Silent Walk, Book 1 of the Vigilance Series

Chapter 3

        We reached the cabin in silence, and I wasn't in the mood to cheer them up. I looked at Osirin, "Who was the Irid you spoke to!?" She jumped out of her skin, the way I snarled at her. She stuttered "It... it was... I mean she was..." I growled "Spit it out!" And Piun said calmly "Her name was Rainus. I don't see how important it is to you, but you shouldn't attack Osirin for it." I shook my head and walked into the kitchen. Sunlight filled the room from the glass door and I leaned on the table, head in hands. After awhile I heard footsteps, and Kinteera was behind me, telling me that it would be alright. He whispered in my ear "Be strong, we have to find pack members today, remember?" I nodded and cleared my mind. I walked back into the living room to see the rest of the pack on the couch. I told them what Kinteera and I was going to do and to remain here, just in case of anything. They nodded, surprised at my change of tone, and Kinteera and I left for the "orphanage". Kinteera stepped into a Ford Fusion and I raised my eyebrows. "I didn't know you could drive, Kinteera." He nodded and we drove to the "orphanage". When we arrived, I saw some Irids as small as a baby, others as old as we were. I scented the air and smelled other scents too. Including those from the cloud pack. I told Kinteera., "Other Alphas must be here, too." he nodded ad we looked for Shaneesha. She saw us after a few minutes and welcomed us to the rooms that she thought we would find the best pack mates. She had a room just for our pack, which only had one pup that she deemed "acceptable" for me. She was about 13, but Shaneesha told me that she went to a human school. I asked her "Why isn't she held back like we were?" "It's different for pack-starters and members added into the pack. You are pack starters, and the wolves in this room will learn like humans and wolves, but humans will teach them the human things, we teach them the wolf things. Her name is Irithea Skylark, born of two dead pack members. The packs in this region have rooms as well. And you must know that if two pack alphas mate, then their territory is shared and merged. There are four packs in this region, Vigilance Pack, Cloud Pack, Snake Pack, and Fern Pack. Their rooms are to the left, and you are prohibied to enter them, just as they are prohibited yours. The other people here besides me-trainers-take care of the young unless you wish to take them early. I suppose she is old enough to train at the cabin, what say you?" She asked, in a polite tone. I smiled warmly and turned to the girl. "Irithea?" She turned to look at me. "Come here. We are taking you to our pack." She smiled, exited. "Great! Can I pack my things?" I nodded and waited while she hastily packed what little things she had, inculding books and scrolls of our kind. She probably had rushed or limited knowlage of us, but I was prepared to teach her everything. Once she was done, All three of us went outside into Kinteera's car and drove to the cabin, leaving the car onto the gravel road I had barely noticed. As we walked I asked Kinteera "How did you get that car anyway?" He shrugged "I have some great friends from my family." I nodded. I didn't kow my family, unlike those of my pack.

        The rest of the pack perked up as I stepped into the room, Irithea looked around the place, amazed by the space and the wealth put into it. Kinteera grabbed her shoulder and guided her into the living room. Piun was the first to smell her. "What is that human doing in here!?" I could see him partially shift out of panic. I soothed "Calm down, Piun. It's only a new pack mate from the orphanage. This" I stepped back to let the girl walk foward "is Irithea Skylark, the newest member of our pack. I expect you all to teach her as much as Shaneesha taught us. Can you handle that or is it too much to ask of you?" They all nodded in unison. "Good. Osirin, show her around." She led Irithea around, talking as she went. I heard a knock at our door and I scented Cloud Pack." I opened the door to see Kyr with the other six of his packmates standing there, clearly impatient. "Well I see you were expeccting us" He affirmed. I nodded, clearly unsurprised. "You're not supposed to be here. None of you are." "Well, I wanted to speak to another pack leader, and my pack is too curious to not go." He argued. I sighed and let him in. Osirin and Irithea were at the door, clearly surprised by Kyr's entrance. He looked around the room and layed his eyes on Irithea. "I haven't seen you before. And from the scent, you're new here." I glared at him at notioned for Osirin and Irithea to leave. Piun sat on the sofa, but I led Kyr to the kitchen while his pack looked around the place.

"What do you want Kyr? Tell me what you want and get out."

"I just want to speak to you. Like Irids, not humans."

"Well then I guess we're done here."

"No, please, talk to me Enai. Think about what I said, think about a pack together."

"I choose my mates, and so far, you're not mate-quality."

"Then can we at least be friends?"

I thought about what he said for a moment.

"Fine."

"Thank you, Enai. I guess we should leave, but I promise you that we will speak again like this."

I said nothing as he left the kitchen and his pack followed him out the door. Something inside of me wanted to follow him, but I retained that thought quickly. I heard my stomach growl and signaled for my whole pack to follow me outside. I told Kinteera as a wolf to help me teach Irithea to hunt. He nodded and let out a signalling howl. It was getting dark, so we had to do this quickly. Soon, a bouncing solid gray wolf dashed up here beside Kinteera, following us. I scented a herd of deer, but I signalled for my pack to stand back. Stay here unless anything goes wrong, ok? I told them. They all growled back affirmative, alpha and I let out a whine-chuckle. Kinteera hung back a little behind me while I taught Irithea how to hunt, using postures to teach her instead of words. She seemed to get it, so I led her to the herd a few meters in front of us. Sure enough, there they were in the trees. I dashed for a doe, Irithea hard on my tail as we both attacked one. She snapped at its stomach, but I used my tail to tell her to go to the neck. I latched myself onto it's neck and let it drag me as my weight held it down from running. Soon, I had to let go, but Irithea was on it next, and I envied her courage. The doe swung her into a large rock, though, and she collapsed on the forest floor, unmoving. Kinteera and the rest of the pack flooded in, easily attacking and killing the deer while I carried the smaller wolf in my jaws to the cabin. I was hoping she wasn't dead or paralyzed. I shifted into a human with Kinteera right behind me, and I directed him to lay a sheet on the floor. He asked "Why don't  we just call nine-one-one?" I glared at him like he already knew the answer. I looked at the smaller wolf and checked out her wounds. She looked alright, except she had this broken look about her. This frail, worn out look that I couldn't get out of my mind when I walked into the stoarage room. The monarch always had an assortment of food and bandages and medicine in here when we needed it-most likely during the winter-so i found some bandages and neosporin to put on her wounds. After I wrapped her up the best I could, I carried her to one of the bedrooms.  The rest of the pack was in the living room. Kinteera strided up to me and inquired "How is she?" I shrugged "She looks alright, but there may be internal bleeding. I cannot know for sure." He nodded and went into the kitchen. I ate little of the deer that night, and I checked on Irithea before I slept.

        I entered her room, and she moved weakly. I let out a long breath and walked up to her bedside. She weakly gripped my arm and fell limp. I checked her pulse-she was barely alive. I changed her bandages and shifted into wolf form. I lied on the end of her bed and waited for her to hopefully stir from her state.