Chapter 12

It took Anubis entirely too long to realize that the world wasn’t upside down. He was just on his back. With a groan, he rolled over and lay his head between his paws when it pounded. Peering around bleary eyed, he realized much of the pack had already picked themselves up and were working on picking up the evidence of the celebration. He had even slept through the truck being backed out.

Sniffing, he peered up when Nova bent over and placed a bowl of water next to him. She smiled at him when he glanced around to see if anyone would come to separate them. “Omma said it’s okay if we talk so long as people see us. Jack still thinks it’s a bad idea, but she told ‘im to shut up.” She giggled, the end of her tail disturbing the dirt on the rough wooden floor. “I figured ye could use the sleep.” She glanced around then pushed the bowl closer. “Drink an’ come with me. I’ve been wantin’ to show ye somethin’ since we got here.”

Doing just that in massive, messy gulps, he hauled himself to his paws and lowered his head to accept the muzzle. Just before he was about to dive into it, he paused, glancing about quickly before locking eyes with her. The tip of his lip curled up, his gaze reminding her that he only slid his snout into the contraption because he wanted to and not because she or anyone had demanded it. A visible shudder rode up her spine, and she had to look away, chewing vigorously on her lip. She fumbled with the buckle a little longer than normal, barely containing herself long enough for them to get out of the lodge and into the blinding and aggressive sunshine.

Groaning, Anubis had to stop and step back into the shade, shaking his head for a moment. Having needed to get back into the spirit of the party, he had pretty much started over and ended up twice as inebriated.

Adjusting as best he could, he hurried after her as she practically skipped along, giddy and grinning ear to ear. Her raven hair bounced along with her, the smell of her fur filling his nose. Her tail lagged behind her so that the tip nearly touched the end of the muzzle. Her ass was just so cute and round and soft. He knew exactly what every bit of her looked like, but those tight denim shorts left enough to his imagination that he forgot about reality.

With a yelp that made several people turn to look, his paw struck an immovable object and he went straight forward, smashing chest first into the ground. There were chortles all around at the sight of Anubis’ rump in the air.

Winded, he scrambled back to his paws, glaring around. The sweet sound of Nova’s titter made his ears lay to the sides with a sheepish grin.

“Ye should watch where yer goin’,” she teased with a knowing smile and a wink.

Spinning away, she continued towards a barn that had been splashed with every color that they had available in various patterns and levels of symmetry wherever it poked out of the ground. She opened the door and slipped in first, leaving it open behind them. As his eyes adjusted, they grew wide. It was partitioned into sections for each type of art form. Images of all kinds from bright pup colorings to even photography were pinned up on every available bit of wall, post and end of shelf. A plush space had a couple sewing machines and neat baskets of yarn with polished wooden needles jammed in them while scraps of cloth were folded on the measuring table and stacked in marked bins. There were shelves of clay pots and bowls between a pottery area and painting area, some of them completed with others still waiting for their polish and everything in between.

It was the painting area that Nova stood, looking back at him with a smile. The awestruck expression on his face was not lost to her. “Wonderful, ain’t it?”

Nodding slowly as he tried to take it all in, she giggled and drew his attention back to her. “Ye know, soon as we got back, I ... I were thinkin’ how ta cheer ya up cuz ye were so ... depressed. An’ I know it were really hard on ye an’-an’ all, so I thought I’d ... make this.”

Pulling the rag off the painting, his eyes grew even bigger. In delicate flowing lines waved the stalks of their grass crop, rolling away to a dark, thick and jagged horizon tipped with snow that glittered in the setting sun.

He got dizzy for a second and remembered that he needed to breathe, sucking in air and swallowing the lump from his throat. Tearing his eyes from it, he peered at her amazement.

She blushed at his gaze, looking down bashfully, her paw twisting around a little. “I been goin’ up to the water tower every day after dinner. It’s the only place to see ‘em. They’re not actually that big or that clear. It ain’t done yet, though. I just ... really wanted to show ye.”

He raised a brow, looking back at it. It seemed plenty done to him. His face softened and he smiled lovingly at her. Stepping closer, he pressed his head against her hands, and she stroked his ears with a giggle. “I’m glad ye like it.”

Then she gasped excitedly, her tail wagging, showing him the pottery she had painted and pointing out other pictures she had created using other forms and mediums. She had even sewn a quilt, but hadn’t had the chance to finish.

An image in particular caught his eye as he walked further into the back. Dark and smoky, in thick charcoal with faint white lines instead of black, a devilish specter stared back at him with a fiery golden stare and a pearly grin that stretched entirely too far.

Nova came over to see the sharp and demonic caricature that had his attention and giggled with a hand over her snout. “Oh, uh, so, Denver made that. Right after ye saved ‘im.”

With a groan of anguish, Anubis slapped his paw against his face, shaking his head slowly.

“Nova!”

With a startled yip, she spun around to find her mother at the open door. Anubis backed away quickly, tucking his tail and lowering his head, but she did not look at him directly. “Dammit all, Nova, I tell ye only where people’re lookin’ an’ what ye do but sneak off first chance to the one place there ain’t nobody at! This is why ye don’t gain rank! Yer sisters’re already sigmas. What’d ye’ve to say for yerself?”

“I’m sorry, omma,” she cowered, fidgeting with her tail fluff again. “I just really wanted to show ‘im my art. He had such beautiful paintin’s, so I just really wanted to show ‘im what I’ve done. I ... never felt like it there.”

Glaring between them for a moment, her mouth was set in a thin, angry line.

“I’m really sorry, omma,” Nova apologized again. “I swear it won’t happen again...”

Cloud’s finger shot up in front of her face and she cringed as her mother wagged it. “Yer damn right it’s not! I swear ye disobey me again, I’ll have ye scrubbin’ every dish an’ every floor for a month! Understand me?” After Nova nodded fervently, she glared to Anubis. “And you! Ye wanna be around her, ye best remember that rule!”

Once both of them had agreed, she shook her head and relaxed. “This was yer one warning, and ye blew it first thing. Jack an’ the boys are puttin’ in the engine an’ most everyone’s hung over, but there’s still work to be done. Yer cousins’re havin’ their emergin’ today so ye better get over there.” She glanced at Anubis. “And Jack was wonderin’ where ye went off to cuz he needs help liftin’ the engine in. Both o’ ye get!”

Hurrying out, they squinted in the sunlight. Glancing at one another, they smiled in a shared giddiness that made their hearts flutter before separating to go to their places.

As soon as he came around the corner, Jack called him over. A pulley crane on wheels needed his counter weight. Hooked to his collar, it was hardly an effort to step forward and haul the thing into the air.

While he waited at just the right spot for them to start bolting, there were many excited howls that rippled through the pack. Even the men working on the tractor engaged in the howl, but went back to their work.

Peering over, Anubis watched the whole crowd of children gather near a door set in a grassy little hill. He had seen these before as a soldier. He had been told to always check those first. It was the den, the place the Aroogar kept their youngest until they were old enough to run with the rest. He had since learned that being buried in the ground kept them the safest in the wind storms and other weather of the prairie, but it had given them no defense against the invasion.

Sucking in a breath, he shook his head and lowered his hackles, banishing the bloody images as he reminded himself of where he was now. He watched as the pups all wagged their tails, chattering excitedly. One of the older boys was juggling some balls to keep the younger ones entertained while they waited.

Another excited howl rippled through the pack, even out into the fields. Out skipped 2 little pups, each holding one of Nova’s hands. They were instantly surrounded, all of the pups wanting to show off toys and talents. Fletcher showed off some moves he could do using his crutch that he likely ought to have practiced more. Unable to hold on to the giggling, squirming youth, Nova let them go into the care of the pups drawing close to their ranking.

“Okay, Jack, ye stared long ‘nuff, we kinda need ya back now.”

Glancing over his shoulder, he realized Jack had been staring at the pups as they wandered off with a little smile. Glaring down at Fern, he grumbled under his breath and went back to his task. Whatever he said made Fern bark out laughing.

“This dick! Ye been gettin’ our bitches pregnant long ‘fore ye were alpha! Ye makin’ up for the fact I like dick more? I thought I were bein’ courteous leavin’ some pussy for everyone else, but ye took it all!” The other men snickered with good natured jabs about his promiscuous nature. “Hell, White Toe’s gotta hunt for field bitches just to get some tail!”

Jack shook his head. “That where he is now?”

“Probably tied to Valley again,” Fern confirmed. “He snorted ‘wake, said he could smell her in the wind an’ off he went.”

“That’s what, goin’ on three litters?” Iron Gale shook his head. “He should mate her.”

Fern barked. “Ha! He tried! She said naw! She don’t wanna leave her pack, an’ he don’t wanna leave here. So they got a field’mance.

“Ah, all done here!”

Anubis was released from his duty and stepped back to watch Jack hop nimbly into the driver seat. There was a false start that caused everyone to hold their breathes. With a momentary stutter, the smooth purr brought the nervous lungfuls out in enthusiastic howls that once again rippled through the pack, bringing anyone who wasn’t busy to surround the tractor and cheer.

Creaking forward, the thing finally moved from the spot it had sat for so long, tugging up the weeds that had grown through it as it went, circling through the village so everyone could see it.

Even Silver stuck his head out the door to howl along, but when Luna tried to squeeze past him to see, he snagged her tight and nibbled her ear. With a hazy whimper, she went willingly back inside, her heavy moans a moment later loud enough for anyone near to hear.

As howls rippled throughout the town and fields, Anubis sighed, lowering his head. Fern peered over at him with reddened eyes from still being hung over, but clear enough to squint at the big wolf with concern and shake his head slowly.

“Yer so into this whole slave thing that it borders on disturbing, Anubis. I know Jack said livestock, but yer a wolf, too.”

“It’s cuz he didn’t let none o’ the slaves howl,” Jack countered, having made his round back and shut off the engine. He leaned over in the seat and sneered down at him. “Stole Veka’s voice. Almost took Nova’s. How many others we don’t know about ye take, too? Let ‘im be silent. Honors their memories.”

A growl bubbled in his throat, coming out on his skin in a bristle. Glaring up at Jack, every bit of him wanted to pull that little dirt-licker down from his seat and teach him a lesson about the order of nature he would never forget. Gritting his teeth, he forced his gaze down only after he saw the cold shiver that caused the alpha’s hackles to rise just before he bared his teeth.