The beta family and Madla had been waiting for the pack a day longer than planned. In preparation for being introduced to the Alpha and Luna, Aoife had ensured that her family had hunted the day before, so they would have food to offer to their leaders. Aoife and Madla could remember living in a pack, and were explaining the standard etiquette of pack life to Pepin and Ewan, as well as telling stories of their previous lives on the journey to the forest. Worry had taken root, and the family were concerned that something terrible might have happened on the mountain. They discussed searching for the pack, when the crunch and snapping of twigs underfoot announced the approach of a large group. Was it the pack, or was it the soldiers?
Exhaling a huge sigh of relief, they saw an enormous blac
