After the run in with the black furred man, Nikan's mood was even worse. He was sick of being chased around, never having a steady place to rest his head and most of all being looked down upon or feared instead of respected. He wanted to make his own group, he wanted wolves to hunt with, fight with, wolves he could protect and who would earn his respect and give it in return.
"Serem I think it's time those with dark tendencies get to lead. I want to run a pack" he announced shouting over the roaring of the falls they were approaching.
Up ahead was a large pool of water with a massive waterfall pouring into it. He picked up his pace and ran to the water's edge, drinking deeply and eagerly from the cool water. It was so fucking hot on top of everything else, the water was like ingesting heaven.
Serem took in his words and he was right. She smiled before speaking. "I'm listening. " She said as if for him to continue. The pack idea sparked her interest as she too took a drink. The crisp taste of the water trickling down her throat felt amazing.
It was definitely his scent.
Zula had been looking for Nikan for about a week now. She had gone back to Arrow Lake first, but she ended up alone there. They had left. He had left. There had been no tracks, and only faint familiar smells. That had worried her, how long have I been gone? she had thought.
She had been living a terrifying reality for the last couple of days - or weeks, or months, she did not know for certain. Her wound must have gotten infected and spread to her blood. A fever had made her wander deliriously to places she couldn’t remember. She couldn’t remember anything - what she did, what she ate, how she survived. When she woke up from the fever dream, she felt different. Less Zula. Less innocent. It frightened her. What part of her dreams had been real? But in the chaos that was her mind, one thing rang clearly - Nikan. She had to find him.
Now, Zula was both exhausted and tired. Exhausted from walking for days on end, traversing two mountain ridges, and tired of the uncertainty. Not knowing if she was going in the right direction, not knowing if she would ever find him. But she was a good tracker, and it had not rained yet so his scent was still there. Faint, but there.
And when the wind blew her way, she was certain. It was definitely his scent, clear as day. He was close, so was another wolf - perhaps Serem. So she stopped in her tracks, pointed her muzzle to the sky and howled.
He had heard Serem but continued to drink deeply until his belly could hold no more. Panting softly to catch his breath he turned to look at her, his lips quirking. "A pack where respect is earned or taken. Where violence is accepted to a point. Where betrayal means death. We watch one another's backs. Any weak wolves are either killed or put to work as slaves. We either recruit members or ta-" his rambling of his thoughts was cut short as a howl went up, the voice sending chills down his spine. Immediately he felt that strong surge of possesiveness, of the desire to protect and keep her close. "Zula...How the fuck" he growled and took off.
Upon seeing her he didn't stop, his hackles rose and he barreled into her aiming to knock her down with his weight. His tail rose and his lips curled over his fangs, rage evident in every area of his body. "You vanished! I took you in, kept you safe, I cared about you, and you disappear like i am nothing!" he raged, his words snarling and giving no chance for explanation. "I looked for weeks, Zula. Weeks you have been gone. Maybe more than a month. Time held no meaning. You just fucking vanished. So I decide to come back, start my own life and you suddenly appear? What games are you playing?" he was shaking as he shouted at her, his eyes wide and full and vulnerable. It wasn't just anger, it was hurt and betrayal and....relief. He was so glad that she had returned to him, he was glad that she was safe.
Serem was definitely intrigued by the idea and as he spoke more she was certain now that this was what she wanted. However he was cut short when a familiar wolf came by and he was off. The female decided it would be beat to stay on the sidelines until they resolved their conflicts.
When Nikan appeared between the trees, she was overjoyed. But that feeling quickly disappeared when she took a decent look. He did not seem happy. It looked like his rage could whip up a storm. Taken aback by his sudden anger, she stood there, frozen.
He was shouting all sorts of things at her that she didn't understand. Zula opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off. No, I-
she tried, Please just li-
, But wait-
. What did he say, a month? Had she really been gone for that long?
I'm not playing anything!
she said, this time she was shouting too. I don't remember what happened between the last time I saw you and a couple of days ago - it's a complete blank. The wound got infected and I got a fever, then I must have been living in a dream-like state until my body got rid of the infection on its own
Zula said, her voice sounded uncertain. She kept her mouth shut about the terrible dreams. I'm sorry,
she said, softer this time. She wasn't apologising for what happened, she was apologising for making him feel like she had betrayed him.
As soon as his tirade ended he did listen to what she said, taking it all to heart. Perhaps she was the only one whose words he would care about. He listened and immediately his rage dissolved into a feeling of guilt and shame. She had been sick and he hadn't paid enough attention to notice it and because of that she had wandered away in a mindless state. His ears flattened and his tail fell as he looked down at her, eyes going wide and nose quivering as he studied her. "Zula..." he murmured softly, the relief and apology in the uttering of her name saying more than words ever could. He lowered his nose and pushed it against her fur for the briefest of touched before moving off of her. "Serem, Zula will be joining us. She will be part of our pack" he said in a tone of finality. He would never ever lose Zula again, he would make absolute sure of that.
Serem listened to both of them speak and then walked forward towards them both. "The more the merrier. " She then looked at Zula. "We were never properly introduced but you already know my name so. " She was unsure what to say next.
I know
she said in reply to her name. No more words had to be said by either of them, they both knew what the other wanted to say. He touched her for only a moment and she smiled as if to say it's okay.
When Serem spoke she nodded briefly and smiled at her too. She was happy to see them both. Then Zula stepped closer to the dark-furred female. Thank you for keeping him alive, I don't know what would have happened to him if he had been alone
she said, soft enough so Nikan wouldn't hear it.
No argument was put up by Serem to which he felt a rush of satisfaction. In the small trio he was the king, the one who made the rules and though he knew Serem came second in terms of dominance he didn't consider her a threat. He watched the two females approach one another and saw Zula murmur something but exactly what that was he couldn't gather. "Secrets aren't nice" he said but shook his head dismissively and looked off. "We should discuss plans. We need to search for people to follow us, or people to grab and force to subservience" he said matter of factly.
Serem nodded contently. "Well where do you guys want to start looking?" She said as she stepped forward.
She just smiled at Nikan's comment. Secrets had been her whole past life. Secrets had kept her safe. She was good at keeping them too. Zula stopped smiling at Nikan and was now smiling at her past self. She had always liked being a spy. No matter how much she denied it to herself, she couldn't get past the fact that she still did. Maybe again, in the future, she thought.
Zula swallowed when Nikan spoke those last words. She had been taken against her will too. She wasn't a captive anymore, but there were still shackles keeping her tied to him. I remember passing wolf tracks not far from here, maybe we could start there?
she suggested.
Nikan caught Zula's smile and gave one in return, cold expression melting to a warm one for the briefest of moments before it faded again and he looked off into the distance.
"I suppose we can start anywhere, We have no rush until we have some formed plans" he said and fell silent again until Zula said she saw tracks. He gave her a pleased look
"Would you show us?" he asked. For the first time it was not an order but a request. Even he looked startled by it, ears flicking sideways and an almost dorky expression of surprise showing.
One more post from Serem and Zula if wanted, if not let me know and I'll just Archive assuming Zula showed them!
Serem stayed quiet as they both finished their conversation. The other female noticed tracks, those of which she had not seen. Without hesitation the followed without question.
Sure, follow me.
Zula led them deep into the forest, following her own tracks back to the way she had come. It reminded her of the many days she had spent alone in the past - tracking packs, lurking in the shadows, quietly tailing other wolves.
There
she said and stopped, nodding her head to paw prints in the mud. There were muddy paws on the trunk of a fallen tree too, giving them a sense of the directing the wolf had gone. There was barely a scent left, but it was a good place to start.