Ice Age: The Next Generation

Angel or Devil?

A/N: The picture above is Nikita

        Haken watched his mother in the firelight. Her somber expression was a far cry from her usual jovial face. She'd been reserved ever since Lone Star had appeared. She hadn't said one word about the encounter to any of them, except that they were to avoid him at all costs if he ever came around again and to come to her immediately. Haken had never seen his mom like this. His siblings and the saber cubs and everyone was extremely worried about her. He'd tried asking dad about it, but he was just as tight-lipped as mom.
       "I swear if I get any bigger I'm gonna pop. I can barely walk!!" Peaches complained, leaning heavily on Jullian. Her belly had grown rapidly in the past couple weeks and it was true, she was almost to the point where she couldn't stand by herself. Uncle Diego said she was much bigger than Aunt Ellie had been.
       "Have you ever considered the fact that you might be carrying twins?" Aunt Shira asked. Peaches blanched and Jullian's eyes grew wide as coconuts. Manny and Ellie looked at each other.
        "It's rare for mammoths, but I suppose it's possible." Peaches plopped down next to the fire at her mother's words.
        "How on earth am I supposed to handle TWO kids right off the-," she cut herself off at Shira and Sassy's indignant looks. "Um...actually never mind." Shira and Diego smirked while Sassy went back to staring at the fire, a far off, sad look in her eyes. Denali's expression filled with worry. He scooted right up next to Sassy and licked her cheek. She immediately crooned into him, nuzzling under his chin, turning her head into his chest. Denali rested his head on top of hers, his eyes accidentally meeting Haken's. His heart broke at the sight and he abruptly stood.
       "I'm going to take a walk." Sassy looked up, her face growing distressed.
       "At night? Can't you wait until morning?" Haken softened and walked over to his mother, licking her cheek twice.
       "I'll be fine momma. Don't worry, please." She looked doubtful, but nodded hesitantly.
       "Please be careful." Haken looked to his father and he nodded as well. Haken took off, running through the bushes and trees till he was well out of sight from the campfire. He hoped none of his siblings came after him. He needed to be alone for now. He loved his mom more than anything, and seeing her hurt and not knowing why was killing him. He laid down  in the sand once he came to the river. There had to be someway to find out what was bothering his mom so much, and he knew that practically everybody in the herd knew what it was...but no one was saying a blasted word about it.
       A twig snapped to his right and he spun to his feet, growling low in his throat. He heard a gasp and leaves crunching as whoever it was tried to back away.
       "I already know you're there! Come out before I give chase!" There was silence for a moment. He tried to see if he could recognize the animal's scent but the air had turned cold and there was no wind. He picked up the barest of scents. It was familiar. Soft paw steps practically echoed in the silence and a form emerged from the shadows. A wolf. Haken tensed, then froze as the wolf stepped into the light of the full moon. It was Nikita, Lone Star's beta. The moonlight glinted off her solid black fur and reflected in her azure eyes, making them practically glow. Haken's breath caught in his throat. His heart skipped a beat. He attributed it to being shocked at seeing her again. She pierced him with her gaze, maintaining a safe distance away from him.
       "I apologize. I didn't smell you, I...I didn't know you were here." Haken slowly sat down, his back still rigid.
        "It's alright. I didn't smell you either. Must be 'cause the air turned cold so fast." She gave a little nod, looking like she wanted to bolt for the trees. He sighed and laid down. "You can come closer. I'm not going to bite." She arched a brow and her mouth quirked to one side, as through she were trying not to smile.
        "Pity." She murmured, so lowly he almost didn't catch it. He nearly choked. She cautiously neared him and laid down about 4 feet away. The tension between them was so thick Buck could've cut it with his knife. Haken finally cleared his throat awkwardly.
      "So...I thought your pack had moved on. What are you still doing here?" Nikita stared at the water.
       "My alpha wasn't ready to leave yet. I'm out...scouting." Haken knew it was a lie before he even looked at her.
       "Scouting, my tail." She turned an indignant look on him.
        "Who are you to say what I am or am not doing?"
         "My mother was an alpha. I know the working mechanics of a pack, and the beta stays by the alpha's side at all times unless specifically told otherwise, but a simple thing like scouting would be left for low ranking wolves." Her eyes were wide, jaw opened slightly in mild shock. He fought back a smirk.
       "I'm impressed." She said, studying Haken a little more closely. "I guess there's more to you than I figured."
       "Maybe." He looked her dead in the eye. "So if you're here, then either you were sent by your alpha to spy on my herd, or because you snuck out." Stunned didn't even begin to describe her expression. It was quickly replaced with cold fury, however. She shot to her paws.
        "How dare you insinuate that I'm spying on your herd!! I would never do something like that! A wolf has more pride than that!"
       "Even if ordered?" Haken countered. She huffed.
        "Why would my alpha order me to spy on your herd? What could he possibly hope to gain?" Haken stood as well, facing off with the she-wolf.
         "You tell me." She narrowed her blue eyes.
         "Look, I don't know what the deal is between your mom and my alpha. He won't tell us anything except that she was an old friend, even though it's blatantly obvious that there's more to it than that. But even if there is something wrong, I have no problem with you mammals, so I won't make any trouble."
        "But will Lone Star?" She looked momentarily guilty at this. He stepped closer and she backed up a step. He continued to advance on her, him stepping towards her more than she was backing up. Finally she stopped and stared him down, holding her ground. He came within inches of her. "I just want to know what's wrong with my mom. She hasn't been right since she saw your alpha, and it's got my entire herd worried." Nikita softened slightly.
          "I...look I really don't...," She heaved a heavy sigh. "I'm telling the truth when I say I don't know what's going on with them." She looked back up at him. "But the reason we haven't moved on is because of it. My alpha says that since neither she nor her mate are alpha and have claimed this territory, he has a right to claim it as his own." Haken withdrew as though she had smacked him.
         "There are plenty of territories around that haven't been claimed. He has to pick the one that is my herd's home!?" He felt his anger rising. "This has to do with my mother. It has to be the reason." Nikita nodded. "Does he plan to just force us away? Cause I can tell you that he won't get very far with that plan, not even with your whole pack." Nikita shook her head, her mane swaying from side to side.
        "He knows the pack is no match for an entire wolf, saber and mammoth family. Not to mention the aid of those few extras in your herd too. No, he plans to do things differently, and I honestly don't know what he hopes to gain from it." She backed away again, suddenly skittish. "I um...I need to go. I shouldn't be here."
       "Nikita wait!" Haken pounced in front of her, blocking her path. "What is he going to do? Tell me, please!" He pleaded with her with his eyes but she purposefully looked away.
        "I'm his beta Haken, I've already said too much." She quickly passed him, but stopped at the wood line. She looked over her shoulder at him. "I come here every night. I have to get away at some point." With that, she raced into the thicket, leaving Haken with so many unanswered questions, and a flutter in his heart.

        Buck watched his nephew with the female wolf beta. He had followed the young male at seeing Sassy's worry at the campfire. He knew she was afraid one of her kids would encounter Lone Star alone. If it had been one of the girls, she never would've let them go off alone, much less at night. But all the same, Buck wanted to make sure Haken would be alright. The boy was soft spoken most of the time and hardly ever lost his temper. He didn't mind how his siblings teased him about being a momma's boy, and he obviously was his mother's greatest pride. But Haken had a strength about him that only the adults could see, and even Manny and Diego were blind to it sometimes. He might be a quieter, more even tempered wolf, but he was no weakling, that was for sure. Buck had a feeling the female wolf saw that too.
         The weasel edged closer in the trees, trying to hear what they were saying. Both looked upset but not at each other. He noted the way Haken looked at the black wolf, and the way she looked at him. He rolled his one good eye. He wasn't surprised. Romance seemed to be in the air for the wolf pups and the saber cubs, even though it was winter rolling in and not spring. The entire forest knew Rorik and Rose were gone over each other, though both were too stubborn to admit it. Stubborn and shy. After all, it wasn't every day a wolf fell for a sabress and visa versa.
       But besides that, Rorik flirted with anything female that moved and with the wolf pack in the vicinity, bad wolves or no, the pups could only control themselves so much. The girls smelled the new males and they were curious. Even Freya, who vehemently denied it. Buck chuckled at the thought of his favorite niece. She was a firecracker that was for sure. She took after him. Well, technically she took after her mother but, semantics.
        His attention was drawn back to the pair down below. The female took off after a backward glance at Haken. The boy just stood there for a moment before absently kicking a rock, sending it skittering. He turned and headed back to camp. He'd be alright now. Buck looked in the direction the female had ran. Chances were she was running back to her pack. Maybe this was his chance to scout out the strange wolf pack and figure out what that slimy creature of a wolf alpha was planning. He was already swinging through the trees after her before his thoughts even caught up with him.
       "I'll keep Sassy-girl an' them kids safe. I swear it."