Strange Pack (Doctor Strange Fanfiction)

Chapter 8: Father and Son

Sergantis awoke to Indarra kicking his back as she tried to get more comfortable. He let out a small growl as he rose to his paws and shook out his fur. It was early, yes, but that also meant that he had to leave. He wanted to find his son before the sun got too high in the sky and he wasn't about to track in the heat. It wouldn't be easy, but he knew that he had to. Magister was counting on him and he was counting on himself.

He slinked out of the room and walked down the long and quiet hallways. He let out a small snort as he felt his chest tighten as he saw Magister sitting at the entrance. He reluctantly came over to her and dipped his head. It was customary to receive her blessing before traveling, especially if it was something as important as this.

"Do you think that you can find him," asked Magister.

Truthfully, Sergantis wasn't sure. It would be difficult, but it was certainly possible. "I will try, but I'm not going to make any promises. Even if I do find him, I can't promise that he's going to listen to me."

"I have faith in your, Sergantis. I know that you will finish the task," she whispered as she touched her nose to his ear. "I'll tell Indarra and Stephen where you went. Maybe they can actually get some stuff done."

Sergantis dipped his head as he let out a deep breath and darted forward and out of the temple. It was early in the morning and almost no one was out. That would help Sergantis make it to the forest so that he didn't need to push his way through anyone. He couldn't fly yet either, since he didn't want anyone to see him and wonder what he was.

He walked to the edge of the forest and by this time it was noon. He panted a bit as he tried to scent the air. He shook his head as he picked up the scents of everything around him, except for his son. He grimaced a bit and let out a sigh, shaking his head as he let out a sigh.

"Looks like I'm going to have to do this another way," he grumbled to himself as he stalked forward.

He looked down and tried to figure out if any of the tracks under him could be his son's. He lifted his paw and tried to size it up, but all of the pawsteps were much too small. His son was a little smaller than him, but these pawsteps belonged to a fox or a coyote, certainly not a wolf.

He thought about calling his son's name, but knowing his son and their relationship, or lack of relationship, he would probably either ignore him or run the other direction. He couldn't blame him, but it wasn't exactly helping.

Sergantis headed deeper and deeper into the forest. The light was finally starting to ebb into the forest and lit everything. He scented the air with his mouth parted as he tried to scent the air again. He shook his head and walked forward. He may have been able to pick up his scent, but he wasn't even sure what he should be sniffing for. He didn't remember his son's scent.

"Trikan!"

He broke down and called for his son. "Trikan, I need to speak to you!"

There was a soft growl around him as he turned and saw a bright orange and white fox making it's way toward him. He hadn't seen Trikan in forever, but he certainly knew that this was it.

"I don't want any trouble," muttered Sergantis as he lowered his head into his shoulders and growled.

The fox snapped at Sergantis's haunches. Sergantis veered the other direction and plastered his ears against his head. "Don't make me do this," he spat with his hackles rising. "You're not going to like this."

The fox bared his teeth as he looked at Sergantis. He was about to lunge forward, but there was a sudden howl that punctured the air. Sergantis looked up and saw a blue and black male wolf. His face was shadowed, but his muscles rippled from where he stood on top of a branch on the nearest tree. He let out a snarl as he leaped down, his wings spread.