Chapter 5

The double patio doors stood open to the night air, and their father held on to his human form as he watched his daughters transform into their wolf like shapes.

It was not a painful shift for them – something that he was deeply thankful for. Often with humans or half humans, the breaking of bones and stretching of tendons was an agonising experience, but his daughters when they made the change they did not fight it, and so it lessened the pain.

He saw the emotions twirling in their eyes, the discomfort, the agitation, and then the elation.

The look of absolute peace, just before their features shimmered, and they became the wolf like creatures, one of thick white fur, his little Laurie, and one of thick reddish fur – his beautiful Iris.

"Oh Belle, you would have been so proud of them!" he murmured tearfully, as his emotions washed over him, taking his human form with it, and leaving a large black wolf in its stead.

He gave himself a great enthusiastic shake, and then looked to the two females.

"We shall hunt in the woods to the south of us, this night," he instructed them, with their mind and body talk. "There are other packs to the north, and though they promised to keep off my lands, they may stray close to my borders – I will not risk a confrontation."

"Yes, pack leader," the females both said submissively.

He stood up on all fours and his fur seemed to thicken, making him seem larger than ever.

"Good, then let us hunt!"

The black wolf led the hunt, with the white and the red wolf following close behind.

He knew that they could have outpaced him easily, for what they lacked in strength, they more than made up for in speed and agility.

But his daughters were respectful of their pack leader and they kept their place – behind him.

It was a good night for the three wolves.

Their hunt was successful and fun.

They had eaten well throughout the day so that when they became the wolves, they would not be so hungry for meat, so as to lose their minds totally to the beasts.

And so their hunt was more for sport.

The animals that they tracked and caught were all released unhurt and only a little shaken.

Chasing down that stag had been the highlight, as the three wolves came from three directions to streamline, into one dart like creature.

Greg dropped back a little to let his daughters make the contact, and he was immensely proud, when Iris also dropped back a little, allowing little Laurie to give one last lurch and leap, as she tapped her paw on the stags large flank.

The stag kicked out in panic, but the three wolves had already dropped back letting the stag bound away unharmed.

"Contact," Laurie exclaimed excitedly. "The kill is mine!"

"You did well, little white," the pack leader stated formally. "The honours are yours, this night!"

She let out a delighted howl and yelp, and brushed herself up against the large black wolf.

He nuzzled at her white fur affectionately and the red wolf settled on her hunches to watch their affection for a moment.

A sound from behind caused her to look back over her shoulder, and she was up and around and growling immediately.

"Something is there!" she barked out in warning.

The black wolf moved in front of her. "Who is there – show yourself!" he growled.

There was silence for a moment, and then the sound of branches breaking, and leaves crackling.

A moment later a massive black wolf came out into the clearing.

He was young and strong, and Iris felt her fur bristling in response to him.

"I mean no harm," the newcomer bowed down in submission, and refused to make eye contact with her father – showing clearly that he had no intention of challenging him.

"You are trespassing on my lands."

"My apologies, pack leader, I am new to this area, and lost the pack I was hunting with, I was making my way back to the main stead, but crossed over boundaries when I came to a river."

"Are you afraid then of a little water?" Greg mocked.

"If that is how you wish to see it." The newcomer was obviously not going to be riled, and Iris felt her father relax as he perceived no threat in him.

"I will grant you safe passage off my lands, and I will expect your return on the morrow to offer your respect to myself and my daughters."

The newcomer bowed down lower. "That is the least I can offer you, wise one. My thanks and my apologies are yours for now though.

Iris was surprised at her father for demanding the return of such a dominant male, but her speculations were cut short when the old black wolf turned to her.

"Little red and little white – you two will return now to the den. I will escort our visitor across to the northern border."

The two females bowed down immediately, in response to his authority. "As you instruct, our pack leader; we shall obey."