FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

** ** The golden glow of the oppressive summer sun baked the three wolves and their passengers as they walked through the fields. Any normal person would have noticed how peculiar the troop looked. After all, they were following the smallest of the three wolves towards a small shack in the middle of the grassy field, but obviously there were no normal people around. Now that they were safe nothing was stopping the bird-women from chattering on about how exciting this new world was. On more than one occasion Walker heard them mentioning how liberating it was to be away from their coven. A small part of the young wolf couldn't help but wonder what he had unleashed upon his world.

Walker would have liked to stay with his new guests for a few days, but Steel insisted that Marion help them go to Wolf World as soon as possible. The elder witch (that's what Walker had decided Marion was) made a fuss about being rushed. From somewhere in her endless bags of magical objects Marion produced a pair of earrings that she quickly put in Walker's sensitive wolf ears. Walker yipped like he was dying when his sensitive wolf ears were violated by offensive metal rings. Steel growled at Marion for hurting Walker, but the damage was already done. Besides, Walker's ears healed after a few hours.

The earrings were supposed to enhance Walker's magical energy, but they also looked cool. Each golden ring had a neat little blue string that always seemed to wave in a constant magical breeze. Walker could tell he had more magical energy, or Mana as Marion called it, and somehow the increase in Mana made it easier to focus on finding the clearing. Most of Walker's time that afternoon was spent enduring a quick lesson on how magic worked. Marion and her daughters were more than happy to teach him about magic, but Walker hardly understood anything they were saying.

Marion's daughter's names were Aria, Melody, and of course there was Raina whom Walker had already met. Aria was the owl, and Melody was the crow. As soon as they arrived the girls started casting spells right and left on everything they found. Walker would have protested, but after explaining what his job was they went off to discuss how they could make it look like he was still performing his job while he was gone. During his lesson, which was mostly taught by Raina, Marion and Steel had a quick chat in the back of Walker's home.

"Are you sure it is alright if we live here?" Marion asked as she and Steel watched Raina teach Walker how to change shape and hold his shape without using so much of his mana.

Steel grunted before he spoke. "Walker must learn to live like a wolf before I bring him back to this world." Steel shook his head as he thought about Walker living in his world. "I feel like there is some sort of imbalance in my shape now that I have shared it with two humans. It might help if I return to my own world and speak to other wolves who know more about the long-fang powers than I do."

Marion smiled as she looked at Steel. "You're right about one thing; there is an imbalance inside you Steel." She looked back at Walker as she spoke. "But I believe it lies in your heart, and not in your shifting powers."

"Don't pretend to understand how my world's magic works Witch!" Steel growled with a surprising amount of anger in his voice. "I can sense that you are far older than you appear on the outside. You may have fooled Walker into trusting you and your daughters, but I am not so easily convinced."

The soft smile on Marion's lips remained despite the words of the wolf beside her. "I know enough about magic to tell you that Walker would be exceptional even if you hadn't made him a long-fang, or whatever your world chooses to call a lycanthrope. He could have been a powerful warlock if he had been born on my world..."

Steel didn't know what to say to that, but he guessed it was as close to a compliment as he was going to get out of Marion. "Just keep your daughters from changing this place too much while we are gone. I don't know how long we will need to stay in my world, but it could be a very long time."

Marion nodded and turned to look at Steel. "I will preserve this place for Walker, but not for the reasons you have said." For a moment Marion seemed to look past Steel. It was like she was looking into him and searching for some hidden truth. Steel didn't like that look at all. "You will return before your story is over, and I think you will have changed much when we next meet."

"If you say so..." Steel growled as he grew tired of their conversation. He decided to spend the last few hours of the day letting Marion have her way and teach Walker like she had said she would. If it had been up to Steel they would already be on their way, but hopefully this lesson would help Walker hold his shape better. Magic had always been a strange and mysterious force that Steel preferred to avoid.

After his lesson Walker was only allowed to rest for an hour before Steel told him to make ready to travel again. Before he left his house Raina and Marion both gave Walker a big hug each. Raina even told him that she would miss him while he was gone. Every time he talked to Raina Walker would blush under his fur, but no matter how attractive he thought she was he just couldn't muster up any real feelings for the pretty young woman. Before Steel had come along Walker would have been attracted to a girl like Raina. Maybe wolves really didn't have that sort of feelings for girls?

It was nearly nightfall when Steel gathered up his tiny pack and told them they were leaving. Walker sighed as Steel and Fang ushered him out the door. He had that terrible feeling that when he got back, if he ever did get back, that his house would never be the same again.

The trip through the fields was much nicer now that the sun wasn't so high in the sky. Finding the clearing was easier this time too. Walker had just led his pack into the clearing when Steel's annoyance reached its peak. "How are those stupid things supposed to help us find my world?" Steel asked Fang as he looked at the offending rings on his mate's ears. It was pretty obvious that he didn't like the ear-rings, but his main reason for disliking them was because he didn't want to rely on something Marion had given Walker.

"I don't know Steel, but my mother is a powerful witch and she would not have given them to Walker if they would not help us in some way," Fang replied and tried to put Walker between himself and the larger Gray furred wolf.

Walker ignored the two and concentrated on the clearing. When they were passing through the clearing earlier that same day an instinctual feeling inside the cub had led him back home, but things were different now. What Walker could only described as an aura of sorts was flowing from his young wolf body and back towards the path that led to his own world. This aura was golden and warm like a bright summer day. Upon closer inspection Walker noted that Fang and Steel also had auras. Fang's aura was a soft misty blue, and Steel's was brilliant emerald green. Just like Walker's aura did, a trail of energy seemed to connect both Fang and Steel to different paths that led into the woods beyond the clearing. "I think I can see the way to wolf world," Walker said and followed the green line of energy.

Steel groaned as he and Fang ran after the excited cub. "Is he always like this?" Fang asked as they dropped to all fours to catch up with Walker.

"Pretty much," Steel woofed and hurried after his mate.

The forest seemed to open up as the trees grew stronger and older. Steel took a deep breath and sighed as the familiar sounds of his world drew closer around them. In less than the space of a mile the three wolves had wondered into a vast and open forest comprised mostly of towering pines and mighty hard wood trees. Walker stopped once he was sure they were in another world and turned to face Steel. "Do you know where we are?"

Steel paused and looked around, "somewhere near the lands my clan once claimed," he said and padded over to a nearby tree. Steel sniffed furiously and then growled at whatever he had sensed with his nose. "These are Gray wolf lands, but I smell coyote markings here now."

Walker and Fang shared a confused look and dropped to all fours. They followed Steel's example and sniffed at the base of the tree. "That sure stinks," Walker said and recoiled from the pungent odor.

"I don't smell anything," Fang said and sniffed.

"You're senses are still developing Black-Fang," Steel said, but he didn't smile when he looked up. "If there are coyote nearby then we are in danger. We need to look like wolves if we are going to surprise them."

Fang and Walker nodded as their werewolf traits faded and they shifted into two young wolves. Their scents were both peculiar, but Steel knew they would smell like wolves to an untrained coyote. The three wolves hurried through the forest, stopping only for Steel to check his bearings. Before long the already dim forest light faded to darkness, and for the first time in his short life as a wolf Walker was glad for his excellent night vision. Fang was still developing his night vision so Steel had to slow down a bit for the black wolf to keep up. "We are safe as long as we stick to the shadows," Steel said quietly. "The coyotes are not known for being good hunters at night, but they can still see and smell well enough to track us."

Walker was thrilled, excited, and scared all at the same time. He had no idea the wolves on wolf world had enemies! Walker thought they were the only intelligent animals on the planet from what Steel said. Regardless, Walker didn't know if he was ok with a world full of talking animals. Did killing an intelligent deer make you a murderer? And how were you supposed to tell if an animal was intelligent or not?

As usual Walker was too absorbed in his thoughts to notice when Steel stopped walking. He almost bumped into the other wolf's back side. "Hey!" Walker yipped and received a sharp glare from Steel.

The fur on Walker's neck instantly prickled, and he got the sense that they weren't alone anymore in the dark open forest. From the shadows around the three wolves the shapes of about two dozen smaller canines emerged. "By the three moons, what have we found tonight brothers," a high pitched canine voice asked as the wild dogs quickly surrounded the wolves.

"These lands belong to the gray wolves," Steel growled angrily at the dog that had spoken, "if you are wise you will leave before I return with my clan mates."

Walker was confused, hadn't Steel said that the gray-wolf clan was wiped out? Maybe he was bluffing, but Walker didn't like the idea of fighting these creatures. "I heard the Humbaba ate every last gray wolf in the forest," the dog barked in a voice Walker thought sounded rude and mocking.

"We're gray wolves, so you would be mistaken," Steel said and bared his fangs at the smaller canine. "Besides, this wolf here killed the Humbaba!"

The dogs took a few steps back and Walker could make out the sound of them whispering amongst themselves. "That's impossible," the leader barked, "this cub is hardly old enough to be out of the den let alone kill a mighty Humbaba!"

"You can try us if you don't believe us," Steel said and Walker almost thought he was taunting the coyotes.

"Since you three are the first wolves that have trespassed in our new lands we will show you mercy for now... but don't think the shadow-coyote clan will be so merciful in the future!"

Steel huffed at the dogs and growled as they withdrew. As soon as the dogs left Walker realized his heart had been pounding in his chest faster than a drumbeat. Steel, however, seemed as cold and calm as ever. "We should hurry, Timber-Wolf Hold is not far from here."

The wolves moved swiftly through the forest night. Walker felt like they were being watched, but he didn't have anything more than instinct to guide him. Somehow the wolf inside him just knew coyotes meant trouble. Nothing good would come of their meeting in the forest, and on top of that the way back to the clearing was in the opposite direction they were traveling. If he ever hoped to go home then Walker would have to make it through these dark trees both undetected, and in one piece.

Eventually the forest seemed to change around them. The smell of wolf and wolf markings wafted on the wind. Walker instantly felt more at ease, but Steel didn't look any less wary. Walker began to get the feeling that there was a reason Steel was so hardened inside. Sure he was nice to Walker, but he was naturally a loner. It was hard to look at Steel's large muscular wolf body and not wonder what had made him so cold and hardened towards others.

Steel eventually stopped and let loose a wild mournful howl. Walker and Fang caught their breath while they waited and listened to the empty forest around them. Eventually there was a return howl that echoed softly through the trees. Steel howled back a few more times and received a reply before turning to the two young wolves behind him. "The timber wolves will allow us onto their land, but under no circumstances are you to open your snouts. You are my betas, and you do not to talk to another alpha, or even to me, without first being spoken to!" Steel's tone and scent drove his point home. Even Walker realized his mate wasn't joking around. Steel was in alpha mode, and alphas don't tolerate anything short of perfect behavior from their pack mates.

Walker and Fang nodded to Steel as he started trotting through the woods. Before too long the forest opened up again, and Walker saw the shape of a brown furred wolf waiting for them at the edge of a large clearing. "By the moons!" the wolf said excitedly when he saw Steel, "Steel-Fur! Is that you?"

Steel almost laughed as he bounded forward and towards the other wolf. "Brown-Snout!" he said and playfully danced around the other wolf as Walker and Fang bounded over to the two.

"By Luna's light, are these more Gray-Wolves?" Brown-Snout asked.

"Yes cousin, they are. They are called Paw-Walker and Black-Fang. We are my pack mates." Steel made his way over to his mate and stood over Walker as he beamed at the other wolf. "And this little one is my mate!" Steel said proudly.

Instead of replying the other wolf seemed to stand stoically and take in the sight of the tiny pack. Walker thought he saw the wolf crying as he studied them. "I... I can't... begin to say... how happy I am to see you," the brown wolf said and walked forward, first sniffing Fang, and then placing his nose right up to Walker's. Brown-Snout gave walker a big slobbery lick to his snout before he spoke again, "You are the luckiest cub in the world," he said and smiled like only a wolf can.

The four wolves proceeded down a well trodden path through the clearings eventually arriving at a large stony outcrop. Brown-Snout broke into a run and howled as soon as he saw the rock. Walker watched in awe as a host of wolves appeared from around the rocky outcrop. They descended upon Steel and the new pack yipping excitedly as they approached. There were so many voices, bodies, and smells that Walker was a little overwhelmed. Thankfully Steel stayed nearly on top of him the whole time.

It was probably a good thing too because the adult wolves seemed to think Walker was about the cutest darn thing they had ever seen. By the time half the wolves had been by to talk to Steel Walker thought his face was dripping with wolf drool. It seemed that the customary greeting for cubs was a few loving licks to the snout and face. Steel was soaking in the attention, but Walker cowered under his mate's large chest.

Eventually a group of five wolves pushed through the other brown furred wolves. These five were clearly different from the other wolves. The biggest of them had beads worked into his long fur, and his face was marked by black stripes around his snout. To Walker's surprise two of these wolves were females! They were positively regal, but neither did more than stare at Steel and the tiny cub hiding at his feet. "Steel-Fur of Clan Gray-Wolf," the biggest wolf said in a deep rumbling voice. "I can hardly tell you how glad I am to see your sorry hide," he said as he dropped his aloof stance, bounded forward playfully, and gave Walker quite the scare. "Who is this?" he asked when he noticed Walker cowering under Steel.

"Dire-Fang, this is my precious mate and the avenger of my whole clan!" Steel said and reached under him to extract Walker from his hiding place.

Walker dangled by his scruff before the huge wolf. He looked away from the piercing gaze of the monstrous, but intelligent animal. "What is your name cub?"

"Paw-Walker," Walker said softly in a frightened whine.

Dire-Fang seemed to roll the name around in his snout for a moment before he smiled and proceed to lick Walker's face until he was good and wet all over again. When he finished the other four wolves stepped forward and repeated the ritual. Walker noted the way the females spent extra time to clean around his ears. The males, however, seemed more interested in the long fangs pushing up from Walker's lips. When they were done Steel carried Walker in his mouth by the cub's scruff as they followed the five wolves up the side of the clan hold. Fang and Brown-Snout were right behind them as the group made their way up the rocky hill and eventually stopped on top of the outcrop in a large ring of raised stones. It reminded Walker of Stonehenge.

Steel sat down in front of a large stone platform and placed Walker under him again. Walker hid under his mate a second time, sensing that the mood around him was still a little tense. The five wolves from before seemed to laugh as Walker hid, "Your mate is scared of us," Dire-Fang said and smiled at Steel.

"He is... new to our ways. His land is very far from here, so too is the land of my brother Black-Fang," Steel said apologetically. Fang had wisely chosen to not only sit, but to lie on his stomach. His tail was neatly tucked under him in a show of submission.

"I must say, I am amazed a shy pup like your Walker here could bring down a Humbaba the likes of which killed your entire clan," Dire-Fang said and looked at the ball of red-brown fur cowering under Steel.

"He is smarter than any wolf alive today, and his kind possesses many secrets that are both powerful and dangerous," Steel explained. "He used a tree to kill the Humbaba, driving it through the monster's heart with the strength and cunning of a long-fang."

"Was he already a long-fang?" Dire-Fang asked curiously.

"No, but his wounds would have killed him if I had not turned him. Even though he is a wolf now, his kind are not like us in either body or shape."

"I can smell a subtle difference in his scent... but you smell different now too Steel." Dire-Fang said as he looked at Steel with fiercely discerning eyes.

"While we were together I tasted his former flesh, and as a result my form has changed a bit. Walker's people are not only larger than wolves when fully grown, but their forms are closer to that of a Long-Fang. As a result my true form has not only grown larger, but stronger as well." Steel said and grinned, "I might even be bigger than you now Dire-Fang."

"Change then, I would see this new form of yours," Dire-Fang said playfully as his lips curled up slightly and his stance shifted forward in a show of aggressive challenge.

Steel shifted above Walker and move his mate with his hand-paw before he stood up on his hide legs. Walker found himself placed beside Steel as the wolf's body twisted and cracked. Steel just kept getting bigger and bigger until he finally stopped growing at about thirteen and a half feet in height. The moonlight glinting off his cold steel colored fur gave him a feral look, and the massive saber tooth fangs protruding from his top and bottom lips looked frighteningly animalistic even for a bipedal wolf. Walker found himself tucking his tail under himself as he looked at his titanic mate. Steel dropped to all fours and still towered above the other wolves. "I have not fully transformed for a while now, and it seems that I have grown a little larger than last time I changed." he said in a voice that shook the stones and earth around him.

All five of the timber wolves tucked their tails and the females actually whined softly. "The power inside you Steel... it's like I'm looking at the wolf father," Dire-Fang said in a slightly higher pitched voice than his normal rumbling growl.

Steel chuckled and looked over at Walker. When he saw Walker cowering away from him he looked hurt. "I am not the Wolf Father, you know that Dire-Fang," Steel said gruffly and turned back to the leader of the Timber-Wolves.

"Still," Dire-Fang said and looked at the cub cowering beside Steel. "Can this cub truly grant powers like this... imagine what we could do for our kind? Why, you alone could retake your lands and drive the coyotes away!" Dire-Fang said and growled as he said coyote in the wolf tongue.

"No, this power is indeed great, but it is not mine to give..." Steel looked sadly at Walker as he cowered in fear beside his mate, "without his help I don't think I could control myself."

"What do you mean Steel?"

"Ever since I mated with Walker I have begun to feel more primal... like his seed has brought out the beast inside me. I do not understand why this is so, but I feel the need to hunt and feed more often now. The wolf inside me thirsts for flesh and blood every night," Steel explained. "Without Walker to keep me sane I do not think I would be standing here before you."

Walker was a little surprised. What was Steel saying? Was Walker turning him into a monster, and what did he mean when he said that without Walker he would not be here? Dire-Fang looked slightly concerned as he spoke. "If what you say is true than I believe you have imbalanced yourself Steel. The wolf and long-fang inside you are at war with themselves. Perhaps you are turning into the very monster you so passionately fought to destroy..."

Steel growled down at Dire-Fang. "Are you accusing me of turning into a Humbaba?"

"No, but this cub seems to have the powers of the beast which he slew in battle. Perhaps the Humbaba cursed him as he fell in battle, and now that curse has wound its way into your long-fang powers?"

Steel shook his head and began to shrink back down to the size he usually was. "I refuse to believe anything but good came from killing that monster," Steel said and turned to Walker. He reached down to pull the frightened wolf cub into his arms. "I have found my mate, and re-founded my pack and clan. I will retake my lands with or without the Timber-Wolf clan's help."

"If you will not share your new powers... I do not know what we could do to aid you Steel! My scouts and warriors are taxed just maintaining our own lands. If you didn't notice we have lost vital hunting ground since the powerful gray-wolf clan was defeated. We are fading away cousin, and if we do not reverse this trend soon we might lose what little land we still hold!"

Steel didn't look happy at what he was hearing. "There is one thing you could do for me," Steel said as he dropped to all fours and turned back into a wolf. "These two need to learn our ways. They would be taught by gray-wolves if my clan was around to teach them, but they are not..."

"Say no more Steel-Fur, my mates and I would be honored to teach your cub and pack mate the ways of the wolf," Dire-Fang said, "I do, however, have some matters to discuss with you in private."

"If that is so, then I will leave my pack in the paws of yours. Perhaps we can survey the extent of the clan boarder while we talk?" Steel suggested.

"I have missed the straight-forwardness of your clan Steel, let us speak on equal terms from now on. Address me as your brother, for in my eyes you are best suited to become the next Gray-Wolf High Alpha," Dire-Fang said as he stood and walked over to Steel.

Steel spoke softly to Walker and Fang, "I will leave you with the Timber Wolf clan elders. They are both wise and patient, but remember to speak only when they address you, and never challenge their authority! As long as we are here we are subservient to their will," Steel said sternly more to Walker than Fang, "I will return later."

Walker was honestly sad as he watched Steel walk away with Dire-Fang. It was the first time he had been separated from the overprotective wolf since they had started their journey together. Before he realized what he was doing Walker was whining softly. Surprisingly Fang was the first to console him. "Don't be sad brother Walker; Steel will return for us later," said and licked Walker tenderly on the nose.

"I... I know," Walker whined. What was this feeling inside his heart? Was it loneliness? Walker was never lonely! The cub shook his head as he fought back his own tears.

To the surprise of the two young wolves the first elder to approach them was a female. "Your emotions are like a storm young one," She said and sniffed as she approached Walker and Fang. "If Steel's words are true, then we have you to thank for the continued existence of our cousins, the gray wolves," Walker didn't reply more out of fear than respect. Even for a female this she-wolf was huge. She was as tall as Walker was in his long-fang form. "What do you hope to learn from the Timberwolves while you are staying here?"

Walker was at a loss for words, "maybe you could teach me how to control my shape better, or maybe even to hunt and be quiet while stalking prey?" Walker responded a little more eagerly than he had thought he might.

The she-wolf seemed to smile slightly when she heard Walker's words. "Those are all useful skills to learn, but they have nothing to do with our people and our ways. Perhaps this is what Steel means when he says you need to learn to be a wolf."

Walker was too afraid to ask the female her name, but she seemed to sense his curiosity.

"I am called Moon-Song, and that is my sister Snow-Song," she said and looked over at the white furred female who was sitting with the two males. "Those two lazy males over there are our pack mates Red-Tooth and Black-Paw," It was pretty easy to tell Black-Paw from Red-Tooth, but honestly Walker was having trouble with most of the other wolves. "Come little one, I will introduce you to my pack."

Walker followed Moon over to where the other three wolves sat. He was a little nervous about meeting more wolves, but he tried not to let it show.

Moon-Song spoke as she led the two young wolves up onto the large stone in the middle of the other raised stones. "When you meet another wolf, especially an elder like Red-Tooth here, it's best to lower your tail and allow the other wolf to sniff you." Walker's tail was already tucked, but he tried not to tremble as the elder wolf sniffed him. "Since you are still a cub it is customary for the males to greet you with a lick to the face. This is more a show of affection than a greeting," Red-Fang smiled as he slobbered all over Walker's face fur. "Lastly you are allowed to sniff the other wolf so you can know his scent. If you received any facial grooming from the male you may lick him back a few times if you like him," Moon instructed.

Red-Tooth stood still for a moment while Walker sniffed him a few times. As soon as the scent entered his nose Walker got a good idea of why wolves smelled each other. Not only did Red-Tooth's smell tell about his age and physical health, but his emotions and thoughts were also there. Walker didn't understand all of what he smelled, but most cubs his age usually didn't. Under all the general information was a unique signature that went beyond the name Red-Tooth and marked the scent's owner as themselves. Walker was a little overwhelmed by the smell of the elder wolf, but he returned to the wolf's face and licked his rough snout fur and nose.

Walker was unaware of how cute he was, but the elder wolves weren't. After Red-Tooth Black-Paw introduced himself without speaking a word, and the ritual was repeated. This time Walker felt a little less silly, but his facial fur was getting slobbery again. "When you introduce yourself to a female there are a few more rules," Moon explained as her sister stepped forward. "Females do not allow males to sniff them. Instead they will brush their fur against your own as they sniff you. Males are expected to act politely to females and to stand both rigid and still. Also, it is respectful to sit in the presence of a female, but as we four are nobles this formality will be waved." As Snow sniffed Walker she brushed her nuzzle against his and he got a good smell of her that way. "As a general rule females do not show affection to other males that are not the High Alpha or worthy of their attention."

"You mate is worthy, and one day you will be too little Walker," Snow said as she circled around Walker and brushed against him a second time.

"Steel is both a famous warrior and will probably become high alpha once he reclaims the Gray Wolf territory," Moon said and approached Walker, sniffing him and following her sister's example. "And just for you..." she said as she licked him tenderly on the face, "You may lick me back now."

Walker offered a few tender licks to Moon's silky muzzle fur and her pale pink nose. "You are very beautiful." he said and blushed under his fur.

Moon laughed and repeated the entire series of rituals with Fang. Unlike Walker, Fang was treated like an adult. He received neither affection nor the special privileges of being a noble. Black-Paw seemed to like the dark furred wolf, and he offered to let Fang sit beside him on their large rock. "Since this is your first night with us we were thinking we could decorate your fur," Snow said and looked at the males who nodded.

Without warning the four wolves shifted into werewolves. "Go ahead and change now," Moon said and smiled at the confused wolves sitting before her.

After changing back to his werewolf form, and joining the elders on the rock, Walker was pulled into a series of surprisingly human-like hugs. "It is easy to see why Steel is so protective of you little Walker, you are easily the most precious wolf and long-fang I have ever met," Snow said as she ran a comb of bone through Walker's tangled fur.

"Steel told me there were no female long-fangs," Walker said and winced as Snow found a tangle in his fur and went to work getting it out.

Snow and Moon both laughed. "We're not long-fangs little Walker; we simply have enough skill with magic to change into a similar shape." Moon explained as she and Black-Paw worked on Fang's fur.

The elders liked to talk about the other packs and politics around the hold. Through the rest of the night, as they pulled Walker and Fang's fur into braids, the two young wolves began to learn about the timber wolf politics and clan structure. As wild and feral as it all felt Walker could tell he was welcome here. A part of him wanted to hate it all, but another part was secretly glad he had been accepted so quickly. Wolves were nothing like humans, they said what they meant and they seemed to be almost bluntly straightforward. More than once Moon and Snow ganged up and kept either Black-Paw or Red-Tooth from winning an argument. It seemed like the two females got pretty much whatever they wanted.

From how the elders talked they were all a single pack, and Dire-Fang was their leader. Apparently Moon and Snow had been born from the same litter, but Dire-Fang had taken Red-Tooth as his mate. In a way it made Red-Tooth the unofficial leader in Dire-Fang's absence, but the females did mostly as they wished. The four siblings constantly gossiped about Dire-Fang and Steel-Fur. Apparently Walker was lucky to have a mate like Steel. More than one timber wolf had tried to woo the famous warrior. Walker didn't know what Steel was famous for, but apparently he had been famous enough to be offered both Moon and Snow as potential partners. Then again, now that the gray-wolf clan had been wiped out, Moon and Snow were both hoping to get the chance to carry a litter with Steel. They were both apparently quite young for females and were not timber-wolf by birth.

The thought of Steel having sex with these females confused Walker. Never before had Steel discussed how wolves reproduced, but from how the elders talked Snow and Moon were the only reproducing females in the whole clan! If that was so then what happened to all the other female wolves? Walker was too embarrassed to ask about it.

The night wore on and eventually Walker got tired. Moon's fur was so silky and soft that Walker couldn't help curling up in her lap and falling asleep. Moon-Song didn't seem to mind letting Walker sleep in her lap as the night wore on. Eventually even Fang curled up against Black-Paw and fell asleep. Just like Steel, the elder wolves seemed to only half sleep. They kept a silent vigil through the night, and watched over the two young wolves in their care.

Every once in a while a long lone howl would echo through the woods sparking a series of howls from other directions. Occasionally one of the elders would howl out a reply as well. In his sleep Walker almost thought he could understand what the other wolves were saying when faintly heard the howls. When the elders howled there was a musical ring to it. Once that night, well into the morning, a hauntingly beautiful howl sounded from far off in the distance. Walker whined as he sat up and unconsciously howled back. Moon-Song and Snow-Song both soothed him back into a gentle slumber, but not before exchanging amused grins.

It was well past midnight when Dire-Fang and Steel-Fur returned. Steel was pleased to see Walker sleeping with the other wolves; he had thought the cub would have been too nervous to get comfortable with another pack. Steel reached into the mass of multicolored fur and extracted Walker. The sleepy cub whined a little and got the attention of the elders who whined in response to the cub's distress. Steel was surprised to see the timber wolf elders show such affection for Walker, but seeing as he had that effect on adult wolves it wasn't too surprising.

Steel joined Dire-Fang as they curled up with the other wolves. Walker relaxed as he felt the familiar warmth of his mate wrap around him and block out the cold night air. Steel sighed as he laid his head on top of Walker and inhaled his soothing scent. He noted the braids and beads in his cub's fur, and a quick inspection provided some insight on the source of the decorations. It looked like little Walker had made friends pretty fast if the other wolves were already braiding his fur. Steel chuckled softly as he licked some of the unruly fur on his mate's head. He was glad Walker had found a place within the hearts of the timber wolves. It was the first step towards making the cub a true wolf.