done”

            “You’re going to let him in the pack after all-!”

Will bumped Odin, making him shut up. Everest sat still and watched Quick, who didn’t know what to do. Everest stood up.

“I’m going back to the den now. Okay? Since it’s pretty clear you’re confused, you can either suck it up and meet us back at the cave, or you can call me out and we can have another fight. You know where to find us”

With that, Everest turned and started back for the den. Will followed after, giving a wary glance at Quick and Odin scowled, following Everest too and muttering the whole way back to the den.

            Later on that night, the three wolves settled back in the cave to sleep. But just as each was closing his eyes, the sounds of soft paws padding on the cave floor drew their attention.

            “The nerve of him coming back! I’ll teach him a thing or-!”

“Go to sleep Odin” Everest said sharply.

Odin grumbled and curled into a tight ball. A few moments later, Quick’s unsteady form shuffled in. He swayed for a few seconds, as if still unsure, but finally settled down near the mouth of the cave, a little farther away from everyone else. Everest closed his eyes and sighed peacefully. He had nothing to fear from Quick anymore. And when morning came, Quick was still in the cave. Everest was the first awake, as usual and stepped quietly out into the sun, letting it warm his coat. Something scuffled behind him.

“Mornin’ Quick” Everest yawned, glancing over his shoulder.

Quick nodded but didn’t say anything. Like the day before, his expression was unreadable. Everest climbed up the side of the dried riverbank so that he could get a view of the territory. No one ever entered anyway, so there was no rush…

            “Uh… about yesterday” Quick started quietly. “I… um… wanna be part of the pack…”

Everest nodded understandingly.

            “I think I kind of owe it to you… Hiatus still thinks I’m a part of his pack. If you need me to go back there, just say so”

The sun continued to rise and just when Everest thought for sure that there were no intruders, something caught his eye. Squinting, all he could make out was a lone figure. Loners were more dangerous… more capable of being spies and not being seen. Everest hopped back down to the riverbank.

“Odin, Will. Intruder… let’s go”

Odin and Will scrambled up.

“It’s a loner, so don’t rough him up too much. He looks like he’s wandering around, not trying to find anything”

            The pack trekked through the slippery rock until they had reached the lowest part of their territory. The lone figure, a black wolf with red-brown and white markings, sniffed the ground franticly, almost as if his life depended on it. Everest studied the loner, then stepped out.

“Lost?”

The wolf jumped and spun around.

            “Stay away from me!” he hissed. “I’m not going back!”

“I’m not trying to bring you anywhere. This is my territory”

The wolf narrowed its eyes. Odin and Will came out, backing up Everest, but this only made the intruder more on edge. He froze, dark eyes studying. Then, he spun, trying to make a break for it. He only got so far… Quick had snuck up behind and the smaller dark wolf ran right into Quick and practically bounced off.

“Are you lost?” Everest repeated, a little louder.

The dark wolf threw an angry glare at Everest, but Everest stared kindly back. Suddenly, the wolf’s glare broke up and he started to sniffle.

            “They took my brothers and father” he sniffed. “I don’t know why! This huge white wolf just came in with his pack and took our best defenders!”

Everest’s kind eyes burned. Hiatus was starting his project...

“Will, why don’t you take him down to the creek so he can get a drink. We’ll fill you in when you get back”

The red brown wolf nodded and led the way down to the creek. As the pair walked slowly along, Will wondered about the wolf trailing him. His father had told him about wolves like this one from the Palartok pack, but Cedar had also said that these wolves were so shy and so rare, he was probably never going to see one… but he also said the same thing about Illiivat wolves. Will snorted to himself.

            “What?!” the other wolf said defensively.

“Nothing!” Will shot back. “I was just thinking about something… so, uh… what’s your name?”

            “Why should I trust you? Every time I even remotely trust anyone, it ends up biting me in the butt”

Will mulled it over in his mind. He’d never really thought about that… Everest and Cedar had both taught using trust.

“Everest’s not like that. We’re not like that. Well, Quick tried to kill Everest… but they’re friends now. And we’re trying to help you”

The other wolf was quiet for a while.    

“My name’s Tempest” the wolf said quietly. Then, as Will tried to follow her down to the creek, she added “Do you have to babysit me while I go get a drink?”

Caught off guard by Tempest’s harshness, Will moved aside. Tempest pushed past Will roughly and stalked down to the creek. Will settled down and carefully kept a watch on the newcomer. A few moments later, Tempest returned, refreshed and calmer. But this time Will could smell something different… His eyes popped open.

“You’re a girl?!”

Tempest stopped and threw Will a shocked and disgusted look.

            “Are you spying on me?!” she shrieked angrily.

“I-I-I w-wasn’t watch-spying on-!”

Tempest shoved into Will, sending the still stuttering wolf stumbling backward.

“I’m sorry- I didn’t-!” Will continued, trying to follow Tempest. The branch Tempest had pulled back whipped back and hit Will square in the head, knocking him to the ground. Tempest stormed back to the pack and when she reached them, Everest studied her curiously.

“Where’s Will? I thought he was supposed to be watching you?”

            “He tripped” Tempest replied.

Everest raised an eyebrow, but his eyes shifted to Will who tottered up, uncertainly.

“I thought you were supposed to watch him”

            “Her” Will said quietly.

“No him”

            “Her. He’s a girl” Will said. “Her name is Tempest”

“Oh” Everest said. “Anyway, we figure Quick can bring me in “dead” since Hiatus thinks he’s still part of the pack, but… Hiatus would probably try to make sure… any ideas?”

Tempest’s eyes lit up.

            “I do!” she supplied excitedly.

Chapter IV

            Quick and Tempest quietly made their way into Ublureak territory, eyes searching for the scouts they knew would be there. Everest was draped over Quick and playing dead.

“Just play it cool” he murmured, “The only reason you can’t see them is because they think I’m dead”

            “You sure do smell like it” Quick retorted. “How long does it take for that sulfur to go away?”

                        “It washes away with a lot of water” Tempest said.

Quick and Everest were calm and cool, but Tempest was nervous and jumpy. For all of her life, she had lived in peace and never had to do anything like this. She had never trusted anyone outside of her family either. A voice ahead of her brought her thoughts to a halt.

“Ah, Quick, I was wondering when you’d be back” Hiatus beamed.

            “And I got something for you too” Quick grinned. “Two things actually”

Hiatus looked at Tempest.

“Oh yes, she got away from us yesterday” Hiatus exclaimed. “Put her with the others”

Arrow and Wave snatched Tempest roughly and dragged her away. Once Tempest was out of site, Quick dumped the “dead” Everest on the ground. Hiatus could barely contain his joy.

“And I trust he really is dead?”

            “Of course” Quick gloated, eyes half closed.

“Well in that case, throw him in the cave with the others so they can see what’s coming. And tomorrow, we’ll parade him around”

Quick nodded and dragged Everest to the den