The forest they entered next was just as dreary-looking, but it at least seemed to be more occupied. It was rich with prey-scents that made Libby's mouth water, and birdsong filled the air. The Pack the land belonged to saw border markers as a big deal, judging by how many there were.
The trio had eaten in the Smith's territory, being permitted to hunt there before moving on. However the single rabbit they'd eaten hadn't filled Libby's stomach as much as they'd liked.
Now, Dreven was playing it safe. Instead of crossing straight through the new Pack's territory, they walked along the border. This would mean that they'd have to take a quite large detour, but it would probably be better in the long run.
After a day, they finally left behind the new Pack's territory, and Dreven allowed them another rest.
Libby curled up and soon fell asleep, their paws feeling as though they might fall off. Almost as quickly as they had closed their eyes, they were awoken by Red Spirit.
"Dreven wants us to move on."
Libby yawned widely and blinked. The moon was high in the sky and crickets chirped. "Already?" They didn't feel well-rested at all.
The old Leader approached. "We're almost at Deep Hollow territory. Just a little stretch from here."
Much to Libby's reluctance, the trio moved on. After a bit of walking near another Pack's territory, they halted. Libby inhaled. A new, musky smell belonging to yet another stranger Pack filled their nose.
"Deep Hollow," Dreven pointed out. "This is where their territory begins."
Libby observed their surroundings. The part of the forest they were about to enter looked a bit richer in color and less depressing than that of the Smith's, but not by much. It had a thick undergrowth and many red and yellow-colored leaves scattered on the ground.
"Come on, we're going straight through their territory to their rendezvous," Dreven said before leading them. "If I can locate it. It has been a while since we've last been here."
Libby once again lamented having to walk with their painful paws, but they continued without complaining nonetheless. Instead, they asked, "So you're sure this Pack will help us?"
Dreven nodded calmly. "I've known their Leader for a while..."
"They've been our friends in the past," Red Spirit added.
"I thought Packs usually minded their own business?" Libby pointed out.
"True," Dreven said, "but that doesn't mean we can't have friends in other Packs. So long as we know where our loyalties lie."
Libby twitched an ear and was about to respond when the dirt grew soft beneath their paws. Branches snapped. The leaf-coverings of the ground gave way. They fell into a deep pit with a yell.
"Libby!" Dreven shouted.
"Are you okay?" called Red Spirit.
Libby tried to ignore the ache in their side from where they had landed. Dreven's and Red Spirit's worried faces stared down into the pit. Libby found themself surrounded on all sides by the pit's walls, except for a tunnel that appeared to lead into pure darkness.
Libby looked back up. "Um, yes. I think I'm okay, just a little sore."
"We'll find a way to get you out of there!" Red Spirit called.
"Wait there," Dreven said.
Not like I'm going anywhere, Libby thought grumpily. They planted their front paws against the steep walls of the pit, but it was too high to jump out of. Tree roots jutted randomly out of the walls, but none of them looked strong enough to hold their weight if they were to climb.
Libby tried to relax, but the question of who'd put a trap here lingered in their mind. Maybe this Deep Hollow Pack isn't so peaceful after all...
Suddenly, sounds could be heard from the round tunnel-hole in the pit's wall. Libby noted that it was just large enough for a single adult wolf to walk through if they held their head low.
"Hello?" Libby called quietly. "Who's there?"
Without a moment's warning, a large gray wolf emerged from the tunnel. His brown eyes glared furiously as he started to circle Libby.
"Thought you could infiltrate us, huh?"
Libby opened their mouth to shout for Dreven and Red Spirit. Before they could, the gray wolf stuffed a hairless pelt into their mouth as a gag before pressing their jaws into the ground. "Better not call for help!" The gray let out a soft but menacing chuckle. "You're coming with me."
He grabbed them by the scruff and pulled them into the darkness. Libby struggled and whimpered; pain searing through their body as they were too old to be dragged by the scruff like this. But the wolf did not relent, and Dreven and Red Spirit were nowhere to be found. Soon, only darkness engulfed them.
Libby hoped their eyes would eventually get used to the blackness surrounding them, but it was no use. The large wolf simply hauled them over the rocky ground of the tunnel. It seemed to be an entire system of tunnels, judging from the various scents, yet he seemed to know exactly which ones to take.
Finally, Libby started to make out shapes. At first they thought their eyes might've adjusted to the darkness after all, but soon they realized that the end of the tunnel had an orange-yellow glow. They entered a larger, well-lit central cave. Several torches along the walls had been set alight to illuminate the room.
At last, the large gray wolf set them ungracefully down on the ground. Libby tried to escape , but two moments later a few more wolves came and bound their front legs together using a strap of leather. The gray male from before roughly removed the hairless pelt from their mouth, nearly triggering Libby's gag reflex, and tied another strap of leather around their jaws. After that, the three adults vanished into another tunnel
Libby could now finally peer around thanks to the light of the torches. Many tunnel-openings led into the larger cave, and there were several levels of boulders in it. Numerous wolves of various sizes and ages were roaming about the cavern. Some were eating around a fire pit. Others lay on the ledges carved into the stone walls, and some larger wolves seemed to be on guard, rigidly fixating on the many exit points.
There are so many more wolves here than in Dark Stones... Libby realized. They also noticed that, though the wolves all looked different, a lot of them had dull pelt colors, mostly grays and browns and a few blacks here and there. Some had their fur caked with mud and dirt, making their main pelt color even harder to tell. The guards appeared to be wearing armor, however, all of it was made out of tough-looking leather rather than metal.
The large gray male appeared in front of them again. "You done staring?" he growled.
Libby couldn't respond.
The stranger let out a bark and some of the wolves walking about looked at him. One of them, a black wolf with a mud-caked coat who appeared of no discernible gender, approached.
"What is this?" they asked, tilting their head. It was striking to see that they had one orange and one blue eye. It reminded Libby of Dreven's mismatched eyes, though neither of these seemed to blind.
"I found this one in one of our trap pits, Rose," grumbled the gray." Maybe it's Army scum. I say we put them out of their misery."
Rose eyed their captive. Libby tried to read any expression on the they-wolf's face, but none could be found. Finally, Rose turned back to their companion. "I don't think we should do anything yet, Caderyn. Seems unlikely the Army would send someone so young and scrawny. Also, they don't smell like the Southlands."
"Well, whatever Pack they're from, they shouldn't be here!" snarled Cadeyrn.
Rose made a noncommittal grunt. "We should present them to the Leader."
Libby's eyes widened. Despite Dreven mentioning this Pack as friendly, they didn't seem so at all. Maybe the situation with the Army made them change! They tried once more to wriggle free, but it was no use. They were at these wolves' mercy.
Rose eyed them again with their piercing gaze. "No use to struggle, honey. We won't do anything to you yet. It's up to our Leader to decide."They gestured to another wolf nearby. "Convel, come and help your brother escort this prisoner to the Leader."
Libby glanced over at the new wolf. At first Libby thought he'd just been sitting in an awkward position, but as the wolf moved closer to them they noticed that his hindquarters, legs and tail included, were all dragging over the ground. Convel had a gray coat, and his eyes had a distinct grass-green color.
"I'll help, Rose," Convel said with a nod.
Cadeyrn walked over to Libby and once more grabbed them by the scruff. Libby let out a muffled whine.
Convel grabbed one of their hind legs between his jaws, much gentler, and together the wolves started to move into yet another one of the dark tunnels. Libby had given up on protesting by now and just let it happen.
Cadeyrn moved slower than before to make up for Convel's two-legged, dragging tread, but the duo still managed to drag them quite quickly into the tunnel. This one wasn't long, however, and soon they ended up in another cave hall lit by torches.
Cadeyrn and Convel put Libby down again, the latter much gentler than the former. After that, they both settled down at their sides. They looked up at a large ledge in the cave, with smaller rocks like steps leading up to it. Libby saw a silhouette lying there, but it was hard to make out how exactly it was positioned. Was it even a wolf?
"Leader," said Cadeyrn, "we caught someone in one of our traps."
An eerie voice sounded from the top of the ledge. Smooth and silky, yet light, as if his voice had never quite deepened as much as it should have if he were a cis male. "Is it from the Army?"
It. Libby liked gender neutral pronouns, but they didn't take kindly to being referred to as an "it". They frowned but didn't struggle.
"Not likely, sir," said Cadeyrn.
"They smell like they're from the Midlands," Convel's gentler voice added.
Finally, the form on the ledge moved, and Libby could now clearly make him out for the first time.
He was definitely an elderly wolf, however one unlike any they had ever seen. Instead of having a coat, all this undersized wolf had was a pale pinkish skin covered in scars and liver spots. His two notched ears were oversized, or just appeared so due to the lack of fur. His eyes were a bright purple color. What also stood out to Libby was that he was wearing a cloak made out of many rabbit pelts strung together. They presumed it was to keep him warm.
The Leader of Deep Hollow narrowed his purple eyes. "And who might you be?"
Libby didn't even bother responding. It wasn't as if they could, anyway.
"Oh, let me help you with that," Convel said, before using one of his front paw nails to pull off the strap.
Libby tried not to let their fear for this new Leader show. "I'm Libby. And I am not from the Army."
"Oh, you're not?" said the furless Leader. "Well, then, I assume you're here to hunt on our land?"
"No!" Libby said. "We're here for a peace mission!"
"Peace mission?" Cadeyrn said scornfully.
"Cadeyrn, please," scolded the Leader before turning back to the captive. "There's more of you?"
Libby hesitated. Would telling these wolves about Dreven and Red Spirit put them in danger? But there was no going back now.
"Yes," Libby admitted. "My Leader and my mentor. We're here with no ill intentions, honest."
"Are you really?" The Leader flicked one of his torn ears.
Libby nodded. "We're from the Pack of Dark Stones. And we've come to--"
"Dark Stones?" Instantly the Leader's disposition changed. His suspicious expression made way for a surprised one.
"Um, yes." Libby hoped that this was a step in the right direction.
"Is Dreven with you?" the Leader inquired.
Libby remembered Dreven mentioning having friends in this Pack. Maybe, despite their initial hostility, Deep Hollow hadn't forgotten this after all?
"Yes," they confirmed. "And Red Spirit, if you know them as well. We mean no harm, really. We're here on a mission and haven't hunted in your territory."
The bald Leader got up and walked down his steps until he was in front of Libby. He sniffed them briefly. "You're not lying. You carry their scent." He turned to Cadeyrn and Convel. "Well, untie them...she? He?"
"Them." Libby didn't even think before responding.
"Them," said the Leader.
"Right, sir!" Convel bit through the leather straps around Libby's front paws. Libby flexed their claws and slowly got up. They still felt sore from being dragged over the hard floor of the caves.
"Excuse my manners," said the Leader after they were back on all fours, "I didn't introduce myself yet. My name is Light Spirit. I'm the Leader of the Pack of Deep Hollow, as you probably already know."
Libby nodded. "I am Libby of Dark Stones." They knew they'd introduced themself before, but now sounded like a much better, more official moment.
"Pleased to meet you. You wouldn't happen to know where Dreven and Red Spirit are?"
"Uh, no. I fell into your pit which caused us to be separated." Libby couldn't help but shoot Cadeyrn a nasty glance. The wolf narrowed his eyes menacingly but made no further movement.
"Oh, excuses for that as well. We've just amped up security to an all-time high. With the Army lurking about getting ready to strike we can't be too careful. We've had a few of their wolves cross our territory in the past and it wasn't pretty."
"Same with Dark Stones," Libby confessed. "That's why we're here, actually."
"Oh, this is ridiculous. Cadeyrn, Convel, get a search party to look for my friends from Dark Stones, will you? Dreven is gray-and-white, and the other a they-wolf with a white coat and red eyes. And be quick about it!"
"But is it safe to leave you here alone with...them?" Cadeyrn protested before gesturing at Libby with his muzzle.
"I can take care of myself," Light Spirit said dryly.
"Um, right, sir." Cadeyrn left the cave quickly with Convel dragging himself after his brother, both soon vanishing out of sight. Libby felt a little relieved to have the former gone. Convel seemed decent enough, but Cadeyrn's hot temper had seemed to sour the atmosphere in the entire cave.
"I must admit it's been a year or so since I last encountered a Dark Stones wolf. I'm old friends with Dreven and I know Red Spirit, but outside of that I have little knowledge of their current members. Outside of that rotten one, Snow-white. And Brighten of course."
Libby's ears perked up at the last name, before they instinctively drooped. They quickly hoped they could recover themself, but Light Spirit had clearly noticed.
"What's wrong?" His purple eyes narrowed.
Libby sighed. "Brighten...died some moons ago. In a conflict with the Army."
Light Spirit froze and then seemed to sway on his legs a little as his gaze darkened. "No... That can't be true."
Libby looked regretful. "He was a hero. He was killed protecting me and my brother."
Light Spirit squeezed his eyelids shut and flattened his ears in his neck. "No!" he barked. "No. No. No! No!!" With each wail he stamped on the ground with a forepaw. "Not him..."
"You were...close?" Libby couldn't help but pry.
Light Spirit let out a sob as he sat down and wrapped his cloak tightly around himself. "Yes..."
An awkward silence filled the air. Libby wanted to know more, but decided not to press the matter. Light Spirit clearly needed time to grieve.
After what seemed like an eternity, pawsteps entered through the tunnel from which Cadeyrn and Convel had left. Rose appeared from the shadows, followed by two other silhouettes whom Libby soon recognized.
"Dreven!" They yipped excitedly. "Red Spirit!" They ran towards their Packmembers. "You're okay!"
"Yes, we're fine. Just glad to see that you're alright as well." Red Spirit nuzzled Libby's cheek briefly.
"Though Deep Hollow would never truly hurt you," Dreven remarked. He then noticed Light Spirit, his eyes widening.
"Light!"
Light's Spirit's dark gaze brightened. "Dreven!" The two wolves approached one another and Libby was surprised to see them both stand close to one another. Light Spirit briefly pressed his muzzle into Dreven's coat and both their tails wagged.
"I've missed you," Dreven finally said as they broke apart after the hug. He then noticed his old friend's sadness. "Did Libby tell you about Brighten?"
Light Spirit nodded. "Is it really true?" He suddenly looked very frail and old, much less threatening than the wolf he seemed when Libby had first entered the cave as a prisoner.
Dreven let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes. "Yes. He's gone..."
"The trainee told me he died a hero..." Light Spirit's voice was weak.
"He did. He fought two Army wolves at once, the nutcase." There was a strange sense of affection in Dreven's voice.
Libby and Red Spirit drew a little closer to the duo. Dreven nodded at them. "I think you remember Red Spirit. And this is one of our youngest Packmembers, Libby."
"We already met," Light Spirit said, clearly trying to put on his most cheerful visage given the news he had just received.
Libby hesitated before asking, "Er, can I ask how you guys all know one another? Especially since most Packs aren't all that friendly towards each other?"
Dreven flicked an ear. "Of course. I never told you, did I?"
Libby shook their head.
Dreven sat down beside Light Spirit. Though the old gray wolf wasn't large by any means, he still seemed a decent chunk bigger than the Deep Hollow Leader, though that was probably also due to Light Spirit's lack of a coat.
"You know how me and Brighten joined Dark Stones after we fled from the Army? We were never a duo, but rather a trio. Brighten, Light Spirit, and I all grew up together as pups back when we were slaves at the Army. We were like brothers, albeit of different families.
"Brighten was always the strongest of us, the most muscled, the best at adapting, the least prone to illnesses. Light Spirit and I weren't so lucky."
Light Spirit continued, "Dreven got injured by one of the soldiers for disobeying, and I...well I never really did well without a coat."
"We escaped when we were young," Dreven added. "We had never learned how to hunt or fight, and now we had no parents to guide us, either. So we just did what we could and traveled north. However, it was winter. The cold we weren't used to wasn't ideal...especially for Light Spirit."
The hairless wolf nodded. "We made it some way north, and it was freezing and snowing at the time. Brighten and Dreven weren't in a great condition, either, but they at least had fur to protect themselves. I felt like my ears and claws were going to freeze off with every step. Eventually I just collapsed from the cold and exposure. Dreven and Brighten knew they couldn't do anything for me other than try to keep me warm."
Dreven took over again. "But then the Pack whose territory we were currently at found us. Some were hostile, but others took pity on us. They were the Pack of Deep Hollow, albeit under different leadership many years ago. Their Leader at the time said that she'd take in Light Spirit and let him recover in the caves near the fire, where he'd be safe from the elements. Brighten and I begged to stay with him, but unfortunately she couldn't let us stay."
Libby could guess the next part of the story. "And after that you and Brighten continued further north until you ended up in Dark Stones, right?"
Light Spirit and Dreven nodded in unison.
"Yes," said the former. "It was difficult for me at first, having to adapt to a new Pack without my best friends or my family. But the Leader back then, Gray Ears, looked after me like I was her own son. I became her protegé and several years later I made it to being Leader. I just couldn't imagine back then that Dreven would make it to Leader as well! And Brighten to Second, of course."
"But we stayed in contact," Dreven said. "At least, from the point I was made Second and Stone allowed me to travel to Deep Hollow to see you again. We didn't see one another often, sometimes only once per year or not even for several years, but the friendship always remained. We're still kin for as far as I'm concerned."
"We're not complete, though," Light Spirit lamented. "Not without Brighten."
"That's why we're here," Dreven pressed, his voice growing intense. "Light, we can't let this Army boss us around any longer. I am assembling an alliance of Packs from the Midlands so we can gather our own army and stand against Wessels. You know this is going to amount to war sooner or later, so the more wolves we have on our side, the better. You'll help us, right?" He looked expectantly at his old friend.
Light Spirit seemed surprised, but then hesitated, grabbing at the edge of his cloak with a forepaw. "I mean...That's amazing, Dreven. But I'm not sure if I'm... if I can..."
"Can what?" Dreven didn't seem too pleased with the vague response.
Light Spirit got up. "Follow me."
Dreven followed, with Libby, Red Spirit and Rose close behind. They traveled through the tunnel until they ended up in the central cave again, where at least a dozen wolves were relaxing and milling about.
"What do you see, Dreven?" Light Spirit said as he stopped in the tunnel's exit.
"Your Pack," Dreven said.
"Right," Light Spirit said. "This is just a small fraction of Deep Hollow. My Pack is a good chunk larger than other Packs, but that's because I take in as many wolves as I can, including those other Packs might not want, such as sick, elderly, or injured individuals."
As Libby looked around, they did indeed realize that some of the wolves matched the description the Leader gave. A trio of wolves almost as old as Snow-white were lying around a fire. One of the guards with leader armor was missing a leg and an eye. A wolf with milky-white eyes was carrying a long stick in their mouth made their way across the caves, carefully feeling with the branch where they were going. They also remembered Convel and his injured spine.
Light Spirit spoke again. "I want my Pack to be a safe haven for anyone in need, like how Gray Ears came to my aid. But that also means that I have to keep them safe. If I were to enter them into a war..."
"Not everyone would have to go," Dreven pressed.
"But who would look after the others?" Light Spirit shot back a little sharper than before. "The sick, disabled, and elderly wolves depend on the stronger and healthier ones to provide for them, which they gladly do! If I were to force all my healthy wolves into this war, how would we keep Deep Hollow up and running? I have to be there for all my wolves."
"Then send just a few of the strongest," Dreven went on. "Come on, Light, I thought I could count on you!"
Light Spirit blinked and frowned. "No. I'm sorry. Putting my wolves in the frontline of a battle won't do any good. With a Pack triple the size of the usual Midlands wolf Pack I cannot spare any. I have a lot of mouths that need feeding, and I cannot risk losing any Pack members."
Dreven seemed desperate now. "Light! You have the largest Pack in the surroundings, possibly the entire Midlands! Your help is crucial! Do you really think sitting and hiding here is going to protect your Pack against the Army? War is coming, whether you like it or not! It took me a while to realize that as well, but I know we have to take action!"
Several of the wolves in the central cave glanced up in alarm at the raised voice.
Light Spirit matched his tone. "No! I'll not hear any more of this! Rose, give them some food and send my old friends on their way after they've rested, will you?"
The black wolf nodded as Light Spirit turned tail and left, leaving Libby and Red Spirit looking awkwardly at one another. Libby then turned to Dreven. The old wolf was sitting down, his gaze looking hollow with defeat.