said.
“I’m sure they’re both fine, we can go looking for them if you like?” Replied Baako, trying to calm Naryia’s worry. They woke up Eli and headed off, Baako sniffing in the air trying to catch their scent.
“It’s old but I think it will do,” Said Baako. Naryia followed Baako in silence, Eli on the other hand wouldn’t stop with annoying questions. “Where are we going?” “Why are we going there?” “Why are we looking for them?” Soon Naryia and Baako gave up with the long explanations and just answered him with “Because we are,” The question that took them both by surprise was:
“Is that Durango over there?” Naryia and Baako couldn’t believe it, they were just about to give up the search. They all ran over to Durango, unexpected to what they had found.
Durango was a mess! A huge mess, the mud on him from the night before had dried into his fur. The cut on his ankle grew bigger and widened, it was still fleshy and even through the mud you could see it bleed. Durango’s eyes were nearly as red as the blood. He hadn’t slept all night, he never stopped crying either. He cried so much it looked like the tears had pulled his bottom eyelids down permanently.
“Durango, what happened?” Asked Baako.
“Did you find Litzy?” Added Naryia.
“Are you all right?” Of course the most stupid question came from Eli.
But Durango didn’t answer, there was too much pain in his heart. When the others realized he wouldn’t speak, Baako carried him to a lake to wash himself off. But Durango just stood in the water. The water only came up to his mid-leg and it stung his cut, but Durango didn’t flinch. He went through his whole life with Litzy, replaying everything in his mind. He noticed that as soon as he claimed ‘the man of the family’ when he was a pup, that’s when he started rejecting Litzy. He felt so horrible that he used to ignore her and throw her kindness away. He was so cruel to her, he never listened, he barely even cared. It never hit him until now and boy did it hit him hard! He felt horrible for he’d done to her, he would never forgive himself, not now. He couldn’t. Baako, Naryia and Eli sat at the edge of the water, whispering to themselves about who was going to ask him what had happened. Finally it was Naryia who spoke up.
“Durango?” She said softly. “Are you going to tell us what happened to Litzy?” A few long seconds past before they got their answer.
“She’s gone… She’s dead… Those beasts killed her,” He said ‘beasts’ like he was more than just revolted and shocked, he said it like there was no other most awful thing on earth, not even in his nightmares. Durango’s statement was returned with gasps and whimpers as they cried. Durango started crying also, he wanted to leave this world finding that what he had done was the worst thing any wolf could do. Durango started moving slowly into the depths of the lake. The others hadn’t become aware of Durango’s movement. They were all inside their own heads of sorrow. Naryia was reminded of her own packs slaughter, which made her cry harder. After a few minutes of this Eli lifted his head.
“Where did he go?” He asked sniffling. The others shot up their heads too. The only thing that was left of Durango were the ripples in water of his trail. Baako leaped into the water searching for Durango. He saw fish under the water but couldn’t see anything else, the water was too deep and dark. Baako surfaced to meet two blubbery, anxious faces.
“Is he okay?” Eli asked.
“Did you find him?” Naryia added.
Baako walked out of the water and sat down with sadness.
“He’s gone,” He said quietly.

Chapter Twelve: A FAMILIAR SCENT? ------------Friday

A whole week had nearly gone by and Baako, Naryia and Eli were still friends – alive and well.
Baako had been teaching them how to hunt big animals and track other dogs and they were getting pretty good at it. It was Naryia’s practice today while Baako and Eli hid somewhere far away, Naryia had to search for them using her nose and new skills (Kind of like hide-and-seek with an advantage).  She was sniffing the air and caught a scent. But it wasn’t Baako’s or Eli’s scent. Naryia knew it was a wolf, so she wasn’t completely terrified but it did give her chills down her back. This scent wasn’t that stranger-ly though, she knew who it was but she hadn’t smelt it for a long time. Naryia decided to follow the scent. Leaving in nearly the exact opposite direction to where Baako and Eli were hiding. This wolf wasn’t very close but she didn’t give up. Her hopes grew high when the scent got stronger.
“I must be getting close,” She said to herself. A few moments passed and all Naryia found so far were some rabbits and birds. But she never gave up her faith.
When she knew she was close enough, she slowed her pace. Naryia peered through the trees, looking out for a wolf who matched her scent. Her ears stood up and her eyes brightened when she saw him.
Baako thought Naryia was taking too long, he feared she may be in trouble.
“C’mon Eli, we need to find Naryia,” Baako said.
“I thought she was looking for us,” He replied, but Baako didn’t answer him.
They both ran after Naryia’s scent. Never slowing their pace. Baako called out for Naryia.
“Naryia! Where are you?”
“I’m over here,” She called back; there wasn’t any fear in her voice at all which was a surprise to Baako. (Eli hadn’t realized much of course)
Baako ran through the trees in the direction of her voice. He stopped when he found her, he nearly ran into her too. But from Baako’s sudden halt Eli ran into him. Baako and Eli fell in front of Naryia together and another strange wolf who looked familiar…
Naryia had a big smile on her face, slightly giggling as the boys fell. Baako shot up as if nothing had happened. He searched the features of this strange but recognizable wolf.
“Baako,” Said Naryia singingly, Baako hadn’t seen Naryia this happy since…well, ever. Then again he had only known her for about a week and a half. “This is my father,” Naryia continued. That’s what was so familiar about him, he looked like Naryia Baako realized. Right now she seemed like a little girl who just became a princess. Baako’s smile was very wide.
“See I told you things would be fine,” He commented.
“Yes, you did. Thank you so much,” She replied. Eli kept silent, he still hadn’t known about her packs fight and the reason she ran.
“Oh Daddy, this is Baako and Eli,” Said Naryia, jerking her head towards the wolves as she named them. Norisus just nodded in approval.
“I here you’ve been keeping my little girl safe?” Said Norisus.
“Yes sir,” Replied Baako. There was a few seconds of silence until Naryia piped up again.
“So Daddy, will you tell me…uhh us what happened in the fight?” She asked.
“As you know, I spared my opponents life and that’s what triggered the fight, but I have a feeling even if I did kill him he would have declared war on us anyway. But we fought strong. As you know Darian was too old for these kinds of things and…” Norisus trailed off and held his breath trying to keep tears down. Norisus and Darian had been great friends since Norisus’ birth. It hurt him to know his friend was on the verve of death. “He… was badly injured, but he is alive…barely but alive. Our pack had won the fight. A few of our opponents joined our side. Not everyone died thankfully. Their alpha retreated when he recognized their numbers were dropping faster than ours,” Norisus spoke with profession as he always did. “We have a few new wolves in our pack though,” But that’s where the profession fell and his smirk grew.
Naryia’s face lit up with joy, she hugged her father so tightly, but Norisus wasn’t as happy as she. He still had some slither of sadness in him for her. “But I’m afraid that the pack still won’t accept you, since I didn’t kill my challenger and caused the fight, they now blame me more than ever, we lost quite a few numbers out there,” He said softly.
Baako saw a glint of misery in Naryia’s eyes, something that her father couldn’t see because she soon looked up to him with the warmest smile on her face. “It’s okay Daddy,” She said. “As long as you’re alive, I’m happy,” Her comment put tears her father eyes, but they didn’t drop.
“I’ll be waiting for you over there, you can say goodbye to your friends,” He said and walked off into the forest just out of hearing range.
“You’re going back?” Asked Baako, his voice was gloomy.
“I-I have to, I’m the only one he has left… and he’s the only one I have left,” She replied.
“You have us now,” He argued.
“I’m sorry, I have to go. Thank you so much for your kindness, your help and most of all your friendship. I’ll hold on to it for as long as I shall live,” She said sweetly. Naryia walked closer to him and planted a light kiss on his cheek before she hugged him – something Baako was not expecting.
“Thank you,” She repeated in a whisper. Then she turned to Eli, “Thank you too,”
“For what?” He asked. Naryia just smiled and gave him a small,