Balto (The Revelation)
Chapter 21 – When Someone Chose
 

Zen gazed the moonlight over the sky from the caves. Usually at this midnight, everyone would already sleep over, yet the black wolf seemed didn’t want to do it now. Still, he was thinking when his brother said those words. The words he couldn’t forget

 “Brother, I will wait you tomorrow right here. Be sure to come…” the words came from his head.

 After standing so long at outside, he then heard footsteps, coming right behind him. He didn’t have to turn around to know who he or she is. He just knew it was the Alpha.

 “Still thinking about your brother…” Aleu started, looking at Zen.

 “Yes…” Zen replied calmly, still gazing the sky.

 “So, I guess you won’t join him, right?” Aleu asked, starting to serious, “You still want to be here…”

 “I don’t know…” Zen replied.

 Aleu began impatient. After what she heard before from Zen’s younger brother, she couldn’t control herself anymore. Her father was in danger now, and that was all because him, that white wolf. And now, she struggled over Zen’s loyalty to stay at this pack, and not to betray them.

 “Listen, Zen…” Aleu started, gazing Zen’s eyes, “Your brother is hunting my father now. As her daughter, I can’t let it happens. I won’t let him touch my father, ever. I trust you, Zen…”

 “What will you do if I join him?” Zen asked, turning around to face the Alpha.

 “If you join him…” Aleu gritted her teeth, “Then I won’t forgive you. Plus, you will be my enemy…”

 With the last words from her, Aleu then left the place, entering the caves to get rest as the daily needs tomorrow must be done. From her tone, the black wolf knew she was very mad about his last conversation. But somehow, he was still thinking about his brother over and over. He kept standing at there while Aleu had already in caves, muttering something.

 “Aleu, are you okay?” Raka suddenly came from behind.

 “Raka…” Aleu turned to see him, “It is okay. I’m just angry…”

 “Angry?” Raka asked, sitting beside her, “Why?”

 “It’s Zen…” Aleu replied, “He seems wanting to betray us. I just can’t let him do that. After all, he’s one of our pack’s members.”

 “Yeah…” Raka looked irritable, “I know that. I don’t like him either.”

 Despite Aleu knew Raka didn’t like Zen from the first place, as the Alpha, she just couldn’t let him went away. It would show to everyone that she couldn’t be a good leader. If he was out, it would make any member of the pack thought that Aleu was too soft to him. And that was why she wanted none of those things happened. Not before Aleu could continue it, Zen suddenly stood before her, gazing coldly.

 “Zen!” Raka was startled, suddenly standing, “What are you doing here? Don’t you know that’s forbidden to enter the Alpha’s hall for you?”

 “It’s fine, Raka…” Aleu nudged him, stopping his words, “Is there something matter, Zen?”

 “I’m leaving now…” Zen spoke out, making both of Aleu and Raka shocked.

 “What?” Aleu seemed angry, “What did you say?!”

 From her tone, the beta knew that she was very angry to hear that thing, moreover at the night of her rest. For himself, he couldn’t take it too just because he thought he was only playing around with this pack. If he was already bored, he would go away. Moreover, he defied the pack by joining the enemy.

 “Sorry, but…” Raka lunged forward suddenly, “…I won’t let you do whatever you want…”

 “It’s useless…” Zen replied calmly.

 Without any hesitation to attack back, Zen suddenly lunged forward at the same time when Raka also did it. Unfortunately, Zen was much faster than the beta. He quickly grabbed Raka’s neck with his teeth, throwing him off behind and then, hitting the rock nearby. The sound of hit was so loud. The pain from it was also so much for Raka. He then began to stand slowly, but collapsed as soon as he did that. He whimpered about something, but Aleu couldn’t tell what it was.

 “RAKA!” Aleu cried worriedly, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM?”

 “He tried to stop me…” Zen answered, turning back to the Alpha.

 “And that’s why you hurt him!” Aleu was angered by his words, “YOU! I won’t forgive you!”

 Aleu quickly lunged at him, making her way to his opening. The Alpha unleashed her paws and teeth, yet it didn’t hit him at all. Even the attack itself was so furious, Zen could avoid it easily. It seemed he could read when and where Aleu would launch her strike. It was happening for a while until the Alpha began losing her energy, panting hard in order to catch her breath.

 “I’m no match for him…” Aleu thought, gazing directly at the black wolf.

 Looking the Alpha had already given up on hope, Zen began to leave. But as soon as he started to step back, Aleu called back him. The black wolf looked behind to find the brown wolf slowly got up again, even she was already exhausted.

 “Zen…” Aleu started, “Why? Why you have to do this?”

 Aleu slowly lock her sight into him, gazing his eyes deeply without any reason to think. Deep in her mind, she just needed some explanations about the option he already chose.

 “You’re already a member of this pack, and now, you suddenly left us…” Aleu continued, “Or maybe, you were just playing fool of us… You were just spying on us…”

 “No…” Zen replied toward Aleu.

 “Then, WHY?” Aleu asked loudly, “Why you join the enemy? I won’t mind if you join another pack if you don’t like here, but…”

 “What?” Zen asked.

 “I can’t let you do something bad!” Aleu exclaimed, answering without hesitation, “I knew you’re not bad. I knew that from the beginning. I just could feel it when I saw through your eyes…”

 “I join him not because I want to…” Zen replied, turning back from Aleu.

 “So, why? I need an answer, Zen! ” Aleu asked, pushing him to answer.

 “That’s because…” Zen walking toward, leaving the Alpha behind, “He is my brother. He is the only one I have in this world…”

 Aleu could only stare at him. When he said those words, she might know a little thing from him. It wasn’t the best answer, yet the Alpha could accept it for a moment. Aleu was standing silently at there, doing nothing to stop him. She had tried her best. Before Zen faded from her sight, he halted his way.

 “Thank you for everything…” Zen whispered through the winds.

 Soon then, he was faded. The Alpha couldn’t see him anymore. Moreover, he became her new enemy now. Knowing his great ability, Aleu realized it would be quite difficult to fight him in the open field. There was no time to relax. Her father was in great danger even more now, and she must do something to prevent it.

 “Raka! Raka! Wake up!” Aleu nudged hard over Raka’s head, “Time to get up! Don’t sleep anymore!”

 “Aleu…” Raka slowly woke up, “My head… hurt…”

 “Come on, Raka! Get up!” Aleu still nudged him, “We have to do something before the enemy!”

 “The enemy? What do you mean?” Raka asked, looking around, “Where’s Zen?”

 Aleu suddenly hung her head down, “He already left… I can’t stop him… I’m sorry…”

 “That’s alright, Aleu…” Raka replied, trying to get up even his head was still dizzy, “It’s not your fault. It’s him! He’s the one who cause the trouble from the beginning!”

 Aleu knew who Raka mentioned of. She wanted to interrupt, but Raka might be didn’t want to listen her. The lonely wolf had already created trouble when their first meeting.

 “Raka, we must do something now!” Aleu seemed in hurry, “Or else, my father will be in danger!”

 Raka was quiet for a moment, then he came with an idea which pooping in his head, “I think I know what we have to do. Follow me!”

 “Where? It’s still night…” Aleu asked.

 “You will see, Aleu…” Raka replied, looking the night on the sky, “If we set out this night, maybe we will arrive there at noon. I will prepare things so we can leave. Just stay here for awhile, Aleu!”

 With those words, Raka quickly went away. Instead of knowing what he came up to, Aleu could only guess what he would do. She didn’t understand, but she just knew Raka had a great idea.