A Son of Wolves
Chapter 12: A Howl and Rescue
The following night was one not only Kate and Humphrey were eager to attend, but as were most of the pack to celebrate the return of their saviour who prooved himself yesterday to be the one they have waited for. It was a full moon, wolves and she-wolves readied themselves for finding the perfect match to their howls, mates went with one another to celebrate their loves, some with their pups to take them on their first experience of howling, some even went as friends just having a good time. But most were their to do all of the above and celebrate Leo's return and for what he's done for the pack, even more so yesterday when the humans came inside the Valley. Night was almost upon them, the moon was beginning to rise, and everyone was preparing. Leo found it most confusing, what even was a "moon light howl" as he kept hearing everyone say? Why did it seem like such an important, if not, special event that everyone seemed to get all giddy and excited about? Especially the She Wolves.
Kate was already washing after Humphrey made himself spick and span for his mate, Leo went in before him and cleansed his clothes while he was in there. He looked clean and descent. But being a she-wolf, Kate refused to even step inside the den unless she was certain she looked good. It made Leo laugh, even more so when he found out she was always like this as were most she-wolves. He and Humphrey sat in the den, talking over what this night was and how special it is for many. It's the night where many wolves find love and even mates, the night they can truly be free from anything and celebrate their achievements. Humphrey recalled the first time he howled with Kate at the highest peak when they found love in one another. He even told them how Kate was destined to marry Garth at one point to unite the Eastern and Western packs. He went over the whole story of his youth. When they were friends and the adventure they had that only cost them that friendship and exchanged it for love. How before that, an Alpha and Omega being in love was a disgrace and forbidden. But after seeing how in love they, as were Garth was to Lily, it was allowed and the rule lifted, the packs united under Garth and Lily.
As much as he wanted to hear it and how he loved the story, he didn't want to know how close Kate was to mating with Garth. Had it happened, his life could have been a whole lot different. It was then Kate stepped through, taking certainly Humphrey, but strangely Leo in awe. Her fur groomed back, it glistened in the moon's light. A purple lily behind her left ear from the tree outside as she always wore on special occasions, but even if it was the same appearance, she always managed to pull it off and give her striking beauty.
She padded towards Humphrey whose jaw hung loosely on his maw. She licked the corner of his mouth. "What?" She asked; the same question she always did and he gave the same answer.
"Who are you? I'm expecting my mate, not this angel." He smiled and kissing her deeply and making her giggle. Leo averted his eyes while they did, feeling an awkward situation come on. After a moment, Kate looked up to him.
"Ready to go Leo?"
"Yep, can't wait to hear you." He said as they started walking out the den.
"Hear us?" Humphrey asked. "You're not howling?"
"I can't howl." Leo chuckled. "I'll sit back and listen."
"You can howl, we've all heard you." Kate insisted.
"Not howling like I hear you guys."
"You used to sing when you were little." Humphrey said. "If you can sing then you can howl."
"I'm ok; I'll sit back and watch."
"Oh come on, you can't be as bad as Garth was when he went on our first date." Kate giggled and thinking back to the memory.
"And he was awful." Humphrey added he too began to laugh. The walk to howling rock was completely full of Kate and Humphrey pleading for Leo to join them, only he didn't want to and refused each time. There was no chance they were going to get him up to howl. There was a difference between howling for communication, summoning or sending a message via it and howling with your voice. Leo's wolf side was now out and his nightmares over because of it. Because of it, he was able to sound no different when it came to howling to a wolf, because he was one. Sure he was human and he knew that, but he was living the life of the animal inside him, the wolf.
The walk to howling rock was still conversational about Leo joining his parents, but he still refused them. They passed other couples, she-wolves, wolves and friends on their way to howl and maybe find a partner to howl with. Either way, they were all laughing and excited for the night to come. As they neared, they started to hear the howls of the pack growing closer, howling with or to one another. When the rock came into sight, Leo was left awestruck.
The rock was basically a jagged mountain with ledges and rocks that made sort of platforms. Wolves danced and howled around as if living in a musical, swaying their bodies with one another. Leo hadn't really heard howling like this. It wasn't a howl like he could and heard most of the time, this was sort of singing. They were using their voices, having so much fun. He looked around, recognising many of the wolves here. He saw his father's friends with partners; he saw Winston and Eve together on the highest platform at the peak howling with one another. The full moon hung in the sky just behind he peak, giving the entire picture an amazing look. He stopped to take in the scene, his actions flowing into Humphrey senses. "Are you sure you won't howl with us Leo?"
"I'm sure." He smiled. He just wasn't going to. "You go have fun, I'll wait right here." He said leaning back against a tree. His mother and father gave him one last smile before walking away and towards the peak and Leo sat back against the tree to take in the sights and sounds that bewildered him. He watched them walk away and up the slope, disappearing momentarily behind other wolves and their partners and the platforms they were on. They stopped to talk to some wolves on the way, but they continued up to their own platform near the peak, the second best spot besides the top where Winston and Eve sat.
Kate led Humphrey, wanting him to be behind her, not that he didn't mind, he would have anyway. He watched her hips as they swayed side to side and she flicked the end of her tail at his nose and chin. When she slowed, she started grinning her side against his, only trying to make the night more enjoyable for them both. They found their spot, their own personal howling platform. They stood opposite each other, looking excitedly yet sexily in the others eyes. "Ready?" Humphrey asked.
"Oh yeah, ready." Kate said with a smile. They threw back their heads, releasing one long powerful howl into the night. Their voices spun, spiralled and danced in the air with one another, perfectly complementing each other's voice. They sang their song, the one they first did on the train back from Idaho and they first shared their love for one another, but neither admitting it. But Humphrey was so close to saying it, and would have had they not arrived in Jasper in bad timing. In fact, she was waiting for him to say it. But that was in the past, this was the present, they were in love now, that's all that mattered.
Leo sat back, closing his eyes and taking in the sounds that escaped their hearts. Oh how wonderful it was for him to hear it, how he loved it. It was so soothing to him, not just to hear theirs, but to hear the others which sounded just as amazing. Lily and Garth came walking up the hill beside him, Lily still limping slightly and he could hear Garth saying how she should be resting, but she refused to lie around any longer, she's been doing that for nearly three weeks and wanted to get out. Besides, she wanted to howl with her mate. Leo listened to them, her voice was like that of an Angel, she did look like one with her white fur glowing in the moons light. Garth's masculine voice flowed with hers wonderfully, matching it in not just the howl, but the tone of voice as well.
Leo looked around as the night went on, some still arriving at different times, others leaving either on their own, with their friends, some he didn't wish to see by the she-wolf leading the male behind her with her tail under his chin and looking back seductively. It made him shudder at seeing it, he wished he hadn't. "Hey stranger." He looked to his left, and Sahara seemingly appearing out of nowhere sat beside him. "Not howling?"
"Naa, I can't howl." He replied and looking back up to the peak and his parents continuing at the summit.
"Now what makes you say that?" She asked.
"Because I can't." He answered simply. "Besides I don't really want to."
"Wanna know something?" She asked and leaning closer as if to whisper. "Garth over there before he met Lily was a terrible howler." She said pointing to him and Lily howling away. "It sounded like a sick caribou's attempt to howl it was that awful." She giggled. "But when he met Lily, she taught him to howl and now look at him, howling with the youngest daughter of the pack leader."
"Really?" He asked.
"Really." She replied. "If a complete failure like Garth can become one of the best, then I'm sure you can."
"Still, I think I'll pass."
"Oh come on…" She said shoving him playfully. "Have a try." He didn't answer or look at her. "Come on, I'll teach you." She added getting up to her paws.
"No way." He smiled.
"Yes way, now come on, up." She demanded. He looked into her eyes, seeing only that she wasn't going to give up. He sighed; he really had to do this.
"Fine." He said using the tree to get up.
"We'll go somewhere else." She said as she went around the tree and into the trees. He followed after her, wondering where she was leading him. He was excited, yet nervous, he knew he was going to make an absolute mess and fool of himself in the process.
Sahara led him to a large pond a little distance from the howling rock, the full moon in sight and the light reflecting off the waters surface and of Sahara's pure white fur even though she made no effort or had no desire to howl with anyone She only came to listen as well, but now she was teaching. She sat beside the water's edge as Leo knelt down opposite her. "Ok, so what do you know about howling?" She asked first.
"Nothing at all." Leo answered. She seethed, this was going to be harder then she thought. But then again she did kind of expect it, he was a human after all and she's never seen them howl before.
"Okay…" She sighed and rubbing the back of her neck. "Howling is like singing, only…it's more intimate and personal."
"Ok, we can stop right here then." Leo said shuffling back but with a smile on his face. Sahara saw his joke and laughed along with it.
"Very funny." She giggled as he moved back to his position. "But seriously, it's how many wolves find their mates and true loves. On the inside, there's an individual howl, and only the one you truly love and they love you back have the same howl. This is how and when they discover if they were made for one another. If their howls match, then you can safely say they'll be married within the next few weeks. If not, then sometimes they still fall in love, despite it, because they have feelings for one another and they want to make it work. Some whose howls do match don't feel that way towards one another and don't wish it to go further, so they stay as friends. Do you understand?"
"I think." Leo answered.
"Good, that's the basics." She giggled. "Now howl for me." She demanded. His eyes widened.
"What?" He asked wanting to be certain he heard right.
"I said howl, right now." He looked out across the pond and then around him, hoping no-one was watching or too near so they'd hear him. He looked back at Sahara, eagerly waiting as he opened his mouth. He knew and she'd admit, it wasn't great, not really much of a howl. It was raspy, weak, and poor, not worthy of calling a howl. He only lasted for a few seconds and ended it coughing.
"I told you I can't and don't howl." He chuckled awkwardly and embarrassed.
"No it's fine." Sahara said trying to open her ear holes again after that, which seemed to have blocked themselves to keep the noise out. "I'm sure Garth was worse." She added.
"Ok lesson over." He said trying to make a dash away.
"Oh no you don't." Sahara said quickly and just as fast jumping in front of him to stop him getting away. "Sit your human ass back down." She demanded. He sighed and sat back to the floor and she sat in her place. "Ok, we'll try again... She continued more calmly. "This time, hold your head high…" She said lifting his chin up. "It opens the throat. Use your diaphragm to gain the power to put into it." She said then poking his stomach. "Then close your eyes and look inside yourself, then when you're ready, howl from right here." She said placing her paw over his chest. "Right from the heart, and when you do, I'll join in." She smiled. "But I can't promise you I'll be any good, this is my first howl as well." She giggled.
Leo closed his eyes after smiling at her, listening deep within himself. But what was he listening for? Was it like some soul searching deal? He had to find and unlock a part of himself. He looked at the back of his eye lids, only he didn't see or hear anything that gave him a clue of what to do or find hid howl. But then he felt an instinctual pull that started to guide him. He opened his eyes, and looked at Sahara who looked back at him, not puzzled, but still waiting. He looked down and to his left, towards the water and shuffled closer where he looked at his reflection. Only, it wasn't him.
He didn't see himself, but that wolf who haunted his dreams and came into reality back in the care home. The one he saw as himself as his reflection and copied his actions. He sat like a wolf, had a wolf's posture, it was him! He smiled, so did the wolf, he moved his paw, so did he, he blinked and the wolf mimicked him in synchronization, they were one of the same. But then the wolf moved without Leo having to. It threw back its head and howled in a voice much like Leo's. He listened to its howl for what felt like a few minutes, only really it was only a matter of seconds before it faded and Leo's own reflection returned.
He looked at Sahara, who still sat waiting patiently for him. Suddenly, he threw his head back at the same time she did and open their mouths to sing out what they heard. Being a wolf, therefore an expert singer and howler, Sahara adapted her voice to howl along to Leo, and even she was impressed for a human's attempt. They're voices intertwined and flowed like a soothing river or the gently breeze that blew by. They danced in the air as it flew passed their lips and they sang the night away.
Ten minutes later, they brought their muzzles down and looked at one another, panting for breath. "See, I told you, you could do it."
"You're a good teacher." Leo chuckled. "Thanks."
"You're welcome, now get back before your parents come looking for you." She said quickly ushering him away. He thanked her again before walking back to wait to Kate and Humphrey, whereas Sahara stayed put. When Leo was out of sight, a second she-wolf came walking out the trees and towards her.
"I am not swapping for you again." Sahara said as she stomped towards Lily. "You have no idea how close we were to kissing."
"Did you?" Lily asked as she removed the Eagle feathers and handed them back to her.
"Thankfully not, you have no idea how hard it was to howl along with him, I think he was starting to notice." She giggled as she thread the vine back threw the hole in her ear and securing them again. "Did Leo notice?"
"Nope, he was pretty good too." Lily smiled.
"Well if you could teach Garth then I'm sure you can teach a human." Sahara laughed as they started walking back. But then she took a more serious tone. "But I'm not swapping with you again just so you can sneak out."
"I kept imagining how he would feel if he saw your blue eyes and not mine." Lily giggled as she limped beside her. She tired so hard not to when with Leo and boy was it hard.
The next morning, Garth nor Leo were still none the wiser about the mischievous identical she-wolfs swap, they carried on as if nothing ever happened. Leo didn't mention that he learnt to howl, but he did say how he spoke with "Sahara" for a while. But this morning, Sahara was being deadly serious when she said that she wasn't swapping with her again when Lily wanted to get out for a bit and stretch off her legs. If anything, she found it helped to get it moving again. Sahara came too close to kissing Lily's mate too many times and she felt horrid for pushing him away, but she wasn't going to kiss him. She refused to play for Lily anymore, but that still didn't stop her from trying to get out.
This morning Garth was up and out already on Alpha duties, giving her the moment she needed. But as it turns out, she had her mother and father outside under his request, so she was under den arrest until they were convinced she could walk and protect herself if anything should happen. If she wanted to go out, then she could for a short period of time and with someone. But hearing that, it gave her a thought and the perfect chance to further bond with her nephew. Winston summoned Leo and he was down in but a few minutes, and shortly after they were out walking, taking it nice and slow as not to hurt her leg. She tore the bandage off after only a few days due to it feeling weird and unnatural, so it was left to nature to heal. And nothing more then a short walk in the forest with her favourite nephew made her feel better.
They walked side by side, just enjoying the topics they shared and the others company. But Lily loved to hear about life as a human, so the subject was mostly on that. "What are those noisy things humans get in and move around faster?" She asked on her sixty seventh question.
"They're called cars; we use them to get around quicker and to far away places."
"What's wrong with walking?" Lily asked puzzled, they had legs too, couldn't they just walk?
"For example, they could get from mom and dad's den to yours in around three minutes whereas walking it takes us nearly fifteen." He chuckled.
"So lazy." She giggled.
"They're useful when going to far away places; we could travel across the park in less then a day."
"Ok, now I see your point." She replied seeing the point. "So tell me, what's inside a human den?" She asked again.
"Their used for lots of things and for reasons." He answered. "Some are dens, so we live in them and have things inside to help us live, so food, water, clothes and other things. The larger places could be hospitals where they heal the sick and wounded, places the adults work. They are used for many things and have different things in them."
"It's all so confusing, how did you do it?"
"I didn't even remember you guys before I came, so I don't know. It's just normal now." He chuckled.
"Humans are such weird and horrible things." She sighed. "Not you though, you're sweet." She added quickly and grinding her side against his leg affectionately.
"Not all humans are like the hunters." He said with a reassuring smile for her. "There are those that try and stop hunting and demolishing the forests like the construction site. They are the nice ones."
"You humans are so confusing." She giggled but also making him laugh. Suddenly, it was brought to an abrupt stop when a twig snapped in their surroundings. They weren't that far from the construction site, they came too close. Leo and Lily looked around frantically for the sound and the source of it, only it didn't make itself known.
"Quick, hide." Leo whispered quickly and pushing his Aunt towards a hedge in with she dived into. Leo stepped away as to not draw unwanted attention to it and looked around for the noise.
But there is was again, another snap of a branch, this time closer. He looked around, his eyes narrowed, his fists clenched and muscles tensed as he slowly revolved around to take in his surroundings. A third break, once again closer, his ears twitched at the sound, only he couldn't pin point where it came from, it sounded like all around him. But he was sure it was to his right, only he didn't see anything. It was then he heard it a forth time, followed by loud, thundering footsteps coming behind him. He tensed his muscle further and looked back out the corner of his eye, waiting for the moment to spin around. He did when it was right behind him and he was ready to fight. Only, he wasn't attacked, not by punches away way, but in a hug. Someone crashed into his chest and sounded to be lightly crying into his chest. "Ciara?" He questioned and pushing the girl back. Ciara looked back at him with tears in her eyes. "Ciara what are you doing here?" He asked so happy and pulling him back to her.
"I'm not the only one." She said pulling back away after a moment. "Guys I've found him!" She shouted out, and moment later, two more people came running around the corner, Rick and Caitlyn, who both ran towards him and wrapped their arms around him as Ciara did again. They all laughed, cried, but either way it was out of happiness.
"It's so good to see you guys again." He said after several minutes of embracing his friends again.
"Wolfie what are you doing out here." Caitlyn demanded. "It's not safe, come on we're going home." She said taking hold of his hand to pull him away. Only when she said that did he pulled his hand hard away and took several steps back.
"That's why you're out here?" He asked, slightly hurt by them that they came here to bring him back. "You came all the way out here to bring me back and to be locked up in some insane home for kids?"
"No Leo, that's not going to happen." Caitlyn replied. "We been looking for you for days and when Ciara said you might be out here we came looking for you."
"You told her?" He spat at Ciara. "I thought you wanted me to get away, why would you try and help them get me back?"
"Because you need help Leo." Rick answered. "We're your friends and all we want is you to be back again so we can have that dream of an apartment together."
"We could still have that Rick." He answered a little more calmly. "Since I came out here, I've gotten better. The nightmares have stopped, I feel great. I'm not going back, I'm never going back."
"Leo sweetie you can't stay here." Caitlyn said stepping closer to him.
"I've gotten help out here, they helped me to realise who I was and why this was happening. It was supposed to happen to me; I was supposed to be like this." He replied stepping back away from her.
"Who's helped you?" Caitlyn asked and stopping after seeing he was only stepping back from her.
"I found my mom and dad." He answered, taking them all by surprise. "They helped me to understand I was supposed to be like I was and live out here. Ever since I came here, it just… it just felt right, you know?" He said trying to describe how free he felt out here. Words couldn't describe it.
"Leo, your parents are just as ill as you're getting." Ciara said. "Please come back with us, we can help you."
"Nothing is wrong with me!" He then yelled. "I'm normal, my mom and dad told me."
"Where are they?" Rick asked in a demanding tone. "Where are they then?"
"Further in the Valley, but you can't go in there." He answered.
"Why?" Caitlyn asked.
"Because the others will kill you if you go in there."
"Leo what's happening?" Lily whispered form the hedge he was stepping ever closer to."
"Nothing, just stay there." He said back, causing the three to look at him fearfully, he really was going out of his mind, eh couldn't stay here.
"Leo who are you talking to?" Caitlyn asked.
"No-one, I didn't say anything." Leo answered.
"You said "nothing, stay there", who's back there?" Rick demanded again. "You're parents?"
"My family, yes." He answered. "But you can't see her." He said quickly and hoping they wouldn't go near her.
"Excuse me, but we need to take Leo away." Caitlyn called out towards the direction Leo spoke in. "We need to take him home." Nobody answered, but of course, they couldn't understand wolf and Lily didn't answer anyway. But because of it, it made them start to think, was it real? Was all this in Leo's head as well? Did he find his parents, does he have family out here, was there really someone behind the bush? Or was it all in his head? Living out here on his own must have only made this worse, for him; he was in desperate need of help before it was too late.
"Guys just go before something bad happens." Leo said readying to turn his back.
"Don't walk away Leo!" Rick ordered. Leo whirled around, only now with a more desperate look in his eye.
"Don't shout." He said trying to hush them down.
"Then tell us who's behind the bush!" He demanded again with more authority then Leo or Ciara had ever seen before. He looked down to the bush, just about seeing Lily's head in it. She had a fearful look in her eye just as much as she did, only she was fearing the humans only metres form her, whereas Leo feared their shouting would grabbed the attention of the pack and they'd come here.
"Do you trust me?" Leo asked to Lily. She looked at him, then out a small part of the hedge at them before turning back to him and nodding slightly. He patted his leg as she started to get to her feet. The bush shook, but Caitlyn, Rick or Ciara never expected what they saw come out. Caitlyn ushered the children behind her as they all stepped away. Lily, tail tucked under her slightly, walked out and stood behind Leo as to seek protection from him.
"Leo, get away from the wolf." Rick said nervously.
"Guys, this is my Aunt Lily." He said rubbing her head. "Lily, these are my friends, Caitlyn, Ciara and Rick." He said pointing to each of them.
"Leo what are you talking about?" Caitlyn now asked fearing so many things right at that moment.
"I think it's best if I show you." He said as he turned around in the direction of the Valley. He threw back his head and howled, but in no way the three had heard a human before. No this was something else, Leo was something else. After only a few moments, he brought his head down and turned back to face them. "The reason I was how I was, was because my family are wolves." He said. "My mom and dad are wolves, they found me when I was one, raised me as their own until I was four before sending me to the school where I was found and brought to the care home. That's the reason why I was so crazy and why I'm ok now. I'm where I should be."
"Leo this is crazy." Caitlyn said now beyond fearful as she stepped back and pushing Rick and Ciara back with her.
"It's all true, just please wait and see." He pleaded and nearly in tears. He could see this wasn't going well, that he was about to lose his friends and the closest thing he had to family in the care home. They froze and waited for what Leo had in store for them. "I found them the day after I ran in here." He continued looking down to Lily. "They convinced and reminded me of who I was before and why all this was happening to me. It's the reason I was able to see what you were feeling." He said looking back up to them. "It was how my senses were better them normal, how I could tell if one of you were lying. Because I picked it up from them."
"Leo this is insane." Ciara muttered and crying slightly. "Wolves kill humans, they'll kill you."
"I've been with them all this time, and here I am. I've helped them and they've helped me."
"How? Can you speak to them?" Rick snapped.
"I don't know how, but I can and have been all this time. Just wait and you'll understand everything, I swear." It was only a few minutes longer that Kate, Humphrey, Garth, Winston and Eve came running through, instantly seeing the humans and snarling and readying to run at them. Leo jumped in-between them.
"No!" He yelled. "There my friends, they helped me grow up." He said looking back at them.
"Leo who are they?" Winston asked as they all settled eventually and stepping back towards Lily, but remained cautious and alert to their every flinch. He looked back at his friends, all cowering in fear and readying to run themselves. "Caitlyn, Ciara, Rick, this is my mom and dad." He said stepping back to them and standing on-between them with Kate on his left and Humphrey on his right. "This is my Grandma Eve and Winton and then my uncle Garth and Aunt lily."
"Leo, what's happened to you?" Ciara asked now crying more.
"This is my family, they won't hurt you, I promise."
"They can't be here." Garth grumbled. "What if there are more of them?"
"Was anyone else with you?" Leo asked.
"No, only us." Caitlyn answered.
"What are they doing here?" Kate asked.
"They were going to take me back." Leo replied, only making them all look up at him with wide eyes and then turning back to the three and snarling at them once more. "But I'm not going with them, don't worry."
"Wolfie you need to come back with us, look what's happening to you." Ciara said and stepping around Caitlyn. "You need to come back with us."
"Over my dead body." Kate growled and stepping closer, making Ciara freeze, but not step back. "No-ones taking my pup away from me, not you, your other humans or anyone else, understand!" She screamed again at them, but to them her voices were a mixture of barks, whines and snarls.
"She said I'm staying here as well." Leo chuckled and walking towards his mother who grinded her side against him as a sign that he was hers. Humphrey came towards them and did the same, keeping Leo close to proclaim him theirs. "Guys' I'm staying, I'm not going back. All they'll do is take me away and lock me up saying I'm ill, when I'm fine where I am here. The nightmares have stopped, I have my family, I'm not missing anything."
"Us?" Rick questioned. "You're friends."
"Come back with us." Leo suggested.
"No!" Winston said quickly and refusing to let him say another word. "We cannot let humans into the pack or come near the Valley. What if they kill us?"
"They won't grandpa, what if I could show you?" He asked back. "I trust that they won't hurt you, mom, dad or anyone. They are my friends; they can't hurt me or us. They're like me."
"They're humans!" Eve snarled. "They all deserve to be hung by their human paws via their intestines."
"Guys kneel." Leo said looking up to them.
"What?" Rick asked.
"Kneel, trust me." But neither of them moved, apart from Caitlyn who walked back to them. Leo stepped up and right up to them. "Guys if you can show you won't hurt them, they'll let you go. After everything humans have done to them they hate them, you have to show you're not a threat. If not then they'll chase you down with the rest of the pack. Please do it."
"Do what?" Rick asked as he stood by him.
"Kneel and whatever happens, don't look into their eyes or move." He answered as he stepped away; it was now all down to them. If they didn't want to go home with their hands missing or a leg, then they'd have to show they are no threat to them or the pack. They looked at one another before back to Leo who only nodded as he stepped back to his parents who once again showed he was theirs through body language and signs.
Slowly, they edged closer to the ground, Caitlyn keeping hold of the children in her care, they came before anything. Leo knelt before Winston, having his submissive wolf like behaviour guide his actions. He didn't know why he was doing it, but it felt normal. He lowered his head to his Alpha leader, and looked at his paws. "Please, I'm not asking you as a grandfather, but as my Alpha. Just give them a chance, please." He didn't at any point make contact with the Alpha before him or those around him. He sensed Winston look behind him, shortly before he licked the top of his head, for some reason clicking in his head that he could look up. Winston nodded marginally, and as Leo stepped to the side, he, Eve, Kate and Garth walked around him and towards the humans. Leo sat back as Humphrey and Lily stood either side of him and watched the Alpha's do their thing, assess if the pack was safe, their responsibility that came above all else, protect the pack!
Leo began to think this was a big mistake, but either way, he wanted his family to know they could trust his friends; but only they'd be the judge of that. A low growl escaped each of them as they approached the bowing three, all shaking and nearly crying with one another. Leo hated to see them like this, but he had to let them do it or else they'd go home either missing a limb or not at all. Garth approached Rick, Eve Ciara and Kate and Winston the one holding them closer to her, the one who seemed to be the one in charge of them. They continued to growl as they neared, but ready to jump back if they lunged out at them, they always remained alert to their every heart beat.
They stood before them, hackles raised and teeth bore, all proving who had the upper hand here as they started to scent the humans, trying to detect any hint of hunter on them. All they smelt was fear and the desire to run and never come back. The shook, proving just how fearful they were, a hunter would reach down to grab their sharp, pointy, shiny thing and strike them by now. They saw how fast they were breathing and sensed how fast their heart beat and ready to blow out their chest. Caitlyn, Rick and Ciara could feel the Alpha's blowing on their hair and faces as they scented them, coming to see, smell and sense that they were no hunters, nor had they taken the life of a wolf before. They all gave a final gruff before turning around to walk back. As they started to raise their heads, Kate whirled back around, opened her maw and snarled ferociously in Caitlyn's face, baring teeth and hackles raised, giving off a truly horrific appearance. Leo saw her message, she was telling her that Leo was hers and not theirs, that he wasn't going with them. But they didn't know that. She hissed and snarled in their faces one last time before turning back and up to Leo.
Winston smiled up at him and gave a small nod, saying he was happy they were of now danger to them, for now. Leo nodded back and ran over to them and started helping them up. "You're ok; you're going to be ok." He said helping Ciara to her feet.
"Leo, you have to come with us, what if they do that to you?" Caitlyn said desperately.
"They won't, they didn't before and they haven't now, I'm safer here then I am back there." Leo replied.
"I can't let you stay here, Al won't allow it."
"Then don't tell him." He said. "Just tell him you didn't find me."
"I can't tell him that." Caitlyn said awestruck the nice boy she knew would think of that. "He's my boss, he'll have my head."
"Her Alpha?" Humphrey asked. "I'll rip him apart if he comes for you Leo." He growled again.
"Please, you can't tell anyone I'm here, this is where I'm supposed to be." He said stepping back as Kate stepped forwards to him and jumped up onto his side to nuzzle his chest affectionately, once again to show he was hers. "This is my home now, I have my family back. Isn't it your job to find us families and homes? Because I've found mine, you can't take them away from me." Caitlyn looked at Kate who rested her head on his chest, but she scowled in return. Ciara stepped around her and towards them, puzzling Leo and making Kate become on edge. She clung a little tighter to Leo and bore the tips of her pearly white teeth that she wasn't afraid to turn red with her blood. She stopped in front of them, in touching distance of them.
"So this is your mom?" She asked.
"And my dad." He said pointing back to Humphrey who then came forwards and stood by his side. "They're why I was like how I was all those years ago and why I left. Out here I have it under control because it's where I'm supposed to be."
"Leo's right." She said turning to face Caitlyn and Rick. "We can't take him back, he's with his family and you can't take him away from them. It's your job to find us a home and Leo has his here."
"They've got a point." Rick said as he moved away form Caitlyn. "Wolfie's happy here, so I say let him stay. I doubt they're going to let us take him anyway."
"Over my dead body." Kate said, but to them it was nothing but a weak bark.
"If he says he's better off out here, that he's safe and he's ok, then what's the harm in that if he has a family and somewhere safe?"
"I like them now." Humphrey spoke.
Caitlyn was lost for words; she didn't know what to do. Does she fulfil her responsibilities to her boss and work, to bring Leo home like she has to? Or does she look into the eyes of the child she knew and helped raise to see that he has everything he needs right here. He has a family, a weird one at that, a place to call home, shelter, he must have eaten because he looks healthy. Technically, everything was good for him to live here, technically he had a family now and there was nothing she could do about it seeing as there was nothing wrong with the picture. She sighed. "Al's going to have my head you know."
"Not if he doesn't find out." Leo replied. "Are you saying I can stay?" He asked again. In Kate's head, if the human said no, then she'd keep him anyway. Caitlyn smiled a little.
"Well guys I guess Leo isn't here, I think we should head back now." Leo ran across to her, letting his mother fall and opened his arms to Caitlyn who wrapped hers around him.
"Thank you, so much."
"I can see this means everything to you, so I guess whatever Al doesn't know won't hurt him."
"Guys we'll have to meet up again soon." He said as he pulled back and Rick and Ciara walked towards him.
"Without the wolves?" Rick asked.
"I still don't trust them that much." Kate answered.
"Mom said she'd love to see you again." He smirked at her. "And dad."
"Hey!" They both exclaimed.
"There's a rocky patch a mile back where you came from, we'll meet there tomorrow at mid-day."
Tony stalked across the Valley plains searching for Winston, only then did he hear that he was called away by the human for some reason, so he was left to wonder around until he returned. He snarled at the thought of Leo and how the pack could see he was a new addition. He was a danger to them all, death on legs! He heard laughter, and when he look, the disgraceful family and the human came walking through. Leo being with them, he growled and turned to walk away, forgetting the issue at paw and saying how he'd talk to him another time. But then the wind blew passed the family and up his nostrils, and only then was he tipped over the edge. Other then Leo, there were more scents of humans lingering on them all. They had seen more humans! He didn't want his pack to come to this, to allow a human live among them and then continue to socialize with them. This had to end. If no-one else was going to save the pack from the human in the midst's destruction, then he would!
What's Tony going to do? Dun dun dun! Leo found his friends again, he learned to howl thanks to a Sahara look-a-like, good'ole Lily! Not much more to say really. Other then read and review and that i won't be u[dating tomorrow morning due to an early start at work. So with nothing else, until next time. :)
The FalconWolf