The Alpha Female

SEVENTEEN: MISCONCEPTIONS

            “Suka?” He called out lightly, resting a hand on my shoulder.  “When you are ready to go, I’ll let you go.  We made a deal.  But right now you aren’t, and until then you are staying here.” I humphed in response.  “How about we go find something good to do, eh?”

            “Good as in…”

            “Do you want to ride my bicycle?”

            Taima huffed, his wolf searching the ground for any sign of Suka, a paw print, a scent or a scrap of hair, anything really.  So far the party had had no such luck.  They had been searching the bank for nearly two days and nothing had been found.  They had lined back up with her crossing point, but still there were no signs that showed that Suka had ever been there, but Taima knew that she had.  She had to have been there before, otherwise he didn’t know what he’d do.  It was looking bleak, she didn’t make it across the river.  Every lack of information and evidence of her making it across suggested that she hadn’t.  Taima feared for her.

            A low howl started further ahead.  Taima rolled his head back, letting out a mournful response before padding in the direction that Blyn had called from.

            There was already a circle of wolves standing before him as Taima reached a small leaf covered clearing.  Blyn looked back to him, his eyes downcast and wretched.  A light breeze flitted through the trees bringing an all too familiar scent to his nose.  Blood, and not just any blood, Suka’s blood.

            He pushed through the group, nudging the others out of the way before his eyes could fall onto the patch of ground that held no leaves, for they had been scratched away in a struggle.  Deep ruts were in the frosty ground, ruts from claws.  Dried blood sat in a thick puddle near the upper end of the cleared ground.  This couldn’t be happening.

            Taima leaped forward, over the patch of leafless ground before sniffing the air, looking for something, anything to give him a hint as to where Suka had been taken.  She could easily have been killed, but judging by the blood on the ground there was not nearly enough there to signify a death.  They had taken her, and now he would take their throats for it.

            Ahote was next to enter the small group of wolves.  His eyes didn’t even drift to the scene of the crime, instead he stared straight ahead, his nose twitching.  He turned tail and the others started to follow to return to the den.

            Taima spun around, infuriated.  Suka was still out there, he could feel it.   He shoved his way through the retreating party and stood before Ahote, a growl forming in his throat in challenge.  They would find her, and no one would turn back.

            Ahote looked down at him, not showing interest in the young wolf who was acting up.  Ahote’s head cocked to the side, his eyes downcast and on the young wolf who was quivering in rage.  His lips curled back to reveal his own teeth as his head lowered, accepting his challenge.  Blyn’s chuff broke them out of it, and Ahote out of his rage.

            The wolves turned, looking past the clearing to where Blyn stood.  A swatch of bloodied plaid fabric was half buried in the dirt. 

            Ahote shook himself off, snorting in Taima’s direction before starting over to the fabric to give it a good sniff.  Taima straightened himself, glaring at the party leader’s back. 

            Ahote’s head snapped up and to the wood, looking beyond seeing, sniffing the air.  And with that he started off in the direction of the humans.