Balto (The Revelation)

Chapter 9 – Intruder

          “Aleu… Aleu, wake up!”

          Slowly, a female brown wolf revealed her beautiful blue eyes to the day. She looked forward and saw the brightest light penetrated into her cave. She yawned for once before she slept again.

          “Aleu, don’t sleep anymore… Please, get up!”

          Aleu then quickly opened her eyes. When she looked above, she saw that Raka stared at her. It seemed he was in hurry because he never woke her up like this before. She got up slowly, stretching her body for a while before she finally let her mouth did some words.

          “Raka, what’s wrong?” she started, “Is there a problem because I’m still sleepy.”

          “Yes, Aleu!” Raka answered, “There’s an intruder! Right on our territory area!”

          “What!?” Aleu surprisingly shouted, “An intruder?”

          “Come with me…” Raka replied, “Quick!”

          Together, they rushed outside in hurry. Forward from them, a couple of wolves were standing. Their sharp eyes watched carefully on something below them. Both of Aleu and Raka quickly joined, looking what other wolves gazed seriously. Next then, right below of them, they could see a black wolf was walking slowly. Even he didn’t head to them, yet his sharp red eyes meant he was pretty dangerous. Aleu then saw that white-shaped diamond was on his front head although blackness seemed to suit him.

          “What we are going to do?” she whispered to Raka.

          “We’re going to warn him,” Raka answered, “We must protect our place from outsider. They just mean harm here.”

          “What if he doesn’t want to listen?” Aleu asked.

          “Then, we have to attack him…” Raka replied seriously.

          From his tone, Aleu knew it would shatter a blood here if the outsider gave no respond to them. She was confused for a while. It was her first time ever to deal with an intruder. If only everyone could understand each other, there wouldn’t be a situation like this. What she could expect now was less fight rather than slashing and biting.

          “Hold it there!” Raka suddenly shouted.

          The loud voice quickly stopped the walking black wolf, giving time to Raka and the others to surround him. With the alpha came forward, Raka as the beta followed her while everyone took a stand. Still, the intruder had no fear and no respond to it.

          “You must leave this area!” Raka started, “This is our land. You don’t belong here!”

          The black wolf gave no word. No sound came from his mouth, even just one letter. Raka who saw it began impatient. He had no time exactly to wait his respond. It took so long.

          “Are you deaf?” he gritted his teeth, “Did you hear what I said? You must leave at once or we have no choice, but to beat you.”

          The intruder remained silent. With the last look from him, he then just turned around his sight. This made Raka became angry, preparing the worst. Right now, everyone was ready to leap at him.

          “You leave me no choice…” Raka started, “Attack!”

          Raka and 4 more wolves suddenly lunged at the black wolf. Together, they slashed their sharp teeth and claws to him. But before that happened, the black wolf acted first. He quickly span around while slashing his claws to each of wolf who had attacked him. From the first look, Aleu was sure enough the poor black wolf would be beaten badly. Yet, she was wrong. It happened so quickly. A second before, he was surrounded. After it, everyone was thrown off from him. She then quickly moved closer to Raka and the others, trying to get their conditions. They weren’t dead yet, they were critically wounded.

          “Raka! Raka!” she cried out, and then turned around to the black wolf, “You will pay for this!”

          With the anger dwelled inside her, Aleu quickly lunged. Although she had no experience for this, she had to do it as the alpha. Beside, this intruder had already disturbed their peace. After considering the worst, she moved on her way. She kept lunging and leaping while he was just avoiding her attack. Every time she moved, it seemed the black wolf had predicted before, so then he could get away to left or right. It looked like only a loud cry from her that was so spirited. Slowly but sure, she began loosing her energy. She panted hard like she never did before. She had done the best, yet the black wolf was never being hit by her. And the weird part was why he didn’t attack her just like the others? This question just popped out in her solid mind.

          “I can’t even touch him…” she thought, panting hard.

          While Aleu tried to breath, a small red spot flashed within her eyes. She didn’t quite sure what it was until she realized that thing before was Baki. She only could watch in horror when he was running fast to the black wolf at this open field. If Baki was attacked, he would have no chance to hide.

          “Baki!” Aleu cried out, “No!”

          “You hurt my brother!” Baki cried loudly, running then lunging at the attacker.

          Aleu was so terrified to see the small wolf would be cut into many pieces. Those image of horror quickly disappeared when she ran following Baki from beside. She would be glad if she could save him, but before that happened, a little red wolf had already failed himself. The black wolf easily dodged, preparing a counter attack that would end that hopeless wolf.

          “No!” Aleu shouted loudly, standing quickly between Baki and the black wolf.

          Aleu closed her eyes. She thought she was already in heaven. A quick and swift fatal blow without pain. When she expected to view light on nirvana, her eyes stared at black paw in shock. It was just an inch between her face and his claw. At first, she was in silent while Baki could only hide behind the alpha.

          “Sur…” she started worriedly, “Surrender now…”

          The black wolf kept silent for a moment after hearing what Aleu said. Then, she couldn’t believe it the intruder just sat silently without anything to say. She watched in awe. After it was safe enough, the others wolf quickly surrounded him, bringing that black wolf to their captivation. Without wasting any time too, Aleu with Baki moved closer to Raka. Both of them worried so much after him. While they could only hope, their friends quickly brought him and another back to cave. They would need many times to heal those wounds.

          “Raka… Raka…” Aleu whispered.

          “Aleu…” Raka responded weakly, staring at Aleu’s blue eyes.

          Raka slowly looked around. He was inside the cave now and the sky had already darkened. He wanted to move a little bit, but the pain stopped him for doing so. He moaned as soon as Aleu sat behind him.

          “Are you alright?” she asked, smiling, “It seems your wounds are pretty bad.”

          “Yeah, I guess so…” Raka tried to smile, “Well, how long I’ve been sleeping? And, where’s that intruder? Did we catch him or he had already run away?”

          “Calm down, Raka. Well, I guess you sleep for almost a day and about the intruder…” Aleu explained hesitantly, “We didn’t catch him. He just surrendered himself. He is now at our captivation.”

          “Surrendered himself?” Raka asked unbelievingly, “It’s weird…”

          “Yeah, I know…” Aleu answered, “I just spook at him to surrender, and then… he made no move later.”

          “Wow…” Raka was amazed, “Perhaps, he saw you as the greatest leader ever!”

          “Am I?” Aleu laughed unbelievingly, same as Raka.

          “Brother…” Baki suddenly cut off from behind them.

          With teary eyes, he just watched at how Aleu and Raka laughed, even for a while. He then quickly rushed to his older brother, hugging him as far as he could. Raka was surprised at first, not knowing why Baki cried at him. Aleu could only smile. In this dark and cold cave, these two brothers would find warmness in their own heart. She knew that Baki was so much worried about Raka’s condition.

          “I… I thought I… I couldn’t…” Baki started with many tears fell down on Raka.

          “I’m fine…” Raka replied, nuzzling his little brother to make him managed with smile.

          “Well, I’ll leave then…” Aleu interrupted, leaving both of them.

          She smiled upon them, and then she concentrated on another thing. She was glad everyone was alright, but there was still one problem. She quickly trotted over that darkened path, enlightening only by the moon light outside. Her mind focused on the black wolf before. It was so weird that he didn’t attack her, yet it was different for the others. She needed to know the reason.

          “I hope I’m doing the right thing…” she thought.

          Slowly, she headed closer to the captivation, guarded by 5 until 6 wolves. She gave them a signal to let her in. it was dark at there because she had to go deeper to it until she found dead end. She then thought there was no way to escape from it. While she walked, she sensed she was getting near to the enemy. When she slowly peeked up, she saw the black wolf was lying down. He looked like sleeping, but she knew he wasn’t. Collecting all her guts, she then moved to him. The intruder then quickly got up, watching coldly at the alpha.

          “I need to talk to you…” Aleu started nervously.