The next week is busy.
Reports of scouts encountering aggressive rogues. Even angry humans, armed with guns.
Three wolves are lost in the resulting skirmishes, and several are injured. While many heal within a day or two, some have spent the rest of the week in our hospital. Not all wolves heal quickly.
The snow crunches under my boots as I trudge forward, my breath visible in the frigid air. Marcus and Greg flank me in their human forms while five other wolves circle our perimeter, their thick winter coats blending with the snow-covered landscape.
"There's another pocket ahead." My voice comes out raspy from the cold. "About fifty yards to the right of that fallen pine."
Marcus nods, his dark eyes scanning the treeline. "Same protocol as usual?"
"Yes. Keep your distance when I start the purification."
