The Beast and His Tamer

Chapter 19: Cubs and Pups

Rhett stared at him. He didn't look one bit different from the werebear that he had known his whole life. Him and his brother used to play with him when they were all young. They used to travel through all parts of this forest, until they knew every rock and twig. When they got older, that didn't change. Although the Chakoa Pack didn't consume this ginormous forest, they still ventured past pack territory, seeing what they could find. It helped when they both got into leadership, too. They were able to expand their territory a lot during their reign.

He remembered all the good times with Odin, when they were young cubs and pups just running around, excited for everything new tree that smelt different. The fondest moments was just how much Odin laughed when he scared some humans away from their home, or just how high Gulliver would climb up a tree to see the sky. Rhett used to simply find the sunniest spot and lay in it. After all the running was over, there was no better feeling that basking in the warmth of the sun.

Gulliver and Odin were the closest over time. Gulliver took leadership over the east side of their territory, which was closest to where Odin lived. He always laughed with him, joking about how he wasn't fit with that huge belly of his. Rhett didn't know how Odin could handle all the jokes Gulliver threw his way. Instead of getting angry, like he did most of the time, he just laughed and gave him a playful punch.

Odin had even visited the pack a few times. He was there for Gulliver's wedding.

He was there for their parent's funeral.

"You attacked him," Rhett said, his face as cold as the stones in the winter. The same winter that took everything away from him that year. "The one who you considered a brother, the one who you said that you would tell everything to. You attacked him!"

"I did not know what I was doing!" Odin hollered back. It reminded him of the quarrels they would have as kids. Odin was the only one who had the gall to argue his point with Rhett and Gulliver. The werebear matched their strength when they were growing up, and he wasn't afraid to challenge their words when they disagreed. Their parents told them that it was a good thing, so that they didn't get too great of egos.

"Hmm," Sebastian snapped him out of his reverie. He felt like he had gone back in time in that little clearing. "So, you had it first, right when your wife and child disappeared..."

"Had what first?" Odin looked at him quizzically. Then he looked back at Rhett. "And since when do you travel with a human?"

"That human just saved your life," Rhett told him. "If it were just me, you'd have a much worse fate."

"Oh, for Pete's sake," Odin shook his head and fell back to the floor. "I don't have the energy for this."

"Do you have any recollection of hurting Gulliver?" Sebastian asked.

"No," Odin answered, giving an exhausted sigh. He rubbed his tired face. "All I remember is afterwards, when he was running away. I don't know what happened, but I would never in my right mind hurt him, Rhett. You should know that."

"I don't know you at all," Rhett told him. "You became a stranger the second my brother came back wounded and bloodied."

He wanted to hurt him. He wanted revenge for his brother. Gulliver was bloodied and battered that night he came back. Rhett remembered because it was also the first rain of the season, and he was rushing over as soon as he heard word. Genevieve was already so upset by it. But his brother would have nothing of it when he said that they should attack. That was a sign of war. Yet Gulliver just told him to wait.

"That's not the Odin we both know, Rhett," he told him. "He's grieving over the loss of his family."

"That doesn't give him a right to attack you!" he growled. "That is grounds for war."