Chapter 13

Night fell over Jasper as Humphrey made his way back to his very lonely den he had the pups staying with Tyler and Kayla he didnt want them to know about Kate though he knew it was very wrong to keep something like this about their mother from them he just knew that telling them would worsen the situation. As he tried to sleep he realised it was just too quiet here without Kate and her body next to his. Behind his eyes as he closed them he saw Laila laying in her own blood taking her dieing breaths as he had seen the life leave her brown eyes so much like Kates just a tad darker. He felt like just ending it all right there just jumping from the rear exit of the den and ending his life. He couldnt though he had his pups to think of and Kate though she might be dead for all he knew. He also had the pack who would be competely lost without him and if that happend the ywould stand no chance. So much was pressing on him it felt like the whole world was collasping and it need him and only him to keep it in shape it was just too much and he didnt know how long he could take it.

Kate was in a very dark part of the cave she and Laila and gooten seperated as they ran from the creature. They had been jumped about halfway around the cliffside encircling the western territroy Laila had bitten bitten deeply in the side and scrathed in the throat she had lived but she stumbled away Kate had knocked the thing off balance and it had fallen about 15 feet it was alive but hurt and it left her alone she hadnt seen it since. Night had fallen and Kate could only think about Humphrey alone in the den her pups one missing and possibly dead and the other two without their mother. She shudderd at the thought and the cool air in the cave made her shiver even more. It was very dark and she couldnt see her own nose in front of her face. The cave wasnt that noisy just the sound of water dripping and the occanisanal scuttle of a cave spider. Then a voice broke the silence deep and very very familiar. "Kate Kate Kate" it said "how nice of you to join us." Kate turned around to stunned to speak she finally collected herself a bit and said "dad" was all she managed he simply chuckeld she saw that the creature was prepping a fire and next to it was Streak. "Streak" she whispered "what have you done to him!?" she screamed "we just got him to understand that being quiet is a smart thing to do" the creature said the voice was definitaly female and it was a little hoarse it got up and walked in a hunched over posistion but it finally straightend up. "you bastards" Kate said with sheer metal in her tone "now is that any way to say hello to your father?" Winston asked in a mocking tone Kate leaped for him but got knocked senseless by Flora. Again and again she tried but with the same result. "Insanity" Winston said "when you do the same thing over and over again but expect a diffrent result" Flora laughed a bit and Kate finally gave up "what do you want from me?" she asked "just sit down for a bit" Winston said "we need to talk."

The night for Humphrey was full of nightmares and tears and he got very little sleep he was so stressed out he couldnt think about anything straightly. He finally decided to go see how Tyler and Kayla were doing he started to walk out of the den but saw that thye were heading to his den so he simply turned around and sat down. Right as they came in he said "well we have two options gather up a large force and attack the cliffs or wait it out until they attack here again. Tyler and Kayla were caught of guard Humphrey also noticed they werent in the greatest shape eithier Kayla looked about like Kate had before the search yesterday "Kate" her name in his thoughts made him want to break down and just let it all out and end it all as well. He let all of that go "you will get it back soon enough" Humphrey told himself "and then you can rebuild your life from there." "How are we going to organize a group that big?" Tyler asked "well we`ve done it before i see no reason why we cant do it again." Kayla stepped in "alot of wolves want revenge for their loved ones who have been killed me definitaly for Laila and for that couple who was killed so young." Humphrey knew where she was coming from and he also considered how many wolves held bitterness against Winston. "Call a meeting of the alphas we have a war to fight" Humphrey said and they both nodded and left to go gather the pack.

The meeting went well if anything could be called that. The plan included cutting off all the exits from the cliffs and the caves were to be locked down with three guard wolves at each and every enterance of the caves. The remaining wolves would enter the cave and hunt for the duo and hopefully find Kate and Streak along with them. Humphrey was still clinging to the hope they were both alive and he was hoping they hadnt met the same fate as Laila. Now that he thought about her he realized that she had become one of his best freinds over the past year he remembered her coming to their den to help Kate with her pregnancy while he fetched meals and she stayed at the den alot she also had a nice boyfreind who Humphrey got along with greatly just like Humphrey he was pretty funny especially for an alpha. He was also a great hunter and he had helped Humphrey catch caribou on many occansions. He hadnt seen much of him though over the past few months and he had been wondering but he didnt ask Laila not wanting to bulge in on her personal life. He wouldnt find out now though he figured that Laila`s boyfreind was mourning her right about now.

The attack was set for the full moon so there would be a little bit of light for the wolves posted outside the full moon though was a few days away and that put Humphrey on edge he knew that so much, too much could happen in those few days he decided that they should do a couple of searches just in case they found a certain area to attack or just in case they found eithier Streak or Kate. It was reaching noon and Humphrey decided to leave the den and just walk around for a while the fresh air was comforting he ran int o soeveral wovles who were all careful not mention anything about Kate and he was glad they were at least trying to be senseitive about the whole thing. He ran into Tyler which really wasnt surprisng and they discussed the searches "good idea" said Tyler "i know a few who would be willing to go" Humphrey was grateful when Tyler directed him to a family that had been ripped apart by this thing they had lost 3 children in the attack on the search party a couple night before. When Humphrey they looked at him and gave a small smile "out of pity" he thought to himself "they probably blame me for the deaths they just want this thing dead so they can blame me entirely." One of them greeted him and he nodded in acknowledgement he got straight to the point "we are doing a search tonight i know you have good reasons to want this thing dead how would you like to help us out?" The couple didnt even take time to think it over "we are in" the female and more than likely the mother of the three wolves killed said and the male simply nodded in agreement. "Oh and one more thing" Humphrey said "i need your names i like to know the wolves in search parties by name." The male responded I am Pearson and my wife is Abagale. "Hi" Abagle said and "we are sorry to hear about Kate and Streak." Pearson nodded in agreement "Thank you" Humphrey said and he added "the search starts and sunset meet at my den several others will be there and we will discuss plans further from there. They both nodded in understanding and he left their den. Tyler was standing outside the den he always liked to eavesdrop on other wolves. "Good" he said "we have 10 wolves searching tonight" Humphrey looked at him and siad "good job."