The Underdog of Knotting Hill

It was a warm August morning. The sun filtered through the trees like fleas through a pelt. Janna, after an early start to gather firewood, began to wash her scruffy pelt in the river streaming through the small camp, Outpost K9. It was a lonely posting, not many back in the city would volunteer to come here. The Hill needed a watch to keep an eye out for strays and this task was left to a small group of Weres grouped together by the head, Alpha, who sits in the tower lumbering over Knotting Hill, 12 hours to the east. Janna was breathing in the piney, fresh air as droplets from the tumbling stream tickled her furry cheeks. That’s when she caught wind of her favorite scent. There was no mistaking the camp leader’s odor once he awoke from his slumber. Rodger, the pack Alpha, emerged from his tent, eyes half shut, slowly surveying the camp in front of him. Janna could swear he placed his gaze upon her while she bathed down at the stream. She felt confused yet not entirely uncomfortable. She lost herself in the moment of washing herself clean when a strong odor protruded from across the river. Janna often prided herself on her advanced ability to pick up scents from far away. She could always smell if someone was nearby, it seemed as though better than anyone else she knew.   “Mutt!,” she heard someone bark from across the stream. She looked up to see Mandy, Marilyn, and Misty crossing over. “Your place is further downstream.” Without hesitation, Janna made her way further downstream as the other camp patrollers made their way to where Janna was originally standing, in the eye line of Rodger. The dirt Janna had washed from her long and shaggy fur began to accumulate again as the others began to seductively wash each other further upstream, almost as a show for Rodger. “Maybe it’s best to come wash later,” a quiet whimper came from behind. It was Flannigan, the only other wolf in the pack that ever showed any kindness towards Janna. “I don’t doubt you,” Janna replied. She was used to being treated like the dirt that was clumping back together in her fur. As Flannagan and Janna left the stream, Janna caught in the side of her eye as the sunrise cleared over the trees that Rodger’s gaze was still upon her, even with a full show on display by the others. Janna knew this only meant trouble for her, as Mandy, Marilyn, and Misty were bound to take petty vengeance on her for this. It was no secret that being claimed by a camp Alpha while on duty would greatly improve the life of the one chosen once back in Knotting Hill, especially for the likes of Janna, who comes from less than desirable beginnings. Janna spent little time fantasizing about this as she was more focused on her current reality.  She found it freeing to not feel as though she had to compete as the other pack members did. She was almost a lone wolf, though admitting such a thing would mean almost certain exile from society. Janna dropped off the last of the firewood and went back into her own tent. She began her morning ritual and prepared for the day. She liked to take her time with her morning preparations. Though she was part of a patrol pack, which meant strict orders and operating on the Alpha’s schedule, she mostly kept to her own time. A rare trait in anyone from Knotting Hill. Janna grew up mostly alone, with little to no memory of her parents, almost a stray on the streets of Knotting Hill. But, unlike others in similar circumstances, she took great pride in how she presented herself. She would often look up to the Alphas, who would sometimes wander through her part of town. They were in absolute control of how they looked, and how they presented themselves. Janna always considered herself to be an Alpha deep down, though no one else seemed to see it. She learned to treat herself the way she believed a true Alpha would treat themselves. That started with her morning routine. After removing as much of the “Three M’s,” second-hand dirt from her pelt as she could, she began to dry and curl her long, wispy hair. She clipped and sharpened her own claws, maintaining them in the event of a fight, though she always seemed to shy away from them anyway. While she prepared herself for the day, a scent crossed her nostrils, one that surprised her. There was no way she would be able to pick up Rodgers' odor this strongly unless he was approaching her tent.  Light cracked through the tent’s opening as Rodger poked his head inside.  “How much longer are you going to be?” Rodgers's deep and authoritative voice bellowed from behind. Janna took a moment to enjoy his presence, though gave nothing away as she replied without even turning around. “Five more minutes,” she responded calmly, yet quietly. “No rush,” said Rodger. Even the most socially outcasted of wolves would be able to pick up the sarcastic tone that filled the tent. Usually, orders would be being barked out by this point, but Rodger seemed to joke around more with Janna, it was almost like he was possibly even flirting… 10 minutes later, Janna emerged from her tent to join the others. Everyone stood in a straight line across from Rodger. The three M’s all turned their heads toward Janna at once. You could almost detect a growl under each of their breaths. Janna avoided eye contact with the others and took place on Fannagan's left-hand side, the only thing standing between her and the wrath of the rest of the pack. “Glad you could finally join us,” said Rodger, barely looking at Janna. She remained quiet. After a few weeks of being at camp, everyone already knew what needed to be done each day. The morning patrol of the surrounding area was about to begin. Rodger barely gave the order anymore.  “Alight, follow me,” he casually instructed. The pack made its way into the deeper part of the woods. They would mostly act as a hunting party, looking for strays. Though these days, they would find them less and less. They seemed to almost be going extinct, which is not surprising after how violently they were hunted in generations past. Outpost K9 was almost like a clean-up crew for those who spent time there. It wasn’t a particularly glorified placement, though a better job than scrubbing the streets back at Knotting Hill. Something Janna already had plenty of experience doing growing up. As the pack marched deeper into the woods, the air grew colder, bluer. The leaves made less and less noise as the wind could barely escape the trees that surrounded them. Then, a crack. A noise came from the west. Not too far off, a little too close for comfort. Everyone’s ears pricked up. “Mandy, go investigate,” ordered Rodger.  “Only if Janna has to come with me,” Mandy responded. Janna couldn’t understand why Mandy would ask for backup from Janna rather than from one of the other two M’s. Surely either of them would be better to take into a potentially dangerous situation more than herself she thought. “Fine,” said Rodger.  “Just don’t stray too far from my sight. Just go check it out.” The pair set off towards the location where the sound came from. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary was setting off Janna’s nose. Her ability to pick things up before anyone else was no secret around camp. Another thing that pissed off the three M’s. “Well?” Mandy grunted imperiously at Janna as if it was almost supposed to be a question. “I can only smell you,” Janna replied with a slight smirk on her face. “Don’t get snappy with me, mutt,” said Mandy.  She motioned down towards a thicket of trees further down a small gulley. “Look down there,” Mandy ordered.  Suddenly, a roar of thunder broke out above the trees. Rain began pouring down through the leaves and onto the ground around them. “I doubt there’s anything down there worth finding,” said Janna, hesitant to clamber her way down a now slippery and muddly slope. “I don’t think I was asking,” Mandy responded, nudging Janna closer to the edge of the gully. Nervously, Janna began to tread carefully down the side of the hill, with her feet struggling to stay underneath her. Once at the bottom, she pokes her head through some of the thicker shrubberies. She started to pick up a smell. It was a strange contrast between something brand new, but also something old, like going home. Another crack echoed out, though this time, from behind her. She pulled her head back and jolted up straight faster than she had ever before. Turning her head, she saw nothing. Not even Mandy anymore. Something was off. The strange yet familiar smell had dissipated, the rain continued to pound down on top of her. “Look a little lost, don’t ya?” Janna heard from behind a bush. Mandy, Marilyn, and Misty appeared in formation, almost like they had rehearsed, cackling like wild hyenas.  “What’s going on?” Janna asked a little impatiently. “We’ve noticed the attention you seem to keep getting from Rodger,” said Misty. “Don’t think he actually has any interest in you, mutt,” said Marilyn. “He obviously just wants to slum it while away from anyone who would care.”  The three circled Janna, continuing to sling insults her way while pacing themselves around in circles. “Don’t think we don’t see you,” said Mandy. As Janna was about to bark up and push back, that strange, familiar smell suddenly got a whole lot stronger. “Don’t you think you…” Marylin began to say before Janna interrupted. “Quiet!” She whispered as loudly as she could. “What? Who do you think you’re talking to?” Misty said, a little less confidently than a moment ago. Suddenly, Mandy drops to the ground, letting out a loud screech before being violently ripped back into the bush behind her. Everyone looks around at each other, confused, terrified. Marilyn and Misty start to back away from the bush, moving closer to Janna while walking backward. “Mandy?” Marilyn shakily whimpers. Nothing. Silence.  All three started to peer a little closer at the bush that Mandy had just disappeared into. Then, slowly and ominously, a blood-covered face began to protrude from the tall grass. It was a stray - a big one. Clearly, one that knew how to stay hidden. As the large creature began to reveal itself from the shrub, Marilyn and Misty turned heads and ran as fast as they could in the other direction, leaving Janna standing still, stunned, unable to move. Though the beast in front of her was large and clearly stronger than Janna, she persisted in standing her ground. Before the animal in front of her could make a move, Janna swiped at its face. She made contact, slicing the stay's cheeks with her claws she had so meticulously sharpened earlier that morning. The beast pulled back for a moment, growling in pain. Then, out of anger, it swiped back. Harder too. Janna went flying backward and hit the ground. She had taken a lot of hits in her life but this one was different. The sheer violence in the blow sent her sprawling deep into the mud of the hillside. She crashed down on the ground below. Raising her gaze in a daze ever so slightly towards the figure towering over her, she noticed a slight look of hesitation on the monster's face, perhaps even a hint of regret. Before she could act, she heard a thunderous thumping on the ground behind her. The look of hesitation in the beast's eye quickly turned to that of anger, frustration, and maybe a little distress.  A large shadow cast over her body as she felt the rain drops no longer pounding down on her, the intensity had eased.  Rodger was standing over her, big and strong. Janna was not one to depend on others in a fight, but this time she was glad to be interrupted. Rodger stood tall, strong and heavy over her stunned and vulnerable body. Janna had very little need to depend on the Alphas in her past, though at this moment she felt a small sense of comfort and safety, the kind that she had been deprived of her entire life. A strong figure to keep her safe. Rodger let out a mighty howl, even though Janna knew it was only to intimidate the beast in front of them, she couldn’t help but feel shaken by his roar too. For a moment, she was lost in the display happening above her but snapped out of it once she heard the creature that had knocked her down howl right back. It was only just a little bit weaker, a little softer than Rodgers. It was enough for everyone present to know who would be victorious if a brawl was to ensue.  The beast backed down. While taking one last look at Janna, it turned tail and ran for the trees. The stray had fled. Rodger showed no interest in pursuing him.  Instead, Rodger’s attention turned back towards Janna, still standing strong and inflated over her shivering body. The rain still pounded down on top of them, though the heat coming off of Rodgers' pelt almost turned the droplets to steam. The cold wispy hairs on Janna's back began to settle, the warmth from Rodger's chest began to transfer to hers. In this moment, she forgot all about danger, she even forgot herself. She gazed towards his half-crescent eyes, he, back towards hers. The rain poured stronger. If there was ever a moment where Janna felt like she truly belonged somewhere… it was here.