Ash: The Wolves of the World's End

Chapter 11

Selena had been easy to convince. The rest of the pack had been more wary. Over the course of an hour, they had rounded up Remus, Jet, and Bianca.

     "Where's Samson" Ash asked, noticing the tawny beta was missing.

     "He could be anywhere," Bianca answered. "I saw him disappear during the attack. But you should be careful."

     Ash nodded grimly. Samson would have been leader after Wyrden's death; it was possible that he might return and claim his title. He could smell the same feeling in Selena; they both remembered Samson's prowess.

     "All these things, Samson's betrayal, the hunters' appearances, and their actions are pointing one way." Ash swallowed nervously and glanced towards Selena before continuing. "We can't fight them, so we must flee."

     A burst of debate erupted from the other wolves, and it took both his and Selena's power to calm it. "My father, Fang, is moving north, beyond the mountains, beyond maybe this entire world. Maybe into a world where these hunters have less power. We could be safer than we are here."

     "We could be," said Remus, "but what if it isn't any safer at all? Besides, we have our mountain haven to protect us."

     "The most fearsome howls are the ones no one expects," countered Ash. "They know we're there. It's only a matter of time before we are flushed out." He paused. "And yes, it is my fault they know of us. But if we stay, no one is guaranteed safety."

     Bianca stepped forward. "What does Selena think of it? Mating season is almost upon us; I can feel it running through my blood. If we are on the move, another year will go by without our pack growing in strength."

     Ash was startled. The idea had barely crossed his mind. The mountain haven provided food, water, and denning. If they left it, they left the future of the pack to fate. He glanced at Selena. Her deep yellow eyes met his, and Ash felt his blood pound. Her scent was overpowering, begging him to stay where there was some certainty. What if it’s not true? he thought. What if our safe destination doesn't exist?

     Selena spoke. "It’s true that mating season is here. But so are the hunters. Any pups will be in constant danger. We can't mate here." She paced to Ash's side, letting her fur brush with his. "I stand with Ash."

     The others were silent. Then Jet stood. "I can't disagree with what you two said. I'm in." Jet approached them, and Remus followed.

     "If we do this, it’s most likely that we'll never see the mountain haven again," Bianca replied bitterly. "But count me in anyways."

---

     The sky was a light grey as Selena led the way back with Ash at her side. It wasn't until now that Ash realized how far his encounter with the hunters had taken him. As he ran alongside Selena, the frozen tundra felt like a sea of white, extending out forever. Overhead, birds clustered together in flocks, making little noise other than the beat of their wings. Once in a while, he caught the sound of their squabbling, but to him it was nonsensical.

     The sky the birds soared in was cloudless but sunless. Fall was at an end, and winter was already here, its dreariness shading the sky a faint twilight during the short days, and pitch black at night. His warm winter fur would keep him warm enough though, at least he hoped.

     Eventually, they reached the border of the mountain haven, its scent already beginning to decay and dissipate, just like its last alpha. It’s fine though, he thought as the others passed. Now it’s my job to mark the borders. For as long as we are still here. He breathed deeply, and soon he knew every rock, tree, and every pace of land that made up the border. He check to see where the others had gone. Most likely to the woods to hunt, or to rest. That was fine. Lifting one of his rear legs, he bathed a tree trunk in his own scent as he felt the heat rush out of him. Grinning, he marked off more of his territory around the base of the mountain. By the time he was done, most of the borders smelled fresh.

     Selena's howl summoned him. Satisfied with his work, he followed the sound through the trees until he was at the side of a river. The pack was assembling near the banks as Selena dug at the dirt with her dewclaws. She rummaged around with her muzzle, until she found what she was looking for. In her mouth was an old elk leg, covered in dirt and blood from a previous hunt.

     "You planning on eating that?" Ash joked.

     Selena rolled her eyes. "Its- Wait." She dropped the leg in front of her. "Just a training exercise. The rules are simple," she addressed the entire pack. "Get the leg from me by any means. If I kick you, you're dead."

     "You're joking, right?" said Ash, casually walking towards her. But she already had the elk leg in her jaws, and swatted at him with the hoof. It missed him by inches. Never mind, he thought, crouching low and circling her at a distance. Most of the others took a similar stance, creating a ring around Selena. He saw Jet leap from the side, and Selena swerved, letting the hoof collide with his side. "You're out!" she snarled, her jaws still clasped around the elk leg.

     We need a distraction, Ash thought. He caught a glance with Remus on the opposite side. Hopefully his friend knew what he was planning. He barked to Bianca, who snapped at Selena's right flank. She jumped out of the way just in time, and locked eyes with Ash. Her golden eyes were piercing, and for a moment, Ash felt himself become absorbed into the game as if it were a real hunt. He growled deeply at her, and swerved as a blow from the leg came whizzing by his head. She might have the advantage of a weapon, he thought, but right now, I'm more agile. So as soon as her blow hit the ground, he peppered her with an onslaught of jousts and thrusts, darting in and out as she struggled to make a mark. But that was all he needed. "Now!" he barked, and Remus leapt at her, knocking the bone from her mouth. Ash scrambled for it out of instinct, almost laughing as Selena picked herself off the ground. "I guess we win then, " he mused.

     Selena only smiled. "Only halfway, Ash." She sprang towards the river. "Catch me if you can!"

     Ash couldn't help but grin. "After her!" he called to the pack, bounding towards the snowy riverside. She was already halfway across ashe hit the river, but he pressed through the chilly water, emerging soaking wet on the other side. He broke into a frenzied run, following her uphill into the trees. Looking back, he saw the others following closely. Laughing to himself, he let his paws pound across the ground in full fury. Trees whizzed by as he snaked after her, and Ash heard the cawing of ravens, eager to watch the spectacle. Soon, he couldn't even feel the ground on his paws as he sped on. Selena's tail was close enough for him to bite it if he wanted to, but Ash knew of better ways to take down prey. Her scent betrayed her fatigue; all he needed was a couple of seconds more.

     Selena started to slow, and Ash sprung at her legs. She let out a bark of alarm as she tripped, sending him sprawling on top of her. "I guess I win now," he mused, looking down at her and nipping her on the muzzle. She smiled, and Ash felt on top of the world as he let her get up.

     "You're pretty fast for a male," she commented. "I usually don't get outrun by anybody." She started shaking snow from her fur as the others caught up. "I don't think that-" She froze mid-sentence. Ash turned around. By the base of the mountains, a lone wolf stood at the borders of the forest. He might've been far off, but Ash recognized him immediately.

     Samson.

     Ash's first response would have been to howl a warning to their enemy. But Selena tugged him back towards the woods before he could make a sound. Remus, Jet, and Bianca had finally arrived.

     "Stay quiet," she warned. "We have intruders."

     "More than one?" Ash turned his nose back away from the mountains. Sure enough, there were more scents, most of them smelling similar to a wolf's. But Ash was able to make the connection. "Dogs." He breathed hurriedly. "At least nine. He must've convinced them to leave the hunters somehow."

     "Most likely out of fear though," Jet added. "Most dogs are afraid of wolves normally. But what are we supposed to do? They double us in numbers."

     "He knows about the mountain haven," said Selena dejectedly. "If we can beat him there, we might have a chance to hold him off." She began retracing her steps, and Ash followed her close behind. "We're upwind to them, so we have the element of surprise. But we need to hurry."

     Ash gritted his teeth. "Pack-mates, follow me, " he called out, breaking into a run. He knew Selena had commented on how fast he could run. Hopefully it was fast enough.