The War

A Lost That Cannot Be Found

Crest and Wave crashed through the trees and into the clearing. Both of the twins out of breath, and heaving trying to get air into their lungs, their faces red and wind burned from running through the forest so fast. 

The entire pack had dispersed after the run, and each were going back to normal life duties. But when the twins came running through the pack screaming, it stopped everyone in their tracks. They ran to their Alpha's tent, that happened to be in the middle of the pack, by then Carter had already heard their commotion and cautiously stepped outside of his tent. Marian following closely behind him, a worried expression on her face. Carter saw the twins in front of him and crossed his arms in front of his chest, he was still displeased with them for leaving the tent even after their Luna told them to stay where they were at. He sighed, and looked down at the children. 

"Whats wrong?" He asked. When they didn't respond right away and choked on their words he carefully looked around them. The sudden realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. He felt his heart begin to break as he noticed Amber was not with them. He dropped his arms, and bent down to talk to the twins. "Where is she? You need to tell me everything that happened." 

Wave finally regained his breath, and stood tall and straight. He looked his Alpha in the eyes to show him the most respect he possibly could. "Sir. We were playing hide n'seek in the woods, and I lost track of her. After calling for her, I couldn't see, hear or smell her." His face fell with shame. 

Carter sucked in a breath, and looked over at Marian who looked like she was going to cry. "Where were you playing, son?" He asked cautiously. Fearing for the worse. Onacona was becoming increasingly restless in his brain, and he could feel him anxiously prancing. 

"We were at a section in the woods we had never been before, there was a stream and-" 

Carter stopped Wave mid sentence, his face broken in distraught. "You were playing on the pack lines?" Carter stood up and looked over at his Beta Steven and nodded his head. 

Steven as if being shot at quickly ran into the tent and grabbed a few weapons, when he emerged from the tent he called out to the pack, his howl and voice booming "Warriors! Get ready, we need to go on a man hunt!" With this men and women in the pack who were established fighters left their families and began to prepare. Steven watched the men hurry, "we could have a war on our hands." He stated gravely, and kissed Julie on the forehead before shifting into his wolf. 

Julie grabbed Crest, and pulled her into the tent to disappear. While Steven approached his son Wave, his voice much darker with the mix of his wolf's voice "You need to show me where you were playing, lead me the way." 

At this Wave began to run, again, back into the woods with his father and a few warriors that had already shifted and had prepared for a potential fight. As the group disappeared into the woods, a few straggler warriors shifted and ran after the group. The sounds of their howls echoing through the air. 

Carter held his head in his hands, distraught that their only flesh and blood was missing. He turned to Marian who sat there looking at him for guidance. He sighed, and looked at her fresh tears burning in his eyes. 

"I swear, if they have gotten her..." He trailed off, as Marian approached him. She lovingly held him, rubbing his back trying to calm the tension in his body. 

Her voice became cool and soft, "We don't know about that yet. Let's not think about the worse case scenario." She paused, as she grabbed Carters face to look at hers, she rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed, and she could feel Carter's anxiety slowly fade as well. "We are strong, our daughter is strong. She can defend herself." She pulled away from Carter, and backed away. 

Carter  looked at his wife lovingly. He quickly shifted and took off to find the rest of the warriors, leaving Marian alone with the much weaker members of the pack. As he crashed through the woods, Onacona became weary, "How can we call ourselves an Alpha, and swear to protect our pack... When we can't even protect our own pup?"

Carter sighed internally, as he jumped over fallen logs and rocks. "It was the ceremony-" 

Onacona snarled in anger at his counterpart, "F**K the ceremonies Carter!" He spat angrily, "she is the future heir to the pack, OUR pack. She isn't even trained to fight yet, she doesn't know her responsibilities yet. This is exactly what Gola and I were talking about. She's weak." 

Carter felt his anger roll off of him in waves, how dare Onacona call THEIR pup weak. Marian must have felt his anger and anxiety surge again through their mate link as he felt the familiar presence of her in his mind. He accepted her, and allowed her to feel his emotions. 

"Relax love, tell me what you find. Don't let Onacona get to you." Her voice like velvet through his ears. This is why he loved Marian and Gola. Although she was a strong warrior, her need to heal and take care of the people around her was so overwhelming. She never thought of herself, and always remained positive in every situation. This is why she was a great Luna to the pack. Marian had always been the calm, cool and collected type. She always worked with her wolf Gola, and was very diplomatic. Onacona on the other hand with Carter was always a lose cannon, he expressed his emotions easily, and often would catch himself arguing with his counterpart. Marian must have noticed this as she mentioned the last part about Onacona. Carter sighed, a great deal of sadness. 

Carter came bounding through the stream, splashing water when he ran through it. Suddenly his demeanor changed and his wolf picked up on this as well. They were in enemy territory and were breaking the agreements between the packs. The tension filled him and the rest of his pack members when they crossed their boundary, normally Carter wouldn't even dare cross the territory line in order to save his people from a potential war, but when it came to Amber he would do anything he needed to. When he saw the other warriors a little bit further ahead, he slowed down and sniffed the air. Nothing, he didn't smell her, and he couldn't even sense her presence. As he approached the group of wolves, he bowed his head trying to regain his emotions. He didn't want to appear to be weak in front of his warriors, in his pack it was unbecoming of an Alpha to express their emotions, which was one of the few traditions in the Ash pack that both Onacona and Carter didn't fully agree with. 

"Alpha," Steven addressed him. Looking down at the fallen log, he pawed at the ground digging in the dirt. "This was the last place her scent was. It appeared she stayed here for quite some time."  

Onacona smelled the ground, inhaling the scent of his daughter. A low grumble erupted from his chest, when he sensed THEM. The warriors began to look around, the hairs on their backs standing to full attention as they too sensed the intruders. The warriors snarled in warning as a group of Walee wolves came out of the clearing. 

There were five Walee wolves, all different shades of color each unique with markings. They approached quietly, their faces slightly turned up in a smile as they looked at the Ash intruders on their hunting land. Leading the group was a large black wolf, almost the same size of Onacona, his eyes a deep hazel color. When the wolves approached the group, the warriors walked back behind their Alpha careful to keep an eye on the Walee wolves. 

Onacona, let out another warning snarl signaling the group was too close. The wolves stopped in their places, and the large black wolf approached Onacona. Carter had to hold him back, to avoid Onacona from ripping out this wolves throat where he stood. He had to avoid getting in anymore trouble than they already were in. 

"Ahh, Onacona. How good it is to see you again," the wolf's voice was smooth with a jagged edge at the end of it. His face broke out into a smile, showing his jagged teeth and his black gums. 

Onacona looked at his warriors that stood behind him, ready to fight at a seconds notice. "Cadell, can I help you?" 

Cadell's smile faded as he took in the Alpha that stood before him, "I believe..." He paused, walking around the group of warriors and their Alpha, "I should be asking you the same question, seeing that your on MY land." His back turned to the Alpha and his group, his sentence ending in a snarl that pulled his lips up to show his pearly white teeth. 

Onacona, recoiled shaking his head and pinching his nose up in a grimace. "You still don't brush your teeth, do you Cadell?" Onacona's comment making Cadell's four other wolves snicker and laugh at the expense of their leader. Carter sighed in annoyance at his beastly counterpart, "that's right, Onacona, piss off more Walee wolves.." Carter rolled his eyes. 

Cadell stopped in his tracks, suddenly lunging at Onacona. Stopping only feet away from the Alpha, receiving roars and growls  from the Alpha's warriors in return. 

"What do you want Onacona?" He asked snidely, his patience wearing thin. "Have you come to your senses and finally realized you can't live in the stone age anymore?" He asked, a small smile playing on his lips. 

The Alpha shook his head, "you don't honor the Moon Goddess' traditions anymore, you are not a true pack." He spat out, looking down at the wolf before him, a sudden sour taste in his mouth. 

Cadell, backed away from the Alpha and his small group of warriors. "So if that's a no" he shrugged his shoulders, "what are you here for?" His gaze questioning. 

The Alpha looked away momentarily as one of the four Walee wolves became restless and started to jitter. His paws flexing in the soil, and grabbing his attention. 

Cadell noticing Onacona's loss of interest changed the subject. "Let me ask you this, Alpha of Ash pack" Cadell approached him again, this time grabbing his attention. "Not what are you here for, WHO are you here for?" 

Carter guessed that thats what Cadell was looking for as the energy around them suddenly changed. The warriors letting out a loud snarl and an occasional growl giving up their true reasons for being on the Walee's land. Onacona fought the urge to betray his intentions in front of the five wolves, his face stone. 

Cadell let out a loud and reckless laugh, "That's it. Your missing someone aren't you?" he paused looking at the group. "It must be of someone of real importance judging by how your men are acting..."