THE PERFECT LUNA OF RED MOON PACK

Chapter 11

As soon as they all stepped past the border, into the Pack, Liana knew immediately that this was no ordinary weak Pack. After passing through the initial boundary line outlined by strong brimmed logs, there was yet again two other fencing that went round, and afar marking an extensive piece of land. These two fenced structures were each guarded heavily with fighters that looked just as menacing as the ones of the Alpha's entourage. When she first saw the Alpha and the few men who came out with him, Liana had been surprised. She didn't think it proper or safe that the Alpha would come in with so little a crew, so to speak, but she had been proved wrong when at the sound of snapping fingers, more of the men had come out from where they lay in ambush. Sure! Of course, they had men in hiding! A most brilliant plan. Liana had to admit, if she and Jake, had been the adversary, no doubt, they would have wound up surprised and very well conquered.

when, after passing through the two fenced structures, they came before another structure that assaulted the senses, Liana assured herself, I won't be surprised after this!

What was before them now was a large piece of cloth and just like the first two structures, they had passed through, it stretched for miles. As they got closer to the large cloth, she saw Jake sniff the air. Jake had an excellent sense of smell. Even better than other werewolves. Well, werewolves back at Crescent Moon Pack. She ceased her wandering thoughts, when she felt him go tense.

"Jake, what's the matter?" she whispered.

"Liana, I think." A pause. A sniff "I think this is made of skin." Jake said equally whispering.

"Huh?" Liana looked round. Everything was still the same, with the Alpha and His family taking the lead, a few feet's from them. There were some men directly behind the Alpha and his children. Then Jake and Liana came next, with more men walking behind them. Actually, there were men all around them. Liana almost rolled her eyes. What? Would they run away? And then get to pass their tighter than a fist security? Well, it would please these men to know they had no place to attempt running to. So they may lose their guard. Turning back to Jake, she asked with the same air of confusion. "what is made of what?"

"The cloth." Jake says pointing discreetly at the large cloth that was now closer to them. Now that they were closer, Liana calculated the length to be about 12 feet. That should be accurate, Liana thought. She'd calculated it noting how tall the Alpha is. If the Alpha was six feet tall, then the cloth which was twice his size is twelve feet. Maybe more, she mused. Because the thing actually blocked off some of the evening light, casting a dark shade around. So she got the length. As for the breadth, well She'll give up on that one!

"It is made of wolf skin." She heard Jake say. "It smells like it." he added. What? Wolf skin? Made of wolf skin? Now how's that possible? Red Moon Pack made fabrics out of their skin. Definitely not! Their enemy's perhaps? Yes had to be their enemy's. But it still didn't make sense. Werewolves were not like that. Sure they were fierce. But they were also loyal and would never subject themselves to such evil! Moreover, the cloth stretched for miles! No way, that can be the skin of wolves, Liana firmly concluded. Having gotten the measurement or at the least, the esteemed measurement, Liana now focused on the texture. It didn't take up to a twinkle for her to say, "It isn't wolf skin, Jake. Its an hamster's, and I think, no I believe, a whole lot of other animals, but its definitely not a Wolf's!"

She felt more than saw the Alpha and all of his men grow still. She looked up. The entourage, thanks to the Alpha and his family who seemed to be discussing their life history while they walked had been progressing slowly, but now they'd halted and everyone was looking at her!? Of all of them, Glenda was the only one smiling."How did you know it wasn't wolf skin, Liana?" Liana blinked rapidly. She had heard Glenda's question, but the one that was going round in her head was how, Glenda walking ahead with her family had heard her whispered discussion with Jake. In a flash, she got the answer and almost groaned out loud with the need to slap herself. Of course she heard. She was a werewolf! The Alpha's daughter at that. Liana looked round. Well, the fighters may not be directly from the Alpha's blood lineage, but they were all definitely werewolves in their own rights. Which meant they'd all heard her. She sighed, if only she could engage in the mind link communication! Coming out of her self loathe, she saw that Glenda was still looking at her. "Why is it surprising I know its not wolf skin?" "It is an utmost surprise because you just unlocked one of Red Moon Pack's biggest puzzles." This came from the Alpha. He was smiling too. Before Liana could say anything more to that, one of the men pulled on a string and the large cloth parted slowly. A loud sound that Liana gladly identified as a conch came on, loud and clear. Yes, no more surprises from Red Moon Pack. She hates surprises! Even as the cloth continued its slow pull, she said to herself, If there's another fence, I'll bite my tongue. She held her breath. She need not have worried. What came into view was an horizontal line of poles. There were so many of them. But that wasn't what caught her attention. Each of the poles bore large fabrics on which grand designs that were the insignia of many different Packs lay ingrained. Liana looked at one. It was the colour of the sea, with claws on it. Another was the colour of the sun with an eye on it. But the most arresting was the one pole at the centre. For its fabric was the largest with the boldest insignia. A full red moon lay crested and rested on the head of a snarling wolf. The right side of the Wolf's face was a gleaming black, the left side, a sparkling white. All of these was overlain on the pure colour of the midnight sky. The pole and the insignia of THE RED MOON PACK, at the centre of it all. Liana gasped, finally comprehending everything! Back at the border line, she'd thought also, that the Alpha seemed to be too laid back. Every Alpha deemed it proper to insert his dominance in front of intruders to his territory. But this Alpha had merely watched as his men moved round following orders that were not his own. She hadn't gotten it then and had perceived the Alpha to be weak, but now she understood it all. The magnificent structures, the high security measures, the calm reassurance of the Alpha, the regal posture of Glenda even as she faced three adversaries said it all. This Alpha did not need to exert his dominance at every fickleness. His reputation well preceded him. She remembered the stories she had listened to as a child. Stories she had paid rapt attention to. The stories of a place yet unseen, but the authenticity of it carried a belief that allowed no questions. She looked up at the giant pole again. As her eyes moved from the snarling wolf down to the awed smile on Jake's face, she didn't need any more confirmation that she beheld, no, she stood on the soil of the Pack that could only belong, to the Alpha king!

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Sin looked on at the white haired girl. His earlier amusement had waned to give way to curiosity. First when he saw her, his attention had been captured. This attention had shifted to amusement when he saw the child-like collection if items tumble from her bag. Now, amusement came to curiosity. Curiosity as he wondered why she whispered to her brother. Why whisper conversations when you could just use the mind link? Definitely, you whispered conversations you wanted nobody to hear, but why whisper? In fact, before now, he couldn't reach back to when he'd heard someone whisper. Who does that among shifters! His looming curiosity had been on the verge of bursting, when he saw the look on her face as she got the comprehension that everyone could hear her. He had seen surprise then remembrance flitter across her face. Why? How could she have forgotten something like that? Then again how had she known the Great Sheet wasn't made of Wolf's skin.

Finally, when he saw her look at the different poles and he saw what he took to be joy and reminiscence on her face, Sin's thoughts came to a stop at confusion. Her reminiscence he couldn't understand. But her joy, he did. Who wouldn't be joyous at having breached the territory of the Alpha King? Like he told his sister, Sin had his doubts about the Pack's newcomers. There was something wrong. Something they were hiding and as the leader of the Pack's fighters, he was going to find out!