ã€ŠHowling Windã€‹


 Chapter 1

    To be part of the pack was all Gail ever wanted. It was all she knew¡ªa small group of wolves living in a den isolating themselves from the rest of society. Not allowed to leave their territory, she had only heard of other Ferians from word of mouth circulating the cave. Cheetahs sprinting as fast as lightning whether as bipeds or on all fours, bats soaring in the skies with arcane bombs in hand, foxes leading a tribe, while a wolf ran an entire kingdom. There were so many kinds of Ferians Gail would love to encounter, and not only the intelligent mammalian bipeds like herself, but the lizards and birds and insects that were teeming hundreds of leagues away.

    Of course, those were all stories that the Omega would tell young cubs like herself. Gail could only fantasize about what those civilizations look like. But they were not the kind of living she would want to live. Like the pack, she preferred the wild side. They didn¡¯t have bricked buildings, nor anyone else to plant, catch, and cook food for them. They only lived in their den in the snow-blanketed forest, catching their own prey and following the pack system.

    Gail knew she wanted to feel as free as the Alphas, or even the Betas or Deltas. They got to leave the cave whenever they pleased, hunt whatever they wanted to eat, and practically do anything. Gail¡¯s heart craved for that¡ªto be able to run around the woods and chase squirrels and mark her territory for the pack. That was not the life that she was living.

    A slash stinging across her side reminded her of her reality. Crimson coated her gray fur, and blood dripped from the opposing Ferian wolf¡¯s claws. No¡ªthey were not a Ferian, but a feral. Unlike Ferians, ferals had dung for brains. They stood on all four at all times, and they could only utter incomprehensible snarling and barks instead of words and common sense. Though Gail and the opposing feral looked similar, their skin and fur were the most that you could match. The feral was nothing more than prey for the pack.

    The large feral snarled, but Gail was fiercer. Even before she had undergone her Cubbing ritual, for such a young age she was strong. At least, that¡¯s what she wanted to believe.

    She crouched low, baring her fangs. The two wolves then pounced at each other¡ªGail''s teeth sank into the wolf''s neck, while claws dug into her back. The pain caused her jaw to clench harder, drawing more blood and a whine from the gray feral wolf. She winced her eyes as the feral started scraping at her back. With a step forward, she wrestled the feral onto its back with her chomp still locked. The taste of its blood urged her to go on. She thrashed her head from side to side, instinctively growling. Eventually, the claws against her back stopped, and the feral wolf drew its last whine.

    Gail waited a few seconds before cautiously releasing her jaw''s grip from the wolf''s neck. She wiped the blood off her maw with an arm as her astonished eyes behold her prey. The corners of her maw lifted, and moments later she was jumping for joy. "My first solo prey!" she howled as loud as she could. She couldn¡¯t help releasing her glee, but the pang of pain across her back and side prevented her from celebrating any further.

    The sound of nearby rustling also cut her victory short. Her senses remained heightened, yet she couldn¡¯t sniff out the potential threat with her prey''s blood lingering in her nostrils. She would take up an intimidating stance and snarl, but her hackles were rising in fear. She hadn''t even had the chance to rest, and now another beast was about to strike.

    Gail took a step back. Now she could faintly detect the scent of another wolf. Regardless, she drew her claws once more. Yet when the beast pounced from behind the trees, she fell onto her back with her arms and legs retreating. Her face twisted, and with her winced eyes, she couldn''t see what exactly had attacked her. A wimpy whine left her in anticipation of a bite, but instead her assailant spoke in a disappointing tone.

    ¡°Not even trying to fight back. Hmph.¡±

    Upon slowly opening her eyes in confusion, Gail could see a wolf like herself wearing the upper half of a feral wolf¡¯s skull on her own head. It was one of the Alphas of her pack. She had dark fur like Gail, with stripes of white fur along her lower legs and forearms. Spots of brown were scattered sparingly all over her as well, although they weren''t obvious at first as they blended with her ashy fur.

    The look of disappointment in the older wolf''s yellow eyes burned fiercely as she got off Gail, and especially so when she looked at the dead wolf. ¡°What''s this?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to see if I could take on a feral by myself.¡± Gail painfully sat up, wincing at the many stings surging through her body. ¡°I got too excited about the upcoming ritual, so I went ahead and hunted one myself.¡± Her stomach growled, betraying her hunger. ¡°And . . . also because of that.¡± A small proud smile managed to find its place on Gail''s face still. Although, the sharp growl from the other wiped it off.

    ¡°That''s not until next week,¡± the older wolf reprimanded. ¡°You are not supposed to stray from the pack at this young of an age, especially before your Cubbing ritual.¡± She looked disgusted as she looked down the wolf carcass. ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to hunt when unnecessary. You were fed earlier, were you not? And don¡¯t you give the excuse of ¡®Oh, all I got was a small rabbit leg.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was.¡± Gail''s ears drooped. "I''m sorry, mo-"

    ¡°Terra!¡± the older wolf snapped, delivering a slap across Gail¡¯s snout.

    The young wolf whimpered, holding her snout and looking at the other with glossy eyes. It burned, and she could see the bit of dark smoke emitting from the older wolf¡¯s hand. No scorch mark was left behind, but the sting still evoked tears to roll down her cheek. ¡°S-sorry, Terra . . .¡±

    The fury did not fade in Terra''s eyes. She threatened to deliver another slap, causing Gail to reel back with another whine, but she lowered her hand. "Learn your place in the pack. You have no rank still, so don¡¯t act like you can do anything as you please just because us Alphas are your parents.¡± She looked back at the feral carcass, her disappointment greater than ever.

    ¡°Yes, Terra. . . .¡± Gail¡¯s ears slouched further, her tail limp.

    What was supposed to be a special moment turned spoil because of Gail''s eagerness. As a rankles cub, she couldn''t do anything without anyone supervising her in their own ways. On her somber walk back to their cave, she couldn''t help feeling that it wasn''t just Terra''s eyes that lay heavily on her.

    While Terra¡¯s fur color was naturally beautiful, streaks of white had been deliberately stained across her body. Gail did not understand, but she could tell that it was symbolic as only the Alphas and Zetas shared similar markings that complemented their natural fur.

    The pack was at its less active times even when they had arrived. It was the reason Gail had decided to roam off on her own in the first place. Now she knew that even with eyes closed, people like Terra could still sense her straying off. Even up to now, most of her packmates were still fast asleep, but the ones who weren''t looked surprised at their arrival.

    ¡°Where¡¯d she gone off to?¡± asked Gruff, one of the Deltas of the pack.

    ¡°She went to chase off some fox or something,¡± Terra replied. ¡°Got into a fight with a feral wolf and barely lived when I showed up.¡±

    Gruff examined Gail for a moment. He then pointed at his own snout and asked, ¡°And this is . . . ?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Terra shrugged. "I let her eat the feral. The poor girl didn''t get to eat much during the last hunt, and I didn¡¯t feel like eating it myself."

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± said Gruff. ¡°We gotta prepare her for next week, after all. It would be strange for the Alpha¡¯s cub to be killed in the process.¡±

    It was no surprise that everyone in the pack knew of Gail¡¯s Cubbing ritual. Considering it was a small pack of merely 25 wolves, everyone would know every single detail about everyone, if they bothered to know about them at all. That includes every one of their mistakes. Aside from the massive screw up she¡¯d committed, others had done way more than her. That made her feel a bit better.

    As they entered further into the cave, Gail whispered, ¡°Would you actually let me eat a feral in that situation, if you killed it and weren¡¯t hungry?¡±

    Terra¡¯s eyes darted to her, furrowing her brow a little. ¡°Think about it: do you deserve to reap the rewards of other¡¯s success that you had no contribution to?¡±

    ¡°Um . . . no?¡±

    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t get a single piece of morsel from my kill,¡± Terra huffed. ¡°Go to the Zetas for your wounds. Be grateful that it was me who found you.¡± Her hackles were still raised as she stomped off. Gail¡¯s ears flattened. Could she actually have died if not for Terra finding her?

    As she turned around to pad toward the Zetas¡¯ den, she was met with beaming yellow eyes under a skull headwear, making her jump back with a yelp.

    ¡°Hi!¡± said the brown wolf wearing the skull mask. She was lean and shorter than Gail, her forearms and feet white like her underbelly. More importantly, she was around Gail''s age and her closest friend. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering where you were!¡±

    Gail rubbed the back of her neck, cooly flattening her hackles. ¡°Were you worried about me, Iota?¡±

    ¡°Sierra,¡± the other wolf said, her eyelids lowering in annoyance. ¡°You know I hate it when you call me by my rank.¡±

    ¡°Of course, sorry about that. Well, I just took a stroll out of the cave. I started to feel a little cramped in here, so I thought ¡®why not?¡¯ Of course, Terra had to catch me out in the wild.¡±

    ¡°Dang. She really does have an incredible nose, huh? Hey, what''s that¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Gail howled, swatting Sierra¡¯s bandaged hand away at having her lacerations be poked. Sierra whined, her cheery smile dropping which she covered with both hands.

    ¡°Sorry, I should''ve assumed it would hurt . . .¡±

    ¡°It''s fine,¡± Gail said, though sounding a bit agitated. ¡°It hurt a lot more earlier. Nothing that the Zetas can''t patch up.¡±

    "They have names, you know," Sierra corrected. "And so does everyone else. It''s kinda pointless having a name if you''re just gonna be referred to by your rank, don''t you think?"

    "I know, I know." Gail waved her hands. "Potts and Juniper are nice people, even if they are pretty creepy. I just keep being scolded to call everyone by their ranks before my Cubbing. Terra keeps yapping that it''ll help me remember everyone''s rank. Though it''s kinda hypocritical of Terra to yell at me for that. She and Frost are the only exceptions, and even they refer to wolves by their names most of the time."

    "Probably because the Alphas are the most obvious," Sierra said. "But she doesn''t let you call her mommy? Or Frost daddy?"

    "That''s . . . the only naming she won''t allow. I''m not sure what Frost thinks of that, but I''m afraid he''ll bite my tongue off if I did call him daddy." Gail frowned. That fact didn''t usually bother her. Growing up she''d gotten used to calling her parents as her leaders, but the occasional slip up would still pop up now and then¡ªand it wouldn''t come without barking and threats of being maimed by them.

    The Zetas¡¯ den was farther down the tunnel. They had to pass by the dens of the high-ranking wolves, which were nearer to the entrance and prey stockpile.

    The Alphas¡¯ den was first. They were practically the law of the pack. Whatever they ordered, everyone was to follow subserviently. Despite that, their entrance wasn¡¯t too imposing. It was simply marked by balls of blue flame kindling eternally on either side of the entrance; they glimmered like sapphires embedded in the wall. They were conjured up Frost, as the Alphas had done with the rest of the flames in the walls that lit up the tunnel. In addition to them was a pair of stalagmites jutting out of the ground. Fitting, Gail thought, for a pack named the Twinned Fangs that the leaders¡¯ entrance was guarded by large stone fangs.

    Several meters away from the Alphas¡¯ den on the same side of the wall was the Beta¡¯s den. The entrance was marked similarly to the Alphas, but instead of blue flames, they were orange, shining like amber in the wall, and there were no stalagmites to signify fangs. Same as the Alphas¡¯ flames, these were conjured up by them; these ones being Terra¡¯s.

    There was only one Beta in the pack, and it had to be the wolf Gail despised the most. He was the second in command to the Alphas, issuing basic orders the Alphas can¡¯t be bothered to bark themselves.

    The next dens were the Gammas¡¯ and Deltas¡¯, the warriors and scouts of the pack respectively. Their entrances were on opposite sides of the tunnel. The Gammas¡¯ entrance had claw markings along the den¡¯s mouth and stalagmites and stalactites to impose a threat. Meanwhile, the Deltas¡¯ entrance looked as peaceful as the Alphas¡¯ entrance, minus the beautiful flames that glistened like amber.

    They couldn¡¯t reach the other dens before reaching the Zetas¡¯ den. The others took shelter deeper in the mountain, farthest from the entrance. Gail thought it must¡¯ve been exhausting to walk all the way to the stockpile during days when they weren¡¯t allowed to hunt their own food.

    The Zetas¡¯ entrance was marked by paintings along the stone, as well as a feral wolf skull hung above the entrance. It was bigger than any wolf Gail could imagine; she wondered when she would be able to meet such a beast.

    When they entered the den, they were greeted by the Zeta pair, Potts and Juniper. They spoke in unison, sending shivers up the feeble spines of the young wolves. ¡°Greetings, Gail and Sierra. We scented your blood upon your arrival, and we have already prepared treatment for your wounds.¡±

    If that was not creepy enough, they spoke dully and stood shoulder-to-shoulder, matching their austere manner and bone-furnished den. Bones of different animals were strung up the wall, and an effigy of whatever-bloodied-carcass was preserved in the corner near the Zetas¡¯ stone table.

    Potts and Junipers were siblings, and their black and white markings not only complemented their dark brown and silver fur, but also each other¡¯s. They wore feral wolf skulls much like everyone else, but theirs had branched horns seemingly growing on the cranium. They fascinated Gail, if not for the fact that they would be the kinds of wolves to appear in her nightmares, casting hexes and bewitches on her.

    Gail lay on her belly on one of the elevated slabs that acted as a bed. The layer of holly leaves scratched against her belly as she shifted a bit. The Zetas then approached her with poultice and a handful of snow, their steps in perfect synchrony¡ªhow they were able to store snow in here without it melting was one of the mysteries Gail could never answer.

    The cool snow was applied over the scratches. Gail sucked her teeth as a sharp pang stabbed her to the core, the cold reaching her bones. Sierra winced her eyes along with Gail. ¡°Feeling fine there, Gail?¡± she asked.

    Gail turned her head, barely seeing Sierra. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Absolutely not¡ª hing!¡±

    ¡°Relax, Gail,¡± the Zeta pair said. ¡°The pain will not last much longer. We¡¯re applying the poultice now.¡±

    That was one of the biggest lies Gail has ever heard, as the pain persisted way after Potts and Juniper had finished patching all her wounds. She sat on the bed, looking at the Zetas with gratitude. She was then given a handful of snow by Juniper.

    ¡°For your mouth,¡± she said. ¡°You look like a savage with blood on your mouth.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Gail would then press the snow against her maw, letting it slowly melt from her heat.

    The Zetas bowed their heads. ¡°It is our pleasure, daughter of Frost and Terra. You are always free to visit our den.¡± They cast a glance at Sierra. ¡°The same applies to you, sole Iota. Your blisters were not a nuisance to us, if that thought still lingers in you. We do not withhold our service from anyone.¡±

    ¡°Um, thank you. . . .¡± Sierra looked uneasily at her hands wrapped in plant fibers. ¡°A-anyway, we should be heading off. We have matters to attend to.¡±

    Gail¡¯s ear twitched. They did? She wasn¡¯t even aware of Sierra¡¯s business this sunhigh, the Zetas weren¡¯t stopping them?

    ¡°Care for yourselves, Gail and Sierra. Trust that you won¡¯t fall into harm. Ventay shall protect you.¡±

    Ventay. That¡¯s a name Gail only heard from them both. She wasn¡¯t even sure if it was the name of someone. For all she knew, it could¡¯ve been what they called the effigy skulking in the corner of the den. Receiving another shudder after taking a gander at the effigy, Gail followed Sierra out of the den.

    ¡°Were you lying about having to do something?¡± she asked. ¡°Because I haven¡¯t seen you do much as an Iota. Granted that it¡¯s only been a few weeks, but I¡¯m curious if you have been secretly plotting schemes under everyone¡¯s noses.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I have.¡± Sierra gave her a sly look, complemented by a grin. ¡°I have something special that I want to show you. Come on, so we can make the most of daylight!¡±

    Gail watched Sierra¡¯s tail wag enthusiastically, the ribbon tied near the base of her tail flapping. Her stomach began fluttering with anticipation. The worries of disappointing Terra for leaving the cave to hunt had all but dissipated along with the snow on her back. Much like the poultice, Sierra¡¯s presence warmed Gail. She wished that she could spend all her days with her in this cave.

 Chapter 2

    On the way to the back entrance of the cave, they passed by one more alcove. It was the gathering room for the pack where they assembled for meetings that were meant for everyone, or it could also serve as a resting place for a wolf to retreat to if they ever felt cramped in their den. The gathering alcove was the largest chamber in their home, and it had a large entrance to boot.

    A few paces after, they reached a fork in the tunnel. One led to the other end of the tunnel through the mountain, while the other curved and ran deeper into the mountain. The latter was where the other ranks resided, in dens farthest from the main cave entrance and prey stockpile. It was where Gail used to sleep with the Thetas for a few moons before Terra took her in to live in the Alphas¡¯ den. Gail could only imagine how gloomy it must be for Sierra to sleep by herself in her den, having no other Iotas to keep her company.

    The two padded onward, where they eventually met Quibs. He wore a friendly face beneath the skull headwear, almost always smiling tenderly with a warm heart to go along with. He was the sole Omega of the pack, and it was his duty to guard the rear entrance of the cave as well as care for the low-ranking wolves.

    When he spotted the pair, his eyes quirked. ¡°Where are you two off to?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going out to get some fresh air,¡± replied Sierra. ¡°Staying in my den is just boring my mind off, and Gail here wants to keep me company, so . . .¡± She gave a sheepish smile.

    Quibs chuckled at her display of cute innocence. He looked skeptically, however, at Gail and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been told to especially keep you inside since you¡¯ll inevitably try to sneak out again so soon.¡±

    ¡°So soon?¡± Gail echoed. ¡°Has that news really reached you already?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately for you.¡± Quibs nodded, though the corners of his maw rose in amusement. Gail pouted at that.

    ¡°Come on, Quibs,¡± Sierra pleaded. ¡°We promise we won¡¯t go far. We¡¯re just going to head for the hideout I¡¯ve been hanging around in lately. Besides, we¡¯re two strong wolves who can handle ourselves. Isn¡¯t that right, Gail?¡± With a playful jab to her ribs, Gail uttered a pained howl. Sierra put her hands to her maw and said repeated apologies.

    Quibs looked even more unsure of letting them through now. ¡°Hm. While I¡¯m not doubting your combat capabilities, I¡¯m still worried about you two getting hurt out there by who knows what, and that includes threats like yourselves.¡± He smiled. ¡°Though, I¡¯m pretty certain I won¡¯t get in trouble if I let you through at this time.¡±

    ¡°How come?¡± Gail asked, clenching her teeth slightly still from Sierra¡¯s jab.

    ¡°Frost went out to go hunting, and the reason I knew you were sneaking out was because Terra told me personally. She said she¡¯s working on something intensively in her den.¡±

    Sierra¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll let us through?¡±

    ¡°Only if you keep to your word of staying in your hideout.¡± He stepped aside to allow the pair to walk past. ¡°And be sure to return quickly. Knowing Terra, she¡¯ll want to check on Gail in a moment.¡±

    Sierra wrapped her arms around Quibs¡¯s hips, and Gail gingerly did the same, both due to the pain and the awkward sign of gratitude. ¡°Thanks so much, Quibs!¡± She then dashed off with Gail on her heels.

    Much like when Gail left earlier, the weather was calm. Snow steadily trickled down from the sky; Gail could spot a snowflake dancing as it¡¯s whisked away by the gentle, frigid wind. To her surprise, Sierra immediately turned left, keeping to the walls of the mountain that served as their home.

    ¡°So . . . you¡¯ve been keeping secrets from me, huh?¡± Gail said accusingly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a hideout!¡±

    ¡°Well, I needed to hide the fact that I have a hideout while I was working on it. But now that it¡¯s ready, I want to share it with you!¡±

    ¡°Does anyone else know about it?¡± Gail couldn¡¯t help asking.

    ¡°Aside from Quibs and you, nope! Not even my father knows of it, but there¡¯s a lot he doesn¡¯t know about me anyway.¡±

    Gail expected that answer. This seemed like something the Alphas and Betas would never approve of, even if it was well within their territory. Though, Gail felt furious about the fact that Sierra¡¯s father, Zane, never made much effort to be close with his daughter. Eaten up by his Beta responsibilities, I suppose. If Gail were in his position, her first duty would be to make Sierra¡¯s rank the most important out of all the others, even greater than the Gammas and Deltas.

    My ritual¡¯s coming up. I might have the chance to make that a reality.

    If she were being honest, though, she doubted she would succeed challenging Zane for the position of Beta. While she hated his guts and all he stood for, she had to admit that he was burly and would smash her against a boulder and shatter both. Gail found herself to be strong too, but not to the levels of Zane or the Alphas.

    Sierra led Gail through a clustered group of trees. The mountain remained to their left, its slope getting steeper. Gail wondered what Sierra¡¯s hideout would look like when they emerged into a glade. The pale sunlight shone on the clearing. Pines trees surrounded them, and the mountain face has sloped so greatly it became a wall. It was incredibly smooth that it couldn¡¯t have been natural. Gail turned to see Sierra beaming at her, brimming with pride.

    ¡°Welcome to my Sanctuary.¡±

    ¡°Sanctuary,¡± Gail repeated. She smiled. ¡°I love it here.¡±

    ¡°Daww, come on.¡± Sierra jabbed Gail, aiming for her arm instead of her ribs this time. ¡°You¡¯ve only set foot in this sacred place of mine and you¡¯re already making me blush.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Gail giggled with her as she followed her toward the wall.

    It turned out that it was, in fact, too smooth for it to have been naturally formed. It was artificially smoothened and polished to act as some sort of stone canvas. Gail couldn¡¯t help looking at Sierra¡¯s bandaged hands. That would explain the blisters and scratches she got.

    Above the expansive canvas, an alcove dug into the wall. It looked like Gail and Sierra would be able to sleep in it shoulder-to-shoulder, which was a weird thought to pop up in Gail¡¯s mind. She wouldn¡¯t feel right sleeping here, out of the cave and in the icy mercy of nature.

    Related to that thought, she asked, ¡°Did you sleep up there?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, but I almost did one time! I only stopped from dozing when I rolled off it.¡± She laughed, rubbing the back of her neck. ¡°It does serve as good storage, though.¡±

    Sierra padded to the side of the canvas where stones jutted out of the wall. Sierra clambered and stepped on them one by one, making her way up before leaping onto the alcove ledge. She scrambled up and crouched as she waddled a little farther into the recess until only her tail was poking out. A moment later she re-emerged, shaking two fat, elongated stones. She tossed them both down, which Gail was only able to catch one of, before she heaved out a broad piece of stone.

    Gail looked at the stone she caught. It had a split circling near the top, and upon removing that upper piece, it turned out to be a container for writing materials¡ªa stick of charcoal, bone styluses, and a rock sharpened by its tip. She returned the lid and picked up the other piece of stone; she could only assume it stored similar contents.

    Sierra dropped back down with the broad slab on hand. It was another container, this one holding fibers, bone fragments, and some completed charms. Sierra looked at Gail with an eager smile. ¡°To celebrate this special moment, we¡¯re gonna make something!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Gail said, slightly taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re more experienced in crafting than I am. I¡¯d just be making something you¡¯ll laugh at!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that,¡± Sierra said as she set the charms container aside. ¡°I already taught you some basics back in my den. I promise I won¡¯t laugh at whatever you create!¡±

    Gail narrowed her eyes. ¡°Why do I feel like I walked right into your trap,¡± she muttered, to which Sierra giggled at.

    ¡°How about we braid your hair like your parents?¡± Sierra suggested. ¡°Yours is long enough for that, I¡¯m pretty sure.¡±

    ¡°Okay, now you¡¯re crossing the line, missy.¡± Gail folded her arms. ¡°There is no way I¡¯m letting you braid my fur. Couldn¡¯t you like, I don¡¯t know, give my tail a ribbon like yours instead?¡±

    ¡°I could, but this tail ribbon was a sorta celebration that I¡¯ve been through my Cubbing. Besides, I want to braid you first!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll look ridiculous if you braid me now!¡±

    ¡°Well . . . if you don¡¯t let me braid you, I¡¯ll have to revoke your entry into my Sanctuary.¡±

    Gail gasped. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I very much so dare.¡± A devious smile spread on Sierra¡¯s face. Her skull mask made her look all the more malevolent, which Gail thought was impossible. ¡°I can braid your hair while you work on the wall, and I swear I¡¯ll make you more beautiful. How does that sound?¡±

    With a pout, Gail stared her down. There was no escaping this¡ªSierra had her right in her paws, and she had no other choice but to go along. She sighed. Maybe braids won¡¯t look that bad on me.

    ¡°Fiiine,¡± she said, making her reluctance annoyingly obvious. ¡°But you better guide me while I¡¯m painting whatever on the wall.¡±

    ¡°Of course I won¡¯t be guiding you, silly. There¡¯d be no point to it. We need to see what your heart wants to express.¡±

    Gail tittered. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get to work.¡±

    While she decided on the charcoal stick from the tools, Sierra went over to the larger charms container. Gail hadn¡¯t even pictured what she wanted on the stone canvas when Sierra had already begun bundling her hair. ¡°Are you really not going to help me with this? Not even suggestions on what to sketch out?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Sierra replied pointedly. ¡°The only advice I¡¯ll give is to let your hand drift freely across the wall. In other words, just do whatever and something¡¯s bound to appear.¡±

    Gail did just that. An image popped up in her mind, and she idly started tracing its outline. Her mind was mostly focused on questions, ones that made her stomach churn with contrasting anxiety and exhilaration.

    ¡°What was it like during your Cubbing ritual?¡± she finally asked after moments of silent stroking with the charcoal. ¡°I know I already asked you this about a moon ago, but . . . I want to make sure I know what¡¯s waiting for me next week.¡±

    ¡°Want to be prepared, huh? It blows that not a lot of people got to watch my ritual because of the blizzard and disease that coincided. Well, the first thing that comes to mind is terrifying. I mean, going to a place called The Forest of Shadows and during a blizzard? Just saying its name gives me the heebie-jeebies! You¡¯re alone, no one to guide you, you can barely see your own feet, and you hear all these skittering and creaking in the dark woods.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not helping!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± Sierra couldn¡¯t suppress her titters. ¡°Finding a feral wasn¡¯t as difficult as I imagined, though. The storm was weaker deeper in the forest. Then once I got used to the foreign scents of the place, the wolf practically came toward me. I guess they were hungry, because their mouth was watering when it saw me. After that though, it was just . . . over in a flash. I brought the dead wolf back, I got my mask, then made myself an Iota.¡±

    ¡°The only Iota . . .¡± No matter how happy Sierra seemed to be the only Iota, Gail pitied how condescending everyone acted toward her for it. She would happily accompany Sierra in her journey as an Iota, upholding the pack¡¯s culture through the arts and crafts, but if she were in a rank of authority, she could change it all.

    Almost as though reading her mind, Sierra asked, ¡°What rank are you going to challenge for?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Gail answered. It wasn¡¯t a lie, at least not entirely.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure that out soon enough.¡±

    Gail glanced over her shoulder to see Sierra smiling warmly. On top of that, her braid was coming along nicely, aside from the fact that it felt like her scalp was on the verge of being ripped off.

    ¡°I think a single hanging braid¡¯s enough,¡± Sierra said, stepping back. ¡°I wish you could see what I see; you look like a true warrior anxious to earn her rank!¡±

    Anxious might¡¯ve been a poor choice of word. Or maybe it was. The braid certainly made her feel anxious about how her packmates will feel about her new look.

    ¡°I wish I had some precious stones to fix onto your hair. Something to match your colorful eyes.¡±

    Gail had always been self-conscious of her heterochromic eyes. It garnered her more attention than she wanted, and for the wrong reasons. She¡¯d been called creepy, confusing to look at, and that her mixed eyes were an omen. Few genuinely admired her eyes for their beauty. Sierra and Quibs were among them, and surprisingly Terra found her eyes to be ¡°a sight to behold¡±.

    She stepped back for them both to view whatever she had been idly painting on the wall. She had to squint her eyes as she could barely discern what she created. It looked to be the head of someone from the pack with the skull mask, having an adorably friendly expression

    ¡°That looks good!¡± Sierra said, making Gail wince. ¡°Not bad for your first¡ª Oh, wait . . . Is that . . . supposed to be me?¡±

    Gail rubbed her arm to brush the awkwardness off her fur. ¡°I guess . . . Sorry that I tarnished your face.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! It¡¯s not perfect, per se, but I love it! Not because it¡¯s me, but because it¡¯s from you!¡± She leaped to give Gail a tight embrace.

    The sting from Gail¡¯s earlier wounds returned faintly, but she didn¡¯t complain about it apart from the abrupt whine. She returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around Sierra, basking in her warmth and scent. They could stand like this forever and Gail wouldn¡¯t mind it a single bit. She wanted that to become their reality. She felt safe and happy this way.

    Then the sound of howling roared in the air.

 Chapter 3

    The two pulled away from each other. Their attention snapped to the call of the pack.

    ¡°Oh no, did they find out we snuck out together?¡± Sierra whispered, her clouding with worry.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± replied Gail. ¡°It seems overboard to call a pack meeting just to scold the two of us. Let¡¯s go, in case they haven¡¯t noticed that we¡¯ve left the cave.¡±

    They hastily returned the different containers¡ªSierra chucked the two small containers onto the alcove, then passed the broad container to Gail who had already clambered up the ledge. Tucking them discretely in the corner, she jumped down and chased after Sierra. Unconsciously, she looked over her shoulder to have one last gander of Sierra¡¯s¡ªtheir¡ªSanctuary.

    They reached the cave rear entrance and ran into Quibs just as he was about to leave. ¡°There you two are,¡± he said. ¡°I was beginning to worry you wouldn¡¯t show up. Everyone else has gathered for the pack meeting; it¡¯ll be less trouble if I come with you both.¡±

    Gail and Sierra thanked him as they followed. The scent of their packmates grew stronger as they neared the gathering chamber. Entering it, everyone was segregated by rank. The six Gammas and eight Deltas sat near the entrance, while the Beta and the Zetas sat at the opposite end of the chamber. Between them, the Alphas stood with imposing authority.

    Everyone looked toward their direction at having their footsteps heard. Gail shrunk under their scrutinizing glares, most, if not all of them, coming from the Gammas. It didn¡¯t help that that they were among the few with spears strapped on their backs and daggers sheathed along their waist; the wolves ranked above them also donned the same weaponry, although better maintained and polished.

    Of course, the Alphas were among those inwardly berating them. Terra sighingly shook her head at seeing Gail be one of the late wolves, while Frost huffed.

    The three late wolves padded to the side, Quibs sitting farther from the others. Not having a rank still, Gail sat beside Sierra. The Beta, Zane, sneered at them. Gail thought he must¡¯ve noticed her braid, and she could only growl back.

    ¡°Right, now that we¡¯re all gathered,¡± Frost announced. ¡°In the foreseeable future, two events shall be witnessed by the pack. One of them is to be expected in the following days¡ªGoldenrod, one of the Thetas, is expecting cubs. I assume you Zetas will be prepared when the time comes.¡±

    Potts and Juniper nodded their heads. ¡°We have prepared the numbing agents for Goldenrod, and food for the cubs will not be an issue for now. We are merely waiting for her wails to echo through the tunnels.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Frost replied. ¡°I should expect no trouble with that matter. Now, for the other occasion¡ª¡± He stopped when one of the Gammas raised a hand. ¡°Yes? Speak up, Reckles.¡±

    ¡°May I be informed when Goldenrod is in labor?¡± the wolf asked. Beneath a cleft in his mask¡¯s front, a scar could be seen running down his maw. Gail recalled watching him stumble into the cave years ago, bleeding profusely from his maw. It was a miracle he¡¯s still alive.

    ¡°You wish to see her cubs?¡± Frost hummed in thought. ¡°Hm. I suppose you are the father of those cubs. It is not often the male goes to see his cubs, and it has been many moons since the last cubs were . . . tragically taken from us.¡±

    One of the Deltas shifted in his place, and Gail couldn¡¯t help frowning for him.

    Glancing at Terra, who gave a nod, Frost said, ¡°We shall allow it.¡± He looked at the Zetas. ¡°Be sure to inform him of when it is time.¡± The twins nodded. Frost redirected his attention to the pack. ¡°Right. As I was saying before, the other matter I must speak of.¡±

    Gail¡¯s fur stood on end, as though Frost¡¯s voice pierced right through her.

    ¡°Two full moons will shine overhead next week. Gail¡¯s Cubbing Ritual shall take place under that phenomenon, which is a blessing. Only few can say that they have been blessed under the two moons¡¯ watchful glow.¡±

    Gail¡¯s eyes went wide. Two full moons? Gail knew the larger of the two white marbles would be shining in its entirety in the sky during her ceremony¡ªit was the only time a Cubbing Ritual could be observed¡ªbut she never thought hers would take place under two full moons. What a miracle it will be!

    Her excitement was snuffed a little once Terra¡¯s voice reached everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°Preparations for her Cubbing are still being prepared, but rest assured we will not run into any snafu. The two full moons bless that day.¡± She muttered something under her breath, the same time Frost¡¯s and the Zetas¡¯ lips moved as well. They all were staring at her. Gail couldn¡¯t strain her ear enough to catch what they said, but whatever it was, they didn¡¯t want the rest of the pack to hear.

    ¡°That is all I wish to announce,¡± Frost declared. ¡°There are no other pressing matters the pack needs hear of. May prey be plentiful, and may we hunt under the stars.¡±

    Everyone remained seated on the ground as the Alphas and Betas padded out of the gathering chamber. Once their tails had left their sights, the Gammas and Deltas followed, before Sierra, then Quibs, then Gail stood. Sierra turned to Gail, grinning with sparkling eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re so lucky!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Your ritual¡¯s going to be under two full moons! Two! I didn¡¯t even consider that as a possibility!¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just as surprised as you are,¡± Gail said. ¡°I¡¯ve barely seen the moons lately; I wouldn¡¯t think that they would both be full.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve suspected that both full moons would coincide,¡± Quibs commented. ¡°Watching the moons while guarding by my lonesome, it¡¯s inevitable I begin to muse to myself. I suppose my suspicion was correct.¡±

    Gail looked from Quibs to Potts and Juniper. She asked, ¡°Is there anything significant about two full moons? Aside from it possibly looking grand, should I be worried about my Cubbing being different?¡±

    ¡°You must feel the opposite of worry,¡± the Zetas replied. ¡°As Frost and Terra had announced, your Cubbing will be a miracle. Our conjoined Cubbing took place beneath the same phenomenon, and so were the Alphas¡¯ during their conjoined ritual. Our strength and wisdom are few of the fruits of the bi-full moons.¡±

    So it¡¯s that big a deal, huh? Gail imagined herself duking it out claw-to-claw against Frost and Terra. If she were as strong as them, she could challenge for whatever rank she desired. Despite that, she was still wrestling her mind on which rank she should challenge for. Thinking back to how peaceful it was to work with Sierra, she was leaning toward being an Iota.

    ¡°What if you get cool magic like Frost and Terra because of the two moons!¡± Sierra wondered aloud. She looked at the Zeta pair and asked, ¡°Is that possible? Could it give Gail powers?¡±

    ¡°Possibly,¡± the Zetas replied, sparking ideas in Gail¡¯s mind. They dipped their heads. ¡°We shall be taking our leave now. Much work is to be done in our den.¡± They then padded out of the chamber.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to my position as well,¡± Quibs said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait till tomorrow if you want to visit your hideout again. I have a feeling Terra will be more wary, seeing as how we arrived last.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Quibs,¡± Sierra said. ¡°I¡¯m just glad we weren¡¯t yelled at right then and there.¡±

    Quibs offered them a smile before beginning to pad away. Just before he exited, though, he looked back at Gail and said, ¡°I think that braid looks lovely on you.¡±

    Gail¡¯s face reddened. At least someone said something nice about her new looks. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered as Quibs¡¯s tail swished out of the chamber.

    Gail sat back down with a prolonged sigh. She didn¡¯t feel like leaving the gathering chamber just yet. Sierra sat by her side, to her comforting relief. Though, the Iota tilted her head at seeing Gail¡¯s face. ¡°Something bothering you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± replied Gail. ¡°Just something I noticed about the gathering, especially the first announcement. It just . . . didn¡¯t feel right.¡±

    Sierra frowned. She knew it as well. ¡°The Thetas weren¡¯t here for the pack gathering.¡±

    ¡°Even when it concerned their rank. Not even Goldenrod was present, and it was about her.¡±

    Sierra rested her head on Gail¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well, maybe she¡¯s too sore to walk all the way over here. And besides, the Thetas already know she¡¯s expecting cubs.¡±

    ¡°Everyone in the pack already knows, but Frost found it necessary to announce it.¡± Gail¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°And even before, the Thetas have always been absent during gatherings. And it¡¯s stupid that wolves need the Alphas¡¯ permissions to see their own cubs. It¡¯s all so unfair.¡±

    Staring at the floor, Gail realized she could never say any of this out loud to the Alphas. They would claw her mouth for even thinking their pack ruling as unfair. ¡°You¡¯re still too young,¡± they would probably say, and emphasize how she was still unranked. She curled her hands into fists, then relaxed them when Sierra¡¯s warm arms wrapped around her body.

    ¡°I hate it when you¡¯re angry,¡± Sierra whispered. ¡°We can worry about all that another time. For now, we should at least be happy for Goldenrod¡¯s upcoming cubs.¡±

    A moment of silence, then Gail replied, ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s for the older wolves to worry about. We shouldn¡¯t have to concern ourselves with it.¡± And yet, it continued to nag in Gail¡¯s brain, troubling her even further.

    <hr>

    Gail eventually left the gathering chamber. As much as she wanted to sit around all day wrapped in Sierra¡¯s embrace, Sierra had to return to her den to work on something private. Gail didn¡¯t complain, as she wanted some alone time herself. She needed to show her face around the cave at this hour anyway, as to not raise any more suspicion of her sneaking out of the cave. While she wanted to make that a habit with Sierra in their Sanctuary, she shouldn¡¯t be giving the Alphas reasons to have someone maintain a constant watch on her.

    Her mind decided it¡¯d be best if she went to sleep in the Alphas¡¯ den. As much as she hated that notion, she had no other better place to sleep. Sierra was working on something private, Quibs had no proper den of his own, she was no longer allowed to sleep with the Thetas, and the Zetas would probably harvest her organs in her sleep¡ªthat or they cast a hex on her, or just creepily watch her in her slumber. So the Alphas¡¯ den it was.

    And then her stomach grumbled.

    She hadn¡¯t eaten since morning, before she left to go hunt that feral wolf by herself. Her mouth watered at the thought of it, and it was worsened by the scent of the stockpile wafting through her nostrils. If only Terra actually let me eat it!

    She neared the prey pile, and was about to take a plump hare when a snarl from behind petrified her. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Gail turned around, instantly feeling more aggressive upon recognizing who it was. ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind, Zane, I was just feeding myself. Now can you beat it and leave me be?¡±

    The fury in the Beta¡¯s face only burned more fiercely. ¡°If you aren¡¯t aware, the Deltas have yet to take their share of the pile, and neither the Zetas and all the way to the Omega.¡± His throat rumbled cynically as he said, ¡°You only get the scraps of the pile, as you always have.¡±

    Gail flexed her claws. ¡°Clearly they aren¡¯t as starved as I am if they haven¡¯t devoured it all already!¡±

    Zane laughed at her. ¡°You na?ve cub. It¡¯s not about how starved a wolf is.¡± He took a step and grabbed Gail¡¯s braid. ¡°It¡¯s about his position in the chain.¡± His grip tightened, and Gail whined and screwed her face as her head was being dragged down. Zane¡¯s tone deepened and slowed as he whispered, ¡°You¡¯re the rusted link at the end of the chain, and it¡¯s only a matter of time until you break.¡±

    With a shove from Zane, Gail stumbled and hit her back against the rough cave wall. She slid against the jagged stone as she heaved a groan, feeling pinpricks of rock scrape against her fur and skin.

    ¡°And when you¡¯re gone,¡± Zane went on, ¡°the pack lives on without you. You never mattered in the first place, not unless you get a rank.¡± His maw widened into a crooked smirk. ¡°But I doubt you¡¯ll get anything above an Iota. You¡¯ll live your entire life as low as my daughter. Or even better for the pack, a Theta. We could always use more wolves to help unload our stress.¡±

    Gail let out a stuttering huff. She could only watch Zane walk away, untouched without repercussion. Not even Gail¡¯s tensed muscles can find the proper strength to deliver a blow to the back of his head.

    She struggled to get up. Her back stung, and spots of crimson glistened on the spiky walls. The Zetas didn¡¯t need to see her so soon. Gail didn¡¯t even take a piece of prey from the pile, even if that would spite Zane. Though, her tears may have clouded her vision as she failed to notice the prey pile. With a hand on her shoulder, she heaved herself toward the Alphas¡¯ den. Maybe she could find hope in there.

 Chapter 4

    Both Alphas were present in their den. Frost was getting ready to rest for the afternoon as he sat at the edge of his stone bed, which was layered with beige feral pelt and holly leaves. It was tucked in a recess in the wall, much like his partner¡¯s bed. Meanwhile, Terra was hunched over a table in the opposite corner. Her eyes were set on pieces of paper, most likely notes that Terra tended to jot down. Agitation pulsed in her face, while her tail twitched every other heartbeat.

    A few steps behind her was a boulder propped up against the wall. It was smooth around the base, then grew craggy as it protruded into several spikes of granite. Gail never understood it, but Terra claimed it to be lucky, at least to her.

    Terra raised her snout, sniffing the air, before rounding on her seat to face Gail. Her expression became unreadable as a flurry of emotions conflicted. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you left the cave again! Why are you bleeding?¡±

    ¡°From Zane being Zane,¡± Gail muttered as she hobbled into the den proper. Frost gave her a disapproving look.

    ¡°You should not be trifling with those in a higher position than you,¡± he said. ¡°Have we not made that clear enough for you?¡±

    Gail opened her mouth to protest, but then bit down on her lip. The stern look of Frost made Gail think better of talking back in both Alphas¡¯ faces. Instead she dipped her head and, trying her hardest to stifle her indignance, muttered, ¡°Yes . . . I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    When she padded closer, Terra spun her around to inspect her back. A disgruntled look crossed Terra¡¯s face. ¡°How many times do you plan on visiting the Zetas in a single day?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t plan on returning to the Zetas for this,¡± Gail muttered, wincing an eye when Terra felt one of the many tears in her back. ¡°I¡¯ll just sleep this off.¡±

    ¡°You idiot,¡± Terra hissed. ¡°And risk getting all these infected?¡± She yanked Gail by the hair, evoking a yelp. ¡°Are you listening to yourself?

    ¡°Just let her be, dear,¡± Frost said as he was getting comfortable lying on his bed. ¡°If she wants to get an infection, she¡¯ll get an infection. She is going to have to learn the consequence of that the hard way.¡± He then turned his back to them both.

    Gail already knew what she was risking. An infection was no joke¡ªGail had heard the tortured screams from the Zetas¡¯ den when one of the Gammas suffered an infection and could only treat it when it was too late. Of course Terra would badger her to have it treated, but what else was Gail expecting when she entered the Alphas¡¯ den? Even when she was their daughter, they never saw her as one. They never made an attempt to treat her like their daughter.

    Terra growled. A burning sensation threatened to burst into flames at the back of Gail, but Terra muttered, ¡°Fine,¡± before shoving Gail aside. ¡°Go huddle in your spot and sleep yourself to death, you insufferable mutt.¡±

    As irritated as Gail was, she was going to do just that. She did not much care for her health at this point. An infection across her back and possible torture constructed by Potts and Juniper was nothing compared to the hollow rip across her heart. She huddled in a depression in the ground, no pelt or leaves to cushion her, as her cheek rested on her hands. Terra¡¯s lucky rock stood inches from her head. Facing the gray wall, her eyelids shut, and it didn¡¯t take long until agonized slumber took her over.

    <hr>

    Gail found herself in a forest. Towering pines surround her, as gloomy and menacing as the stormy sky. Thunder cracked in the sky as sleet pelted against Gail, who was shielding her eyes from the shower of frozen crystals. She could just make out the beasts around her as they crept closer. They were feral wolves. If Gail didn¡¯t know any better, they all may as well have been the same as the feral she had hunted earlier in the day.

    A staggering pain scraped against Gail¡¯s back. She whirled around after a couple of stumbling steps. More ferals padded menacingly, snarling. All of them foamed at the mouth. Hunger. Gail knew what they wanted, and she felt the same. But only Gail was trembling in surmounting fear. No matter which feral she looked, they each showed nothing but ferocity. Her claws felt like it was sinking into her fingers; a pit had gaped inside her stomach where her heart would sink into. With a howl, the wolves charged as a pack to pounce at her, and¡ª

    Gail¡¯s eyes shot open. Her legs jerked and her toes stubbed against the stone wall. Sitting up she gasped for air as her eyes quivered. Her head spun around, surveying the area. She was back in the Alphas¡¯ den.

    She let out a sigh. Just a stupid dream. She felt like the feral sent that dream into her sleeping head as an act of revenge. Regardless, the images of the dream flashed in her vision, sending shivers up her spine. She scratched her back when it came sticking back.

    Then her fingers felt something rough.

    Had it scabbed over that quickly? She looked over her shoulder to see that it had been patched up with the same poultice applied on her earlier wounds.

    She looked around the room again. Definitely in the Alphas¡¯ den and not the Zetas¡¯, with her in her sleeping hollow and the lack of excessive bonework and effigy. Had Potts and Juniper scented her wounds from across the cave? But they would have needed permission from the Alphas to enter the den, even if the situation were dire. Considering that Frost and Terra had left the den, however, the twins may have done just that. Despite Gail refusing to visit them, she was thankful nonetheless.

    Assuming it was past dusk, she got up and padded into the main tunnel. The scent of a freshly restocked prey pile made her drool with a growling stomach¡ªat least, the fading scent of what was once there. Only a few steps away were the Deltas taking their share of the already shrunken pile of small prey. The Alphas were already finished with their healthy take as they groomed each other, while the Gammas were still wolfing down on their take in a bloodied corner where they usually ate. Zane was nowhere to be seen. He probably, and hopefully, already skulked over to his den during Gail¡¯s slumber.

    Gail looked on at the pile wistfully. Suddenly she regretted not taking from the pile earlier. Her stomach lurched to have even a single bite as she watched the brawny Gammas chat with bloodied grins and the heads of finches poking out the sides of them. Reckles wasn¡¯t among the four present Gammas, and neither was another Gamma named Bea, which seemed to always be the case.

    Gruff caught her staring hungrily at the mound of prey. She jerked her head away, looking at the Alphas instead (which wasn¡¯t a better sight either, seeing them so content). She was about to resign to the Alphas den when Gruff called her name.

    She looked back. A plump rabbit lay at her feet, its lifeless stare begging for it to be eaten. Gail was frozen for a second, processing what this meant for her. When her stomach grumbled the answer, she smiled ear-to-ear at Gruff, who waved his welcome. She resisted laughing at seeing feathers sticking to his maw.

    Gail sat down and brought the rabbit¡¯s hind closer to her maw. The scent tickled her nostrils, and she was left with just that when a snarl stopped her mid-chomp. A Gamma tossed the bone of his prey at Gruff.

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into your skull?¡± the Gamma demanded. ¡°The Zetas haven¡¯t even seen the pile and you¡¯re giving a fat rabbit to that unranked dog?¡±

    ¡°Oh, suck on a bone, Malte,¡± retorted Gruff. ¡°The girl¡¯s been through a lot already today. Can¡¯t she at least have a nice supper?¡±

    Malte wrinkled his brow with a snort. Gail could only imagine how outraged he looked beneath his mask, but even the skull he donned could do the work of showing his fury. Much like the other Gammas¡¯ skull, it was decorated with scratches and blots of crimson. A few of the mandible¡¯s teeth were broken off¡ªat least one of the canines¡ªbut that somehow furthered his ferocity.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°No amount of misfortune should warrant something good happening to her,¡± Malte said, his voice stern and rough. ¡°And you say that when the Alphas could hear you as clear as the moon. You sure your mask ain¡¯t tightening around that thick head of yours?¡± He shot a glare when Gail was just about to take a bite. ¡°You get a taste of that and you¡¯re gonna be getting a taste of your own blood soon enough.¡±

    Gail growled, but her ears submissively flattened against her head. Just from one glance at the Alphas, it could end in disaster if she were to spite Malte. She dipped her head despite her stomach growling in protest. She was about to return the rabbit from the pile when Terra spoke up. ¡°Eat,¡± she said.

    Malte shot Terra a baffled look, as did Gail. He opened his mouth to question her but thought better of it as his ears flattened. Frost disapproved of his partner¡¯s decision too.

    ¡°You¡¯re being too easy on her, dear,¡± Frost said. ¡°If you keep at it, she¡¯ll be too complacent.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Terra replied. ¡°It¡¯s only a week until her Cubbing. May as well pamper her to make sure she makes it that far.¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°But after that, no more considerations.¡± She got up and padded away to her den. Frost did the same, but not before shooting Gail and Gruff a cold glare.

    Malte spat some fat on the floor. He muttered something under his breath before padding away; his hackles remained spiked from aggravation. The three nearby Gammas looked heatedly, while some of the other Deltas had a leery look to them after witnessing one of their own violating pack standards.

    Gail sat close to Gruff. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that. Now you¡¯re gonna be under scrutiny by the Alphas.¡± She looked down at the plump rabbit on her hand, still hesitant to eat it.

    ¡°I saw the way you were looking at the pile,¡± Gruff said. ¡°You¡¯re starving; even drooling a little now that I look at you closer. I thought Terra let you eat a feral wolf when you were lollygagging outside?¡±

    Gail only hung her head in response, her ears flattening. She wished that were the case. Gruff sighed, probably guessing what had actually happened.

    ¡°Regardless, no one should starve. I do find it . . . concerning that we haven¡¯t been getting a bountiful hunt as we usually do.¡± He gave a sidelong glance at the three Gammas¡ªShaw, Grifford, and Vin¡ªwho were content on eating a finch each. ¡°I suppose we can only hope for a better hunt for the Gammas next time. I do wish us Deltas could be taken to more hunts.¡± He nudged Gail with a shoulder when she still hadn¡¯t taken a bite. ¡°Come on, drown that guilt off with some rabbit. You wouldn¡¯t want to regret not eating it, yeah?¡±

    Gail¡¯s stomach rumbled agreement, and she began leaning on agreeing herself. Gruff knew the exact words to persuade her. With a soft ¡°Thank you,¡± she bit down the rabbit¡¯s neck. Her mouth watered with satisfaction.

    <hr>

    Gail couldn¡¯t bring herself to down the whole rabbit for herself. She had waited for Potts and Juniper to take their share of prey, but it felt like they would never emerge from their den. She decided to instead head for Sierra¡¯s den. Hugging the remaining half of the rabbit, she jogged down the tunnel, hoping to not run into Zane.

    She followed the curving tunnel, leading her deeper into the mountain. It didn¡¯t seem too different from the main tunnel. The same sparkling flames were embedded in the walls, lighting the area with its lambent glow, but they did nothing to provide substantial warmth. It felt just as cold as the snowy outside.

    The first den she passed by was the Thetas. The intermediate path to their chamber was long and dark, but Gail could catch a whiff of their scents. It smelled rotten. Gail frowned, knowing the Gammas and above would never bother to remedy that.

    Some distance after their den was Sierra¡¯s. Quibs¡¯s den was farther up ahead. Strangely enough, he rarely went down here. The Alphas allowed him to sleep in his station by the cave¡¯s rear entrance.

    Sierra¡¯s den entrance was marked by a wooden sign hammered into the wall. On it, it read:

    Welcome to the Iotas¡¯ Den! Home to:

    ? Sierra

    The sign stretched down more below Sierra¡¯s name, presumably for names of future Iotas. Gail felt sorry for her, being the only name on the sign.

    My name can be below hers next week. I can make it happen.

    She knocked on the wooden sign and called, ¡°Sierra? It¡¯s me. Can I come in?¡±

    A surprised squeak could be heard from inside. ¡°Ack, Gail! Hold on, I¡¯ll just tidy up my workplace!¡±

    Could she still be working on her private project? As much as Gail¡¯s curiosity gnawed at her, she only took a single step before she thought better of invading Sierra¡¯s privacy. She waited until Sierra shuffled to greet her. ¡°Hey, sorry to keep you waiting. I didn¡¯t expect my little project to take so long.¡±

    Gail couldn¡¯t help chuckling with her. She offered the rabbit to her. ¡°Here, I¡¯ve already had my share.¡±

    ¡°Daww, did you come all the way down here to feed me?¡± She accepted the rabbit with a grin. ¡°I greatly appreciate you, Gail. Come on in. I¡¯ve tidied up for the most part.¡±

    Gail followed Sierra into her den. By far it was the most beautiful and welcoming of all the dens. While it may not be as spacious as the Alphas¡¯ (granted that Sierra used most of the space here for storage for her books, tools, and projects as well as a table), Gail felt more at home here than she did in the Alphas¡¯ den. Although, her heart ached to return to their Sanctuary. It felt so long ago now. . . .

    Sierra went over to one of the shelves, grabbed a piece of flint, and plopped the rabbit on a metal platform raised over a charcoal pile. Gail tilted her head as Sierra sparked a fire to life, cooking the bloodied rabbit.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get why you insist on cooking your food,¡± she said. ¡°Is it really that better?¡±

    ¡°Better in all ways!¡± Sierra dusted her hands as she got up. As she padded over to a shelf to grab one of the books, she said, ¡°Other Ferians have been doing it for ages apparently, and it has its benefits!¡± She handed the book to Gail.

    As Gail began flipping through the delicate, creased pages, Sierra went on, ¡°So in addition to the food objectively tasting better, there are multiple ways you could cook your food! You can let it sit in boiling water, put some minerals and leaves to make it taste even better, batter it in milk, and even use arcane gems to cook them! Oh, and in some places, Ferians learned to grow their own food. Isn¡¯t that crazy?¡±

    Gail couldn¡¯t be bothered to actually read the text in the book. A number of the pages were faded or completely ripped, and the readable sections seemed to drag on. About a dozen or so pages were about how important some metals were. She was skimming for any images and illustrations, but there was barely any that hadn¡¯t decayed with the book. Still, she could hardly believe any of what Sierra said was real. ¡°Are you sure this isn¡¯t one of those fairy tales? Like the story of the wolf fighting its way through a giant fox¡¯s guts while pilfering treasure and rescuing others that were also devoured, because we both know that¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°I know, that story was pretty . . . outlandish when we read it together, but I promise this one is factual! Gruff said so when he got it from a trader.¡±

    ¡°Still seems pretty fishy to me. And I think I passed by a section that mentioned fishing in cold climates. I would love to get a taste of fish!¡±

    Sierra laughed. ¡°Well, keep reading, maybe you¡¯ll find out how to catch one for us. Oh! I think it¡¯s time to flip the rabbit.¡± She padded back to her cooking station, while Gail flipped through the pages still

    The fishing section was pages ago. Gail may be able to find it again easily, but her mind was lost at this point. There was so much information in this single book that no one had ever taught her. Were these just things she¡¯ll eventually learn when she¡¯s able to freely leave the cave? But surely they would be bringing home fish to eat?

    Gail stopped at a passage when it was complemented with an image. Finally. Unlike the other images she had seen, this one was of a creature. The ink of the page had mostly faded, but Gail could make out the passage above the image. It read:

    Ventay: The Goddess of Ferals and the Hunt

    Often confused as having an association with the moons, although faintly, Ventay is considered as one of the most superior Higher Beings. She is depicted as a predator, often a wolf; others view her as a lion, while some depict her as a felid.

    Taking up half of the page was an illustration of Ventay. It had mostly faded, with the rear half of the feral beast barely visible. Her head was bowed, with menacing blackened eyes glaring at Gail. There looked to be markings streaking its body, and what appeared to be tendrils reaching from behind her.

    ¡°Oh my god. . . .¡± Gail mumbled as her eyes darted back to the heading. This was Ventay¡ªthe name that Potts and Juniper would say that will protect them. It wasn¡¯t any wolf or the effigy in their room. It was a goddess.

    Gail turned the page, but to her disappointment, it was unreadable, and the upcoming pages had been torn. Except for one page.

    It was an image of a skull. The same as the ones the pack wore.

    Turning to the upcoming pages, Gail¡¯s face fell when they too have been torn. She had landed on a section about another Higher Being, this one about an omniphoenix being the goddess of rebirth.

    ¡°Did you find anything interesting?¡± Sierra asked. She held a wooden plate with the steaming cooked rabbit.

    ¡°Sorta.¡± Gail flipped back several pages. With one long stare at the illustration of Ventay, Gail closed the book. She looked at Sierra with a newfound gleam in her eyes. ¡°Do you have any more books like this?¡±

 Chapter 5

    Only three more nights until the Cubbing ritual. The previous day Terra had begun lecturing Gail on how the ritual will go down, step by step. Gail had already been taught this the year before, so this mainly served as a reminder so she wouldn¡¯t screw up massively in front of the entire pack (or at least, most of the pack).

    One of her ears was twisted when she was caught staring off into space. ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡± demanded Terra, evoking another whine from Gail as she twisted yanked her ear upward.

    ¡°Ah! Y-yes, I¡¯m listening, I¡¯m listening!¡± Gail¡¯s ear was given mercy, which she proceeded to massage. Terra huffed.

    ¡°In case you weren¡¯t, I¡¯ll repeat the crucial points,¡± she began. ¡°After drinking from the concoction that the Zetas will have brewed, you shall be hunting in the Forest of Shadows, which you will be guided to. From there, you¡ª¡±

    ¡°From there I hunt a feral wolf,¡± Gail interrupted, sounding agitated. ¡°After I hunt for one, I go back to the ritual grounds to finish the Cubbing. Correct?¡± When Terra merely furrowed her brows, Gail added, ¡°And to finish, I let the Zetas do their thing with the feral corpse, I drink from the modified concoction, then we all go home and sleep. Oh, and I get my skull mask sometime in the middle of all that.¡±

    Terra dipped her head with a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re correct for the most part, but there¡¯s more to it than just simply hunting a feral. We¡¯ll hone your knowledge soon enough.¡±

    Gail fought back a growl building to escape from her throat. She didn¡¯t much care if she missed a few details, but she was certain she got down the important parts.

    Though, she couldn¡¯t retain her focus on the sequences of the ritual. Her mind would always drift back to Sierra¡¯s book. That night she spent reading her collection. They were entertaining, for sure, especially with Sierra¡¯s company, but she especially can¡¯t get the image of Ventay out of her mind, along with other Higher Beings whose entries weren¡¯t torn or rubbed off. She had never heard of the Higher Beings before. When she was a cub, she would be told tales ranging from wolves triumphing against all odds to romances that eventually made Gail question what was ethical in a relationship. Not once had Higher Beings ever been mentioned.

    Her mind snapped back to reality at the mere touch of Terra holding her ear.

    ¡°Something is bothering you,¡± Terra said. ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was jus¡ª Ahh!¡± Gail jerked forward as her ear was yanked once more.

    ¡°I know something is on your mind, and I won¡¯t allow it to interfere with your ritual. What¡±¡ªTerra twisted harder¡ª¡°is it?¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay! I¡¯ll tell you if you let go!¡± Gail grunted and proceeded to massage her ears again. ¡°You¡¯re gonna tear my ear off at this point,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Then better get talking if you want to keep it.¡± Terra crossed her arms, huffing impatience, as Gail gave a scowl.

    ¡°I just saw something cool from one of Sierra¡¯s books,¡± Gail said.

    Terra grilled, ¡°And that was?¡±

    ¡°These things called Higher Beings. They sound like something Quibs would tell me about, so I wonder why none of you ever mentioned them to me. That¡¯s all, okay? I found them interesting and I can¡¯t stop thinking of them.¡± Gail expected Terra to reject her answer, but instead she saw a glimmer in the Alpha¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°They are fascinating, I must admit,¡± Terra replied. ¡°I did plan on telling you about one of them in the upcoming days prior to your ritual as a way of destressing you. Which one struck you as the most interesting?¡±

    Gail shrugged. ¡°Hard to really tell when most of the pages were practically blank. Nahvii sounded amazing, being able to come back life and assuming the form of her surroundings, but I¡¯m not sure what an ¡®omniphoenix¡¯ is exactly. But Ventay popped out to me. The Zetas keep mentioning her, and I¡¯m left wondering why.¡±

    ¡°Ventay, hm? She is a pretty significant figure to us wolves. What do you know about her?¡±

    ¡°That she¡¯s the goddess of ferals and the hunt. That¡¯s about it. Well, also that she looks terrifying.¡±

    Terra scoffed. ¡°Another miserable attempt at capturing her image, I imagine. Most of the depictions I¡¯ve seen don¡¯t align with how I see her. They¡¯re all made by lowly scholars holding their utensils by their rear.¡±

    Did Terra want something to be less menacing? Gail assumed she would want Ventay to be even more menacing than the depiction made her look.

    ¡°What makes you think Ventay isn¡¯t that terrifying?¡± she asked. ¡°She is the goddess of ferals after all.¡±

    Terra squinted. ¡°People exaggerate and fear what they don¡¯t understand. And don¡¯t forget that all Ferians are related to our feral brethren, millions of moons ago, when we shared one name as ferals. That¡¯s something that we have certainly told you, did we not?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you did.¡± It sometimes unnerved Gail that they were eating creatures who were in some way related to them. Sure, Ferians were smarter and more capable than the ferals that they hunted for food, but they were still wolves and hares. There was no denying the similarities between the ruling Ferians and the skulking ferals.

    ¡°Hm. We¡¯ll continue readying you for your ritual later past dusk. Proper hunting techniques are on the agenda, and I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll be needing it with how sloppy I¡¯ve watched you fight.¡± Terra went over to her table. ¡°Go on with your business, so long as you don¡¯t do anything idiotic¡ªsuch as having reasons to be tended by the Zetas yet again.¡±

    Gail nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She padded out of the Alphas¡¯ den, keeping a solemn demeanor. Upon reaching the main tunnel she let out a grateful sigh, dropping her shoulders. ¡°Two more nights of this and then my ritual the next.¡± Another sigh left her. Though as much as she was relieved to be free of Terra¡¯s scrutiny, she was curious as to what Terra knew of Ventay. Curiously, she didn¡¯t say a word about Nahvii despite Gail mentioning her first, and nothing regarding other Higher Beings. Honestly, she would¡¯ve been satisfied with an explanation of what an omniphoenix is.

    Was Ventay just that important?

    A few Gammas entered the cave through the main entrance. The Gammas had already finished their noon hunt; everyone had already eaten, yet these three returned with prey in their hands. Better to prepare the prey pile, Gail thought.

    Gail had planned to visit the Zetas¡ªnot to have any potentially upcoming wounds to be treated, but to query them about Higher Beings. She turned to head for the Zetas¡¯ den, but her paws made her walk past it. She even glanced at it¡ªspotting Potts and Juniper tending to a wounded Gamma¡ªbut she made her way further down the tunnel, taking the twisting path into the lower level. Sierra¡¯s den was in sight, but that was not where she was headed.

    Peeking into the Thetas¡¯ den, Gail wrinkled her snout. Her nose was not accustomed to the pungent mixture of scent coming from inside. She pushed through, wanting to pay the wolves here a visit.

    Unlike the other dens, where you would be in them after only a few steps beyond the doorway, it was practically another tunnel for the Thetas. There was a narrow cleft near the end, but after sidling through it, Gail found herself in the Thetas¡¯ chamber.

    Upon her entry, the three wolves flinched, huddling together at the end of the room. They look so terrified, Gail thought solemnly as she saw their pitiful eyes. Their faces were clear as moonlight, because they didn¡¯t wear a skull mask. It was a mystery to Gail. The mask was a symbol¡ªone that showed that you were a part of the pack. It troubled Gail that these three wolves did not don that symbol, and with such rugged clothing.

    The Thetas eventually relaxed, realizing it was merely Gail.

    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Gail said with a soft voice. ¡°I hope you three are doing well?¡±

    The three nodded in response. ¡°As well as I¡¯ll be like this,¡± The red wolf Goldenrod said, rubbing her enlarged belly. Her voice was frail, concerning Gail, and her brown eyes looked tired.

    ¡°We think the cubs will arrive in a few more nights,¡± the arctic wolf, Snowflake said. ¡°Goldenrod has been complaining of increasing pains in her back and her discharge is different.¡±

    Stains had always marked this chamber¡¯s ground¡ªit was mostly from the male wolves, a fact that Gail wished she hadn¡¯t learned. They were hard to ignore, but what stood out more were the pinkish stains near where Goldenrod rested. Around the corner was a small clay box of damp rags. It was one of the few commodities that had been granted to them, along with holly leaves to sleep on, both of which were provided by the Zetas.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Gail asked, ¡°Do you have names ready?¡±

    ¡°We have a measly list of names we¡¯ve been sharing for the past moon or so,¡± Snowflake replied.

    The third Theta¡ªa gray wolf with a torn ear and a bristly tail¡ªadded, ¡°It¡¯s a lot more difficult to come up with good names, it turns out.¡±

    Gail crossed her arms. ¡°I thought you three would have come up with about a thousand names considering you have beautiful names yourselves.¡±

    The gray wolf glanced away in embarrassment. ¡°My name¡¯s not that beautiful. . . .¡±

    ¡°Your name is gorgeous, Silverlight,¡± said Snowflake. ¡°Don¡¯t take into heart what those filthy wolves say about us.¡±

    Silverlight did not feel reassured, continuing to stare at the ground. One thing Gail didn¡¯t know was if Silverlight¡¯s ear had already been bitten off before she was taken into the pack.

    Goldenrod asked, ¡°Do you have a name to contribute, Gail?¡±

    ¡°A name?¡± If they had difficulty thinking of a good name as they claim, what could she come up with? ¡°Hm . . . What about . . . Nade?¡±

    ¡°Nade?¡±

    ¡°Like tornado.¡± Gail scratched her head. ¡°I just . . . sorta went with how I was named¡ªthe strong gale winds.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to use the name Nade. It¡¯s probably the worst name that I can muster.¡±

    Goldenrod laughed weakly. ¡°I honestly adore the sound of that name. I¡¯ll consider naming one of my cubs that. I¡¯m sure one of them will love that name.¡± She rubbed her belly while looking at it dearly.

    Another wolf had entered the den. Silverlight and Snowflake trembled for a brief moment, but Goldenrod was perfectly calm the entire time. Gale turned to see that it was Reckles looking surprised with both hands behind his back.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be here,¡± he said. ¡°Was I interrupting something?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± replied Gail. ¡°I was just keeping them company. I¡¯m surprised to see you here, too. I thought you¡¯d be too busy doing whatever Gamma work you need to do.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve already done my duties. I¡¯m using any vacant time I can get to spend time with Goldenrod.¡± Reckles shifted in place. ¡°Can I . . . get some privacy with my partner?¡±

    ¡°Sure. I need to get going anywa¡ª¡± Gail stopped when a scent tickled her nostrils. She lifted her snout some as she tried to catch a whiff of it more. She took a step toward Reckles, who stepped back in response, and again when Gail took another.

    ¡°Something, uh, something the matter, Gail?¡±

    Gail could faintly smell his fear at this point, but she knew what lingered in the air. ¡°Are you . . . carrying prey with you?¡±

    Reckles held his breath for so long that Gail thought he was going to pass out. Eventually he sighed and bowed his head. He mumbled, ¡°Yes,¡± before revealing three dead hares in his hands. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell anyone. All that the Gammas know is that I take these to eat for myself. They don¡¯t know that I¡¯ve been feeding the Thetas more than they are allowed.¡± He dropped the hares and placed his hands on Gail¡¯s shoulders, shaking her for forgiveness. ¡°I beg of you, my fellow Gammas and above will do unspeakable things to me if they find out. Please overlook this, I just wanted to help them.¡±

    Gail was at a loss for words. Reckles was that scared of being caught that he would plead to an unranked wolf. It may be due to her relations with the Alphas, but regardless, the way his soft blue eyes quivered, Gail couldn¡¯t bear it. Even without seeing him this frightened, her response would¡¯ve been the same. ¡°I won¡¯t tell,¡± she reassured. ¡°Not a single word to anyone. I would want nothing more than for you to help them.¡±

    Reckles¡¯s eyes sparkled as a relieved smile overtook his maw. ¡°Thank you. I promise to keep them happy.¡± He regained the hares and padded over to the three Thetas who expressed their gratitude.

    Gail stood at the cleft entrance, watching them. The differences between a Gamma and a Theta became striking. Defined muscles and feathery clothing against frail bodies and ratty rags to cover them up. Above all those, the Thetas¡¯ lack of the feral skull flooded Gail with sorrow.

    I¡¯ll find a way to make you all happy. Just a few more nights, maybe I¡¯ll have that power.

    Her mind reflected on the Thetas as she exited their den. When something warm jumped and wrapped itself around her, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from screaming. Only when she registered that sweet giggling that she realized who it was. ¡°Sierra!¡±

    Another round of tittering from the hug monster. ¡°Sorry for frightening you again. I¡¯m feeling a little excited today.¡±

    ¡°Who said I got frightened?¡± Gail said as she flattened her hackles that definitely did not spike from Sierra¡¯s surprise hug. To divert attention away from that, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s gotten you excited today?¡±

    Sierra picked up a clay box from beside her feet. ¡°Something for your ritual.¡± With caution, she turned and headed for the main tunnel. Calling over her shoulder, she said, ¡°Come on, to our special place.¡±

    A smile crept along Gail¡¯s face along with a tingling sensation. Without a second thought, she followed Sierra. Despite her closest friend¡¯s presence, her mind continued to dwell on the Thetas¡¯ misfortunes.

    <hr>

    With permission from Quibs to leave the rear entrance, Sierra and Gail were greeted by the cool, gentle breeze. Gail took a deep breath. How she missed the outside. They hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to return to their Sanctuary ever since Gail painted on the stone canvas. Sierra had been under observation by the Alphas to ensure she gets her job done, making it impossible to sneak out.

    ¡°How close are you to finishing your jobs?¡± asked Gail.

    Sierra replied, ¡°This is the last part! Just some finishing touches to this and I¡¯m off the hook.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear.¡± Gail smiled. ¡°I¡¯m surprised now is when you¡¯re allowed to sneak out. They finally figured you¡¯d be doing your job regardless if you¡¯re being watched or not?¡±

    ¡°Not really. They still aren¡¯t convinced that I¡¯m dedicated to my role. They just think that everything¡¯s already done, which it technically is.¡±

    Entering the clearing that was their Sanctuary, a wave of bliss and serenity enraptured Gail. She watched Sierra placed down the box; opening the lid, a large clay pot sat inside. ¡°Could you please fetch the tools and set of paint from the storage alcove? The paint should be labeled.¡±

    With a nod, Gail clambered onto the ledge after using the steppingstones. Despite the lack of lighting, she could still make out most of the containers, although with slight difficulty. There was the broad container for the charms, the small containers for the drawing utensils, but the others she hadn¡¯t seen from her first visit. She shimmied further to grab the utensils, and then inspected the other containers.

    She hadn¡¯t noticed when she leaped up here in a hurry from before, but there was a hole in the wall. Getting a closer look, it was a tunnel! She wondered if there were more of Sierra¡¯s supplies inside, as it looked to be large enough to crawl through. Although, it seemed too much of a hassle to go in and out of the cramped tunnel just to get a piece of charcoal or set of paint.

    Perusing the different containers, Gail picked each one up to inspect the labels etched either on the side or on the lid. ¡°Threads, more fibers, some stones . . . Ah, paint!¡± She hauled the aptly labeled box and waddled over to the ledge. Sierra took it with gratitude as Gail hopped down with the two cups of tools.

    Sierra sat in the snow, setting the clay pot on the stone slab. Its mouth¡¯s edge was wobbly in one area, and its base had bumps and dips in several spots. ¡°Sorry that it doesn¡¯t look the best that it could be. I overworked and forced myself to work on this until I passed out. Still, it¡¯s at least better than the cracked pot they used for my Cubbing.¡±

    Gail offered Sierra a smile before placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I love it. It¡¯ll make my Cubbing feel even more special. I bet drinking anything out of that will taste like honey.¡±

    ¡°Oh, stop that. You¡¯re making me blush!¡± Sierra giggled. She picked out a small brush from the cups and asked, ¡°So what do you want your pot to look like?¡±

    ¡°Huh? But won¡¯t the future rituals use this same pot? I don¡¯t want others to be using something personal to me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Sierra said. ¡°This one¡¯s for you to use and you only. I had a conversation with the Alphas about this and they agreed each Cubbing ritual will use a different pot each time. So come on, give me something that¡¯s special to you.¡±

    Gail almost blurted the word ¡°You,¡± but she bit her tongue before it came out. As much as she appreciated Sierra, it¡¯d be weird to have her paint herself on the pot. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to have people question why Sierra made a self-portrait for Gail¡¯s Cubbing pot.

    She hummed in thought, staring off at the sky, watching the snow flutter in the wind. What did she want painted on her Cubbing pot? Her mind wandered to things she loved. It was few, she realized, that she genuinely adored with her heart. Sierra, their Sanctuary, and wolves that were not jerks to her like Quibs and Gruff and Reckles. Then her thoughts drifted to recent events. The Thetas, upcoming cubs, Higher Beings. She didn¡¯t know if the first two would fit her Cubbing pot, but to have Higher Beings bless her pot with their elegance. . . .

    Gail looked at Sierra, smiling. ¡°I want you to paint ferals on my Cubbing pot.¡± She half-expected Sierra to look confused by her request, or worse get mad at her. Instead, Sierra¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight as an eager grin made her look all the more adorable.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make this the best paintwork you¡¯ll ever lay your eyes on,¡± Sierra promised.

    ¡°Hm, I don¡¯t know.¡± Gail looked at the wall where her terrible portrait of Sierra remained. ¡°You could always add onto that. It¡¯ll look marginally better because there¡¯s my work for comparison.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself, Gail.¡± She playfully jabbed at Gail¡¯s thigh with a chuckle. ¡°I already have something planned for that wall to complement your lovely painting of me. I probably won¡¯t be able to get to it until after your Cubbing, though. There¡¯s some finishing touches I also want to work on another project.¡±

    ¡°Oh, your other secret project?¡±

    Sierra nodded as she dipped her brush in the paint as dark as the night sky. ¡°It¡¯s something Terra ordered me to have made. I¡¯m surprised when she told me her request and what it¡¯s for, and you probably won¡¯t even think it¡¯s from her orders.¡± Before Gail could question her, Sierra looked up at her and said, ¡°You¡¯ll find out what it is when you see it.¡±

    Gail closed her mouth, but it wouldn¡¯t stay like that for long. Sierra¡¯s response didn¡¯t answer all of the questions poking in her mind. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel even a little angry?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°An Alpha is ordering you to make something. You¡¯re doing all the hard work to prepare for my Cubbing all by yourself. I¡¯ve already seen how the Gammas and your father treat you for being the rank that you are, but all they do is lick themselves while you work throughout the night for something as important as a Cubbing ritual. I mean, we wouldn¡¯t be able to have my Cubbing if it weren¡¯t for your new pot, right?¡±

    Sierra stopped painting. She stared silently at her creation, before planking her brush on the cup¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I don¡¯t get upset by being belittled by them, but I¡¯m not gonna be loud about it. I still get fed, protection, and someplace to sleep. It¡¯s not perfect. I¡¯m not na?ve to the horrible parts of the pack, but they keep me alive. That¡¯s all I can expect of them.¡±

    Gail blinked. She never thought Sierra would see how she saw the pack. Sierra never made it evident, and now Gail felt sorry for inflating her perception of Sierra¡¯s innocence.

    Sierra huffed. Despite her solemn tone, she looked back at Gail with a soft smile. ¡°Want me to cook your dinner later?¡±

 Chapter 6

    It was the day before the Cubbing ritual. Frost was the one to train and lecture Gail that day. Terra had been busy preparing for the Cubbing. Despite the harsher CQC and physical training with Frost, Gail had no real preference as to who should be teaching her how the ritual will go down. Every step was practically engraved into her mind at this point, so her mind was quick to jump when Frost said something unusual. ¡°You are to hunt for a feral and nothing else. Take their carcass to the ritual grounds and let nothing stop you from doing so. Under no circumstance are you to stray from that. Do you understand?¡± When Gail nodded, he added, ¡°Whatever anyone else will tell you, do not challenge for anything higher than a Gamma.¡±

    There was an edge to his voice that Gail had caught on to. After that, Gail spent her free time lying down in the gathering alcove, mulling over Frost¡¯s words while letting her body recover. On a surface level, it seemed nothing different from what Terra had been telling her, but the emphasis on each word, especially on what she couldn¡¯t challenge for.

    ¡°The only ranks above a Gamma is the Beta and Alphas,¡± she muttered to herself. The Alpha rank aside (which was suicide to consider with Terra as her opponent), did Frost just have zero faith in her taking on the responsibilities of a Beta? Or was he afraid her flesh would be torn from the bones by Zane if she were to challenge him? That was most likely what would happen, and it definitely won¡¯t happen. As much as the power and influence she would have as a Beta, she had no desire to challenge Zane with the disparity between them in terms of strength and wits.

    Okay, maybe not quite wits. I don¡¯t think Zane is as wise as someone like Quibs or Potts and Juniper. But he will a hundred percent tear my head off if I challenge him.

    Gail in her mind ran through each rank in the pack, deciding which one she should challenge for. The Omega was out of the question, as there could only be one. The Gammas may be just as lethal as challenging Zane; Reckles certainly won¡¯t be the one to oppose her challenge, and any one of the others would be a craggy mountain to surmount. The Deltas were more forgiving in comparison, and it¡¯s a role Gail could see herself enjoying. The same could not be said for being a Theta, as much as she wanted to comfort the three pitiful wolves. Curiously, the Zetas were never brought up as a role that she could attain, and she wondered if it was possible to challenge for it.

    Then there was the Iota. Gail¡¯s heart ached thinking of that word. It was a role that she lacked confidence in fulfilling, as evident in her recent painting, but she yearned for Sierra¡¯s company. If she were to become an Iota, she could be with her forever. Sierra probably wouldn¡¯t even put up a fight if Gail were to challenge her; she¡¯d happily accept her as an Iota with no quarrel.

    Her ears twitched when someone entered the room. Glancing over, it was Quibs with a smile as comforting as ever. ¡°You ready for your special day, kiddo?¡±

    ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± Gail responded.

    Sitting beside her, Quibs said, ¡°A lot must be racing through your mind right now. Tell me, how are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Excited comes to mind. I still can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to have a rank in the pack by tomorrow. But that also makes me feel . . . scared. What if I don¡¯t even make it that far in the ritual? I feel that Terra and Frost are expecting so much of me, but at the same time I feel like they don¡¯t care about me at all.¡± Gail¡¯s ears drooped. That icy cold feeling creeping through her veins returned, that same sensation whenever she thought more about the Alphas than just being her leaders. Her parents . . . She still won¡¯t be able to call them that even with a rank, will she?

    Gail closed her eyes when Quibs rubbed her forehead. She took a deep breath, gravitating toward his hand a little. His warmth faintly began repelling the chill inside her.

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be going through all this trouble if they didn¡¯t care about you, would they?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re probably only putting in effort because it¡¯s a bi-full moon,¡± she muttered, before sighing. ¡°It¡¯s all just frightening for me. Now I¡¯m wondering what the others are expecting of my Cubbing, with the bi-full moon and me being the daughter of the Alphas. I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t be able to find the right feral for my skull, or if I¡¯ll find one at all. I¡¯m still not even sure what rank to aim for!¡±

    Gail scrunched her face. She balled her shaking fists and smashed one against the ground with a grunt. Tears squeezed out of her shut eyelids. Quibs¡¯s gentle rubbing did little to alleviate her anxiety. Her trembling persisted as her troubles grew to devour her.

    ¡°Fear is always good to have,¡± Quibs said. ¡°You would be an arrogant fool to live without a hint of it to edge you on. Take Reckles for example. He was a wolf brimming with excessive confidence when he was your age, and his ego was boosted further when he became a Gamma. It stayed that way for years, and he proved himself to be a capable Gamma. That was until he ran into the Prowling Salvagers.¡±

    Gail cracked her eyes open. That was a name that she would hear each year, and it always struck terror in the pack; even the group of greedy hyenas brought a wave of unease to the Alphas.

    Quibs went on, ¡°It was only one hyena, but he thought that he could take her on. While he did inflict severe injuries onto her, he didn¡¯t account for how many more would be skulking nearby to surround him.¡±

    ¡°And he returned here barely alive,¡± Gail said, and Quibs nodded.

    ¡°He was never the same since. He feared the outside, started second-guessing his decisions, and he even considered becoming unranked for some time. His fellow Gammas no longer saw him as an equal.¡±

    ¡°But he eventually got better, right? It was the same time he began visiting the Thetas more and more. Everyone eventually found out his fondness for Goldenrod.¡±

    ¡°Precisely. So you see how fear is important? If you have too little, you¡¯ll underestimate the danger of a situation, and if you have too much, you¡¯ll become a doubtful hermit and refuse to leave your shell. Your real woe is learning to control it enough to your advantage.¡±

    Controlling my fear . . .

    That felt like an impossibility with Gail¡¯s flurry of emotions swirling in her head that was just as untamable. A deep breath. She opened her eyes more and glanced over to see that Quibs had been scratching behind her ears in an effort to comfort her. Quibs flinched and withdrew his hand. He sounded flushed as he spoke.

    ¡°Sorry. That usually helps with calming down the other wolves, so I thought it¡¯d work on you too.¡±

    Gail cracked a feeble smile. ¡°Thank you, Quibs. I¡¯ll keep your words in heart.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    <hr>

    To keep her nerves in check, Gail paced around the cave. It didn¡¯t take long until her legs inevitably led her into the Iota¡¯s den. Sierra was caught off guard when Gail entered, as evident by her screeching and scrambling to hide what appeared to be a bundle of feathers. Gail promptly apologized, but Sierra shrugged it off.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see what that was, right?¡±

    ¡°Not really. It looked like you were holding a bunch of dead falcons,¡± Gail said.

    Sierra let out a relieved sigh. ¡°Good. My last secret project is safe.¡±

    ¡°At this point, I¡¯m willing to believe that you have dozens of super-secret projects hidden in a cubby hole somewhere.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m neither confirming nor denying that accusation.¡± Their laughter echoed in the den. ¡°Do you want something to eat?¡±

    Gail tilted her head. ¡°Did you also learn to duplicate meat or did you just not eat earlier?¡±

    ¡°Reckles sometimes gives me some prey too. I¡¯m sure you already saw with the Thetas that other day.¡± Sierra went over to the corner of boxes. As she reached in one of the open containers, Gail wondered how many secrets took shelter in them. Sierra added, ¡°It¡¯s rare, since he has to hide so many preys for the Thetas first, but I can¡¯t ask any more from him.¡± She padded over to her cooking station, placing a defeathered finch on the metal plate.

    As she proceeded to cook the finch, Gail couldn¡¯t help perusing Sierra¡¯s books. Even with their battered spines, she knew which book to take off the shelf. ¡°I so desperately want more books like this. Maybe ones that that aren¡¯t as abused as this.¡±

    ¡°Gruff has been keeping an eye out for traders, but they haven¡¯t run into any lately.¡± A craving aroma tickled Gail¡¯s nose as Sierra flipped the finch with a rusted pair of tongs. ¡°You¡¯ve really been hooked on that book, huh?¡±

    ¡°Gotta find a way to relax,¡± Gail replied as her claw found the exact page she wanted. ¡°And I just . . . have this nagging going on in my head. Like, I wanna know more!¡±

    Sierra tittered. ¡°I can¡¯t blame you. I felt the same when I found out about Ventay and Nahvii. To think that they¡¯re out there somewhere . . .¡±

    Gail looked over her shoulder. The finch continued to tug at her stomach as Sierra flipped it once more, but her attention was diverted elsewhere. ¡°Do you really think they¡¯re real?¡± she asked.

    Sierra gave a half shrug. Curiously, her tone grew somber slightly. ¡°They have to be, right? Why else would people be writing all that in conjunction with Ferian history?¡±

    Her words felt like a club against Gail¡¯s mind. While she was skeptical of the existence of Higher Beings, the entries regarding early Ferian lives in the same book appeared real. She knew no other Ferians aside from her packmates to confirm of their legitimacy, but why spend time writing a book about a fictional civilization? The fact that Sierra learned how to cook from this book, some parts had to be real, right? And why else would Potts and Juniper utter the name of a goddess if she were fake?

    Gail stared down at the faded illustration of Ventay. A beast that even Terra regarded with respect, one who offers protection to Ferians. Her image was an amalgamation of different animals. Could she possibly be prowling under the same moons as Gail?

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to watch your Cubbing tomorrow,¡± Sierra said. ¡°You think you can beat my time of hunting a feral?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know how long it took you. I was one of the people who weren¡¯t allowed to attend your Cubbing, remember?¡±

    Sierra¡¯s gaze dropped as her smile faded. ¡°Right . . . Terra kept you from watching my ritual, even when you were healthy at that time.¡± She killed the flame and placed the steaming finch on a wooden plate. ¡°That is odd, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Gail gave a confused look as she accepted the cooked finch. ¡°Not really, considering that it¡¯s Terra. She may have kept me specifically from watching so I don¡¯t get too excited about my Cubbing. Now I wish I had seen it, though, so I can visualize it more in my head.¡± When Sierra continued to look gloomy, her frown spread to Gail. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Sierra shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Her smile returned, though faintly. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking of how you¡¯ll fare tomorrow, and if you¡¯ll like my ¡®last¡¯ secret project. Actually, you know what¡±¡ªshe padded over to where she hastily hid the bundle of feathers¡ª¡°I may as well give it to you now.¡±

    Gail watched with piqued interest. When Sierra returned, she realized that it wasn¡¯t merely a bundle of feathers. She made feathered garments akin to those of the higher ranked wolves. The feathers were white as snow with and striped with black. They complemented the tawny brown fur that they were embedded into. ¡°Oh, Sierra. Why¡¯d you gone out of your way to make this for me? This time, you really didn¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°This was Terra¡¯s order,¡± Sierra said, stunning Gail. ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t believe it if it came from her mouth, but she wanted you to look your best.¡± She felt the hem of Gail¡¯s coarse cloth top. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, you do look sorta dreadful in this.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I know you¡¯re voicing what Terra wants, but you didn¡¯t have to sound like her too.¡± Gail smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Speaking of the devil, the voice of Terra echoed down the tunnels. She was urgently beckoning Gail, making the young wolf¡¯s fur rise in apprehension. Gail grabbed the feathery garment and returned the plate of finch to Sierra. ¡°You can eat that. I can¡¯t have Terra see you hiding more prey.¡± She wrapped an arm around Sierra¡¯s neck and touched foreheads with her. Even with the hard skull mask of Sierra, Gail could still feel her warmth.

    They stood like that in silence. Gail wished they could stay like this forever, but she couldn¡¯t She eventually released and dashed out of the room. She waved a hand behind her as Sierra bid her farewell.

    Terra¡¯s voice echoed once more, but they were drowned out by Gail¡¯s flurry of thoughts. The garment bundled in her hands looked gorgeous. It felt like a dream that Terra would have Sierra make something like this for her; though, whether that dream was happy or a nightmare waiting to happen, she couldn¡¯t quite tell yet.

    Before she made it to the main tunnel, she ran into Terra. Terra huffed, and said, ¡°I knew you¡¯d be down here.¡± Her eyes glanced at the garments in Gail¡¯s hand for a second. ¡°We need to talk.¡±

    Instead of going to the Alphas¡¯ den as Gail would¡¯ve expected, they entered one of the empty chambers in the lower level. It felt like frost creeping along Gail¡¯s skin as Terra stared her down. ¡°What do you need to tell me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s regarding your Cubbing,¡± Terra said. ¡°You¡¯re well aware that you will be challenging for a rank, correct? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been contemplating what rank you¡¯ll shoot for, and I can guarantee that someone would have . . . suggested what rank you should go for.¡±

    Frost¡¯s words echoed in Gail¡¯s head. Do not challenge for anything higher than a Gamma. Those words already chilled Gail, and Terra¡¯s upcoming words would make her feel as cold as a ghost.

    ¡°I¡¯m ordering you to challenge for the rank of Beta.¡± Before Gail could protest, Terra¡¯s eyes grew sharper, as if she couldn¡¯t look any fiercer. ¡°If you so think about disobeying that order or fail to achieve the rank of Beta, I have acquaintances ready to strike you dead the moment you receive any other rank.¡± She placed a hand on Gail¡¯s shoulder; Gail winced as Terra threatened to crush it. ¡°Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, Terra. I¡¯ll ensure to fulfill your order.¡± The words stung Gail¡¯s tongue as it left her lips. When Terra released her grasp, Gail could only hang her head.

    ¡°Make it so. Be sure to put those on for tomorrow.¡± Terra walked past Gail. When it felt like she had already left, her voice echoed to give her one piece of advice that would cement Gail¡¯s perplexity. ¡°Be ready for anything tomorrow. You won¡¯t just be hunting for a simple feral.¡±

 Chapter 7

    It was finally the day of Gail¡¯s Cubbing. The night was calm for now, but the distant rumblings and dark clouds crawling closer promised trouble. Could it be an upcoming blizzard? A hailstorm? Whatever it may be, Sierra was sure Gail will be able to handle it. If Sierra could do it, the mighty Gail could do it 10 times better, and look more graceful and beautiful in the process.

    What was just as gorgeous were the two full moons beaming down moonlight from above. Sierra couldn¡¯t take her eyes off it. From her books, Ferians would fear the bi-full moon. They perceived them as the Eyes of the Gods watching them, casting their judgment. In a night like this, Ferians would pray for their forgiveness for whatever sin they committed. As terrifying as that prospect may be, Sierra didn¡¯t share the same gloomy perspective of it. She saw it as the time for everyone to live their best, to show the gods that they are happy with the world that they have been bestowed with. Though, she couldn¡¯t help recalling Gail¡¯s words.

    Don¡¯t you feel even a little angry?

    I do feel angry, Sierra mentally responded. I wish the pack as a whole can be happy together, but I don¡¯t have the power for that. But maybe you¡¯ll be able to achieve that for the pack, Gail.

    Same as in pack meetings, the wolves were segregated by ranks. The Omega and Iota were separated from the Deltas and Gammas, with a larger gap between the lone Iota and the Deltas to serve as a path for Gail. As Gail would point out, the Thetas were absent for this occasion.

    I hope that you¡¯ll achieve our goal, Gail.

    Quibs nudged Sierra when he caught her spacing out. ¡°Mesmerized by the moon?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± whispered Sierra. ¡°It¡¯s even brighter than I imagined. It¡¯s not often you would see something as majestic and gorgeous as the bi-full moon.¡±

    ¡°But you see Gail everyday, do you not?¡± Quibs remarked. He chuckled when Sierra looked away to hide her blush.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you could possibly mean by that,¡± Sierra said with an awkward laugh.

    More soft laughter came from Quibs. ¡°Speaking of the young wolf, I wonder what rank Gail will challenge for. Considering her promising strength, she could pass as a Gamma, though it would also depend on who would be answering her challenge.¡±

    ¡°She could probably handle any of them,¡± Sierra said. ¡°Ooo, what about being an Alpha? You think she could do that?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t rule it out,¡± Quibs said with a chuckle, ¡°but I find it unlikely that she¡¯ll be able to take down Terra. It will take more than being able to lift a stack of logs to even come close to the Alpha¡¯s raw vigor. Even challenging Zane, Gail needs more years of experience and training to be level with him.¡±

    He watched as one of the Deltas stoked the bonfire that kindled before the entire pack. Raised on a platform above it was Gail¡¯s Cubbing pot. He adored Sierra¡¯s paintwork that made it complete¡ªnear the base of the pot, two feral wolves as white as the moons chased each other eternally in a starry meadow, and on one side was a wolf skull. Its left eyehole was blue, while the right was yellow, akin to Gail¡¯s heterochromia. It was beautifully representative of the young wolf.

    Quibs looked at Sierra, who was still gawking at the pair of moons. ¡°Why did you choose to become an Iota?¡± he asked. ¡°I assumed you would have chosen to become a Delta with your sharp eyes and how spry you tend to run. I am not opposed to your decision, but I cannot help being curious.¡±

    Sierra glanced at Quibs. Her eyes seemed to have absorbed moonlight as they glowed with the mystery of the moons. ¡°The role of Delta didn¡¯t really appeal to me, and neither did any of the other roles, aside from maybe the Zetas. I would¡¯ve chosen to be an Omega with you, but they won¡¯t allow more than one Omega in the pack. In the end, me declaring to become an Iota was more of an impulsive decision.¡± Her ears flattened as her face fell. ¡°I didn¡¯t imagine that they¡¯d treat my role so lowly when they found out what I do.¡±

    Quibs patted her head. ¡°I feel sorry for you, but that¡¯s just how the pack works. If you cannot assert your dominance on the other wolves, they¡¯ll run you over and treat you like a feral.¡± He smiled warmly. ¡°I appreciate your concern of wanting to accompany me, but I''m content with being the only Omega. It''s my pride and my duty, and you should be happy with yours.¡±

    Sierra stared deeply into Quibs'' gentle emerald eyes. A part of her wanted to live in those warm spheres, pampered by his gentle, real care.

    Quibs hummed, then said, ¡°I am curious, though. I¡¯m sure your choice to become an Iota wasn¡¯t mindlessly blurted out of your mouth. You had to have wanted to do something different. Am I right?¡±

    Sierra bowed her head in acknowledgement, then stared up at the Eyes of the Gods. ¡°The higher ranks are all about hunting and defending our territory. I respect them, but . . . I wanted to be the one to fill in the gaps. I want to be the ones to create those Cubbing pots, clothing for the pack, and make our home a less gloomy and bland place. Even if they don¡¯t appreciate it most times, it¡¯s what I want to do. It makes me happy, and I want the entire pack to be happy.¡±

    A moment of silence passed. Sierra continued to stare at moons. Quibs did the same and marveled at the moon¡¯s splendor surrounded by a field of glittering stars. He smiled. ¡°I now feel as though Gail will be a better fit as an Iota with you.¡±

    <hr>

    The sky began to dim. Gail dreaded that a blizzard was approaching, but she had worse problems weighing on her shoulders. The Alphas had given her two conflicting orders. One was more sensible with her current situation, while the other would be death in more ways than one. If she chose to please Terra¡¯s wishes, however, she¡¯d probably be dead to Frost instead. The question now was which decision would leave her less dead?

    ¡°This is impossible,¡± she muttered to herself as she paced in circles near the cave¡¯s main entrance. She remained here, not leaving until the signal is sounded. Even with all this time and the previous day to reflect on this, she was caught between an iceberg and a hard place. ¡°I should just take it safe, right? Zane will definitely decimate me in a duel. But what has Frost ever done for me? Terra at least got me these to wear.¡±

    She had no mirror to admire Sierra¡¯s craft in full¡ªnor could she see how different her braid looked after Sierra spruced it up before leaving¡ªbut she could still appreciate it by how better it felt to wear compared to her coarse cloth garments. She didn¡¯t notice before, but this came with bone accessories. Small femurs were threaded together to secure her feathery skirt around her waist, acting as a belt. Laced on her neck was plant fiber, and attached to it was a crow¡¯s skull that rested on her chest. Gail found these to be excessive for her, but then she wondered if Terra had specifically instructed Sierra to make it like this, and which parts were Sierra¡¯s touches.

    Nevertheless, Gail loved it. It was the only worthwhile thing one of the Alphas had given her. Which is why I¡¯ll please Terra¡¯s order.

    A gust of wind drifted into the cave, reverberating in it a pair of imposing howls. It was time.

    She wished silent protection for the Thetas as she left the cave. Despite the week of being lectured, she had not been told where the ritual grounds were, only that it was within their territory. Not even the smoke of the bonfire could be seen through the snowfall. It was dark, but the bi-full moons lit up the world enough that it¡¯s not impossible to hunt.

    She closed her eyes and raised her snout. The smell of pine and holly soothed her nose, as well as the scent of small prey. She then caught the dense spoor of multiple wolves. Among them, she could make out Sierra¡¯s sweet scent. Her tail wagged as she began to chase after it.

    It felt gratifying to be able to run this far out of the cave. She envied how the Deltas and above can run this free whenever they pleased, while she and the rest of the lower ranking wolves could only hunt outside during a full moon. It was the only occasion where the Thetas are allowed to leave their den. While Gail may not be free to run wherever yet, she welcomed the fresh open air while she still could. There was no telling if she¡¯ll retain this freedom by tomorrow.

    Sierra¡¯s scent was hard to lose track of. The others weren¡¯t difficult either; Quibs¡¯s and the Terra¡¯s scent among others stood out as well, but Gail wanted to cling onto Sierra¡¯s scent specifically. It helped to ease her tension.

    The ritual grounds were much farther than Gail had first thought. At some point she thought that she had gotten lost and would never be able to find her packmates, but she was still on Sierra¡¯s trail. She closed her eyes lifted her snout to recapture the spoor, then a foreign scent mingled with her packmates. Her eyes shot open and she snapped her head to either side. Her heart raced as she drew her claws, but nothing came to pounce at her. No one else was nearby. The peculiar scent smelled like wolf too, but it wasn¡¯t of any of her packmates.

    ¡°Might¡¯ve been a feral, or an outsider that happened to pass by,¡± she said aloud to reassure herself. Shaking the fear off her pelt, she returned to prowling after Sierra¡¯s scent.

    The smoke from the fire eventually came into view, and soon after her packmates. They all looked at her expectantly as they sat in the snow; Sierra and Quibs were the only ones smiling, and so were Gruff and Reckles. She could see that they were segregated by ranks still, sitting before the fire that continued to dance and crack despite the frigid wind, and above it was her enrapturing Cubbing pot. Warmth tickled her insides for a second from looking at Sierra¡¯s gorgeous work, but a cold grasp clutched her when she saw the Alphas¡¯ baleful stares. They bore down on her, a pair of blue eyes and yellow eyes, expecting contrasting things of Gail. Besides Terra were the Zetas, and standing beside Frost with an expression just as spiteful was Zane.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Gail padded through the gap between Sierra and the Deltas and stood before the fire. The Alphas stood up, and Frost was the first to raise his voice.

    ¡°It has only been a moon since the previous Cubbing. Although most of you had not been able to witness it due to the disease that had befallen upon the pack, she had completed her ritual. Since then, she has adjusted well as a true member of the Twinned Fangs.¡±

    Gail couldn¡¯t help taking a gander her shoulder to catch Sierra looking off to the side. Her words from before echoed in her head as she snapped her attention back to Frost.

    ¡°Tonight, we shall witness the Cubbing of another young wolf. Although she is my and Terra¡¯s daughter, that is not what makes this special, now shall it benefit her in any way. Instead, it is the phenomenon that you can see hovering above us that differentiates this ritual from the rest. A bi-full moon¡ªa night where the higher beings will be watching, and they too shall be a witness to this Cubbing.¡±

    Terra continued, ¡°Gail, you shall be hunting in the Forest of Shadows. Since you have not ventured far from our cave before,¡± she glowered, remembering Gail¡¯s mishaps, ¡°or at least, have not explored beyond our territory, the Omega shall accompany to the forest¡¯s border. Quibs?¡±

    Gail glanced back to see Quibs nodding. ¡°I shall ensure her safety on the way to the forest.¡±

    ¡°Make it so,¡± Frost said. ¡°Now, let us begin the initiation to fully accept her into the Twinned Fangs.¡±

    Potts and Juniper padded toward the Cubbing pot. The peculiar smell from the concoction inside the pot wafted into Gail¡¯s nose, and it was made more pungent when the Zetas picked it up to bring closer to her.

    ¡°Your hand, if you will,¡± Juniper said, holding a hand out expectantly while a dagger was in the other. When Gail extended her hand with hesitance, Juniper guided it above the pot, and with her dagger cut across her palm. Gail tensed her hand and sucked her teeth at the sting. Her blood dribbled into the pot, and Potts proceeded to stir the concoction with a wooden rod. The scarlet of her blood took over the cloudy mixture, with it turning darker with each round of the rod. Potts would then withdraw the rod, tapping it on the pot¡¯s rim. He tossed it into the fire, which roared and turned crimson, devouring the pot for a second. Gail felt the intense heat from it, jerking away a little, but Juniper held her hand as she and Potts were not fazed.

    Juniper let go of Gail to lift the pot with Potts. ¡°Drink of it,¡± they said unison as they drew the pot closer to Gail¡¯s maw.

    Same as the smell, the taste was unlike anything Gail had ever experienced. She couldn¡¯t help gagging at first from its slightly viscous consistency, then it started to burn. She was clueless of its ingredients, but she could make out the iron of her blood among what she could only assume were nature¡¯s bounty. It went down her throat like a flaming serpent snaking down her insides, its slimy scales brushing against her esophagus. Then her vision flashed. The colors of the world around grew vibrant. For a moment she was terrified¡ªthe colors jumped at her like bright and brilliant monsters. Everything was hazy, the shimmering colors hypnotizing her as she looked at Potts and Juniper, who were casting incantations in a language she couldn¡¯t comprehend. Though, after a series of blinks and a vigorous shake of the head, her vision and mental had returned to normal. Juniper was now applying snow and wrapping a bandage around Gail¡¯s hand.

    The bonfire had changed color. From its fierce crimson, it had turned into a mysterious black and gray flame. Gail stared at it in amazement. A powerful gust flew by, yet it continued to blaze and dance without a care.

    ¡°The ritual has begun,¡± the Zetas announced after Juniper finished bandaging her, their voices appearing to echo throughout the ritual grounds. ¡°Proceed to the Forest of Shadows. There you shall meet your fate.¡± They stared at Gail, who returned their curious gaze. She had always been too unnerved to look at either of the siblings in the face for long periods of time, but what she saw in their eyes at this moment was hope. She didn¡¯t know if she were reading them correctly, but she thought that they were expecting something of her.

    Gail flinched when something warm rested on her shoulder. She glanced over her shoulder, then smiled to see that it was Quibs. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, his voice as cool as the wind brushing their fur. He padded off toward a direction, farther away from where their home was. As Gail followed after him, the rest of the pack howled. It sent chills up her spine, something that the frigid wind couldn¡¯t even achieve. Again, she could make out the voice of Sierra being the most lively out of anyone; or maybe it was just Gail selectively wanting to hear her voice more than anything. She needed that moment¡¯s solace for whatever was awaiting her in the Forest of Shadows.

    When they were out of the pack¡¯s sight, Quibs said, ¡°Come on, you don¡¯t have to shadow me. Walk by my side.¡±

    ¡°Ah, okay.¡± Gail trotted until he was beside him. She then asked, ¡°Do you know how the forest got its name?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know its history at all, but from what I remember from my Cubbing years back, it¡¯s really . . . dark, unsurprisingly. Think of the stories of hunters trapped in a haunted forest that I used to tell you and Sierra.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s making it worse!¡±

    ¡°But you remember how they all end, right?¡±

    Gail pouted. ¡°The wolves survive the dangers that nature throws their way.¡± Quibs patted her back as he let out a chuckle. Gail added, ¡°I¡¯m starting to not like those stories as much, now that I think about it.¡±

    Quibs tipped his head. ¡°Hm? Why so?¡±

    ¡°Well, they just . . . all end the same happy way. I picked up on the pattern around the third story, so I wasn¡¯t as invested by the fourth and fifth story. Then I thought how unrealistic they all were.¡±

    Despite her having insulted his stories, Quibs smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right to think that they¡¯re unrealistic. I must confess, they weren¡¯t the original stories. I fabricated most of them to end with everyone smiling, in the hopes that you and Sierra will always strive to achieve that same end. But you¡¯re 16 now, and so is Sierra. I¡¯m sure you both have begun to see that not every story will end with everyone scatheless and together. That doesn¡¯t mean you two can¡¯t strive for it, yes?¡±

    Gail looked off to the side, where the mountains were drawing closer. They were in a valley. She could spot ledges along the mountainside where one could traverse like in Quibs¡¯s stories of travelers. There were even a few caves and tunnels boring into the mountain, and she wondered if there were packs living in them. Against the night sky, they truly looked wonderful.

    When she wouldn¡¯t respond to Quibs, he said, ¡°I could tell you the original of one of the stories. I think it was your favorite when you were younger.¡±

    Gail looked back at him, her eyes glimmering. ¡°The story about the lost twins?¡±

    Quibs nodded. ¡°They weren¡¯t actually twins, nor were they both wolves. They were a Kobold and a sheep Ferian, named Leera and Mari respectively. Normally Kobolds are territorial creatures that keep to themselves, much like dragons, but this Kobold treated the sheep like her sister. In the story I told, the twins were lost in the middle of the desert.¡±

    ¡°And a lone wanderer approached them to give them food, water, and directions, but at the cost of a limb for each,¡± Gail added. ¡°It was the only story you told where the people got really injured. I mean, both of them lost an arm and leg each and several fingers and toes!¡±

    ¡°Right. But in the original, there was no lone wanderer to help them. The oasis they found wasn¡¯t their destination either, and they didn¡¯t wander off in the desert to look for their people. Leera and Mari wanted to run away, for everyone disapproved of their sister-like bond. Interspecies bonds were frowned upon in their times, and it may still be so in our current times.

    ¡°When the both were starving, Mari offered her body to Leera to be eaten. She wanted Leera to survive and live on, but Leera refused. Instead, the Kobold carried the tired sheep and pushed onward.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s beginning to sound a lot like your other cheery stories,¡± Gail grumbled, which Quibs laughed at.

    ¡°It may seem that way, since you have never learned of Kobolds, but their strength almost matches that a dragon. While they need to eat as often as Ferians do, Leera was still able to carry Mari with what little energy she had. The real problem was the intense heat her body was beginning to release. Mari was already on the verge of a heat stroke, and Leera¡¯s heat was a factor that pushed her into unconsciousness. No matter Leera¡¯s desire to save Mari, no matter her draconic strength, her plan to run away with Mari did not go the way she had expected it to end up.¡±

    ¡°What happens next?¡± Gail prompted, feeling like a cub at that moment. ¡°If there¡¯s no oasis for them to find, where do they arrive? Do they run into anyone else? How does it end?¡±

    Quibs did not immediately respond, which agonized Gail as it was turning into a story she was enjoying. Eventually he said, ¡°There is a definite end to that story, but I will hold back on telling you it. I¡¯ll let you finish it in your mind. Whether it ends happily or on a tragedy for the Kobold and sheep depends on you.¡± He wore the cockiest smirk Gail had ever seen from him. Even when she whined and pleaded for him to finish, he would not break to satiate her curiosity.

    It ends however I want it to, she reflected in her head.

    They passed through a cleft where the mountains collided overhead. It was like a tunnel in their home, only that an ominous forest awaited them on the other side. The towering pines looked like slender shadows, their outstretched branches akin to menacing arms ready to snatch any prey that walks beneath them. Gail gulped, begging her heart to stop thumping against her chest.

    ¡°This is the farthest that I can take you,¡± Quibs said with a sadness that cracked Gail¡¯s heart that only thumped harder. ¡°You¡¯re on your own from here. Take into mind and heart everything that you have been advised with¡ªyou¡¯ll need them for what¡¯s to come.¡±

    The demanding voices of the Alphas began resonating in her head, drowning out the voices of Quibs and Sierra and the Zetas who have been offering her advice for the past week. She wrapped her arms around Quibs in a tight embrace, wishing his warmth to remain with her throughout her ritual. ¡°I promise to make you all proud.¡± Quibs scratched the back of her ear before returning the embrace.

    ¡°You¡¯re a strong wolf, Gail. You¡¯ll get through this, but remember the first person who you should be pleasing is yourself. There is no point in everyone praising you if you are not happy with yourself and your decisions.¡± Quibs pulled back and crouched so he could look at Gail eye-to-eye. ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting for your return.¡±

    With each step that Quibs took, Gail wanted to follow. But she remained still. A strong breeze passed by, sweeping up snow, making it look as though Quibs had been eaten up by the blizzard that¡¯s growing hungrier. She turned around to face her first challenge. The towering trees bid her to come forward into their greedy branches.

    ¡°The Forest of Shadows,¡± she whispered, mist leaving her maw. ¡°Show me your secrets.¡±

 Chapter 8

    For some reason, Gail expected the forest to light up in splendor, or for a mystical creature to emerge from the forest to lend her guidance, or for a colossal beast to come barreling toward her with shining fangs and claws. Of course, none of those happened, and thankfully not the last one. She let out a sigh.

    As she padded closer to the woods, the sheer darkness of the trees made Gail wary. Even with the brightness of the two moons, the trees looked unnaturally darker than the pines she could see near their cave. Then she realized the snow was ashy. On the ground and falling from the sky, it was as though a volcano had erupted nearby. Even the air smelled like sulfur. Gail was willing to believe that, having read the havoc that a volcanic eruption can wreak on land both near and distant, but the spine-chilling chill of the breeze that buffeted Gail was basically a slap to the face. If a volcano weren¡¯t the cause, what could possibly have shrouded this area in ash, so much so that the trees looked inky?

    The Forest of Shadows living up to its name, Gail thought with a shudder.

    Most of the foliage had withered within the forest. Only few were fortunate to survive for their flowers to blossom. On the floor, where a sliver of moonlight pierced through the canopy, a small patch of flowers reflected the moon¡¯s brilliant glow. Sheltered beneath the sprouts were tendrils with glistening hairs. Gail crouched to better admire the juxtaposing beauty. Her hand extended to touch the petals, but she withdrew it as though Terra had slap her wrist. She realized that this was a sundew, a carnivorous plant that Sierra had told her from one of her books. While it shouldn¡¯t be life-threatening to Gail¡ªat least, she hoped this plant wasn¡¯t capable of eating her up¡ªshe didn¡¯t want her fur getting caught in its sticky hairs. She stood up and moved onward, casting one last glance at the flowers before delving deeper into the darkness.

    As she continued to thread the forest in a single direction, the voice of Terra scraped at her like a feline scampering up a tree¡¯s gnawed bark. Her warning had only made her more anxious of what could be lurking in these woods. ¡°You won¡¯t just be hunting for a simple feral,¡± she had said the previous day, and again earlier morning before she left to set up the ritual. ¡°Something else will be waiting for you out there. Stay sharp, and don¡¯t act like a helpless cub when you¡¯re confronted with trouble. May Ventay protect you.¡±

    Not only the Zetas, but even Terra reassured her of Ventay¡¯s protection. She would have been filled with more confidence if not for the fact that she had also been reminded to challenge for the Beta rank. Of course Terra had a to leave a bitter taste in her maw just when she was starting to have faith in her. ¡°I still can¡¯t see myself toppling that bastard Zane. He can just lift me up by the scruff while I could only tickle him to death. And if I¡¯m not hunting for a feral, then what am I supposed to¡ª Oof!¡±

    She rubbed her snout when she bumped into a log that had fallen and got wedged in a splintered trunk. The decay of the bark and skittering insects suggested decrepit age. She muttered under her breath as she ducked under the ancient log. Then she heard chuckling from the shadows. Her ear twitched as she spun to where she thought it had come from. Her heart raced, but in spite of her fear she drew her claws while revealing her teeth. ¡°Show yourself! I know you¡¯re there, I can smell you!¡± She had hoped that it was just her paranoia tricking her senses, but a slick voice responded to her challenge.

    ¡°Bold of you taunt me like that when you can¡¯t see me. What if I could tear off that raspy tongue of yours before you could even catch a glimpse of me?¡± He cackled once more. His voice seemed to have come from above, and sure enough, Gail could just barely outline his silhouette perched on a branch. The conifer leaves and the lack of moonlight made it difficult to make out any more of his figure.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re up there, and I¡¯m not scared of your threat! You don¡¯t look to be capable of ripping my tongue off, not before I smash your head against a tree!¡± Secretly, Gail did think he¡¯d be able to do such a thing. While her senses were heightened with fear, she didn¡¯t want to be sent running with her tail between her legs from her first foreign encounter. Moreover, this was her first foreign Ferian encounter. At least, she assumed him to be one. He was no wolf, that she could tell; she guessed some sort of felid with the slender tail draped behind him.

    ¡°Calling my words hollow now? I¡¯m hurt.¡± His head drooped for a moment, but the shine of his teeth showed malice. ¡°If you think you¡¯re that quick, then why don¡¯t you entertain me by chasing me? If you decline, then maybe it¡¯s your words that are hollow. And who knows, I might offer you something if you manage to catch me.¡±

    This smelled like a trap. Gail was well aware that she would be running blind in unknown territory. This may have been an obstacle during her Cubbing, but her shortsightedness and lack of patience with this irritating whatever he was made her play right into his game. When he leaped off the branch toward a neighboring tree, Gail gave chase.

    His swiftness, mixed with the darkness and foliage, made it impossible to track him by sight, but Gail could trace his spoor among the scent of pine and ash. Her eyes were set in front of her to avoid running into another tree, but she could imagine where her prey was going. It was like a ghostly trail that only she could see weaving around the bushes and trees. Sometimes the trail would break, though, ending suddenly until Gail could pick back up the scent.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to actually be able to keep up,¡± the stranger remarked. ¡°Maybe you actually could keep me entertained.¡±

    Gail growled; she hastened her pace and focused more on his scent. ¡°Are you seriously just treating me as a form of amusement?¡±

    ¡°Well, unless you grab me by my throat and break my legs, I¡¯m not gonna see you as a threat. Besides, what¡¯s a wolf like you compared to a panther like me?¡±

    ¡°Why you¡ª¡± Gail grinded her teeth, but then the corners of her maw lifted into a grin. ¡°Thanks for the ideas, kitty, ¡®cause I¡¯m gonna make you eat those words!¡±

    It seemed that there was no end to the Forest of Shadows. She didn¡¯t register it, but it was nothing but the darkness of the ashy bark and spiny leaves no matter where you looked. The land would slope occasionally, and rock outcroppings erected here and there. Gail would stumble on a rock that blended with the dark soil (which would evoke a chuckle and growl from the panther and Gail respectively) but they were mere obstacles in Gail¡¯s unrelenting chase. She was not losing his trail.

    She swatted branches aside. Her eyes were forced to wince when the foliage tickled her eyes, making them water with its scratchy texture. She took one furious step, then she was dragged forward. For a second her heart leaped and her throat clenched. She fell and tumbled down a sheer slope. Twigs, needles, and pebbles scratched her body before her back collided with a tree. Her breath got knocked out of her from the impact; her vision was dazed as her head spun lazily.

    The leaves of the tree rustled when the panther perched on a branch. ¡°Oh gods, are you alright?¡± Gail¡¯s senses might have been impaired, because she thought that there was genuine concern in the panther¡¯s voice; all trace of malice had melted. When she heard him drop down, she scrambled away. He looked like a living shadow, slowly stepping closer, his slender tail swaying in anticipation. Despite his menacing appearance, he was only an inch or so taller than Gail. He defensively raised his arm when Gail showed her teeth with her throat rumbling.

    She threatened, ¡°I¡¯m not going down without a fight!¡±

    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m not gonna eat you or anything. I don¡¯t mean you any harm.¡±

    Gail scoffed. ¡°As if you wouldn¡¯t hurt me after having me chase you around.¡± She glowered. ¡°You were just trying to tucker me out, weren¡¯t you? So you wouldn¡¯t have as hard of a time trying to kill me.¡±

    ¡°What? No! I just . . .¡± The panther uttered a mixture of a sigh and a groan. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry I made you chase me and all, but it is your fault you fell down the hill like that. Maybe if you weren¡¯t running like a blind cheetah chasing a bird, you¡¯d have noticed the decline.¡±

    Was he seriously shifting the blame onto her? He was even crossing his arms like a disapproving Terra watching her chase her own tail. She scowled back at him. Then realization began dawning on her face. ¡°You¡¯re part of my Cubbing.¡±

    The panther cocked his head. ¡°Excuse you?¡±

    ¡°I should¡¯ve known. You¡¯re just something trying to sway me from my goal! Unless . . . you¡¯re who I need to be looking for?¡± She didn¡¯t trust the panther¡¯s words. When her vision had fully returned and readjusted to the darkness, she could confirm that he was a panther. Though, for all she knew he could have been a jaguar or a puma. From what she had seen in the faded pages of another of Sierra¡¯s books, those three were practically the same Ferian.

    ¡°I . . .¡± The panther scratched his neck. ¡°Did you hit your head against the tree, by any chance?¡±

    Gail ignored the panther. Gingerly, she took a small step forward. The panther¡¯s eyes grew cautious, but he stood his ground even after another step by Gail. And then another. Gail took several hasty glances at his hands to ensure his claws were sheathed, and it would remain that way even when only a few inches of cool air separated the two. She then circled the panther, sniffing him, even poking his arm and face. Nothing about him was any different than being in the presence of someone like Sierra. No majestic aura, no magical spectacle.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    The panther looked uncomfortable the entire time, as though Gail had violated one of the many secret Panther Codes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to come off as rude by assuming anything about you, but I just have a gut feeling that you have never met a Ferian like me.¡±

    Gail returned to standing in front of him. The inquisitiveness in her eyes never left as she stared him down. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    For once the panther didn¡¯t reply with a quip. His expression suggested that he was contemplating whether to answer her query straight or to come up with a wittier response. Instead, he returned the question. ¡°What¡¯s yours first?¡±

    Suppressing her growl, Gail figured it¡¯d be best to answer lest she wanted another brilliant quip from him. ¡°Gail.¡±

    ¡°Gail,¡± the panther repeated, dipping his head slightly. ¡°My name is Ree¡ª¡±

    Suddenly he slapped his hand on the side of his head. The foliage around them shuddered at the sound of his pained wails. He staggered back, his face twisting. Gail didn¡¯t know how to react aside from her maw gaping. Did something from in the shadows bit him?

    With only grunts coming from the panther, Gail carefully stepped forward, slightly extending a hand forward. She tried to mimic what Sierra would do in this situation, which was to offer wordless comfort. Before she could, however, the panther bolted away. He scrambled up a tree in a frantic manner.

    ¡°Hey, wait!¡± Gail chased after the panther as he once again began leaping from branch to branch. He was much swifter this time. Focusing to visualize the ghostly thread, his scent trail extended greater than when he played chase with her.

    The trees were more clustered in this part of the woods. Gail rounded one tree after another, unable to take two steps before having to weave around another pine. She had to squeeze between trunks and duck beneath tangled branches, not to mention grazing her skin on splinters. These were made all the more difficult with the panther¡¯s trail zigzagging all over the place.

    There was a small dell that she emerged into. She gazed up and observed the trees, trying to spot the panther when the ghostly trail of his scent ended here. A dagger flew in the air, heading straight for Gail. Her heart skipped several beats. It looked to have been headed straight for her face, but it soared between her ears and stabbed into the pine behind her. She stood frozen, eyes wide, when the panther called from the shadows. ¡°Have that as a parting gift! You might need it!¡±

    Gail remained petrified for a moment. A trembling sigh left her, then her throat rumbled with fury. She broke off into a dash to chase after his voice, but she stopped to glance back at the dagger stuck to the trunk. She was tempted to take it. The Deltas and above wielded not only daggers but also spears for better protection. She would just be putting herself at a disadvantage to not take it. She took one step toward, and another, her arms extended to grab; then she turned around with a grunt, forgoing the weapon and chasing after the panther.

    His spoor was thin, but Gail was persistent. So long as she could see it, she would continue chasing after it. The outrage that she felt after having almost been killed by him spurred her on. Ahead of her stretched a wall of foliage beyond the trees. Too late she realized the twisting barbs intertwined beneath the leaves, and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from bursting through them as she shielded her face with her arms. The thorns snagged and ripped her fur, tearing her skin as she emerged into a clearing with a howl of torment. Her blood glistened in the moonlight as they oozed from her torso, forearms, and legs. They dripped and speckled the fresh white snow like polka dots. Her instincts made her scoop up some of the snow and apply the cold onto the lacerations, letting it melt, easing the pain somewhat, all without questioning why the only clean snow trickled here.

    Gail¡¯s teeth would have shattered if she clenched them any harder. Admittedly, it didn¡¯t hurt as badly. This was on par with the feral¡¯s scraping during her first hunt and even the Alphas¡¯ punishments. This was tolerable. She just had to numb the pain with the snow.

    After scooping more snow and pressing against her left forearm, her eyes scouted the area that she found herself in. It was a much larger glade, almost too circular. All around the edges, the thorny bush acted as a wall, with the shadowy conifers towering over the snowy glade. What caught her eyes was the monumental rock that stood in the center. At the top was a flat chunk that looked as though it could be a platform. Was this a ritual ground as well? It looked too purposeful to have been formed naturally. Gail wondered if her pack was the only one to venture in the Forest of Shadows or if there were others as well, following different traditions, but having the same end as the Twinned Fangs.

    She circled around the rock, searching for writing or runes on it like some sort of ancient ritual stone, but all she could spot were claw marks near the base. What was frightening was how unnaturally large they were. She approached the rock, running her hand down its coarse surface, the coolness of it chilling her fingers. She then looked at her own claws. Whoever left these claw marks couldn¡¯t have been a regular wolf. Not even the Alphas¡¯ claws are as monstrous as these.

    Suddenly she remembered. She raised her snout, sniffing out everything that was in the air. The frigid air stung her nostrils as well as her throat, but she could scent the ancient rock, the conifer all around the clearing, and the presence of someone else . . . but it was not that of the panther, for his scent had seemingly faded completely.

    The leaves of the bordering foliage rustled. More foreign scents invaded Gail¡¯s nostrils, seemingly out of nowhere. Then they emerged from the bushes. Canine wolves far larger than the wolf Gail had hunted before came into view. Their coats were matte black, almost as inky as the forest, and their heads¡ªthey were only skulls, no eyes or anything inside. They smelled blood.

    Gail took one shaky step back after another. Her back eventually met with the rock structure. She couldn¡¯t comprehend what those creatures were as her mind panicked to both make sense of them and to calm her nerves. They were neither Ferians nor ferals . . . or were they? Were they a species that Gail had never heard or read of before? Was this what Terra had meant?

    The skullwolves¡ªa random yet fitting name that Gail plucked from her mind¡ªdrew nearer. Drool hung from their maws as they looked intent on having a piece of Gail. Their ferocious teeth could probably shatter bones, and their razor-sharp claws could tear flesh like worn-out books. Gail¡¯s anxious eyes darted from one skullwolf to another. There was little to nothing to distinguish them from one another, and that uniformity made them more menacing.

    One of the four skullwolves before her dashed forward with a ravenous growl. Gail¡¯s entire body tensed. Her breathing had hastened, the sting from her wounds pulsing, but her focus and eyes steadied on the approaching danger. It was just like Terra running toward her during training, or the feral pouncing at her after being found alone in the open.

    She tensed her claws. The beast pounced at her. With a grunt a hefty swipe, her claws slashed across the skullwolf¡¯s face. There was little to no resistance against her claws as the skullwolf whimpered. It drew no blood, and its entire body disintegrated from its head to its tail tip. Gail was slack-jawed, dumbfound. A shiver had run up her arm after clawing the beast, chilling her to the core.

    In her perplexity, a skullwolf had crept up from outside her peripheral vision. It leaped, drool gushing from its wide open maw, and chomped down hard on Gail¡¯s right arm. She shrieked at the surge of pain¡ªa burning yet freezing sensation ate away at her flesh. Through the pain and tears, she raised her arm, lifting the skullwolf that hung on, then slashing its belly. It released its bite to howl in pain, then it vanished before it could fall to the ground. Gail inspected her arm to see the severity of the wound, but there was no blood. Not even a bite mark was left behind, but the burning persisted, spreading, making her screw her face in pain and bafflement. Then she noticed¡ªthe lacerations from the thorns had healed. On her arms, legs, and chest, there were stains of blood, but the wounds themselves have vanished.

    None of this makes any sense, she thought, panicked. None of this seems real, but it feels real.

    Her arm was still shaking when another skullwolf charged at her, its wild barking alerting her of its attack. She slashed at it with its claws, and just like the previous beasts, it went down with a whine and vaporized. But if they all go down like this, then I can take all on with no problem. She grinned. Suddenly, she grew more confident in taking on these abyssal beasts.

    She stepped forward, not needing the rock to lean on. The two wolves that remained in front of her growled, before both letting out howls and dashed toward her. Gail sidestepped the first one that leaped; the second skullwolf clamped its jaws on her left thigh. With a grunt through gritted teeth, she yanked the skullwolf off her, worsening the already excruciating pain. Her leg trembled, but she stood strong. Holding the skullwolf by its squirming head, she dragged her claws across its flank, then threw it at the other skullwolf that was about to attempt another leap. It whimpered, getting crushed by one of its kind before it had disintegrated, but that wasn¡¯t enough to kill it. It stood back up, anger churning in its empty eye sockets. Gail chuckled, before she raking the leaping skullwolf¡¯s face, its cold remains phasing through her as it vanished. Gail shivered. It still feels wrong to kill these guys, but . . .

    Gail swung her head around. Her eyes landed on a lone skullwolf, looking afraid near the edge of the clearing.

    This has to be what I must do for the ritual.

    Now the fearless predator, she sprinted toward the remaining skullwolf whilst flexing her claws menacingly. Her eyes were locked on it as it quivered in place, unable to run away from the paralyzing fear.

    Then, appearing out of nowhere, two other skullwolves flanked her from either side. It chomped on Gail¡¯s legs, and the blazing pang of pain brought her down with a shriek. She scrambled to lift herself up with her arms, but more wolves came prowling into the clearing with incredible speed. Multiple heavy paws stepped on her back, pinning her to the ground. One even stepped on her head, squishing the side of her face against the snowy ground.

    The skullwolves clawed at her back and gnawed at her limbs. Her agonized howls were drowned by the ravenous growls of the beasts as it gnawed at her. Her body was both blazing and freezing. No blood was being drawn, but it felt like she was going to die regardless. She scarcely had enough strength to stay conscious, and even that was fleeting as her eyes grew heavy.

    A mighty howl bellowed throughout the forest. The skullwolves immediately stopped assaulting Gail, and in a matter of seconds, they had all fled from the clearing. Gail¡¯s limbs felt stiff and numb, occasionally spasming. She regained just enough strength to support herself with shaking arms. She panted, forcing to regain consciousness and energy. Then she noticed¡ªshe was in the tremendous shadow of another creature. She almost didn¡¯t want to look, but fearful curiosity forced her to slowly turn her head. Her eyes then went wide with terror and awe.

    A grand feral sat atop the rock structure. Their bluish coat radiated in the soft moonlight, and their seven tails danced elegantly against the two full moons. They looked down on Gail with silver eyes, neither hostile nor friendly, but it looked curious, as though observing. Speaking, their voice was just as tranquil yet imposing as they addressed the panic-stricken wolf. ¡°So we have finally come face-to-face, Gail Silverstreak.¡±

 Chapter 9

    A horrified chill crawled along Gail¡¯s spine. As if the being before her wasn¡¯t ominous enough, it knew her whole name. Sure, her packmates already knew of this, even if they never refer to her or the Alphas by the name Silversteak, but this mystical being sounded as though they were expecting her.

    Gail gulped, finding the courage to speak up. ¡°W-who are you?¡±

    ¡°I thought that you would have figured that out by now.¡± The creature leapt down from the rock structure and softly landed on the ground with equal grace. It was when she was level with Gail that her furry wings became noticeable, pressed against her body. ¡°Need I throw another book in your direction?¡± They took one small step after another, slowly, padding toward Gail who was struggling to inch away. Up close, the being looked more canine; a wolf, probably, but the puffy fur around her neck resembled that of a lion¡¯s mane. More than that, her several fluffy vulpine tails contrasted her lupine and feline features. Then it clicked in Gail¡¯s head.

    ¡°Are you . . . a Higher Being? Ventay?¡±

    The creature wrinkled her face but bowed her head in acknowledgment. ¡°Yes, I am indeed Ventay, but please do not refer to me or my fellow Spirivanguards as ¡®Higher Beings¡¯. It is distasteful and paints us in a horrible picture.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Spirivants will do.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Gail dipped her head. Her mind was still spinning from everything. What in the world is going on? There¡¯s a literal GODDESS in front of me, and she¡¯s speaking to me!

    Gail looked at Ventay again. Her eyes were sparkling, but perplexity (and the pain which had gradually begun to fade mysteriously) mingled with the astonishment swimming in her heterochromia eyes. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she couldn¡¯t help asking.

    Ventay replied, almost amused, ¡°What else but your ritual? Much like a few of your packmates, you¡¯d prepared most of your life for this moment, have you not?¡± Her face grew grim. ¡°Of course, some of the mutts in the bunch are not as commendable as others. I am certain you have taken notice of that. They walk among you, eat with you, and live like the rest of my children. Nothing particularly stands out at a glance, but their hearts are shrouded in darkness beneath all that fur and flesh.¡±

    Zane immediately jumped to mind. Though, it was hard to say if his heart would be ¡°shrouded in darkness¡± as Ventay had described it. As terrible as he treated Gail, he was dedicated to helping the pack survive by organizing hunts and keeping the other wolves in check whenever the Alphas were absent. It could be some of the Gammas who are more brutish than the rest of the pack that Ventay was referring to.

    Gail tried lifting herself with her arms, but she almost collapsed entirely with a groan from the sharp pain stinging all across her back. Despite it being more bearable than when the skullwolves were raking her back, it still rendered her entire body numb and weak. She looked pathetic in front of the goddess, but Ventay did not scoff at this. However, she continued to look curiously¡ªand quite heatedly¡ªat Gail.

    She asked, ¡°Why did you run after that lone creature?¡±

    ¡°Because I thought it¡¯s what I needed to do,¡± Gail replied, unable to hide her fear when the goddess furrowed her brow. ¡°The others attacked me all the same. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to cut down their numbers so they can¡¯t surround me as much?¡±

    ¡°And how are you in the know whether or not they wished to harm you?¡±

    Gail was about to quickly retort, but she closed her mouth upon realizing how baseless her reason was. Ventay dipped her head in disappointment. ¡°You still have much to learn, it seems,¡± said the goddess.

    Gail attempted once more to get up but to no avail. The sting came surging through her like a prowling pack when the adrenaline had been expelled, leaving her body to endure the frostburning sensation the skullwolves had marked on her. Ventay watched Gail writhe and tense at the pain for a moment before stepping forward. It wasn¡¯t until she was looming over Gail that Gail noticed her with speechless fright.

    Ventay looked way massive up close. Just her head was as large as Gail¡¯s upper body, and that was made more evident when she leaned closer. Gail reeled back in apprehension, but she could only go back as far before her torso screamed in pain. Her fearful yet awestruck eyes watched the goddess, feeling her aura of warmth and safety.

    Then Ventay started licking her right arm.

    Her tongue was warm and gentle, rhythmically gliding across Gail¡¯s fur and skin. Gail¡¯s arm was rendered numb, as though the pain had peaked. It felt like needles pricking her for a moment, but eventually, after Ventay moved on to begin licking her other arm, sensation returned to her right arm without a trace of pain.

    Ventay pressed her muzzle against Gail, turning her over so she could start licking the wolf¡¯s back. This caused Gail to hiss the loudest as it stung the most across her entire back. Though just like with her arms, that pain lingered for a mere moment before subsiding completely, and the same went for her legs. Ventay stepped back once she had last licked the last bit of pain away. Gail was then able to turn onto her rear and sit, stretch and flex her limbs, and look up at the Spirivant in astonishment.

    ¡°I . . . I¡¯m still so confused,¡± said Gail. ¡°What am I supposed to accomplish in my Cubbing? What am I supposed to hunt and bring back to my pack?¡±

    ¡°A Ferian¡¯s purpose is to not just hunt. You worry too much about pleasing your packmates that you do not wonder why you need to hunt. Have you not questioned why you must hunt innocent ferals for your ritual?¡±

    ¡°I-I . . .¡± Gail nibbled her lip for a second. ¡°I hunt for my ritual to get my skull mask, right?¡± When the goddess scowled, she defensively added, ¡°Everyone else¡¯s Cubbing sounded as though they hunted something! Not once have I heard anyone say that you or any other Spirivants have met them. Only recently did I even know what you are, and I don¡¯t get how I¡¯m . . . supposed to know . . . what to . . .¡± She shrunk when Ventay growled, showing a few teeth.

    Ventay huffed, forcing her expression to be slightly less peeved. ¡°I am quite vexed. I would¡¯ve assumed you to be better, to at least have picked up some wisdom.¡± She sighed with a slight shake of the head before sitting. Her several tails danced behind her as her wings spread out a bit more. ¡°But I suppose you are young still, much to learn and experience. The people close to you will ensure that you grow.¡±

    Gail¡¯s ears twitched. Standing up, she glanced to see multiple rustlings in the wall of foliage. Her body tensed at seeing skullwolves reemerge, but these ones had miniature orbs of white that served as their eyes. More than that, a different kind of feral creature emerged alongside them, matching their numbers. They were more wolf-sized, albeit a little bigger still, and shared the same bluish silver coat of Ventta that glinted in the moonlight. They had vulpine tails as well, but only one each as opposed to Ventay¡¯s mesmerizing set of seven tails and they lacked wings.

    They surrounded Gail and Ventay, alternating between the inky skullwolves and the silver mini-Ventays. Unlike before, they looked friendlier and way less menacing¡ªmostly from the sole fact that they sat in solemn silence instead of snarling and mauling her.

    Her attention snapped back to Ventay as the goddess addressed her. ¡°Gail Silverstreak, daughter of Frost and Terra, from this day onward, you will honor the Spirivants and the life given to you. Many trials and have been laid down before you, some that not even Fate can foretell. You may encounter friend and foe alike in your journey, but you swear, even as the soil claims you, to forever uphold these values:

    ¡°First, do not see us Spirivants as the curator of your destiny. We may be the guides of this world, but we do not wish to tamper with your desired path. So long as you do not stray far from our guiding light, you are free to prowl and explore this life we have granted you.

    ¡°Second, you must hunt with reason. Whether it be prey or a fellow Ferian, Alterian, Hiveling, Dragon, or whoever you may encounter, you must not hunt any being for your own twisted pleasure. You may be aware of this already, but the full moon shall be the only time you are obligated to hunt for food, but bear in mind with each prey you claim¡ªall life has purpose, and a single cut strand will tamper the antlers of Fate, whether for better or for worse.

    ¡°Lastly, never forget that you share blood with your feral brothers and sisters. You are different¡ªwiser, stronger, more capable with limitless potential¡ªbut feral blood still courses through your being. Care to not let it take over, but also care to not forego this and separate yourselves from ferals entirely. That is the purpose of the bonework your pack dons.¡±

    The Spirivant¡¯s voice echoed in Gail¡¯s attentive ears. Invisible tendrils of both chill and warmth wrapped around Gail as she pictured herself after this. Her mind should be scrambled, fearful for her life after having talked back to Ventay; instead, a sense of serenity washed over her, but awe still surfaced above it. She took a deep breath as Ventay continued.

    ¡°I ask you again, Gail Silverstreak: will you honor and keep these values in your heart, even during the darkest hours, the brightest of moons, and after you draw your final breath?¡±

    With conviction, Gail replied, ¡°Yes. I swear to forever uphold these values and to honor my life and the Spirivants.¡±

    Ventay dipped her head. ¡°I am glad to hear.¡± She stared at the ground for a long while, her eyes looking glassy. ¡°I must warn you as well, there may be information that is omitted from the literature that you have read¡ªdark forces that are beyond our control that slithers beyond our sight. They will tempt you with power that rivals the blessings that us Spirivants grace you, but you promise me to never give in to those malevolent forces, no matter the grip they may have on you. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    Promise, Gail noticed the choice of word. Ventay was right, there was nothing written about such evil forces. Her enthralled mind hadn¡¯t even thought to consider that there will be beings against such Higher Beings, though it could have been due to how she thought it all to be fictitious. Now she knew it was far from a fairytale.

    Gail nodded. ¡°I promise to only follow your light, Ventay.¡±

    ¡°Good . . . good, I am glad. Now,¡± Ventay sat up, her head lowered and her eyes closed, ¡°come closer. I shall now return you to finish what you so desire.¡±

    Gail gawked at her for a moment. Glancing around, the feral creatures were bowing their heads as well, their eyes closed or their eye orbs vanishing. She looked back at Ventay. Unable to keep her question, she asked, ¡°Will this be the last time that I¡¯ll see you?¡±

    ¡°There may come a time where I or another Spirivant will visit you, but rest assured that we are always watching you, Gail. Now, come.¡±

    With slow, careful, yet confident steps, Gail padded closer. She wanted to kick herself for thinking this, but it looked as though Ventay was inviting her to pat her head. She raised her hand slightly, still questioning whether she should or not.

    Faster than how her heart raced, Ventay¡¯s head lifted and soared past her arm. All Gail saw were a set of sharp, pearly teeth before darkness consumed all. The frostburn sensation returned, spreading all over her body, like a million scorpions stinging her, before disappearing as quickly as it happened.

    It felt like floating in nothingness. Only darkness was present, and Gail felt numb to the core. Was this death? Had Ventay sent her to the afterlife, or was this a gateway that she must pass through to ¡°return¡± to finish her ritual?If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    The frigid emptiness of the void crept along her fur, stabbing into her like icicles. Her eyes shot open and she sat up with a yelp, catapulting snow forward in her abrupt wake. She quivered, clutching herself, and heaving out cool mist. She swung her head about, making sense of where she was now.

    She was in the clearing still. The monumental rock-structure still stood tall as it had, but the trees seemed to have dwarfed and dispersed. The circling wall of thorny bushes was absent as well, and the ongoing blizzard had buried the entire clearing with snow. The two moons continued to glow high in the sky, casting its brilliant light onto the clearing.

    Gail thrashed her arms, sending more snow flying in every direction. Eventually, she managed to stand up, still hugging herself as there was nothing to keep herself warm. As much as she adored Sierra¡¯s outfit for her, she wished there was a thick coat to go along with for weather such as this.

    Glancing around the clearing once more, it was empty. Ventay was no longer with her, and neither were the feral creatures. Only the chilling sigh of the wind greeted her.

    She brushed the remaining snow on her head, but her hand tensed when she didn¡¯t feel her face. Instead of her fur and skin, she felt a cool solid surface. In a panic, she patted her head frantically. At the back of her head, there was no hard surface, and her ears were still intact and twitching. Crossing her eyes to inspect her snout, her nose poked through a gap in the whitish surface. Her eyes widened at the realization.

    She donned her skull mask.

    Her body froze in disbelief. For a second, she believed that Ventay had bit her face off, exposing the top half of her skull while her eyes, nose, the rest of her skin remained. Though, wedging a finger beneath the skull, she could feel the part of her face that was hidden. So Ventay didn¡¯t maul my face off, she thought with relief. She placed a hand on the skull. But how will I tell this to the pack?

    The pack was expecting her to bring back prey. Even though Terra told her that she wasn¡¯t going to be hunting and Ventay¡¯s appearance proved that, she felt as though that she was supposed to cover up that fact. With Sierra¡¯s Cubbing, everyone was under the assumption that she hunted, and Gail could only assume it was the same for the other wolves¡¯ Cubbings.

    A gust of frigid wind almost blew her off her feet. She needed to return to the ritual grounds now.

    From the shape of the stone, she could tell which direction the pack waited. Through her quivering body and the storm, she trudged through the calf-high snow as fast as she could manage. Leaving the clearing, the trees were more spaced apart than they originally were, and the bark and the now snow-covered ground were no longer inky in color nor did the air smell sulfuric.

    She reached the slope where she had tumbled down and smacked her back against a tree earlier. Her mind was too hazy with other problems to begin wondering about the whereabouts of the panther that she¡¯d met. She attempted to scale up the slope, but the thick layer of snow made it difficult to see where she could get a foothold in addition to making it slippery in some spots. She tried her hardest to grab onto an overgrown root or rock outcroppings, but she just ended up sliding back down. She stubbornly tried again but no avail.

    She let out a shivering growl. She looked around, but there was no easier path, at least not one nearby. Thinking back to what Sierra had wondered, she tensed her body, trying to channel energy into magic that would help her surmount this slope. When nothing came off it, she relaxed her body with an exhausted sigh. No magical powers even after meeting Ventay.

    Her eyes then lit up for a moment as she remembered¡ªthe panther ¡°gave¡± her a dagger. She rethreaded her path toward Ventay¡¯s clearing and inspected each tree trunk. To her grateful surprise, the dagger was still stuck in the tree around the same small glade. She pulled it out of the trunk with some effort and returned to the slope to attempt scaling it again. With the dagger, she stabbed it into the soil and used it as leverage. It was a slow process, as Gail was careful to not stab into a hard surface by mistake, but eventually, she reached the top and continued her trudging through the Forest of Shadows.

    With a huff, she looked at the dagger in her hand. It¡¯d served its purpose and she ought to toss it away, but instead, she kept it. She had no scabbard for it, so it remained in her grip.

    Nothing stopped her from leaving the woods. She saw the cleft between the mountains that formed a tunnel; she was reminded of their den. It wasn¡¯t any warmer in the tunnel as she passed through. Though, being surrounded by the rocky walls, panicked thoughts regarding her pack rattled in her mind more.

    I don¡¯t have enough time to hunt for a feral to have something to show them, and I don¡¯t think I should even hunt for this. And I already have my skull mask! Do I just hide this when I get back and say I didn¡¯t find any feral? Gail sighed. Nobody told me how to deal with this; not Terra, not Quibs, not even Ventay, and I need to challenge for a rank if they¡¯ll allow me. . . .

    She rubbed her forehead, or at least she tried to with her skull musk in the way. She¡¯d never realized but she felt so lost without anyone to guide her when it wasn¡¯t solely beating something up like she¡¯d been focusing her training on. Was this what it was like to be by herself, with no packmates by her side?

    Shaking her head, she suddenly broke into a sprint. She needed to reach the ritual grounds soon, to have less time to worry, and before the blizzard worsened.

    Throughout her trek, she forced her mind to focus on anything else¡ªthe crunch of the snow beneath her feet, the frigid whisper of the wind, and the creeping sensation up her spine. Eventually, the gust brought with it the scent of her pack. She was close. Each step she dreaded, as she was drawing nearer to her possible exile.

    Her packmates came into view. It seemed they had caught her scent already as they were looking expectantly at her. They were all sitting in the snow-blanketed ground. Few looked excited, most looked baffled, and others were snarling. Frost was among those who, for a moment, looked furious while Terra retained her solemn demeanor. Although they gave varied looks, they all spotted the dagger in her hand.

    Gail stood in the same spot before the monochromic fire and her Cubbing pot. Despite the weather that was only growing harsher, the fire continued to crackle and kindle fiercely, but it couldn¡¯t warm Gail¡¯s body that was frozen from everyone¡¯s eyes bearing down on her. She returned the Alphas¡¯ gaze, unable to look at Zane who looked bemused or even the serene Zetas. She wished to look at Sierra¡¯s warm smile, but a part of her was afraid that someone would bite her neck off if she turned her back on the Alphas and Beta for a second.

    Frost took a deep breath to clear his clouded expression before standing up. His voice was cold and unwelcoming as he spoke, but no one paid any mind to his tone as he announced, ¡°The young wolf has returned from the Forest of Shadows. Welcome back, Gail. We are glad to see that you have survived thus far, however,¡± there was more of an edge in his voice now, ¡°it is impossible to dismiss the fact that you already bear your own mask. Where is its original owner?¡±

    This question was expected, but Gail had yet to formulate a response that would draw out the least amount of shock from everyone. She gulped. ¡°I . . . did not hunt for this skull mask.¡± She winced when she heard audible gasps and growls from behind her.

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Frost said slowly with forced calmness. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°There was nothing for me to hunt in the forest; no ferals or anything.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you return here?¡± Frost demanded. ¡°You were specifically tasked to hunt and return with your prey, so what did you do in the past few hours?¡±

    Hours? Have I really been gone for that long? If anything, Gail felt sorry that they all had to sit around in this weather for so long.

    Accusingly, Zane pointed at the dagger in Gail¡¯s hand and shouted, ¡°She¡¯s got a weapon! She must have gotten help from outsiders!¡± He snarled, and his words further amplified Frost¡¯s fury. The blue in his eyes looked like arcane flames ready to jump out of his skull and attack Gail.

    ¡°Well?¡± prompted Frost. ¡°Care to explain yourself, Gail?¡±

    Gail trembled before their scrutinizing gazes. There were moments when breathing became impossible, like the ethereal projection of the Alphas and Beta taking turns strangling her. She slowly opened her shaky mouth, but Terra spoke before she could. Terra had placed a hand on Frost¡¯s leg, whispering, ¡°Calm down, dear. Let us go through with this.¡±

    In a hushed tone through gritted teeth, Frost replied, ¡°But no one is supposed to . . .¡± He sighed. ¡°Fine. You handle this.¡±

    As Frost sat down, Terra stood up. Her gaze wasn¡¯t any softer than Frost¡¯s, but Gail was more accustomed to it as well as her somber tone. ¡°Gail,¡± she began, ¡°you have failed to bring back prey in order to continue the ritual, for you have no pure feral blood to add to your Cubbing pot.¡±

    Gail could already imagine the disappointed look on the faces of Sierra, Quibs, and Gruff, but her heart lifted a little when Terra continued.

    ¡°However, that is not the only way a Cubbing may be completed. There is a rare case, one that happens to so few of us here in the pack, yet you show the same sign of it occurring to you.¡± Terra tapped her own skull mask ¡°Your mask. You returned wearing your own skull mask prior to the completion of your Cubbing. Only those who experienced this know, but they can corroborate my claim.¡±

    Frost, Potts, and Juniper nodded. Curiously, Zane did not; instead, he looked at them with a cocked head, his bemusement escalating, before he glared intently at Gail.

    ¡°I know most of you are questioning this as it goes against what your Cubbings were like, but trust in us when we say that this is the ideal outcome.¡±

    Despite her reluctance to avert her gaze from the wolves before her, she turned her head around. Her other packmates looked just as baffled as Zane, albeit with less murderous intent. Though, some looked more pleased and amazed¡ªQuibs and Sierra were among the few who didn¡¯t seem to be questioning this turn of events. She returned her attention to in front of her when the Zetas approached her. They lifted her Cubbing pot, same as they did before, and padded closer to her.

    Gail noticed something unnerving about the pair. They were smiling. Not a lot, but their lips were curved just the slightest bit unlike the usual hard line of solemnness. Their voices were hushed, as though Gail should be the only listener. ¡°We applaud you for making it this far, Gail Silverstreak. Ventay made no mistake in choosing you to be one of us.¡±

    Before Gail could process much, she was now made to drink from the pot. She¡¯d already forgotten how much the concoction burned in her throat. Her body shuddered, and her eyes watered, but she was able to finish the contents of the pot. She winced. The colors of the world grew vibrant once again. She may be imagining it, but now variegated silhouettes were lurking around her, those of ferals wolves, deer, felines, avians.

    Then she smacked a hand against her temple. She pressed her arms against her body as she hunched over. A sharp ringing persisted in her ears, making it impossible to discern whether the voices that she was hearing were that of the people around her or merely her imagination.

    She got onto her knees, dropping her dagger as she clutched her head. It felt like flames devouring her entire body; icicles stabbing into every pore of her skin; crows pecking her eyes out, and blades and claws lacerating her limbs. Then as soon as it all happened, they ceased, leaving her ears to ring for a moment more after the brief moment of torture.

    Steadying her breath, she raised her head. Frost was now standing as well, and the Zetas returned to Terra¡¯s side. Zane remained sitting, but he looked more exasperated since the last time Gail glanced at him.

    What more, the flame that kindled beneath her Cubbing pot had regained its color. Split in half and dancing together, it blazed blue on one side and crimson on the other. Her Cubbing pot looked more stellar than it originally had.

    Frost addressed the pack with a stern tone that silenced their concern and mutterings. ¡°Now that we have witnessed this unseen turn of events, it is now time to move on to the final phase of the Cubbing.¡± Before Gail could protest to have a few more minutes to recover, he said, ¡°Gail, you must now choose. Which rank shall you challenge for, or will you choose a similar path to Sierra¡¯s and create your own?¡±

    Gail groaned, struggling to support herself with her quivering arms. On her knees quaking like this, she looked pathetic. She felt pathetic. No one was going to take her seriously, let alone be intimidated by her if she were to challenge anyone. There was no chance of even besting the Deltas, whether or not she was even allowed to use the dagger she had gotten.

    I should just join Sierra. She won¡¯t put up a fight. She¡¯ll gladly accept me as an Iota. We could both be happy in our Sanctuary, painting, carving pots, tying bone charms, doing whatever we want to. It doesn¡¯t matter if we¡¯re near the bottom of the pecking order as long as we can keep each other happy.

    She diverted her gaze to Terra, and she remembered. Fear struck her temporarily giddy heart, causing it to throb with terror and anxiety instead of joy. She needed to challenge for Beta. That was already a death wish with her current state. If she weren¡¯t going to die from challenging anyone else other than Zane, then Terra was sure to finish the job.

    Gail¡¯s eyes darted to Frost. Do not challenge for anything higher than a Gamma. She had already gone against his first order of bringing back the carcass of a feral. Should she break this second order of his?

    I have to.

    The words bubbled in her throat. Just one word would be enough to start the challenge. She only needed to say the rank, and Zane would happily come over to bash her head against the nearest tree and toss her into the fire. But even without uttering a noise, Zane stood up from his spot. Gail¡¯s heart sank at the sight of his fuming face.

    ¡°Gail doesn¡¯t deserve to challenge for a rank!¡± he objected. ¡°This brat can¡¯t even stand on two legs for the duration of the ritual. And that dagger she brought back! That¡¯s proof that she got outside help to obtain her skull mask! She may as well join my daughter or be thrown into her own rank below her, or even better, be outcasted from the pack!¡±

    Frost and Terra gave him warning glances, but his words were enough to pierce Gail¡¯s ears back into a state of ringing. She clutched her ears, digging in her claws. She tried to combat the static in her head with her own thoughts.

    Just settle as an Iota.

    Be with Sierra.

    You can choose to be happy.

    You can choose to be who you want to be.

    Scarcely, she could hear Frost¡¯s and Terra¡¯s voices. ¡°What will it be, Gail?¡±

    With one wistful glance at Sierra and a terrified look at the Alphas, her decision had been made. She agonizingly lifted a heavy arm, a finger pointed at Zane. Her arm dropped along with the rest of her body, and the chilling grasp of the void wrapped around her entire being.

 Chapter 10

    The second time Gail had lost consciousness, the second time she felt herself floating in space. She thought that she had felt herself being carried, as though she was about to be buried as her body was being lay down. An eternity seemed to have passed since then. As a tingling sensation pricked at her back, she expected the cold void to take her over completely and to see the disappointed look of Ventay. Instead, her body was bathed in warmth. A gentle touch brushed against her cheeks, then held her arm for the longest moment.

    Slits of light eventually reached her vision as her eyelids opened slowly. A blurry figure loomed beside her. She blinked multiple times, trying to regain her vision. The scratchiness against her back turned out to be from the holly leaves that were piled on a stone bed. Warm poultice had been applied to her arms, legs, and chest.

    She was in a cave, their home, and it had been Gruff who was watching her sleep. Her lips moved to utter a silent ¡°What the hell?¡±, confused that it had been him to watch over her, before the figure of Sierra came bounding into view.

    ¡°Oh my gods, Gail! You¡¯re awake!¡± Sierra was about to pounce at her with a hug, but Gruff barred her off with an arm.

    ¡°Easy now, Sierra. Don¡¯t go squeezing her when her body¡¯s still recovering.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, sorry . . .¡± Sierra looked down at her feet, blushing in embarrassment.

    Looking down at Gail, Gruff said, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you finally awake, kid. You¡¯ve been knocked out cold for two days. How are you holding up?¡±

    ¡°T-two days?¡± Gail echoed in shock. ¡°I¡¯m definitely feeling better than before, but¡ª¡± A groan rumbled in her throat as she couldn¡¯t find the strength to sit up.

    ¡°Do not get up so soon,¡± Potts and Juniper said from across the cave with their backs turned. ¡°You suffered terribly, more than we had been able to visually perceive. You should''ve spoken of your condition sooner, or at least stood closer to the fire, else the ritual could have gone smoother than it had.¡±

    The ritual all felt like a blur for Gail. She still wore her skull mask, confirming that it wasn''t a dream (or a nightmare, with how torturous it felt). She had sworn to follow Ventay¡¯s light, but after that she struggled to remember much. She was still alive, so that meant she survived challenging for a rank, whatever that may be.

    Or did I get sent to my own rank?

    Her mind itched as she tried to recollect more of what occurred a couple days prior.

    At the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of the dagger she had carried all the way from the forest. While she thought that they would¡¯ve discarded this, she was shocked to see that it had been given a scabbard¡ªthe layered white and gray fur of its hide were finely groomed; similarly colored feathers outlined it, and its belt was made of a fur-plant fiber. Moreover, the belt had pouches for storing herbs, rations, and whatnot.

    The Zeta pair padded toward her with a steaming bowl. A glimpse of their role in the ritual flashed in Gail''s mind.

    ¡°Drink this,¡± the pair said. ¡°It will aid with your recovery.¡±

    Gail had no choice in the matter as the wooden bowl was drawn closer to her maw. The aroma wafted into her nostrils. It reminded her of the tea that Terra and Frost would drink every now and then when the weather grew merciless during the harsh winter. She never had it herself, as she could only catch a whiff of its therapeutic scent while snooping in their den.

    The concoction ran down Gail''s throat as it was gingerly poured into her maw. As the steam had suggested, it was still hot, and she could feel it flowing through her chest until it hit her stomach. She let out a satisfied sigh as the Zeta pair retreated the emptied bowl. ¡°Thank you, that did help.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°Can I happen to get more of that? Even when I¡¯m no longer bedridden?¡±

    ¡°We do not waste our resources and time to create medicine to be abused recreationally,¡± the pair replied. ¡°Although, if the Beta would request of it, we could make a less intense version of it.¡±

    ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll have to bury myself in snow if I want to get a taste of this again.¡± Gail huffed with mock disappointment. She glanced at Gruff and Sierra, who looked at her as though she had just spoken gibberish; Potts and Juniper looked mildly curious as well.

    ¡°What? It tastes good! Or is this not tea that they gave me?¡±

    ¡°Um, Gail?¡± Sierra said. ¡°You do know that you¡¯re a Beta now, right?¡±

    Gail¡¯s pupils shrunk as her heart sank. ¡°What?!¡±

    Gruff couldn¡¯t suppress his snort of laughter. ¡°So even you¡¯re shocked about it? Well, while you were unconscious and couldn¡¯t challenge Zane in a physical bout of dominance, Frost and Terra made the decision to have two Betas instead. Zane was not at all happy about that sudden change, and neither were some of the Gammas, but Terra pointed out that there would now be a Beta male and a Beta female.¡±

    Gail looked up at the ceiling. So none of that was my imagination. She had gone through her Cubbing, and she was accepted as a true member of the pack¡ªas a Beta. She couldn¡¯t fathom a world where none of her packmates felt indignant about her role, being the daughter of the Alphas who overlooked the challenge portion of the ritual. She was bound to be questioned by everyone regarding the origin of her skull mask and why the Alphas accepted it with little fuss, aside from the moment that Frost grilled Gail upon her return.

    She shuddered. Even I don¡¯t know how to properly explain it to myself without sounding crazy.

    As the Zeta pair had gone back to their corner of their den, Gail met the gaze of Gruff and Sierra. She asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Terra?¡±

    ¡°Gone hunting with the Gammas, same with Frost,¡± Gruff responded. ¡°Speaking off . . . I need to organize a patrol soon. We¡¯ve been cautious of our territory lately, but we haven¡¯t spotted any threat. With luck, we¡¯ll encounter a caravan of traders.¡± His eyes lit up suddenly. ¡°Do I have your permission to conduct a patrol within our territorial boundaries and make contact with traders we stumble upon?¡±

    Gail blinked. Was he . . . asking for her permission? That did not sound right at all, and it made her stomach stir a little. Shifting uncomfortably, she replied, ¡°Sure? I don¡¯t know when¡¯s the last time you did a patrol or why you¡¯re being cautious, but I guess it wouldn¡¯t hurt to conduct one. Just, uh, be sure to not get into a fight with other groups or something.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Gruff nodded. ¡°I¡¯m aware you¡¯re new to this, but you should ask who I¡¯m taking with me.¡±

    ¡°Ah, r-right.¡± Gail cleared her throat. ¡°Who will you be patrolling with?¡±

    ¡°Sydney, Leia, and Barnaby.¡±

    ¡°Syd, Leia, and Barnaby . . . All right, noted. You four stay safe during your patrol.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be sure to avoid trouble as best we can.¡± As he stood up, he gave a cheeky smile. ¡°If you¡¯re blessed enough, some traders might have a pack of tea we could bargain for.¡± He then padded toward the main tunnel, tossing a ¡°Rest easy¡± over his shoulder.

    Gail sighed. That felt weird. Actually, no, not just weird, it felt wrong. But . . . it also felt gratifying. Now that I¡¯m a Beta, I guess I have that responsibility now.

    Sierra stayed by Gail¡¯s side, inching closer when Gruff was gone. Her smile was more than enough to warm Gail to the core. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay. I thought you were gonna be out for an entire moon.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Gail playfully jabbed at her arm, evoking a giggle from her. ¡°You think a little wind and snow is going to take me out?¡±

    ¡°Well, you did collapse and planted face-first in the snow in front of everyone, so it''s fair to say that weather won that time.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Gail squinted her eyes, as though she was seriously considering who won that battle. ¡°I¡¯ll declare it as a draw. But I will win next time, and all the times after that!¡± She winced her eyes as her head grew heavy with a throbbing pain.

    Sierra patted Gail''s forehead, and her touch could be scarcely felt by Gail through her headwear. ¡°Maybe rest a while before you go screaming in battle against nature. You wouldn''t want to be handing another point over, would you?¡±

    ¡°Good thinking.¡± She wasn''t in a condition to go battling the forces of the outside world, but she could just about scheme of her plans without her brain caving in.

    She cast a glance over Potts and Juniper. They didn¡¯t seem to be acting differently toward her since her rank acquisition. They seemed to be the only ones who treated everyone equally regardless of rank and reputation in the pack. That may have been the ways of alchemists and healers, or that it was their path as followers of Ventay. Either way, Gail couldn¡¯t be more grateful for their hospitality.

    All the bonework in their den had meant something all along, even if Gail couldn¡¯t fully understand it yet. They weren¡¯t just something to add to their morbidity and creepiness factor. The skulls of different prey, the preserved effigy in the corner, the markings on the walls and their bodies¡ªthey were to show their devotion to Ventay, and probably some other Spirivants; at least, from Gail¡¯s hazy understanding they¡¯re materialistic ways to honor Spirivants. She wondered if she should ask them regarding Spirivants.

    Her eyes went back to Sierra. Questions flared in her mind, but before she could blurt out any of them, Sierra spoke up, her eyes glittering eagerly.

    ¡°You gotta tell me all about your ritual! Like, why did yours sound so different from the rest, and did you get lost in the Forest of Shadows, and how did you get your mask without hunting a single creature? It just sounds so impossible, but you managed to accomplish it!¡±

    Gail winced at the barrage of questions. She gave a sidelong glance at the Zetas; they had their backs turned still, but she could their ears twitching attentively. ¡°Can we talk about all that another time? Maybe when we''re in our spot?¡±

    Sierra''s face fell as her ears drooped. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least tell me if you saw anything interesting while you were out there alone?¡±

    Gail stared at her in silence, falling into a trance from Sierra''s developing puppy eyes. She sighed defeat. ¡°Okay, I did see some interesting things in the woods.¡±

    ¡°Like?¡±

    ¡°You know . . . stuff that are interesting.¡± When Sierra squinted, Gail let out another resigned sigh. ¡°I met someone in the forest. I didn¡¯t recognize him, but that¡¯s not really saying much coming from someone who¡¯s barely been outside our cave.¡± Despite that, the gleam of curiosity returned in Sierra¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Did you talk with him? Was he friendly? Did he help you with the ritual and that¡¯s why you were able to get your skull mask without hunting anything?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I talked with him; maybe, but he was so prickly for the most part; and definitely not, his method of helping was to throw that dagger into my throat!¡± She aggressively pointed a claw at the said weapon glinting on a small granite block that acted as a table beside her bed. ¡°If his intention was to kill me after having me chase him around, then he failed miserably. Just he waits, and I¡¯ll have my vengeance for that!¡±

    ¡°Maybe he just wanted to give you a weapon? It is pretty scary to go out there unarmed like we did.¡±

    Gail narrowed her eyes disapprovingly. ¡°Don¡¯t you poke holes in my brilliant plan. I was already planning on making you my accomplice in my quest for revenge, but it looks like I have to look elsewhere.¡± She dramatically tossed her head back with a Hmph.

    Sierra let out a gasp feigning distraught. ¡°How dare you?! I''m your most trusted friend and you leave me out of your plans like that!¡±

    ¡°You are the one to turn your back on me!¡± retorted Gail.

    In retaliation, Sierra poked at Gail''s sides, uttering exaggerated grunts and muttering ¡°Die¡± in the most innocent voice. Gail, in her slightly weakened state, could only respond by jerking her body away from Sierra¡¯s prodding.

    Their gleeful giggling filled the once quiet den. Gail had been taken back a few weeks¡ªback to when she had been unranked with Sierra, and even a little after the newly initiated wolf had become an Iota. Gail''s stomach suddenly lurched at the thought of being a Beta.

    They stopped acting like day old cubs when Potts coughed, garnering their attention. ¡°If we must tell you,¡± he said, ¡°you may leave our den if you wish to. It is rather difficult to focus on our work when it sounds as though we are in a nursery.¡±

    Gail and Sierra exchanged flushed looks of embarrassment. Gail asked, ¡°Can I actually just leave now? You''re not just kicking me out of your den?¡±

    ¡°Confidence will lend your body strength, so long as it is not mixed with arrogance,¡± they said. ¡°Do as you please, Gail, as long as you do not plan to doze in a blizzard again. Do not be ashamed to have your limp body carried into our cave again, though we will be examining your brain for missing chunks if that does happen. It has been many moons since we have dissected an interesting specimen.¡±

    It was hard telling if they were joking or not; the lack of a chuckle or a reassuring glance from either of them would suggest the latter. Gail didn¡¯t doubt that they were capable of doing so and wouldn¡¯t hesitate if they do find her passed out again.

    Sierra supported Gail as she clambered out of bed. Her body felt heavy, but in a way she felt stronger. Sierra gave her an astonished look.

    ¡°What? Is snow still frozen in my ears or something?¡± asked Gail, flicking her ears just in case.

    ¡°No, it''s just . . . you look a bit bigger!¡± Sierra brushed the fur on Gail''s neck, and she couldn''t resist feeling them more. ¡°Had your fur grown an inch or two in your sleep? You definitely weren''t this fluffy before! And are you . . .¡± She placed her hand on her own head, flattening her ears, and compared their heights by hovering it toward Gail. Keeping her hand leveled, it bumped into Gail¡¯s lower jaw. ¡°Okay, no, you¡¯re just as tall as before. You just look taller with your mask and extra fluff.¡±

    Now that she had mentioned it, Gail did feel a little furrier, mostly around her neck and parts of her head. Was it a random growth spurt after her cubbing? Maybe more fur means I''m stronger! Frost and Terra were pretty puffed up with marked fur, not to mention their toned physique.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Gail said in response to her unchanged height. ¡°I would¡¯ve loved to be able to lift you farther from the ground.¡± They both chuckled.

    Thanking the Zetas for their aid, which they casually shrugged at, Gail exited the Zetas¡¯ den with Sierra by her side. The poultices were still stuck on her skin, warming her up weakly, but she hadn''t bother peeling them off. The Zetas didn''t tell her otherwise, and the warmth of it soothed her as she readjusted to being back in the cave.

    The scent of her packmates mingled with the sweetness oozing from her poultices. It was considerably faint with most of the pack out hunting and scouting. Only a couple of Gammas and Deltas were present. They all looked as soon as she came into view. Three of the Deltas¡ªArden, Sophia, and Durin¡ªlooked mostly curious while the two Gammas, Vin and Grifford, looked at her heatedly with scrutinizing gazes. None of them spoke up, but their eyes followed Gail even as she headed for the opposite direction. Sierra remedied her unease by holding her hand in between two of hers.

    Gail intended to ask one of the Deltas for some information about their home¡¯s state, but instead she redirected it to Sierra. ¡°Is there a reason that Gruff needs his patrol to be cautious in our territory?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m . . . not entirely sure about that. There hasn¡¯t been a pack meeting about it, but I¡¯ve heard some people talk about strange scents in the area. Some say they¡¯ve sighted some weird folks and that maybe the Prowling Salvagers have arrived, but I can¡¯t confirm any of their gossip.¡± When Gail looked gloomy without replying, Sierra prompted, ¡°What is it, Gail?¡±

    Gail was silent as she stopped her already slow walking. Her head was hung, her eyes clouding. She muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re in favor of me being Beta. I can see why they would find it difficult to accept me as one when I didn¡¯t physically challenge.¡±

    ¡°Maybe so, but your Cubbing was special! Not only was it under the Eyes of the Gods, but you came back already wearing your mask. Those have to play a huge role in the Alphas¡¯ decision.¡±

    ¡°I suppose but . . .¡± Gail shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel right. If I weren¡¯t Frost¡¯s and Terra¡¯s daughter, they wouldn¡¯t have considered having two Betas. I feel like they only did this for their own dignity, that they wouldn¡¯t have a daughter that was a failure in a low rank.¡± She looked at Sierra when her hand was squeezed by her. Sierra¡¯s warm smile contrasted the chill in her heart.

    ¡°Who your parents are shouldn¡¯t be indicative of your individual worth. I see you for who you are, Gail, and I still believe that you¡¯re worthy of being a Beta; probably even better than my father will be at that rank,¡± she added under her breath, but her voice returned to normal volume. ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t you doubt their love for you? Surely they wouldn¡¯t have made this consideration if they didn¡¯t care for you, would they?¡± Sierra¡¯s tone was as sincere as her smile. Gail was still dubious about the Alphas¡¯ decision, but coming out of Sierra¡¯s sweet mouth, she was more inclined to believe it.

    Her mind may still be scrambling to recollect her hazy memory, but there was something that¡¯ll always stick out in her mind (something other than Sierra and Quibs). The corner of her lips rose slightly. ¡°Hey,¡± she said, ¡°why don¡¯t we head to our Sanctuary? It feels like an eternity since we¡¯ve been there, and now we don¡¯t need Quibs¡¯s permission to head out since I¡¯m a Beta.¡±

    Sierra beamed in return. ¡°Yeah! We can treat it as a form of celebration for your new rank.¡±

    The two began racing toward the rear entrance, but they could only take a few brisk steps when they halted. A snarl of disgust came from the wolf ahead of them. It was Zane.

 Chapter 11

    Gail¡¯s heartbeat hastened. A part of her assumed Zane would¡¯ve joined the Alphas in their hunting, but that would¡¯ve been foolish to leave the cave without a Beta, one who wasn¡¯t unconscious. Zane certainly wished that Gail would¡¯ve stayed that way.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got guts wanting to challenge me for my rank,¡± said Zane, an edge to his voice. ¡°I would¡¯ve loved to rip you to shreds for even thinking of taking it from me, but you just had to pass out.¡±

    ¡°Father . . .¡± Sierra warned, but he paid no mind to her.

    ¡°There should only be one Beta! It¡¯s been agreed upon since the pack¡¯s formation, way before your lump of flesh and fur had existed.¡±

    ¡°Would you like to challenge the Alphas¡¯ decision to overrule that?¡± Gail provoked. ¡°I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t mind mangling you.¡±

    Zane snorted his disgust. ¡°You¡¯re such a privileged mutt. If only you weren¡¯t their daughter, they would¡¯ve left you buried six feet under snow.¡±

    ¡°Why you¡ª!¡± Gail flexed her claws. ¡°I¡¯ll prove to you right now that I can be a Beta!¡±

    Zane scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re worth nothing more than a Theta. What makes you think you can challenge me now, so soon after your long nap, and expect to dominate me?¡± He snarled, both out of resentment and amusement.

    A chilly air of silence separated the two. Gail¡¯s heart was on the verge of bursting out, much like how she was debating whether or not to pounce for Zane''s neck. He must''ve been feeling the same. His muscles were tense, his legs bunching up in preparation of a leap. Gail wondered what was restraining him from attacking.

    Then something else was thumping. Sierra clung onto Gail¡¯s arm. Her chest was pressed against her, her heart pounding as fast or even heavier than Gail¡¯s heart. Never could she bring herself to hurt her father in front of her, in spite of the indignation building up inside her. Zane probably felt the same¡ªhurting Sierra¡¯s closest friend. Or it could¡¯ve been something else entirely unknown to Gail.

    The tension clung to the air. Everyone was still, save for their heaving chests. It wasn¡¯t until a commanding howl diverted all their attentions. They all turned to see Terra glaring at them.

    ¡°What is this commotion about? I recognized your squabbling from the other side of the cave.¡±

    Zane huffed. He clearly couldn¡¯t find the courage to voice against Terra, as he said, ¡°Nothing. I was simply telling Gail how a Beta should act.¡± With a hand, he gestured at Gail and Sierra. ¡°These two were acting like cubs playing

    Liar. Gail¡¯s muscles bunched, but she didn¡¯t act on her fury. She didn¡¯t want to escalate this any further than it should.

    ¡°Right,¡± Terra said. She faced Gail, ¡°Well, now that you¡¯re up and you¡¯ve managed to walk more than a meter on your feet, it¡¯s time you head out.¡±

    ¡°Head out?¡± Gail repeated, perking her brow.

    Terra¡¯s voice had a little edge as she said, ¡°Yes. You¡¯re clearly incompetent as a Beta if you need this mutt to lecture you how to do your job.¡± She paid no mind to Zane¡¯s indignant flare as she grabbed Gail by the arm and dragged her away.

    Gail cast her eyes back at Sierra as her legs grudgingly followed Terra. Her frown voiced the sadness she couldn¡¯t utter with Terra in daughter-smacking distance.

    Sierra put her hands on her maw¡¯s sides and called after, ¡°We¡¯ll just go later! I¡¯ll wait for you in my den!¡±

    Somehow Gail doubted she would get the chance to do so. Without much choice, she solemnly waved her goodbye as she put more effort into matching Terra¡¯s pace.

    <hr>

    Looking up at the sky and the pale sun¡¯s position, Gail could see that it was past noon. She had to resist the urge to admire the outside world when she had to match Terra¡¯s swift pace. Still, she was able to take in the fresh scent of pine in the open air. Out here, it felt like she could breathe more. She hadn¡¯t thought much of it, having been in the cave for most of her life, but she no longer felt suffocated. However, she was starting to lose her breath as she tried to not lag behind Terra too much.

    In front of her, Terra prowled across the calf-high snow on all fours with her spear strapped onto her back. Gail had only seen her run like that when entering the cave before standing up on two legs. Even then, she¡¯d never seen her body look this . . . feral. Her ribs were more compact, her legs¡ªhind legs now¡ªhad proper haunches that gave her a digitigrade look, and she moved swifter than Gail could ever run on two legs. Thankfully, she slowed her pace every now and then for Gail to keep up.

    Gail was tempted to try it herself. She arched her back, keeping her pace, and dropped on all fours. Unsurprisingly, she couldn¡¯t maintain the fast pace. Her arms moved unnaturally, and haunches didn¡¯t just magically pop out of her legs. She left like a mangled cub trying to keep up with her mother.

    When her arm bent too far to one side too far, she skidded forward with a yelp, and her face churned up snow. She lay like that, disgruntled, until the pawsteps of Terra drew closer.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get how you run like that,¡± Gail said, her voice muffled by the mound of snow. When she looked up, snow on her snout, Terra still stood as though she were a feral.

    ¡°It comes naturally to me,¡± Terra said, shrugging. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to know it already, but you must learn it soon. It¡¯d be embarrassing to be a Beta and not know how to tap into that side of yours, so expect the next training sessions to be around that.¡± She snorted.

    Gail couldn¡¯t help thinking she was laughing at her. Which was different. Weird. Normally Terra would be scrutinizing at her for eating snow or not knowing how to run like her or even trying to run like her. But she just snorted, in a laughing matter, and she shrugged and answered her straight without a slap on the wrist.

    ¡°Get up.¡± Terra prodded Gail¡¯s forehead with a paw. ¡°I¡¯ll slow my pace just a little for your sorry legs, but we need to get there quickly. Treat this as a sort of training as a Beta.¡±

    Okay, maybe her strictness wasn¡¯t entirely gone, but Gail could tolerate this. With a grunt, she got up, and she followed Terra on two legs.

    <hr>

    They were ways away from their cave by now. Everything looked new to Gail, having been heading the opposite direction of the ritual grounds and the Forest of Shadows. While it still snowed farther to the east (she found the courage to at least ask which direction they were heading), it was weak, and hints of green began breaking through the snow as they traveled. The land had sloped to form hills and flat stretches of land that was home to flora new to Gail. It felt more open than the tunnels of their and tightly packed pines and spruce of the forest near their cave.

    Small bushes, willows, and poppies blossomed in the shallow snow. Their colors especially popped out to Gail. No more dull gray stone walls and floors of the cave, and no more teasing of the greenery she could only view from the cave mouth. It was wonderful.

    Terra looked over her shoulder at Gail and said, ¡°While I¡¯m happy you stuck with the plan of being a Beta, I can¡¯t help feeling disappointed.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Gail couldn¡¯t resist asking.

    ¡°I would¡¯ve preferred you to strip the role off of Zane, but this can still work out.¡± Terra tore her eyes away to look ahead. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can find a way.¡±

    Those words clung to Gail¡¯s mind. This felt like her Cubbing ritual all over again. She had a choice again, but now it wasn¡¯t as easy as pointing at Zane and fainting. She had to devise a way to achieve it, but a new though ignited in her mind¡ªwhy do I need to demote Zane?

    Her mind shut that thought out when they crest a hill. On the other side, another pack stood waiting at a campsite. Gail¡¯s eyes were as wide as the pale sun. The pack had a little over a dozen members, and it was consisted of different kinds of Ferians¡ªfoxes, dholes, deer, and a grizzly to name a few that stood out. Prey and enemies of Gail¡¯s pack coalesced in wait for something.

    She cast an uneasy glance at Terra. ¡°Did we take a wrong turn?¡±

    ¡°No. These people are who we are looking for.¡± Terra traversed down the hill, and Gail could only follow with stomach-clenching apprehension.

    Many tents were pitched to serve as shelter. Some Ferians resided in them currently, sitting by the entrances whose flaps were open for the day, while the others were sat in another spot where fallen logs served as seats. They all donned leather armor, some of them wearing bulky furred coats while others who were more comfortable in the cold wore cloaks.

    There was a campfire set up with a covered pot dangling above the embers of a fire that was snuffed out. So other Ferians did prefer to cook their food, Gail thought. It was still a foreign concept to her, and these Ferians were also alien to her.

    They held no hostility as Gail and Terra approached. Surprise was even absent in their welcoming smiles, as though they were expecting them. Though, they grew curious whenever they looked at Gail.

    Terra stood erect on two legs now. Her feralesque haunches had straightened, and her broad shoulders and ribs returned as she rolled her shoulders. She stopped in front of a buck. He wore a set of bone charms around his neck. Despite that and his towering stature punctuated by his antlers, he emitted a gentle aura that somehow still managed to unnerve Gail.

    ¡°So this is your daughter, I presume?¡± the deer observed. ¡°She has your looks. Probably the same attitude too with how she¡¯s eyeing everyone suspiciously.¡±

    Gail snapped her eyes to glare at him. He smiled, chuckling even.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t come all the way here to sweet-talk about her, Shamere.¡± Terra scowled. ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase.¡±

    ¡°Right, I apologize.¡± Shamere bowed his head.

    Terra looked at Gail and jerked her head to the side. ¡°Go on, shake that fear off your fur. They¡¯re our friends, if you will. Trust that they won¡¯t hurt you.¡± She gave a sidelong glance at Shamere. ¡°At least, I hope they won¡¯t dare to think about hurting you.¡±

    ¡°We have known one another for years, Terra. You know I wouldn¡¯t let myself or any of my squadmates lay a finger on your precious daughter.¡±

    A restrained growl came from Terra. She and Shamere then entered one of the tents with two other Ferians, closing its flaps, and leaving Gail with unfamiliar faces. While the other Ferians made no attempt to approach her, their eyes bared down on her like the pale sun, burning with curiosity.

    Gail stared all the same, except with a lot more wariness. The Ferians staring at her made her stomach churn uneasily, as though they were plotting on how to snatch her away with Terra gone. Even the uninterested ones minding their own businesses gave her a sense of dread. Being new to Ferians and packs of another kind, she didn¡¯t know how to evaluate their aptitude except for potentially dangerous and lethal and can kill me in a heartbeat.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    One of the Ferians caught her eyes in particular. A striped hyena was sitting by her lonesome under a pine tree, farther away from where everyone else was gathered. She had what looked to be a book propped on her raised legs, and she would take her eyes off it to steal anxious glances of Gail before darting back down and squinting at whatever she was reading.

    Collectively, they all reminded her of the panther she met in the Forest of Shadows. She didn¡¯t know whether to trust any of them and how she should feel. As her mind momentarily returned to plotting her vengeance against the panther, she thought that she could catch a whiff of his scent.

    Then a familiar voice shouted, ¡°The river¡¯s running colder than usual this winter! We just have to suck it up if we want to drink out here!¡± A panther wearing similar leather armor and an obsidian midnight blue cloak came padding toward the campsite, taking a sip off a waterskin before sealing it. Specks of snow plastered onto his fur, and his ear twitched to send some flying off. There was no mistaking who this was.

    With a scowl, Gail stomped toward him and hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten who you are! I can¡¯t believe that you just so happen to be from this pack!¡±

    The panther looked at her, dazed for a moment at the accusation. He flared his nostrils to scent her, and with a flick of his ears, realization dawned on his stupid face. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s you, that wolf from the woods.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®Oh, it¡¯s you¡¯ me. You nearly chopped my head off!¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey, don¡¯t go putting that against me.¡± The panther waved his hands defensively. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even aiming for your neck, and it¡¯s pretty difficult to aim when I started seeing three copies of you. Besides, your head¡¯s still intact, ain¡¯t it? And you¡¯re even bringing the dagger with you around,¡± he observed, pointing at Gail¡¯s sheathed weapon.

    Gail¡¯s brow furrowed further as a growl rumbled in her throat. He was right, but she wasn¡¯t going to give that point to him. ¡°You don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the same one! I could¡¯ve left the knife to rust in that tree for all you know.¡±

    The panther raised a brow, unconvinced. Or maybe he was always just this smug with a clawable face.

    Now in daylight without shadows for his dark fur to blend with, Gail could have a better look at him. He was about the same height as him, if not taller by just an inch, and probably close in age. No longer shrouded in the darkness of the forest, he looked way less menacing, and his tone wasn¡¯t as slimy or devious.

    A young plump fox came padding toward them. He asked, ¡°Have you two met before, Reed? They look like Terra, except somehow more . . .¡±

    Reed jabbed at the fox¡¯s arm, breaking the awe and blush on his face. ¡°Shut your trap, Lemmy! Brush off whatever¡¯s on your mind, you just met her. And yeah, I saw her once. Her name¡¯s Gail. It was some days ago, actually, when we all split up to do some scouting that I met her, though I couldn¡¯t spend much time with her when I remembered we needed to rendezvous at that time.¡± He cast a quick glance at Gail.

    Reed. So that¡¯s his name.

    Gail looked at the fox. She didn¡¯t think that there would be another one in her Claw their faces off list this soon, but this young fox proved her wrong. When he extended an arm out for a handshake, she squinted at it. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to make friends with people who invade our den and tries to steal our cubs.¡±

    Lemmy shot her an indignant look. ¡°Huh?! What do you mean?! I don¡¯t steal¡ª I haven¡¯t even seen a wolf¡¯s den, let alone tasted wolf!¡±

    ¡°Well, I for one don¡¯t want to make friends with someone who accuses me of trying to murder them when I was trying to help them,¡± Reed harrumphed.

    Gail scowled, though she couldn¡¯t help grinning. ¡°Then we have something in common, then.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t hate your guts that much¡ªyet.¡± Reed shot her a look, suggesting to Gail that he may have just been defending his friend who was now backing away awkwardly. Regardless, Gail didn¡¯t care and would claw them both equally. Though, in actuality, Gail had only ever seen one feral fox who wandered into their cave years ago. She didn¡¯t know why they intruded their cave; all she was told by the Gammas was that foxes were among the animals that wanted to steal and eat their cubs.

    Reed went over to the campfire nearby to fill a wooden bowl with some sort of liquid with meaty chunks from the pot. Despite his disgruntled tone, he offered, ¡°Hey, we still have some stew leftover from earlier. It¡¯s still warm, and everyone else is pretty much famished.¡±

    Gail raised a brow. She was more focused on Reed having seconds more than the fact that he was offering food to her. ¡°You¡¯re taking more food from your prey pile?¡±

    ¡°Yes . . . ? And what do you mean by prey pile? This is just stew, unless you meant the meat in it which I guess was prey.¡±

    ¡°But shouldn¡¯t that go to your leader? And you haven¡¯t even asked permission from someone higher than you before taking more food!¡±

    ¡°Hah, bold of you to assume that I¡¯m not high ranking.¡± Reed sipped from the bowl despite holding a wooden spoon on one hand. ¡°Which . . . I¡¯m not¡ªnot yet, at least. Also, I¡¯m starting to believe my first impression of you was spot on.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°That you have never met a Ferian like me, but I guess now it¡¯s more of: you haven¡¯t met any other Ferian.¡± He gestured at her with his spoon. ¡°No offense, but you sound like one of those deranged old dogs who keep yapping about how his household rules are better than everyone else¡¯s way of living.¡±

    Gail continued to scowl at Reed, but silently a part of her agreed. He made it sound as though there was a ranking system in this pack of his, but it wasn¡¯t evident with the way everyone acted. She glanced around to see them talking with one another like close friends, and the tents that served as shelter did not differ. There wasn¡¯t even one huge tent for Shamere to reside in, much like an Alpha would if the Twinned Fangs were to ever survive out of their cave. She looked back at Reed to see him offering him a bowl of stew.

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m trying my hardest to be nice to you,¡± he said. ¡°I swear you won¡¯t get in trouble if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡±

    Gail stared at the bowl of cooked food for the longest time. This wasn¡¯t even her pack and she was going to eat a portion of their food supply. But if Reed says it¡¯s all right . . .

    She sighed. ¡°Fine. I still don¡¯t forgive you for almost stabbing a dagger into my throat.¡± She accepted the bowl that was slightly warm to the touch. ¡°But also . . . thanks, I guess.¡±

    She tried to not stare too dumbly at the spoon. She had an idea of how it was used to eat the food, but she first watched how Reed used it before mimicking what he did. Scooping a spoonful with a small chunk of meat and a slice of carrot, she put it into her mouth. Her taste buds were assaulted with an exotic flavor. Unbeknownst to her, her tail wagged furiously as she savored the taste of this so-called stew. Is this what we¡¯ve been missing? Why haven¡¯t we been cooking our food like this?

    Reed stifled his laughter as much as he could, but it still came out as a snort. He shook his head a little before walking off and rolling a shoulder, gesturing for Gail to follow. He headed toward the lone pine tree where the isolated hyena resided. A chill suddenly went up Gail¡¯s spine.

    The Prowling Salvagers. This pack couldn¡¯t have been that; they weren¡¯t primarily composed of hyenas unlike the infamous savages, and Terra certainly wouldn¡¯t have been allied with them. Still, Gail felt uneasy about being near this striped hyena.

    Much like everyone, she wore leather armor that¡¯s layered with a fluffy furred coat, yet she didn¡¯t look as menacing as some of the others with her bashful demeanor. She had golden-brown fur with streaks of black and occasional splotches of white. Judging by appearance again, she looked to also be around the same age as Gail and Reed.

    When the hyena spotted them approaching, she let out a yelp and drew her head closer to her book, her eyes darting about the page of whatever she was reading. While Gail grew more suspicious of her, Reed chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re a lot jumpier than usual today, Yvette.¡±

    ¡°Ah, a-am I?¡± the hyena pulled her legs closer. ¡°S-sorry if I¡¯m weirding your friend out. I¡¯m still not comfortable with meeting new people, especially someone that looks . . .¡± She pressed her snout against her book, her eyes peeking through small gaps in her white bangs and over her knees.

    ¡°That¡¯s fair, but you gotta get used to meeting strangers; not only to potentially make new friends to gush over books and stories with, but so you can tell between friend and foe.¡± Reed gestured at Gail with a hand. ¡°Let¡¯s say you met this person alone in the woods. Are they an enemy?¡±

    ¡°Um . . . n-no? She looks friendly and nice.¡±

    Reed and Gail both cocked their heads at her response. ¡°Really?¡± Reed questioned. ¡°Even when she¡¯s wearing that terrifying skull,¡± he turned to face Gail, ¡°which, by the way, it¡¯s cool and all, but also pretty unnerving to look at.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Not as unnerving as when you were just hanging around in that forest, acting all menacing and stuff with you perched on the tree.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so you admit that I frightened you when you first saw me? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± Before Gail could protest, Reed looked at Yvette and triumphantly said, ¡°Hah! I told you my stalking technique and guise can scare people.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s at all scary.¡± Yvette smiled shyly. Only now did Gail notice her snaggle tooth. ¡°But at least you¡¯re happy knowing you managed to spook someone.¡±

    Reed grinned, then happily took a spoonful of stew, while Gail contemplated on spoiling his pride. She was not terrified of him when she saw him in the Forest of Shadows; just surprised, that was all. Though, she couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°You know, the more I think about it, the more forced I recall your voice being back then, and you did break your guise when you made me slip down and fall.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t want to end up killing someone, and stop blaming everything on me when you couldn¡¯t see the obvious ditch!¡± Reed shook his head. ¡°Whatever. Anyway, Yvette.¡± He looked at the hyena and gestured at Gail once more. ¡°Here¡¯s someone that¡¯s a stranger to you. What do you do?¡±

    ¡°U-um . . .¡± Yvette pursed her lips, then she perked up. ¡°Oh! W-what¡¯s your name, kind stranger?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s . . . not exactly what I would say to someone who looks like her, but sure, modesty.¡± Reed turned to Gail. ¡°What say you, stranger?¡±

    The wolf glared at him. Her gaze then softened when she looked at Yvette. ¡°I¡¯m Gail.¡± When Reed gestured her to continue, she questioned, ¡°What? I already know her name, I don¡¯t need to ask her.¡±

    ¡°Wow, eavesdropping on other people¡¯s conversations to gain information, I see?¡± Reed leaned down and shielded one side of his mouth with a hand, as though to be quiet from Gail despite his audible volume. ¡°I would advise befriending people who¡¯s as devious as her. Who knows what else she could know about you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re only giving me more reasons to avoid meeting new people, Reed,¡± muttered Yvette, then quickly added, ¡°B-but I do want to get to know you better, Gail! You seem nice and chill and pretty, um . . . pretty . . . Ah, have a seat beside me! We can read this book together!¡± Her perked ears flattened as she suddenly looked more flushed. ¡°Do you like books?¡±

    Gail almost felt bad by how bashful Yvette was, but at the same time she found her coy nature to be quite adorable. ¡°I do like books,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°But . . .  I haven¡¯t really read much, or at least I haven¡¯t read a book that wasn¡¯t old and faded.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a shame to hear, but maybe you can enjoy this book with me?¡± She patted the ground beside her.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Gail accepted and sat down, eating a spoonful of stew. ¡°What kinda book is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s um, nerdy, as Reed would say¡ªnatural history, cultural history. Since we were going to be traveling a lot, I thought I¡¯d learn more about the different civilizations of Piones. It¡¯s no Kish Avelly or Daffodil Butters book, but I¡¯m still enjoying myself with it. Though, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s quite your taste . . .¡± She glanced at Reed who shrugged. ¡°Hm, lemme see if I can find something interesting for you.¡±

    Gail honestly didn¡¯t mind the ¡°nerdy¡± stuff. She didn¡¯t even know what her taste in books was, but she let Yvette flip through the pages as she mumbled to herself.

    ¡°Origin of Ferians, the Hiveling Queens, the Crimson Desert . . . Ah! Maybe this will interest you?¡± She passed the book to Gail to hold with one hand. When the wolf read the title of the section break that was written in magnificent calligraphy. ¡°It¡¯s one of my favorite parts of this book, and any other book that talks about this. Are you familiar with them?¡±

    In an almost hushed voice, Gail replied, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m very familiar with Spirivants.¡±

    She flipped to the next page and she was greeted by a two-paged inked illustration. Ventay was among the three figures who stood. She looked just as awe-inspiring in this book, although Gail noticed something off. Counting them, there were more tails in this illustration than when she¡¯d met her in the Forest of Shadows. Another incorrect depiction.

    Below the illustration was a caption naming the figures. From left to right: Ventay, the hunter among the stars; Fate, the reader of destiny; and Purrah, the watcher of the afterlife.

    Fate was a massive deer with majestic antlers that branched for several feet, splitting off in several directions and emitting what looked to be glimmers of light; looking at its entirety, it resembled a thorny crown atop the deer¡¯s head as she stood proudly with blank silver eyes.

    The other Spirivant, Purrah, looked to be a panther, however the curving horns she possessed threw Gail off. Her slender tail was akin to that of Reed¡¯s, so she must at least have been a feline despite the eccentric horns. The jewelry and ornaments that adorned her curvy body accentuated her sensuous pose.

    Yvette¡¯s eyes glittered and she couldn¡¯t hide her gleeful smile. Gail was just as eager as she was as she turned the page that detailed the origin of Spirivants.

    However, before she could read on or talk to Yvette, the voice of Terra addressed her. ¡°Gail, it¡¯s time we head back. I¡¯ve finished my business here for today.¡±

    Gail¡¯s heart sank as did her ears. She was about to plead to Terra if she could stay for just a bit longer, just like a cub would to her mother to beg for more playtime, but the stern demeanor of Terra made her think better of it. She gave a crestfallen look at Yvette and Reed before getting up. She returned the book to Yvette as well as handing over her half-empty bowl of cold stew. ¡°You can have it,¡± she said. Terra¡¯s eyes grew curious for a second but said nothing more.

    Waving the two of them goodbye, Gail followed Terra, whose pace eventually hastened as though she was in a hurry. Gail tried to match her as best she could even if she couldn¡¯t go on all fours as Terra had just done. Her mind flirted with the idea of spending more time with Reed and Yvette in the future and if she even could, but she grew concerned as to why Terra¡¯s paws crashed against the ground so aggressively with each hasty step.

    She asked, ¡°Did something happen? Why are you in such a hurry?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that time of the year again,¡± Terra huffed. ¡°Our territory has become much more perilous now. The Prowling Salvagers are here.¡±

 Chapter 12

    The pack was called for a meeting soon after Gail and Terra returned home. Everyone, save for the Thetas again, was quick to gather. Gail would be sitting beside Sierra and Quibs, but now she stood in front the pack, in line with the Alphas, Beta, and Zetas. She was positioned between Terra and the Zeta pair. Before the meeting, she feared that she needed to stand beside her partner Beta, but Terra probably assumed as well that the two of them would start squabbling again in the middle of the meeting.

    ¡°The Prowling Salvagers have been scented in our territory,¡± Terra announced. ¡°There has been no proper sighting of them, but their scent lingers still.¡± She reached for one of her belt¡¯s pouches and pulled out a bundle of fur. ¡°From friends of mine of the Bramble Bonds. Use this as a reference of the hyenas¡¯ scent. All of you keep your guards up should you leave our cave. We all know what they¡¯re capable of.¡± She cast a glance at Reckles, who looked downcast. ¡°Report any suspicions of their presence near our home immediately.¡±

    Malte raised a hand, and when given permission to speak, he asked, ¡°If we run into one of them, are we allowed to engage?¡±

    ¡°Engage in combat?¡± Terra furrowed her brow in consideration. ¡°No. You are to avoid contact with them at all cost. You all were given a vial from the Zetas to pour onto yourselves to mask your scent. Use that to hide from someone of the Prowling Salvagers and flee home, but should they give chase . . . dispose of them before anyone else arrives. We can¡¯t have them knowing of our home¡¯s location.¡±

    Gail clutched one of her belt¡¯s pouches where she stored her vial. An image of Yvette flashed in her mind, but the hyenas of the Prowling Salvagers wouldn¡¯t be as soft as her. If Terra advised against fighting them, then they were more dangerous than Gail first thought. She glanced at Malte when he asked more.

    ¡°What if we run into a Hiveling?¡±

    ¡°A Hiveling?¡± Even Terra looked puzzled by his question. ¡°Hivelings are of no trouble to us. We are not involved in their war against Boreal, and I wish for it to stay that way, as much as I despise the belief of Boreal¡¯s ruler.¡±

    Malte¡¯s scowl showed his disappointment, but he bowed his head to hide it. ¡°Understood.¡±

    <hr>

    Three days passed by, and no commotion had stirred in the pack. More scouting missions were conducted, and hunts were made quicker to be safe but at the cost of fewer prey. It was sustainable for every wolf, but Gail noticed that there would be no more spare food for Reckles to give to the Thetas.

    ¡°I wish I could go out hunting on my own more often,¡± she mused aloud to Sierra.

    ¡°And I wish I could go out to more hunts with you,¡± replied Sierra, pouting. ¡°I only got to join you once a couple days ago, and time passed by so quickly! And we got called back just as I was about to catch a squirrel.¡± She dipped her brush in the bowl of white paint and continued a ring around Gail¡¯s left arm.

    They were in the Iota¡¯s den in the afternoon. When asked if Gail wanted intricate markings like the Alphas, she agreed with some confusion. Before her Cubbing, she thought that the markings on the Alphas and Zetas were special and that they were a symbol of power. A part of her even thought that they gave the Alphas their magic, but here she was, getting her fur inked akin to the them. From another one of Sierra¡¯s books, there were similar tattoos on people that weren¡¯t just Ferians. She couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What exactly are these markings for? I didn¡¯t really think much when you offered to paint my body, and I even thought you meant making a painting of me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m going to create a painting of you one day,¡± Sierra answered with a teasing chuckle. ¡°As for your markings, they make you look prettier! And maybe more intimidating to anyone who crosses you.¡±

    ¡°So . . . they¡¯re not going to give me powers?¡±

    ¡°Nope!¡± Sierra used a finger to space out from the first ring before beginning to ink a second ring to complement it. ¡°Sorry to burst your bubbles, but, if you believe hard enough, you¡¯ll feel more powerful with them on! If it helps, think about looking like your parents and Potts and Juniper. Even if we don¡¯t see the latter two fight often, they¡¯re strong in their own way, right? And if it helps you in any way, think of it as a part of me on your body.¡±

    ¡°That does make me feel more confident,¡± whispered Gail. ¡°And they¡¯re not only for the Alphas and Zetas?¡±

    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t be. I want everyone to get their own markings that show who they are and what they usually do for the pack.¡± Sierra sighed. ¡°But of course, my father doesn¡¯t want people wasting their time with me inking them. He doesn¡¯t see any value in them.¡±

    Sierra redipped her brush and continued painting the ring. ¡°I¡¯m still trying to figure out what else to add to your design. I already know to go for a windy theme, because you know, ¡®Gail¡¯ and ¡®gale.¡¯ I thought it was pretty fitting!¡±

    That wordplay elicited a snort from Gail, also remembering that that¡¯s where her name originated. ¡°It is pretty fitting, even though you still tease me on being knocked out by gusts of wind.¡±

    ¡°Hey, if gusts of wind can knock down someone as mighty as you, then they must truly be a force to be reckoned with, right?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right. How foolish I was to question the genius of the Spectacular Sierra.¡±

    They both shared laughter. Sierra couldn¡¯t paint with her hand shaking from laughter, but even when she¡¯d calmed down, she set down her brush on the table to her side. ¡°That should be enough for today. I got the bases prepared on your arms and your right leg. They¡¯re just rings for now, but it¡¯s a start. I want to maybe work on your face and torso also, but I want to plan out the designs more, especially the ones for your limbs. Gotta be extra awesome for you.¡± She gestured with jazz hands and a grin that relayed her eagerness to work more. Gail smiled in return, aching to see what she will have planned for her.

    Gail¡¯s raised left arm was begging to relax. While it had only been about 15 minutes and her arms were not at all weak, the past few days of hunting and running had rendered her muscles numb. Just as her arm gradually declined without her noticing in her idle chat with Sierra, her arms shot up when someone entered the room. The urgency in the voice as they called her name made her think it was Terra, but it turned out it to be Gruff instead. She let out a relieved sigh; she kept her arms raised despite its awkwardness. ¡°What is it, Gruff?¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry if I was interrupting anything between you two, but I needed to report something.¡± Gruff entered the den when Gail beckoned and said it was fine to enter. ¡°I didn¡¯t see Zane immediately when I returned, and I figured you¡¯d be here. As for the actual report¡ªwe¡¯ve detected the scent of a foreign individual lurking near our cave. More specifically, it was Arden who scented it, and he couldn¡¯t identify if it reeked of hyena with that stuffed nose of his.¡± He sighed. ¡°We apologize for that, Gail.¡±

    Gail waved the hand of her non-outstretched arm. ¡°No need to apologize, that¡¯s still valuable info. Thank you, and um¡­have Arden drop by Potts and Juniper. They could maybe provide him something to help him regain his sense of smell. Oh! And relay that knowledge to the Gammas, please, on my behalf.¡±

    Gruff dipped his head. ¡°Will do. I¡¯ll also have another scouting group circle near our cave for a while to search for more clues on this individual and if there are any more.¡± He exited the den, leaving with a soft ¡°Thank you¡± before dashing off to share his report.

    Gail sighed. She turned to Sierra and saw her grin that was beaming with pride. ¡°You¡¯re good at this whole Beta thing already! That was so cool to hear!¡± Her ears flattened slightly as her expression turned bashful. ¡°Er, was I allowed to be listening to that?¡±

    Gail snorted. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m not gonna punish you or anything for ¡®eavesdropping¡¯ on that, if you can even consider it as that. Besides, it¡¯s information that everyone should know regardless of rank.¡±

    The bright smile returned to Sierra¡¯s face with noticeably more warmth. She said no more, but that smile alone gave confidence to Gail in being a Beta.

    <hr>

    They eventually left Sierra¡¯s den to pad toward the neighboring Thetas¡¯ den. Gail could now let her arm relax once the paint had dried up. She rubbed her right thumb and index together, feeling the crust of the paint on her finger from poking the paint too soon to test its dryness. Just before they reached the tight tunnel toward the Thetas¡¯, they saw Zane stomping his way toward them. Gail let Sierra hold her hand at that moment. It was a habit of Sierra¡¯s at this point, and it always helped calm Gail¡¯s nerves.

    Knowing Zane had a reason to come all the way down here with a livid expression on his clawable face, Gail asked, ¡°What do you want this time?¡±

    ¡°I noticed that Delta going around yapping something to the Gammas, and only then did I realize that he had important information to disseminate, so I¡¯m here wondering why he reported it to you instead of me.¡±

    Gail stared at him, more dumbfounded than irritated. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± growled Zane. ¡°He¡¯s supposed to report to me first so I can decide if he has my permission to go spreading whatever news he has to share that¡¯s of value.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m a Beta as well! Same as you!¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m older than you,¡± Zane spat. His hackles rose along with his temper. ¡°More than that, it hasn¡¯t even been a week since you¡¯ve been made Beta. You lack experience. While I would¡¯ve approved what he¡¯s reporting right now, who¡¯s to say you won¡¯t approve something trivial next time?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Gail dug her claws into her palms. He¡¯s just looking down on me because I¡¯m young. Gail wanted to pounce at him, but again, Sierra¡¯s presence and hand holding prevented her from doing so. At the very least she wanted to retort, but Zane spoke up again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you go this once, since you actually did something right, but don¡¯t expect to get away with it next time. If you receive another report before I do, tell it to me first. Oh, and before you throw a tantrum, I¡¯ll try to do the same for you. As much as we despise each other, we need to suck it up and discuss about pack matters.¡± He then padded away. His hackles were still standing from anger; although, Gail noticed the attempted placidity in his tone near the end.

    Sierra squeezed her hand. ¡°He still hasn¡¯t gotten over you being a Beta, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­but as much as I would love to yell back, he did have a point. Still, this shouldn¡¯t have been something to act all pissy-baby over.¡± Gail shook her head. ¡°Whatever. Speaking of babies, let¡¯s go check with the Thetas now.¡±

    Passing through the tunnel and squeezing through the cleft, the two were then greeted warmly by the Thetas. Sierra pranced over to Goldenrod¡¯s cubs who were tumbling around in front of their mother. ¡°Hey there, little fellas!¡± she cooed, then proceeded to sit and play with the cubs. Gail sat beside Goldenrod. They both had smiles as they watched the cubs scale Sierra¡¯s knees and tug at her fur.

    ¡°I¡¯m still upset I wasn¡¯t here for their birth,¡± Gail whispered with a wistful sigh.

    Goldenrod patted her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself over it, dear. Take joy knowing that they¡¯re healthy cubs and they¡¯re full of life and energy.¡±

    ¡°I still can¡¯t get over the fact you actually named one of them Nade.¡± Gail pointed at the cub with ashy gray pelt. ¡°And it¡¯s the one that sorta has the same fur color as me.¡±

    ¡°We figured it suited him well. Oh, I hope he turns out to be as diligent and kind as you and Sierra and Reckles, and the same for Daisy and Dibsy. It¡¯s only been a few days, but I already know there¡¯s loads of potential in them.¡±

    Gail cocked her head at her when she was made to be one of the role models for the cubs. ¡°Why me? I can understand Reckles being a good example for your children, but¡­I¡¯m just the Alphas¡¯ daughter. I¡¯m not even that old yet compared to most wolves in the pack.¡±

    ¡°Those are factual descriptions of yourself, yes, but what is also true is that you¡¯re one of the few wolves who concerns themselves with us¡ªthe Thetas. Unlike the other Beta and Gammas, you and Reckles are the only high-ranking wolf that bothers to check on us, and even the Alphas on occasion.¡±

    Gail opened her mouth to retort, but there was nothing she could say.

    Barking echoed in the walls. Everyone, even the rowdy cubs, stopped what they were doing and turned their heads to the den¡¯s claustrophobic entrance. The barking and howling continued, ringing in the air and echoing from outside, most likely originating from the main tunnel. Gail got up. Her fur was standing on end, but she reassured the others, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go check whatever¡¯s going on out there. You all stay here where it¡¯s safe.¡± Even if she couldn¡¯t hide her shared fear, she shouldn¡¯t let it impede her duty to protect her packmates.

    Sidling through the cleft to leave the Thetas¡¯ den, she could feel the screams reverberating in the cave walls. As unnerved as she was by the faceless whining and moaning, she threaded through the winding passageway until she reached the main tunnel. Her mind wondered on what could possibly be causing the screaming. Someone invading their cave? An accident that led into an injury? But as Gail heard the cries more and more, she realized that the voice wasn¡¯t that of anyone from the Twinned Fangs.

    Now she saw where they originated from. A young timber she-wolf wearing a beige tunic had her arms held forcefully by Grifford and Vin, both of whom were marshaling her. Malte seemed to be leading them. He looked over his shoulder and barked, ¡°Would you stop your crying? You shouldn¡¯t have been in our territory if you didn¡¯t want to be dragged into here.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was trespassing in someone else¡¯s territory!¡± the outsider pleaded. From the pitch of her voice and her stature, they seemed to be around the same age as Gail, if not younger. ¡°Please! I was just walking around, I wasn¡¯t doing anything devious! Just let me go!¡±

    Grifford snickered. ¡°You keep talking now, but we¡¯re gonna shut you up one way or another.¡± He looked at Malte. ¡°You think the Alphas are gonna mind another Theta?¡±

    ¡°Eh, what do they care? We suggested the Theta role to begin with, so it should be our responsibility. Besides, it¡¯s not like the Alphas have been doing anything to stop us before or to better those filthy dogs¡¯ state anyway.¡±

    In addition to the sly grins across the Gammas¡¯ maws, the entire situation sickened Gail. Everything they said made her want to claw their faces. Not only that, but the outsider was a young wolf who probably hasn¡¯t even reached the age for a Cubbing ritual. That fact alone twisted Gail¡¯s guts that a pit of poison may as well be inside her.

    Nearby, some Deltas¡ªGruff, Sydney, and Durin¡ªwere avoiding watching the scene, but the frowns on their faces were clear signs of their disapproval.

    The Gammas stopped when they noticed Gail standing in the way. Malte scowled. In a stern voice, he asked, ¡°Is there a problem, Beta Gail?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there is a problem, and I¡¯m looking right at it.¡± Gail matched the scowl on his face. She spotted the bit of poison in his voice when he referred to her rank. ¡°Care to report what you three are doing to that outsider?¡±

    ¡°We found her snooping around near our cave, and we¡¯ve brought her in here to interrogate and punish her. Though she¡¯s not a hyena, she may be a spy dog of the Prowling Salvagers or maybe even of the Hivelings.¡±

    ¡°Punish her without the Alphas knowing? Because from the sound of it, you were going to bring her in as a Theta without the Alphas¡¯ permission, and you didn¡¯t even bother to report this to us Betas. I think it¡¯s you three who are in need of punishment.¡±

    Malte snarled. Even being fully aware that she was a Beta, he did not seem to care about it. All he saw was a young wolf snitching on him. He stepped forward and grabbed her by her scruff. ¡°Now listen here, you little brat: nothing that you can say will stop us. Even if you¡¯ve been recognized as a Beta, I won¡¯t let you have power over me, so just shut up and move on with your pampered, pitiful life.¡±

    Gail hissed as his grip on her fur wouldn¡¯t loosen up. She could hear Vin¡¯s and Grifford¡¯s snickers as they watched her face twist and being forced to tiptoe when Malte pulled upward. A growl built up in her throat. Her eyes glowed with fury as she glared up at Malte.

    Slowly, she muttered, ¡°Are you defying the authority that I have over you?¡± She pounded a fist against Malte¡¯s chest. She was hoping to knock the breath out of him; some resistance was to be expected, but there was little as her blow sent the larger wolf flying a few feet back. Rocky particles were sent flying, scattering in the air even before Malte landed on his back, and Gail¡¯s fur rippled as though a gust of wind passed by. Some of her fur was ripped off from Malte¡¯s grasp, but the fur wrapping her neck was as puffy as ever.

    Everyone, even Malte in his dazed state, looked shocked¡ªterrified maybe¡ªat Gail¡¯s strength. She looked confounded.

    Grifford went over to pull Malte aside and prop his back against the wall as Gail approach Vin, who let go of the outsider and raised his hands, stammering, ¡°We¡¯re sorry! We were just following Malte¡¯s orders!¡±

    Gail stared him down. She then nodded, signaling for Vin to scamper off. When that moment of adrenaline began to subside, she sighed. Looking at the outsider, her face softened. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Too terrified to speak after witnessing Gail deck Malte, the outsider merely nodded with quivering lips.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡± Gail hid her hands behind her back. ¡°Can you tell me your name?¡±

    ¡°Alice,¡± the timber wolf whispered.

    ¡°Okay, Alice. Now, can you tell me what actually happened?¡±

    Alice¡¯s trembling legs made it look like she was ready to bolt out of the cave. Gail wouldn¡¯t blame her if she did so, now with no one restraining her, but instead she answered her question. ¡°I was trying to find my way back to my village, but the snowstorm tossed my sense of direction when I was trying to go back home and I got loss. I think I ended up walking in circles, then out of nowhere, those three jumped me and pinned me down.¡± She clasped her hands and pleaded, ¡°Please, I mean no harm to any of you. Just let me go, I want to go back to my daddy.¡±

    Gail looked into the outsider¡¯s fearful eyes with pity. Peering into it, she tried to see what was in her head that fueled her curiosity. What village was she from? What is it like? Did they have other kinds of Ferian or perhaps species? And a question that Gail never thought that she would ever wonder: was she afraid of her?

    There¡¯s no reason to be scared of me. I don¡¯t know what or how I did that to Malte, but¡­I don¡¯t want to hurt people like Alice with it.

    After some consideration, she asked the outsider, ¡°How far away is your village?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not too far off, I don¡¯t think. If you let me leave now, I might be able to reach home before sundown. I promise to not bother any of you in the future.¡± Amidst the panic in her eyes¡ªwhich was beginning to subside¡ªthere was another fear, one that made her hesitant of leaving the shelter of the cave so soon.

    Knowing what the fear was, Gail looked at the nearby Deltas. ¡°You three, would you mind accompanying me to escort her all the way to her village?¡±

    ¡°All the way?¡± Durin repeated with dismay. ¡°But that sounds so far beyond the borders of our territory.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware, but I know that you three should be able to lead us. With the four of us, we should be able to protect Alice andeach other from the weather and any threats.¡±

    The Deltas were silent for a moment as they exchanged worried gazes. Gail was starting to feel worried herself, thinking that none of them would back her up.

    ¡°I trust Gail,¡± said Gruff eventually. The other two Deltas looked at him with perked ears. ¡°We¡¯ve yet to smell a hint of hyena within our territory. It¡¯s risky, especially since there¡¯d be no Delta present in the cave, but we gotta help the kid get back home. Also, I might have an idea of what village she¡¯s from.¡±

    In spite of his dazed state, Malte spat, ¡°Why are you four so insistent on helping this outsider? She¡¯s just one wolf! If she¡¯s able to find her way into our territory, she should be able to find her way home by herself. You all will just be wasting energy and resources that we could be using to conduct more patrols to watch out for filthy hyenas and to gather more food.¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s dangerous to travel alone,¡± retorted Gail, failing to keep her voice calm when addressing Malte. ¡°Think about how Alice¡¯s parents are feeling! If she¡¯s terrified of being this far from home in a snowstorm after getting pounced on by you three, imagine how deathly worried her parents are right now! And besides, we have more wolves in the pack. They can and should be able to do some scouting too, and so should you Gammas. You may be our best warriors, but that doesn¡¯t mean you get to sniff each other¡¯s rears while the others are working their hearts off doing what you are too stubborn to do.¡±

    She looked over to the Deltas, not wanting for Malte¡¯s face to be in her sight any longer. The Deltas were stood up and checking their pouches. Sydney said, ¡°We¡¯ll just restock from the Zetas and we¡¯ll be ready to accompany you, Beta Gail.¡±

    Gail nodded. ¡°Thank you. Let¡¯s make this quick so we can all get back home before it gets too dark.¡±

    The Deltas headed toward the Zetas¡¯s den to gather their supplies. Gail¡¯s fur tingled as she was now just processing what she was getting them into. It hasn¡¯t even been a week as a Beta, and she was now about to travel beyond their territorial boundaries. She¡¯d done so with Terra, yes, but now she was ordering other wolves to travel with her.

    She looked at Alice and offered a comforting smile. Though, way past the younger wolf, she could see someone peering from the entrance of the Alpha¡¯s den. Terra¡¯s sharp eyes were on her. If she¡¯d heard all this, she couldn¡¯t tell if the Alpha approved of this mission. Regardless, the weight on Gail¡¯s shoulder exponentially grew heavier and heavier the longer she returned Terra¡¯s scrutinizing gaze.

    She silently prayed: Ventay, please guide us on this journey. Let us all return to our homes safe and unharmed.

 Chapter 13

    The party stood at the mouth of the cave. The weather looked just as bad as when Gail had to return to the Cubbing ritual grounds before. Alice certainly wouldn¡¯t have fared well on her own in this weather, and she made that obvious with how she clung onto Gail¡¯s arms. She reminded her of Sierra in a way, and even Yvette with how timid she was. Though, anyone would act this way after being captured by three random wolves and be almost forced to take on the role of a Theta.

    Gail looked at Gruff. ¡°So you know the village that Alice is from?¡±

    ¡°I do. It¡¯s called Twin Lakes, not too far from here, and it¡¯s¡­¡± With a glance at the sun¡¯s position and the cave¡¯s entrance, he pointed in a direction. ¡°That way. Right, Alice?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure, y-yeah.¡± Alice¡¯s body shuddered when a cool breeze flew by.

    Gruff reached in one of his pouches and pulled out a peculiar-looking stone. It was an arcane gem¡ªits color was a translucent orange with a core that looked to explode its golden color from the center. Its surface was rough and jagged, like the cave wall, but without any jags that could prick them accidentally.

    Gail perked her eyebrows when she was given the gem. ¡°Um, what exactly do I do with this?¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry, I just assumed Terra already taught you how to use one.¡± Gruff pulled out his own that resembled Gail¡¯s. ¡°There¡¯s¡­really no easy explanation without making it complicated. The best way I can explain it is to imagine yourself drawing energy from your bloodstream and directing it toward the crystal that you¡¯re holding, but don¡¯t strain your muscles while doing it or else you¡¯ll¡ª Oh my gods.¡±

    The crystal in Gail¡¯s hand began to radiate a magnificent glow. She squinted her eyes and hid the stone in her fist, before withdrawing her hand and dropping it onto the snow-layered ground when it scorched her hand. ¡°D-did I do it wrong? That got so hot and bright all of a sudden!¡±

    ¡°You overpowered the stone with archaic energy,¡± Durin answered, her amazement leaking out of her soft voice. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re new to using arcane gems, but¡­wow, that was incredible!¡±

    Gruff picked up the gem and handed it back to Gail. ¡°Here. Be more moderate with the amount of energy you put into it. It won¡¯t catch on fire if that¡¯s a fear of yours, but it¡¯ll get ridiculously hot if you put too much into it.¡±

    ¡°And try to not make it shine,¡± added Sydney. ¡°It¡¯ll just exhaust you quicker and it¡¯ll draw more attention to us. There¡¯s enough pale light for us to see around us.¡±

    Gail kept all their advice in mind. She held the stone and tried to replicate what she¡¯d done, this time attempting to lessen its strength. Taking a deep, misty breath, she focused on the gem. Her mind was split between channeling whatever this archaic energy Durin mentioned and thinking about Alice shivering against her. Heat radiated from the gem, but it also glowed from its golden core. Gail exhaled, screaming mentally, Please turn off, don¡¯t glow, don¡¯t blind us all, just warm us up. A moment later, the glow died down, but the warmth heightened. She held it closer to Alice and herself.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± whispered Alice. She was still shaking but not as violent.

    ¡°You can keep the gem in your pocket if you don¡¯t wanna keep holding it,¡± Gruff said, doing so with his gem. ¡°It should keep both of you warm enough still.¡± As Gail did so, putting it in a pouch between herself and Alice, Gruff said, ¡°Right, let¡¯s go.¡±

    With Gruff in the lead, Gail followed behind her with Alice while Sydney and Durin brought up the rear. The Deltas didn¡¯t run on all fours as Terra had done the other day. Maybe it was because Gail was with them, or maybe it was only Terra and Frost who could do it. I still want to be able to do it too. Terra had yet to get to teaching her how to morph her body to look more feral and to be able to run faster. From what she said, she made it sound like anyone could do it too, and it made her wonder who else could run like a feral.

    As they continued their trek, Gail¡¯s pace would sometimes slow. Not because of Alice tiring or her own legs giving in to exhaustion, but because her mind was troubled. Sydney and Durin would catch up, running by her side.

    They eventually passed between a pair of tall, dead spruces. They looked like an ominous gateway, and it just so happen to serve as a landmark for the northern edge of their border.

    Looking at Gail¡¯s frowning face for some time, Sydney asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Gail?¡±

    Gail¡¯s attention snapped back upon being addressed. She glanced at her and mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m still doubting if this is a good idea. I want to help Alice get home, but¡­¡± She looked at the younger wolf for a second before locking her eyes ahead of them, not wanting to meet her sad eyes. The weather wasn¡¯t as devastating as she had expected it to be; at least, it hasn¡¯t escalated at where they were currently. Alice could have probably gone home by herself, as Malte had said. Her only problem would be navigating her way back home while shivering.

    ¡°Maybe I could¡¯ve escorted her by myself,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give in to Malte¡¯s berating, Gail,¡± said Gruff from ahead. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be safe if it were just you and Alice traveling. It may seem like this is too many people, but it ensures our safety.¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± chimed Sydney. ¡°And you would¡¯ve gotten lost without Gruff¡¯s directions. Besides, wouldn¡¯t you want to travel with us?¡±

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right with both of those points.¡± Gail sighed. ¡°With the Gammas and Zane opposing me, though, I can¡¯t help worrying that I¡¯m not doing my job as a Beta.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re always going to face opposition, Gail,¡± Sydney said. ¡°Even in the Delta position, we face opposition from those Gammas almost every day. And hey, we¡¯re here with you. You may not know it, but every one of us Deltas is in full support of you, Gail.¡±

    Gail¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You do? But¡­I notice that all of you look to be afraid of me.¡±

    ¡°You can look scary at times,¡± Durin whispered. ¡°No offense. The word Beta makes us think of a club being smacked against the back of our heads, but we¡¯re starting to see how different you are.¡±

    For a moment, Gail wondered if frostbite had encased her ears and started latching onto her mind; then she saw the confident grin of Sydney and the shy, reassuring smile of Durin. Gruff shared his piece of mind too, agreeing with Durin. Gail glanced at Alice, who clung onto her arm for dear life from the weather, but the corners of her lips were visibly raised slightly. Gail reflected all their smiles, the weight of her doubts easing.

    Durin added. ¡°Going back to you looking terrifying¡­how in the moons did you do that to Malte?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I was about to ask also! How the hell were you able to push him back and send him flying like that! It¡¯s like you suddenly turned into Terra, just as strong and terrifying.¡± Sydney¡¯s grin remained, amused upon being reminded of that scene.

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know.¡± Gail¡¯s eyes drooped for a second. ¡°In my mind I just imagined him gasping for air after punching him and I¡¯d be able to free myself. I thought I was hallucinating it all, but then he was just¡­lying on the ground all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°Well, even if you can¡¯t explain it, you can¡¯t deny that that blow had some real kick to it! Y¡¯all felt its impact too, right? It was nuts!¡± Sydney exclaimed, her eyes shining.

    Gail grinned awkwardly with her. As much as she feared this indescribable power she had, there was no denying that she was curious about it too. Did she have other powers? She needed to know how to tap into that power. Potts and Juniper could potentially know the root of this, or maybe she could ask Terra about it.

    After about an hour of nonstop travel, they stopped to rest by a road. Under the shade of a pine tree, Gail massaged Alice¡¯s cramped legs while Durin and Gruff foraged supplies to prepare a campfire. Durin produced an arcane gem from a pouch. Its color was more vibrant than the thermoregulating stones they had been using, and its core was a fierce scarlet. She clutched it in one hand; with her other hand, she directed her palm toward the bundle of sticks and grass. Thin streams of smoke emitted from her hand, then a quick spark before a burst of fire lit the campfire. Gail¡¯s eyes were as wide as Alice¡¯s innocent amber eyes as they both gawked at the splendor.

    Sydney snickered. ¡°You two look like cubs who just saw colors for the first time. Gail, I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t had much experience with arcane gems.¡±

    ¡°Not firsthand experience,¡± Gail replied. ¡°Or¡­even witnessing it being used. I¡¯ve only really seen the ones in cave walls giving off light, and also hearing about arcane stuff from Quibs and the Alphas.¡±

    Sydney glanced at Alice and asked, ¡°What about you, lass?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see entertainers use arcane gems all the time at the inn! But it still amazes me every time I watch someone use it. I keep asking my dad if I could talk with any of the adventurers that stop by the inn about their gems, but he tells me to not bother the guests.¡±

    ¡°And I don¡¯t think the innkeeper would be too happy with a kid interrogating every person that walks through the door,¡± Gruff commented. ¡°I know that he can be quite stern with his business.¡±

    ¡°Well, he is my dad!¡±

    Gruff¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? Cole is your old man? So you must be his girl that he¡¯d always send on errands.¡±

    Alice nodded. Gail looked back and forth between them, her head cocked as she raised a brow. ¡°Wait, wait, hold on. Gruff, how do you know someone from the village? And why does it happen to be Alice¡¯s father?¡±

    Gruff¡¯s ears flattened. He gave a bashful smile as he scratched the back of his head. Though, through his casual demeanor, Gail noticed a hint of anxiety. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad at me, but sometimes I may use some time of my scouting trips to go way beyond our borders. This village is the only prominent place that I¡¯ve been to. I know it sounds bad. Apologies for neglecting my duties, Gail.¡±

    A Beta should discipline someone like Gruff. Going against what his role was supposed to do? Neglecting his duties? And even then, not reporting this information? If it were Zane, he¡¯d smack the back of Gruff¡¯s head while yelling how useless he was, maybe somehow threatening to make him the first male Theta. If it were the Alphas punishing him, Gail could only imagine a pool of blood and tortured screams echoing throughout the cave and forest and reaching the ritual ground.

    Gail shook her head. ¡°No worries, Gruff. There¡¯s no inherent harm in exploring, but do be careful when you do, and please, report findings like this to me next time. It may be valuable information in the future.¡±

    Relief spread across Gruff¡¯s face before he bowed his head. ¡°Understood. But what about Zane? Shouldn¡¯t I be obligated to report to him as well?¡±

    ¡°I suppose you are required to. I just fear what he¡¯ll do when he finds out about you wandering off without permission.¡± Gail¡¯s mind recalled the moment earlier of Zane berating her for not receiving the same information that she did. To overshadow them, she looked at Alice and asked, ¡°Are your legs feeling better?¡±

    ¡°They do, yeah.¡± Alice¡¯s voice was meek, her face pinkish. ¡°It feels really weird to have a stranger massage my legs, especially after¡­what happened earlier. Though, it¡¯s comforting to know that you know my dad,¡± she said, glancing at Gruff then casting her gaze at everyone else. ¡°And you all are taking me back home, so¡­thank you, so very much.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no problem, kid,¡± said Sydney. ¡°It sure beats our regular duties, so in a way you¡¯re also helping us.¡± She looked off toward the open field of snow toward their destination. ¡°I haven¡¯t traveled this far in many moons.¡±

    Gruff and Durin didn¡¯t comment, but the way their soft eyes glimmered signified their agreement. Gail felt the same. It was sad to hear that the Deltas, don¡¯t get to enjoy the outside world despite their role of scouting within their borders. She wondered how the rest of the pack could experience this sort of enjoyment with Zane and Malte.

    And Terra still wants me to get Zane out of the picture¡­

    Once Alice said her legs were feeling much better, the party continued their trek on the road. ¡°The village shouldn¡¯t be too far now,¡± Gruff had said before they headed off.

    It was embarrassing, but along the way, Gail had to ask what a road actually was. It was highlighted by its darker surface, and it was hard beneath their feet. The deep footprints of differing sizes and shapes scattered about tickled her curious mind. She could have speculated that it served as a pathway, but it surprised her to hear how many different people utilized the same path.

    Another moment of silence later, she further asked, ¡°Why¡¯s the village called Twin Lakes? Are there actually two lakes in the village?¡±

    ¡°Mmm, maybe it does, maybe it doesn¡¯t, or maybe a twin has ownership of the lake. You¡¯ll have to see it for yourself to find out,¡± Gruff said; Gail could hear him smirking as he spoke.

    ¡°Come on, Gruff, even you got me curious!¡± exclaimed Sydney, which Gruff laughed at. Sydney added, ¡°Oh, I swear I¡¯m going to find something in my scouting that¡¯s gonna impress you. Just you wait.¡± A huge grin was on her face. From Gail¡¯s perspective, it almost looked like she was racing after Gruff in a competitive yet passionate manner.

    After another moment of traveling, they slowed down once Alice¡¯s village came into view. Gail was awestruck, as was Sydney and Durin, as their eyes landed on the many different structures. Made of stone and wooden logs, they all looked to serve as shelters, like separate dens of different dimensions out in the open instead of inside a mountain.

    Even before they entered the village itself, the road was mostly cleared of snow, and it was lit up by lanterns hanging from wooden posts. Gail¡¯s eyes glimmered in fascination, seeing the flames inside the lanterns kindle without the use of any arcane gem.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    A little bit away from the other buildings, a watchtower stood with a bobcat stationed in it. He caught sight of them and gave a wave, mostly directed toward Alice and Gruff. ¡°Oi! Good to see you again, Gruff, and even greater to see you bringing Alice back. I caught wind of your father requesting guards to come search for you if you didn¡¯t come back by sundown.¡±

    ¡°Good to see you too, Clid,¡± Gruff replied with a wave back. ¡°It was thankful luck that Alice wound up into our cave. It¡¯s gotten more dangerous out there now, supposedly.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m guessing these folks are your packmates?¡± Clid gestured at the other three wolves with his snout. Gruff nodded in response. With Clid¡¯s eyes on Gail, he commented, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve acquainted yourself quite well with them already, Alice.¡±

    Alice let out an awkward laugh. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re quite nice people.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing you all made it here before the storm caught you. The weather hasn¡¯t been too kind lately; this is like the second snowstorm this month, and it ain¡¯t getting better anytime soon.¡±

    Being allowed entry, the party continued onward into the village.

    Gail couldn¡¯t take her curious eyes off the structures that surrounded them. They were spaced apart, the spaces in between them being pathways with some of them being occupied by socializing Ferians. Despite having met the Bramble Bonds, seeing the different kinds of Ferians outside of wolves still made her eyes shine with amazement to see more kinds of Ferians like bobcats, leopards, deer, and weasels. Glancing over, she could see how culture shocked Sydney and Durin were as well.

    Gruff looked as well and chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered how everyone else would react to stepping into this village. Looks like I got my answer now.¡±

    ¡°For how long have you been visiting this place?¡± asked Gail.

    ¡°I don¡¯t visit it often, only when I know the Deltas are given a lot of spare time. I first stumbled into this village about¡­six or so moons ago.¡±

    ¡°And in those six months, you kept teasing us about this marvelous place,¡± Sydney commented. She watched a group of children playing in front of a small building with a smile, hearing their cheers and laughter. ¡°I gotta say, it¡¯s living way past my expectations.¡± She nudged Durin with an elbow. ¡°And I¡¯m guessing same with you, Durin, with how you¡¯re catching flies with your mouth.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Durin closed her mouth and nudged her back, uttering a disgruntled cry. She then gave an embarrassed smile. ¡°

    They reached a central spacious area with a well in the middle. Stacks of empty buckets were piled in a box beside it, and Gail wondered how much trouble getting water was in this chilly climate. Along the edges of the area were a few more structures, larger than the ones they had been passing by. Gail guessed that the larger buildings would be reserved for whoever was higher ranking in this village, but through the windows she could see several Ferians inside and people entering and leaving through each structure¡¯s doors as they pleased. Gruff seemed to be leading them to one of those buildings.

    Gail recalled seeing all these in a few of Sierra¡¯s books. They were about Ferian civilization. Being stuck in a cave for all her life, she could only see villages like this in books. Of course she would chalk them up as being fantasy as all she ever knew was the pack. She would hear of the Deltas trading with outsiders, but she never saw alien Ferians for herself, but that changed when she met Reed and Yvette in their pack¡ªand now Alice and her village.

    When they neared one of the buildings, a burly wolf exited it. He was slipping a thick coat on, grumbling something under his breath. His expression was a blend of irritated and troubled. Upon spotting the Gruff and the rest, his eyes lit up. He then looked at Alice and uttered a gasp. ¡°Alice!¡±

    As the big wolf headed toward them, so did Alice. Letting go of Gail after clinging on for so long, she ran toward the other wolf to embrace each other.

    ¡°Oh, I was about to go looking for you myself, darling. I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe,¡± the older wolf said. He had to crouch just to be level with Alice as he tightened her embrace.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you, dad. I promise I won¡¯t explore too far next time.¡±

    The two continued hugging each other in uninterrupted silence. After a few more sobs and wiping the tears off his face, the paternal wolf stood up and looked at Gruff who padded closer. ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re here all of a sudden, I can only assume that my little girl managed to end up in your family¡¯s place?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Gruff smiled. ¡°Good to see you again, Cole.¡±

    Cole, without letting a hand leave Alice¡¯s shoulder, took a step and gave a friendly smack to Gruff¡¯s back. ¡°And it¡¯s great to see you too, friend.¡± He looked at Gail and the rest. ¡°Seems like today¡¯s a day of acquainting to each other¡¯s family.¡±

    Sydney commented, ¡°Wait, Gruff mentioned us as his family?¡±

    ¡°Are you disagreeing?¡± remarked Gruff with a smirk.

    ¡°No, I just find that so adorable.¡±

    Gail also found that to be adorable as well. She wondered if Clid, the bobcat guard earlier, also thought that the pack was Gruff¡¯s family as well, seeing as he only referred to them as his packmates. That would be more correct, but being called family felt more meaningful.

    ¡°Well then, after fetching my daughter from however far she wandered off, you lot must be starving,¡± Cole said. ¡°Come on in, I¡¯ll have a feast served fresh for you on the house!¡±

    Upon being offered free food, all their stomachs collectively growled in greedy anticipation. Noon was when Gail had last eaten, and most likely the same for Gruff and Durin. She could only think of how delectable the food here must be as she didn¡¯t realize herself and the rest entering the inn.

    The change of atmosphere was immediate as the warmth of indoors blanketed them. The inn was lively¡ªpeople were grouped in several tables, exchanging jokes and stories and clinking tankards of drinks that Gail did not recognize. In one long table, people were gathered around two brawny Ferians, a bear and a tiger, who sat on opposite sides, firmly gripping the other¡¯s hand with their elbows on the table and trying to overpower the other.

    Smaller groups sat at other tables having intimate conversations as they enjoyed steaming meals. Gail looked at them with envious eyes, imagining the foreign flavors and textures of the meat on everyone¡¯s plate. She wasn¡¯t as shocked to know that most people here rarely hunted the food that they eat. She¡¯d read it already from Sierra¡¯s books, though it was still surreal to see it for herself, and seeing the trend of cooked food continue here as well. She glanced at Sydney and Durin, seeing their faces still be in awe at everything.

    Seeing the Deltas reach for their pockets to deactivate their arcane gems, Gail reached for her own. She grimaced a little upon squeezing it in her hand. There was the fear of singeing herself again or causing a bright flash in the room through her pouch, but with concentration she snuffed out the heat from the gem. Starting to get the hang of it, maybe.

    Gruff took a seat at a vacant long table near the counter and the rest of them followed suit. From his grin it was obvious he was also eager to chomp down on some free food. Alice also sat with them, taking a spot between Gail and Durin as Sydney and Gruff sat across them.

    Cole laughed, seeing Alice sit comfortably between the two. ¡°Now normally I¡¯d have you serve your own food along with the rest, dear, but I supposed I¡¯ll make an exception tonight. I¡¯ll have my crew serve you all something that you¡¯ll never forget.¡± He padded away toward the counter. Through an open window in the wall, he issued orders to whoever were in the backroom. He then attended to a lynx who took a seat by the counter.

    Sydney looked to Gruff and whisper-yelled, ¡°This feels weird! The free food is appreciated, but having them served to us by someone else is just¡­weird!¡±

    ¡°And they cook the food here, right?¡± added Durin. ¡°I recall trying to cook prey out in the field when I had a flame arcane gem, though I¡¯m not sure if I did it right. It tasted rather awful¡­.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve tried cooking food before?¡± Gail asked, surprised; Durin nodded. ¡°Huh. I haven¡¯t tried to cook them myself, but Sierra does. You could ask her if you wanna try more cooked food. They actually taste decent.¡±

    Durin¡¯s eyes¡ªand also Sydney¡¯s and Gruff¡¯s¡ªglimmered. Alice looked at them with wide eyes, most likely in disbelief that they had never eaten something that she eats every day. Despite

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind next time,¡± Durin said regarding Sierra¡¯s cooking. ¡°I¡¯m assuming this is not known to the others, so I¡¯ll keep my mouth sealed regarding it.¡±

    ¡°I guess it is sort of a secret, but it shouldn¡¯t be the end of the world if the other wolves found out about us eating cooked, right? We still hunt the prey we eat, not having it spoon-fed to us.¡±

    ¡°But it goes against what we¡¯ve been doing for years,¡± Sydney said. ¡°Not that I mind you or Sierra or any other Ferian eating cooked, but the Gammas or the Alphas would see it as a problem. Breaking traditions, you know?¡±

    Gail was going to mention that Terra might¡¯ve eaten cooked food before, but that was only an assumption after seeing her connection with the Bramble Bonds. For all she knew, Terra could despise cooking prey and would rather scorch the food to ashes if she were given cooked morsel.

    They waited for their food, tossing conversations every now and then that were made awkward with all the unfamiliar faces around them. The strength contest between the bear and the tiger ended with the tiger cheering and chugging a tankard after slamming the bear¡¯s hand against the table. Gail didn¡¯t know how many times they¡¯d done it, but if it were just that single round then it lasted longer than she¡¯d anticipated. As boastful as the tiger was, roaring, ¡°I knew all that four-legged running paid off,¡± he still reached across the table to offer a respectful handshake with the bear.

    Sydney leaned toward Gruff and whispered, ¡°I could so definitely beat both of them in whatever they were doing.¡±

    Gruff chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you could. We could arm wrestle in the den when we get back. I bet I¡¯ll beat you more.¡±

    ¡°Is that a challenge?¡± They stared each other down with toothy grins, their eyes defiant yet playful.

    Gail enjoyed watching them both jab at each other like this, maybe even more so than their tender moments together that she would catch glimpses of. It reminded her of her and Sierra. A wistful sigh left her as she recalled the last time she¡¯d been to the Sanctuary with Sierra. She wished she could have had her fur inked in their Sanctuary, but now being the Beta, she had to spend more time in the cave. Much like Gruff giving his report earlier, an emergency that required her presence could surface at any moment.

    Finally, their food arrived, being served by a lithe tigress and Cole himself. The plates of steaming steak and mixed vegetables were set in front of each of the wolves along with an empty bowl beside it. In addition, a sizeable bowl of beef stew and a basket of garlic bread was served in the middle of the table for all to take from. Beverages were also prepared for them¡ªGruff, Sydney, and Durin received a drink that was layered in foam, and Gail and Alice received drinks that gave off a sweet scent and didn¡¯t foam as much. Snapping out of her trance from staring at their inviting meal, she leaned forward a bit to barely sniff out Gruff¡¯s drink among the blending aroma of their food, and she was glad she didn¡¯t catch its full scent as she reeled her head back. It burnt her nostrils, her throat some even.

    ¡°Ugh, what is that?¡± she couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°It reeks like acid or something.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I figured you¡¯d have that reaction,¡± answered Cole. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, lass. It¡¯s not a drink meant for you anyway, but I still got you something nice. I know Gruff likes what he got, though I¡¯m not sure if you two would enjoy it as well.¡±

    After seeing Gail¡¯s reaction, Sydney and Durin sniffed their foamy tankards as well. They shared similar reactions, wrinkling their noses, but Sydney looked less repulsed by it. ¡°I think I¡¯ve had one of these before. Can¡¯t remember whether it was good or bad, but I¡¯m not opposed to drinking it now again.¡±

    Meanwhile, Durin looked unsure if she was going to enjoy drinking it. ¡°I suppose I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to it either. Though, I¡¯m more interested in how the food¡¯s going to taste.¡± She returned to gawking at her steak and the stew and the bread. ¡°They all look so delectable.¡±

    Cole let out a hearty laugh. ¡°My crew will be happy to hear that, but they¡¯d be happier if you get to eating them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that this is your first time eating something of this quality, so we made sure to make your meal as best as we could,¡± the tigress said. ¡°That is pretty surprising to hear though! You just might be the first batch of customers we¡¯ve had that¡¯s never had a taste of steak or even bread. Of course, I¡¯ve already served Gruff here before a few times, but I do hope the rest of you enjoy your food.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to mention that, Lisa,¡± Gruff said, a bit embarrassed. ¡°But yes, I can attest that Lisa¡¯s and the rest¡¯s cooking is wonderful.¡±

    The tigress bowed her head with a bright smile and returned to the room behind the counter.

    Gruff looked at the others, shrugged, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s dig in.¡± He grabbed his fork and knife and began cutting a portion of his steak. Having no clue on how the utensils were used, everyone else watched him for a bit, and it was until he started chewing that he realized that their eyes were on him. ¡°Um¡­it¡¯s not poisoned, if that¡¯s what you were waiting for.¡±

    Alice couldn¡¯t suppress her giggling, spilling a bit of stew as she was filling her bowl. ¡°Now who are the ones looking like cubs.¡±

    ¡°Oh, very funny, Alice,¡± said Sydney with a chuckle. ¡°We¡¯re just¡­observing Gruff¡¯s approach to the food, because he¡¯s clearly well-informed of the culture of this place.¡±

    ¡°Pfft. That just makes it sound weirder but sure. Just think of the fork and spoon as your weapons, and you gotta attack the prey that¡¯s in front of you¡ªalso imagine that the prey is most definitely alive, and also please try to not somehow stab through the plate and table.¡±

    After many exchanges of teasing and laughing, everyone attended to their food. From the first bite up until the current 10th bite, Gail¡¯s mouth watered from the strong exotic flavor. Even the simple garlic bread tasted grander than a hare eaten fresh after being hunted. It felt wrong to even think about, but a part of her would choose this food over any of the raw prey that the pack had feasted on. She feared that she would be the only one of them to have enjoyed the food this much, but from the satisfied faces of everyone else, maybe she didn¡¯t think too differently.

    Durin said, ¡°Okay, I misjudged how cooked food was going to taste, and I did mess up cooking prey before, because this tastes much more splendid.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Sydney added. She swallowed and licked the bit of stew off her lips. ¡°It¡¯s so much better than I expected! And this ale tastes better than it smells,¡± she said and proceeded to take a swig from her tankard.

    Durin did the same, though her face twisted at the bitter taste of her drink. ¡°Maybe it does for you, but alcohol is an acquired taste for me. I still prefer the few amounts of tea we manage to trade every other week.¡±

    Sydney looked at Gail. ¡°Hey, I know I said that the other wolves would be against this sort of change, but um¡­would it be too much to ask if you could maybe¡­introduce cooking to the pack?¡±

    ¡°Hah, quick to take a 180 from what you said earlier?¡± Gruff teased.

    ¡°Hey! I never said I would disagree with the notion. I¡¯d be even more motivated in our few hunting sessions if we got to eat something like this every day.¡±

    Gail chuckled as she considered Sydney¡¯s request for a moment. ¡°I could certainly try to bring it up to the Alphas, but since I¡¯m pretty sure Zane will go against whatever I say, it¡¯s up to the rest of the pack to help decide on that big of a change. You all like it, and so does Sierra, but we can¡¯t speak for the other wolves who also grew up eating raw.¡±

    Alice winced at the reality their pack lived in. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine eating raw food for my entire life. I had a bite of frozen meat before, and I had to stay in bed all day because it made my stomach hurt.¡±

    Gail couldn¡¯t make that comparison between the cooked food here and the raw prey pile in their home. She grew up to enjoy the once bizarre flavor of a freshly hunted hare or finch, as did the rest of the pack. Then she recalled Reed¡¯s and Yvette¡¯s pack, who was enjoying a serving of warm stew, and now the patrons of the inn here

    Cole came striding to their table, grinning from ear-to-ear. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help watching you lot eat the entire time. I gotta say, it was quite amusing seeing you get a taste of fine cooking for the first time ever. Anyway, I¡¯ve got your rooms spruced up now. You can head over there after you finish enjoying yourselves¡ªjust take the third and fourth doors on your left once you get up to the second story. Split up the rooms however you want.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, rooms?¡± Gail asked with great confusion.

    ¡°Yeah? You weren¡¯t planning on heading out there now, were you? A storm¡¯s coming. It¡¯s only a matter of time until it hits here. Going out there now, there¡¯s no telling if you¡¯ll make it to your home, and if I¡¯m not mistaken it¡¯s coming from the direction of where you¡¯re heading.¡±

    The storm was coming from their cave¡¯s direction as they had already felt a bit of it before they departed, but they needed to be home tonight. She looked at her packmates. ¡°I told Terra that we¡¯ll be back tonight,¡± she said, and it only further dampened their mood. Her stomach suddenly felt empty and it twisted at seeing their dejected faces.

    ¡°We¡¯ll follow whatever you wish, Gail,¡± said Gruff in his earnest tone. ¡°If you want to trudge through the storm, we will come with you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve gone through worse before, anyway,¡± Sydney added, offering a confident grin. ¡°We have the arcane gems to give us heat, so we shouldn¡¯t freeze to death out there.¡±

    Gail looked at them both. Though she appreciated their trust in her, she felt bad hearing that they would agree to travel through a snowstorm as though it was expected of them. She looked at Durin, who tried to look positive, but her unease was leaking through her tiny smile.

    She wanted to keep her word to Terra and report back tonight. It would be a way to prove that she could uphold her responsibilities as a Beta and that she could be, but what would be the better decision¡ªto keep her word by being punctual and pushing through harsh conditions, or to prioritize the safety and happiness of her packmates?

    Shaking her head, she let out a sigh. When put like that, she knew which choice was more favorable, and it would be the one that would most likely increase tension with her fellow Beta. She offered a reassuring smile to her packmates. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want you all to fall into harm, and it¡¯d be difficult to navigate through a storm anyway.¡± She looked at Cole. ¡°We accept your offer with our sincerest gratitude.¡±

 Chapter 14

    The group continued with their meal. In an attempt to lighten the mood and to change the topic, Alice asked them more questions regarding their pack life. ¡°So you all live together in a single cave?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Sydney replied. ¡°In the cave we have our separate dens¡ªor I guess rooms as you would call it¡ªand wolves of the same rank share the same den.¡±

    ¡°You all share one room? How many are you?¡±

    ¡°Well, for us it¡¯s eight wolves sharing, and that¡¯s the most in a single den. Gruff and Durin here are my denmates. It sounds cramped, but thankfully the den we were assigned lets each of us have our own personal space. The second largest would have six wolves in a den, and the other den would occupy just three, or two, or¡­one.¡±

    ¡°Just one? They must be so lucky then! They have all that space to themselves.¡±

    Gail winced upon hearing that, choking on her stew a bit but managing to hide her gagging. As nice as owning your own den sounded, she couldn¡¯t help thinking how lonely Sierra must feel. She wished she could live in her den together, but she was obligated to stay in the Beta¡¯s den with the worst denmate.

    As though Alice could read the dark corners of her mind, she asked, ¡°Are you that one lucky wolf, Gail? Or do you live in the six-person den?¡±

    ¡°Ah, neither of those. I share a den with someone, so it¡¯s just the two of us. We don¡¯t¡­get along well, but we can at least split the den in half.¡±

    Alice frowned. ¡°Oh¡­that¡¯s gotta suck. If I could, I¡¯d happily be your denmate in place of whoever that stinker is.¡±

    Gail chuckled, blushing. ¡°I¡¯d definitely choose you as my denmate over the one I have. That¡¯d make my days way better, but realistically if you were a part of the pack, we won¡¯t be able to share the same den. There can only be two in the rank I¡¯m in, and that other person isn¡¯t going to let go of his position that easily.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s dumb,¡± Alice said with a pout. ¡°What if you want to live with someone from a different rank, and that person wants to also? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s gonna change a whole lot, and it¡¯ll just make those people happier.¡±

    ¡°Huh, now that she mentions it,¡± Gruff looked at Gail, ¡°couldn¡¯t you have that changed, or at least make exceptions? You are a Beta after all, so you have some say in that.¡±

    ¡°I guess I do, but we all know Zane is going to oppose that no matter what. The Alphas¡­they¡¯re probably going to say it¡¯s to ¡®maintain order¡¯ or whatever excuse they¡¯re gonna pull to keep Zane and the Gammas happy.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Zane also be happy to have you out of the den?¡± Sydney said. ¡°Maybe you two can work that out. If both of you are in agreement for you to stay in another den, surely the Alphas would be more inclined to allow it.¡±

    Gail¡¯s ear twitched with great interest. ¡°You make a good point. I might bring that up at some point. Thanks for suggesting that.¡± Despite that, a part of her doubted Zane would actually agree, even if it meant distancing himself from her. Though, realistically it would be more likely he would let her stay in Sierra¡¯s cave, so long as she still does her duties as a Beta.

    Then Terra¡¯s voice echoed in her head. I would¡¯ve preferred you to strip the role off of Zane. Gail had yet to figure out why she was tasked to demote Zane, and she was too afraid to question it. In the few times she was able to brainstorm, she could not come up with a way to knock him down the rankings without stirring too much trouble. She didn¡¯t even know how to properly sabotage and frame him in a way that would warrant his demotion.

    Unless I just kill him. Maybe that¡¯s what Terra meant. I would be asserting my role as the dominant Beta if I outright kill him in a duel for everyone to witness.

    She shook her head, realizing the consequences of killing Zane, the biggest one involving Sierra. While Sierra and her father were not on good terms, Gail knew she still cared about his well-being. Besides, she didn¡¯t have to kill him; instead. she could just injure him to the point that he yields, then maybe the Alphas will consider demoting him. Though that would be more difficult to execute, it was a plan nonetheless, and one that could win the respect of the Alphas and Gammas.

    Despite the sudden dip in the group¡¯s mood, they were still satisfied with their exotic meal, rubbing their bellies and letting their weights rest comfortably on their seats. Gail reached for her tankard and downed the last few sips of her sweet apple juice. She then let out a pleased huff. ¡°That was amazing.¡±

    ¡°It really was,¡± added Gruff. ¡°I forget just how good the food here is. I might just take lessons from the cooks. It¡¯d be nice to be able to cook something delicious real quick while scouting.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t already learned how to,¡± Sydney commented. ¡°I figured it¡¯d be something you¡¯d brag about nonstop to us all out in the field. I can already imagine us all, caught out in a snowstorm. We take shelter in a small cave below a cliff, and just when we thought we all have to share a single piece rabbit, you whip out your cooking knowledge and somehow make that one prey enough for every single wolf in the pack.¡±

    Gruff burst out laughing. ¡°Oh, if only. Now you¡¯re making me want to learn cooking even more.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Lisa wouldn¡¯t mind teaching you,¡± Alice chimed in. ¡°She could teach you basic recipes, maybe something similar to the steak we had.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be lovely. We don¡¯t have spices and whatever you put into food readily available at our place, but I know there are some food you can cook without any of them and still taste great. It would¡¯ve been nice if we had something with egg tonight. I¡¯ve been wanting to know what they taste like, since just eating what¡¯s inside them raw is¡­not the best experience.¡±

    ¡°Egh, yeah, that¡¯s awful.¡± Alice shuddered. ¡°And eggs are great! There¡¯s some simple dishes you can cook that¡¯s just eggs and a bit of salt.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring that up to Lisa, then.¡±

    Cole approached their table, laughing heartily while wiping a tankard with a cloth. ¡°Look at you, lass¡ªit¡¯s like you already know these people for years.¡±

    Alice smiled sheepishly. She scratched the back of her head. ¡°Well, I already heard about Gruff from you, pops. He is pretty nice like I¡¯ve heard, and his friends are just as nice.¡± She hugged Gail¡¯s arms, to the older wolf¡¯s surprise. ¡°And Gail here is especially great! She¡¯s the one who saved me from those bad wolves.¡±

    ¡°Bad wolves?¡± Cole repeated, raising a brow.

    Waving a hand, Gail responded, ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about that. It¡¯s just some of our packmates who weren¡¯t receptive of Alice and got a little¡­aggressive.¡± Upon seeing Cole¡¯s scowl, she hastily added, ¡°I¡¯ve reprimanded their actions though! I¡¯ll be sure they¡¯ll get what they deserve for being rude to your daughter when we get back home. Oh, and Alice didn¡¯t get injured when I checked.¡±

    Alice nodded. ¡°Yup, they didn¡¯t leave anything that¡¯ll last, but also, you already beat one of them up, right, Gail? The biggest meanie of them all definitely got what he deserved!¡±

    ¡°I did give him a mean punch, but that¡¯s not enough of a punishment for what he did to you, Alice.¡±

    ¡°Hm. I guess that¡¯s reassuring to hear, even if it¡¯s coming from someone as young as you,¡± said Cole, looking more relaxed. ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. I¡¯m just thankful to you all that you brought her back in the end.¡± His eyes darted to a group of a dozen Ferians who¡¯d just entered the inn. ¡°Well, as much as I hate to interrupt your leisure time here in the dining area, I got some patrons who needs to take your table.¡± He looked at Alice and gestured with his head. ¡°Lead them to their rooms, dear.¡±

    Gail thought she wouldn¡¯t be able to leave her seat with how comfortable she was. She hadn¡¯t felt this full in forever, and the others probably felt the same. Thinking back on it now, the steak was less meat compared to an entire hare, maybe equivalent to a whole finch, yet somehow it filled her stomach more¡ªnot to mention it tasted more delightful.

    As her father had instructed, Alice led them to the rooms that were mentioned earlier. Ascending the stairs at the side of the dining area, they were at a hallway with multiple doors on one side. Gail looked at each of the door, her mind buzzing with interest at whoever could be in those rooms. What kind of Ferians could they be? Where did they come from? Or could they be living here permanently, and was that an option?

    The group followed Alice to the end of the hallway where it turned right. At the end were their rooms. The two rooms were to be split among the four, but they all entered one of them first. For a room meant for only two people, it was larger than what Gail anticipated. It was just as large as the Betas¡¯s den. If it were up to her, she¡¯d settle with a single room for all of them to sleep in so they weren¡¯t being too bothersome to Cole¡¯s business, but then she figured that Cole was just being generous to them as thanks. Also, there were only two beds in the room, and she¡¯d want her packmates to enjoy themselves and feel relaxed in their own bed while they¡¯re here.

    While they gawked at the clean walls, the dust-free ceiling, the carpeted floor, and the long wooden desks set up against the walls, Sydney¡¯s eyes were locked on the beds that were on either side at the end of the room near each table. Her tail wagged eagerly before she dashed toward one of the inviting beds and dove onto it. Her entire weight sank into the mattress, and in a matter of seconds it already looked like she was sleeping like a corpse.

    ¡°This is the softest thing I¡¯ve ever had the pleasure of lying down on.¡± Her voice was barely audible with her face buried in the pillow.

    Gruff padded over to the other bed and sat down with a content sigh. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a lot softer than I remember it being.¡±

    Sydney¡¯s head shot up as she looked at him, eyes wide. ¡°You ¡®remember¡¯? You mean you¡¯ve slept here before!?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Gruff said, defensively waving his hands. ¡°Cole offered me a room to rest for a bit when I visited here last time. I didn¡¯t sleep on it, just¡­lie down for some time.¡±

    ¡°Man, nothing here really surprises you, huh? Then that means I need to try extra harder to find something that¡¯ll impress you.¡±

    Gail and Durin smiled, hearing the two of them laugh gleefully. ¡°Well, it looks like you two already called dibs on this room, so me and Durin are gonna head over to our room.¡±

    They closed the room behind them, and they padded over to the neighboring room. Gail hadn¡¯t noticed before, but standing close together, the three of them¡ªher, Durin, and Alice¡ªwere almost of the same height. Only a few inches separated them, with Durin being the tallest and Alice the shortest.

    Alice opened the next door for them. It was essentially the same with nothing to differentiate it from the other room. Durin went over to sit on her bed while Gail let her body collapse on hers. It was exceedingly more comfortable than sleeping on the floor or their stone beds cushioned by leaves. She stared at the ceiling, now feeling the soreness spread across her body. She¡¯d begun feeling it already when they were sitting down to eat, but now she had time to take this all in¡ªto try to organize and process all the thoughts swirling in her head. The door had closed, meaning that Alice had left them to their own devices.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    She stared at the ceiling. Everything that she¡¯d seen and done this afternoon was all foreign. It boggled her mind that other Ferians, and most likely other races as well, lived day-to-day life like this. Was this a rare group of people that advanced from cave living and raw eating and managed to construct structures like this inn?

    No, Sierra¡¯s books say that this is what other Ferians have been doing for generations. If this sort of society is as common as those books make them out to be¡­then how many other groups are living in a society like ours, the Twinned Fangs?

    Gail didn¡¯t want to question what the Alphas had established. There had to be a good reason why they strayed away from this sort of culture in favor of the pack system. Was it to please Ventay? But Ventay herself said that only a few of her packmates had prepared to meet her, meaning that the others may not even know of her existence. Now she wondered if Gruff, Sydney, and Durin knew of Ventay, and did this village knew of her as well?

    ¡°Ugh, this is such a mess,¡± she said aloud, forgetting that Durin was in the same room and could hear her. Durin, who was lying down, turned her body to look at her.

    ¡°Are you feeling troubled, Beta Gail?¡±

    ¡°Just Gail, please,¡± she said, peeved. ¡°I¡¯ll never require any of you to address me as such.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­okay. So what is bothering you, Gail?¡±

    Gail was silent for a moment, debating if she should open up. ¡°A lot of things, really.¡± She turned her body so she could look back at Durin. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have sworn to Terra that we¡¯re gonna be able to return home tonight. It would¡¯ve been smarter to say that tomorrow morning is the latest that we¡¯ll arrive.¡±

    ¡°That would¡¯ve been smarter, yes, but if Terra has a fraction of common sense, she should be able to discern that the blizzard would impede our travel. We did say that us Deltas have traveled through worse, but we don¡¯t know the actual strength of this storm. It could be considerably stronger than any storm we¡¯ve experienced, and no available arcane gem can help us in that situation.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right.¡± Gail sighed. ¡°I need a lot more experience before I start conducting missions like this. I¡¯m bound to make more dumb decisions like that if I don¡¯t start with simpler orders.¡±

    Durin stared at her with saddened eyes. Her soft demeanor and face made it obvious how she felt bad for Gail. ¡°You always worry about making the perfect decisions, I¡¯ve noticed.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯m a Beta. I have to if I don¡¯t want Zane or the Alphas smacking my head.¡±

    ¡°Hm. You don¡¯t think they¡¯ve committed mistakes in the past as well? As much as I respect the Alphas and the Zetas especially, I doubt that they¡¯re perfect beings who¡¯ve done no wrong. Is that how you feel about everyone else?¡±

    ¡°I¡­no. Of course not, I don¡¯t think anyone in any role is perfect, but¡­¡± Gail sighed again, closing her eyes. ¡°I just wish that the people who call out my mistakes know that they make their own mistakes.¡± She recalled all those times Terra and Frost would slap her, singe her skin, yell at her, and recently she had Zane berating her and treating her as an inferior. They were all too much for her. Even if she weren¡¯t a Beta, they would still find a reason to bring her down if she weren¡¯t giving twice as much as her capabilities.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re doing your best, Gail,¡± she heard Durin say. She opened her eyes to see the small, delicate Delta giving her a soft smile. Her heart felt at ease at that moment. Her mind returned to the room, taking in the now instead of worrying about the Alphas and Zane. She smiled in return.

    Knocking came from their door. They both looked at it, sitting up now, then looking at each other. Shaking off the creeping sense of exhaustion, they got up from their beds to answer the door. It was scary, not knowing who was on the other side, but gently opening the door, it was Alice along with Gruff and Sydney standing behind her.

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Gail.

    Alice replied, ¡°We were going to ask if you want to explore the village. The weather isn¡¯t too bad yet, so I thought that maybe you guys would want to have a small of tour of the place. I can¡¯t take you through the entire village, but I can show you some of the important places.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fun!¡± Sydney exclaimed. ¡°We¡¯ll only get this one chance in what could be our only visit in a really long time.¡±

    That fact did tempt Gail, and it reignited the curiosity in her to walk around the village and have a look at everything. She considered it for a moment, but her answer was going to be the same regardless of how long she thought. With a smile, she nodded. ¡°Sure. It¡¯d suck if all we did here was eat and sleep, so let¡¯s enjoy our time here while we still can.¡±

    Alice led the way with Gruff by her side. Descending the stairs, they could see that the inn had more patrons occupying the tables and filling the air with mirthful laughter and the smell of alcohol. The people sitting by the counter would drop a handful of coins then be served with tankards of ale and beer.

    ¡°Cole wasn¡¯t kidding about the inn becoming really active around this hour, huh?¡± Gruff commented. ¡°I¡¯ve never actually seen this place with this many people. I¡¯d usually have left hours before.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯d normally be helping around, but dad gave me permission just this once to take you guys on a trip around the village.¡± Alice proceeded to the door with everyone else. The cool breeze greeted them as they stepped outside. Gail shivered, the air being cooler than it was earlier.

    ¡°We can use the arcane gems whenever we want, right?¡± she asked.

    Gruff nodded as he and the others reached for their own arcane gems. ¡°It¡¯s not a dangerous gem and it doesn¡¯t sap too much archaic energy from you, so no worries about hurting anyone. Just don¡¯t overload it like you did before.¡±

    As Gail went to activate her gem, Alice asked, ¡°Do you guys not have any coats? Or thicker clothes or anything with sleeves?¡±

    Gruff frowned along with his ear flattening. ¡°No, what we wear now is really all we have. The only time we really get to change attire is if our current one gets to worn or torn.¡±

    ¡°And it stinking isn¡¯t a good enough reason.¡± Sydney stuck her tongue out with a blegh. ¡°We¡¯re used to it though, being out in the cold often. Gail here is the only one who¡¯s gotten an upgrade recently, and it¡¯s the best-looking outfit out of the entire pack barring our leaders. Suits her well, too.¡±

    Gail blushed, glancing off to the side. Despite the compliment, the corners of her maw fell. ¡°Thanks, but I do wish all of you can get something nicer to wear. Maybe I could help Sierra in making that possible with the Alphas¡¯ permission.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, speaking of new clothes,¡± Alice said, her eyes sparkling, ¡°let¡¯s go to the market! You¡¯ll probably find something you¡¯d want there!¡± She dashed off, her tail swaying behind her through a deliberate hole in her tunic.

    Gruff had tried to grab her shoulder before she ran off, but he just sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know where the market is.¡±

    The group went farther into the village. More of the structures surrounded them, still spaced apart. Though, most of the buildings here were smaller, being only one level compared to the two-story building that was the inn and some of the structures prior. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, these are some of the houses where the people live in. It¡¯s like the dens we have at home, except it¡¯s your private place and people can¡¯t just go in willy-nilly even if you¡¯re a guard or even the head of the village.¡±

    Gail added, ¡°And there are Ferians who learned how to construct them, right?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Sydney looked at her, going, ¡°Ooo. Looks like we have another wolf that¡¯s knowledgeable about foreign society.¡±

    ¡°I only know a bit from Sierra¡¯s books.¡± Gail chuckled. ¡°Again, it¡¯s like¡­similar to the different ranks in the pack, where there are certain roles people take, except¡­for the most part, they don¡¯t look down on someone who¡¯s in a different role.¡± She went silent for a moment, as did the others. She shook her head. ¡°Sorry. Um, what¡¯s the market like, Gruff? I didn¡¯t read anything about them.¡±

    Gruff didn¡¯t look too bothered by what she¡¯d said prior, or maybe he knew it all too well. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll find out when you see it. Think of the traders that we encounter from time to time.¡±

    Walking for a bit more, they spot Alice standing in front of a quaint structure. It had a glass window to reveal the interior. More importantly, there were items on display, and Alice was gawking at them with her snout pressed against the glass. ¡°They all look so pretty,¡± she whispered.

    Gail looked to see that she was especially staring at a dress that was adorned on a mannequin. It was red and white with a bit of black, and its edges were frilled. It had a hood too, as well as lace to secure the outfit on the mannequin. Complementing the outfit, a silver pendant of a butterfly lay on its chest.

    ¡°Are they just there to show off what the owners have?¡± Gail asked.

    ¡°No, most of what you see in there are things you can buy,¡± Gruff said. He scratched the back of his head. ¡°Unfortunately, we can¡¯t trade for any of those. The traders we encounter in our scouting trips accept excess prey that we have in exchange for their goods, but here they use some sort of currency I¡¯m not too familiar with.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯ve never had money?¡± Alice asked, shocked. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not one to talk since I rely on dad to buy stuff and I have little of my own, but your pack doesn¡¯t have any Asmin at all?¡±

    Asmin? That was the first time Gail had ever heard of that and the concept of currency. It seems it was another foreign concept, and one that the Twinned Fangs had no use for. Was that what the coins that the inn patrons were using to be served?

    ¡°Hey, since we¡¯re at the market, I think there¡¯s a shop that Durin would love.¡± Gruff padded off with Sydney and Durin following with piqued interest.

    Gail stayed with Alice, who was still staring longingly at the dress. She stood beside her. ¡°I think that outfit would look great on you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve had my eyes on it for a long time now, but I haven¡¯t saved up enough Asmin for it.¡± Alice sighed. ¡°It¡¯ll take more months of saving before I can afford it, and that¡¯s hoping that I can find more small jobs around the village and that no one else buys this before I can.¡± After a few more seconds of gawking, she stepped away from the window. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s catch up to them.¡±

    The rest of the market had shops in buildings like this lined up and spaced a few meters apart. Some would have fruits in baskets outside by the door, sheltered beneath a cloth roof. Others would There were a few stalls set up, though it was empty with no one occupying it.

    Gruff and the rest were standing before a shop that were a bit farther away as the path split off and ran between the buildings. When Gail and Alice got closer, Durin was looking through the window of the shop. Similar to Alice and the dress, Durin was fascinated by the contents of the shop. Instead of clothes and accessories, this shop had an assortment of arcane gems.

    Gail wasn¡¯t surprised that Durin would be interested in arcane gems, though she looked a bit too fascinated by them. Pressing her snout against the glass like Alice did, Durin¡¯s eyes were wide, burning with intense curiosity as they were locked on an ornate box with finely cut arcane gems fitted into grooves. She looked more excited than she had the entire trip.

    ¡°We can go in if you want to have a closer look at them,¡± Gruff said.

    Durin spun her head and exclaimed, ¡°We can?! I mean, um,¡± she cleared her throat, ¡°that¡¯d be nice. I haven¡¯t seen this many arcane gems up close.¡±

    They all had to stifle their giggles with how Durin reacted. Entering the cozy shop, a bell rang, and the warmth of indoors wrapped around them. The room was lit up with lanterns housing arcane gems, and the light reflected from the spectacles of the shop owner, who was a snowy owl. ¡°Ah, welcome to my shop,¡± he said from behind the counter at the end of the room. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve seen you all before, save for Alice there and one of the wolves with the mask. Please, feel free to look around.¡±

    Glass jars containing arcane gems of the same color were on display on shelves, organized by color as one shelf would have the same-colored arcane gems of different shades. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet¡ªGail didn¡¯t know what the colors were meant to signify. She didn¡¯t even know there were this amount of variety in arcane gems. Durin probably knew. Her eyes darted from jar to jar, padding closer to each jar and reading the labels etched in the small wooden blocks in front of the jars and gasping every time. The others glanced at them as well, but they were not as invested in them as Durin was.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were this into arcane gems,¡± Gail said.

    Durin replied, ¡°I always have been. The pack just doesn¡¯t have much that I can fiddle with. I¡¯ve already tried the arcane gems that the Zetas have stored, but I still want to try sooo many more.¡±

    Gail stared at her for a moment, watching her look at a lone grayish gem that was labeled Alchemy. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you have been a better fit as a Zeta, then? It seems like you¡¯d fit in perfectly with them.¡±

    Durin smiled, though wistfully. ¡°You know, I actually considered that during my Cubbing. It sounded fun to be dealing with the arcane arts and treating people¡¯s injuries, but then I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to explore the world outside the cave if I did become one. In the end, I opted to become a Delta instead.¡± She chuckled. ¡°And even then, it took this long for my expectations to become reality.¡±

    Gail assumed that the Zeta role was reserved solely for Potts and Juniper, but it turned out anyone could challenge for the role of Zeta, whatever challenge that the twins would impose. It disheartened Gail to hear that Durin had to turn down what might¡¯ve been her dream in order to go for a role with fewer restrictions. She placed a comforting hand on Durin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You can always try your hands with some arcane gems as a Delta, right? And if it¡¯s not allowed now, I¡¯ll do my damned hardest to allow the Deltas to use arcane gems outside of missions and scouting trips.¡±

    Durin looked back at her with eyes that were glossy with tears. She smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She glanced over and saw an open wooden box with five arcane gems of different colors fitted into grooves. They padded over to it and label of it read Elemental Gems: Beginners Kit. Below the name was a list of what each arcane gem was: Fire elemental, Water elemental, Air elemental, Earth elemental, Lightning elemental. Beside this box was another open box, this one having a single pale green arcane gem and three small bottle of different leaves. It was labeled as Basic Vitanimus: Remedy.

    The shop owner smiled, seeing them look at the beginner kits. ¡°I see you two have taken an interest in those. They¡¯re not too expensive¡ªonly 250 Asmins for each of them, but I can give both of them to you for 400 Asmins. How about it?¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry, we don¡¯t have much money on us right now,¡± Gail said. ¡°Thank you for the offer, though.¡±

    ¡°Understandable, dear. I¡¯ll have that offer open to you when you do have the money for it.¡± The snowy owl continued to smile warmly.

    The two went over to the rest of the group. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough looking around for me,¡± said Durin. ¡°Let¡¯s head someplace else.¡±

    Alice¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Right, and I know just the perfect place to head next!¡± She exited the arcane shop, her pace frantic. ¡°Come on, quick, before the weather can ruin it!¡± She ran off, and they chased after her.

    Gruff laughed. ¡°Ah, I know exactly where she¡¯s taking us.¡±

    ¡°And where would that be?¡± Gail asked.

    ¡°You all have been wanting to know why this village is named Twin Lakes, right?¡±

 Chapter 15

    They continued running, following a pathway through the village with Alice way up ahead still. ¡°It¡¯s not too far now!¡± she hollered over her shoulder.

    It seemed like they were no longer in the village as there weren¡¯t any more structures after passing the last one a moment ago. Though, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean this wasn¡¯t part of the village. If they were heading where Gail thought they were, they weren¡¯t going to be straying too far from the village.

    Passing through spruces and cresting a hill where Alice stopped, a slope was in front of them, and several meters away from them was a majestic lake¡ªno, not a lake, but lakes. They were separated completely by a thin stretch of land. In the middle was a small island with a lone willow tree that¡¯s been collecting snow on its droopy branches and leaves. On either end of each lake was a river, and despite the separation of the two bodies of water, the water seemed to flow just fine without flooding the island.

    ¡°That looks unreal,¡± Sydney said under her breath, then she looked at Gruff. ¡°You¡¯ve seen something like this and didn¡¯t think to show it to us!?¡±

    ¡°Hey, no, I did want to show you guys this place,¡± Gruff said. ¡°I just haven¡¯t found the right opportunity to take any of you here.¡±

    Sydney smirked. ¡°Or maybe you just want me to feel better when I do find something to show you. Now I possibly can¡¯t beat something like this!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe you¡¯ll find a triple lake somewhere out there. Maybe there¡¯s one near our cave that we just never see.¡±

    Cautiously, Alice stuttered down the slope with the rest following behind her. Gail slipped when she was halfway down, but luckily, she landed on her back against the soil and slid down the rest of the way. As she rubbed her back, Durin slid as well and stopped beside her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yeah, it just hurt a bit, but I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Alice pranced over to the shore. Gail thought she was going to run to the island, but instead she sat near the edge of one of the lakes.

    The cool breeze swept by, tossing the snow onto the lake¡¯s surface. Despite the frigid weather, the lake and river were not frozen, at least not entirely. There were small, thin sheets of ice around some parts the lakes¡¯ edges, but the water flowed fine.

    ¡°It¡¯s so calming here, isn¡¯t it?¡± whispered Alice.

    ¡°It really is,¡± Sydney said, sitting beside her. The others sat down as well¡ªGruff beside her, Gail Alice, and Durin next to Gail. Sydney then whispered, ¡°Seeing this all¡­it makes me realize how much our pack is missing by staying within our borders. I know I mentioned maintaining our traditions, but I wouldn¡¯t want to keep a tradition of purposely restricting our freedom for seemingly no reason.¡±

    Gail tried to hide her shock as she looked at her. She turned her gaze to Durin who spoke up as well. ¡°It¡¯s unfair for there to be duties and activities unavailable to us because of a label attached to our names.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Alphas have their reasons for why the pack is how it is. Our parents lived with their rules and raised us with the same, but that shouldn¡¯t mean we have to keep living with the same set of rules. We¡¯re members of the pack too, a group that should feel like family working toward a shared goal, and we should be able to have a say in how the pack operates.¡± He looked to Gail, who look stunned by what they all say. ¡°Gail, you¡¯re the daughter of the Alphas and you¡¯re a Beta. I know you have a strong opinion on all this. You¡¯re young, but you¡¯re not blind to what¡¯s happening in the pack. You see what we see, right?¡±

    Gail looked at each of them who were all staring back expectantly. She was at a loss for words. It was as though they had all unraveled the thoughts in her mind that she¡¯s been trying hard to suppress in fear of being smacked. All the rules and punishments have been ingrained¡ªno, scorched into her mind and body and soul. Though she may be a delinquent from time to time, she knew the lines to never cross. Throughout the trip, there had been many times where she could have and should have disciplined these wolves. There were many times where she should¡¯ve used her authority as a Beta to right their wrongs and ensure that they would never commit the same mistakes again. She should have forced their way through the storm because they¡¯ve been trained to endure such hardships. She should be considering the punishments to serve to them and what to report to the Alphas once they return home. These are what the Alphas would want a Beta to do, and yet Gail did none of them.

    After clearing her thoughts and having stared at the water lapping at the shore, she met Gruff¡¯s gaze again. ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s a lot I want to say as a Beta to the Alphas¡ªthere are problems that concern not only you guys, but also the other lower-ranking wolves. Though, just like you and your discoveries and exposure to foreign cultures, I haven¡¯t found the right time to voice my concerns to the Alphas or even Zane. I¡­won¡¯t lie, it¡¯s mostly because I¡¯m scared of what they¡¯ll say or do if I ever oppose them in any way.¡±

    Alice, who had been keeping silent in their pack discussion, looked to them and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you all gather as a group to say what¡¯s been bothering you all. That¡¯s usually how the people in the village do it when they want the head to have something change or if they have an idea that could help the village as a whole.¡±

    ¡°That could help our case,¡± Gruff said. ¡°Strength in numbers, and it¡¯s hard to avoid a problem when there¡¯s many voices pointing it out.¡±

    ¡°Though we need to convince our fellow Deltas to speak up as well, correct?¡± Durin said. ¡°We may be of the same rank, but there is the chance that they¡¯ve become accustomed to all that and accepted that there¡¯s no changing their circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Well, I at least know that Arden would definitely have something to say too,¡± said Sydney. ¡°We could plan all this when we get back home. What do you say, Gail?¡±

    Gail didn¡¯t want to think to be thinking too much about pack business, especially with Alice around who shouldn¡¯t be concerned with them. It was spoiling what was supposed to be a serene moment for everyone¡ªa time that they should be using to relax while they still could. She gave a gentle smile in response to Sydney.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just enjoy our time here for now, while it¡¯s quiet,¡± she said and stared off at the lakes.

    Sydney bowed her head, grinning. ¡°You¡¯re really starting to become my favorite high-ranked wolf.¡±

    They basked in the sound of the lake¡ªthe breeze, the rippling lake water, the flow of the river on either end. Some birds would fly by, perching on tree branches and taking shelter in tree hollows. Save for the last, these were all sounds that they weren¡¯t going to hear once they return home. Gail tried to keep it all in her head so it¡¯d stay even after they leave.

    ¡°So it really is two lakes next to each other,¡± Gail said. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever seen rivers, but how does the water go from one lake to the other? It looks like they¡¯re separated.¡±

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a channel that passes through under that,¡± Alice said, pointing at the island. ¡°There¡¯s a folktale though that tells where the channel came from. In the story, there was no water at all. Those two lakes were just pits, and a bobcat and a deer were trapped in each of them. One day, a storm came, and instead of snow or hail, water poured from the sky. The water level started rising, and the two couldn¡¯t climb out no matter how hard they tried. They then started digging into the wall in the middle, and they met in a small cove. The bobcat was hungry, and the deer wouldn¡¯t be able to fight back, but in the end they enjoyed one another¡¯s company until the water eventually reached them.¡± Alice pointed at the willow tree. ¡°It¡¯s said that that tree sprouted from them years later. It¡¯s become a tradition to some to offer feline fur and deer antlers to the base of the tree.¡±

    Everybody stared at Alice after she¡¯d finished the story. ¡°Wow,¡± Gruff said. ¡°That was¡­darker than I was expecting. I¡¯ve never heard of that before.¡±

    ¡°Woah, did I hear that right?¡± said Sydney, eyes wide. ¡°Something that the Great Gruff has yet to know of? That can¡¯t be!¡±

    Gruff laughed. ¡°Well, it just goes to show that you can find something that can surprise me.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, just you wait. I swear I¡¯ll absolutely find something that¡¯ll top this village, the cooking, the beds, the lake, and that story.¡± Sydney¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I know! I¡¯ll find you a castle! There has to be one out there, right?¡±

    ¡°There are. I haven¡¯t seen one for myself, so I¡¯d be greatly happy if you showed me one.¡± Gruff smirked. ¡°Though, I¡¯d be way happier if we made our own castle.¡±

    Durin snorted and burst into soft laughter. ¡°That has to be the cheesiest line I¡¯ve heard you say, oh my gods. That was worse than the ¡®Are you a fire arcane gem?¡¯ line, and even that was golden.¡±

    Flustered and blushing, Gruff protested, ¡°Hey! I just came up with that just now. The arcane gem had a lot more thought put into it.¡±

    ¡°And I love hearing them all,¡± Sydney said, blushing and laughing as well.

    Gail and Alice laughed along with them, enjoying their sweet exchange. ¡°Oh, something that I never actually told you,¡± Alice said, ¡°but I find your eyes to be really cool! Were you born with two different-colored eyes?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah, I was.¡± Gail rubbed the back of her neck. ¡°I rarely hear people actually compliment my eyes. People usually say I look like a monster because them.¡±

    ¡°What? Really? I think they make you look awesome! And also your entire outfit is really cool too!¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Gail said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you never mentioned our skull masks. I figured that¡¯s what every outsider would bring up when meeting our pack for the first time.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking of bringing it up when we were eating earlier, but then I figured it had something to do with your pack stuff again. It is, isn¡¯t it? What¡¯s the meaning behind it?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s¡­a bit complicated why we wear them.¡± Gail cast glances at her packmates. She knew it was for Ventay, but were they aware it was for that reason as well? Did they meet Ventay during their Cubbing?

    Then what Gruff said hinted toward that. ¡°Let¡¯s just say we have our own folktale that explains why we wear them.¡±

    <hr>

    They sat by the lake until the sky had darkened. The wind grew stronger, and there was more snow being tossed by it. Though, the signal that made them all jump onto their feet was the banging of a bell coming from the village. They climbed up the slope that they descended and made their way back.

    ¡°That deep-sounding bell is to tell everyone to head indoors,¡± Alice said. That bell proved to be effective, then, as there were no more people in the streets save for the guards patrolling and making sure that no one was left outside before the storm hit. A pair of guards spotted them and urged them to go inside, giving them directions to where the inn was.

    Finally they see the inn, and they slowed their pace. Much like every other building, slits of warm light were barely able to come through the windows with the shutters closed.

    Sydney stretched her arms. ¡°We¡¯ll finally get to know what sleeping on the beds here feel like.¡±

    ¡°And to not have to hug an arcane gem just to feel warm during a snowstorm,¡± added Durin.

    They then stopped in the middle of the square. Their ears rose, as did their fur from something other than the cold. Alice looked terrified, stepping closer and clutching Gail¡¯s arm. She heard that eerie laughter being carried by the wind too, but the other wolves were more petrified by its meaning.

    Slinking from dark alleys and rounding the buildings, spotted hyenas came into view. They were all female, riddled with scars, their clothing torn, their claws and fang dripping with fresh blood, and their eyes lusting for prey. Though, what caught Gail¡¯s eyes more than the blood were the skulls strapped to the side of their hips. Were those hyena skulls?

    Gail wrapped an arm around Alice, and she drew her dagger. The Deltas produced their daggers, and Durin held a more fiery-colored arcane gem in her off-hand.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    The Deltas let out a collective gasp when one laughter stood out from the rest, one that was commanding and was piercing to hear. A hyena stood at the roof of the inn, looking down at everyone with gleaming crimson eyes. The cape of her ragged, bloodstained cloak fluttered in the frigid wind. The skull on her hip stood out as well, but what was more eye-catching, and rather alarming, were her two tails that swayed with the wind.

    Her smile was sly as her eyes noted each of the wolves. Her voice, though sounding provocative and smooth, dripped with poison. ¡°My, my, I didn¡¯t expect to see wolves from the Twinned Fangs to be here. This seems beyond where I assumed your territory to be. Did you perhaps relocate your pitiful den? Or did your leaders finally developed their brains and realized that living in a cave would hinder the growth of their pack?¡±

    ¡°As if your pack of dogs is any better, Scarlet!¡± Gruff challenged. ¡°Resorting to assaulting villages now? And you boasted your moral compass so much when our packs last met.¡±

    Scarlet?! Gail thought with rising anxiety. The Matriarch of Prowling Salvagers is here? And Gruff had already faced her before?

    ¡°Oh, quiet down. If I recall, you are a wolf who should watch his mouth when speaking to someone of superiority. Unless you want me to tear your fur out in place of your leaders?¡± She cackled sweetly. ¡°As for why we¡¯re here? Prey is scarce, darling, as I¡¯m sure your pack is finding fewer prey too. We simply come here to hunt was is necessary for us to survive, even if it means hunting other Ferians.¡± She partly closed her eyes, and her eyes looked to glow in the dim lighting. ¡°I know you aren¡¯t the strongest fighters of your pack, and how adorable of you bunch, bringing two younglings with you as well.¡±

    The hyenas on the ground¡ª10 of them¡ªsurrounded them and crept closer. Gail¡¯s grip on her dagger tightened. The hyenas had no weapons, only baring their dangerous fangs and flexing their stained claws, yet they looked more threatening than Gail felt with her dagger and her training with the Alphas.

    Focus. Don¡¯t let fear or arrogance take over. You¡¯re fighting for the survival of yourself and those close to you.

    The Deltas observed the hyenas¡¯ positions, noting where a group were bunched up and where a few were more isolated from the rest. ¡°Gail,¡± whispered Gruff, ¡°focus on keeping Alice and yourself safe. These guys don¡¯t play around.¡± As if by an invisible signal, the hyenas charged, and the Deltas split off to pick their fights.

    Sydney dashed toward a pair¡ªshe rammed her shoulder against one hyena to knock her onto her back then swiped her dagger across the other¡¯s chest. The second hyena staggered back with a hiss. A grin was wide on her face as she glared back at her, then she howled in pain when the hyena on the ground bit her calf. She was able to yank her leg free, but now she backpedaled and took a more defensive stance.

    Gruff handled a hyena that was more separated from the rest. Contrasting Sydney, he began with a defensive approach from the start. He waited, he and the opposing hyena eyeing each other. The hyena then decided to make the first move, charging with her fangs bare. She attempted to bite at Gruff¡¯s arm, but she was tripped by Gruff after he sidestepped. Gruff took the opportunity and crouched to slash his dagger across both of the hyena¡¯s ankles. The hyena hissed, however she was able to retaliate by kicking at Gruff¡¯s jaw before he could dodge.

    Meanwhile, Durin handled a group of five hyenas at once. Gail was concerned for her, partly because they all were larger than her, but mostly because she had never seen any of their capabilities. Durin¡¯s body was trembling slightly. She clutched her dagger¡¯s handle on her left and the arcane gem on her right. She took a step back, Holding the arcane gem over her blade, she tensed her arms. Tiny rays of orange light managed to shoot out from her fist holding the gem. Then, flourishing her dagger, its blade caught on fire and radiated in blinding brilliance. She slashed her dagger at the air in front of her, making the hyenas whine and step back in fear of the enchanted weapon.

    Gail glanced at them all fighting their own battles, but she knew that there were a few more hyenas left. Turning around, the remaining two hyenas were charging at her, one on two feet and the other on all fours. Alice whimpered. Gail moved her to stay behind her. She waited, letting them come closer, her heart racing from the fear of making mistakes now.

    She reeled a leg back and kicked snow onto the face of the hyena on all fours while there was still some distance between them. She stepped to the side, pulling Alice with her. The blinded hyena leaped at where his target used to be, however the other didn¡¯t stumble on her as Gail had expected. Gail huffed. This isn¡¯t gonna end well.

    With an enraged and ravenous growl, the hyena charged at her, extending her head for a chomp. Gail was ready to retaliate, preemptively swinging at where the hyena¡¯s head would be, but the chomp was a feigned move as the hyena evaded the dagger and swiped her claws at Gail¡¯s vulnerable arm. Gail sucked her teeth at the sting, but instead of stepping back as her instincts told her, she swung her dagger again and scored the hyena¡¯s chest in return. That caught the hyena by surprise as indicated by her high-pitched howl and staggering back. She glared at Gail, and Gail glared back.

    The other hyena had gotten the snow off face eyes and began approaching Gail. His eyes burned with fury, looking more intent to devour Gail for dinner.

    Over the hyenas¡¯ shoulders, Gail could see that Gruff had managed to send his opponent scampering with her tail between her legs. Now he was running over to assist Gail. Looking over her shoulder, Gail knew there was no threat of someone coming from behind to harm Alice. She returned her gaze to the two hyenas before her. She waited for Gruff to jump one of them, and to keep their attentions on her, she snarled and swung her dagger at the air in front of her. It was only a few more seconds, and then¡­

    Scarlet came crashing on Gruff from above. The impact of jumping off the inn didn¡¯t even faze her as she got up with such vigor and stepped on Gruff¡¯s face. She grinned. ¡°Did you really think I was just going to watch you hurt my children?¡± Gruff groaned when his head was being crushed under her foot. ¡°You¡¯re a fool if even a fraction of you believed any of you are making out of this alive.¡±

    Gail wanted to jump at Scarlet, but the two hyenas stood in the way. They were almost like Gammas, towering over Gail and guarding Malte who would be abusing his rank on a Delta or a Theta. Picturing the scene as that, it only fueled Gail¡¯s desire to charge recklessly at these hyenas.

    With another quick check on Alice and for more potential threats¡ªwhich there were none¡ªshe did just that. ¡°Keep safe,¡± she hastily hushed to Alice before proceeding to charge at the two hyenas. She had her arms raised as though to swing her dagger, but she reused her trick from her earlier and kicked up snow high enough to reach the hyenas faces. Though, they seemed to have expected it as they shielded their faces, but that was enough for Gail. In that moment she was able to close the distance and give a powerful kick at a knee of one of the hyenas. It bent at a horrible angle, making the hyenas collapse with a cry that even made Gail feel an ounce of regret.

    ¡°You damned¡­hggh,¡± the hyena moaned trying to force herself to get up, but her leg had been injured too badly. The hyena beside her growled, however it was Scarlet who looked the most displeased.

    ¡°Bring Vicky somewhere safe,¡± she barked to the hyena, who obediently nodded and began dragging the other hyena, Vicky, by her shoulder whilst glaring cautiously at Gail.

    Gail just watched her, glaring in return and gripping her weapon. They were seemingly easy targets right now, but Gail was too wary of Scarlet¡¯s presence. However, the main reason she was hesitant of attacking was that¡ªas much as she would be yelled at for admitting¡ªa part of her hated seeing the agonized expression on Vicky¡¯s face. It felt wrong, even if she were intent on harming her and Alice.

    ¡°Hmph. Even this new face relies on dirty tricks.¡± Scarlet snarled. She took her foot off Gruff and kicked him in the snout before he could bite her leg. She smirked. ¡°But I have my own sets of tricks.¡±

    Gail prepared herself for something to be thrown at her face, or for someone to come up from behind (which there wasn¡¯t as far as her ears could tell), or for her to dash at an extreme speed. Though none of those happened, she was petrified by what she was witnessing.

    The blood that had come from the gash on her arm stood up on her skin, as though they had come to life, then they began floating away from her and toward Scarlet¡¯s hand. A bit of blood was also coming from Gruff¡¯s injured nose. As much as he tried to cover his snout to stop the blood, they slipped through his fingers with ease and flowed toward Scarlet. A wicked grin was wide on the hyena¡¯s face.

    Gail was still processing how she was able to do this and what she was doing when she was a meter in front of her about to swing after a single blink. Gail¡¯s eyes went wide, and while she sprang aside to evade, Scarlet lacerated her waist. She clutched the wound, her face twisting with a mix of agony and bewilderment.

    Scarlet had formed a dagger with the blood she collected. It glistened, most of it flowing like a river while the serrated edge looked comparable to well-crafted blade. Its handle seeped into Scarlet¡¯s hand and forearm, gushing as though it was a part of her bloodstream.

    Gail shivered at the realization. The more she cuts me, the more blood she¡¯s able to use as her own.

    Scarlet cackled. ¡°Wasn¡¯t expecting that, were you, darling? It always tickles me seeing the faces of those seeing my gift for the first time. Ah, but a shame that you won¡¯t be seeing much of it after I¡¯m done with you.¡±

    ¡°Grr. What do you have against us!? Have you not hunted enough already?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. My children here have already had their fill for the day, but there are still others who are in need of sustenance. I sent them out to hunt, and while I can¡¯t be sure if they¡¯re successful finding whatever they see as prey, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to bring extra in case there are still those who starve.¡±

    Gail huffed. Gripping her dagger tighter, she took a step forward but would then collapse to the cold ground with a shriek when her body suddenly cramped up and wouldn¡¯t move when she wanted it to. Her face barely screwed from the twisting pain in her latest wound. Scarlet giggled madly once more.

    Sydney and Durin were coming from behind Scarlet, about to strike her with their weapons, but Scarlet spun around and, with her dagger¡¯s blade extending like a wave of blood, slashed across the two wolves¡¯ chests. Sydney and Durin crashed toward the ground just like Gail had, screaming with their body tensed up. Another wave of cackling.

    Alice watched them all lying on the ground with horrified eyes. Her trembling legs looked about ready to bolt, but a screech left her when a hyena from behind dug her claws into her shoulders and proceeded to lift her off the ground.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost boring with how much of an advantage I have,¡± Scarlet mused aloud. ¡°Oh, how I wished for that Terra to be here in place of you whelps. Well, prey is prey after all, and I shouldn¡¯t play with our food too much.¡± She looked toward Gail with a grin. ¡°And I think I¡¯ll start with you, fresh face.¡±

    Gail was stricken with panic as the hyena took slow steps toward her. She tried to get up, but while she could move her arms along with her head and torso, the lower half of her body still felt cramped and unresponsive. She crawled backward, but Scarlet¡¯s saunter was still measly gaining distance.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I don¡¯t know you much, new face. I can¡¯t toy you with what you fear most, but at the very least, I can rest assured that my clan won¡¯t go hungry tonight.¡± She eventually reached Gail, stepping hard on her chest and stopping her pitiful attempt at escape. She cocked her head. ¡°Though, something about you does strike me as curious. Your eyes and your blood.¡±

    She lowered herself, supporting herself with a hand on Gail¡¯s chest. When Gail tried to stab with her dagger, Scarlet merely swatted the weapon off her hand. Her claws threatened to tear through her outfit and skin, but it damaged neither. Gail reeled her head back until the back of her head met with the ground when Scarlet observed her face closely.

    ¡°Hm. Blue and yellow eyes,¡± Scarlet observed. ¡°There¡¯s only a few wolves in your pack that I know that has yellow eyes. If I¡¯m not mistaken, one of them is dead from long ago and another is a wolf around your age. And your blood¡ªthere¡¯s a certain¡­spice in it that love.¡± She leaned in closer, her nostrils flaring as she took in Gail¡¯s scent. The blood dagger would lose its form to coat her arm while she caressed Gail¡¯s skull mask. She clutched its snout as though take it off, but her hand left it alone. Her canines were revealed as she wore a wide grin. ¡°Are you perhaps the daughter of the lovely Terra and Frost?¡±

    Gail just growled in response, both out of frustration and an instinctive response to the fear clouding her mind. She gingerly glided her hand toward one of her pouches.

    ¡°Hah, so you are. They finally decided it was time for you to leave your protective shell, only to wind up to me. That¡¯s hilarious. It almost makes me not want to kill you. Maybe I should take you in instead.¡± Scarlet looked over to the other wolves who were still lying crippled. Some snow had already accumulated on their bodies. ¡°Though, I can¡¯t say the same for your friends. I couldn¡¯t care less for their fates of being food in my children¡¯s bellies.¡±

    Gail scowled when Scarlet looked back at her and leaned in close. Scarlet¡¯s throat rumbled. ¡°How does that sound, darling?¡±

    Despite the excess of anxiety inside her, Gail was brave¡ªor perhaps foolish¡ªenough to challenge Scarlet. ¡°It sounds as awful as you smell,¡± she spat. She then pulled out the arcane gem from her pocket and, pressing it against her open palm with her thumb, put it between her and Scarlet¡¯s faces. A blinding flash of light emitted from the gem as Gail forced her archaic energy into the gem. It was more than enough to catch Scarlet off guard, forcing her to shield her eyes with her blood-layered arm. In that brief opportunity, Gail swiped her claws across Scarlet¡¯s arm, evoking a satisfying howl of pain from the hyena.

    In that moment, tingling pricked at Gail¡¯s lower body until gradually she can feel and move her legs again. She shoved Scarlet away, who was still dazed from the pain and the flash of light. Getting up, Gail dropped the arcane gem to the ground and shook her hand violently. While she was able to create a dazzling light with it, she also singed her hand from the gem¡¯s intense heat. She hastily rearmed herself with her dagger from the ground and she faced Scarlet. Around her, she could see that Gruff, Sydney, and Durin were getting up as well.

    Alice was still being held captive by a hyena. As much as Gail wanted to rush at that hyena, Scarlet was already getting up. She snarled. Her eyes dangerously gleamed its crimson color. ¡°Bold. Very bold of you. I must say, I¡¯m quite impressed. I thought you¡¯d have your mother¡¯s arcane powers, but from the looks of it you rely on gems still. How¡­interesting.¡±

    The weather was kicking up. Gail battled against the wind to maintain her balance, and she could just about see Scarlet through all the snow being thrown about in the current. It almost sounded like the wind was whispering, muttering her defeat and sorrow. She twitched her head, ignoring the discouragement entering her head.

    Scarlet directed her attentions to the guards who were arriving at the square. They were armed with spears and bows aimed at the hyenas. Scarlet huffed. ¡°A shame that our bonding time has to come to an end. We¡¯ll have to look for prey elsewhere.¡± She looked at Gail with a smirk. ¡°But I will be keeping my out for you, and I will know more about you.¡± She jerked her head to signal the other hyenas to flee.

    ¡°What about this girl?¡± asked the hyena still holding Alice above the ground.

    ¡°Leave her. Prey smaller than her will do.¡±

    With Alice being dropped, the hyenas dispersed, following Scarlet who sprinted faster than Gail had ever seen run. The guards fired their bows at the hyenas, but the wind sent their arrows flying off to the side.

    The guards contemplated chasing after the hyenas but figured that chasing them through the storm would do more harm than good. Instead, they assessed the injured wolves.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± an arctic fox guard asked Gail.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Gail had her eyes at where the hyenas ran off to. It was the same direction that they were going to be heading when they travel home. She then looked at Alice and the Deltas, who were being checked on by guards too. ¡°Some rest and patching up our wounds would be nice.¡±

 Chapter 16

    After being ushered into the inn, the wolves were interrogated by the guards, mostly with their involvement with the hyenas¡¯ attack on the village. It was disheartening to hear that there were six casualties that were accounted for, two of them being guards and the other four being denizens. If there were more, they¡¯d be buried under snow by now.

    Cole greeted them with great relief after the guards left them be on the long table. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re all safe now. Alice, dear, how hurt are you?¡±

    ¡°My shoulders hurt a lot, but I should be fine. It stopped bleeding after having it bandaged.¡±

    Cole shook his head with a deep sigh. ¡°Gods. I should¡¯ve gone outside to help you all. My crew would¡¯ve done enough to reassure the people in the inn. Oh, I¡¯m so sorry, dear.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself over it, Cole,¡± said Gruff. ¡°It could¡¯ve gone a lot worse, and you would¡¯ve most likely gotten hurt yourself. That group of hyenas is no joke.¡± He rubbed his snout and looked at the others. ¡°We should be getting as much rest as we can now.¡±

    Patched with bandages, the wolves headed to their rooms. Gail was a bit confused as to why Alice was escorting them again, so she asked, ¡°You can go rest with your father now, Alice.¡±

    ¡°I want to sleep with you tonight,¡± Alice whispered, surprising Gail. ¡°You all are gonna leave tomorrow when the storm passes, and I want to be able to spend as much time with you. Dad isn¡¯t going to be sleeping anytime soon anyway, and I¡¯m too scared to sleep by myself¡­¡±

    Gail frowned, but it shifted into a smile when she said, ¡°Sure. You can have the bed. I¡¯m used to sleeping on the floor anyw¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant! We can share the bed. I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s enough space on it for the two of us.¡±

    ¡°Oh, still, I¡¯m fine with that.¡±

    Sure enough, the bed was large enough for the two young wolves to lie down with their backs flat on the mattress, however with their injuries, they preferred to sleep with their backs against each other. Alice was fine with facing the wall, so Gail¡¯s eyes were set on the window above the bedside table. The weather was still wild outside, however from what she could see and faintly hear, it was calmer than when they were facing Scarlet outside. It could just be that she was now indoors, but whatever the case, there was no way they were traveling in that weather, especially not in their current conditions.

    ¡°Thank you again, Gail,¡± whispered Alice. ¡°Today should¡¯ve been an awful day. Me getting lost, then kidnapped, and getting hurt, but you and the rest were able to make it bearable and helped me get back home.¡±

    Though Alice couldn¡¯t see it, Gail smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad we were able to help. You made a tense afternoon enjoyable for us too.¡±

    I¡¯m glad we were able to help. Gail couldn¡¯t remember the last time the pack was able to say that, or if they¡¯d ever said it before.

    Minutes passed, and all was quiet in the room. In this calm moment, all the questions began swirling in Gail¡¯s mind. Now it hurt even more to process each of them, but ultimately most of them ended up with her packmates back at the cave. How were the other Deltas fairing? Were the Alphas at all concerned about her and the Deltas with her? How furious was Zane¡¯s temper tantrum tonight? And most importantly, how was Sierra doing without her?

    Even if the last time they saw each other was earlier morning before Gail grouped with the Deltas at the cave entrance, it felt like an eternity since she saw Sierra¡¯s adorable face, heard her sweet voice, and enjoyed her warm company. She couldn¡¯t bear to think how Sierra must be feeling right now. Though she always slept alone recently with Gail being a Beta, now Gail wasn¡¯t there to greet her first thing in the morning. Gail wanted to leave the village as early as she could, but she also wished for the Deltas to get as much rest as they could and to spend a bit more time with Alice.

    With a deep sigh, she closed her eyes, shut off the thoughts about disappointing her packmates, and drifted to sleep.

    Gail found herself in a glade. The weather here was calm, however powerful gusts carried snow along the edges of the clearing. It looked as though she was in the middle of a vortex with nothing but some grass tufts and a large rock structure that was in ruins, or perhaps it was meant to look like that. Gail tried to peer through the snowy vortex, but all she could gander was an endless expanse of conifers.

    Looking back at the glade, Ventay was now standing atop the rock structure. Gail¡¯s heart sank as her wide eyes gawked at her. The day of her cubbing ritual was a blur since Gail passed out, but now she recalled the majesty of the Spirivant.

    ¡°A pleasure seeing you again, Gail Silverstreak,¡± Ventay said. Her voice was as serene and powerful as Gail could recall. ¡°I see that you met with more of my children. Despite it being a rough encounter, I suppose you are not one to grovel and cry at the pain of it all.¡± She leaped from the rock with a soft thump against the snow. She sat, looking calmly at Gail who looked bewildered.

    ¡°Your children?¡± Gail questioned, unable to hold in her questions like last time. ¡°The Prowling Salvagers are under your protection too?¡±

    ¡°Everyone is,¡± said Ventay. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t personally visit each and every single living creature in Arcanimus, I can assure you that everyone is under my protection, so long as they are not wicked with intentions of causing destruction.¡±

    ¡°But those hyenas are evil, aren¡¯t they? They killed people from the village!¡±

    Ventay¡¯s snout twitched. ¡°That is true. That hyena clan may seem malicious, but they do follow the values that I have passed onto Scarlet. She may act like a ravenous beast, but she merely wishes to care for her clan.¡± When Gail opened her mouth, Ventay added, ¡°And yes, what she said was no lie. Prey was virtually non-existent where they were residing at the time.¡±

    Gail¡¯s ears flattened. It sounded unbelievable but she trusted Ventay. So the Twinned Fangs¡¯s enemies are under the same protection of Ventay. That was terrifying to ponder on. She wondered if Terra knew of this as well.

    To shift the conversation away from the hyenas, she asked, ¡°Why have you come to see me, Ventay?¡±

    ¡°To commend you, first off,¡± Ventay replied, then furrowed her brow as she added, ¡°then to somewhat rebuke you.¡±

    Gail gulped. Had she already broken one of Ventay¡¯s values? She was certain she didn¡¯t go against her promise to the Spirivant.

    ¡°I was pleasantly surprised to have seen you go against your pack¡¯s usual idle activities to aid that young wolf, Alice. What more, you were able to expose yourselves and you packmates to foreign culture. As bad as that may sound from how you live, it¡¯s bound to happen. Your pack can¡¯t remain as hermits forever, no matter how long you all keep yourselves bound to that cave.¡±

    The scowl that Ventay now wore indicated that the happy news was over. She went on, ¡°I was astounded to see you using an arcane gem for the first time. As pleased as I should be, I must voice my disappointment in how you¡¯ve yet to fully utilize my gift and had to resort to using such gems.¡±

    Gail¡¯s brows rose in bewilderment. ¡°Gift?¡± she voiced her thought aloud. Was it something she couldn¡¯t remember? Her hazy memory of that day finally biting her?

    Ventay chuckled, more disappointed than amused. ¡°That just proves to me that you are utterly clueless. Nevertheless, you have it. It will just be a matter of time until you utilize it properly.¡±

    ¡°What gift do you mean?¡± Gail repeated. ¡°Can¡¯t you just tell me?¡±

    ¡°I could, but I wish for you to realize it out yourself. There have already been a few occasions where you used it on accident; you just never seem to realize it.¡± Ventay bowed her head. ¡°I am to guide you, but I don¡¯t want to hold your paws all the way through. I am certain you can figure it out in due time.¡±

    I¡¯ve already used it¡­

    Could it be when she sent Malte flying from a hit? When she overloaded the arcane gem from her first time using it? Or did she run on all four likes like Terra does? She couldn¡¯t recall doing that though, and she would certainly remember contorting her body to look feralesque.

    Could it be the same gift that Scarlet mentioned? Gail doubted it was the same gift, though. There was no way she manipulated blood the same way Scarlet had, and she didn¡¯t notice herself moving as fast as Scarlet dashed.

    It was going to take some time for her to land on a good guess on what the gift was. If she had been using it accidentally recently, then there¡¯s a good chance she¡¯ll use it again.

    ¡°How often are you going to be meeting me?¡± she asked.

    ¡°As often as I see fit,¡± replied Ventay. ¡°I know you have a lot of questions and you¡¯re going to throw them all at me, so I will be seeing you more often than I usually do with other people. I want you to be ready for what¡¯s ahead of you.¡± A frown crested her face. ¡°And thus, I must impart to you another warning. I¡¯ve spoken of tempting malevolent forces before, and while I was merely skeptical of its existence, a few of my fellow Spirivants have detected activities that we can only assume to be from them. It is nigh impossible to give details about them, for their form is shapeless, but I do not doubt that you will be able to tell that it is them.¡±

    Just hearing about ¡°them¡± sent shivers down Gail¡¯s spine. A malevolent being that the Spirivants fear and they¡¯re unidentifiable by sight? Gail may as well be fighting ghosts from how Ventay described them. It also wasn¡¯t comforting to think that Ventay had more confidence in her than she did for herself.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my promise to you, Ventay. I won¡¯t fall for their tricks and temptations.¡±

    Ventay nodded. ¡°Rightfully so.¡± She turned around and, in a single leap, landed atop the rock structure. Looking back down at Gail with her tails dancing against the moons, she said, ¡°We shall meet again, Gail Silverstreak, and I and the other Spirivants shall be watching over you all. May you stay true to your values and keep faith.¡± She leaped up onto the air, starry platforms appearing where her paws were going to land, and she ascended until the vortex swallowed her figure.

    Only the two waning moons were visible above, and Gail was left alone to contemplate all of Ventay¡¯s words.

    <hr>

    Gail slowly opened her eyes. The sun¡¯s pale light shone through the windows. It was bizarre to be seeing sunlight upon waking up, but it was a welcomed change that will be short-lived. Blinking sleep away, she tried to get up, but she was met with some resistance. She looked over her shoulder to see that Alice, who was still asleep, had her arms around her. Gail smiled at seeing her sleep peacefully after yesterday¡¯s incident.

    Across the room, Durin was already awake. She stood beside her bed, looking out the window on her side of the room as she stretched her arms. She winced, though it was hard to tell if it was from straining her wounds or if she was upset at not being able to wake up to sunlight anymore once they return home. Glancing over, she saw that Gail was also awake now. ¡°Ah, good morning, Gail.¡±

    ¡°Good morning to you too, Durin.¡±

    ¡°I see you were sleeping comfortably with Alice there.¡± Durin laughed. Gail chuckled with her.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d say I had a good sleep. Had an interesting dream too. I¡¯d get up and stretch with you, but uh,¡± Gail looked at Alice, ¡°I don¡¯t really wanna disturb her sleep.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, you can get up,¡± mumbled Alice. She opened her sleepy eyes and gave a soft smile. She removed her arm from Gail to stretch her arms toward the ceiling. ¡°Agh! Right, my shoulders¡­¡± She gingerly rubbed one of her shoulders, just above where the bandages were and the holes in her tunic. She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m still upset that I¡¯m gonna have to get this sewn.¡±

    Gail frowned. ¡°Your shoulders are feeling better though, yeah? Not as bad as yesterday?¡±

    ¡°As long as I don¡¯t move much, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Durin continued her morning stretches, looking out through the window again and watching snow drift in the calm breeze. Gail got up and joined her. She stared out her own window, tracking a bird fly and perch on a nearby tree¡¯s branch. It was such a peaceful sight. She envied the people whose mornings were always this bright and wonderful.

    Alice tried to join in their stretches, though she acted feebler as to avoid hurting herself. Moments after, they headed out of their room. Gail bid silent farewells to it as it may as well be her last time sleeping in its warm environment. They knocked at Sydney and Gruff¡¯s room, and when they answered, they looked ready to head out as well.

    ¡°Finally time for us to go home, huh?¡± said Gruff. Gail nodded.

    Descending the stairs, there were already some Ferians eating steamy meals. It was a bit surprising for the pack wolves still, seeing people eat full meals after just waking up, but they¡¯d already accepted to not be so shocked by most things that were unusual. To add more to the unusual happenings, they were greeted by Cole with their own morning meals, something that they called ¡°breakfast.¡± It was a simple plate of toast with butter for flavor and a single serving of scrambled egg.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    After pouring them warm drinks, Cole said, ¡°Leaving so soon after waking, huh? I can¡¯t blame you. I don¡¯t know much about the other folks in your family, but I can only assume that they¡¯re missing you.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m missing them too,¡± Sydney said. ¡°Er, some of them, mostly our rankmates. I don¡¯t really get along well with some of the other wolves. What about you, Gail?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah, I¡¯m definitely missing a few people,¡± Gail said, then took a bite of her buttered toast. Sierra was the first to pop in her mind, then Quibs, then the Thetas, then lastly the Zetas. The others she either wasn¡¯t too close with, she absolutely despised, or she feared to see again. Spending time with half of the Deltas for a day, she wouldn¡¯t mind getting to know the rest of them when they get back home.

    She looked at Alice. She never really thought about it much, but Alice reminded her of Sierra in a way. Shy yet energetic around her, sweet, and also shorter than her (though she guessed that Sierra would be taller than Alice).

    ¡°Alice, dear,¡± said Cole, ¡°don¡¯t go following them to their cave again. You might know how to get to and fro, but that doesn¡¯t mean you should go visiting them uninvited.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, dad! I know to not go wandering off too far now. I¡¯ll keep them company as far as the edge of the village.¡± There was a hint of sadness that Gail caught as Alice said the last bit. Gail felt sad too. The only way they could meet each other again was if Gail visited this village, and she doubt she¡¯d get the chance to do so for a long while.

    Finishing their meal, they thanked Cole and Lisa¡ªwho left from the backroom for a while¡ªfor their generosity and bid them farewell. Upon exiting the inn, there were four guards waiting for them along with a middle-aged arctic fox who was in formal attire, or at least what Gail assumed to be formal for this village. He wore a thick brown coat that reached the ground, a plaid flat cap, and spectacles with a golden frame.

    He adjusted his glasses, looking at Gruff for a moment with his grayish blue eyes. ¡°Ah, it took me a while to recognize you. I should¡¯ve known you were here, Gruff, when I heard that it was wolves who were duking it out with the hyenas.¡±

    ¡°Oh my gods, is there anyone here in this village that doesn¡¯t know you, Gruff?¡± Sydney joked, feigning annoyance.

    Gruff grinned at her before replying to the fox. ¡°A pleasure to see you again, head Jackson. What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Mayor Jackson now,¡± the fox said, grinning. ¡°Er, I suppose not now but rather soon. This village became eligible to be considered a town. Only a matter of time for the documents to be processed until I can call myself mayor. Anyway,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°last night I received reports of the assault. Hearing that a group of wolves were fending off the hyenas piqued my interest. I thought it were the guards handling it, so I was shocked to be told that it was outsiders who were facing the hyenas.¡±

    Gail wouldn¡¯t have exactly called it as ¡°fending off¡± the hyenas. It was more of them dealing with the dispute between their packs as well as protecting Alice.

    The fox, Jackson, continued, ¡°After I finished dealing with the¡­tragic matters from last night¡¯s encounter, I wanted to personally extend my gratitude to you all, and I also want to apologize that you had to suffer injuries and fight when the guards couldn¡¯t. So, as thanks for helping and compensation for your injuries, each of you can have whatever you want from the village¡ªwithin reason, of course,¡± he added with a hearty laugh.

    ¡°Each one of us?¡± Sydney asked, her eyes gleaming.

    Jackson nodded. ¡°Indeed. If anything from the market caught your eye, you can have it straight from my wallet.¡±

    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s really no need for me, head Jackson,¡± Gruff said, waving a hand. ¡°My companions here might want something, but I¡¯ll politely decline the offer. Your kindness and the people here are more than I can ask for.¡±

    Jackson smiled. ¡°Very well, if that is what you wish. I do hope that I will be able to repay you in some way during your future visits.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to accept your offer, mister Jackson,¡± said Sydney. ¡°I want¡­¡± She glanced at the sky as she hummed in thought. ¡°Is there a place to get any sort of weapons?¡±

    ¡°There is a blacksmith in town, yes. He doesn¡¯t have much ware at the moment, but he could still forge you a weapon of your choosing. Though, that does mean you¡¯ll have to return here to pick it up once it¡¯s made. I¡¯d say it¡¯ll take about a week at most for him to finish your commission.¡±

    ¡°Ah, looks like we do have to come back here, guys,¡± Sydney said, grinning. ¡°Point me to where he is so I can tell him what I want.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± said Jackson. ¡°You all are in a rush to leave, and this will just be a hindrance. Simply tell me what weapon you want, and I¡¯ll relay it to our blacksmith.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Sydney hummed more in thought, tapping a foot. ¡°Spears I think are reserved only for the Gammas and above. Bows would be¡­interesting to use, but I need to work on my shot though if I wanna use one, so let¡¯s go with a sword.¡±

    ¡°What kind of sword would you want? A claymore? Scimitar? Rapier?¡±

    ¡°That I do not know,¡± Sydney said with an embarrassed laugh. ¡°I dunno much about weapons, if I¡¯m being honest, so I¡¯ll let the blacksmith decide whatever he feels like making for me.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± Jackson nodded. He looked at Durin. ¡°What about you, lass?¡±

    Without much hesitation, Durin answered, ¡°Can I have one of the beginner¡¯s kits from the magic shop, the vitanimus one?¡±

    ¡°An aspiring arcane practitioner, I see, but only one kit? The gems are usually weak so amateurs can¡¯t hurt themselves, so they shouldn¡¯t be too expensive.¡± Jackson glanced at one of the guards, a snowshoe hare, and ordered, ¡°Please head over to Denver¡¯s shop and pick up each of the beginner kits on my behalf¡ªwith haste, please, as these people need to depart soon.¡±

    The hare nodded and headed off. Durin was taken aback by Jackson¡¯s charity. She opened her mouth, probably about to protest, but instead she just nodded with a goofy smile.

    Finally, Jackson¡¯s eyes landed on Gail. ¡°Now, what about you, lass?¡±

    There were a few items that Gail took interested in having, and most of them were what the others had already requested. A weapon to replace her dagger¡ªone that was ¡°gifted¡± to her by Reed¡ªwould be beneficial, however she thought that it¡¯d be best to master close-quarters combat with her fist, claws, and short weapons before moving on to long-reaching weapons like swords and spears. Her current dagger could do that just fine. As for the other item, a set of arcane gems, she figured she could borrow Durin¡¯s gems as well as the Zetas¡¯ whenever Gail decided to practice her arcane skills.

    And I¡¯m still suspicious of what Ventay¡¯s gift to me is.

    With those being ruled out, there was only one thing left for Gail to ask of the soon-to-be mayor. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much this actually costs, but I know someone else does.¡± She patted Alice¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show them that outfit you want?¡±

    Alice¡¯s eyes were as wide as the glittering moons in her dream. ¡°What? You¡¯re passing mister Jackson¡¯s gift to me?¡±

    Gail nodded. ¡°There isn¡¯t much that I want from the village aside from keeping you safe and happy. Besides, your current clothes got torn, right? You may as well have something new to wear.¡±

    Tapping her feet and squealing in excitement, Alice embraced Gail. ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll make sure to take good care of it and wear it all the time!¡± She was as warm as ever, both in her voice and her hug. Gail was going to miss this once they leave.

    The hare returned holding a wide box with a removeable lid. A ribbon was tied into a bow around it to keep it shut. He padded over to Durin and handed to her the box. ¡°Here are your arcane gems, miss.¡±

    There looked to be a bit of heft in the box with how Durin let out a soft grunt when carrying the box at first, but the only thing dropping was her jaw at how astounded and overjoyed she must be feeling. ¡°Thank you greatly,¡± she said.

    Gruff glanced at each one of them before saying, ¡°All right, I think it¡¯s about time we head off.¡± He dipped his head toward Jackson. ¡°Thank you again, head Jackson. We¡¯ll be sure to stop by again to pick up Sydney¡¯s forged weapon.¡±

    Speaking their gratitude and farewells to the village head and the guards, the wolves headed off with Alice still tagging for a little more. Once they reached the watchtower with Clid keeping watch again, Gruff exchanged waves of goodbye with him, and Alice stood by the tower¡¯s side. Gail stopped a few meters away to look back at her. They both smiled solemnly.

    Alice said, ¡°See you later, Gail. I hope you get to visit here again soon. Thank you for the wildest day I¡¯ve had.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to give you an even wilder one someday, and hopefully one that¡¯s less painful.¡± Gail dipped her head. ¡°See you soon. May Ventay protect you.¡±

    For a moment, Alice looked uncomfortable after that last statement, but she then smiled and nodded, saying nothing in response.

    The group of wolves were off. Gruff was in the lead with Syden beside her, and Gail and Durin were just behind her running side-by-side as well. Their pace was slower as to accommodate to Durin carrying her box. Gail offered to carry the box for her, and they would pass it between them once the arms of one of them were exhausted.

    ¡°How many arcane kits are in this?¡± Gail asked as she passed the box to Durin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We only saw two beginner kits in the shop, right? Were there kits in other shelves that we missed?¡±

    Gail couldn¡¯t imagine what the other kits were going to be for. Having no knowledge of the arcane arts, there may as well be an infinite number of magic types in addition to the elemental, vitanimus, and alchemy that she¡¯d seen.

    ¡°I¡¯m kinda jealous of you getting a new weapon,¡± Gruff said. ¡°I was half expecting you to pick a bow when you mentioned it. I think your aim¡¯s good enough for you to have one made for you.¡±

    Sydney snorted. ¡°Really now? You¡¯re just flattering me, or maybe you¡¯re forgetting the time I snapped a makeshift bow when we were out hunting moons ago.¡±

    The wolves followed the road until they eventually veered from it to prowl through the woods. Their travel would be unhampered the entire time with the weather being calm. They were still ways away from home, but Gail¡¯s apprehension was starting to return. She could already imagine the stern faces of the Alphas and Zane, waiting for them by the mouth of the cave, their hands burning¡ªquite literally for the Alphas¡¯ case¡ªready to slap her across the face.

    Her spiraling train of thoughts were interrupted by the blend of howling and cackling from the distance. Her heart sank as there was only one group of animals that made that cackling noise. The group hastened their pace.

    ¡°How are the Prowling Salvagers here too?¡± Gail was both distressed and bemused. Did they raid the cave knowing that there were four less wolves to defend it?

    Durin diverged from them for a moment. She set her box beneath a spruce tree that was recognizable by its gnawed bark. Burying it with a layer of snow, she sprinted off to catch up with the others.

    They emerged into the glade where their cave entrance resided, and in the middle of it was a brawl. There were two Deltas (Leia and Dom) and Reckles among the bunch, and, to Gail¡¯s surprise, the Zetas were present, standing side-by-side by the cave¡¯s entrance. They each held a translucent bow, radiating with a glow that Gail could only assume was potent archaic energy. They had their bows drawn, though they were reluctant to fire their arrow¡ªammunition that radiated similarly to their bows¡ªas the scrap was too chaotic to take a shot without fear of piercing a wolf instead.

    Though the arriving group hasn¡¯t drawn attention to themselves yet, they shouldn¡¯t go unnoticed in this fight. Sydney nudged Durin with an elbow before charging in with Gruff by her side, both of them preemptively covering their eyes partly.

    Durin pulled out the warming arcane gem from her pocket. Clutching it, bits of light pierced through her fist for a second. ¡°Blinding star!¡± she called out before chucking the gem toward the clump of wolves and hyenas. The members of the Twinned Fangs, though at first looking surprised at their presence, shielded their eyes with their forearms.

    The hyenas saw this as an opportunity to strike at their oppositions, but the arcane gem in the air was positioned well enough to blind them all. Sydney and Gruff raked their claws across the backs of two hyenas, and the wolves already there contributed their own swipes with their weapons across their opposing hyenas¡¯ chests.

    With the hyenas staggered from the flash and the sting of their fresh wounds, the wolves distanced themselves from the hyenas to give the Zetas a clear shot of the hyenas. They fired their arrows at two of the three targets. Gail winced and looked away before the arrows connected with the hyenas¡¯ shoulders, however when she looked back, no arrow was lodged in either of the hyenas. The arrow couldn¡¯t have missed as they wailed and were clutching their shoulders.

    Clearly outnumbered and overpowered, the three hyenas began to flee. Potts drew the string of his bow despite not nocking an arrow. Then, with energy being drawn from the bowstring and the limbs, an arrow of archaic energy was formed. This arrow, though translucent still, was dark green instead of pale white. Potts aimed a little lower and fired, hitting the hyena in the middle of the pack on his foreleg. The pain staggered him, and he would¡¯ve kept running, but it wasn¡¯t the pain of the arrow that stopped him.

    Stemming from where the arrow hit, bulky vines sprouted and spread as though they were living snakes. They rooted the hyena in place as the vines burrowed into the ground, and more vines slithered to ensnare the two other hyenas. As much as they tried, they could not free themselves from the foliage¡¯s ever tightening grip.

    Sydney was about to run in for another swipe at one of the hyenas, but Reckles signaled her to stop. He approached the hyenas, armed with his spear and pointing it at one of them. He drew it closer to his neck. ¡°What are you doing in Twinned Fangs territory?¡±

    ¡°W-we were just ordered to hunt for our own food here,¡± the hyena said, panicked. ¡°We were only going to be hunting for small prey, but before we left, we were also instructed to attack any wolves that we may see.¡±

    Reckles squinted. He pushed his spear more, threatening to draw blood. ¡°How many are you here?¡±

    ¡°20 of us.¡± The hyena¡¯s voice grew more distressed, as did his expression.

    ¡°Are you all male?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Reckles kept the spear to his neck. He eyed the other two hyenas, who looked just as terrified as the one being interrogated. Eventually, he lowered his spear. ¡°Go, and leave this territory alone for as long as you live.¡± He glowered. ¡°Not like you eight will last long in your clan anyways.¡±

    Gesturing to the Zetas, the vines constricting the hyenas loosened its grip, dropping to the floor and withering into dust until it completely vanished. The hyenas fled, keeping to Reckles¡¯ word and running to leave their territory.

    Gail stood there, frightened yet amazed. Much like during the skirmish back in the village, she¡¯d never seen her packmates in action like this. She was most astonished by the Zetas¡¯ combat capabilities. Watching them now, they lowered their bows, which gradually dematerialized entirely.

    Sydney, Gruff, and Durin approached their fellow Deltas to check on them. Gail padded toward Reckles. ¡°Are you all okay? Where are the others?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Reckles looked at the Zetas, who were unscathed, and the Deltas, who were a little worse for wear like him, ¡°for the most part. Bea and Shaw are standing guard inside the cave along with Arden and Barnaby, and the rest of the Gammas chased off more hyenas with Zane and the Alphas.¡± He pointed to the woods, to the right when looking out the cave entrance. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt their capabilities, but I hope they¡¯re doing all right.¡± He looked at Gail and gave a slight smile. ¡°Good to see you four back in one piece, even if you did suffer injuries from the looks of it.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± Gail rubbed his bandaged arm. ¡°This is nothing much, but I¡¯m gonna have to report it to the Alphas later.¡±

    As though uttering that rank name enough times was a summoning ritual, the Alphas entered the clearing. Terra¡¯s right hand was encased in a molten shell. Seeing that there were only wolves, she jerked her hand to the side, shaking off the burnt stone and bits of lava. The snow sizzled as the debris sank melted all the snow in a small patch. Frost arrived as well, a cool mist leaving his maw as he huffed. Both their eyes were especially saturated, glowing slightly, but with a few blinks they returned to their natural colors.

    Terra locked her stern sights on Gail. Gail was already mentally preparing herself for this moment, yet the panic inside her overflowed when Terra stalked toward her. ¡°I see that you and the rest have returned from your rescue mission,¡± she said with an eerily calm voice. ¡°I expect a report from you once we all gather in the cave.¡±

    Gail nodded. Before she could speak, a voice that enraged her more than anything called out. ¡°You dog!¡± Zane stomped his way toward them. ¡°Showing up now, a day after you were supposed to and unable to help defend our territory? You ought to be smacked for¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, am I a ghost to you?¡± Terra showed her fangs with a low growl. Stone gathered around her right foot and crept up her body and onto her hand to form a ball. Streaks of molten lava would flow along the ball until it burst into flames in Terra¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m talking to her and you¡¯re intruding as though I¡¯m not here. Need I shove this down your throat to signal my presence?¡±

    Despite the threat, Zane stared Terra down. He spoke with forced courtesy. ¡°My apologies, Alpha Terra. I¡¯ll leave you two be.¡± He walked away with clenched fists that would¡¯ve been for Gail¡¯s head.

    Once he was out of earshot, Terra said to Gail, ¡°You are to report to me and Frost more details later, but I must know now.¡± She pointed to Gail¡¯s bandages. ¡°What caused those during your self-imposed mission?¡±

    After the skirmish here with the hyenas, Gail¡¯s answer was going to spark greater tension. There was not putting it lightly, and she needed to let it be known to the Alphas. In earnest, she answered, ¡°We ran into Scarlet in the village.¡±