Rise of the Makoce Pack

Chapter 3. Decisions

Now that I was warm, full, and fairly relaxed, I felt like sleep might come easily for me. Maybe. I slipped into some blue shorts and my favorite football jersey. It was a Christmas gift from my brother a couple years ago and the only thing I had left of him besides a few pictures and my memories. I snuggled deeply into the covers and willed myself not to think about the sadness, the unending wails and cries from those in mourning. I closed my eyes tight and exhaled hard. I had closed off my pack link for a bit just to get some peace, I had my own mourning to do and feeling the sadness of so many has nearly broken me. I slowly begin to feel myself drift away as I laid in bed taking slow, deep breaths to relax myself....

The sun was setting in the woods and individual beams of yellow, orange, and red danced off the trees. A pack of wolves silently ran along a well beaten path. Nearby animals downwind of the pack ran for cover before they could become dinner. Flashes of brown, black, tan, copper rust, white, and gray could be seen as the pack ran with purpose and grace. The sound of a tree falling suddenly had the pack reeling to stop, claws digging into the earth, muscles locking up at the sight and sound of a massive oak that creaked and groaned as it came down, almost as if it hurt to fall. The Alpha barks orders over his shoulder to warn the rest of the pack, but a few can't stop themselves, they are running too fast and now they face being crushed by the massive oak. The Alpha looks on, fur bristled, eyes wide with horror, barking madly at the wolves racing obliviously ahead.
The Alpha has three choices, let the few who cannot stop themselves die, save only the rest of the pack and get them to safety, or attempt to save the wolves who cannot stop. Seconds tick by that feel like eternity, some wolves are already howling the lose, others cower and hide their faces in their paws, while still others look on with hunger in their eyes, and finally some look as if they're ready to jump in and save the day whining and pacing. The Alpha hesitates, the pack looks on; watching, waiting, expecting. The sound of the massive oak grows louder, it sounds like thunder, the earth shakes, the sun is temporarily blotted out and there the Alpha stands..

I suddenly jolt upwards as I wake with a start. Drenched in sweat and gasping for breath I realizes that I'm crying. I wipe the tears with the heel of my hands and tried to stop but I can't. I cry for the ones who sacrificed themselves for the pack, I cry for my father who promised his life for the security of many, and for my brother who bravely hid me among the chaos only to run back into it again never to return, and for my mother who fought for everything and everyone she loved. She would never allow herself to sit back and watch things unfurl, joining the fight was instinct but she never returned from battle. I throw the covers off and open the door to the balcony overlooking the compound. Stars dot the sky by the billions, twinkling, dancing, blinking away in the night sky while the moon hung high and bright like a beacon. Almost as a promise of the returning sun. I desperately try to catch my breath, my knuckles grasping the railing for dear life, turning white with my need to steady myself. I suddenly feel my wolf trying to claw her way to the surface, seeking the solace of the woods and the feel of the soil beneath her paws. So instead of fighting it, I decide to give in to the sweet pain of the shift. I feel every bone break, every muscle tear, every bit of smokey gray fur sprout my body as the woman becomes the wolf and I launch myself over the railing and land with quiet grace. The patrols are still doing their sweeps and I nod to those I pass by. I rest in the fact that I'll be within easy reach of the pack, I trust them with my life. Despite everything, despite the doubts and murmuring I trust each member of my pack without a shadow of a doubt. As I run,the grass gives way to dirt and fallen leaves as I enter the woods and it doesn't take long to hear the scampering of rabbits and other forest critters in the underbrush, but I'm not here to hunt I'm here to run. I race through the woods turned off to pain and emotion, my wolf blocking everything but pure animal instinct. It almost feels better this way I think to myself, I let her take complete control and I allow myself to slip deeper into our shared mind. As I'm lost in the primal instinct of my wolf I come to an abrupt stop. Before our eyes lay a massive oak tree and judging by the packed dirt in the roots that are sticking out of the earth it's only recently fallen. My thoughts race back to my dream as I stare in wonder and fear at the tree in front of me. My wolf mentally nudges me, "Casey, it looks like we have a decision to make."