Alpha and Omega Re-telling.

Chapter Eight: Jasper Park - Again.

Chapter Eight: Jasper Park - Again.

   "All I asked was for you to follow our customs!" Tony yelled at Winston over the sound of the snarling packs." Unite the packs! But no! You're daughter had to up and run away -"
    "I didn't run away!"
    The snarling instantly stopped and everyone instantly turned to the source of the sound and saw Kate and Humphrey leaping down the side of the valley.
    "Kate!" Winston cried in relief.
    "She's back!" Lily laughed, leaping to her feet and running after Eve, heading for Kate.
     Down at the base of the western side of the valley wall Salty whacked Mooch on the back to get his attention and Shakey grinned and pointed up to Humphrey, walking across the grassy ground with Kate.
    He was back as well.
    Eve nuzzled Kate." We were so worried!"
    Winston nodded." Where have you been?"
   "In Idaho!" Kate replied, smiling.
   "Idaho!" Winston said, shocked," What were you doin in Idaho?"
   "We were taken by humans to another park." She explained.
   Suddenly a mostly-unnoticed Humphrey stepped forward grinning widely." We were supposed to repopulate!"
    An instant later he was on his back Eve's paws around his neck, choking him. Quickly Kate leaped to his rescue," No, no, no mom! We didn't repopulate! Humphrey actually helped me get back!"
    Eve sighed sweetly." What a nice boy!" She pulled him to his feet and stepped away from him, leaving him gasping.
    "I came back -" Kate began, but Tony leaped down, Garth following, a hang-dog look on his face.
   "To marry Garth." He finished for her, elbowing his son.
    Garth stepped forward, smiling weakly.
    Kate sighed, she'd known this was coming, now wasn't time to regret having not stayed on the train . . ." Yes!" She said," And unite the packs!"
    The tension in the air between the packs, one moment so ready to kill one another, suddenly broke, and they leapt down, the easterners slowly drifting away to their den, the westerners shorlty followed suite and going home, slowly.
    Garth glanced back only once at Lily, who turned away from him and paced sadly away . . . How could there be such sorrow in success?
   Humphrey shook his head in shock." No . . ." He whispered to himelf, he'd known this would happen . . . He'd gotten himself into a bittersweet ending . . . It would have been better if he'd never even given Kate a second glance . . .
    "Married?" he said weakly," You're getting married?" Slowly he stepped up to Kate, who detached herself from her family.
    "Yeah." Kate said, pulling an admirable look of joy." No more fighting during hunts! No more scraps and bones at dinnertime! We're goint to unite the packs!"
    Suddenly a swarm of eastern wolves converged on them, all wanting to talk with Kate, and she was swept away, leaving Humphrey staring sadly after her.
    Suddenly Salty was beside him." Welcome back Humphrey!" He said, grinning at his friend.
    Shakey smiled." Yeah, good job bringing her home!"
   They jumped on him, laughing and smiling, but he, though he was glad to see his friends again, simply felt too bitter to be happy enough to smile . . . Ever again. . . .

13/5-13

    Kate sighed and smiled, things really weren't going too badly. She watched as the sun peeked slowly above the edge of the mountains in a blaze of colors . . . Well, things weren't going too badly as far as the packs were concerned, but inside she felt empty. Like someone had ripped out that part of her heart that lived and felt.
   Behind her Lily had gotten a pine cone and was carefully brushing her tail for the upcoming wedding.
    "Wow." She sighed, looking down at the crowd of eastern and western  wolves assembled down below the den in the valley." It's a big crowd."
   "Yeah," Lily said, with the pincone still in her mouth," good times!" Lily'd seemed oddly silent and sad since she'd first seen her, which was strange, because usually she'd be laughing and joking all over the place . . .
    "So I heard you and Garth spent some time together." She commented easily. Lily jerked the pinecone through her tail fur making her wince." Lily!"
    "Sorry!" She apologized and sat up, the pinecone still in her mouth.
    "I'm sure he's perfect marrying material." Kate said, trying to get into a conversation . . .
    Lily growled and shattered the pinecone." Well," she sighed sadly," if you like that sort of thing, big, brawny, and perfect." She ended with a whimper and slowly turned away, going back into the den.
    "Hmmm." Kate sighed and looked at Lily. Suddenly she noticed something else different about her sister," Lily!" she cried," you're wearing your fur back!"
    "Oh, sorry . . ." Lily quickly replied, almost guiltily, pushing that long-rebelious lock of hair back down as it once was. In her eyes." I know."
    Kate stood and followed her into the dark den." But . . . I liked it."
   Suddenly a rock dropped out of the sky and landed right next to her paw, she froze in surprise and the looked up to see Marcel and Paddy flap down to the ledge from a nearby pine.
   "Right on the pin!" Paddy exclaimed.
   "Marcel, Paddy!" She laughed, stepping forward to give them a hug.
   "Ah, when it comes to hugs we are all French." Marcel smiled and hugged Kate back." Eh Paddy."
    "Well I'm English so we don't hug-" Kate stepped up and squeezed him in a gentle hug causing him to give soft squack and then nod in satisfaction." -but for a first I'd say that was a good one!"
    Kate stepped back, smiling for real, memories returning to her mind. And her heart to her chest." I'm so happy to see you two!"
    Paddy nodded," Well, we flew in to see that you made it home!"
   "And what do we find," Marcel stepped forward and smiled nervously." eh heh, viola!"
   "You're getting married," they chuckled together . . .
   Kate nodded," Um, yeah, I'm getting married. Who told you?"
   "I did."
   Kate spun to the side and saw Humphrey pacing slowly up to the den, smiling as usual . . . It felt like her heart stopped when she saw him . . ." Humphrey!" she cried happily.
    Paddy suddenly spoke up," Well, ah, ah, we should be going," he and Marcel spread their wings and quickly flew away . . .
    Humphrey stepped up in front of Kate, suddenly he sat down and started scratching himself," Oh, excuse me, a flea." Then suddenly he stepped forward and slipped a flower into her fur," And a little something for your big day."
   She nodded, smilling still," Thank you."
   "I just wanted to say goodbye," Humphrey said suddenly, the smile melting off of his face.
   Kate felt her own smile fade away as well, goodbye? He was going?" Goodbye?"
   Humphrey sat down and did his best at a laugh," Yeah, I'm thinkin about doin a little travelin. Ya know, seein where the train takes me," he grinned at Kate," and maybe I'll visit our friends: The bears. Rawr! Our old buddies, see how they're doing . . . I'll tell em you said hi!"
    Kate chuckled at that.
    Suddenly he stood and began to pace away, she stepped forward and stopped him." Wait, but . . . You're leaving Jasper?"
    He nodded lightly." Yeah, ya know, it's a 'lone wolf' thing . . ."
    Kate felt her heart break, she knew what he was doing was being done with good reason, but she couldn't bear to see it." Well I know Humphrey the fun-loving Omega, but not Humphrey the lone wolf . . ." She tried to smile but felt too weak.
    Humphrey shrugged." I'll be a fun-loving lone wolf then . . ." Slowly he turned and walked away.
    "I don't doubt that," she said sadly, it was time for Humphrey to say goodbye. He didn't belong in Jasper, not anymore. The pack's were taken care of, he had done his duty, with no appreciation, and was now going to step away . . .

    Paddy sighed to Marcel, watching from the branches of a pine off the edge of the rocks," You must that I am a stickler for tradition . . . but this one I don't understand." They watched Humphrey slowly walk away. . . .
    "These wolves are mysterious creatures." Marcel agreed, almost sadly.