Wolf Winter

Chapter 21

The New Moon Light Gathering, as I later found out it was called, was buzzing with activity. From on the top of the hill where we waiting for Alpha Tina and Alpha Rook to head down, I could see lots of other wolves; their scents all mixed together and wafting up from the glade in which the meeting took place. We were all behaving as if we were composed and calm but on the inside we just wanted to bounce around in excitement. I swear I kept seeing the shadowy figure of a loner following me on the way to the New Moon Gathering but I brushed it off as just nerves.

Holly kept glancing over her shoulder nervously as we stood waiting - which concerned me. She hadn't said a word all the way there and her tail had been kept low to the ground. I was worried about her; she had been excited at the news that she was coming to the New Moon Gathering and yet...she was acting like there was a grizzly standing behind her. Suddenly, my attention was turned back to the Alphas as they walked down the slope, tails held high in confidence and the rest of the Pack exploded down the hillside - running as if they were part of the wind. Shadow, Lupin and Lara ran on ahead and so did Holly after a quick glance over her back.  I took a deep, calming breath and I trotted down, my held high, after Tina. 

The glade in which the Gathering took place was buzzing with activity; wolves were everywhere, either clumped in groups talking, sharing pack news or pacing around - looking for one wolf or another. There was a large hill in the middle with lots of rocks on it and some wolves were each sitting on one rock per wolf. There were several unfamiliar scents wafting around, and so I decided that it wouldn't harm to follow a couple and see who they belonged to. Lupin was with a bunch of other apprentices, but when she noticed me, she beckoned me over with a tilt of her head. I walked over, making sure to keep my claws out all the while so that they wouldn't evoke any hatred between me and them.

"And they tumbled down!" exclaimed Lupin, her tail wagging madly as her audience stood there, open-mouthed. "All the rest of us saw was a ball of black and silver fur bouncing down the bank until finally - they were gone from view! I was lucky that she had intervened - if she hadn't.... I am not sure I would be here."

From what I heard, it sounded like she was talking about me and Holly when I had intervened to save Lupin. I sat beside Lupin, keeping my face composed and sitting up straight, smiling gently in embarrassment. One of the apprentices, suddenly started bouncing up and down on the spot as if they couldn't contain themselves.

"So, what happened next, Lupin?!" the bouncing apprentice called, who finally stopped bouncing enough to ask their question. With a smile, Lupin turned to me; her eyes gleaming from a rush of excitement by telling her account of what happened. Then, all eyes were on me and they begged me to tell them what had happened once I had disappeared. Did I get injured? With a slight chuckle of amusement, I finished off the tale and ended it with me blacking out. Out of nowhere, Holly melted out of the crowd, smiling at us - but the other Pack apprentices were not pleased. In fact, they began to growl and shout awful comments to her. I was horrified; it seemed we had painted a evil picture of her.

"Get out of here, you elk-brained bully!"
"Scram, dog! You aren't welcome here!"
"If it wasn't for the New Moon Truce I would've attacked you by now and ripped that pitch black fur off of you!"
"Who do you think you are?! Just because you're Adeline's daughter doesn't mean you can attack your cous-!"

The last comment was abruptly cut off by Lupin and the other apprentices, who all gathered round the apprentice who had spoken.

"Be quiet, BreezeThrush!"
"Shut up or next time we meet - I might accidentally kill you!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" cried the apprentice named BreezeThrush and he ran off in a panic, his head low to the ground as if he were omega. Then the other Pack's apprentices broke off, forming a semi circle around Holly, their teeth bared in disgust and growling slightly in a fashion that meant back off. The comments started up again.

"What are you staring at?! Get away from here!"
"You don't belong with them! You are a monster! No wonder you were abandoned!"
"I hope we meet in battle - then I can purposely hurt you!"
"Stay away from Whisper and Lupin - you have done enough damage!"
"What's the matter, ilshik (wolf killer)?! Scared of us?!"

Holly's ears pinned back in alarm. Her green eyes became huge but were soon in slits. She narrowed her eyes at them: looking from one to the other of them, as if she was sizing them up in a battle. A snarl started up in her throat, her fangs became visible and the hunger for blood came into her eyes. I tried desperately tried to catch her eye but she purposely never looked in my direction; all I could do was back away a few steps with Lupin and let her deal with them. Suddenly, chaos broke out as Holly leaped at the apprentice in the middle of the semi circle. The other apprentices leapt on the two, getting involved in the fight to protect their Pack mate or friend. All I saw was several fur colours in a whirl, teeth and claws flying in all directions.

Suddenly, a loud series of whines and yelps broke out of the whirlwind of fighting apprentices as they attacked Holly as one. Holly cried out in pain as the apprentices all began tearing into her. Before I could stop myself and before Lupin could stop herself too, we leapt into the fight - not hurting anyone but we began snapping at the air in front of the other apprentices' necks to drive them away. I snarled especially loudly and arched my back, fur on end and standing in front of a severely injured Holly. Lupin stood in front of us; baring her teeth. Suddenly, four wolves, including our Pack's Alphas, strode through the group of gathered adult wolves that had been watching the fight take place. The apprentices backed off and I let my fur down and my back unbend. Lupin looked behind her then began crawling towards us; her eyes full of remorse and guilt. Holly had sustained a bite wound to the side and one of the apprentices must've reopened her scar on her shoulder from Lara as her front right leg was covered in blood. I looked up at the Alphas, my ears down, desperately catching Tina's eye to show that I hadn't started it; that I had got involved to save Holly.

"Who started this disgraceful display of blood, tooth and claw?" commanded one of the Alphas from another pack at the front. "The New Moon Truce is in place for a reason." No one responded, so he began to repeat himself.

"I'll ask again. Who-?" Before he could ask again, Holly got to her paws and looked at the male Alpha. She raised her tail and locked eyes with him - taking responsibility for something that the other apprentices had began!

"It was me, Sir." she answered, her voice unbreaking. "My name is Holly and I caused it. I made an attack and broke the Forest Rules of the New Moon Light Gathering. I am deeply ashamed of myself and I am sorry." She whined and looked at her paws, her eyes a little bit damp as if she was going to cry. I watched on in shock; why was Holly taking responsibility for something had been provoked? I was about to say as much when Tina locked eyes with me, telling me to stay silent and that she would ask me after about what happened.

"Holly, you have broken the Truce. I am not going to ask why - but you will be punished for it." boomed the Alpha. "I, Tornado, Alpha of the North Wind Pack, punish you by not letting you sit here in the glade of Truce. You shall sit on the outskirts, on your territory's hill and not come back down until the Gathering is finished." With a glare and a strong nip on the ear, he sent Holly away. She scurried off, limping as she did. I was horrified and I glared at the sniggering apprentices. How dare they?

I shared a look with Lupin and we both knew that they weren't the ones to blame; it had been our own fault. If we hadn't have told them about the time when she tried to kill me then she wouldn't have been bullied or got into that fight. I felt very guilty.