THE STOLEN PIECE

CHAPTER 17 - SHADOW PACK

GABRIEL

We kept walking until we were out of the packhouse. He started to undress and shifted. When the four of us were in full lion or wolf form we started running, but to our surprise, there was nothing near the house, not a forest, not an animal close that we could hunt. Nothing. Zeus was getting impatient by the second, we were hungry and the atmosphere wasn’t helping at all. Then I saw two wolves climbing from the cliff that we climbed when we arrived. Zeus ran immediately at them. As Zeus ran at them one took a step back and almost fell off the cliff. The other one didn’t move an inch but didn’t make eye contact with us. “Gabe they said that if we want to hunt we need to go down.” “What?” Then I saw a grey wolf also climbing.

    -” Good to see you out of your room prince.”

I recognized the scent and the voice, it was the luna.

    -” We were waiting for you to call us.”

    -” Sorry we have many responsibilities around here to assign someone to give you a tour, but hope you enjoy your hunt.”

She said and started walking back to the packhouse.

    -” Wait, is there another way to get down?”

The wolf turned and looked directly at us.

    -” Why? The strong Royal pack can’t go down or climb this small cliff? Or are you afraid?” 

She then gave us her back and continued walking.

    -” WAIT I DIDN’T SAY I WAS DONE!”

I was mad, she was being disrespectful and she just made fun of me and my pack members! The wolf turned and took a big jump towards me and growled. Zeus jumped at the side and we evaded her by little.

    -” DON’T YOU DARE TO SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT! I'M THE LUNA OF THIS PACK!”

    -” I’M THE FUTURE…”

    -” I DON’T CARE WHO YOU WILL BE, I HAVEN’T PLEDGE MY LOYALTY OR ACCEPTANCE TO YOU! I’M LETTING YOU AND YOUR COMPANY TO STAY HERE JUST BECAUSE THE KING COMMAND IT, BUT THAT’S IT!”

    -” I WILL BE THE…”

    -'' YOUNG BOY I TOLD YOU WHAT YOU WILL BE DOESN'T MATTER, WHAT MATTER IS THE NOW! AND RIGHT NOW YOU ARE BEING A BRAT IN MY TERRITORY... Or are you an Alpha? Beta? No, you are nothing at this moment, not even a werewolf.``

    -” Brother please look around.”

Sam’s voice distracted me and I saw a bunch of wolves surrounding me and the Luna. “Zeus we need to calm down, we are dragging the wrong attention right now.” “I will not back off! that wolf is not respecting us and…” “We are not in our pack, please Zeus calm down.” “I will not apologize.” “No one is saying we are apologizing but let’s just don't say more, okay?” “If that’s what you want Gabe I will try.” Zeus sat and he didn’t move.

    -” Hope you know now what’s your place, when you decide to leave the pack just go back to the same spot where they left you when you arrived. They go into the city every two days at one o'clock, so don’t be late or they will not wait for you.”

The grey wolf walked back at the packhouse without looking back, followed by the rest of the wolves. “I want to go back to the Royal pack.” Zeus was mad, we have never been treated like that, in our pack they all respect us! When all the wolves were out of sight We stood up and looked down the cliff. It was high, but we could make it, but could the wolves? I saw Harvey looking down. His wolf was just like his Dad’s, grey but he had the same green eyes like his mother’s wolf.

    -”Harvey if you don’t feel sure you can shift back and I…”

    -”I will try it, if the other wolves can then Onyx can.” 

    -”Okay, how about you Simon?”

    -“I have survived worst things.”

    -”Then let’s go!”

Finn jumped and started to slide on the cliff, Onyx followed him, and then I jumped. It was hard, I kept trying to decrease the speed with my claws but it wasn’t working, I tried to see how the others were doing but I was focused on not killing myself. Finally, I saw the ground close, I was at a high speed so I jumped and then Zeus rolled thru the ground, I hit my shoulder, head, and my ribs. I stood up slowly, my whole body ache but apart from the hits it appeared I didn’t break a bone or something. I looked around and saw Onyx on top of a bush. I went there to check on him and after I arrived he was launched thru the air and landed on the ground, then Finn emerged from the same bush.

    -”You landed on top of me on purpose!”

    -”I didn't!”

“Well if they have the energy to fight they should be okay, don’t you think so Zeus?” … “Zeus?” “Gabe I can’t find…” I heard a noise and looked up, and there it was Simon’s wolf on top of some tree branches.

    -”Are you alright Simon?” 

    -”This was not one of my best landings, but I think I will survive.”

His wolf tried to stand on the branch and loud cracking noises started to come out of it.

    -”Don’t move Simon!”

    -”Gabe can you go up climb the tree and save Simon?”

    -”And how would I do that Sam?”

    -”Ask Zeus to climb that tree…”

    -”Lions can’ climb.”

    -”Mom and Maria… Mom can.”

    -”Well Mom isn’t a lion.”

    -”A cat is a cat after all right?”

The noise coming from the branch intensified.

    -”Brother I think that branch isn’t going to last any longer, so I think you should start climbing.”

    -”I already told you lions don’t climb.”

    -”MOVE!”

Onyx passed running between us, then I looked up and the branch broke and Simon’s wolf was now falling. Then Onyx tackled him in mid-air and then they both landed on the bushes.

    -”Harvey that jump was amazing!”

Simon’s voice was excited.

    -”How did you do... How did you learn that?”

    -”I have trained with the Luna and she climbs a lot, I can’t but I discovered that I could use the tree trunk as an impulse to jump and that helps me reach a greater height.”

    -”That’s awesome… but why would you like training with Mom? She is way too strict.”

Harvey’s wolf stood up from the bunch, Simon looked as if he needed some more time. Then Harvey’s wolf looked at me and looked down immediately. I knew why he was avoiding my sight after Sam’s question.

    -”You do it for Maria right?”

Harvey’s wolf didn’t look at me as I spoke.

    -”Yes, I just wanted to keep up with her when her sickness is gone and she can shift back…”

    -”I appreciate your effort, but never repeat what you just said, and keep her sickness a secret from the kingdom. Now let’s all move and find something to eat.”

I saw Simon’s wolf struggling to stand up, but he didn’t complain about it. We started walking, I didn’t want to run until I felt sure Simon was ready. When his wolf started walking with his usual strength is when we started running. Zeus smelled something and I just let him take control. He ran, he tracked and he chased the prey until he caught it. When Zeus was done eating he laid on his back. He was exhausted, and finally, we had our stomach full. Zeus liked the taste of raw meat but it wasn’t my favorite taste. “What do you think Eva cooked today?” “I don’t know Gabe, right now I’m too full to think about food.” I looked at the sky and even the stars looked odd, I was away from my element and I wasn’t finding comfort in anything.

    -” Should we head back?”

Zeus turned and we saw Harvey’s wolf looking at us.

    -” It’s getting late we should head back.”

Harvey said, I looked at Sam and he was also lying on the ground, Simon was looking around, ears moving at every sound. I tried to concentrate on the sounds, but even the wind made different sounds here. I had enough for today.

    -” Yes, let’s go back.”

I stood up and stood on purpose on Sam’s tail as I walked. He jumped and landed on his paws.

    -“That hurt!”

    -” Start walking Sam, we are going.”

We walked back, and when we finally were at the bottom of the cliff. 

    -”Are you ready to climb that?”

Harvey’s wolf looked scared but he was the first one to climb, Finn followed him close.

    -”Go first, Simon.”

    -” Sorry Gabe but I can’t let you here on your own, I need you to go first.”

    -”But I need to be down to help you if something happens to you.”

    -”I will be fine, now go.”

I started climbing and heard Simon doing the same, I was nervous, Simon was the one that had the most problems getting down from the cliff, and I wasn’t sure how he would do with the climb up. Finally, we were up and no one fell during the climb. We walked to where our pile of clothes was and there we discovered that Sam’s clothes were gone. We shifted back and started dressing up. I lend my shirt to Sam.

    -So Sam, who did you bother?

    -I didn’t bother anyone! Harvey was with me the whole time! He can prove it!

    -He has a point, he didn't speak with anyone.

    -You don’t need to defend my brother, he is annoying even when he doesn't speak.

As we entered the house, a ton of females started looking at us, and we without shirts probably didn't help. I walked as fast as I could and entered the room. I laid on the bed and just closed my eyes. I could hear voices out of the room but I was just drained for the day. I woke up to a hard punch on my face. Sams's arm was on my face. I could hear Simon snoring… I closed my eyes but I wasn’t able to go back to sleep. The next morning no one came looking for us again, I tried to find the Luna and had no answers from anyone I asked. Sam, Harvey, and Simion went hunting again, but I was not that hungry and not in the mood to hunt again, I wanted food, real food. I saw the three entering the room, Sam again was naked.

    -So you still say you didn’t annoy anyone?

    -I still pledge innocent... In fact, I think you have angered more people than me.

    -Well if we were treated like we should have, maybe I wouldn’t anger the Luna that apparently isn’t taking our visit seriously.

    -Gabe you need to understand this is not the Royal pack, they don’t do things like us.

    -Simon is right, brother look at the food they don’t even have cookies or bacon.

    -You are all right! I need to show them how things should be!

    -I wasn’t trying to say that I was…

    -Wait, Simon! Are you talking about food Gabe?

    -Yes food and…

    -I’m in.

Sam seemed excited by my idea.

    -Harvey?

He looked at me and then looked at Simon.

    -If you think it’s a good idea…

    -I do then you are in.

I looked at Simon and he just sighed.

    -Okay I’m in.

    -Great! then tomorrow we will be going to the city.

I laid on the bed and went back to sleep, I protected my face by sleeping face down and I also had earplugs for Simon’s snores. The night was a little bit better, Sam kicked me some times but at least no punch in my face. As soon as I felt the sun I woke up, snd woke everyone else.

    -Is it already one o'clock?

    -No Sam, we are patrolling the territory.

    -Why? They hate us.

    -But it’s my duty, and you are under my command so wake up and get ready.

I saw Harvey and Simon waking and Sam just curled in bed. I dressed fast, took a bag with money, and opened the room door.

    -I will be waiting for you ALL, at the bottom of the cliff.

I walked out of the packhouse and no one was in sight. Could they still be asleep at this hour? The morning made the forest look orange, I walked and saw the cliff. “Are we shifting?” “Not yet Zeus.” I jumped and used my elongated claws to control my slide, I felt Zeus' ears and the air tickled them. I was full of happiness and I knew I was on the right track. My plan was going to work and everything would be just like home, good food, happy members, and a friendlier atmosphere. My Dad is going to be proud of me and I would be able to move to the next pack and end with these visits sooner than later.