The Cursed Kids Never Sleep

Chapter 3: The Meeting

Adeline slowed, catching the scent of an unknown wolf. She trotted up to the tree sniffing its base, alert and unsure if the other wolf was a shifter or not. Once her gaze settled on that of the large wolf, she backed up, timid but unwavering in her movements.

Ren growled at the new wolf, showing his blood covered canines, walking to the other side of the tree, tense and prepared to fight and kill if needed.

Blake stopped in his tracks, asking himself why he spent his valuable energy running such a long distance to look at a tree. He scoffs at himself but continues onward, unable to go back without fruitlessly wasting more time and energy.

Adeline growled in response to the large black wolf, who had human eyes much like her own. She smelt two other wolves approaching, a puzzled look crossing her face as she thought to herself. "How could one tree attract four wolves?" She hunched her back, but didn't growl out of aggression, only watching from a distance.

As Jaye neared the tree, she slowed, seeing the other two wolves. She approached cautiously, her head lowered as she sniffed the tense atmosphere.

Blake stops and crouches low, listening for something to eat. He spots a small rabbit and slowly walks closer, crouching before pouncing on the rabbit, much like a cat would, and biting down, killing the rabbit quickly. He scarfs down his small meal and continues onward, nearly to the tree.

Lee approached a tree with three other wolves gathered around it and darted off, hiding beside a tree and letting out a deep growl. Her growl cuts off as she whines, suddenly realizing how tall the other wolves are compared to herself. She then watches quietly, staying beside the tree.

Ren heard another growl and stepped with his back to the tree. After many fights, Ren new better than to leave his back unprotected. As more wolves arrive he becomes increasingly unsure of the events that are unfolding, so he stays still, glancing around with observant eyes. He calculates in his head what his chances of survival are if he was forced to fight all these wolves at once, should they decide to gang up on him. He decides that the chance of him surviving would be very slim, but he knows he could take down at least the smaller two. He drops his bag to the ground, watching the other wolves closely.

Jaye stands, approaching quietly. She dips her head to the others, sensing that they are not normal wolves. She speaks quietly, stepping out into the clearing, attempting to break the ice between the group. "Hello." The only response she receives is a narrowing of the large black wolf's eyes, his cold gray eyes flickering between the other wolves. She lays down submissively, talking quieter than before. "We are the chosen ones..." She stays down, hopping she is correct.

"Hardly." Adeline replied to the she-wolf, sitting down and glaring at the horizon.

The white wolf stops running, approaching a clearing in the trees. His ears perked, hearing other wolves in the area, approaching slowly. His approach caused Lee to look around anxiously, smelling yet another wolf enter the area. Jaye backs into the trees, nodding cautiously at the others.

Ren looks up as another large wolf enters the area. He growls lowly as his chances of surviving an attack diminished when the wolf entered. Ren watches closely as the new wolf sits down casually, showing no sign of attacking, he relaxes slightly when the white wolf appears calm, however he had fooled by that before, so he stays alert. He decides not to speak like the others had chosen to, instead saving his energy in case he needed it.

Lee tried to speak like the other two she-wolves did, but it comes out as nothing more than a weak bark. The white wolf studies the others around him quietly, his ears flickering towards a smaller black wolf that seems to be barking. Lee catches his eyes and backs away, averting her gaze.

Jaye walks behind a tree, shifting back into human form, the crack of her bones as they change echoing slightly in the clearing. She slips her clothes on, stepping back out, showing she is a shifter, and not a threat to the others. She sits down, crossing her legs as the white wolf speaks, his tone sounding confused. "Any of you know what's so special about this er, tree?"

Ren tilts his head in confusion when another shifter changes, wondering why she let her guard down before his head snapped around to the wolf that spoke. He doesn't respond but relaxed a little more.

Lee starts to speak, hopping it comes out as a bark once again. "I can't change back." She tilts her head, startled at her words. The white wolf looks back at the small black wolf, tilting his head at her words.

Ren sighs, laying down, but staying alert. He speaks, his voice low and husky after not talking for months. "Something important." He stops talking and looks around at the others, his piercing gray eyes narrowed. At the larger black wolf's comment, Blake turns his head, nodding.

Jaye walks back behind the tree, beginning the process of shifting back. When she has changed back into wolf form, she lays down on her stomach, tucking her tail around herself and nodding.

Blake stands up, growling loudly as another large wolf enter the area. The small black wolf panics, looking for someone to hide behind. She ducks underneath the white wolf, her tail wrapped around her body. Ren also stood up, growling menacingly as a large wolf appears, his hackles raised, his body tense and ready to fight.

Adeline suddenly pieced it together, wagging her tail a little but halted it and looked at the strange wolves. She spoke, her voice excited. "Did any of you have a dream?" Lee looked up at the she-wolf that spoke from her hiding place, replying quickly. "Yes." Jaye nods to the she-wolf. "Actually yes." Ren simply nods, not taking his eyes off the new wolf.

Blake leveled a stare at the other white wolf, ready to fight if he happened to move towards any of the wolves that were already here. Ren glances over at the white wolf that is the same height as him, circling around the new larger wolf, staying crouched low and growling lowly.

The new wolf speaks, glancing around at each off the five other shifters gathered around him. "I'm Alf, I am pleased you all decided to come." At his words, Adeline backed up, her ears flickering at the larger, pale gray wolf. "You planned all this?" Alf nods, speaking again. "You all have been chosen." He shakes his head, then continues, "This was not planned entirely by me, but by our ancestors."

Blake lets out a growl. "I ran all the way here for a quest?" He says, not pleases at all with this new information. Ren glares coldly at Alf, but says nothing. Ignoring the remark, Alf continues on with his clearly rehearsed speech. "Not just any quest, a legacy." He trails off, smiling brightly. At this, Blake scoffs, muttering to himself. "Should have just stayed in Alabama."

Ren speaks, his voice low. "Legacy my ass, why did you bring us here?" At this remark, Alf seems to break character, growling harshly as he snaps. "Can you all get your heads out of your asses and listen for two seconds?" Ren narrows his eyes but stops talking, growling and waiting for him to explain. Lee whines, her voice innocent as she clearly misunderstands the statement. "My head isn't in my ass, I'm not that flexible!" Ren rolls his eyes at the female wolf laying underneath that other male and then turns his attention back to the supposed alpha wolf.

Alf glares, speaking again." I don't want to be here either." After a brief pause he continues talking. "Fine, leave if you wish. Your legacy is to become a pack, but if you cannot manage that then you are free to go." He states it as a challenge, his eyes glinting.

Blake speaks sarcastically, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Why have you brought is here, oh great one?" Alf snorts replying sharply. "The pack of shifters falls apart over and over, I've been summoned to bring together the remaining few. I will not be staying long, I am to old to shift and lead a pack. I leave it up to you." Lee watches nervously, ready to bolt, as the pale gray wolf nods, saying a final "Good luck to you all." before limping off, answering no question, and disappearing into the swirling snow.