Feral Bonds

Chapter 65

The pridelanders and the wolves were united in their wariness as they approached the camp of Natania's old territory. Amani's packmates were twitching at every scent and sound. Only Natania, with Gretchen on her back, was entirely at ease.

She knew those woods inside and out, and she doubted Rigaldo's wolves would be stupid enough to attack her. When she caught sight of the first house, Natania paused and raised her head in a howl, a summons.

Gretchen slid off her back, but kept one hand on her flank, in case her magic was needed.

Natania kept her posture neutral as wolves began to pad out from the undergrowth, tense and fearful when they caught sight of her, but she couldn't help a sigh of relief when she saw Rayla and Malachi join the group. Both were wounded, but alive. Brady let out an eager whine when Alice popped up between Rayla's paws a moment later and Natania flicked her tail at him.

Neither group spoke as they continued to assemble. Natania kept her gaze forward and her fur flat. When the last wolf arrived, leaving them at around forty to her best guess, a brown wolf she didn't recognize padded forward, lips drawn back in a snarl as he took in Natania.

"What do you want?" She didn't miss the slight widening of his eyes when he took in Amani, before schooling his features back into an angry mask.

"I am coming home," Natania said simply. "You are welcome to stay, or not, as you choose, but I am taking my home back."

"This isn't your home," he snarled.

Natania flicked her ears. "It was mine long before it was yours."

"You can't just waltz into our territory and take our land," he snapped.

Natania stretched lazily before answering, "I can, and I will. Your alpha is dead. My father is dead, too. Therefore, this is my home, and I want it back. Rigaldo stunk it up for long enough."

The wolf's fur spiked up at her words and he glanced around nervously, changing tactics. "There are children-"

"I will not harm any children," Natania cut him off. "Nor any wolf that wishes to stay. This territory has homes for two hundred and fifty wolves and prey enough to support half that."

"Two hundred and eighty homes," the wolf corrected, his shoulders sagging. "Two hundred and thirty six of which now lie empty."

Natania swished her tail over the ground. They must have had more homes built in that time when both packs lived there, but that didn't change her stance. "Look," Natania said, "my quarrel was with Rigaldo, I don't even know most of you." She glanced at Rayla out of the corner of her eye. "But he lied to you all." She swept her tail towards Amani. "You might recognize her. If you don't believe me when I say he was a monster, you might be more inclined to believe the proof in front of your eyes."

She stepped aside and Amani took her place at the head of their group, her injured wolves padding forward cautiously. A small white wolf gasped and ran forward, only to be hustled backwards by a large grey one. "Amani!" the white wolf shouted, struggling against the other's hold.

Amani's gaze softened. "Hello Gia." Then she turned back to the brown one. "Hyde."

"Amani," Hyde answered stiffly, he tried to hold her gaze but his eyes kept flickering to her blind eye and away. "I thought you were dead."

"No," Amani said. "I ran after he killed Tali."

"Tali died in a pack war," Hyde snapped, baring his teeth at her.

Amani lunged forward and snapped her teeth an inch away from his nose. "She would have survived, had he not broken her hind leg the day before. Had she been able to run."