Learning to Love, Chapter 2, Where the Fire Fruit Blooms

Story by MrFox on SoFurry

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#2 of Learning to Love

What foreboding fate awaits the two young wolves as they journey into the dangerous gray-wolf territory? Will Walker do his duty and turn Swift-Paw into a long-fang? Read on to find out!

Here it is everybody! Chapter 2 of learning to love! Thank you all so much for your thoughts and comments about the previous stories and chapters! Please continue to fave, vote, and comment if you liked the story!


Walker and Swift-Paw left the clan hold at noon and made their way through the woods towards the edge of the familiar timber-wolf territory. Neither wolf was old enough to have run with the war bands or to have hunted in the old gray-wolf territory, but Swift-Paw had been given directions to the old gray-wolf clan hold. The honor of guiding the two young wolves was given to an unlikely older wolf. Brown-Snout, however, was more than delighted to show his prowess as a scout to the elders. He was practically basking in the glory of leading a noble and a soon-to-be long-fang through the territory. Assigning a scout to lead Walker around hadn't been completely necessary, but Brown-Snout really did know the best paths through the woods. He led the two half-grown cubs south towards the contested territories of the gray-wolf clan.

Even after driving the shadow clan out of the gray-wolf holdings the lack of additional hunters meant the gray-wolf lands were still mostly left untouched by claw and fang. Of course, the more adventurous hunters would stray into the boundaries of their cousin clan's old lands, but many of these wolves were young and unfamiliar with the paths that led around the old gray wolf clan hold. Only Brown-Snout, and a few of the elder long-fangs, still knew the ways through the gray-wolf lands. "This is as far as I am allowed to go," Brown-Snout said in a sad voice as he stopped beside a small stream that ran east to west and split the timber wolf lands from the gray-wolf lands. Brown-Snout sniffed and whined a bit as he nuzzled the two overgrown cubs. It was obvious from his conflicting scents and behavior that he had mixed feelings about letting them go alone. "I still remember when you two were playing in the warrens while I watched you from outside..." Brown-Snout said through the tears that welled up in his eyes.

"Come on Brown-Snout," Swift-Paw said gruffly. His ears laid back on his head and his tail flicked in annoyance before he spoke to the older scout, "you're making us sound like cubs!"

"You are cubs," the elder wolf said sadly and nuzzled them again. "I will patrol these borders every day until you return," he said and stood up, shaking the tears out of his fur. "I might not be an alpha, but White-Ear will understand my duty to you two... if I hear a single howl I... I won't hesitate to come to your aid... do you understand?"

Brown-Snout spoke more to Walker than Swift-Paw, but it was the timber wolf who took offence to his words. "You are not a warrior Brown-Snout," Swift-Paw said as he loomed over the other wolf despite their difference in years. In truth Swift-Paw was higher than the elder scout in station, but a wise wolf knows not to argue with his elders, even when they were below him in station. "If you hear my alarm howl you will go and get White-Ear. He will need you to guide him to us if we are in trouble!"

It was a surprisingly intelligent thing for Swift-Paw to say, but it didn't make Walker like him any more than he had before this had all been arranged by Dire-Fang. Brown-Snout nodded, but his pride seemed a little hurt. "I understand," he said and drooped a bit as he lost his bold stance.

"You're a good wolf Brown-Snout," Walker said quickly and earned a sideways glance from Swift-Paw. Brown-Snout straightened again as he nodded and smiled at Walker's comment. Before the they parted ways Walker gave his old friend a quick nuzzle and a lick to his nose. "May Luna guide your paws if trouble does find us."

As the Walker and Swift-Paw hopped across the stream Brown-Snout paced on the other side, his eyes strained to make out their forms as the two young wolves proceeded through the forest into lands the scout was not allowed to visit anymore. It would be a long time before the elder wolf would be joined by his mate and alpha, even then he would not abandon his post at the southern horn of the small stream that had separated the two clans in the past. It was not in his nature for Brown-Snout to go back on his words. He silently swore to himself that if worse came to worse he would gladly die to protect Paw-Walker, and even Swift-Paw! The hopes of a whole clan rested with those two young wolves.

...

Night had only just fallen over the gray-wolf clan hold when the two Walker and Swift-Paw finally reached the ancient dwelling of the noble gray-wolf line. An eerie silence hung over the place like the air in a graveyard. The mute darkness was occasionally pierced by the sound of a night bird or an owl, but otherwise the clan hold, and the surrounding lands, were deathly silent.

The broken stones and pillars that had once been proud monuments to the ancient gray-wolf bloodline loomed over the two wolves. Swift-Paw was bravely hoping that something did attack them, so he could prove his honor and worth to Paw-Walker. Those looming shadows were all humbabas waiting to spring out and attack them, and the smaller shadows were shadow-clan coyote, thirsty for wolf blood, and eager to attack the two young wolves. "Maybe we should try to find shelter in the warrens?" Swift-Paw suggested when he looked over and saw Walker with his tail tucked between his legs and his ears laid back in fear.

"No," Walker said quickly. "That monster ate the cubs in the warrens... I couldn't... sleep there... knowing that."

"It's going to be a cold night on top of the clan hold unless you plan on changing me tonight..." Swift-Paw said sadly. It was a legend that wolves turned on the night of a full moon were the strongest and swiftest of the long-fangs. Swift-Paw desperately wanted that honor from Walker, and he would gladly kill a hundred coyotes to earn it!

Paw-Walker had thought of that, but he didn't honestly want to turn Swift-Paw at all. Maybe if he waited another night he could put that particular chore off until the full moon. "I have an idea," Paw-Walker said as he remembered Steel's story about how and where they found the surviving gray-wolves.

It was a while before Walker found the rock his mate had told him about. In truth it seemed to be the only one that could be it because every other rock seemed to have been marked by the timber wolves who had visited this area during the battles against the shadow clan. The pungent odor of multiple wolves marking a place as their own was hard to miss, but one stone seemed untouched by the scent of the wolves who had hoped to ward off further coyote incursions. "Is this it?" Swift-Paw asked.

"I think so... yes," Walker said reverently and placed his paw on the rock.

At first nothing happened, but then the rock seemed to shift ever so slightly at the young wolf's touch. In a way it was a bit flattering for Paw-Walker; he had always feared that this world did not accept him as either a wolf or a gray-wolf. In a way this silly rock had just extinguished that fear. Walker was as much a gray-wolf as any of his pack mates, and it only made sense that the rock would open at his touch.

The two wolves walked slowly into the dimly lit chamber below the old clan hold. The rock slid back into place behind them, closing them into the cavern beneath the hill. Pale strands of hanging moss illuminated the passageway just enough for the two to see their path as they descended towards the legendary last sanctuary of the gray-wolves. Even in their most desperate time of need this place had sheltered the wolves from harm. Walker only hoped that shelter extended to him and his pack mate. He had heard stories about how the ancestors of a clan can become angered at their children and grandchildren. Walker didn't have any true ancestors here, but he hoped the spirits of his mate's clan would accept him.

The descent into the lower portion of the cave took longer than either young wolf expected. Swift-Paw couldn't help but wonder what it had felt like to be Steel as the hero wolf had run down this same cave and into the darkness beyond. Walker was too scared to think of anything more than the angry spirits of ancient gray-wolves attacking them.

When, at long last, the winding cave passage widened out into the lowest chamber both young wolves were shocked to see what looked like the outline of two wolves sitting in the back of that same chamber. It was as if the wolves were waiting for the two young cubs, but neither figure seemed to move at all once the cubs walked in. Swift-Paw was the one to step forward first and approach the figures. "Gray wolf spirits," he said gravely, "we come seeking shelter in your ancestral stronghold."

When the figures did nothing in response the brave warrior stepped forward and then turned to look at Walker. "It's not a spirit, Walker," he said softly. "Come look."

Once Walker was closer he saw what Swift-Paw had seen. On the back wall of the cave was a perfectly carved outline of two beautiful noble wolves. They sat, peaceful and serene, as they peered towards the entrance to their clan's secret stronghold. Below the carvings were words. Swift-Paw was not a noble, so he had not learned to read the ancient symbols like Walker had, but these were not just words to walker; they said so much more than any human book could ever say.

"In the immortal memory of my parents," Walker read sadly from the first line of runic symbols. "I never hoped that you would live to see my return from the great hunt. I don't know if I ever meant to return at all. I only regretted that you did not live to see me find my mate, and the happiness you always wished for me to have. May you find peace in the next life. Your loving son, Steel-Fur of Clan Gray-Wolf, last alpha of the last gray-wolf pack."

Walker couldn't help but tear up at the words as he read them aloud. It was like looking into his mate's heart; these were Steel's deepest and darkest secrets. There were still a few lines of symbols though, so Walker read on. "If I were to ever pass on, and my love were to come find my spirit here, he would only need to look up to know I still loved him. I will always love him, my one and only little Paw-Walker."

Both wolves looked up at the top of the cave and saw a third drawing carved into the ceiling of the cave. It was of two wolves, one was a big gray furred wolf wrapped around a smaller red and brown furred wolf. They were resting peacefully, as if they were frozen in gentle repose. The pictures were so intricately carved and painted with rare and unique dyes that it almost seemed real to Walker. "Paw-Walker... I didn't..." Swift-Paw said tenderly and looked at Walker who was crying softly.

"Don't... don't speak about this to Steel. Not ever..." Walker said as he struggled to control the raging tempest of emotions that had broken loose in his heart. "We should get some sleep... before tomorrow."

It was hard to sleep in that place. Walker was so used to sleeping in Steel's arms that just looking up at the picture above him brought tears to the young wolf's eyes. Why had Steel carved that into the stone here? Why did it even matter to him whether or not future wolves knew who he and Walker had been? Why was Walker important enough for Steel to write words like that in what amounted to his parent's grave? Walker had so many questions, but no answers. His mind kept wondering back to what Steel had said earlier that day.

"I love you Walker..." Steel's voice seemed to echo in this place. It was a soft and distant echo, but it was still there.

Some time in the night Walker woke from his troubled sleep and noticed Swift-Paw staring up at the ceiling above them. "Swift?" Walker asked softly and the other young wolf looked at him in the pale light with a curious expression. Walker had never called him that before.

"Yes?" Swift replied.

"When a long-fang mates with you... what does that mean?" Walker asked.

Swift-Paw looked confused at first, but then he thought about the question and Walker. Sometimes it was hard for wolves to remember that Walker hadn't been born a wolf. Only a few wolves actually knew that, but being part of a gray-wolf pack did have a few small advantages. "When I was a cub I once saw my father and Red-Tooth mating on top of the clan hold. They were wild and savage... like animals almost," Swift said softly. "I was scared at first, but later when I was older I asked Red-Tooth about it."

"What did he say?" Walker asked.

"He said he loved my father with all of his heart and soul; that it was not dishonorable to let his alpha take him in that manner if that was what Dire-Fang needed," Swift-Paw explained. The warrior's scent and body seemed to race through emotions even faster than Walker had a few hours ago. "When Dire-Fang told me he had asked Steel if I could join your pack I was so excited. I felt like I was finally going to become a great warrior, maybe even find love one day... like my father and Red-Tooth have, but..."

Walker looked at Swift-Paw in the dim light as the young wolf continued.

"...but I don't even know if I'm ready to be a long-fang yet," Swift-Paw said sadly and with shame heavy in his voice and scent. "I would be the omega... I would have to submit to the entire pack for years before I could ever hope to win enough honor to leave that rank behind me!"

"What is it like... to be an omega?" Walker asked softly.

"At first... I heard it's hard. You are the bitch of the pack. Everyone gets your ass when they can't fuck their mate or a better pack mate," Swift said sadly. "Even after you move up in station you're still at the bottom of the pack for the most part... sometimes new members even outrank you just because you are the omega."

Swift-Paw's scent grew hot with anger and musk. His ears laid back and his tail curled. When he spoke again it was with a soft snarl in his voice.

"I was so angry at... father. I was angry with Dire-Fang because he had chosen this for me! I didn't even get to tell him how I felt about this... this honor... And now here I am with you; doing my duty to my father so some weaker wolf can make me his bitch!"

Swift-Paw was actually growling now. His eyes were angry and fierce as he turned and looked at Walker.

"When I first saw you as a cub... I... I..."

"You what?" Walker asked softly.

"I thought I loved you!" Swift-Paw said angrily and tore his eyes away from the smaller wolf. "Then I hated you because everyone treated you so much better than they did me or any of my litter mates... and then I was jealous because you have Steel... and now," Swift paused and looked up at the picture above him. "Steel has you..."

"You get to have me tomorrow night," Walker said softly.

Swift laughed. "Half the clan thinks you won't do it. I think even Dire-Fang is betting against you turning me," he said and shook his furry head.

It was Walker's turn to be angry when he heard those words. He knew he was thought of as a cub by most of the packs, but he didn't think they believed so little in him. "Why would anyone say that!?" Walker asked angrily.

"Because you and Steel never mate," Swift shot back hotly. "Some of the elders, like Brown-Snout and White-Ear, defend your name and honor, but some of the younger wolves say much crueler things."

"What do you say?" Walker asked and looked away from Swift.

"I don't say anything. I'm a warrior, not a scout or a hunter. I don't need to socialize with others about such trivial matters," Swift said gruffly, but Walker knew there was more to it than that.

"What do you really say?" Walker asked even more softly.

After a long while Swift replied. "They all know I liked you... that I worked harder than the other cubs to be bigger and stronger... to impress you."

"What?" Walker asked and looked at Swift in surprise. He had never once thought of himself as being attractive to another wolf. The thought was both confusing and odd at the same time.

"It's true," Swift said shamefully. "I would give anything to challenge Steel for the right to mate you, but I'm not a hero; or even a true warrior yet..."

"But why?" Walker asked, still in shock by what Swift was saying.

Swift looked at Walker and almost smiled. "Because you're... I don't know... attractive, irresistible, confident, and you smell great!" Swift said and then his smile faded. "I know you aren't interested in me though. I can't believe you even came out this far for a wolf you don't even like."

Walker didn't feel much like talking anymore. In all his time with the wolves of Wolf World he had missed something that they had kept close to their hearts this whole time. Wolves loved each other. Maybe not like humans did, but they loved all the same. Steel loved Walker, Swift-Paw had secretly loved Walker. Black-Fang and Silver-Fang loved each other just as Dire-Fang and Red-Tooth did. They even loved each other when they were not allowed to love... Yet despite all that, wolves could love just like humans did back when Walker had been Ben, and he had lived on earth. It was no wonder other wolves thought he was strange. Walker didn't love anyone, and he had never even tried to return the love he had been given by the wolves.

Silently Walker vowed he wouldn't let himself be the person he had been four years ago when he had left his home with Steel. Maybe he was still a cub inside... Hell, he didn't even know if he was ready to make love again, and he would have been twenty back on earth! Walker hated himself for being so ignorant of the wolves around him. "I'll show them..." Walker growled softly to himself before he found sleep that night.

...

Morning found the two young wolves boldly adventuring out of their hiding place and back into the eerie quiet of the clan hold. Without the cover of darkness the whole place looked a lot less foreboding. Walker even guessed that if he imagined hard enough he could see the old gray-wolves living here just like the timber-wolves did in their own clan hold. It wasn't an ugly land, but it was solemn and rugged just like the gray-wolves themselves.

"I wonder..." Swift-Paw said as they explored the clan hold hill. "You don't suppose the old gray-wolf fire fruit still grows around here do you?"

"I don't know. Steel never mentioned it before." Walker replied.

Swift-Paw led Walker through the woods, and before too long they caught the scent of the fruit wafting on the wind. It didn't take long for the wolves to find the hidden grove with their sensitive noses. "Look at this place!" Swift-Paw said as they walked under the huge trees laden with ripe moist fire fruit. The timber-wolf fire fruit was smaller and pale colored compared to the bright red and juicy fruit hanging from the trees above them. The fruit even smelled different from the fire fruit the timber wolves ate. The scent was subtle and slightly sweeter with a soft citrus note on the end. "I wonder if it tastes like my clan's fruit?" Swift asked.

Walker quickly shifted to his long-fang form and reached up to pluck two huge red fruits from the tree above him. He handed one to Swift-Paw bit into the second one. At once the intense flavor of the fruit struck the young long-fang, and despite his previous distaste for the fruit it was quickly clear that these fruits were both better and more appealing than the ones he had eaten with the timber-wolves. It wasn't hard to reach up and pick another two fruits, and once again the two young wolves voraciously consumed the rare treats.

By about their fifth fruit each they were both giggling and laughing at the smallest things. When Walker handed Swift his six fruit and then ate one himself the whole world around them seemed to light up. It was as if the muted colors of Wolf World exploded into vibrant florescent hues. Having lost their interest in the fruit the young wolves laughed and played as they romped, wrestled, and tumbled their way back to the clan hold. It was still early in the afternoon, but the two wolves found themselves on top of the clan hold regardless. Walker looked at the strong young wolf sitting in front of him and smiled. Swift-Paw was every bit his father's son. He was strong, muscular, dominant, and he had Dire-Fang's sexy red undertones in his coat. Swift was also brave and surprisingly loyal to his new pack. Walker couldn't help but blush as he looked at the young wolf and his cock stirred in his sheath. A plume of arousal wafted from Walker's young body and Swift seemed to drink the scent in like a drug.

Without any real words between the two Walker shifted back to his wolf form and presented himself to Swift-Paw. The warrior seemed confused at first, but Swift approached Walker all the same and sniffed his musky sheath and then his ass. "Don't bite me unless you want to see how much of a monster Steel can be," Walker said in a low woof.

"I... Walker... you don't have to do this," Swift said and shook his head to clear a bit of the haze caused by the fire fruit.

"I want to, for you, and for Steel too," Walker said and tried not to tense up when Swift stuck his nose right up against Walker's ass hole and began to softly lick the tight pink pucker. Just like with Steel four years ago an alien and unfamiliar part of Walker wanted this sort of attention. He was a naturally submissive wolf, and if not for his mating to Steel he would have experienced the advances of other wolves throughout his stay with the timber wolves. Walker didn't know then that wolves regularly engaged in recreational sex. It wasn't a hidden activity in the least, but regardless Walker just hadn't noticed that aspect of wolf culture yet.

Swift went slowly, but he seemed to be more concerned with pleasuring Walker than himself. The two curious males licked and sucked for nearly an hour before Walker laid down on his stomach and Swift pushed his red cock head up against the smaller wolf's tail hole. When the hot red cock pushed into Walker it wasn't like what taking Steel had felt like at all. There was very little pain. Swift was a very large male in that department, but he was not as big as Steel had been when he had first mated with Walker.

Swift growled and moaned softly as he mounted Walker and proceeded to establish his dominance. Through the whole act of sex between them Walker would occasionally grunt and growl as well, but in all honesty the sex was not as fiery and passionate as it had been with Steel. When Swift reached his climax he tilted his head back and howled passionately. There were no wolves around to hear the howl, but it was a glorious howl regardless. When he was done Swift pulled out of Walker and cleaned his own seed from the other male's ass, he even licking the inside of Walker's hole clean as well. As Swift slurped the ropes of wolf seed from himself Walker watched in mute fascination. He remembered Steel cleaning himself this way too. Thinking about Steel made Walker's heart ache in a new and strange way. It was pretty obvious, even to Swift, that Walker was not used to being away from his mate like this. The rest of their time before nightfall was spent in a surprisingly quiet state of reflection.

Walker had a lot to think about. Not only did he have a duty to perform in a few hours, but he would need to remember all the steps to the ritual and the words Steel had used when he had done this with Walker's help. Turning a long-fang wasn't hard exactly, but so far as Walker had observed it took two doses of seed or one shot in the backside. Without his mate around to assist in the turning Walker would have to do this the old fashioned way...

Swift had plenty to think about too. He had waited his whole life for this very night, and now it was finally here. Also he had actually fucked with the infamous Paw-Walker! Walker didn't know it, but he really was a very sexy young wolf. Despite that fact Swift could count on one paw the number of wolves who had lain with Walker. As the day waned Swift thought the most about the young wolf beside him. In a way Walker truly was his tonight. It was the next best thing Swift could have ever hoped for. He still wished Walker could be his mate instead of Steel's, but getting one night alone with the object of Swift's fantasies over the last few years was almost worth being the omega in a pack. Almost...

The sun was just setting over the forest when Walker changed into his long-fang form and looked down at the warrior wolf standing before him. This was not his first time to bring a new member into their pack, but he had never done the ritual by himself. "I am not your alpha, but he is with me tonight as I induct you into our pack," Walker said softly and solemnly. Swift-Paw nodded gravely and Walker smiled to himself at how serious the other wolf looked. It was good to see him taking this seriously. "Are you prepared to serve our pack and to protect it with your life? Are you ready to become a long-fang and join your warrior brothers in true combat?"

"I am ready Paw-Walker," Swift-Paw replied as if he had rehearsed this whole scene many times in his head.

"Step forward and ready yourself for my fangs," Walker wasn't the roughest of his pack when it came to this step. Hell, when Steel had changed Silver-Fang Walker had thought the poor wolf would bleed out from the huge bite the alpha had given him. The twins had been treated less roughly due to their ages, but Walker wanted Swift to remember this moment, so when the other wolf stepped forward Walker bit him hard on his meaty shoulder. It was not pleasant, but Swift-Paw didn't whine at the pain. He knew not to do such things during times like this. "As you now carry my bite so too do you carry my blood and the blood of my wolf father. Through us you are Gray-Wolf, and through the bond between us you are part of our pack!" Walker repeated the words from his memory. He hoped he sounded at least half as solemn as his mate usually did. "Are you ready to receive me seed brother?"

Swift-Paw nodded and submitted himself to the larger long-fang. Walker looked at the raised tail of the wolf below him and growled softly. He hadn't ever turned a wolf like this before, but Steel had made Black-Fang turn Silver-Fang after the wolf had tasted Walker and Steel's seed. It was funny to think that Silver had taken Black-Fang as his mate only a few days later.

Walker didn't waste any time with his new pack mate. He was a bit careful at first with Swift's virgin ass, but after he had been torn open the wound began to heal almost instantly. It seemed to Walker as though his mark was indeed as strong as Dire-Fang had thought it might be. It came as a surprise to Swift when Walker's cock flexed hard after only a few moments of pulling in and out of his tight ass. A jet of pre shot into Swift causing the wolf grunt softly. Each time Walker's pre would squirt into Swift it felt like he got a little bigger below Walker. Each thrust and hump pushed more and more milky pre into the smaller wolf as his body cracked and groaned along with his own moans, grunts, and growls.

Before too long Swift was as big as Walker, and Swift actually had to kneel to accommodate the now smaller long-fang. In less time than it had taken for him to grow that big Swift was making sounds that reminded Walker of how Dire-Fang sounded when he growled or snarled. For a few short moments Walker felt like he was fucking Dire-Fang himself, but Walker knew it was still Swift below him.

The sex needed to go on until the moon had risen over the forest, so Walker slowed himself down, enjoying the occasional jet of pre and the resulting snarls from the growing beast below him. When Luna finally peaked over the tall pine crowns Walker quickened his thrusts much to the pleasure of his partner. The low grunts and growls reached a crescendo as soon as the three moons of wolf world had risen over the forest and were shining onto the gray wolf clan hold. Both wolves howled in glorious release as Walker exploded into Swift-Paw.

Swift's howl was cut short as he snarled at the slight pain of his lower fangs pushing up and out of his lip. His body surged outwards one last time before stopping at a titanic nine feet in height. Walker had pushed his knot into Swift's ass, so they were tied together for at least a while. Swift was too busy looking at his arms to care though. His arms were now much like those of a human, and his new hand-paws had long fingers too. Swift's tail began to wag as he realized how massive and muscular he was.

Due to their size difference it wasn't long before Walker popped out of Swift's ass, but he dutifully cleaned the other wolf's back side like Swift had cleaned him. The taste of his own cum was odd at first, but Walker decided it wasn't a bad taste. No wonder Steel enjoyed drinking his seed, Walker decided that he tasted both rich and hearty. "Welcome to the pack brother," Walker said and stepped back from his creation.

Swift was big. Not nearly as big as Steel who currently stood at sixteen feet when fully transformed, but Swift was still only a foot shorter than Black-Fang who was about a foot shorter than Silver. The twins were shorter than Swift, but they were younger, so that made some sense. It was a bit surprising when Swift-Paw grabbed Walker and pulled him into a musky and muscular hug. "You're as much my father now as Dire-Fang," Swift said and licked Walker tenderly on his face. Despite his words Swift sure didn't seem to treat Walker any differently than the rest of the gray-wolf pack did. After a long hug the now huge long-fang curled around his smaller wolf father and they both quickly found sleep on top of the old clan hold. In a way sleeping with Swift only made Walker crave the touch of his mate, but Swift was big and strong too. He was a suitable replacement for Steel... at least for tonight anyways.

...

The morning sun peeked over the tree tops and found the two wolves curled together for warmth. They would have both preferred to sleep together for a while longer, but a series of unfamiliar barks woke them both from their slumber. Walker felt his new omega brother rise and stand over him as the barks got closer. For a moment the low savage growl coming from the wolf above him sounded like Dire-Fang or Steel, but Walker knew it was Swift-Paw. He could smell the difference even if the young wolf sounded a lot like his blood father and long-fang grandfather.

The barks came up the side of the clan hold and stopped when they saw the massive long-fang standing over a smaller wolf. "This is gray-wolf territory," Swift said angrily with a low rumbling growl to his voice. In the space of a single night the over-grown cub had achieved a voice just as deep and savage as Dire-Fang's and Steel-Fur's. It was impressive to say the least. Walker looked out from under his pack mate and saw the two dozen or so coyotes assembled on the rock around them.

"What's this brothers?" One of the coyote said in a high pitched almost whining voice. "Looks like we caught two long-fangs in the middle of the rut!"

It was Walker's turn to growl as he stepped out from under Swift-Paw. "Watch your tongue dog! This is my long-fang son, and we are not mated!"

"Could have fooled me with all that howling and cock slapping last night. We could hear you two clearly in our own territory!" The coyote mounted one of his pack mates and lewdly began thrusting at his ass. From how the other coyote responded to the attention Walker began to think that maybe coyotes mated male to male as well. That didn't make the lewd display any less insulting though.

"What do you want Scruff-Tuft Hunters?" Swift-Paw said as he stepped forward and caused the two bucking coyotes to scamper away from him. Swift-Paw had surprised Walker with his ability to determine the clan affiliation of these coyotes. Nobles were taught politics, but warriors were taught to know their foes in battle.

"When we heard two long-fangs nearby we thought we might come make an offer to you," the coyote said slyly. "We want to make peace with the timber-wolves."

"Somehow I doubt that," Walker said with a low snarl in his voice.

"We are not as over-reaching as the shadow-clan, and they strike against us now in anger for not aiding them against your kind these last few years. We can't fight them off alone, and our enemy's friends could be our friends too," the coyote said and looked at Walker.

"Why should we trust you?" Swift-Paw asked.

"There are only two of you, but there are many more of us," the coyote said and looked around him at his brothers. "If you don't come with us than we will attack you. Perhaps half our number will fall, but in the end you will not escape alive! Come with us to speak to our clan mother, and we will let you live."

Walker looked up at Swift-Paw who was bristling with anger. "Our pack will come looking for us," he said.

"We're hoping that they do," The coyote said and laughed. "Two half grown cubs like you are sure to bring at least two packs of wolves to our door step. We can negotiate your release once your elders arrive."

"You'll never take us alive!" Swift-Paw growled savagely.

"Wait," Walker said and put himself between swift and the coyote. "They might only want to talk," he said and looked at his pack mate. "We don't need to fight every coyote we see," the young wolf said softly in a near whisper.

"I will not allow them to hurt you Walker," Swift-Paw said gruffly. "Even if you agree to go with them I will guard you with my life!"

"Thank you brother," Walker said and smiled as Swift backed down and submitted a tiny bit to Walker's will.

"We should hurry young wolves, our mother is quite eager to see you... she might be persuaded to let you go if you can help us..." The coyote turned to lead the two wolves east through the forest and away from the gray-wolf lands.