Stories in Jasper: Moonlight Howl
#2 of Stories in Jasper
After clearing up that fight with Lilly and Garth, which involved a berry-eating squirrel and Reba the vegetarian, Akita and Delneco were under the impression that their work was done for the day.
They couldn't be more wrong.
"Hey, Deke, I'll meet you at the Moonlight Howl, alright, brother?" Akita said, still giggling from how they they helped Garth out. "I've got some stuff to take care of."
Deke shot him a curious look, but didn't push the issue. Akita would tell him when he was ready.
"That's cool, bro. Just be careful, alright?" he said to Akita.
Akita nodded back at him, and Delneco trotted off, presumably after some Omega girl.
Following his trusty nose, Akita made his way up to the den that served as the Alphas meeting room. As was custom, Candu and Hutch were standing outside, guarding the meeting.
Akita respectfully sat a few paces from them and waited for them to address him, as an Omega should.
"Yes, Akita?" Hutch asked.
"Is it okay if I talk to Kate and Napoleon for a few minutes?" he asked.
Hutch nodded at Candu, who turned and went into the cave to ask.
"I heard about your exploits this morning with Napoleon," Hutch commented after a moment.
Akita laughed nervously.
"Yeah, that was us. That's why I came by."
Hutch nodded, but didn't say anything.
A few minutes later, Kate and Napoleon came out of the meeting den followed by Candu. Candu returned to his post at the entrance.
"You wanted to tell us something?" Napoleon asked, still angry about that morning.
"Uh, yes sir," Akita said nervously. "I just wanted to tell both of you that I'm sorry about this morning."
Kate and Napoleon looked at each other in surprise. Not because of what he had said, but the fact that he had said it at all.
"What makes you tell us this?" Napoleon asked suspiciously. His eyes narrowed, looking Akita up and down.
Kate glanced once at him, read his submissive body language and intercepted.
"Napoleon, chill out. He's serious," Kate said, coming to Akita's defense.
Napoleon looked at Kate, wary.
"You know what, Napoleon, just get out of here!" Kate snapped.
"What do you mean, Kate?" he asked, taking a step back.
"I mean get out of my sight before I make you get out of our territory!" she yelled at him. Akita cringed. He hadn't intended to start this.
"This wolf, this Omega, does the right thing and apologizes, and you suspect a trick. I've known Akita for a long time, and he means what he says. Now go!" she ordered.
Napoleon slunk away.
"Sorry about that," Akita told Kate.
"Think nothing of it," she responded. "It had to happen at one point. Now, you should go get ready for the howl. The sun is setting."
Akita nodded his affirmation and turned to leave.
"Aktia?" Kate called at the last moment.
He turned his head to look at her.
"That means a lot, you apologizing. Thank you."
Akita nodded again, smiled, and turned to go.
* * *
A few hours later, Akita had bathed himself in the warmest creek he could find, rubbed his fur on a pine cone to brush it, and gnawed on a piece of bark to clean his teeth. He may have still been mourning his late Rose, but he still wanted to look nice at these things.
He met up with Deke at his den, and together, they made their way to the howl.
Once they got there, and started climbing for their customary place, the sight of all the mated pairs sent a pang of sadness through Akita's chest. Here, more than anywhere else, Rose's memory stood out most.
But little did Akita know that his life was about to change.
For on his way up to his preferred howling spot next to a nice cluster of pine trees, he accidentally bumped into a fellow wolf.
"My apologies," he said distractedly, glancing at the wolf in question.
Then he did a double take as the images his eyes had captured made their way to his brain.
The wolf he had collided with was a fellow Omega, a beautiful female named Sweets. Her eyes of liquid blue, she of the soft tan fur and perpetual warm expression.
Without realizing it, and without being noticed by her, he stared at her, transfixed by her beauty. Sweets was with her best friend in the whole world, an Omega named Candy. Candy threw him an angry look, but Sweets glanced back at him with a small smile on her face.
Delneco was there the whole time, and having seen the whole exchange, he knew what Akita was thinking.
"Dude..." he said softly once Sweets was out of earshot. "Go get yourself some of that!"
Taken by a sudden rage, one that caught him entirely off guard, he snapped.
"Don't talk about her like that!" he growled.
"What, I'm just saying that she's pretty!" Deke shot back, hackles starting to stand on end.
Without warning, the flood of rage and adrenaline was gone, leaving Akita empty and tired.
"Deke, let's not worry about it, okay? I'm sorry I growled at you."
Deke looked a little wary, but accepted the apology.
* * *
The entire howl, Akita was unable to take his eyes off Sweets' radiant beauty. She never saw him watching her, and when Akita tried to approach her after the howl, Candy dragged her away.
Akita swished his tail in frustration and stalked back to his den, hoping he didn't have the nightmare again.