He was slightly caught by surprise at the sudden action. When Kiona had jerked away, Achak thought maybe she didn't want the touch. Now she had herself pushed up against him, not just crying, but now close to sobbing. Guilt once more began eating at the wolf.
"Kiona..." Moving to sit, then lowering his head, the alpha let it rest against the female's, wanting to comfort her. "We were both upset and said things we didn't mean..." Closing his eyes, he rubbed his face into Kiona's neck fur. Something Achak found the female enjoyed. It also worked to soothe her in previous times.
She nodded, still physically against him as much as possible. "I...know," she said. And they remained like that until the sun set. Wolves mated for life, and they vowed to keep it as truth.
The two of them returned home when they were ready, walking as close together as they could. The entire packed sighed in relief when they came back, knowing they forgave each other, but none of them were as ecstatic as Tonrar, Hinto, Hokee, and Nayeli, who had to stay in the cave. Hokee didn't approach them like Tonrar and Hinto did, amorously attacking their parents with licks and yips. Nayeli wanted so bad to join them, but she stayed near her grandmother.
Greeting the two pups affectionately, the two alphas couldn't help but be cheered up some more. Pups just seemed to have that reaction. Trying not to trip over their offspring as they weaved excitedly around their legs, Achak and Kiona started walking to the cave.†
Olathe smiled as they approached, from her place at the entrance, lying down with Nayeli between her front legs. The black and silver pup clearly wanted to go to her parents, but couldn't walk on her injured leg, so waited somewhat patiently until they came over. Tail wagging happily then, she gave and received attention from both alphas.†
Hokee, having grown more nervous as Achak had approached, hid behind Olathe, not wanting to have another angry encounter with the large wolf. He had gotten upset after the fight, blaming himself for it, when the pup knew it wasn't really his fault, that it was an accident.
"Are you alright, Nayeli?" Achak asked, licking her face. Olathe stood up and exited the cave, giving the two of them time together. Hokee, realizing his "shield" had walked away, tripped over his own paws trying to pursue her.
"Yeah, but I wanna go play!" Nayeli whined.
"You'll be able to in a few days," Kiona assured her, lying behind her in Olathe's place, with the pup in her arms.
"We're not gonna miss the surprise, are we, Daddy?" the silver and black pup asked, hopeful. Tonrar and Hinto's attention drew towards their father.
"Of course not," he said. "As soon as you get better, I'll take you and your brothers." He smiled down at all of them, and Kiona, who smiled back at him.
Thankfully, being distracted at the moment, Achak didn't notice Hokee scramble out after Olathe, only to be brought back a few minutes later by the older wolf, placing him down between the cave wall and Kiona. With a smile at him then Kiona, the silver wolf turned and left again.†
Nayeli peeked around Kiona's body at Hokee, smiling at him. Then, hobbling over to her friend started nipping at his ears playfully. She didn't really understand why the other was hiding.†
The blonde pup at first was too hesitant to play with Nayeli, after what had happened earlier that day. But eventually she won him over, and began to, gently, play back, nipping at her and ducking her attacks. Hokee was sure to stay next to his adopted mother as well.†
Achak was busy anyway, having Hinto and Tonrar attacking him and jumping on him. But after a while, it was time to settle down for night. After their baths, the pups gathered together in the back of the cave in their usual spot. Nayeli was once more next to Hokee, curled up next to him as they drifted off. It wasn't long after the rest of the pack came in, joining the smallest in sleep.
A few days passed, and the alphas and the rest of the pack left the four pups with Shiro. Nayeli's leg was practically healed and could comfortably play with everyone, which brought great relief to them.
The wolves were mostly feeding on small animals; they were so used to being around the pups this past week, they didn't mind eating so little (naturally the pups still got to eat)† but now it was about time to go on an actual group hunt to get a decent meal in everyone.
Achak kissed his mate on her cheek and started running to the nearest snow-blanketed meadow to find food. Kiona saw it as a form of play, his kiss, and began to chase after him. The rest of the pack joined in the chase, catching on to the game. Aya turned it into a racing game when she passed her brother up in the run, and everyone obliged by trying to be the first to wherever they were going, not really caring if they disturbed anyone around them (they would promise to eat that evening no matter what). Barking and yipping only added to their fun.
Being as caught up in the race as they were, the pack all ended up running on a sheet of ice made over the night when it froze over. Upon noticing they were running on ice, they realized how badly it would end if they slipped. But as soon as Kiona thought about it, she lost her footing, and although trying her best to keep her posture, she slipped and fell on her stomach.
Achak noticed she was losing her balance while running behind her, but couldn't do anything to stop himself from sliding into her. When Aya and Kanook tried to turn around (laughing in the process) to aid the two fallen alphas, they too ended up slipping, falling, and/or being crashed into by oncoming runners until everyone was flat on the ice, in pain from the laughter rather than the landing itself.
Well that was certainly entertaining. Embarrassment gave way into amusement, watching each other try to regain their footing, only to fall down again or knocked into. Achak let Kiona grab hold of his tail as she got to her own paws, making sure he himself had a good grip on the slippery frozen ground under him with his claws. Glancing over at the others, he started laughing again as he witnessed quite the funny scene.
Poor Zephyr, just couldn't seem to get his legs under him for long enough to walk a foot or so before slipping and falling ungracefully onto the ice again. But Ayashi, being one to take after their mother, tried to help the brown wolf up, only to either cause both of them to go down again, or just one of them. Looking closely, the black and silver wolf grew curious as to why the wolf seemed a bit...timid (what other word can we use instead of this?) around his sister, and how long had it gone on for.
The alpha didn't get much more time to think about it before hearing Kiona let out a yelp that sounded like 'watch out' before his legs were knocked out from under him as something plowed into the wolf. Laughter soon followed it, and Achak knew exactly who it was. Kanook. His blue eyes searched out for his uncle, who was half under him, laughing, and glared, though he, as well as everyone else watching, knew it was half-hearted. The cream and chocolate colored beta gazed back at him innocently, with a hint of a smirk on his muzzle.
"Whoops sorry. Well, actually I did it on purpose, you just looked so deep in thought and focused. Of course, I wasn't suppose to end up on the bottom..." The silver streaked wolf smirked at that. That's right...the other was at his mercy now...
Achak took the freedom to pin Kanook to the ice, hind legs slipping about, and play bite at his face and neck. As boisterous as the whole thing was, Kanook eventually cried out in mercy (good-heartedly of course) to have his nephew let him up. They all had to get off the ice patch and make their way towards food. It took quite a few minutes, but everyone did manage to make it on snow again safely. No one was feeling very tired either, thankfully. The festivity rejuvenated them. Playing with the cubs seemed to make them get in touch with their inner child outside of the den. They would certainly need the energy catching a deer.
No does would be on their menu because chances of them having a fawn were very likely, and even wolves had a sense of dignity with that sort of thing. They ended up catching and killing the largest buck in the herd, luckily and started dragging it home right away. Something was flawed in the air, and Achak wanted to get home as soon as possible for some reason.
As Zephyr, Dartanion, Takoda, and Kanook dragged the kill with the alphas leading and the others trailing behind keeping an extra look out, a canine form a bit smaller than Kiona dashed in front of them. It was a blue-eyed, black and white wolf yearling.
The sudden entrance by the young wolf made all the wolves turn to the front of the group where Achak and Kiona were. The large black and silver alpha's eyebrows raised slightly at the smaller. There was nothing threatening about him. But he looked a bit worried, nervous, making him wonder as well. Kiona, beside him, beat him to saying anything.
"Who are you?" Surely none of them had seen this wolf around before. The black and white yearling couldn't be more than a year by his size and structure.
"I-I was...there are..." The young wolf took a moment to breathe an gather his throughts. "Humans!"
Well that got their attention. Achak's eyes widened before narrowing. So that's what the feeling he had sensed for a while now was. Should have known...Humans brought trouble with them wherever they went. Stepping forward, the wolf now spoke to the other.
"Where are they, how close?" Seeing that his large size might be intimidating the younger, the silver streaked wolf softened his stare.
"I saw them and just ran, I don't know. Past the river clearing though...coming this way...!"
"Can you take me to them?" Achak asked, trying his best not to make it seem like an order.
"Y-Yes, I can," the yearling said, "Follow me!" and ran off in the blink of an eye.
Achak took a few steps toward the leading wolf. "Zephyr," The yearling stopped to look back, and Zephyr's ears perked up attentively, awaiting orders. "You come with me. Kiona, take everyone back home, and I'll meet you there soon, alright?"
Kiona nodded. "Be careful."
When Zephyr went to follow Achak, Dartanion spoke up hastily. "Achak, is it alright if I go with you instead? I have a...hunch about something." Achak wasn't really sure why Dar would want to trade places with him, but he didn't ask and allowed it. Zephyr stayed behind with the others while Dartanion followed Achak, who followed the yearling, who was noticed to have good spring in his step.
Achak, still keeping the human trespassers in mind, decided it was best to get some sort of introduction in before too long, so he caught up to the black and white yearling and asked for his name.
"My name is Zepher, sir," he said in between breaths.
"Ah, so that's why you stopped when I called my pack-mate. His name is Zephyr." he mentioned.
"Neat!" Zepher smirked.
This Zepher sure was friendly. One would think, being along, at his age, that he would be more timid, cautious of other wolves. At least he was willing to guide them. A few miles back, the black and white wolf slowed, his body language giving off that they were in the area where the human threat was. Achak's senses were on high alert, as were Dartanion's, as they all scanned the area with their eyes, and listened.
Suddenly hearing faint voices, Achak pulled Zepher back behind some boulders, and out of sight. His blue eyes narrowing, and glancing a moment over his shoulder at his tri-colored pack-mate, he started around the rock, eyes sweeping the area. The voices grew louder. The owners were nearing. Judging by the footfalls and counting them, they were definitely human, and more than one. Maybe three of four.
The alpha tensed when the forms finally came into view about 100 yards or so out from where the three of them hid. So far, the silver streaked wolf couldn't see any weapons, but one was carrying something long over his shoulder as they trekked through the snow, talking. So not hunters...then why were they out here? When a gasp came from behind him, Achak looked back, seeing Dartanion coming up beside him with a shocked look on his face as he gazed out to the group of humans.
"What is it?" The tri-colored wolf looked to his alpha a moment, then back to the group.
"I...I know them..."
Achak's eyes widened in surprise and looked back at the humans from Dartanion. Zepher did the same thing, tho he wasn't sure why, he just wanted to seem like he knew what was going on. The young yearling oddly enough felt safer around with these two older wolves and didn't feel the need to run like he did earlier.
The alpha stared at the humans once more. So they were the ones Dartanion was held captive by. Altho Dartanion was healthy and fine now, Achak still glared at the group of people. He wanted them gone, and Dartanion knew this, also figuring why the humans were here. No other animals were in cages like he was in when he was released when he was young, so Dar figured it was to check up on him.
"I'm going closer." Dartanion said to Achak, starting off slow just to make sure he was fine with it.
"Is that wise? What if they want to capture you again?" the alpha asked, poker-faced.
"They won't. They're just here to find me," Dartanion assured. "I won't get too close anyway." Before leaving, they arranged a meeting spot nearby when they were prepared to get out of there, hopefully with the humans departing as well.
Achak never removed his eyes from neither the humans nor Dartanion. He would make for certain they didn't get near his friend.
Silently moving along through the forest, keeping his maroon eyes on the humans nearby, Dartanion followed the small group. He was a bit surprised Achak was letting him do this, knowing his deep hatred for them. The tri-colored wolf was grateful as well for this chance.
Managing to get ahead of the group of humans, Dartanion knew he would have to be careful not to get too close. He wanted to see the people again, but didn't want to risk anything with the pack. The wolf made sure he was far enough away from where he and Achak had been before showing himself.
The humans spotted Dartanion and he could sense the excitement in their voices. There was a part of him that wanted to get closer, but he knew that wasn't in anyone's best interest. They got to see him and that's what they wanted. He got to see they were doing well, and that's what he wanted. He felt the good memories returning to him, but as soon as the bad memories reached him, he felt that was a good time to leave, and he did.
Dartanion ran to the meeting place where Achak and the young Zepher were, trying to shy away the tears in his eyes. Once Dar gathered himself, Achak took the opportunity to ask if they were leaving. They all looked back at the humans whom they could barely see through the trees. They all seemed to be gathering their belongings.
"Yes...they're leaving." Dar replied, beginning to leave with Achak.
The alpha then turned to Zepher. "Thank you for your help. Do you need an escort back to your pack?"
Zepher shook his head back and fourth. "No. I don't have a pack, sir."
"Oh?" Achak frowned. It really was no wonder that the yearling was running around by himself. Usually Achak would send the boy on his way, but...those humans would be sure to catch him. And the boy did seem to make a good scout and an even better runner. When he grows older, with a little practice, he'd surely be a strong wolf indeed. And even with the offspring of this past season food would soon be scarce, being made up of mostly mothers and babies.
"Would you like to be a member of my pack?" Achak asked. He explained how Zepher would be of use to the pack. Dartanion seemed a bit surprised, but he wasn't at all against his leader. It was actually a good sign that Achak was being rather accepting right now, what with Hokee still here an all.
Zepher nodded vigorously. "I would, sir!" Achak smiled and continued walking with Dartanion and Zepher following. When they made it back to the cave, Achak was bombarded with nuzzles from Kiona. She was really worried about him, and he returned the favor.
Their three pups ran to greet them too, along with the rest of the pack, happily saying hi to the yearling. Achak announced that Zepher was going to be a new addition to the pack and Nayeli seemed happy about this especially because this event meant having a new friend in her life.
To be continued...