The Heritage
In the very next morning, Dan, Balto, Luna, Boris and even Muk and Luk were sat near the wrecked boat. He told them about what had happened in the previous day, and explained the plan Aniu had suggested. They all found it a good idea. Balto and Luna assured that they would follow Dan in his travel, to help him convincing his family about his decision. Since they had more days to think about that, they decided to make bigger plans later.
They all passed the day in that tense mood, apprehensive about that apparently dangerous travel. None of them had made a time travel before. Even Dan wasn’t completely calm. He was sat in the deck of the boat, thoughtful. Though he was sure Aniu would take them safely to Olney, he knew that his parents’ reaction wouldn’t be good. They couldn’t stop him from coming back to - Wolves. – the hybrid said at last.
Luna, though concerned, wasn’t exactly afraid. She was intrigued.
- Should we check out? – she asked, surprising Dan.
- It can be dangerous. – he warned, worried about Luna’s safety.
- I know. – she replied, letting show her sense of adventure.
Dan, though reluctantly, nodded that she could go. They walked silently towards the source of the noises. They walked with their bodies low to the ground, stepping carefully, not wanting to be caught invading a wolf territory. As they approached the source of the noises, they could hear them more clearly. It sounded like a fight. They could hear sounds of struggle, roars and pain cries. More voices looked to be cheering the fight, supporting one of the fighters. The couple stayed hidden behind some bushes. Dan gave a look through the leaves. It was a small clear. There were three gray wolves on a side, howling and screaming cheering someone. In other side, there were two wolves. The one who seemed to be winning was black, with some dark gray streaks on his fur. His eyes were golden yellow, and had an insane glow of anger. His mouth was forming a cruel smile, while clawing and pushing away another gray wolf. This one was smaller, and looked weak and old. Dan watched more carefully. He got wide-eyed. When the weaker wolf turned his face to the black one, Dan recognized him. It was Nava! The hybrid’s first impulse was to jump between him and the other wolves and defend him, but the black wolf started talking.
- Look at you, old wolf. Gave up from everything to help traitors. - the black wolf said to Nava, still not noticing Dan and Luna's presence – First two mutts taking over your own pack, now you're helping another one. You’re a disgrace. Unfortunately, I’m not very forgiving when it comes to treason. You’ll learn it in the hardest way.
The black wolf prepared to lunge at Nava again, but suddenly, Dan leaped from behind the bushes and landed between them, snarling. The wolf looked surprised, but quickly regained his arrogant mood.
- Who are you? – he asked, starting to snarl at Dan too.
Dan didn’t answer, and not daring to turn his back to the threatening wolf, turned his head to Luna, who had left their hideout too.
- Luna, see if Nava is okay. I’ll take care of him. – he said, turning his gaze back to the wolves.
The female stood beside Nava, checking if he was okay.
- Who are you, and why are you doing this to Nava?! – Dan asked, harshly.
The black wolf lifted his head, boastfully.
- I am Ohanzee, leader of the pack that rules this territory. – he answered, arrogantly proud of himself. – Now who are you?
- Daniel. – the hybrid simply replied. – What did Nava ever do to you?
Ohanzee looked at him in despise, but he remained calm.
- I don’t need to explain you anything. He’s a traitor, and he’s going to pay.
- I know Nava, and I know he wouldn’t betray anyone. – Dan objected.
The black wolf frowned.
- You know him? – he said. – So, you’re the mutt he helped, huh? – a malicious grin appeared on his face. – How convenient. Killing two rabbits with a single bite.
The other wolves started to approach slowly. Dan held his ground.
- What do you have against hybrids? – he asked, defiantly.
- Everything! – Ohanzee spat in anger.
- Oh, looks like I’ve hit a nerve. – Dan grinned.
The alpha stopped, mimicked by his minions.
- I was part of another pack when I was young. – he started to tell. – The leader’s daughter was fascinated by those filthy humans. I knew our pack would end up in disgrace if she ever became the alpha. And one day the worst happened. She brought that pet into our pack! – his voice showed furious despise by the mere mention of the dog. – And now he would end up being the leader too! Our pack, under the command of a mutt! – Ohanzee made a pause. – But then, he disappeared. Most likely ran away. Then, when she gave birth, our pack was attacked by hunters. We were forced to run away. But at least a good thing happened. – he made a grin. – They found her.
Dan couldn't believe it. How could that wolf feel happy about the death of someone?
- We don’t know what happened to the cubs, but anyway, it didn’t matter. – Ohanzee paused again, looking mistrustful at Dan. – And actually… you pretty much look like one of them…
The hybrid frowned. That was suspicious, indeed. That story matched with Balto's mother. Maybe Balto was one of the lost pups. And seeing that Dan was so similar to him, that would explain Ohanzee's comment.
- I reunited the survivors, and some of them accepted to be leaded by me, while others chose to die alone. – Ohanzee continued. – And then we found out about a pack that had moved through the river to another territory with the help of two half-breeds, and the responsible for that was that traitor there. – he threw an angry glance at Nava. – Our scouts saw him trespassing our territories, and we chased after him for some days, and now we finally found him. Now, are you getting out of the way or not? – he demanded.
- No. – Dan replied, snarling. – If you mess with him, you'll have to face me.
Ohanzee made a surprised expression, realizing what was happening. But then he grinned, confidently.
- With pleasure. – he said, and started walking in a circle, followed by Dan, none of them daring to turn their back at each other. – You have no chance against me. I’m trained to fight since I was young. I’ve been trough many battles. And what is your level of experience, wolf-dog? None. – he boasted.
- If that’s what you think, then you’re as good as dead. – Dan replied harshly, though realizing that Ohanzee had a point, but he would not give up.
The alpha was bigger than Dan, probably slightly bigger than Steele. That should make him less agile, but this would still be a tough fight. The other three wolves stood away, giving Ohanzee and Dan room to fight. They kept walking slowly in circles, waiting for the other to attack.
Ohanzee finally lunged with his claws and teeth bared. Dan dodged by throwing himself aside. The black wolf landed, recovered from the failed attack and prepared to jump on the hybrid’s direction, but Dan attacked first, and striked the black wolf with his head, though not wanting to cause a real damage, causing him to roll away. Ohanzee rose again, and lunged too fast for Dan to dodge. The hybrid felt the wolf’s teeth holding his throat strongly, preventing him to breath. Fighting to ignore the pain, Dan fought with his paws to escape from Ohanzee’s grip, but it was useless. The alpha’s strength was impressing. Every time he exhaled, his grip would get tighter. He then felt the wolf’s fang piercing his skin, drawing blood, painfully. Suddenly, Dan felt a fury inside himself, a fury he never knew before. The wolf inside him had been awakened. Ohanzee looked to have noticed that. The furious hybrid clawed quickly the black wolf’s neck with all his strength. Ohanzee cried out in pain, releasing Dan from his jaws, and being thrown away when the hybrid hit him with his rear paws. Dan stood where he was, snarling, looking at his enemy, still in that blind fury. Ohanzee stared at his opponent, startled. He didn’t expect to fight such kind of enemy. Dan lunged at him, but Ohanzee dodged and the hybrid missed. The black wolf took advantage from that and striked him with his front paws. Dan was knocked away. The hybrid’s fury had passed, and he could think clearly again. He was ready to rise, even with his throat hurting, but he got scared when he saw Ohanzee leaping on his direction, and there was no time to dodge. So, he improvised. He turned his stomach up, and with his rear paws, he hit Ohanzee before he could land, impaling him to go further in his flight. The black wolf lost his breath and crashed right into a tree in his trajectory. Dan rolled away and rose, waiting for Ohanzee to attack again. The black wolf rose slowly. He turned his face at Dan. His expression was of pure hate, but then, it got softer, and he gave a boastful laughter.
- You can't win, Wolf-dog. Look at you, you're beaten. – the wolf said, determined to find Dan’s weaknesses . - You're not a dog, and you're not a wolf. You’re just an aberration of nature.
Dan snarled harder, and assumed a more elated position. He stepped forward, firmly.
- Whatever I am, I still have my honor. And I won’t allow you to keep oppressing your pack or anyone else! – the hybrid stated, lordly. - Specially because of their heritage.
He then lunged quickly and tackled Ohanzee to the ground, holding him on it with his paws. Ohanzee fought to escape from Dan's grip, but he didn't let go. The hybrid's wolf inside was back. Dan looked furious at Ohanzee's eyes, trying to impose his will against his. It was working. Ohanzee was afraid.
- You're not fighting an old wolf, or a wounded one. Don’t you ever touch Nava again, or else I won’t hold back next time. - he pushed the black wolf away, and snarled threateningly.
Ohanzee rose and threw Dan a threatening look. Though, he just called his three minions to help him stand, and walked away with their help, not before giving some last words.
- You'll pay for this, wolf-dog. Mark my words. – the wolf threatened, with a furious expression. - You'll suffer just like the old wolf, and your little girlfriend won't escape from this fate. You'll regret the day you stood in my way.
Dan snarled more furiously and made a small charge at them, scaring them away. Once they were gone, he ran towards Nava’s laid form and a relieved Luna. The sun had settled, though Dan hadn’t noticed in the heat of the fight. The hybrid sat down beside the wolf, concerned, with no idea of how to help him. Nava was terribly hurt. There were many wounds caused by claw strikes and bites. Some of his bones were visibly broken. Nava lifted his eyes slowly to look at Dan.
- You were very brave there. – the wise wolf said, throaty, with his voice low. - You would be an excellent alpha in a pack. But… the brave often pay a high price for their courage. Be careful with that wolf. He will… never stop until he gets you.
- You'll be okay. – Dan assured, though not knowing how that would happen. – We need to take you to a vet.
- No, I won't. – Nava denied. - My strength lies within my spirit, but my body is old and weak now… Now I'm going to join the great spirits.
That couldn’t be happening.
- I can't let you die! – Dan exclaimed.
- There is nothing you can do. – he said, calmly. – My time has come.
Dan and Luna lowered their heads in sorrow. Nava's eyes closed slowly, and with some moments, Dan could hear him giving his last breath. Nava was gone. It started to snow. Dan threw a sad howl, in honor of Nava, the brave wolf who never gave up, and had died defending what he believed.
~~~
Dan was sat at the frozen beach four days later, with Luna beside him. A vet had put a bandage on the wound Ohanzee had made on his neck.
- That Ohanzee is sick… How can he hate that she-wolf so much just because she had pups with a dog? – the female said, impressed by the hate the black wolf had shown some days ago.
- That’s called intolerance. – Dan replied, sad. – The source of most of the thousands of problems humans create for themselves.
He was right. Now the humans’ greed and discrimination was affecting the animals as well. Then again, evil is not exclusively a human trait. If any being could think, ratiocinate and react, they would be prone to some kind of corruption. If dogs and wolves could do all that, contradicting his former idea that they were irrational, they could be as evil as humans could.
- Let's walk a little. We've been here for too long. – Luna invited, getting up and walking to the exit board, urging Dan to follow her.
Dan grumbled lowly, but got up, following Luna outside the boat. They headed to the cliff where Luna had taken Dan before, through the woods, and later the tunnel. At the top of the rocky wall, they sat and admired the land below. Dan gave a look at Luna’s paws. They were a bit different from a normal husky’s, as he had noticed before when they first met. In a good way, but that was a bit suspicious.
- Luna, do you have any wolf heritage? – he asked, curious.
The husky looked at him. She wasn’t offended, but the question had caught her off-guard.
- Well… - she started. – I don’t know. I mean, I’ve heard rumors when I lived in Nenana that my grandfather was a wolf. But I don’t know if it’s true. – she looked at him, curious. – Why are you asking that?
- I just noticed some traits. – he commented, raising his shoulders.
- Is that a good thing? – she asked.
Dan smiled.
- Of course it is. – the hybrid assured, giving her an affectionate nuzzle.
Luna was going to ask why, but suddenly they both felt a disturbance. Their ears shot up. Dan got up silently, sniffing the air.
- Now what? - Luna whispered, getting up too.
- I smelled something. It looks like a group of... - he sniffed again, and he recognized the kind of smell, surprised and worried.
- Wolves… again. – Luna completed, recognizing the scent too, surprising Dan, who thought his senses were sharper than hers, because of his wolf part.
- Think Ohanzee’s with them? – the brown-gray canine asked, observing the husky.
- I’m not sure... Should we check out? – she asked then.
- Yes, but let’s step carefully. We don't want them to hear us. – he warned, and started walking silently towards the woods behind them, following the scent.
They saw a clear at distance. There were many wolves sat or laid around there. But almost all of them were silent. There were voices coming from somewhere more apart from there. The couple followed the sound, getting away from the rest of the pack. The voices were coming from behind a tree gathering. Luna stopped Dan.
- I'll get closer, you stay hidden. – she said. – I’m smaller. It’ll be harder for them to see me. – she added, seeing Dan’s worried expression.
- Luna, no. - Dan protested.
- I'm not as weak as most of the human females. Now hide. – she finished the discussion.
She silently walked towards the tree gathering.
Dan stayed hidden behind some bushes. Luna stood behind a large pine tree. She was close enough to hear the conversation.
- Our pack is dying, and you know it's his fault! - a male voice exclaimed.
- Quiet, Adahy! Do you want any of his guards to hear us? - another male voice reprehended.
- But there’s no how to deny it. He lost his mind, and he's obsessed in this hunt for hybrids. Isn't it, Chaska? – A younger male voice stated.
- You're right Ahanu. He even killed that wolf, Nava. It wasn't even proved that he was helping that hybrid from the city. – the wolf called Chaska answered. – And even if he was, who cared? He was doing us no harm, and now we’re starving again, and without a leadership, we can’t make a good hunt. Almost all preys we manage to get go to Ohanzee and his guards.
- Well, I think we need a new leader. - Adahy declared.
- But who? Besides, there are too many warriors loyal to Ohanzee. Anyone who ever challenges him has to handle with them, and they're the best fighters in the pack. - Chaska said, concerned.
- I say there's no how to get out of this! You're all discussing this for nothing! We'll just die here. - the reprehending voice exclaimed.
- Yiska, if you can't say anything useful, stay out of this! - Ahanu complained.
Luna heard the wolf called Yiska walking away from the group. She rounded the tree, so she could see the group better. The four wolves were in a circle, whispering. Chaska looked to be older than the other three, with brown fur. Adahy was the biggest, with gray fur. Ahanu was he youngest, with dark brown fur. Yiska was away from them, backwards. His fur was gray striped with lighter tones, and he appeared to be the oldest of them. Luna was thinking if she should go back to where Dan was, but suddenly she heard steps behind her. She turned around quickly and saw a big, dark gray wolf, looking at her with a grin.
- Hey cutie, we’ve been looking for you. - he said, stepping closer.
She noticed two other gray wolves behind him, one of them holding Dan’s neck with his teeth, forcing him to stay on the ground. Luna snarled in anger and lunged at the bigger wolf, tackling him to the ground, pushing his throat with her paw, cutting off his air supply. She bit every part she could reach, and clawed the rest. The other two wolves were shocked by the female's fury, and were about to run in their friend's aid when Dan rose and tackled one of them down with a claw strike. The other one noticed what was happening and rushed towards Dan. The hybrid slid to a side, evading the attack, and bit the wolf’s neck. He thrashed his subdued enemy, and threw him aside. The wolf stayed on the ground, motionless, yet not dead. The first wolf that Dan had already beaten up got up and lunged at him, but was frustrated when Dan dodged and held him with his paws against the ground, immobilizing him. The hybrid grinned.
- Don’t feel bad. I am pretty good. – he said, as he released his opponent, who ran away, yelping.
Dan turned around to help his girlfriend.
- Luna! Are you… - he started to ask, but got startled with what he saw.
Luna was standing victorious beside the unconscious, injured form of the big wolf that was trying to attack her.
- I'm okay, but I’m not sure about him. – she indicated the beaten wolf.
Dan chuckled and approached her.
- That's my girlfriend.
Then he noticed she had some light cuts on her back and rear paws. He stared at her, worried.
- I'm okay, better than you at least. What happened? – the husky asked, assuring she was fine.
- I didn’t see those guys coming, I was distracted watching you. – Dan explained. – Then one of them just attacked me and held me by my neck. – he rubbed his throat with his paw. – Like it wasn’t hurt enough before.
- We better get out of here. The one that escaped will tell Ohanzee about us. – Luna said, concerned.
- No. We need to convince the pack to fight against him. And this is our only opportun--
The big wolf was not unconscious anymore, and tackled Dan down with a head strike. Then he stepped towards Luna.
- Hey cutie, have you never learned not to annoy someone bigger than you? Too bad. – the brute said, as he walked slowly towards the husky.
Luna snarled, threateningly, but before she could attack, a brown wolf appeared from the nothing and tackled the dark wolf down. It was Ahanu. Other five wolves from Ohanzee appeared to aid the beaten wolf, but Chaska, Adahy and even Yiska came to fight them. Dan and Luna joined the fight. All of them fought ferociously, even Dan, who was still hurt, was a real match for the two wolves that were cornering him. Chaska jumped beside him, and they fought their attackers together. Luna was fighting two wolves and quickly beat one down before Ahanu came to help her with the other. Adahy and Yiska had defeated the other that was left. The fight was over, and they had won. Dan ran to Luna.
- Are you okay? - he asked, panting.
- Yes. – she assured.
- Look out! - Ahanu yelled, when one of the wolves rose behind them and leaped in their direction with teeth and claws bared.
Dan stood in front of Luna, and jumped in the attacking wolf’s direction. They encountered in the air and started a ferocious struggle as they hit the ground. Dan managed to get his teeth on the wolf’s neck and pressed him against the ground, preventing him from breathing. When the wolf guard started to panic, Dan released him. He rose and ran away, yelping, just like the other. Chaska approached the hybrid.
- You are a skilled fighter, my friend. – the brown wolf complimented. – You fought so many wolves without a single drop of blood.
Dan smiled, thankful.
- We couldn’t have got out alive if you hadn’t showed up. Thanks. – he said.
- We had to help our equal. Besides, we're sick of seeing Ohanzee's guards hurting people and doing nothing. I mean, you're a wolf, aren't you? - Chaska asked.
- Sort of. – the hybrid evasively answered. - But the main subject is that we think we can help you. I fought Ohanzee yesterday to save Nava, but we were too late.
Adahy's eyes shined of excitement:
- Then you're the one who defeated Ohanzee in a fight? – The big gray wolf asked, anxious. - You're a legend in our pack!
Dan enjoyed that respect, but they couldn’t get away from the subject.
- We’ve heard you need a leader. Luna and I can lead you to take down Ohanzee, but we can't stay with you forever, so when our mission is done, you'll have to elect someone else to be your alpha. – he let clear.
The wolves pondered that for a moment, but accepted. They leaded Dan and Luna to the rest of the pack. As they stepped in the clear, all the wolves from the pack looked at Dan with surprise and confusion. They gave room for them to pass. Dan saw a big rock in the middle of the wolf gathering. The gray-brown canine walked to it, climbed, and stood on it, where everyone could see and hear him.
- I am Daniel. – he started. – And I discovered everything Ohanzee is doing. He oppresses you, puts his personal issues before your lives, and kills randomly anyone who isn’t completely wolf and anyone that had anything to do with them. He forces you to live under a racist rule, making you think that hybrids and dogs are inferior.
The wolves listened to every word. They knew he was right.
- I say different. First, we’re not different from the caribou we kill to eat. – the hybrid continued. - We may surpass their intelligence sometimes, but you have already seen what happens if they don’t exist. We all depend on each other. We must have this sense of equality to keep the balance in the world. I have seen the chaos that is caused by the lack of this understanding. Second, none of us is better than anyone else. I am a hybrid. I’m both a wolf, and a dog. My friend Luna, is a husky, and we together, fought eight of Ohanzee’s wolves some minutes ago, with the help of Chaska, Yiska, Adahy and Ahanu.
The whole pack stared at the referred canines. Chaska and his friends got a little embarrassed, but Luna was standing normally, proud of what they were doing.
Dan made a pause to study the pack’s reaction. They were all quiet, but they were all paying attention.
- You know… – he continued. – A tyrant only oppresses his people because he fears them. – the wolves looked confused with his statement. Dan started to explain. – Ohanzee just put wolf guards around you to make you think you’re no match for him. He just does that because he knows that if you fight back, he has no chance.
A wave of whispers ran the crowd. They were all agreeing with him.
- And I defeated Ohanzee himself in a fight, when I was trying to save Nava from him, but it was too late. – Dan told, shocking the pack. - I won, and Ohanzee ran away, but Nava died because of him.
Many from the pack got revolted by that outrage. How could their leader do something like that?
- Now, this is not just a matter of honor. It’s a matter of life and death. He cares more about a stupid vendetta than about your lives, he threatens you with your own brothers, he kills innocent people, and he will abandon you to starve, just like he accuses your previous leader’s daughter of doing. I ask you: Is that the leader you want?! – the hybrid raised his voice.
The whole pack howled saluting him. Dan raised his voice even louder:
- Now, we'll fight for our rights! For our lives! Let’s face Ohanzee and his wolves, to win or die!
The sound of the howls was spread by the winds, and all the wolves marched, leaded by Dan and Luna, with the quartet right after them, to Ohanzee's refuge. The young hybrid felt different. He wasn’t that boy from Olney anymore. He was a brave wolf leader. A true alpha. He felt proud of himself. Luna was walking beside him, with the same determined expression. Both hearts were beating with the same emotion. They would fight, and would not give up. Ohanzee would pay for his crimes, and they would set that pack free from his malice. "At least its better than actual politic", Dan thought, not losing his sense of humor.
To be continued...