Chapter 5: The Next Generation
Several months have passed. Kate and Lilly's bellies have become bigger, and exposed the truth to both Humphrey and Garth. Humphrey and Garth must hunt double time to prepare for the pups arrival. One day Humphrey and Garth just got back from their hunt and found out Lilly already screaming. Garth sprints to the den wanted to find out what's happen and leave Humphrey carrying their prey himself. At the den, Garth finds out Lilly curling down holding her belly with all she got. He also finds that Kate is in immense pain and can't even scream.
"Humphrey! The Pups are coming!" Garth yells at Humphrey in terror.
Humphrey's new muscles contracts at the same time to double his speed carrying the prey. He throws the prey to the inner side of the den from short distance.
"What happen?" Humphrey ask with somewhat heavy voice.
"Lilly! It's Lilly! She is giving birth!"
"Oh no, here bite this caribou's leg to ease your pain" Humphrey gives the caribou's rear leg to Lilly, and Lilly instantly grabs them with her teeth and squeeze it. She briefly stops screaming, and continue to scream. Garth can only lay a hand that Lilly also grab with her two paws, and help her to breathe. Notice that not only Lilly is in pain, Humphrey quickly check on Kate. She is in pain and weak, but not as worse as Lilly is. Humphrey then rip the prey's meat off and offer it to Kate.
"Come now Kate, eat, so you be strong for the birth" Humphrey put the ripped meat in front of Kate and push it.
"They are almost here Humphrey, I can feel it. It's not gonna be long now"
"Don't worry Kate, no matter when it is and there it is, I will be there for you"
Humphrey help Kate eats the prey by cutting the meat to small pieces so Kate can eat it easily. After a few minutes helping Kate, Humphrey turns his attention to Lilly who is in great pain.
"Kate, I gotta help your sister, just tell Garth to call me if you need anything" "Okay"
Humphrey take a sit beside Lilly and Garth. He is worried because they have their hands full, Marcel and Paddy aren't there anymore. They have leave for Idaho for the spring.
"You're doing great Lilly, just keep on pushing!" Humphrey encourage Lilly through her pups birth. "Come on Lilly, take deep breath …. Push!" Lilly keeps on doing what Garth and Humphrey told her. Until finally… four pups came out from Lilly's buttocks one by one.
"Good job Lilly dear" Garth approach Lilly and receive her nose rub, and lick her cheek.
"Welcome to this world young ones, meet your uncle" Humphrey talk to the pups which of course cannot understand him. Lilly accomplishment warms Kate's heart and puts her to sleep. Humphrey cut some meat for Lilly just as he do to Kate. "You should eat Lilly" he said.
"Thank you Humphrey" Lilly answer and eats the meat that Humphrey gave. Garth check out the pups and happily smile and said "They are all survive, for now". After four bite of the meat swollen by Lilly, she returns to her pups and licks the fluid from the pup's bodies.
"Congratulation Lilly" Humphrey speaks to himself and start eat the prey. Garth joins him and have some chat with him. "Congratulation Garth, your wife has given birth four healthy babies" Humphrey said with big smile. "Thanks Humphrey, for everything. I will help Kate too as hard as I can when the time comes, promise" "Thanks".
After eating, the two males left some caribou's meat over for late demands. Then they both hunt some squirrels for a snack and go to river for water. Back at the den, Lilly is still busy licking fluid off her pup's bodies. Then Kate awakes and started to 'make some noise'.
"What wrong sister?" "Nothing, congratulations Lilly, those are healthy looking pups : ). Ugghh.." "Thank you, but seriously what is wrong?" "Lilly! I think my pups are coming too! Quick get Humphrey!" Lilly rises up "oh no" then she calls Humphrey with a howl.
Garth rise up his head. "It's Lilly."
Humphrey then realize it's for Kate "It's Kate!"
They both then once again sprints quite a distance back to the den. Arrived at the den, Humphrey was afraid he was right, but he is. Humphrey and Garth repeat the procedure they did to Lilly.
Until Kate gave birth of complete four pups as Lilly did. And they are all also survive. The pack is now reuniting and congratulate each other once again.
"That reminds me, what would you girls name your pups?"
"Don't you guys want to name them? After all they are our child" Kate answers
"No, you do the hard work, you are the ones who have the right to name them" Garth answers back.
"Okay, I will name these two boys Lance and Crest, and these two girls Sheena and Hayden(absolutely)" Kate has decided her pup's names. "They are beautiful Kate, just like you" Humphrey then rub his nose to Kate's
"Okay, these three girls are Ricci(yes you know it), Vienna, and River(credit to TheChriz1995), and this awesome boy, is Kodiak" And Lilly state their names "I love them, just as I love you dear."
The pack then spend most of their life tending to each other and the babies. Garth and Humphrey still hunts double time for their family. And prepare their knowledge for Alpha School for the pups by their own.
(Time Warp! Lol)
A year and half have passed and the pups are now grown large, strong and healthy. Lance have grown muscle. Dirt and soil from the alpha school he studying at, have change his fur color which he inherits from his father to somewhat darker color. Lance also love to laugh just like his father. Crest his brother on the other hand, have decided to live his dad's way of life and join with Lilly and Vienna to become the omegas of the pack. He inherits his mother's fur color, but as time passes by, it also become a darker color but it's hard to notice. Sheena and Hayden are both inherits their mother's color and both also joins the alpha school which trains their agility to it's maximum potential. Hayden is very cheerful. She think life is a gift and it is beautiful. But Sheena can sometimes down, because she is sensitive. Ricci inherits her mother's fur color while River inherits her father's. Even though different in color, Ricci and River are like a strong fist. They always together and often has same thoughts in their minds. Perhaps their bond is the strongest of the pack. They also join alpha school. Vienna which inherits her father's fur, have decided to become an omega. She is a very funny omega, the favorite of the pack. Even though Humphrey have becoming more of an alpha, he often give Vienna and Crest many tips of how to become an omega. Kodiak is learning in the alpha school. Which makes his white fur he inherits from his mother to become a very light silver. He is very protective with his family, he also love to laugh but he can't joke, so he is very quiet and he can only talk about his feeling and past experience.
After the alpha school is over, Humphrey still got worried with their survival. Because lately, bears and coyotes frequently harassing them and aiming for their food. But they are able to fight them off because they are together. Worrying this, Humphrey and Garth together teach the omegas some martial arts for 'emergency self defense'. In time, they have mastered it, and ready to use it whenever it is necessary.
Chapter 6: New Neighbor
Three months have passed since the graduation of the younger generation from the alpha school. As usual the alphas are split into two groups to hunt a caribou each. The groups have successfully killed their preys.
"Smell that?" Kodiak warns his sisters and cousins of a scent he never smell before.
"Sure does strange, we better get these carcasses back to the den, fast" Lance suggest
As the teams carry their prey to the food pile near their den, Kodiak detects that the scent is getting stronger and stronger.
"Sheena, rally our families. Something is not right" Lance ordered.
"Right away brother" then Sheena begins to howl a long.
Back at the den, Our four wolves and their omegas are playing catch-the-berries until they heard Sheena's howl.
"It's a rally, let's go! You too omegas" Garth said as he begins to run before the howl stops. Humphrey, Kate, Lilly, Vienna and Crest follow Garth's lead. Some distance they run with a speed of half alphas, and the howl finally stops. 4 seconds later they are surprised by another howl followed by two other howls from different directions. With a reflex Garth stops running and observe around. The other wolves also stop and they look around very confused. The hunting teams arrived with their preys at where the inactive team are confused by the howls a minute later.
"Dad, something's wrong?" Lance asks.
"We were just following your rally and confused by those other three howls" Kate answers her son
"Didn't we teach you rally is only one long howl?" Humphrey ask his daughter with a charm.
"But we didn't do the other howls dad! Just the first one, and we did it because we scent something in the air dad! Sheesh!" Sheena answer with emotions.
"Alright – alright! We obviously have some guests here. Better get back to the den and secure our food" Garth's leadership once again shown up.
Arrive at the food pile, the hunting groups puts their preys away. When they are going to eat it, Crest, the one who is walking at the back of the pack was ambushed by two strange wolves. Bigger than him and outnumbered, the strangers quickly overcome Crest and manage to leave some scars to his chest. Realizing his favorite son is in danger, Humphrey's adrenaline rush is acting up and without thinking he quickly spring in to action. He scratch the stranger right in his faces and bite their stomach until it ripped off in an instant. Survive from the vicious attack of a former omega, those strangers run away in pain. The whole pack saw the entire thing, and it makes the entire woods silenced for a while.
"Are you alright son?"
"Ugh, no dad, I guess I am bleeding from these scars"
"Quickly, back to your den, your mother will take care of you"
"Wow Humphrey! I never seen you that brave and cruel" Lilly said with a smile.
"Someone messes with my family? Their death may comes nearer"
"Our hero, I love you honey" Kate thank you with a nuzzled.
"Thank you dear, heheh. Alright let's go back"
"Ohohow mom and dad… they are so romantic, when will I find my love? Ahh" Hayden said, follows with chit chats by the two couples children.
At dusk, a howl is heard. It was a call for a meeting of the leader of the two packs.
"Humphrey, I saw your protective behavior to your son Crest. That's just how a leader should be" Garth says and he looks at his child Kodiak. "I can't be a leader, I am just the muscle, and leadership isn't just a muscle. But it is also what's in the head"
"Alright. I will attend the meet…" Humphrey sighed "But what if it is an ambush?"
"I got your back Honey" Kate said as she approach Humphrey and Garth.
"Alright, let's go" At twilight, the meet was howled at a pond. Humphrey takes his first step to the meeting area. And two dove were seen resting and now taken off to avoid bloody fights. Kate hides behind the a small hill 3 meters from the pond. She scents someone is coming. Something just makes the scent familiar to her, but it's a whole different scent. Humphrey stands tall when he saw a dark form approaching him. He is surprised when he saw a wolf that has same color as he is. But he has scar below his left eye and bigger than him.
"Greetings neighbor, you realize that you have ruin the peacefulness between us wolves."
"Have i? I don't think so neighbor. And please, call me Humphrey"
"You have taken our dinner by force, jam our communication and navigation to each other, and especially, hurt my children!"
"Hey! Your kids are the one who attack my son first! And we never took your prey! My alphas always hunt in same place and same time. They are disciplined Mr. Lies-a-lot!
"My name is Vandar! Remember that"
"Okay Vandar…" The two wolves anger silence them for a while.
"The fact is look at my two children! They injured bad! I believe your son never had that kind of injury before! That's the proof that you are the one who ruins the peace!"
Humphrey silenced for a while, remembering of the time Crest fall out of a cliff when he is still blind.
Crest is always likes his father's scent and personality, because it makes him warm. He said that himself when he is still a kid, sitting beside a river talking to his father why he chooses to be an omega. Admiring when the sun is set behind the mountains just like what he feels when he sees his father walk away for hunting, leaving him behind. When he is still a blind pup, he just follows his father's scent who just jumped a small cliff and goes to hunt. Unfortunately, Crest cannot jump that time, but keep on following the warm scent. He landed on his head followed by his whole spine. He cried for a minute, enough to get his parent's attention, then he passed out for almost two days. Kate and Humphrey had thought that Crest will not survive with the pack. But Humphrey's scent and tears awoken Crest from his deep sleep
"Your proof aren't strong enough" Those words Humphrey said just shocked Vandar to madness.
"That's it! Here! Look at my children!" Vandar look behind and waves his paw to let his children come in to the meeting area. The two alphas that Humphrey ever lay his paws on came, showing them their scars and shaved gray fur.
"So, again, they are your children?" Humphrey's omega personality is showing up.
"Actually no, but I treat everyone in my pack as my family…" Vandar answers with anger still.
"That's how a great pack should be" Humphrey smiles kindly.
Vandar feels awkward. Pulled his head a little, and then readying to attack.
"What you're trying to do is merely delaying your death" Vandar threaten him with an attack position. And so does his two alphas. But Humphrey stands still and just calm and smile.
"You best not to do it if you still worth your life and your two alpha's"
"Why is that? You afraid of us?"
"Alright you ask for it, I'll let you know my next move" Kate heard it all, but she do not make appearance of herself. Instead she just shake some bushes and trees. Hearing leaves and branches making harassing sounds when in contact to each other, Vandar the his alphas look around and aware the presence of other wolves who is in Humphrey's side around.
"I see you've readying a surprise attack, well played Humphrey, well played…" Vandar and his alphas turn back and walk away.
"Don't worry on your way back home. A winner never strike first"
"You will learn from your great loss that your theory is wrong Humphrey" Vandar whisper to himself. Realizing that the meeting is over, Humphrey walk back home and when he reach the small hill Kate used to hide, he calls her and then Kate joins him walking his way back home(well what other way can they use? They are wolves! lol).
"You do love me so much, you scare them away to avoid bloody fight that I don't like" Humphrey said
"*giggles* Actually I was beating mosquitoes… Well of course I do love you. We are family and you are my mate Humphrey, I love you" Humphrey and Kate nuzzle their noses all the way back home.
"O-ow-ow Mom and Dad you are doing it again…" Crest caught them wide open.
"Hahahahaha, come now Crest, give them a rest" Lance laughed at his parents.
"But it is so sweet isn't it? Aawww" Sheena smiles when she look at it.
"Alright – alright. What are you doing still up this late?" Humphrey breaks the crowd
"Dad, we are night creatures…" (Ups forgot about that, lol)
"But really, be sure to have enough sleep, because we have a rival"
"Humphrey, can I talk to u on private?" Garth looks serious now.
"Sure thing Garth. What is it?"
"Things aren't beautiful isn't it? They are a rival with us now?"
"I guess so Garth, I don't know, they don't have time to discuss about territory or such"
"Gosh, that is serious. We have to be alarmed"
"Yah, but we shouldn't forget for our health and don't let our children be stressed out okay?"
"Sure thing buddy"
The whole family are having fun that night. Eating together, playing, chit chats and their tradition of moonlight howl. Lance asked River out to howl together. But River cannot leave Ricci. So Crest accompany Lance, River, and Ricci to howl together with Ricci as partner. Kodiak cannot think straight when it comes to asking girls out. But then he feels some connection with Sheena. It's because she is the closest girl to have in common with him, so he ask her out. Success, Sheena also feels comfortable around Kodiak. Since all the boys is occupied, Vienna and Hayden howls together without boys as partner. Again Humphrey and Kate and Lilly and Garth. The family's howl is ended up with a big finish of Lilly and Garth's birds howl.
Surprisingly, after the big finish, the family hears other howls sang by the rival wolves also have similar tradition. The began their moonlight howl, and the howl is so familiar to Kate, Humphrey, Garth and Lilly. It's like what they heard in past, but just so different and not so beautiful anymore. Twisted and confused the family goes to rest with frown on their faces. And silence, just silence which put them to sleep. That day the family had a scary day and terrible nightmare. But they bare their pain, because they know, this is only the beginning.