Fang

I awoke the next day feeling sluggish. I was still tired and wanted to go back to sleep but the events from the previous day invaded my mind and refused to let me go back to sleep. So I got up and headed down to the stream hoping the cold icy water would revitalize me. It worked somewhat shocking me awake. I stood frozen for a moment before shaking out my fur.

“Are you really going to leave?”WindChaser asks me.

“I don’thave much of a choice.” I reluctantly admit. “I killed one of theirs.”

“But what will happen to you?” He is outraged that I will go without a fight.

“I don’t know.”I say ruefully.

“You have nothing to be worried about, PaleFang.” LongFang interrupts us. “Come back to the den I can sense Ian approaching.” He orders.

A look of sorrow passesWindChaser’s face as we turn and slowly make our way back to the den. I can’t help mirroring him, watching every one of our pack members we come across for a few minutes to make images of them in my mind as vivid as possible.

It did not take long for Ian and two members of his pack to show up. As soon as they were near the den I went and hid myself in the back of the den as LongFang had instructed. In the pack mind I watched as two humans and one Werewolf came into view. They were from the start much less hostile than Jenny, and only Ian, after expressly asking LongFang for permission entered the pack mind.

“Ian my brother.” LongFang greets the Werewolf warmly. They touch noses in welcome and Ian even acknowledg both WildHunt’s position as Beta andDenMother’s position before turning back to LongFang.

Even though Ian was obviously at ease with LongFang and the rest of the pack having stayed with the pack in some time past he was also very tense. “I smell death but even more than that I smell that you recently had a vampire near and if that is not enough my senses tell me one among your pack is not what it seems? Please explain my brother LongFang for we have come far and your message was not very clear considering the means used to deliver it.”

“It has been too long since you have walked among us and during the last few seasons I have wished for your wisdom and insight often.” This compliment from LongFang put Ian a little at ease but the human’s behind him still both seem quite jumpy.“It would be best if I showed you what has expired here so that you can judge for yourself. I trust in your judgement.” LongFang thinks for a moment before squaring his shoulders and showing Ian all that had transpired over the course of my whole live from my mother’s arrival until now.

LongFangs memory of events does not go uninterrupted. The first time Ian asks LongFang to please stop and allow him some time it’s clear that witnessing my birth and my mother’s subsequent death is deeply affecting him. He sits still caught in a storm of strong emotion. The human male that arrived with him becomes worried seeing Ian this way. Something about this male makes me concentrate on him more than the others but I can’t say what. When he places his paw on Ian’s shoulder and makes the same odd sounds my mother had with his muzzle Ian excuses himself from the pack mind and changes to human form as well.

They must share a pack mind as Werewolf’s too because I can see the expression on the man’s face slowly change as Ian must be showing him the same memory LongFang had shared with him.

In the blink of an eye the man astounds us all as he rips his human form apart and becomes the biggest wolf I had ever seen. His fur is as white as mine with black streaks running over his back and covering his muzzle and paws.

The amount of pain and sorrow he feels penetrates the pack mind as a blow and more than one pack member whimpers in compassion. Just as abruptly as he had entered he retreats nevertheless his sorrow is still a palatable sent coming off of him in nauseating waves. He takes one look around howls frustrated and in an awe inspiring burst of motion run’s into the woods with the recently changed female and Ian hot on his heels.

The pack allots them their privacy in grief going back to everyday tasks unsure when Ian will be back to see the rest of the explanation. I do not move from my spot. LongFang does not want me out in the woods while this powerful Alpha who has lost control due to his grief is prowling it. The rest of the pack also stays close, just in case, they won’t be caught cowering if a member is attacked again.

For the next two moons we can hear the other Alpha his Beta and Ian as they move around out in the wood and often simply sit and howl their sorrows to the moon. No one in the pack can resist joining them howling in sympathy.

When Ian at last reappears he looks a mess and I see DenMother twitching to drag him off for a dip in the stream and a good grooming but she resists and the whole pack settles in to see how the rest of this strange affair will turn out.