Warclaw (11 page)

Coming to an area that was quiet, Wren lay Wibeke down. He looked around to see if there was any-wolf near but there wasn’t, to his relief. “Will,” Wren calmly said before walking over to him “let the pack know that Wibeke is back. But tell them that she needs to rest so to leave her alone. But give them the good news. Just don’t tell them what condition she is in. If they as say she is well. We need something positive after that slaughter.” Will nodded and ran back into the bushes to find the pack and tell them the good news.

Watching Will run off into the bushes, Wren laid down next to Wibeke. Watching her sleep, Wren watched her chest raise and then fall. Slowly falling asleep, Wren could hear all the other wolves howling into the night’s sky in happiness. He smiled and then closed his eyes.

Another day had come and gone, much like the wolves in both packs. Marko’s pack was down to one and soon the population would become zero. For what Marko didn’t know was that he was Warclaw’s bait. And what all the other wolves didn’t know was what Warclaw was planning. But what Warclaw didn’t know was what the crystal was planning. Maybe he was the bait all along...

Chapter 10: Being the bait.

The sun started to shine over to the horizon, blasting light across the land. The birds began their chorus in the trees and the wind gently brushed against the trees, making the leaves rustle. The bushes rustled quietly in the background and made a quiet whistling sound. It was perfect. The sky was pure blue and the air was cool. It was peaceful for a brief moment in time. The land was bright and alive for at least a moment.

The wind blew gently against the fur of Wibeke and Wren. Wren slowly opened his eyes to see the land out in front of him. The sunrise was perfect in every little detail. Looking down to Wibeke he noticed that she was moving slowly and her eyes were slowly opening. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Wren said happily. Wibeke turned her head in the direction of the sunrise, and smiled. The sun felt warm against her cold fur. "Yes. Yes it is Wren." Wren smiled. He was glad that Wibeke had said something to him. "Beautiful. Like you Wibeke, in every little detail." Wibeke smiled knowing that she was back in safe arms. "Why?" Wren spoke to Wibeke this time. He turned his head to her and looked into her eyes. Staring back into his, Wibeke spoke "I had to get away from it all. Warclaw was after me not you or the pack. But look at what happened when I left." She lowered her head. "Wibeke, believe me when I say this, it wasn't your fault at all. We didn't even know that there was another pack near here, did we?" Wibeke shook her head.

"Maybe now you are here, we better keep to the truth hey?" Wibeke looked into Wren's eyes.

"Wren is there something you want to tell me?" She questioned.

"Yeah, when we had that argument days ago well..." He paused. 'The truth is better.' He thought. "I and Willow did have a relationship." He paused, waiting for some sort of reaction off of Wibeke. But there was no reaction, just a blank expression on her face. Deciding to continue he spoke again "We weren't together then besides it didn't last long. Just a few weeks. It was only when you weren't around Wibeke." He looked at Wibeke and saw a lone tear roll down her snout. "I'm sorry Wibeke. I really am sorry."

"I know you are Wren. I know you are sorry but how could you do that?"

"I don't know. I guess I just needed some attention whilst you were away. But we weren’t together, so I thought it didn’t matter.”

"That's no excuse but I forgive you." Wibeke went to get up but fell back down to the ground. "You need to rest Wibeke." Wren said walking to her side. "Here let me help you. You are weak Wibeke."

"I'm fine!" Wibeke snapped back at Wren.

"No you're not! Sit back down!" Wren said firmly. There were still things that he wanted to say. Wibeke sat back down on the floor and looked at Wren. "Can't we just forget all this? Forget all these mistakes that have happened? Forget all these problems between you and me?" Wren begged.

"Fine!" Wibeke snapped. “But you have a lot of work to do to make up for it!" Wren nodded. "There is one thing you must tell me though!"

"Yes?"

"How come we are so many down on the pack? There are hardly any when I came in. And how come we aren't in our den?"

"It's a long story that I don't know all the answers to."

"I have time." Wibeke smiled.

"Alright." He paused then carried on. "When you left we started to get ready to fight Warclaw. About a day or so later Warclaw contacted me telepathically; well that’s what we think. " Wren paused to make sure that Wibeke was taking it all in. "Go on."

"Well he taunted me about you, as we hadn't seen you in a while but it had only been a day or so since you went missing so we were waiting for your return. Anyway, Warclaw taunted me and then said how I would never get you back. He also mentioned that he had a message for you."

"What was it?" Wibeke quickly intervened.

"We don't know. However, we believed that Warclaw had done something to you, but by the looks of it he hasn’t. He has a plan thought, I know that much."

"So what happened to the pack?" There was concern in her voice.

"Well a few days later – yesterday – we came under attack. These wolves came out of nowhere! Their Alpha was Mathew. They were from Manto from what I believe. The weird thing was..." Wren paused in thought "was that all their eyes were red but when they died, their eyes changed back to brown, blue, green etc. Their normal eye colour you could say. When I asked one of the wolves from that other pack, a question, namely 'Why are you working for Warclaw?' they simply stated that they weren't. That's what confused us."

"Hmmm..." Wibeke paused in thought. "You're right. But the question is why were they attacking our pack? We have not threatened them in any means..." Wibeke paused again.

"Or have we?" she asked, willing for the information to be told to her. "No we haven't. Not that I know of, at least." Wibeke walked up to Wren but then looked behind him. "What's up?" Wren questioned before turning around. "Oh, it's you." Wren said with relief.

"Yes it is me! Who else would it be?" Wanbi said laughing.

"Wanbi?" Wibeke questioned, squinting her eyes to see.

"Yeah it's me. Geeze Wibeke, you look different. Done something with your fur have we?" Wanbi joked.

"Yeah it's called the bush look." Wibeke said sarcastically, laughing at her own joke. "And yeah I suppose I look different. Losing the weight and all. So what are we doing waiting here?" Wibeke turned back around to Wren. "We're here Wibeke because they are all dead. That pack that attacked us, are all dead. We killed them all. But we loosed some of our pack in the process."

"Oh." Wibeke paused. "So what about Warclaw? Was he with them or not? It is pretty suspicious for an attack on the pack and for Warclaw to not be there with them. He is behind it or at least that crystal of his is." She stated.

"You are right Wibeke. There is something suspicious going on here but for some reason nothing is making sense. It is like every pack is trying to kill us off but what have we done to them? Warclaw is trying to kill us off, that pack tried to kill us off, how many more packs out there want us dead?" Wren distressed.

"You are both right. However we need to focus on Warclaw as I have recently heard from one of the patrols that Warclaw is on his way here with another wolf. I don't know who this wolf is but whoever he is, we take them both down!" Wanbi said in a dominating tone. Wanbi had finally chirped up. Wibeke laughed. "Why are you laughing? You are in no shape to attack him anyhow; we need someone strong and capable of taking him down... namely me." Both Wren and Wibeke burst out laughing. "Why do you both mock me?" Wanbi questioned confused. "I am being honest. I can take this other wolf down, what match is he against me?!" With Wibeke and Wren nearly in tears laughing, Wanbi was insulted. Very insulted! "Wanbi honestly, we both love you very much but you... you attack another wolf?" Wibeke said between laughs.

"Why do you judge me? Since you the storm, I have trained every day and night for this, to finally be capable of taking down Warclaw, or any-wolf that he throws at us."

"Wanbi, I admire your courage and admiration but Warclaw is more powerful and dangerous than you could ever know and can ever possibly imagine!" Wren said angrily.

"Yes I know that but if we work as a group then we can finish him once and for all!" Wanbi argued.

"Your funeral!" Wibeke plainly stated.

"What do you mean my funeral?" Wanbi questioned.

"Well for starters, Warclaw is smarter than you so would expect an attack from us. Secondly, why do you think he has been trying to get an accomplice for? He needs another pair of eyes to watch out for things that he wouldn't be able to see on his own." Wibeke smiled. "You are still young Wanbi and have so much yet to learn. You are not matched for Warclaw!"

"Fine. But what do we do?"

"We wait for him to come to us." Wibeke laughed evilly.

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The sky was becoming dark and the stars had started to come out. Warclaw and Marko had been walking for a while. Their legs had started to ache from all the walking and running that they had done. Warclaw looked back to see that Marko was far behind him and stopped, "Do you want to rest a bit Marko?" Warclaw asked. He could see that Marko wasn't used to this amount of walking. Warclaw had travelled long distances in his life, many miles across lands and poor Marko hadn't. The furthest he had probably travelled was Wayland and no further than that. Marko nodded his head and lay down. Neither of the two wolves had eaten for days and they were both famished. They hadn't had any drink either so their throats were soar and parched. They needed to get food and water soon, else they would die. Marko would anyway. "Warclaw we need some food and water, I'm parched and hungry." Warclaw started walking towards Marko. "We do need food and water. But we aren't near any water for another mile yet, and the only food around here is a berry, that’s it. So unless you want to become a herbivore then I suggest you wait. "Warclaw stated plainly. Marko looked down at the floor and shook his head.

"How much further is it now, then?" Marko asked.

"I am not sure. They could've moved further out but I'm not sure. Although I have seen a patrol from the pack so I think that they are near." Warclaw said as he looked around.

"And what’s the grand plan then?" Marko asked, knowing that Warclaw hadn't even thought about a plan. "Let me worry about that Marko, I know you think I haven't got a plan but don't worry, I have a few." Warclaw chuckled.

"Well do you care to share considering I am helping you with this?" Marko asked. Warclaw didn't speak for a few minutes trying to think up a plan that could get Marko of his back and that he wouldn't suspect what his real plan. "Well?" Marko asked again.

"My plan is simply to go into their camp, with a patrol and go talk to them about this misunderstanding and to make sure that they give my crystal back so it doesn't ruin any more lives. Happy?"

"Yeah I suppose. But what happens if they aren't friendly, which I suppose you know they aren't or won't be?"

"Oh don't worry about it; I have a backup plan. Don't worry they will be friendly."

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Wibeke, Wren and Wanbi walked towards where the remaining pack was sat. As they walked over to them, one of the patrol wolves ran over to them. "Wren!" The patrol shouted. Wren turned around and looked at the patrol. "What's happened?" Wren asked.

"Warclaw has asked to meet you, but first would like you to take care of the wolf that has been travelling with him." The patrol said warily.

"Bring them to us, and we shall then sort his companion out. But first bring them here to me."

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Warclaw and Marko waited for the patrol to come back to them. As they were waiting Warclaw turned round to Marko "You need to pretend to be ill, really ill so they will give you hospitality. Oh and if they ask, just say that I saved you from that pack that they attacked. If they ask how you know of it then just say you had come past that way with me and that's how you saw it. Okay?" Warclaw asked.