Lunansholt: The tale of the beginning of the wolves

CH 27 Rightful Luna

“For the last fight of the day, we have the personal challenge between Astra and Aslaug for the right to mate with Leif." The Gamma swallows his chuckle before clearing his throat and continuing, "I need both parties to head to the ring." Aslaug moves to the ring as Leif kisses her good luck on her forehead and waits patiently for her opponent. They all look around for Astra to walk forward but when she doesn't show they start searching the crowd for her but she nor her followers are anywhere to be seen. Leif mindlinks his father to see if he had seen her and he verifies she is still in the dining hall nursing a cup of ale. Leif moves to the Gamma telling him what his father said. The Gamma nods irritated announcing via mindlink to the pack, "Astra you have two minutes to come to the training grounds, or you forfeit your claim to mate with Leif." He ends the mindlink and Aslaug smirks pacing the ring kicking dirt waiting for the two minutes to be up but just as the Gamma is about to announce her forfeit the match Harald walks up holding Astra with her followers trailing behind them and he pushes her forward into the ring. Leif smirks at his father who shrugs, and everyone turns to Astra and Aslaug. Aslaug nods to Astra but Astra ignores her looking everywhere but at her opponent.

The Gamma announces the rules again and both women nod. The Gamma nods announcing the beginning of the fight but neither of them move. Aslaug raises an eyebrow at her, "I thought you would make me sorry?" Astra's jaw flexes but she says nothing. Aslaug smiles, "You don't want to be Luna anymore? I thought you were going to make me pay for taking what's yours?" Astra squeezes her hands into fists, but she still doesn't move. "For such a pretty face you sure are rotten inside. No wonder no male here wants to mate with you. I wouldn't want to be stuck with used goods either. Especially with someone as cheap as you." Astra glares at her and screams, "f**k you b***h!" Astra charges her and Aslaug easily grabs her right arm as she passes yanking her back towards her. Astra loses her footing falling back as Aslaug rears back punching her in the face then lets her fall unceremoniously to the ground. Astra moans in pain cupping her broken nose in her hands when she growls quickly shooting up on her feet and roars at Aslaug, "How dare you hit me!" She shifts into her wolf and Aslaug looks at the brown wolf with pity; she’s about eight feet tall and thin, more skinny than muscular.

The wolf growls at Aslaug and she giggles at the wolf in return, her wolf is just as short as she is, Hvitr said in their mind. Aslaug laughs even harder and Astra's embarrassed wolf launches herself at her. Aslaug sees the Gamma attempt to stop the fight, but she holds up her hand to stop him, she shakes her head and the Gamma nods stepping back. Aslaug looks back over just in time to see the wolf a few feet away getting ready to jump on her, hm she's slow too, Hvitr said in their mind. Aslaug backflips and lands a few feet away from where the wolf landed and watches her. Aslaug smiles taunting her again and watches for the twitch that Leif pointed out earlier and notices the muscle in her legs twitch indicating she was planning to jump at her again and Aslaug suddenly runs at her at full speed just as the wolf jumps. Aslaug drops to her knees sliding underneath the wolf as it tries to bite her missing by a few inches. Aslaug gets up wiping the wolf's spit off her cheek and she looks up at her opponent with anger clear on her face, "You're obviously trying to kill me, so I think it's time I put you in your place." Aslaug takes a step then shifts into Hvitr who roars at the disrespectful wolf as she towers over her. The brown wolf instantly drops her tail whining clearly showing her fear. Hvitr takes a few steps while growling at the other wolf showing her anger and the wolf sinks lower and lower to the ground the closer Hvitr got to her. Once Hvitr stopped right in front of her opponent the brown wolf was baring its neck in submission so hard that all members knew it was in pain. Hvitr kicked the wolf away in disgust and she flew back twenty feet into the tree line just barely missing the trees.

Hvitr shifted back into an irritated Aslaug still fully clothed and walking directly to Leif. "She goes in front of the whole pack to declare you're hers and threatens me. For what? To last not even two minutes in the ring with me?" She paces back and forth in front of him and kicks a rock that launches at an angle up to the sky. "Then she tries to yield the fight because I wasn't a weak female like her? She has the audacity to come out here to what? Waste my f*****g time?" Aslaug growls again and Leif puts a calming hand around her waist, and she starts to lay her head down when she hears a galloping sound coming towards them and several gasps as Leif moves to shield her.

She whirls around to see the brown wolf coming straight at them with teeth bared, the wolf jumps for her with murderous intent shining in her black eyes and Aslaug pushes out her power as she roars, "SHIFT!" The wolf shifts back into a naked Astra mid-air and she falls down hard to the ground. Aslaug walks toward her as a ferocious aura seeps out, she grabs her hair yanking her head back roughly. "You are not only weak, but you are a sore loser. What would you have done if you had killed me and you were imprisoned for murder? Hm?" Aslaug slaps her hard across the cheek, "How would you have gotten out of being put to death?" Aslaug backhands her other cheek then throws her down, "Disgusting weak little b***h. I have no respect for a woman who thinks her p***y will secure her a position in life." Aslaug rears her hand back again when someone grabs it, she turns around wondering who would be brave enough to stop her when she see the Harald giving her a look of understanding and warning. She nods after a second then moves back to Leif who wraps his arms around her pulling her back into him and holds her close.

Astra is crying softly facing the dirt when the Harald bends down to lift her chin. Her face is swollen and she has small cuts all over her body. She starts crying harder when she saw Harald and immediately bows to him begging for compassion. "My lord please have mercy. I wasn't going to kill her, I swear it!" Harald shakes his head letting go of her chin standing up as he loudly orders the Gamma to arrest her for attempted murder. Astra screams for mercy when Harald puts a hand up to stop everyone. He announces, "I do not take kindly to anyone committing murder for any reason other than to protect themselves. Astra ignored my law against murder because she was humiliated. She will be imprisoned for two weeks where she will be taught the laws to her again. The Beta and Gamma will test her and release her once they are convinced she is ready to be released into custody of her family. Furthermore, Astra is hereby stripped of all leadership roles and demoted a rank for at minimum a year." Astra drops and cries even harder.

Harald moves to dismiss everyone, but Aslaug walks up grabbing a spare blanket from nearby and she covers Astra's naked body from prying eyes the warriors carrying her wait for Aslaug’s permission before walking off. "She may have tried to kill me, but she doesn't deserve to be put on display for everyone to see. Even the weakest wolf deserves basic respect." The men nod at her, and they walk Astra to the dungeons. Aslaug walks back into Leif’s arms, just as everyone starts to walk away but Aslaug, Leif, and his father stay behind to speak. While they wait the pack all nod at them baring their necks to their leaders showing their respect.