The wind blew hard across the field and the fire flames seemed to roar with passion as the flicks ranged from orange to blue colours. She stared long into the pits of the fire, her desire to learn about the packs' history growing in her.
This was her favourite part of the bonfire, this was her favourite part of the Claw Pack, their history and traditions. She knew that history wasn't all that it seems, she knew the roots went deeper and her curiosity only grew with every story she heard. She knew history could also be altered in the means of propaganda and how it could be manipulated to only serve its purpose to those with greedy desires.
There were always two sides to the story, she always compared it to how fairy tales were told. How they wanted you to hear specific parts, how they would create this magical land and magical creatures that lived together in peace and harmony. She knew it was never about what happened but about how it happened.
And in her pack, they told the stories of how it happened. The elders in her pack were wise and filled with stories that would keep her tamed for the next three winters. They were storytellers, each telling a story based on their perspective, how they saw what happened. The elders were made up of old warriors, doctors and few Heads, and every year they would tell a story through their eyes
And Alanis seemed to have picked a good year to come as this year it was Elder Wilton's turn. He was the oldest out of the group, three centuries old. He was a warrior and she always thought he told the best stories.
Footsteps echoed in the field and it grew quiet with only the wind howling away. They all rose at the ting scent of wood and cinnamon, their head slightly bowing in respect at the elders who sat down on the ground in front of the pack. The pack followed behind The Heads and the chatter once again started. She snuggled into Nicco as a shiver ran up her spine as she watched how the elders conversed amongst themselves but her eyes were on Elder Marcus Wilton.
How his gold-brown eyes gazed over the pack, his grey hair that floated across his back now being blown slightly with the harsh wind and she couldn't help but be in awe of the man. He was three centuries old but to her, he looked like he was 50.
His hands reached out towards the fire in comfort before he broke the chatter, "Many names knew us, some called us pelts, some only remembered our sharp claws not like they couldn't, they left marks".
Laughter broke through the field and Alanis could feel herself ease into the story, into his warm words and she almost forgot why she never came back.
Almost.
"We weren't known for our skills in battle, we didn't strike fear into the enemy because of our names. No, they feared us just by the pelts of our coats and no enemy would dare argue for surely they would meet defeat but one enemy dared and till this day succeeded in bringing great pain to my home".
He stood up in determination but his gaze never faltered from the fire, "I was but a young warrior who had just entered the ranks and that's when it began. Wolves' started disappearing, first the females then the males. One by one before groups would suddenly vanish. No one knew what was brewing and we all feared the unknown, scared that our loved ones would disappear while we slept in the room next door",
"The enemy was never seen or heard. There was never a scent and that's when the alpha issued a curfew, a lockdown, no one was allowed to be out after sunset except for the troops that he had doubled at the borders. He banned travels and even to lengths of headcount every night".
He finally looked away from the fire and Alanis could see how much pain he still felt from what happened and it made her wonder if he lost someone to the unknown enemy.
"This worked for some time but it did nothing but increase our worry. And soon wolves started getting sick, every day there was a new patient. Wolves- we can get sick but it was rare, considered a myth to some of us. The doctors could not figure out what the problem was and the disappearances started again", and she knew immediately that he had lost someone.
"The patients that were admitted would soon disappear. The pack panicked as the last patient to disappear was the Alpha's daughter, the heir. There was no way to reach them, it was like a wall between them and us. We knew they were still alive but we dreaded the wait", his forehead creased and he stared deep into the flares.
"That was until young Josephine. She was one of the victims who had disappeared and she somehow managed to escape the place and made it back to the pack. Everyone was on edge and the other packs wanted nothing to do with us, afraid that what happened to us would happen to them", his fist clenched at the memory.
"We all waited for her wake, everyone coming up with their own scenarios but we weren't prepared for what she told us", he shook his head as he walked around the flames, "she woke up and when asked what happened… she said that she didn't remember anything but a simple voice calling her. They asked her how she escaped and she said she remembers waking up in the forest and the same voice telling her to go home".
Silence filled the field and Alanis waited in anticipation for him to continue.
"And we had to accept that, she was our lead but also our end. We hoped that the rest would return. We assumed that they had to wipe her memory and the alpha had ordered our one of our doctors to make a mixture that would protect our minds from such forces", he huffs closing his eyes, " and soon enough they started returning, all with the same conclusions as Josephine but some sadly did not".
"Years passed and the Alpha called off the search and he moved the pack to the Zairian Mountains not wanting anyone to harm us again. We have been here for many decades and to this day, no one knows what happened to those wolves. They were many questions but no answers, questions that we Claws couldn't even comprehend".
Everyone was silent and my brain was burning up with questions and it needed answers. What if after they left, more wolves came back but they found no one? Were they rogues now? What kind of enemy kidnapped wolves without a trace? And what did he do to them?
She felt unsettled, her head buzzed with the number of questions that raced in her head while her wolf's spirit thrummed in her body and she felt herself sink into her warmth, "you okay Crow?" she smiled giving him a nod, before walking towards the table feeling her throat go dry.
Her breathing deepens and her body heats up under a gaze, her eyes adjust to the night and she scans the field, looking for the culprit. She sighs when the feeling of being watched disappears and she drinks from her cup.
Her wolf's warmth grows and she feels the sudden need to go for a run, her wolf encouraging her every step of the way. Shivering again she pulled her coat tighter to her body and listened to her wolf as she sent her own emotions through her.
Her excitement comes off in ways and she sinks further into the woods behind the field. Her feet picking up speed as seconds pass and soon enough she could hear the echo of her bones cracking and knocking into the right shape. Her clothes are shredded as she follows her wolf's instinct, who pushes further into the woods.
She could feel her wolf push her back into her cave and she lets her, trusting in her wolf also feeling sudden fatigue come onto her. She watches as her wolf trudge near a small river and she hears a growl. The growl was a warning to anyone intruding, but her wolf ignores the warning walking up to the wolf.
She notices how the wolf's fur is a dark black like hers but under the moonlight, it seems midnight blue and her wolf couldn't help but whimper at the beauty before her.
The wolf growls at her again, but she ignores him as she closes the gap between them rubbing her fur against his and she yelps at the vibrations he gives her. He growls one more time but her wolf didn't mind, she wanted him to growl all he wanted as long as he knew she wasn't going anywhere.
The silence grows between them and her wolf looks up into his eyes. His tongue runs over her fur and one word runs through her mind.
Mate.