The Things That Love Can Do

FSSHHHKAKA! CRACKLE! The thundering thumping paws of a pack of wolves made the thunderstorm much more frightening. They ran through the dark forest, their speed caused the trees to sway. Today's thunderstorm was rare. They don't usually occur in winter, let alone create snow. This only added additional fear to the already hauntingly disturbing night. The sound of thunder clapped overhead, while the snow fell far too serenely toward the ground. Huff, huff! Alpha! Slow down! The rest of us can't keep up anymore! Aaron cried. Aaron was a smaller wolf with a sandy coat and markings nearly identical to those of a Siberian Husky. A rare occurrence for werewolves, but a pretty one. We can't stop now, Aaron. We're almost home! They need us! Said the big black wolf, his voice booming in their heads. His sapphire eyes seemed to glow as he raced toward the village. If we stop now, the Rogues will take our land and we will be forced into another tribe's territory! It's bad enough we are asking for help from the humans that have hated and feared our kind since the 1600s! Oh! That reminds me! Alpha Jilian, are you going to end up going through with the whole marriage thing? I mean who knows what kind of woman you have to marry, let alone share with a vampire... Ugh! Did you have to remind me of that? I was hoping to avoid that! I'd rather not marry until I find my mate, but I don't think that's an option right now... I just hope whoever she is, she doesn't expect me to consummate the marriage. The blood-sucker I'll have to be around better not expect me to be nice. But what if she is your mate? Those things do happen, right? She could be the mate of either one of you... I hope that if she is my mate, the filthy blood-sucker keeps his hands off my woman. But if she isn't, I hope she doesn't expect me to stick around, especially after we no longer need help or I find my mate. Bang! Crakakaka! Foom! The thunderstorm raged on all night. The pack trudged on, hoping to get to their home in time. By the time they got there, any wolves that were home seemed to be injured or dead. Some of their cottages were ablaze while smaller homes had their doors and windows bashed in. There were strange wolves and bodies amongst their own. Many of the women had fought back. Those who didn't were beaten or r***d. The children seemed to have been traumatized but unharmed. Why? Why hurt the women but leave the children unharmed? It was almost as if the Rogues had some sliver of a conscience, but Julian knew better. Being left unharmed was their intention. The children would want to avenge their mothers and fathers and would blame the pack for not being able to save them. They did so hoping that the children would one day leave their homes to join their ranks, or even turn on their friends and remaining family. However, the kids that were old enough could understand that many would want to seek their vengeance against the Rogue pack. They had attacked their home when it was at its weakest. "Al-pha" a greying sandy wolf croaked, lying beneath an old oak. "Al-pha, y-you're back!" "Elder Beta Jocqe! What happened!" Jilian knelt beside the old beta. "Th-they came almost out of nowhere. By the t-time we were able to sound out the d-distress call, it was almost too late..." Jocqe groaned in pain. Blood seeping from wounds that never seemed to end. "Do you think you'll make it Jocqe?" "I'm afraid I've got a gash too *whimper* close to my heart. It won't heal before I bleed out. Stay with me a while longer, please Alpha?" "Anything for my father's Beta and best friend. I shall sit vigil while you join him in the Great Hunting Grounds. You would have done the same for anyone else." As Jocqe lay there, blood seeping into the ground, a strange whimper came from the other side of the clearing. "Alpha, what do we do about the injured rogues?" Yelled Jilian's beta, Christophe. "If they'll live, bind them in silver! We'll interrogate them in the morning. Tend to the wounded, and bury the dead. That includes the rogues. Any wolf-brother or wolf-sister deserves a proper burial even if they have betrayed their birth pack... But bury them away from our own graves, and do so in the sight-line of the living rogues. They have hurt us, but they deserve some decency. Perhaps, some of them will be moved by such kindness and either be willing to reform or to speak." Jilian lay with Jocqe until the last breath hissed through the old wolf's muzzle, and his eyes had glazed over. Jilian looked at his fallen elder, only to see that though his eyes were glazed, they were damaged internally. He realized then that the old beta had been blinded before he died, from an attack on the back of his head. The rogues had taken advantage of his loss of vision, which ultimately led to his death. Shifting back to his human form and putting on the clothes he had tied to his leg, Jilian began preparing the beta's well-deserved and honorable funeral. As 21 wolves howled grief-stricken, his body was burned under the slumbering oak he had died under. As the embers flew into the air, they reflected light off the still-falling snow. The display was almost ethereal. It was as if you could see his spirit leave his body. It seemed to dance as it rose to join the endless hunting grounds above.