Chapter 14: Newborn

Chapter 14: Newborn

"Can't you stop that?  You're driving everyone crazy."  Snow-tail growled, putting down the primitive book bound with leather strips he was reading.  Blue stopped pacing to give the lounging white wolf a cold stare.  

"How can I?  They've both been gone for a week already!  I'm surprised none of you feel the same."  

"Night-Sky can take care of himself Blue."  Storm-Pelt said while playing catch with a ball made of skins and stuffed with rocks.  Blue sniffed.  To her, the comfortable hut furnished with vivid hand-made carpets and warm animal pelts was suffocating.  She felt as if bugs were crawling beneath her skin.  "I can't help that I'm worried.  Cate's like my big brother and Dusk or whatever it is you call him, he's… You know."  Pine-Heart looked up from her bed of pelts.  She glanced at Snow-tail who'd dug right back into his book and sighed.  

"I can understand how you feel Blue, if anything happened to Snow-Tail…"  Snow-tail coughed.  "Sorry, what you say?"  Pine-heart grinned.  "Nothing except that I love you, you handsome wolf!"  And she leapt from her bed to crash into the unsuspecting Snow-tail.  The white wolf yelped in surprise as the two rolled off his bed and landed on the floor.  Charlie, weighing two knives in his paws looked to the spectacle and grimaced.  
"Gross you two, go make out somewhere else.  Didn't anyone teach you modesty as kids?"  He rolled his eyes and returned to his stone knives.  Snow-Tail popped up from behind the bed.  The fur of his muzzle was sticking up in every direction from Pine-Heart's affections.  His eyes were perplexed.  Star laughed from his seat near the door, although the laughter didn't reach his eyes.  Blue sighed, exasperated at Charlie's ignorance.  

Storm-Pelt, staring into the open mouth of what appeared to be a coin purse of sorts turned his attention to the brown wolf.  

"So, you don't know what happens every couple years or so?"  Charlie looked up.  "What?"  Everybody smiled at this, even Blue.  "You know Charlie."  Blue laughed.  "When you became a wolf, you know you swapped out human instincts for ours?"  Charlie shrugged.  "So?"  Blue shook her head.  "In the cities it's not really a problem.  The scent of humans helps to suppress some of our more…undesirable urges."  She paused for effect.  "But out here, surrounded only by your own kind, those instincts come out in full force."  

"And every couple years the females go through something we call "heat."  Storm-Pelt remarked.  Charlie groaned.  "Crap."

"I can tell you it's a real rush."  Snow-tail winked.  "You can smell the hormones in the air…It's like spring."  "More importantly Charlie."  Blue interrupted Snow-Tail's happy thoughts and got to the crux of the matter.  "It'll make some of the women around here say and do things they don't really mean.  Just make sure you don't get pounced in the middle of the woods or something and you'll be fine."  Charlie dropped his knives.  "It'll be just like college."  Charlie moaned.  "Just like college."

"Excuse me."  Laral whispered, brushing past the skin hanging from the doorway.  The normally confident she-wolf was looking down, making it a point not to meet eyes with anyone.  "The contract's been fulfilled and you're free to leave.  I'm sorry, we had no other choice."  Blue almost had a stroke.  

"What do you mean contract?"  She screeched.  Laral refused to make eye contact.  "We were made an offer by a pack of humans that called themselves "the committee"  Blue gasped.  "It was your friend for all of our family members.  There wasn't any other choice.  Like I said, you're free to leave."  Blue snarled.  Lunging forward she grabbed Laral by the front of her leather shirt and growled in her face.  "Where did they take him blood traitor!"  "I don't know."  "Tell the truth!"  Laral finally met Blue's distraught gaze.  Her eyes were filled with guilt.  "I am."  Blue threw her aside and ran out into the cold night.  Laral dashed to intercept her.  

"You won't find him!  It's been a week, they would have moved him by now."  Blue paused on her way to the forest.  "It's over, he's gone."
  
"I don't care."  And Blue ran as fast as she could into the forest, not caring that her mate's scent was long faded.  

Calling on the lunar mother herself in the intricate prayers of Blue's people, she trailed along the faint scent path left behind by Dusk.  It was almost impossible to discern from an acrid stench that covered it like slime.  The other smells of the forest, sweet bark, dewy moss…didn't help much either.  Practically pushing her nose to the limit, Blue managed to find a pocket of scent.  Plunging her nose deep into a heap of fallen leaves, she hit something hard.  Cursing, she rubbed her nose and dug through the leaves, throwing up dirt and debris all around.  Beautiful moonlight glinted off something metal.  Turning it over in her paws, Blue inspected the strange disc, discovering a switch on the other side.  Without caution, she pressed it.  click.  

Nothing happened.  Raising her head, Blue desperately breathed the air through her nostrils.  There was not a trace of her love's scent.  It had all been blown away.  Anger suddenly rushed through Blue.  

"GRAAH!"  She snarled, throwing the metal disc as hard she could.  It flew in on an even line as a blur, crunching as it embedded itself halfway into the thick trunk of a pine tree.  Blue didn't know what to do.  Panting in the dark forest, her anger turned to grief.  It's not fair.  We find each other only to be separated again?  Why?  Why does this keep happening to me?  Whenever I find happiness, it's always, always burned away!  Blue blamed her loss on herself.  She'd never trusted that bitch Laral, she'd known to help them was a mistake.  The entire thing had been a trap all along!  Blue froze.  Wind blew across the forest, digging up a forgotten scent.  Following the wisdom of smell, Blue traced its origin to the base of a great tree.  Her eyes widened as recognition set in.  "I remember that scent…"  Blue bared her fangs.  "River-walker!"

River-walker ducked into the hollow center of an ancient and immense tree.  Laying his precious rifle by his side, River-walker curled himself up in a blanket he'd brought from the facility.  Easiest job I've ever done.  he thought, smiling a little.  Laying his head back against a pillow, he closed his eyes.  Can't believe that Dusk guy didn't even suspect me.  At least we got one more easy sucker who believes he can still trust his own kind.  How naïve.  Nodding off to sleep, the hunter revisited some of his favorite hunts.  By far he preferred jobs that were…a little less subtle in nature.  Jobs where one could get his hands dirty.  The look in their eyes as they realized what was happening, when the high and mighty ferals discovered a blood traitor had deceived and conquered…worth it every time.  

Blue gave a silent snarl as she sensed the foul odor of that blood traitor River-walker ooze from within a giant hollowed tree.  Nimbly perched on one of its thicker branches, the furious she-wolf stared down at the only entrance.  Faint snores could be heard coming from the hole.  Blue grinned.  No holding back.  First she'd rip the information she needed straight from his mind, then his heart from his chest.  Skillfully dropping from the branch, she landed in a crouch making not a sound.

"River-Walker!"  Blue yelled, grabbing his ankle through the hole in the tree.  He woke with a start, immediately reaching for his rifle.  Using her full strength, Blue pulled the bounty hunter from his camp and threw him across the wood.  The young man smacked against an aging willow, dealing it a harsh blow that shattered its bark.  Quickly recovering from the attack, River-walker brought his rifle from the hip and aimed down the scope.  Blue growled and rushed towards the level headed hunter.  Snarling, he squeezed the trigger multiple times.  Red trails of hot lead burst from the gun's muzzle tip, lending the black forest bright flashes of light.  An agonized yowl echoed throughout the forest.  

Panting, Blue grabbed her shoulder.  She'd managed to dodge all the bullets but one, albeit it only grazed her arm.  The damned hunter grinned and aimed down the scope, his cross-hairs dead center between her eyes.  Focusing on the here and now, Blue decided to quit fooling around.  Releasing the pent up energy in her muscles vitality flew through her limbs and with a single leap she vanished out of sight like a ghost.  

"What the hell!"  River-Walker shouted in dismay.  Panicked, he indiscriminately shot through the forest.  The woods were ablaze with thunderous flashes of light and the smell of hot metal.

"Shit."  The bounty hunter cussed as no more bullets flew from his weapon.  Tossing it aside, he looked side to side and focused with all his heart on the sounds of the wood.  Everything was eerily quiet.  Not even the wind blew through the trees or leaves rustled on the ground.  There was only silence.  The sound of claws scratching against wood caught River-walker's ear.  By the time he looked up it was too late.  With a frenzied snarl Blue dropped from the branch above his head and landed on the bounty hunter, hard.  Yelling incoherent words that might've just been primal growls, Blue punched every inch of the bastard she could reach.  Keeping him down with her knees, Blue drew back her arm for one more punch.  Her eyes were lit with the fires of murder.

"Wait!  Don't kill me!"  Multiple cuts oozed blood from his face and beginnings of a swollen black eye were starting to appear.  His nose bled a stream of crimson.  Blue kept her fist drawn back, ready to end it if any tricks arose.  

"Why should I?"  Blue shouted in his face.  The coward tried to protect himself by covering his face with his arms.  "Because I know where they're going to take your mate!"  Blue sneered.  "How do I know you aren't lying just to save your skin filth?"  His eyes widened.  They were gleaming with fear.  "I have maps, names…I take a job and I keep records of everything!"  Blue punched him across the jaw.  Satisfaction at the feel and sound of the bone crack appeased her inner demons.  "Now you listen to me traitor!  I want everything you have on Dusk and whoever captured him, where's he's going and who arranged it.  Do you understand?"  River-Walker nodded with a pained expression.  A thought popped into Blue's head.  "I should just kill you now.  There'd be one less ball of crap out raping the world."  His jaws flew agape.  "You can't!  Everybody's gotta make a living somehow.  This is a dog eat dog world and I've made my place.  Sometimes we gotta do we can just to survive."  He paused to let his words sink in.  "You know the humans have us outnumbered, out everything!  We can't compare.  You have to choose a side and I'm not going be part of the losers.  They're the ones who end up slaves, just like you're-"  Blue punched him again, rendering the traitor unconscious.  Hatred boiled up deep within her heart.  The wolf's depravity nearly made her sick.  Lugging the unconscious body to the hole, she dumped him by the entrance and dropped down to her paws and knees.  It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, but after a moment's search, she found what she was looking for.  River-walker's pack.  Snatching it up from its resting place in the hollow, she threw it out the entrance and crawled back out.  Slinging the pack around her shoulders, Blue looked down at the almost pitiful body of River-walker, the man who sold out her mate and likely sent him to a life of slavery.  Bloodlust across her vision with an insatiable red curtain.  Blue clenched her fist so hard the claws cut into her flesh.  Beads of blood dropped from her fingers.  No.  She forced herself to look away.  It's not what Dusk would've wanted.  She knew that, and decided to respect his morals.  River-walker would have been dead by now if it weren't for Dusk.  If she'd never met the handsome young wolf, this bounty hunter and others like him would have been personally eviscerated for what they'd done.  What happened here, she remembered had happened once long ago in her past.  Damn hunters, they'll pay, but not in blood.  Blue sighed, beginning the long walk back to the sea wolves' domain.  

Not only had the world changed, but so had Blue.  Only a year ago nothing would have held her back from killing the coward River-walker.  What kept her claws from burying themselves in the hunter's throat, why they were memories.  Memories of Dusk.  He had always disdained killing…Killing without a purpose, without honor.  Blue had forgotten the wisdom of her ancestors, to destroy only what needed to be destroyed.  To hunt for food, to kill for defense.  Feeling sorrow and grief over the ending of a life, even if that life were of one's own enemy.  Pray for their souls, so that they may reach paradise and be born anew.  All these things and more had Dusk reminded her.  Inside of her heart,  Blue could feel some deep and nearly forgotten part of her awaken.  The sorrow and terrible anger of Dusk's loss had a profound effect.  What blue had thought hatred for those who stole her mate, was actually hope.  Dusk rekindled inside of Blue faith in paradise, for she had nothing else left in this world.  

If we're not meant to stay together, and I can't just lay down and die…I'll fight fate and destiny, tear them apart and open the doors to paradise!  Because… because well, I love you.

---

"Freeze!"  Blinded by the floodlights, Blaze blinked rapidly and turned his head away.  "Paws up wolf!"  A tide of human scent rushed by.  Blaze wrinkled his muzzle in a snarl.  Disgusting… Like their cities and homes so full of garbage and refuse, the humans themselves smelled like something pulled from the trash.  

"Blaze?"  A rough voice called out.  Looking back to the checkpoint, he saw a number of soldiers rushing to confront him, but beyond them was a wolf.  He was leaning against a black Humvee, waving.  The burning end of a cigarette, emitting a phantom glow was visible from the side of his muzzle.  

"Why aren't you wearing a collar wolf?"  Came an anonymous voice from the crowd of committee soldiers surrounding him.  Blaze could detect the fear scent rising from their smelly bodies for miles away.  Their rifles trembled in their hands, uncertainty shone in the whites of their eyes.  Blaze smiled.  Recruits.  Probably pissing in their pants by now, although he'd be able to smell it if they were.  One of them prodded the tip of his rifle against Blaze' back.  He snarled furiously.  

"Which one of you greenhorns is in command?"  The order was barked out harshly.  The crowd of soft soldiers parted to let in a single individual.  

"That would be me, now let me see your identification and license before my boys here punch you full of holes."  The commanding officer was an intimidating fellow.  Tall for humans…strong, a square jaw and steely glint in his eye.  Controlled grey hair, a scar going across one eye.  No matter.  Blaze lowered slowly one of his paws to check his pocket, aware of the recruits' twitching trigger fingers.  Blaze grinned.  

Rushing forward faster than the humans could blink, Blaze made for the officer who didn't even bat an eye.  He was far too busy reaching for his pistol.  Too late.  Delivering a couple punches to the man's chest, Blaze growled with satisfaction as he heard multiple cracks.  Kicking him sharply in the gut, the officer was knocked off his feet.  Skidding to a halt some meters away on the tough asphalt, he made one last effort to reach his pistol but soon became still.  The gun dropped from his fingers to bang against the street.  

"Commander!"  One of the soldiers tried running to his aid.  

"Stop!"  The checkpoint became dead silent.  "You, human.  Come here."  Blaze gestured to the soldier.  A look of horror swept across the human's face.  Blaze could barely stop himself from laughing.  "Y-yes?"  "Monkey, Open the door for me."  "What?"  Blaze growled.  "Don't be an idiot.  Look, you see?"  Pointing to the electric fence flanking two buildings that formed the checkpoint, understanding dawned on the soldier's face.  "B-but the c-commander said…"  In less than a single second Blaze was standing not one foot from the young man, eyes ablaze with fire.  "Are you challenging me?  The man fell backwards in fear.  "No, I'll do what you say!"  Scrambling back onto his feet, the young man ran like crazy toward the checkpoint building on the right.

"Blaze!"  It was the wolf from earlier, except he'd gotten rid of his cigarette.  
"Oh, it's you…"  The white wolf with a strip of brown fur running down his muzzle placed his paw on Blaze' shoulder.  "What?  Come on, we haven't seen each other in a couple years but I'm still your brother!"  The white wolf's eyes bore a good nature.  Blaze felt a chill run through him.  "Yeah… but Snow, when did you join the committee?"   Blaze shrugged off his brother's paw.  "Maybe a month or two after you."  An unreadable expression came across his brother's gold eyes.  "Oh, I see."  Snow picked his pocket for another cigarette.  Sending its end ablaze with a silver lighter, Snow bit on the other and drew a breath.  Horrid smelling smoke escaped Snow's nostrils into the cold night air.  Blaze coughed.  The other soldiers, not knowing what to do took their weapons and ran.  

Snow looked up to the dark sky.  

"They've had me do some pretty terrible things, but I don't regret becoming part of the committee."  Blaze didn't know what else to do but stand by and listen.  He'd never been very good at sensitive stuff, so he couldn't express how happy he was that his brother was alive and well.  "I mean, have you been paying attention to the world lately Blaze?"  Snow tore his gaze from the sky and smote his brother with his kindly golden eyes.  Blaze shook his head.  "Well, I have, and it seems like everything's just going insane… I mean, can you believe it?  The humans are practicing open slavery!"  Snow shook his head disdainfully.  "That could've been us and our families if we hadn't joined up."  Blaze snarled.  "I'd die fighting to ensure my family would be free of chains!"  Snow's eyes hardened.  "Is that right?"  He growled.  "Is fighting all you know?  They kill anyone who resists, and not only them, but their friends, their children…" Blaze' eyes widened in shock.  "The humans have never been this cruel!"  Snow continued to speak.  "They hate us!  I only learned a couple months back that this damned slave trade isn't new."  That caught Blaze by surprise.  "They've been doing it for decades, even before our kinds' secret was discovered."  Blaze was speechless.  "Whatever, I do what I have to do.  You can go now."  Snow pointed to the electric fence, which had been opened wide.  

Blaze looked down at the commanding officer.

"What about-"

"Relax, I'll tell the officials it was a rogue."  Snow smiled.  "Now you should be off, I know your family's probably missing you by now."  Blaze was perplexed.  "But how did you know?"  Snow smiled.  "Out of the two of us, I've always had a better nose, now go, and don't forget about me."  Snow sighed.  "I have a feeling we're all going to have to run one day.  The humans are falling apart."  Blaze nodded.  Snow turned his back and slowly walked away.  About to break into a run, emotion poked him in his heart.  Turning around, Blaze lunged at Snow and threw his arms around his brother in a hug.  Bewildered, Snow whipped around.  There was no one there.  Only Blaze' scent remained to remind his brother he was ever there.  "May paradise find you Blaze!"  On the other side of the fence, Blaze looked back.  A feeling of loss resounded deep inside of him, but he smiled and turned his eyes back to the long road.
---
"Ah!  Shade come quick!"  A pained howl came after her words.  Waking in an instant, Shade rolled from their shared bed and onto the floor.  

"Oof!"  He grunted.  "What's happening!  He shouted, leaping to his feet.  "Are we under attack?"  His mane was wild and he stood naked in the middle of the room.  Alisha limped from the bathroom, her pants wet.  Shade could sense a strange smell on the air.  "The baby."  She panted heavily, face contorted in pain.  "Shade our baby's coming now!"  Shade's jaw dropped in shock.  "What am I supposed to do?"  He panicked.  "Umm, I'll get the old lady."  He didn't know why he chose the old lady, instinct maybe?  Still naked he ran to the door and clutched the handle.  Throwing open wide the door he made as if to leave.  "Don't leave me Shade…"  Alisha whimpered.  He looked back, his eyes full of anxiety.  Throwing his head around the corner, Shade took a deep breath and howled.  The howl resonating with distress echoed across the hallway, causing all the tavern's tenants to open their doors and peek outside.  Shade stared at the confused faces until he could find his voice.  "We need a doctor in here, my mate's having a baby!"

"Okay dear, don't worry everything's going to be okay."  The tavern keeper whispered these words to Alisha who lay panting on the bed.  Shade stood by, watching nervously.  Alisha yelped sharply.  Shade rushed to her side and knelt by the bed.
  
"Honey, honey we're going to be parents."  His tone was proud and happy.  He stroked Alisha's paw soothingly.  She looked at Shade, her eyes glazing over in agony.  "I can see the baby's head, remember to push gently, gently."  The tavern keeper spoke up.  Alisha looked at her and then Shade.  Her muzzle twisted in a determined snarl.  "Alisha, we're going to be alright, soon we can leave the city!"  Shade continued to talk to his mate about their dream, about how their life could be.  "We'll be so happy Alisha, just think about it."  He licked his mate's cheek affectionately.  "Our house is going to be in the forest, like you've always wanted."  He didn't know it, but the tears leaking down Alisha's face were of joy.  "I'll build it, from logs or whatever you want, but it doesn't matter what it looks like because you, and the baby are all I'll ever need."  He licked her cheek again, crying as he imagined a life free of humanity's violence.  Alisha yowled loudly in pain.  "Imagine how happy we'll be Alisha?  Think of how happy the baby will be…How beautiful he…she will be?"  "The baby's almost here."  The tavern keeper piped up.  "Hear that Alisha?  Just push a little more and we'll be okay."  Alisha nodded.  Panting heavily, she howled.  "Alisha!"  And all was silent.  

In the silence of the night the beautiful voice of a pup whimpered and whined.  Alisha panted and laid her head down against the pillow.  She was exhausted.  Shade turned his head to the old tavern keeper and back to his resting mate.  Getting up from his knees, Shade made his way to the foot of the bed.  

"Your girl."  The old lady whispered, handing Shade a warm bundle.  Speechless he took a closer look.  Curious green eyes glinted from within the bundled blanket.  Those big beautiful round eyes took his breath away.  She was still a little slick and the scent of blood was in the air.  Despite the smell Shade could feel awe come over him.  His baby, his daughter had the most beautiful, rich golden fur.  Like her mother.  Her muzzle was delicate, as were her small little paws.  

"Alisha."  Shade whispered, coming around to the bed.  He smiled.  Happiness shone like a sun inside of him.  "Our daughter."  Carefully he gave Alisha their pup.  Jaw ajar in amazement of this tiny being before her, Alisha cradled her daughter lovingly.  Bringing her pup in closer to her face, Alisha spilt a few tears as their fur touched.  Alisha could feel the tiny snuffles of her daughter as she breathed in her mother's scent.  Extending a tiny tongue, the little wolf licked her mother on the nose.  "What do you want to name her?"  Shade asked his mate softly, resting his head against hers.  

"Rain."  She whispered quietly.  "Let's name her Rain."  "That's a beautiful name."  Shade whispered.  Their daughter was like rain, bringing life to the forest.  And like rain, was even more beautiful after the storm had passed and the scent of water and plant touched your nose.  Rain, having received her name reached with her small paws for her father.  Alisha brought Rain closer to Shade.  Experimenting with her new fingers, Rain reached out and grabbed her father's nose.