Hunter In Blood

Best Idea Ever

"I'm going north."

Sergei realized he'd said it out loud and immediately sniffed the air for any signs of danger. None. He was alone. 

The Alpha of the Pack of Secrecy hadn't seen another wolf in days. He was still searching for a mate, but how could he hope to ever find one if he was traveling north?

Sergei shook his dark grey mane. His paws had led him here and he trusted his instincts better than his judgement. His battle with Poisonsight had proved that.

But why exactly was he going north. Most of the forest was behind him now and the trees were growing farther and farther apart by the pawstep. He was still in his own territory but Poisonsight never bothered to send any guards this far north because there was no threat here. 

Except for a certain rogue pack.

No, Sergei told himself. That's just a myth. The Pack of Wastelands is just a puppy's tale. 

A twig snapped. Sergei's ears instinctively lay flat against his skull, his lips parted over his teeth as he crouched down, fur bristling. The sound had come from his left. Sergei narrowed his eyes, trying to see past the tree trunks.

"Hey there!" 

Sergei jumped a full tail-length off the ground. He nearly tripped as he whirled around, snarling his heart out. 

But then he stopped. 

"Sorry!" the wolf yipped, halting beside a tree. "Didn't mean to startle you!"

She was a mix of black and white splashes, streaked here and there with rivulets of brown, with one white and one black ear set atop a mostly white face that framed wide aqua-blue eyes.

 Sergei had never seen any wolf like her.

"Sorry," she said again, her tail wagging from side to side. "It's been a long time since I've talked to another wolf! Are you from around here? Wait, am I trespassing on pack territory? Oh dear, what rule did I break this time? I'm really, really sorry, I didn't know someone was here! I'll get out of your way and never return - "

"Who are you?" Sergei interrupted, staring at her face. The blue in her eyes was like the color of a lake on a clear day.

"Oh, I'm just a wandering wolf. Don't mind me! I don't want any trouble, so I'll be on my way - "

"What's your name?" Sergei asked, his tone a little more firm. 

"Medina," the black, white, and brown wolf answered. "I'm really, really sorry."

"Don't be." Sergei took a step closer and, when Medina didn't move, padded around her, taking in the color of her pelt and the sweet smell of her fur. 

This was the one.

"My name's Sergei." He sat down where she could see him. "I'm...a rogue too," he lied.

Medina tilted her head. "Really? I've never seen you before."

Sergei shrugged. "I was recently kicked out of my pack."

"What for?"

"Challenging my Alpha."

Medina nodded knowingly. "My mother tried to challenge my former pack's Moon but she failed. As punishment, the Alpha banished me."

"You? Why not your mother."

"They thought it would be enough torture for her. But Versia didn't care. The pack ended up banishing both of us." Medina paused. "I don't know where she is anymore."

Sergei dipped his head slightly. "I'm sorry for your loss. What your Alpha did was unfair." Sergei thought for a moment, then added, "What's the name of your pack?"

"The Pack of Slayers."

Sergei flicked his ears. "That's close by."

"Yeah. I don't know where else to go. What about you?" Her eyes shone with curiosity. "What pack are you from?"

"The Pack of Secrecy."

Medina's eyes stretched even wider. "I heard a lot about them back when I was still in the pack. You guys are the stealthy types, aren't you?" She wagged her tail playfully. "You looked pretty surprised when I snuck up on you though."

Normally, Sergei would've snapped her neck for insulting him. Instead, he found himself laughing.

"Guess that's why I decided to become a rogue," he barked.

There was a short, comfortable silence between them. Then Sergei spoke.

"Is it lonely? Being a rogue, I mean."

Medina looked at her paws. "Yes. I've been alone for months now. Escaping the winter, searching for food, avoiding other packs."

"You don't have to be alone." 

Sergei stared hard at Medina until she finally raised her head and met his eyes. He noticed that her nose was a lighter color than his.

"I'm a rogue. You're a rogue. We could look out for each other. I know these parts pretty well since we're on the outskirts of Secrecy territory. We could work something out."

Medina only stared at him. Sergei felt his heart sink. Was he wrong? Was she not the right one?

"I understand if you don't want to - "

"That's the best idea ever!" she barked, wagging her tail so hard it was a semicircle blur behind her. "It'd be great to have company! Finally, someone to talk to, someone to joke with, someone to play tag...."

She went on and on and Sergei just kept smiling at her. He would have to tell her at some point, that he was not a rogue but an Alpha. 

But all of that could wait. 

For now, he just wanted to be himself again.