Warclaw (20 page)

Winter sighed. “Fine but please once we sort this can we drop it for today. I don’t exactly want to talk about it now but I suppose it’s better to get it out of the way now than to let it drag.”

“Well I think I will make it quick then.” Warclaw sighed and started walking back up to the entrance of the cave. When Warclaw had got to the entrance of the cave, he went in and checked to make sure that there was no-wolf in there before discussing the matter. When he came out of the cave he sat down at the entrance. “Winter we need to decide which wolf is going to protect you. I know full well that Wilda and Welt are doing a good job, but by having two protecting you, it makes it more obvious. As you said, Waya could get some-wolf to do his dirty work for him. So we are going to need some-wolf we trust in order to protect you fully. Who do you think should protect you? Winter we need some-wolf that you trust and some-wolf who can fight. So who do you want Winter?”

“Well Wilda and Welt are very good but as I have said three may be too many, if we are still considering Wren. I trust them all but Wilda and Welt work well together but not on their own. So that only leaves Wren. But then you don’t trust him do you?” Warclaw shook his head. “But then who else can we consider? Wren is smart; he is strong and is growing stronger with every day of training. He is trying to find out stuff from Waya so that surely makes him on our side, right?” Winter asked.

“Yes I suppose, but let’s see how he goes over the next day or so, that way we can see whether he is trustworthy enough and is suitable to be your protector. So I think we shall stick with Wilda and Welt for today and tomorrow and then I think we shall decide whether or not he is worthy to do it.” Warclaw smiled. “Does that sound fair to you?”

“Yes I suppose it will have to do. I mean what else can we do?” Winter sighed. “Yes I know Winter...” Suddenly Warclaw was cut off before he could finish his sentence. “Warclaw we have found some wolves trapped in one of the shelters on the south side of the den. There are two trapped in there and we have tried to get them out but we can’t. They are stuck underneath one of the branches that have fallen.” Warclaw looked at Winter and smiled.

“Okay we’ll come.”

“Warclaw we will need some-wolf here just in case another wolf comes for help. I shall stay here, you go. I will be okay.” Winter smiled. “Fine, as long as you are sure. Remember if you need my help just howl, okay?” Warclaw asked making sure that Winter knew what to do if anything happened. “Yes I know.” Winter sighed at the constant reminder. Warclaw then turned around and started running alongside the wolf that had come to get his help. Watching Warclaw disappear into the trees heading towards the south side of the den, Winter heard some-wolf come up behind her. Turning around slowly, Winter saw Wren standing there. “What are you doing here Wren? I thought you were out helping the west group?”

“I came for your help Winter. There are some wolves trapped on the west side of the den. There are some on the edge of the forest as well trapped between some trees. Our group got ambushed; I was one of the only to get away. Please can you come with me to see to those injured?”

“Shouldn’t we wait for Warclaw? We need to tell Warclaw this. He needs to know Wren, especially with everything that is going on. Warclaw has told me that you are working for us and that you have told Waya about the protection I have and that Warclaw has asked you to be one of them.” Wren’s face was surprised. Winter carried on “I want you to be the main protector but I cannot make you that until you prove to Warclaw that you are worthy of it.”

“You want me to be the main protector? What makes you trust me so much? And how am I supposed to gain Warclaw’s trust when I am supposed to gain Waya’s trust? I cannot do both.” Winter knew that Wren had a good point here. It was going to be hard but she knew he had to do both else she could not get Wren to be the protector. “You are going to have to do it Wren, there is no other way to get you to be the protector. If there was, I would have already told you. I know it is near impossible but you are going to have to find a way.”

Wren sighed. “Fine but are you going to have to help me do this? I cannot gain Warclaw’s trust alone. I can deal with Waya but you have to help me with Warclaw. Now let’s go!” Wren said before racing off into the forest, in the direction of the wolves that were trapped. Winter was hot on his tail, following him to where the wolves were trapped. They ran through the forest with haste but the forest was unusually quiet. No birds were in the trees, or they were just being silent. Nothing moved on the ground making it seem lifeless. Looking around her, Winter shivered. She didn’t like the fact that it was silent. It made her uncomfortable. Winter liked the trees to be full of sound and the ground full of life, but this seemed to be quite different. Winter asked. “How much further?”

“Not much. There are wolves trapped under this branch that has snapped down onto the shelter. I don’t know how we will get it off without the strong wolves.”

Winter nodded. “When we get there I shall call for Warclaw. He’ll come then and help. How many are injured?”

“Nine are injured. Six are in quiet a bad way. The other three are just scrapes and bruises. They should be okay for now.” Wren paused looking around him. “It should be this way.” Wren started running in a different direction. Winter decided that it would be best that when they got there that she would howl for Warclaw as that way he would know exactly where they were.

After about ten minutes, Wren stopped running and started looking around him. Starting to walk towards to the shelter, he looked back at Winter. Nodding his head to indicate that it was safe for Winter to come with him, she followed. Soon they reached the shelter and the injured wolves. Winter rushed to one of the wolf’s side. It was badly injured and had a massive gash to the side of him. “It’s okay, I am here.” Before tending to the wolf, Winter howled calling for Warclaw. She then looked back down to the wolf below her. “Wren, come here.” Winter asked.  Wren walked towards her. “I need you to bring all the wolves that can move to me here. If they aren’t able to move, leave them and I shall go back to them. Okay?” Wren nodded his head in agreement, and started to bring the injured wolves to Winter. Winter pressed down on the wound on the wolf that lay below her.

As Winter tended to the injured wolves, Warclaw came charging in. “Winter? What’s wrong? Are you alright?” Warclaw fussed.

“Please stop fussing Warclaw. I am fine. I called you because there was an ambush here and the wolves in the shelter are still stuck. I am tending to the wolves that have been attacked and that are severely injured. I need you to get those branches off of the shelter before they all starve to death!” Winter said agitated.

“Alright.” Warclaw looked around to the shelter and observed the branches that had fallen. Working out how to get the wolves out of the shelter, Warclaw got the Atlas Crystal and started to focus on cutting the branches in two. Soon there was snapping and cracking sounds as the branch broke into two. As time went on, all of the branches were cut into two, allowing the wolves to come out of the shelter that they had been hiding in. Unbeknown to Warclaw, Wren had been watching Warclaw using the crystal to get the wolves out and relished in the power that it possessed. Warclaw walked towards the wolves as they came out of the shelter. He greeted them and asked if any of them were hurt, then pointed in the direction of Winter with his paw, if they were injured. Warclaw counted how many wolves came out of the shelter and realised that it was quite a large number. Fifteen wolves came out of the shelter. Six of them were injured.

As the wolves came out of the shelter, Warclaw heard a rustle in the bush behind him. Warclaw waited until all of the wolves had come out of the shelter before turning around to look behind the bush. Warclaw looked back to the other wolves and told them to quieten down. Warclaw walked silently over towards the bush and when he was close enough he pounced over the bush. When he had reached the other side there was no sign of any-wolf. Searching around the area, Warclaw looked for what could have made that noise but there was nothing there. ‘Whatever it was has gone now, but it could’ve just been the wind.’ Warclaw thought, unsure what had made the noise. Walking back around the bush, he looked across to Winter and shook his head indicating that there was nothing there and there was nothing to worry about. But still Warclaw was unsure of what had made that noise and he knew that if he did know what had made that noise, he would feel a lot safer than what he did right now. Walking back towards Winter, Warclaw could feel eyes stare deep into his back, but when he looked back there was no sign of any-wolf. He decided to dismiss it and to get these wolves back to the centre of the den before deciding what to do. “Winter we need to get every-wolf back to the centre of the den now! This place is not safe, there was no-wolf there when I checked but some-wolf is watching us. I can feel it. We need to get out of here.”

“I agree, there is something about this area that creeps me out and I can see that it creeps the other wolves out as well. Let’s get going.” Warclaw nodded in agreement. “Right every-wolf, we need to get moving back to the centre of the den. For those that are severely injured, we shall help you back. Try to get back as soon as possible.” Seeing the alarm on their faces, Winter knew she needed to talk comfort to the wolves. “It’s nothing to worry about. We just need to get back and make sure no other wolves are injured. Alright?”

“Right, let’s move out of here.” Warclaw ordered. Slowly one by one the wolves moved out of the area and headed back to the centre of the den. Warclaw and Winter kept some of the stronger wolves back to help the injured get back to the centre. Winter asked Wren to help one of the severely injured wolves back to the centre and she went to help another of the injured wolves, putting him across her back and carrying him back. Warclaw helped two of the wolves back to the den, carrying them upon his back. Other wolves did the same, carrying who they could on their backs. There were eight severely injured wolves and four that were less injured. When they got back to the centre of the den, Winter did a head count and made sure that there were all there and no-wolf was missing. “Right every-wolf is here Warclaw.”

“And from the other search groups, are they here?” Warclaw asked.

“Yes they are here as well Warclaw. I shall ask the leaders of the groups to count their members and let me know if there is any-wolf missing.” Warclaw nodded in agreement and Winter went about asking the leaders of the groups to do a head count. Warclaw looked around the edge of the forest that was to the west of the pack centre. Sniffing the air, Warclaw could sense that something was not right and ran back to the pack. “Every-wolf listen up! Keep your wits about you and do not go into the west part of the forest. For those of you that were there, you know what happened, but for those of you that weren’t, I’ll tell you what happened. The west group was ambushed by unknown wolves and some of them did not come back alive. So please keep your wits about you. I don’t want any more wolves getting hurt. If there is an absolute need to go into the west side of the forest, then notify Wren or Waya or myself and one of us shall come with you. But DO NOT go there alone. Is that understood?”

As one the pack answered “Yes Alpha.” Warclaw knew that there would be a few that would want to go there just to see what happened, but with everything that was going on with Waya and Winter, Warclaw didn’t want to have to deal with this as well. “I know there are those of you who will still disobey me and go into that side of the forest. But I warn you now that if you go there, you will not come back. Wren, Waya you make sure that no-wolf goes into that part of the forest. If any-wolf does, you notify me immediately. Is that understood?”

“Yes Alpha.” Both Wren and Waya replied.

“Good. Wiley, Wilbur, Wilmer and Wes come here. Wren and Waya will change shifts with you every eight hours. Make sure you get enough sleep. Wren and Waya will be taking the first shift at midday. Then at late dusk Wiley and Wilbur shall take over for the next eight hours. Then at dawn, Wilmer and Wes shall take over.” Warclaw looked at the faces of these wolves. He could see the horror on their faces when they realised that this was going to be a massive responsibility. “I trust you wolves to do this and if there are any problems and that you need to me to cover I shall cover you. But because you are all protectors of the pack, it is your duty to do this. So I expect you to do the best you can.”

“Yes Alpha. I shall send Wren to get Wiley and Wilbur when it is their turn to take over the shift. I then want Wilbur to get Wilmer and Wes to take over for the next shift. Wilmer will then come and collect myself and Wren to take over again. Is that understood?” Waya spoke with authority. “Yes Waya.” They responded.

“Good. I shall watch it until midday. Then I expect you and Wren to be there. You may go.” Warclaw said before watching them all run off to find their loved ones. Well all of them expect Wren and Waya. They stayed together and Warclaw watched them talk between themselves before walking away. He knew that they were planning something and he didn’t know what. But Warclaw knew that he had to trust Wren in order for him to accomplish what he wanted to know. Looking back towards the forest, Warclaw started to walk back to the place that he would guard for a few hours. As he walked back to the forest edge, Warclaw heard paw-steps behind him and looking round, he saw Winter coming his way. Rolling his eyes, he watched as Winter came closer to Warclaw. When she had reached Warclaw, she asked what he was doing. “I am going to guard that edge of the forest. I don’t want you nor any other wolves near this part of the forest. There is something wrong with it and I don’t like it Winter. No-wolf is safe here. No-wolf other than those that I have said can, will be able to go near this part of the forest. Now run along. I don’t want you near this part of the forest!”