THE PERFECT LUNA OF RED MOON PACK

Chapter 10

Soon after, she was seen afar off, with two other persons walking closely behind her.

Two persons?

Seeing their supposed attackers were just two weary looking and seemingly non hostile persons, the men relaxed. On noting this, Sin chastised them. Giving them a hard look, he said to them, "Do not keep down your guard, this could be a trap." He gave an indistinct sign for his men in ambush, to remain hiding.

Sin looked at the approaching group. His eyes roving from his sister and then to the two persons behind her. His eyes drifted from the young man, then stayed on the girl. White hair? Sin muzzled, intrigued. He kept his look fixed on her. She was looking away from him and at his men. He studied the expression on her face. She looked surprised to see just a few men. What had she been expecting? A large number? And why would she be studying the men before her if she wasn't part of an elaborate trap? He looked at his sister again. She seemed calm? Tired, but yes calm. Not at all what you'd be expecting from someone in trouble. If anything, her supposed abductors looked more frightful than she was. Was that an injury? Sin reigned in his were-sight at the approaching male. Though they were still a long way off, he could see them well enough. The blood stains were not bright as day on his dark coloured clothing, but Sin could see that it was a cut alright. He saw also, that it was a bite mark. The bite mark of a wolf. Now, as much as he wouldn't like to admit, he was confused. What exactly was going on? He wanted answers, but Glenda was yet to cross the borderline mark, so he wouldn't be able to communicate through the mind link. Well, he would have to exercise patience then, he resigned, consoling his streak of impatience that the intruders were not going anywhere. The fencing ensured that. The fence structure through which Glenda and her company of two were now walking through was a sturdy structure of two walls. The two walls were lines of the strongest logs placed tightly together in a vertical form. It was attached to a fencing of the same materials marking off the whole pack from the outside. The very entrance of the pack was staged so that anybody willing to come into the pack would have no choice but to walk a vertical line and be ready to be seen by whoever was at the end of the line.

So now, the Alpha and his men looked at the group that was now getting closer. But it went both ways, for just as the Alpha's company could see the group, the group could see them too. But there was a catch. The Alpha and his men stood at the other end of the structure which unlike the vertical walls, was in a large circular form. This circle was mainly bushy with a small clearing at the center. The bushes were left to grow intentionally for a purpose.

Looking over at Glenda again, Sin noticed Glenda was wearing clothes that were not of their Pack dressmakers' making. Her abductors been so kind to lend her clothes. But why had they lent her clothes? Though he was brimming full of questions, he let himself relax a little, just a little.

Glenda was glad to be home. When the structure of the border line finally came into view, she was so happy, tired weary and all of the relieved gratefulness of a person who after a life threatening encounter was now home.

Just as she was about to step into the log fences, she let go of her tiredness in a loud howl. She cringed immediately at the mournful sound. She hadn't meant for it come out like that. No doubt it would send out a wrong signal of distress and on seeing right n her entrance, the 'ready to attack' eagerness of the Alpha, her brother and the men, she knew, it had them all riled up. Still, she smiled, she was home and she owed it to the two very unlikely siblings walking closely behind her. When she learnt they just lost their parents, home and Pack, she hadn't hesitated but asked them to follow her home, to her Pack.

The more tired steps she took, the more her tired pace gained more leverage and the more closer she got, to her home.

Their journey had almost taken the whole day. It would have taken a much lesser time, if they'd all shifted. Then they wouldn't feel the soreness of their feet or the weakness of their limbs. But Liana, Jake's sister had a disease that rendered her unable to shift at the moment. Glenda had then suggested, they all walk then, and that was what they did.

When she got ever closer to the unmarked border line at the end of the vertical walls, Glenda summed up all of the little strength she had at the moment to run all the way to hug her father, the Alpha.

"I'm sorry father" Glenda said to her father. With a smile she pulled Sin over to join them, hugging him as well. Sin asked, "Are you okay?" Glenda nodded yes, but Sin looked her over to make sure she was alright. In their little family reunion, they seemed to have forgotten the intruders, until the the Alpha mind linked with Glenda 'Who are these people?'

"They helped me." Glenda said out loud. She moved over to Jake and Liana who had now crossed to them as well. "This is Jake" she says motioning over to Jake, "And this is Liana, his sister." A pause. "They both saved my life." Glenda says looking directly at Sin, willing him to drop his guard and call back the men who were still looking menacingly at the strangers.

"Saved your life?"

"What happened?" The Alpha and Sin asked Simultaneously.

"I was attacked." Glenda says tiredly.

"Who attacked you?'

"I'm not sure I know them father."

"Sin Please" Glenda says looking pleadingly at Sin. Her reason for this, his men who were now searching ardently through Jake and Liana's bags.

"Your brother is just having the men carry out necessary duties, Glenda." Oberon who had been quiet all the while says. Glenda goes over to hug him as well. Then they all looked at the men searching the two intruders.

The men dumped first the contents of Jake's bag on the ground. Many clothes fell to the ground. The only arresting item among them was his Patrol Jacket which the men took a careful inspection of. The other object they inspected, was his dagger and a necklace with a wooden pendant his mother had given him. That was all. He had not had the time to pack his things after all. Liana's bag was another story though. She had packed few clothing items but a lot of knick knacks. She brimmed with bright embarrassment and a little anger as the men perused her little collection of weaponries. They looked at her small transportable bow, and few arrows. Another dagger, four short sticks sharpened at both ends, a tightly coiled rope, her gem stones all wrapped up in a green leaf and a sharpened stone. When they were through, she looked up and saw that everyone was looking at the items on the ground. All except, Glenda's brother who somehow seemed to find her worried looking face more interesting than what lay on the ground. She expected them to ask questions, but when they didn't, she breathed out in relief. Why had they not asked questions? Maybe they didn't think any one of her weapons harmful. Well, there on the ground, they may look like they couldn't cause a lot of harm, but in hands, they were swift weapons.

"Call off your men, Sinclair." This was from the Alpha.

Sin gave the Signal. All the men retreated. Liana gratefully went down on her knees and packed in her meagre resources back into her bag. As she stood back up, she watched as Glenda's brother put his left hand up and snapped his thumb and forefingers twice. Jake and Liana watched speechless as men who it seemed had lay in ambush came up and out of the surrounding bushes. While most of them did not shift, some of them were in midshift, their fur and claws clearly visible. Yet others had shifted and came out as growling wolves. It was truly a menacing sight and Liana couldn't help but look in awe. Well, truly if she just hadn't faced some rogue wolves attack, this would have scared her a bit. She touched Jake's shoulder, ready to say something to him, when he winced. She had touched his injured shoulder. It has of course healed a lot in the course of time, but it was still sore and it hurt.

"Father, please let's all get back to the pack house first, Jake's injured." Glenda said.

In answer, the Alpha looked to the left, where Oberon stood. A very imperceptible nod was the answer Oberon gave to the Alpha's unasked question.