Chapter 18

It wasn’t until the evening that the pack truly realized Anubis was gone, and the dinner was quiet once again. More of their pack was missing, and it sucked the joy out of the victory, though there were a few tales snickered over of Jack’s total destruction of Grr’siv. The Alpha smirked a bit, relenting that it was indeed hilarious, but, glancing at the empty chairs beside him, he didn’t much feel like celebrating anymore than anyone else.

The night watch were more alert than ever, easily catching a couple of young men hunting for any females that might be in the fields, but reported no sign of the stealthy hunter in the morning.

The dinner that next night was even quieter, save for the patter of the steady rain that had been threatening. Nova poked at her food without interest despite her sisters trying to talk her into eating. It was when they turned to try to elicit Denver’s assistance that they noted they had not seen him since dinner last night, either. Long Fang mentioned sourly that his litter-brother had seemed distressed in the early morning, done his bare minimum chores, and vanished. Some of the other low ranks said they had looked for him a few times, but no one had found him.

Making sure no one saw her, Nova hurried through the rain and slipped into the animal barn. The stall Anubis had occupied when he had first arrived had been used for overflow storage and had since been returned to that use now that it was vacant again. Peeking around the stacks of hay, bags of feed and other clutter, she found Denver tucked into the tiny space there, hugging his knees, his face fur slightly damp and crusty.

“Hi, Nova,” he murmured, hugging his knees a little tighter with a sniffle. “I knew it’d be ye.”

Smiling softly, she sat cross-legged in front of him and feigned deep thought. “Well, let’s see. Where’s the only place ‘round here that no one could smell ye, but it still sorta smells like everyone? I dunno why that don’t make sense ta no one else.” When Denver didn’t respond, she sighed and pressed her back to the wall so she could pull her knees to her chest as well. “I’m really worried ‘bout Anubis, too.”

Denver whimpered. “It-It ain’t even ‘bout ‘im, honestly. I-I mean, I’m worried fer ‘im too, an’ I re-really wish he were here cuz ... cuz I-I-I dunno what ta do ‘bout Fern. He-He’s so ... angry. He ... He’s never made me feel so ... so scared ‘fore.”

“Scared?” she repeated, peering at him with concern.

Swallowing, his voice was barely above a whisper, fighting back tears. “H-He pushed me ‘gainst the wall a-a-an’ I thought he were g-gonna bite me.” Nova gasped, but he continued. “He were drinkin’ an-an’ he looked like he were r-re-really hurtin’. I just wanted to help, b-b-but he’s so strong an’ he-he had me by the shoulders, an’ I couldn’t ... I couldn’t do nothin’.” He shuddered in memory with a whine, rubbing his arms. “I-I-I were so scared lookin’ up at ‘im snarlin’ like he’d lost his mind. He ain’t never bared his teeth at me, n-n-not even- not even once. I-I told ‘im he were hurtin’ me a-an then he said ... he said he don’t care if I we-went away, too, an’ told me ta get out. S-so I been hidin’ here so I don’t make ‘im mad ‘gain.”

Getting to her knees, Nova took his hand in both of hers. “Oh, Denver! I can’t believe he did that to ye! That ain’t like ‘im. It ain’t yer fault at all! He can be mad at ‘imself all he wants, but he shouldn’t be takin’ it out on ye! Ye ought ta tell Jack ‘bout it.”

Denver shook his head. “Naw. Th-that’ll only make ‘em both mad. I-I know he don’t mmmean it. He don’t know what he’s sayin’ right now. I-I’ll, uh, I’ll just, uh, s-stay in the hall. I-I-I were kinda hopin’ Anubis would be there, but he’s mad ‘bout somethin’ else.”

Pursing her lips, Nova looked down and sighed. “I don’t think he’s mad. He’s ... got instincts. We don’t hunt like the Wogtal, so we ain’t got ‘em like he do.”

“I heard some o’ the others say he’s gotta kill somethin’, like he’s a wild animal, but I never saw ‘im like that.”

Sucking in her breath, recalling the feral rage of Anubis in the woods against the gregin, she glanced around nervously though there wasn’t much to look at tucked in such a small space. “W-Well, I mean, ye ... ye didn’t exactly see ‘im before ... But, I know he just needs a bit o’ space, an’ he’ll be back when he’s done what he needs ta do.” Standing, she offered him her hand. “Right now, we ought ta get ye somethin’ ta eat an’ go ta bed. Maybe they’ll both be back ta normal tomorrow.”

Letting Nova pull him to his feet, she helped him find Long Fang, who was quick to get his litter-brother set up with a spare cot in the same alcove with him. Unable to sleep, however, Denver waited for everyone else to be out before slipping into Anubis’ bed, hugging his pillow tightly while hoping he was safe and dry wherever he was.

It wasn’t until after the overcast and gloomy breakfast that Long Fang and Nova were sure Denver was nowhere to be found. Together, they went to Iron Gale first, who helped them track down his paw prints in the mud, heading out into the woods at a gallop.

When the word reached Jack, sitting in his chair in the Great Lodge having a discussion with Cloud, he was already bitter and only grew more dour. Pinching his brow, he growled to himself, “Course. I’m surprised it weren’t Nova.”

“I mean, I could...” she started playfully, but his growl made her ears snap back and lower herself.

“No! No one else is goin’ out to the woods! We can’t afford to lose no one else right now. We ain’t seen the last o’ Grr’siv over this field, an’ we’re down a few, now. If he catches wind we’re flaggin’ like this, he’ll be back in a moment.” Turning away, he grumbled, “boy’ll get an ass chewin’ when he gets back.”

Clenching her teeth, Nova muttered, “not exactly a good reason ta come back fer...”

The glare he turned back to her was enough to make her shrink behind Iron Gale, who stared back at Jack with a concerned pursing of his lips. The older man had no problem holding his Alpha’s gaze.

“It’s all Fern’s fault.”

Everyone present turned to look at Long Fang after that bitter utterance. “What?” they replied in discordant unison.

All but Nova, who gasped and shook her head, which Jack saw from the corner of his eye. Glancing between them, he leaned over the arm of his chair and peered at him suspiciously. “How’s that?”

Again, Nova shook her head, but Long Fang ignored her. “He told ‘im to get out. Even told ‘im to leave! Pushed ‘im, an’ snarled at ‘im, an’ everythin’! Had bruises on his arms when I checked ‘im. So now he’s run off cuz he’ll do anythin’ Fern says. Got ‘im trained like a dog.”

“What!?” Cloud and Iron Gale barked together.

Narrowing his eyes and wrinkling his snout, Jack stood and started toward the door.

Cloud followed after him. “Wait! Jack! What’re ye gonna do now?”

“Talk some damn sense into ‘im,” he called back in a furious growl. “An’ if I gotta do it with my fists or my teeth, then maybe that’s the only way to get it into ‘im.”

Cloud glanced back at Iron Gale, and they rushed out after him.

Nova glared at Long Fang when they were alone. “Now why’d ye go an’ say that? He said not to say nothin’!”

Crossing his arms indignantly, Long Fang bared his snaggle tooth further in a sneer. “Cuz I watched Fern groom my brother to be his ‘good boy’ from the start, soon as he even thought Denver were gay. Never lettin’ ‘im do nothin’ ‘dangerous,’ keepin’ ‘im low rank just for the fetish, always in his business just ta tell ‘im what he’s allowed ta do. Then, he goes an’ pulls this shit, knowin’ Denver’ll do it without even thinkin’.” Turning away, his fur bristled. “No one’s ever listened to me. Maybe now they will.”

Storming down the street, Jack’s teeth were bared and his fists balled. Everyone else laid back their ears, finding something to do far away from him with haste.

Banging on the door of the cabin, Jack yelled out for Fern to show his face. Throwing open his door at another pounding, Fern’s reddened scowl was enough to give the Alpha pause, looking him up and down.

“The fuck ye want?”

Jack shook his head in disappointment. “Shit, man, the fuck’s wrong with ye? What’d I hear ‘bout ye assaultin’ Denver?”

Eyes widening a heart beat, his shock was immediately replaced with a snarl. “It ain’t none o’ yer business.”

“The fuck it’s not!” Jack snarled back, stepping towards him menacingly, though he had to look up at his friend. “Everyone in this pack’s my business. ‘specially my Head Beta. How could ye do that?”

Glowering back at him in silence for a moment, Fern swallowed hard before growling “fuck off,” and turned to slam the door shut. Stepping forward to hold it open, Jack started to speak when he was knocked back into the mud. Winded a bit, he sat up and touched the warm sensation on his nose before snarling up at Fern.

“Get down here an’ do that again,” he invited dangerously, baring his teeth with the trickle of blood slithering into the spaces.

Just as Fern started towards him with a feral growl, fists balled up tight, Cloud stepped forward, reached up, and snagged Fern’s ear with her claws. The man’s enraged expression became stunned and powerless in a heartbeat. “Ow, ow, fuck, ow, Omma, ow, shit...!”

Jerking him mercilessly to her level, she bared her teeth at him. “What on earth’s gotten into ye? How can ye do that to yer best friend?”

Not meeting her gaze, he clenched his teeth but didn’t struggle. “Ye ought to stay outta it, omma,” he warned in a low rumble.

Cloud shook her head. “Not when Denver’s run off ‘lone in the woods!”

Blinking in surprise, Fern peered at her, suddenly very sober. “What?”

“Ye heard ‘er,” Jack growled, getting to his feet. “Denver did exactly what ye told ‘im. An’ now he’s out there with a hungry skaowl an’ a even hungrier Wogtal runnin’ loose. Are ye gonna help me find ‘im or are ye gonna sit ‘round bein’ a drunken asshole?”

Glaring at him, Fern shook his mother off and snorted bitterly. “Yeah, I’m comin. I bet I know where he is.”

After checking a few spots Fern thought Denver might be, the two men split up, covering more distance. Trotting along near the place Nova had tricked Anubis to fall into the shaft, Jack sniffed the air and perked at their scent. He could smell that the two had been here and that made him curious.

Following the faded trail, he glanced up at the old fence where Nova had jumped up. Narrowing his eyes, he sniffed along the ground to the last post where he paused and scanned the area since her scent had not touched the ground again. It had been years since he had last run through here messing around with the brothers and Silver as young men, but he swore he remembered ... there! The dip in the ground under the branch, a spot where the vegetation was disturbed and bent. Glancing around to make sure there were no other surprises, he approached the shaft cautiously. Peering down the hole, he smirked with the scent of Anubis and the rather obvious tumble he had taken. If a wolf is climbing a tree, wouldn’t that make one wonder what was on the ground they were avoiding?

A distinct yapping sound in the far distance caught Jack’s attention. His head jerked up, and he took off towards it. There was only one small critter that made a sound like that. Known as warq, the agile and highly intelligent little social hunters had a well known sound that they used almost exclusively towards the wolves of the prairie. Particularly vocal, the dinosaur-like sprinters had a sound for every kind of friend, foe and food, and it was difficult to shake them off once they located a wolf. Not usually for hunting, but as if attempting to communicate with another smart and social creature, and the yapping sound was the closest they could get to a bark.

Trotting up to a large tree with many gnarled roots, Jack found the warq hopping and flapping excitedly all over the roots and climbing up the tree, yapping ceaselessly. Dozens of different colored fluffs, they waved their feathered arms, each tipped with a singular over sized hooked claw, and ran about on their hind legs. Noticing him, they turned their great big eyes towards him and grew more excited, wagging their tails as they hopped and darted around him playfully.

Shaking his head at the small creatures, the largest of which hardly reached his heel in his current form, he followed his nose and the crowd to the other side of the old tree where the warq showed him exactly which hollowed root Denver, in his feral form, was curled up in. Glancing up at him, Denver whimpered and curled up a little tighter while the creatures yapped with pride as if pleased they had reunited them.

Sighing, Jack pushed himself upright before kneeling down to speak. “Hey. I’m surprised ta find ye here. Fern an’ I’ve been lookin’ fer ye a while.” He nodded at the question in Denver’s expression. “I know Fern’s been a bit of a ass lately.” Touching his nose tenderly where the blood had dried, he winced a bit. “Trust me, I know. He’s got a hell of a punch. But, he’s real worried ‘bout ye. I don’t think he’s meanin’ none o’ this madness. Why don’t ye come back with me an’ we’ll try to get this all figured out together?”

With a deep sigh, Denver began to crawl out of his hiding spot.

In an instant, the yapping critters fell silent, perked, and fled into the brush behind them with haste. Jack didn’t need to look up to feel every hair on his body stand on edge, but he did, staring up into the fearsome fangs looming over him.

With a surge of survival instinct, he jumped away just in time to avoid the first lunge of the skaowl, but his heel caught on a root and he tumbled to the ground. Again, the skaowl leapt, this time landing over top of him, hissing down at him so he could smell its breath and see the spittle on its teeth.

Denver’s shrill barking caused it to snap around, growling at the sound. It was just enough distraction for Jack to scuttle out from under it, but as soon as he tried to turn so he could flee, he let out a sharp yelp as he felt his body hooked and jerked into the air. He hardly felt the massive claws rip through him so cleanly, but they caught deep and tossed him against a tree. Gasping in shock, he clutched at his side and grimaced at the soft sensation of his innards.

Turning over to prop against the tree in time to look up at his certain end, he bared his teeth to bite back when Denver jumped in front of him, his own teeth bared to the gums. His convincing snarl gave the predator pause, tilting its head at him curiously before stepping forward to finish its kill.

The expression of genuine horror from both wolves was dramatic enough to make the predator stop and start to look over its shoulder in time to see only the enormous mouth that clamped shut on the base of its skull. With the sickening crunch that didn’t even let it scream before death, the brutal shaking that slammed the limp body into the ground again and again until every last bone was shattered was entirely unnecessary. Jack and Denver could feel each thud in the ground under them, watching in helpless horror.

Dropping the mangled body with a final snarl, Anubis turned his crazed attention to Jack and began to stalk towards him. Panting with feathers stuck to his tongue, his fangs were dripping with blood and brain matter, and his glowing gaze was as feral as Jack had ever seen in another wolf.

Swallowing the blood in his throat, Jack felt his eyes fluttering, his body no longer shivering since there wasn’t any sensation left. No matter how hard he tried, he could not hang on, his last vision of darkness staring down at him before it enveloped him.

Snapping awake, Jack gasped and stared at the ceiling of the medical room. “Oh, shit, I’m alive,” he breathed with relief before his eyes rolled up and he groaned in pain.

“I would hope so, otherwise I’m just pumping blood into a corpse.”

Looking at the bench, he felt a little anxiety make his hackles prickle. Anubis sat there, back pressed to the wall, a knee up to lay the arm attached to the tube across it. He smiled at Jack’s wide eyes.

“You nearly bled out. Unlike Fletcher, it takes a lot more blood to keep you going. Guess that makes you part Wogtal, too.”

With a breath that made him wince, Jack groaned and pushed himself up to prop against the wall, as well. He was heavily bandaged on his side and part of his belly, with a cloth wrapped tight enough to make breathing a little difficult. “I, uh, I ... I’m incredibly grateful. I ... really didn’t think I were gonna be wakin’ up again. Heh, ye, uh, looked like ye were gonna finish the job.”

There was a sting in Jack’s chest at the way Anubis’ face fell, looking away and muttering softly, “Denver thought the same thing.” He took a deep breath before his face brightened with a little smirk. “He actually snarled at me.” Jack peered at him incredulously, and he nodded. “It was really adorable. Burst into tears after, but I was convinced he’d bite me. I didn’t want to risk it. Might’ve stung.”

Shaking his head a little, Jack found the strength to smile vaguely before he perked. “What ‘bout Fern? He were out there, too.”

“Denver already found him,” Anubis replied softly. “He told me he’d been out there looking for me, but that you and Fern were out there looking for him, so I carried you back, and I’ve been here since. Watched Berry put you back together. Glad her hands are so small. I couldn’t’ve sewn you so well.”

Groaning softly again, Jack mustered a fond though pained smile. “I adore ‘er. Gonna have ta do somethin’ extra special fer ‘er after this.”

“She adores you. It was pretty obvious. This whole pack does. That’s pretty obvious, too. There’s been a crowd at the door all day.”

“Well, I been more o’ a Radkial all my life, honestly. Even Wild River said it, that I made a better Radkial than a Hammer. Kept tellin’ me he’d ... retire next year, then next year. ‘Oh, just one more year, Jack, then it’s all yers.’” He swallowed hard, a shudder causing him to grimace in pain. “Ah. An’ then ... that skaowl almost got me, too.” Shaking his head, he turned a little to look at Anubis. “I think ye make a real good Radkial, too, an’ I s’pose it’s only right I ... quit messin’ ‘round an’ give ye some rank to thank ye, but that seems pretty hollow fer my life.”

With a tense breath, Anubis muttered, “All I really want is Nova.”

“Oh, that’s all?” Jack joked mildly in response.

Anubis, however, was more serious than he needed to be. “Jack, I would be content to be your ox for the rest of my life, so long as I could just be with her. Everything here is so much better than how it was in my pack. I wasn’t just treated better than the slaves when you considered me livestock, I was treated better than most of my own family treated me. I really only want the rank to be with Nova.” Licking his nose, he added hurriedly, “uh, Silver told me I ought to ... be more open.”

After staring somberly at him a moment, Jack mustered a fond smile. “Good. He’s real smart. Only talks when it’s somethin’ worth listenin’ to.” With a slow shake of his head, he leaned it back against the wall and stared at the ceiling. “Shit, Anubis. I just ... ain’t the controllin’ type. That’s not why I wanted to be Alpha. I can see the two o’ ye are in love.” With a sigh, he peered at Anubis a moment longer. “It don’t feel right to make ye a Omega. That’s fer pups an’ folk who don’t work. I guess a Sigma would be appropriate, for now. An’ ... whatever ye do with Nova, that’s yer business. Tryin’ to stop ye two’s been like tryin’ to stop the river with a net.”

There was some extra pressure in the tube for his heart started to thump and his tail waggled just a little. Catching himself, Anubis began to reply when the door opened, and Berry gasped, rushing to Jack to hug him carefully and nuzzle him.

“Oh, Jack! Yer awake! Yer gonna be okay! I was so scared!”

Pressing their foreheads together, Jack smiled at her. “I got ye ta thank fer that.”

Berry blushed and glanced at Anubis. “Oh, well, he were the one that saved ye from the skaowl.”

Eyes widening, Anubis put up his free hand palm out and shook his head. “And he’d still be dead if you hadn’t put him back together.”

“Well, yer the one who’s givin’ ‘im the blood ta live.”

“There’s others who could, I just have a lot to give.”

The soft chuckle in Jack’s throat made them both look at him. “So, it were a joint effort, then. Like a good pack should.”

The morning was the kind of chill that one just knew would give way to heat waves by the afternoon. A thin mist hung low on the land, though the sky was mostly clear and vivid. The river was growling against its banks now with the rain that had sporadically blanketed the thirsty land, turning the water mill steadily while the pack got ready to start another day of harvesting.

Forcing himself out of his malaise, Fern was standing with the other high ranks. After ensuring everyone knew the tasks and dealing with a tool dispute, a familiar howl from the front gate perked his ears. Trotting around the corner of the Great Lodge to look down the street, he squinted at the figures, and his heart skipped a beat with recognition.

A joyous howl made several more until nearly the whole pack had come running to surround them.

“White Toe! My son! Ye came!” Cloud cried with joy, hurrying to hug him tight.

“Hey, Omma. Yeah, I got yer message,” he replied with a smile, using one arm to hug her back, but the other remained on the pale leg of a young boy no more than 7 seated on his shoulders to keep him steady, peering around curiously with his tail wagging.

Pulling away, Cloud turned her attention to the grey, red and white woman standing beside him, her belly just getting round and 3 other pups standing behind her.

“Valley? Oh, sweetlin’, it’s been least 3 years since I seen ye! Think ye were lookin’ ‘bout the same but these 2 adorable puppies were the ones inside o’ ye.” The toddlers peeked around in curious caution from behind Valley’s legs.

“Hi, granommy!” piped a mostly red girl, waving her black hands up for a hug. The dark brown and black boy on White Toe’s shoulders wiggled madly to get down for his own embrace.

“Arrow? Yer so big now! An’ so’re you, Lightfoot! Oh, I can hardly pick ye both up, now! What’re y’all doin’ here?”

White Toe and Valley looked at each other. Snuggling against him, Valley smiled. “Well, gettin’ ta wake up with ‘im next ta me’s been so nice. I love my pack, but ... I love White Toe more, an’ he just weren’t happy.”

Silver had waited as long as he could, but his excitement got the better of him. “Does that mean yer ... comin’ back?”

Just like that, the whole pack fell silent, everyone suddenly holding their breaths. Smiling, White Toe stared at Valley lovingly.

“I tried real hard to like it over there. Everyone were nice an’ all, but...” his gaze swept around the hamlet, “it just weren’t home.” He looked down at Cloud. “It weren’t my pack.” He grinned at Silver. “Ye weren’t there ta joke with.” It was then he looked up and met Fern’s wide eyed wistful gaze. “An’, well, my brother weren’t there.”

Opening his arms in invitation, Fern came alive like a bolt of lightning. Rushing to him, Fern threw his arms around his brother and lifted him right off his feet, his tail causing his whole body to wiggle. “Oh, White Toe! I’m so sorry, White Toe! I swear I’ll never prank ye ‘gain!”