The Alpha Wolf

Chapter 7 John returns home & the fight part 1

I am still talking to them. "The bear's his uncle?" Rocky asked. "No! John's gone back to challenge his uncle... to take his place as alpha." I said. "Oh." Both of them said. John ran as fast as his legs would let him go. He finally got back to his forest home. He saw that I was right. Everything was destroyed, skeletons everywhere, rivers and lakes all dried up. It looks like they have been stuck with a drought for a very long time, no sign of life anywhere. "John, wait up!" I said as I walked up to him. "It's awful, isn't it?" I asked. "I didn't want to believe you." John said. "What made you come back?" I asked. "I finally got some sense knocked into me... and I've got the bump to prove it. Besides, this is my kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?" John asked. "I will." I said. "It's gonna be dangerous." John said. "Danger? Ha! I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha!" I said. "I see nothing funny about this." Rocky said. "Rocky, Jason, what are you doing here?" John asked. "At your service, my liege." Jason said. "We're gonna fight your uncle for this?" Rocky asked. "Yes, Rocky. This is my home." John said. "Talk about your fixer-upper. Well, John, if it's important to you... we're with you to the end." Rocky said. John smiled at them. Dark clouds rolled over the land. We snuck over to the den. "Mountain lions. I hate mountain lions. So, what's your plan for getting past those guys?" Rocky whispered. "Live bait." John whispered. "Good idea. Hey!" Rocky said. "Come on, Rocky. You guys have to create a diversion." John said. "What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula? 🎶Rocky: Luau! If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat eat my buddy Jason here because he is a treat. Come on down and dine on this tasty swine. All you have to do is get in line. Are you aching
Jason: Yep, yep, yep.
Rocky: For some bacon?
Jason: Yep, yep, yep.
Rocky: He's a big pig.
Jason: Yep,yep.
Rocky: You could be a big pig too, oy!🎶 They both scream as the run away in fear. The mountain lions go after them. "Ariel, you find my mother and rally the wolves. I'll look for Branden." John said. I nodded. Then I went to go rally the wolves. "Lily!" Branden shouted. Lily walked up to him. "Yes, Branden?" Lily said. "Where is your hunting party? They're not doing their job." Branden said. "Branden, there is no food. The heards have moved on." Lily said. "No, you're just not looking hard enough." Branden said. "It's over. There is nothing left. We have only one choice. We must leave the forest." Lily said. "We're not going anywhere." Branden said. "Then you have sentenced us to death." Lily said. "Then so be it." Branden said. "You can't do that." Lily said. "I am the alpha. I can do whatever I want." Branden said. "If you were half the alpha Zack was--" Lily said. "I'm ten times the alpha Zack was!" Branden said as he wacked Lily to the ground. John howls.

"Zack? No, you're dead." Branden said. John runs over to his mom and nudges her and glances at Branden. "Zack?" Lily said. "No. It's me." John said. "John. You're alive? How can that be?" Lily said. "It doesn't matter. I'm home." John said. "John? John. Oh, I'm a little surprised to see you...alive." Branden said as he glared at his mountain lion minions. They gulped. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart." John said as he walked slowly towards his uncle. "John, you must understand. The pressures of ruling the forest..." Branden said. "Are no longer yours. Step down, Branden." John said. "Oh, well, I would, naturally. However, there is one little problem. You see them?" Branden said as he pointed to the mountain lions he has on his side. They growled and snarled.

"They think I'm alpha." Branden said. "Well, we don't. John's the rightful alpha." I said. "The choice is yours, Branden. Either step down or fight." John said. "Must this all end in violence? I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, John?" Branden said. "That's not going to work, Branden. I've put it behind me." John said. "But what about your faithful subjects? Have they put it behind them?" Branden said. "John, what is he talking about?" I asked. "Ahh... so you haven't told them your little secret. Well, John, now's your chance to tell them. Tell them who is responsible for Zack's death." Branden said. There was a moment of silence before John answered. "I am." John said. Lily walked up to him. "It's not true. Tell me it's not true." Lily said. "It's true." John said. "You see? He admits it! Murderer!" Branden said. "No, it was an accident." John said. "If it weren't for you, Zack would still be alive. It's your fault he's dead! Do you deny it?" Branden said. "No." John said. "Then you're guilty." Branden said as he walked around John. "No, I'm not a murderer." John said. "Oh, John, you're in trouble again. But this time, daddy isn't here to save you... and now everyone knows why!" Branden said as he cornered him by the back cliff of the den and has him hanging on by his two front paws. "John!" I said. Then lightning struck nearby causing a fire. "Now, this looks familiar. Hmm. Where have I seen this before? Let me think. Hmm. Oh, yes. I remember. This is just the way your father looked before he died. And here's my little secret." Branden said before whispering that he killed Zack in John's ear. John gets a flashback of his dad dying in the stampede. "No! Murderer!" John said as he pinned his uncle to the ground. "No, John, please." Branden said. "Tell them the truth." John said. "Truth? But truth is in the eye of the behold--" Branden said before John put his paw on his neck. "All right. All right. I did it." Branden said. "So they can hear you." John said. "I killed Zack!" Branden said loud enough for everyone to hear him. Then the mountain lions tackled John and the wolves and I went to go fight them. Jason and Rocky came to help. Even Koda came to help. He took on seven mountain lions by himself. Some mountain lions ran off while others were getting knocked into the fire below. Rocky was getting chased by a mountain lion. "Let me out! Let me out!" Nigel said. "Let me in! Let me in!" Rocky said. The mountain lions caught up with them. "Please, don't eat me." Rocky said. "Drop them!" Jason said. "Hey, who's the buck tooth creature?" Killian said. "Are you talking to me?" Jason asked. "He called him a buck tooth creature." Rocky said. "Are you talking to me?" Jason asked. "Shouldn't have done that." Rocky said. "Are you talking to me?" Jason asked. "Now they're in for it." Rocky said. "They call me... Mister beaver." Jason said before charging at them. "Take that, you stupid... take that, and that!" Rocky and Jason said. Henry was getting hit with bones and rocks coming out of the opening in front of the wolf den. The fight was still going on when John set his sights on Branden. He chases Branden to the top of the den and he had nowhere else to go. He was trapped. John jumped through the wall of fire that ended up trapping Branden. He walked slowly towards his uncle. "Murderer." John said as he walked slowly towards his uncle. "John, please. Please, have mercy. I beg you." Branden said. "You don't deserve to live." John said. "But, John, I am... family. It's the mountain lions who are the real enemy. It was their fault. It was their idea." Branden said. Little did he know that Emma, Killian and Henry heard him say that. He basically threw them under the bus. "Why should I believe you? Everything you ever told me was a lie." John said. "What are you going to do? You wouldn't kill your own uncle." Branden said. "No, Branden. I'm not like you." John said. "Oh, John, thank you. You are truly noble. I'll make it up to you, I promise. And how can I prove myself to you? Tell me. anything." Branden said. "Run. Run away, Branden, and never return." John said. "Yes. Of course. As you wish.. your majesty!" Branden said before tossing some red hot ashes into John's face. The fight between them continued. They were about evenly matched for two full grown wolves. John smacked his uncle across the face. Branden wacked John across the face. Then he knocked him down. John was on his back. Just as Branden was going in for the final strike John used all of his paws to throw his uncle over the edge of a cliff at the back of the den.