just gotten done healing with Aneko. She exited the den with him behind. Amber flicked her ear once she noticed all of the pack was together.

"Well since we are all here, why don't you tell us what that was about?

Amber asked as she finished up and walked over to Dagger, and the others found their own places.

"Blade and I were alpha sons; of course the next alpha is the eldest son. I was born first and Blade simply was jealous and beat me."

Dagger paused as they took in the information.

"But Blade being Blade took it too far and wants to kill me to make sure I can't come back and take it away from him."

He finished. Amber nodded and stretched with her jaws open in a large yawn.

"I don't know about you guys but I need some sleep."

She barked as she looked up at the night sky. She then turned around and went into the den, followed by the others. Amber took her spot in the front of the den. Dagger laid semi-near her and Rose took the other side. Kate had her back turned to Amber and was facing the end of the den, Emmy laid beside her and Xeon lay at the back of the den with Aneko. After a few minutes, with all that happened that day they all easily fell asleep.