The legend of friendship: Never losing faith again

Chapter 4: Madeline's penalty (Part 1)

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Father wolf said, pacing back and forth. Madeline is being scolded by Father wolf for going near a human (Arvid Williams Sr.). She, Ben, Mother wolf, Father wolf, and the wolf pack, are in the middle part of the cave. The inside of the middle area is the size of a gymnasium. The wolves were in a circle and Madeline, Ben, Mother wolf, and Father wolf were in the middle. Madeline is sitting in front of a pacing Father wolf, while Mother wolf and Ben were behind him. "Running away from your cave." Father wolf said, as he stopped pacing and faced Madeline. "Finding and taking a human's necklace, and even following a human. Do you know how furious I am?!! You disobeyed my rules and the humans' rules!! You could've been caught and banished from the country for good!!" "I'M SORRY, FATHER!!" Madeline cried tearfully. "PLEASE!! I'M BEGGING YOU, FORGIVE ME!!" "DON'T give me that attitude, young lady!" Father wolf snapped. "You're lucky that you didn't talk to the human. If you did, we would never SEE you again!!" "But, I just wanted to return his necklace, Father!" Madeline cried. "All I wanted was to be able to interact with this human, but I couldn't! Not if the rule prevents me from doing so." "Humans are nothing more than savage killers, Madeline!" Ben said angrily. "The intensity, the relationships with us, WHY DO YOU THINK WE LIVE IN THE FOREST??!!!" Madeline started crying softly. "Okay. I'm sorry." She said quietly. "If it's my fault that I'm disobedient to the family name, I won't talk to a human." "You're not disobedient, sweetheart." Mother wolf said. "We never said that. We just want you to listen to us. We're trying to protect you and we don't want you to leave America." "Okay..." Madeline said softly, her head down. "I won't disobey you, Mother and Father. I promise." Madeline was lying. She knew that it's wrong to lie, but it was the only way to try and bring peace between humans and wolves. "Thank you, Madeline." Father wolf said calmly. "I appreciate that you promised and that's what God wants for you, but there's still the matter of your punishment." Madeline quickly looked up, wide-eyed. "Wh-What?" She said softly, but slightly fearfully. "B-But, I just wanted to talk to this human, Father. That's the reason why I always talk about humans. This rule should never have been made and the humans deserve better." "The humans made their final decision, Madeline. And, there's no way out of it." A male wolf said. "Besides, humans have never done anything good for us!" "Yeah! How many wolves got killed off by humans?!" Another male wolf growled. "Millions! That's what!!" "Humans never cared about us, Emerald!!" A she-wolf growled. "They are pitiful! I can't imagine life without this rule that America made!!!" The wolf pack started clamoring and growling angrily. Madeline shyly looked down while the wolves clamored. "All right, that's ENOUGH!!!" Father wolf shouted. The clamoring stopped and all of the wolves stared at Father wolf wide-eyed, even Ben. "F-Father?" Ben cried quietly. "Y-You okay? You look really mad!" "Sorry, son." Father wolf apologized. "But, you are all behaving like animals! Yes, humans are nothing to us, but they will still try to fight and hunt us down! If we all just stay together, we can all avoid banishment from the Thirteen Colonies." "Why do you get to make all the decisions?!!" A male wolf growled viciously. "You're not even the leader of the pack!"

Message from Mr. X: Sorry to interrupt, but did you hear what one of the wolves said? Yes, Father wolf isn't the leader of the wolfpack, and neither is Mother wolf. The only leader of this pack is leadership itself. The wolves have to make their own decisions and rules. Let's return to the story.

"Yeah! You shouldn't be the one deciding almost everything!" Another she-wolf growled viciously. Then, everyone (except for Madeline, Father wolf, Mother wolf, and Ben) started clamoring angrily again. Madeline, whose head is still down, thought, This is definitely not a great time to argue. I really need to listen and obey, but I really am having a hard time with that. "That's ENOUGH!!!!" Father wolf roared. Everyone stared at him wide-eyed again, but, this time, they're shaking. "My decision is final! Even if I'm not the leader!" Father wolf growled. "Madeline, you are to stay in your room until I can think of what to do! Do you understand?!" "Yes, Father." Madeline whispered, looking up. "I understand very well, and I will accept any punishment you give me." "Thank you, Madeline." Father wolf said calmly. "I'm glad you're listening and being polite, but I expect you to keep your promise and stay away from all humans. Especially, humans of Congress!" "Yes, Father. I will not talk to anymore humans." Madeline said, regretfully lying. She knew lying was a sin, but she couldn't let humans suffer with King Williams III's rule. She needed to save the human race from imprisonment of this rule.