Warclaw (23 page)

“Of course.” Warclaw said quietly. “Thank you Willard, you may go.” Warclaw said before rushing off towards the west side of the forest.

Warclaw ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He knew Waya had something to do with the rogue. Why else would he keep going back to that place all the time? ‘He has to be getting rid of the incriminating evidence that shows it was him whom sent the wolf. Or it could be that he is going to use it to get to Winter.’ Warclaw thought. Flashes of images raced through Warclaw’s head as he imagined what Waya would do to Winter and the pack if he succeeded in what he wanted to do. Trying to get rid of the images that were flashing through his head, Warclaw ran even faster.

When Warclaw got there his legs were tired and aching. Scanning the area, he looked for Waya, but Warclaw couldn’t see him. Warclaw started to quicken his pace again and head further into the forest. Looking around the forest, he couldn’t see anything nor any-wolf. Warclaw shook his head and as he turned round Waya was stood there, glaring at him. “Waya! I have been looking all over for you! Where the hell have you been?!” Warclaw growled angrily.

“I always come here and check this side of the forest during midday. I had heard talk that another wolf had been spotted here and I come to check on it. Is that a problem? Because everything I seem to do is a problem with you, Warclaw! I am the lead protector of this pack, which I need not remind you. Or is that also a problem?” Waya growled.

“Don’t push me Waya, we both know what I am capable of!” Warclaw growled. “Oh, so you won’t answer my questions then? Go on Warclaw. What is your problem with me and everything I do?”

“You know exactly what Waya!” Warclaw growled fiercely. “I know your games, your little
plans
. I know what you are up to Waya, so don’t think you are going to be able to get away with this!”

“Get away with what, Warclaw? Go on say it!” Waya growled.

“FINE! I’LL SAY IT!” Warclaw snapped. “You are going to use this place to get to her, tomorrow. I know that you have decided to use some-wolf other than yourself to kill her. YOU want to make me weak, so you can take control over the pack. But I warn you now, if you kill her, I will hunt you and every single one of your little minions down and kill you all! That’s a promise Waya! Now get out of my sight!” Warclaw growled.

Waya laughed. “You think that I would be daft enough to try to take you on? You think I would be daft enough to kill Winter all by myself and become Alpha just like that?” Waya chuckled. “What is it they say? ‘Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer’? Maybe you should watch your friends more than you watch me. You were always too blind to see the obvious and now it’s going to happen whether you want it to or not, Warclaw. So get used to the idea!” Waya growled before walking off towards the den.

“I’ll be watching you Waya. You can count on it.” Warclaw said as Wren walked off towards the pack. “I know you will Warclaw but what difference will that make with your mate already dead? It’ll be your own fault that you could never protect her!” Waya shouted back. Warclaw stood back and watched Waya walk off into the distance. Slowly walking forward, Warclaw thought back to what had been said. ‘Wait what does he mean, ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’? And I should watch my friends more than I watch him? This doesn’t make any sense. And what the hell does he mean by it’s going to happen whether I want it to or not? And that I’m too blind to see the obvious?’ As Warclaw walked, he failed to notice that Winter and Wren were walking up to him. Warclaw was so deep in thought that he just walked past them. “WARCLAW!” Winter shouted. “Huh? Winter when did you get here? You weren’t here a minute ago.”

“Yes I was. But you being your usual self were so deep in thought you didn’t even see us.” Winter laughed.

Warclaw sighed. “Really? Was it that bad?”

“Yes it was.” Winter laughed

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realise that I was
that
deep in thought.” Warclaw apologised. “So why were you so deep in thought that you didn’t even see your lovely Luna walk to you?” Winter asked.

“You’re not going to let that one drop are you?” Winter shook her head whilst laughing. Warclaw sighed. “It’s nothing that you should worry about. It’s just Alpha business. Now did you get what you wanted done at the nursery? Oh and did you meet Willow?”

“Yes I did. Wren here even helped me organise it and get the pups together. He’s not only a protector but he’s like a personal assistant as well.” Winter laughed when she saw Wren’s face glaring at her. “I am here you know. I can hear you!” Wren said with annoyance.

“Sorry Wren, but it is true.” Winter laughed. And slowly a smile formed on Wren’s face as well. “And yes I did meet up with her. She’s found her mate but won’t tell me who it is. Don’t worry I’ll get it out of her.” Winter laughed.

Warclaw smiled. “Oh has she? That’s great news. I know she has been waiting a long time. Anyway I hate to stop all this fun but I need to talk to Winter on her own if you don’t mind Wren?”

“Sure. I’ll just be over here by the tree.” Wren said laughing before waking over to the tree. Waiting for Wren to walk over to the tree, Warclaw walked up to Winter and asked her to follow him. After walking a bit Warclaw spoke to Winter. “Winter I need to talk to you about Waya. His plan has changed and I can’t see how he is going to do it. I’m worried Winter. I’m worried that I’m not going to be able to stop him. I don’t know what I or in fact we are going to do about it. He has us exactly where he wants us.” Warclaw sighed.

“I know it’s hard but there is nothing that we can do to stop him or them. He has been planning this for too long. Let’s just enjoy our time for now hey? How about tonight we just have the night to just the two of us? No Wren, no-wolf else, and no worries. Just us. How does that sound?” Winter smiled.

“You’re right. Let’s just have the night to ourselves and not let that wolf get to us. We’ll meet at the den and talk like the old days. Sound good?” Warclaw said smiling.

“That sounds good! See you tonight?” Winter asked.

“Yes love, see you tonight.” Warclaw walked up and rubbed his nose against Winters. Warclaw started to head towards the centre of the den, trying to convince himself that Winter was right and that there was something that he could do to stop the inevitable. It was going to happen whether Warclaw liked it or not. He should have realised this from the beginning. The least Warclaw could do is make the rest of her short life, more relaxed and fun. What would be the point if he didn’t let her live her life, if she would just die anyway? ‘I need to talk to Wren and make sure that he knows what he has to do. Judging by the way Waya was talking, I think that
his
schedule has shifted up a day. He’s going to do when we’re off our guard. That is the only way that he is going to be able to do it. I’ll let Winter enjoy today and tonight then I need to talk to Wren about this. He needs to be on alert and be prepared for anything.’ Warclaw thought as he walked.

Lost in thought, Warclaw didn’t realise that he had walked past the centre of the den and was no walking towards the training area. “Alpha, are you alright?” Wendy asked.

“Huh?” Warclaw said looking up. “Oh. Sorry Wendy. I’ve just had a lot on my mind as of lately, especially today of all days. I was trying to go to the den, but I guess I was so deep in thought that I must have walked past it without realising.” Warclaw smiled. “Are you alright?”

“Yes I’m alright.” Wendy smiled back.

“How’s it going with Wilbert? I heard you two had an argument the other day. Are you pair alright?”

“Well it’s as good as it’s ever going to be. He’s just a very stubborn wolf. And he won’t admit it when he’s wrong. I’m sure within a few days he will realise that he’s made a mistake and he’ll apologise. But until then I’m not talking to the idiot.” Wendy laughed.

“Oh. Dear. I have to agree with you Wendy, Wilbert isn’t the smartest of wolves. He is quite stubborn when it comes to you though.” Warclaw laughed. “I’m sure that he will apologise, if not let me know and I’ll go talk to the idiot.”

Wendy smiled. “So what’s on your mind? I’m a good listener you know and I’m great with advice.”

“I know you are Wendy, but this isn’t exactly something that I can talk about with you.” Warclaw sighed. “But what do I have to lose?” He took a deep breath and prepared to unload himself onto another wolf. Wendy was one of his close friends after all. “Now you have to promise that you won’t say a word about this Wendy. This has to stay strictly between us.” Wendy nodded in agreement. Looking around, Warclaw could see that there were many wolves around them and he couldn’t risk any-wolf knowing. “But we’re going to have move from here.”

Walking away from the training area and back to a quieter area of the den, Warclaw explained what was going on with Winter and Waya. He explained everything that Waya had said and what he was planning to do. He also told her what Wren had told him. He told her everything he knew. “I don’t know what to do Wendy. I have tried talking to him and I have tried to give him other options. You name it, I have tried it. And you know what the worst part is?” Warclaw asked. Wendy shook her head. “He has told me that it’s going to be some-wolf close. I have four close friends Wendy and I don’t know when he is going to kill her. I keep trying to prevent it but nothing is going to work. What do I do?”

Wendy nodded, taking in all the information. “What have you got yourself into Warclaw? I have known you a long time, but this has to beat all the other scrapes you have been in. He’s obviously out to get you isn’t he? Geez Warclaw, I don’t know what to suggest. Are you sure that he isn’t just playing mind tricks on you?”

“Yes I’m sure. He’s deadly serious about this Wendy.” He sighed.

“What was it he said to you Warclaw?” Wendy asked.

“He said something along the lines of, him not being daft enough to take me on and to kill Winter on his own. And become Alpha just like that. He also said that I should keep my friends close but my enemies closer. And that I should watch my friends more than I watch him.” Warclaw snuffed. “He also said that I was too blind to see the obvious and now it’s going to happen whether I want it to or not. So I should get used to the idea. That’s what he said to me.”

“Hmm. Have you ever thought that he has been warning you all this time and that he is not the one who actually wants to kill Winter, Warclaw?” Wendy suggested.

“Yes. But it can’t be that as it’s not possible.”

“And why is that?” Wendy asked.

“Because he has been planning this for years and no-wolf else is this smart enough to do this. And no-wolf would dare to do this. There is no other explanation.” Warclaw huffed.

Wendy sighed. “Warclaw, as Waya said and most likely Winter said as well at some point, there is no way out of this. What will be, will be and there is nothing that you can do about it. And if he has been planning for as long as you say he has then he will have covered everything that you would or could do. There is no nice way to say this, but you need to hear it. You are going to have to make the most of the time that you have with her. He is going to do this, whether you want it to happen or not. As for who it could be that does kill her, Warclaw there are lots of wolves that know Winter personally and are close with her. It could be any-wolf.”

Warclaw looked down to the ground. “I know. But I just want to protect her and how can I do that if I can’t even find out who it is?” Warclaw shook his head. “I am going to have to deal with it aren’t I? Like you said, there’s no way for me to stop what is going to happen. I have a rough idea of when but I’m not even going to be able to prevent it am I?”

Wendy shook her head. “I’m sorry Warclaw. I really am. I know Winter means a lot to you, but you are just going to have to deal with it.” Wendy put her paw on his shoulder. They stood there in silence for a few minutes before Wendy finally spoke up. “Now on a less depressing matter, what are you going to do tonight with Winter? I hear that you are going to do what you did in the old days? Just talk and walk under the moonlight?”

“Yeah. Something that we haven’t done in so long, when our lives where happy and life was easy. You know that’s exactly what happened when we first met twelve years ago.” Warclaw said smiling. “Really, twelve years? Was it that long ago? And I do remember that’s what happened, as I was the one who arranged it after all.” Both Warclaw and Wendy laughed.

“Thanks for listening Wendy. You are the first wolf outside of Wren, Waya and Winter to know about this. Please keep it quiet.”

“No problem Warclaw. You know I’m always here for you whenever you need to talk. Just give me a howl and I’ll come.” Wendy said laughing. “You better get going Warclaw, it’s coming up for late evening. You need to go prepare.” She said winking.

“Have we really been talking that long?” Warclaw asked looking up at the sky. “Yes we have.” Wendy chuckled. “Now go before you’re late. She’ll be waiting for you. We don’t want you late, like the first time.” Warclaw nodded before giving Wendy a hug. Turning around, Warclaw started heading towards the cave where Winter would be waiting.

When Warclaw got there, Winter was already standing there waiting for him. “Late like the first time.” Winter smiled.

“You’re never going to let that go are you?” Warclaw joked. Winter shook her head. “Did you tell Wren that he could have tonight off?”

“Yes I did Warclaw. He was more than pleased. I think all that gossip was getting to him.” Winter laughed. Smiling, Warclaw walked up to Winter and nuzzled his nose against hers, before walking towards the beach.