Raven's Watch A trek to the mountains

The black wolf proceeded with caution towards the peak, his strong paws creeping up the rocky hill to make his way to the edge. He moved his skull in a way that allowed him to catch a quick glimpse of the fiery sun, which the warmth suffused his face. His golden luminous eyes were glued to the reddish horizon, noticing that the evening would soon come to an end. The chill wind began to blow at the top of the peak. It was getting very cold, and winter is just around the corner.

Ace’s ears twitched slightly as he could hear the murmur of the trees. The low sound made him relaxed. He felt like he was at home with his beloved family, but the image of his father would always ruin his good memories. He didn’t want to start thinking about his past, so he decided to catch some scents in the air to keep himself occupied. He lifted his muzzle upward, his ebony nose detecting the scent of other wolves. With a little help from the breeze, he could know that the strangers weren't very far from the mountains. Ace remained on guard and he headed towards the blue river. He was in the mood to drink some fresh water.

Weetzie’s attention was focused primarily on the ravens that nested along the cliffs. He had been traveling alone for quite some time, and he was getting hungry, and he knew that the actions of the ravens would often indicate the presence of carrion, or at least a sick or injured animal that might be easy for even a little guy like himself to bring down. So far, however, he hadn’t seen anything noteworthy. If he didn’t find some food soon, he would likely give up and find a place to rest for the night.

He didn’t have to be out here alone. He could have stayed with the others, but he had an insatiable curiosity about the land, and like his sister, he wanted to see it. Unlike his sister, he didn’t care much for socializing with the others, but he found comfort in knowing he had a place to return.

Not seeing anything from the ravens to indicate any carrion or easy prey, he headed for the river. Perhaps he could hunt some small game or maybe catch some fish. As he trotted toward the river, he noticed a large, black wolf nearby, and he suspected that the wolf had already noticed him, as the other was downwind from him. The large wolf didn’t seem hostile, but he quickly mapped an escape route just in case. As long as the other was friendly, he would attempt to socialize, if only to keep his sister and the others happy. He continued toward the river. He was close enough to easily speak with the other, but he maintained a respectful distance from him and did not initiate conversation. He figured if the other wanted to speak to him, he would do so.

The black wolf came to an abrupt halt as he spotted another wolf with a monotone coat. He was paddling along the river, and outwardly he seemed composed and quiet.  Some of his grey fur was glowing softly in the sunlight like a sliver ore. Ace was mildly surprised by his small size, but he was still wary. It didn’t really matter if a wolf was small or large - they all had the potential to deliver a strike with their sharp teeth. Besides, petite wolves are very fast and agile in combat. Ace’s black fur began to flutter in the cold wind. He kept his calm gaze fixed on him and he took a brief moment to muse. He debated with himself whether to talk first or not.

After a few minutes of silence, the brute took some deliberate steps and then he stopped near the edge of the river, giving the other wolf some space. More scents of wolves were wafting through his nostrils. He never smelled that much wolves before. Suddenly, a question occurred to his mind and he decided to be the first one to talk. Ace gave him a polite nod before speaking. “I smell a lot of wolves in the air. And I don’t mean they smell bad.” He chuckled inwardly, his fangs were apparent at the corner of his mouth. “I mean.. There are a lot of wolves around here. Is there a pack nearby?” Ace paused briefly and realized that his question was kind of silly. Maybe he already entered into a pack territory and he might talk to a member of the pack right now. He took a seat on the ground, waiting for an answer from the young wolf. His golden eyes were roaming over to the river as he listened to the perpetual sound of water.

Weetzie subtly kept an eye on the other wolf to see if how he would act and whether or not he would be aggressive. He relaxed a little when the other spoke and didn’t show any hostility. When the other mentioned the presence of other wolves, he remembered his own surprise at how many wolves were around when he first arrived in the Teekon Wilds, but after several months, he had grown used to their scents.

“Indeed, there are many wolves around here,” he said in usual monotone voice without showing any emotion, “and I believe there are several packs around here as well.” He had crossed the mountains months before while searching for his runaway sister and had noticed several wolves’ scent trails seemed to converge on multiple locations, and he had suspected that there were packs at those locations, but the paranoid and unsociable coywolf had avoided them. He had done the same over past few days on his way here.

He briefly took a drink from the river as he mentally mapped the places where he believed packs to be located in relation to where they were now. After his drink he turned again to the wolf and said, “I believe there are a few packs nearby. I am pretty sure one is forming in the forest at the northwest end of this mountain range.” He turned his head due west, indicating the direction of Ravensblood Forest. “I am fairly certain there is another pack in the mountains due south, though I am not sure how far away it is from here, and I suspect there is another somewhere on the other side of that mountain.” He turned to indicate the direction of Blacktail Deer Plateau. “However, I have not confirmed any of them. I have actually avoided places where I believed packs to have claimed land. I also am with a group of wolves that are forming a pack further along the coast to the west, but that is several days travel from here.”

After a brief pause, he asked, “Are you seeking a pack?” He couldn’t help suspecting the other was seeking out a pack, which was the exact of his own attempts to avoid them.

Ace shifted his gaze to the other wolf, his medium ears swiveling slightly at the words that were coming from his maw. He seemed to speak in the most humdrum manner. How come? Is he exhausted? Does he need to eat? The large wolf questioned himself while tilting his head to the side. He was a bit relieved to hear that he was located on a neutral territory. He didn’t want to trespass on a pack territory because if he did that, he would be in big trouble. He flicked his vision at the directions that would lead him to the pack lands. He narrowed his eyes to display his inward calculations, trying to visualize and memorize the three paths as the other wolf described. “It seems that you almost know this place by heart. Thanks for being a guider. It is very rare to find someone who is kind enough to explain me all the details. Most of the time, I would start off on the wrong foot with other wolves.” He spoke in a normal tone, his black tail moving a bit from side to side. He turned around to face the river. Lowering his skull, he took a few sips of water to appease his thirst.

As soon as he replenished his own body, he took his time to ponder the question that got asked by the wolf. He angled his head upward as if he was looking for clues in the sky. The question about the pack caused him to be in a pensive mood. Ace had spent most of the time alone and he never had joined a pack before, but he already knew how a pack operated. They all worked together as a family. They all treated each other with respect and loyalty. They all showed their submissions to their main leader, and the most important of all, they all have a rank, such as Alpha, Beta, Elite, Delta, Healer and Gamma. There were many advantages when joining a pack, but at the same time there could be a war between packs, and Ace knew this because of his father Xerxes. He had been through a lot of wars when he was a member of the pack. He had fought so much that he had become someone else. He was more aggressive and insane than before. At first, Ace thought that his father was nice, but at the end of the day, it was all just a masquerade. He was a psychopath instead and he had murder his own family, except Ace.

After thinking too much, the brute had a somber, blank look on his face. He offered the small wolf a weak smile so he could mask his painful feelings. He cleared his throat before speaking. “It looks like I’m thinking way too much for a simple question. Sorry about that. Hmm.. To be honest, I don’t really know. Maybe one day. I’ve heard that any pack is the perfect place to learn new things and gain a lot of knowledge. So.. I might join one in the future, but I also like spending my time alone. Eh.. I don’t know if I should join one.” He walked towards the flat stone before contemplating again. It wasn’t very long before he glanced over his shoulder, staring calmly at the silver wolf. “What do you usually do with your group? Do you hunt together?” He returned to his previous position and he sat again. “Oh yeah I forgot to introduced myself. Where are my manners? You can call me Ace. Who might you be?”

Weetzie offered a tentative wag of his tail when Ace introduced himself, and he responded in his usual flat voice, “I am Weetzie, and I am pleased to meet you.” It was genuine even if his voice didn’t show it. Truthfully, he didn’t really enjoy socializing, but this fellow seemed pretty agreeable. “It was no trouble, though I must confess I not am entirely certain as I have limited memory of the area. I believe I was able to help because my sister’s constant wandering has forced me to learn to track location and direction when we were pups.” It could also be that he just had a good sense of direction, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to blame his sister for something.

He sat down, mirroring the larger wolf’s pose. “I understand ‘getting off the wrong foot’ so to speak, as I often have the same problem.” He remembered the black wolf he had recently met on a mountain and how she had suddenly seemed spooked for no apparent reason. He also remembered that the same wolf had thought he was a rabbit and had stared into his eyes. “I also understand being unsure about joining a pack. I was not certain of it either. I generally prefer to keep to myself, but my sister persuaded me to join up with a forming pack. I must admit it is practical. Each member has different skills, and we all have a better chance of surviving when we work together. I have not actually done much with my group yet, but yes there are group hunts, and sometimes just playing or howling.” Perhaps in time, he would be more comfortable with the group and would do more with them. Maybe by then, they would be an established pack.

Ace gave Weetzie a gentle nod, his large tail wrapping around his front paws. “Likewise, Weetzie. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” His tone of voice was the same as usual. He couldn’t smile again after the introduction because the bad memories of his past were starting to fill his whole mind. Although he was in a thoughtful mood, he still managed to maintain a decent conversation with Weetzie. “It’s okay if you’re not completely certain about the directions of these lands. At least you’re giving me a hint about the pack locations and that’s all I need to know.” He moved his paws and made a big stretch with his eyes closed and then he opened them again. “It’s very good that you’re doing some activities with your sister. You’re very lucky to have her. Back in the days, I used to hang out a lot with my three sisters and my two brothers. We used to do a lot of crazy things in our home. One time I remember that I used to slide down on a snowy hill with all my siblings, and we used to be in a group to explore new places. It was so fun that I couldn’t help myself but to smile. Ah, those were the days. I wish I could still hang out with them.” Ace’s words were fainting at the very end of his sentence. He still remembered all the names of his sisters and brothers, but he didn’t want to pronounce it because it would only bring him up sad memories. Oh here it comes again. Ace had a thoughtful look on his face. He started to think about his past once again, but he didn’t want go back to his own world where he could only see sadness. He needed to focus the present and future, not the past. He felt that he needed a hit on his head so he could wake up, but he couldn’t ask Weetzie to do it because he just met him today. Ah! Ace didn’t want to think anymore, he needed to do something in order to clear his mind. “Excuse me for a moment. I will be right back.” He said urgently as he walked closer to the river. He quickly dipped his head in the cold water and he remained still like a statue. He did it in a hilarious way as if he was trying to be facetious, but beneath the water surface he wasn’t laughing at all.

After a few seconds in the water, the male wolf lifted his skull. He exhaled a few times and he shook his head rapidly, clearing his mind for now. “Where are we again?” He made his way to the same spot where he sat before. He tried to remember Weetzie’s last sentences. “You’ve been having some problems with others wolves too? That sucks.. I guess we are in the same boat.“ Ace lifted his right paw to rub his face. He removed a green plant that got stuck on the bridge of his muzzle. “I definitely agree with you.” He nodded only one time before speaking again. “We can really boost our chances of surviving if we join a good pack. Also, I’ve heard that life gets better and exciting when you are a member of the pack because you will always do something fun with others, but I’m still unsure if I will join one. I’ve been so used to live alone that I don’t mind living like that.” Ace paused for a moment - his eyes were focusing on the dark bush that was located between the trees and it was moving like madness. He wrinkled his nose as he tried to catch the scent of the unknown creature that was hiding in the bush. It wasn’t a wolf. It was more like a small animal with a weak scent. Maybe a raccoon? 

Out of everything that Ace said, the one comment that stuck out most to Weetzie was that he was lucky to have his sister. There were times he wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t. He knew full well that he was indeed fortunate to have her. It hadn’t been that long ago that he was desperately searching for her and fearing he would never see her again. He couldn’t deny that exploring the land was much more enjoyable when he was with her than when he was alone, albeit more terrifying due to her taking risks that he considered frivolous.

He began to feel more awkward when Ace starting talking about his own siblings. Although Weetzie was socially inept and had a poor understanding of emotions, even he could tell that Ace was sad. Whether his brothers had died or even if he was merely separated from them, he couldn’t forget how he felt when Witchbaby was missing. He wished he knew what to say or what kind of comfort to offer.

“I am indeed fortunate that my sister is still with me,” he finally said, “though I believe we argue more often than not. I suspect she enjoys it.” He fidgeted and nervously smacked his tail on the ground. He wanted to ask Ace about his siblings, but he feared whatever he said would only upset him.

It turned out that he didn’t have to say anything. He watched in silence as Ace excused himself and returned to the water. He cocked his head and raised his eyebrows in curiosity as he dipped his head in the water and remained in that position. If Weetzie had a sense of humor, he might have found it amusing. Instead, he just thought it strange, but who was he to judge?

After Ace withdrew his head from the water and shook himself dry, Weetzie continued listening to what he had to say. He was about to respond when he heard the noise from a bush, and he noticed that it Ace’s attention as well. He remained silent. His tail went stiff, and he turned his head towards the bush with his eyes wide and his ears forward. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it had his attention.

The large wolf saw that Weetzie reacted quickly to the sudden noise, but he remained still as if he was focusing on the sound. Ace’s medium ears pricked up as he tried to hear more sounds. The noise from the bush seemed to cease. “Be careful Weetzie. That animal might have rabies.” He glanced at the small wolf from the corner of his eyes. With a quick movement, he swerved to the right and he took a prudent approach, his wispy tail rising over his spine. Once he reached in a suitable proximate, he came to a stop, his golden orbs still locking upon the nearby bush. He lowered himself to the ground, his belly pressing against the dampened earth below as he pondered his next move. Is he going to take a risk and jump into the bush? Nah, that hunting strategy is for the amateurs. Back in the day, Ace used to jump directly into any shrubs, but he would often get injured by other creatures.

It wasn’t that long before Ace made his wise decision. He picked up a dead branch with his teeth and he tossed it into the dark bush. He narrowed his gaze as he wanted to know which animal would emerge. When the branch touched the ground, a rabbit escaped the bush with full speed and it went between the rocks. The black wolf became more relaxed when he saw the brown rabbit. Those animals are far more vulnerable and they rarely attacked its enemy. Ace was in a mood to hunt, but capturing that animal would be a difficult challenge because of his enormous size. He doesn’t possess the amazing speed, and the rabbits are very fast. It would take him awhile before he could have the prey between his teeth. He whirled around to face the other wolf. Weetzie’s physique was slender and small, which he had the capacity to move swiftly as lightning. He might have more chances to catch the rabbit. Ace mulled over a plan for a minute. A brilliant idea flashed into his mind. “Hey Weetzie, do you want to eat supper!?” There was a hint of excitement in his voice.