Chapter 31

A new darkness enters Louise's life.

    I was angry. Angry with the Pack Leader. It was a couple days since the incident with the Pack Leader showing up and coming into our bedroom against our wishes to see Miss Starfire and Mr. Hunter. I was still upset about that but I was even more upset about what he wanted Mr. Black to do.

 

    Mr. Black and I sat at the kitchen table with an untouched meal of raw meat cut into cubes in a wooden bowl having a very unpleasant discussion about the Pack Leader and what he wanted.

 

    “I don’t like this.” I said, my eyes flashing with my anger I was sure.

 

    “What the Pack Leader wants, he gets.” Said Mr. Black.

 

    “But you don’t have to do what he wants! No one does!” I said sharply.

 

    The twins were sleeping in their wicker baby bed and Armand was sleeping in his. I was glad. I didn’t want them near this unpleasant discussion their parents were having.

 

    “Females don’t have a say in Pack Politics.” Said Mr. Black, staring at me meaningfully.

 

     I felt my anger grow. “I don’t have a say?”                              

 

     Mr. Black shook his head. “Know your place Louise. The place of all females in the Pack.”

 

     He didn’t say this in any way, shape or form to be mean or derogatory but I still exploded.

 

    “I’m sure! Know my place!” I stood up from the table, breathing hard, ready for a fight that lacked an enemy that I could do battle with.

 

    Mr. Black leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest and watched me with an amused look on his face.

 

    Frustrated, knowing there was no hope for me in this situation, I sat back down. “This isn’t right. The Pack Leader is way out of line.”

 

    What I was so upset about was that the Pack Leader was trying to change the structure of the Wolf People village, change the Wolf People’s way of life which had always been peaceful. There was no war with other Packs. Most Packs kept a respectful distance from each other which included keeping out of other Pack’s hunting space unless given permission to enter. And Packs that were friendly with each other did their best to keep the situation friendly.

 

    When Wolf People met in the forest in unclaimed territory they kept that encounter respectful and friendly.

 

    Wolf People did their best to avoid war with each other. When disputes did arise between Packs results were worked toward which satisfied both Packs and those involved. The agreed upon punishment was always swift, there was no lingering for long periods of time trying to decide what to do. I had seen that first hand a couple times now.

 

    The Pack Leader was on the verge of changing that peaceful co-existence with a couple other Packs. And he wanted Mr. Black to help lead the charge into war.

 

    “So what if he’s not happy with a couple other Pack Leaders. Does he really think fighting them will do him any good? And have you lead the fight? He wants you dead for some reason.” I felt near tears.

 

    Lose Mr. Black? A war in this peaceful Wolf People world? Just when I was shedding the last of my humanity and truly becoming a Wolf Person?

 

    “We don’t have wars.” Explained Mr. Black.

 

    “That’s what I’d call leading a bunch of Wolf People against another Pack. Claiming territory by violence and blood shed. What have these other Wolf People done to deserve blood shed?”

 

    Mr. Black finally reached for a raw cubed piece of meat and popped it into his mouth. He chewed slowly.

 

    I turned to glance out the kitchen window. It was a warm silver blue moon splashed night. Stars glittered and twinkled in the dark sky.

 

    The Broadleaf Maples were fully leafed out now and I could hear their gentle swish as they swayed in the soft night breeze. In the distance I could hear a couple coyotes singing. A bat winged over our home, the whisper of its wings in passing was like a gentle but loud sigh.

 

    I waited for Mr. Black to say something, to at least tell me I was right, that a war with the other Wolf People Packs was wrong.

 

    He just kept eating.

 

    I held back my tears but I felt too sick with dread to eat.

 

    “You’re not eating Louise. You need to eat.”

 

    I didn’t look at him but I knew he was right. I needed to eat. If I didn’t eat I couldn’t feed my Wolf Children.

 

    Feeling very afraid and angry I rapidly ate cubed raw meat until I really felt sick from over eating.

 

    Then I got up, taking my glass of water with me and left the kitchen.

 

    I decided a run in my Wolf Form would be good for me.

 

    I checked on my children. They were still contently sleeping.

 

    Mr. Black was cleaning up after our meal when I walked back into the kitchen.

 

    “I know you have a war meeting with the Pack Leader and his other chosen warriors but I’m getting a run in before you leave.” I said to his back.

 

    He turned to face me. “Of course, my sweet. I’ll be here.”

 

    I knew Mr. Black wouldn’t leave our Wolf Children alone. I nodded and left the kitchen and the house.

 

    I was upset about this proposed war with neighboring Wolf People Packs. The Pack Leader had gone mad. I didn’t believe he had been insulted in any way, nor had our Pack.

 

    Most likely he had done the insulting and was using the response to that insult to try to claim territory.

 

    Look how badly he and his mate treated me. He was probably just as rude to other Wolf People he didn’t like.

 

    I went down the porch steps and walked out into the warm darkness. The sounds and smells of life were all around me.

 

    The elk and deer birthing season was coming to an end.  Soon hunts would start up once more.

 

    I breathed in deeply the warm and fragrant air. Being in my Wolf Form would give me freedom from my concerns and worries for a while.

 

    I shape shifted into my Wolf Form and leaped into the forest beside the house.

 

    I raced into the night; the joy and exhilaration of being Wolf making me want to sing of it!

 

    I ran and ran through the moon splashed Douglas Fir and Broadleaf Maple forest, loving the feel of the wind of my passing rushing around my body and through my ash colored wolf hair.

 

    I could hear coyotes nearby. I passed silent and still deer and elk, their odor heavy on the night air. I heard and felt owls flying over me and bats darting about hunting insects.

 

    The trees and shrubbery created their own whispery sounds as I ran past them and in between their low hanging branches.

 

    Finally I came to a stop and lifted my muzzle to the sky and sang of my happiness and of my sadness too.  I sang my song to all that was around me until I had voiced all that I felt I needed to say.

 

    Other Wolf People were in the shadowy blue silver splashed forest and some sang their songs as well, lone voices like I had been and some voices joined together.

 

    I listened for a spell then turned around and headed back home.

 

    I had my carefree moments, now back to these new worries at home in the Wolf People Village.

 

 

 

  

 

   

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

Reviews

[Black Cat Fever]

The Pack Leader wants to turn everyone's life upside down for all the wrong reasons. A stop to this needs to happen. So who is going to do what and go against the Pack Leader?

[Star Wolf]

Yup. The Pack Leader is bad.

[Theresa]

An unexpected twist I was expecting something to do with the twins. I'm loving the suspense and how the story never seems to go in the direction I expect, keeps it interesting and very enjoyable. Can't wait to see how Mr. Black handles the situation.

[Tina Bee]

I never knew that other communities of Wolf People existed. This story is getting some dimensions added to it. I hope for Louise's sake that Mr. Black will be ok.

[deeps]

Flashing my eyes with anger I like that. Very powerful and very well written chapter, Love the amazing detail and all the wonderful imagery.