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At the sharp tap from the mediator's ornate gavel, the group had been expelled from the discordant hall with a flick of the wrist. The vote in question no longer required their testimony and was now for council members to discuss and vote on.

Fern perked at the sight of a black tail zipping away around the door. With a growl, he hurried in pursuit, which made White Toe perk and hurry after him. Turning the corner to the short hall that led to the waiting area they had been at earlier, he found Grr'siv cornered by a growling Fern.

"Fuckin' dick! Why'd ye even try somethin' like that? I thought we was friends!"

Ears and eyes down in shame, Grr'siv shook his head. "I just... I were just a fool. She told me 'bout Dawson needin' a Alpha, then she told me takin' yer field were a good way to get the council members on my side, to 'show initiative'. Just... got real eager tryin' to impress the elders, an' it got me a lot more trouble than I expected. I..." with a defeated sigh, he dropped onto the bench "I burned a lotta bridges fer a lotta nothin."

Baring his teeth with a bristle, Fern opened his mouth to reply, but Jack stepped between them and nodded his head. "Impressin' the elders kin be a good idea, yeah, but it's a whole lot more important to impress those livin' in the pack an' workin' with ye. End o' the day, their votes count more."

Glancing at Fern scowling behind him, Grr'siv shook his head and scoffed. "Yeah well, they'll likely be votin' me out after this. Don't make a good Alpha gettin' made a fool like this."

Jack frowned. "I think they'd be makin' a mistake if they did that." Grr'siv peered at him from the corner of his eye. "I think ye'll make a great Alpha for Dawson. It seems they've run amok an' could use a strong hand to guide 'em back from doin' somethin' real stupid. This mess only came 'long cuz folks ain't followin' their better judgment an' lettin' bad actors pull on their strings."

He tsked bitterly, glaring at the floor. "Yeah, my strings."

Sucking in a breath, Jack winced as he sat tenderly on the bench. The medicine he had taken before their journey was wearing off, and he was starting to find it difficult enough just to breathe. "My pa were Alpha for 30 years, so I think it were good advice when he told me a good Alpha ain't the one that don't make mistakes, but the one that don't make 'em twice. Somehow, I don't think ye'll be fallin' for this again."

As Grr'siv shook his head, Fern could hold it in no longer. "I've still got half a mind to beat a few teeth outta yer face fer even tryin' such a thing!"

White Toe cast him a concerned glare. "Fern!"

Glancing between them, Grr'siv smirked and got to his feet, only a few hairs taller than his brothers, and opened his arms in invitation. "How 'bout ye beat me in a drinkin' match after this? I'll buy."

"Aww, shit," White Toe lamented, kicking at the ground. "I'm losin' 'gain, ain't I?"

"Course!" Grr'siv grinned at him, flashing that golden fang. "This were just 'tween me an' Fern. I weren't even considerin' ye competition!"

White Toe's jaw dropped. "Ye dick! C'mon, Fern, we'll drink 'im dead!"

Narrowing his eyes and wrinkling his snout even tighter until his face could scrunch up no further before first breaking into a snarl then a wicked grin, Fern hooked Grr'siv around the neck tightly with a playful growl. "I'm gonna destroy ye, ye shit lickin' diddy!"

Standing together, the three dark furred brothers chortled at stinging quips and sharp burns. Watching them with a smile, Anubis felt a deep longing for his own siblings.

Also smiling, Iron Gale sat beside Jack. "Well, when I'm sittin' on council, ye'll always have my vote."

Jack flicked his hand to bat away the praise, his ears perking to the volume of the council rising sharply. Anubis glanced over his shoulder, then back at Jack with concern. He smiled. "Ah, sounds like Ol' Omma said somethin' that started a fire."

"Oh, yeah," Iron Gale nodded, "she's real good at that. Real persuasive."

A shadow appeared in the open doors, drawing their attention. A light gray and white young woman in clean scrubs and a white lab coat glanced down at her notepad then among them.

"Which one's Alpha Jack?" she questioned as her eyes darted between the two Alphas.

Eyes widening, Jack slapped his palm to his face. "Oh my god. That bitch!"

Glancing at her notes again, the woman checked the various dark glass bottles in her medical bag before peering at Anubis curiously. Then, without fear, she approached Jack and handed him one that rattled with pills. "Berry called on the radio. Said she'd be by next week to pay fer these.There's a pain killer an' a antibiotic. Should have somethin' to eat with 'em, but make sure to drink lots o' water."

Grumbling as the others snickered at him, Jack reluctantly accepted it. "Yeah, yeah. Oh, she'll definitely be payin' fer this," he muttered that part under his breath. "Uh, thanks fer bringin' this to me."

Done with her delivery, she peered at Anubis again with her head tilted. "I ain't ever seen a Wogtal before! My li'l sisters an' brother told me 'bout that time in the library. They..." she glanced among them again with concern, "the council's not gonna hurt 'im, right?"

There was an uncomfortable silence. It was Jack who sighed. "We're, uh, hopin' they see reason."

Her ears folded back, brow furrowed, and looked back at Anubis sadly. "Well, I, uh, I wish ye luck. The pups been askin' when they'd be seein' the 'giant black wolf' 'gain. I'd hate to tell 'em never."

Smiling warmly at her, Anubis bowed his head in appreciation. After she was gone, Grr'siv offered to get food for them, his brothers going with him because bringing enough food for a Wogtal required more than just one pair of arms.

It was when they returned with the food that Jack frowned, eyeing Anubis and shaking his head. "I ain't gonna make ye eat like a animal."

"Well, they did say he only had to be like this for council," Fern offered, glancing around for effect. "We ain't in council no more. Not that I ain't totally in love with the bondage gear." He waggled his brows with a grin.

Pursing his lips, Anubis glanced at Jack, who agreed with his Beta, at least about not being in council anymore. Quite done with holding his form, he took a deep breath, and his body snapped and twitched, a short but taxing process most werefolk politely turned their gazes from.

Complete with the transformation, he grinned wickedly down at Fern through the muzzle, waggling his brows. "You can dress me up any way you like, but you'll always remind me of where I belong, Mountain Man."

Barking out in laughter, Fern handed him the smoked animal haunch. "Ah, there he is! Already were missin' yer sassy mouth!"

Right about when they were nearly done eating, the wolves that had beckoned them in the first time did so again, just as nervous in the presence of the giant as before.

When Anubis moved to put the muzzle back on, Jack shook his head. "Whatever they got ta say, I think they ought ta say it to yer face, like a man. C'mon, this pain killer's kickin' in, an' I could take on a skaowl!"

"This were why Berry were worried 'bout ye!" Iron Gale muttered, shaking his head as he followed his Alpha closely.

While a small murmur rippled through the council upon seeing Anubis in his towering form, tall enough to look over the short banister meant to keep the elders from falling off their elevated seating, there was more curiosity than fear.

"Look how he disobeys the wishes of this council!" Moon Eye called out.

"Liar!" Mother Meadow barked back and this time, no one bothered to quiet her. "That weren't wishes o' council! It were yer wishes! Don't even matter now. A free wolf kin do as he pleases!"

Blinking in surprise, Anubis peered up at the mediator, who was peering at him with a tilted head. "I've never seen a Wogtal 'til today. Heard a lot o' stories, both 'bout yer kind all my life, an' 'bout ye specifically. Olcan were my pack, an I asked 'em brothers bout ye. When ye was sittin there, ye didn't seem so big. Not near big as my nephews put it. Standin' here now, next to these two fellas who I know are real tall, yer even bigger than they made ye sound! Seems silly now to even think there were any way to control ye more than yer own respect for civility. A far cry from the kinds o' tales I grew up with, but I'm thinkin' most o' us are glad 'bout that.

"The vote weren't even close. It were a landslide. The packs o' Riinvolf agree that to consider ye property goes 'gainst all principles o' freedom an' laws o' nature we uphold. As our esteemed Mother pointed out, to allow even one wolf to be a slave allows room fer the enslavement o' others. Nothin' would stop one pack from enslavein' another. Therefore, this council has rejected the sentencin' o' our Supreme Alpha, an' all packs that hold seats here are to consider ye a free an' equal wolf. As such, there's no longer a dispute over yer involvement in territorial disputes." Taking a grim breath, he pursed his lips, looked down at Jack and added, "May ye have mercy on yer neighbors."

At the rap of the gavel, the council members rose and began to file out.

Stunned, Anubis had to blink a few times to process his own excitement. Sucking in his breath, he looked down at the others grinning up at him. All but Jack, who had a very smug look on his face and was watching the Dawson's angrily bickering in the corner to avoid the other packs.

Stepping a bit closer, Anubis was stumbling over every kind of gratitude he could think of, but it all hardly seemed appropriate. "Jack, I... Well, no one's ever... spoken of me like that before."

Flicking his hand as though batting it away, there was a wicked kind of delight in the grin he turned up to him at the end. "Bah! Just imagine what I woulda said if I actually liked ye! 'Sides, ye saved me, an' I saved ye. Fair deal, yeah?"

With a warm smile, Anubis agreed and they headed towards the door to join Grr'siv.

"Jack!" barked an old, shrill voice. "Jack! Ye let that man 'ave puppies, ye hear me? Lots o' puppies!"

Stopping dead in his tracks, Jack's jaw dropped along with his ears and tail before his head snapped up to stare at the old woman. "Mother Meadow!" he gasped while Fern, White Toe, and Iron Gale struggled to contain their laughter, and Anubis' eyes were as wide as they had ever been, his ears off to either side. "Do ye have any idea how much this man eats? An' ye want more o' 'em? Pray tell, how will I feed 'em all? Where's it all gonna come from?"

She cackled impishly. "I'll be dead soon 'nough! Kin 'ave my share!"

Brow pinching together, Jack shook his head and wagged his finger at her. "Don't ye even start that, ol' bitch! Dyin's the easiest part o' livin'! I need ye 'ere to do work! Who else gonna smooth things over when I gotta feed a whole pack o' Wogtal?"

Her gummy grin was as wickedly delighted as his had been a moment ago. "Well, then ye'll 'ave a whole pack o' Wogtal, won't ye?"

A devilish smirk belied his attempt at sweet innocence. "But, Mother Meadow... I ought to 'ave mercy on my neighbors."

Again, she cackled deviously. "Yeah, like a 'nado!"

Shaking his head with amusement on his face, he sauntered toward the door. "Ain't the season fer 'nados... yet."

As he was walking by her, Anubis paused and smiled with adulation at the tittering old woman. "I think you might be my favorite person, Mother Meadow."

Her ears perked up a bit, her tail waggling. Reaching out, she patted him on the head. "Yer a good ol' boy, an' this where ye belong. Now, I 'xpect puppies real soon, ye hear? I ain't gon live ferever!"

Even with her blurry vision, she could see the brilliance of his lecherous grin. "Oh, don't worry, Mother Meadow. There really wasn't much of a choice in the matter, anyway."

Just as they gathered Grr'siv and stepped out the door, a bitter voice called out near them.

"Ye fought so hard for that rapist, Jack, but ye near killed yer own brother! Such a hypocrite!"

Jack perked and stopped in midstride, his eyes snapping towards her before the rest of his head followed. "Why, Grr'landra, how would ye know he near died?"

Her ears began to fold back, but she quickly regained herself, sneering at him. "I... heard he were seen recently... an' what ye done to 'im! It ain't a secret!"

Nodding slowly, not the least bit convinced, Jack took a menacing step closer, glaring down at her. His voice was not but a growl that came from the depths of his hatred. "The next time ye just happen to 'hear 'bout 'im,' make sure he knows that if I catch so much as a whiff o' 'im, I'll hunt 'im down like a animal, an' I won't stop 'til I hang 'im from the tree I can see out my window so I can watch his body rot, just so I know I finished the job this time."

Scowling back at him with a wrinkled snout, she scoffed. "An' how ye 'xpect me to tell 'im any o' that gruesome threat?"

His eyes narrowed. "Somehow, I got the feelin' he's gonna get the message. Ye ought be careful, Grr'landra, lest folk consider ye consortin' with Banished. Wouldn't want to be joinin' 'im. Don't think the wilds're kind fer a posh hag."

She gasped before baring her teeth, but Jack was already walking away with the others. "Slanderous cur!" she snarled after him. There were more insults, but the group's laughter made it impossible to hear anything else.

***

The sun had left but a thin, velvety line of light along the edge of the prairie by the time the truck rattled back into the hamlet. Berry was first out the door, followed by River, then the rest of the pack. The two women practically glued themselves to Jack the moment he opened the door, giving him an earful about the smell of alcohol in his condition. The sassy rebuttals muttered under his breath had both women pulling at their fur in frustration even though their wagging tails gave away their true feelings.

"Oh my god, Jack! Will ye please take this seriously?" Berry lamented with an aggravated shake of her head.

Scratching at the thick, shaggy fur along his jowl, Jack smirked. "I mean, I don't know how much more seriously I kin take the fact that I ain't dead."

By the time Iron Gale could get out of the driver's seat, Winter Lace was in his arms, nuzzling his chest, Valley not far behind in tucking her head up under White Toe's chin once he drunkenly oozed out the back and had to lean against the truck to stay standing.

Nova's tail stopped immediately when she looked in the back and did not find Anubis. Her head snapped up and towards Jack in a panic.

"Where... where's Anubis? What happened?"

Taking a measured, solemn breath, he looked down at the ground. "Well, council decided he, uh, he weren't gonna be our slave no more." He left only exactly enough time for there to be a pit in everyone's stomach, continuing with a rapidly growing grin before anyone could speak. "Instead, he's officially a free Radkial!"

Throwing back his head, he let out a victorious howl that made him remember he was still recovering. The powerful response was so close, it made the pack jump and turn to find an enormous black form standing in the doorway of the Great Lodge as though he'd been there the whole time. Illuminated from behind, not but his glowing gaze and pearly grin could be seen within the mass.

Nova burst from the group and leapt into his arms. Spinning her around so that he was facing away from the excited and approaching pack, he held her tight and the deep, low growl of his promise made every strand of her fur tingle. "Free and equal, my pet, to ravish you as I see fit."

She gasped and bit her lip, but there was no time to melt under that smug smirk. Surrounded by the pack, she had to regain herself quickly as he put her back to the ground.

Obliging the celebration for a while, his gaze kept returning to Nova, making her fur fluff up every time. At the first convenient lag of attention, he had her by the hand and slipped through the back room and out a side door that was rarely opened. She could scarcely contain her excited giggles as he pulled her along to one of the empty cabins from when the pack had more individuals.

She gasped when he pulled her inside one and pressed her against the door, his snarl one of salacious excitement. "Now, my pet. You have several months to make up for, and you've been so awfully naughty."

Ears low, heart pounding in her chest, she squirmed with the sensation of her thigh fur getting even damper. "B-But we might get in trouble in 'ere!" she panted, her tail wagging rapidly.

Putting his hand on her head, he stroked between her ears so he could entangle his fingers in her hair. "Jack was in a really good mood and said he'd make an exception for tonight. I have the feeling the power's going to his head a little, but I'm not complaining. And in a moment, mutt, neither will you."

Dragging her with him, he backed up to sit on the edge of the bed. The pressure on her head put her on her knees between his legs. At the end of her snout hung his splendid furry sack, exposed by the thick pole lewdly holding up his kilt. "Now, my pet, remind me that you know how to be a good girl, and I might have some mercy for your sweet, hot pussy."

He could feel the shudder that ran through her. Her tail was wagging as she leaned forward and nuzzled against his sheath, her snout disappearing under his kilt. Her hot tongue glided up the length of his shiny rod until her nose pushed the cloth out of the way. He sucked in his breath, lost in the emerald depths that peeked up at him under sultry lashes while the velvet warmth of her mouth enveloped him. That breath came out in a low groan, panting hotly with his hand on her head only to help keep the pace.

When she moaned softly, he noticed her hand vanishing into her unbuttoned shorts, and his eyes narrowed with a wicked grin. "Now, now, pet. You know that as your Master, I choose your pleasure." Laying back, he pulled her right out of her short and atop him before spinning her easily so she was facing his slick cock once again, his hand firmly gripping her tail to control her hips. "And I choose to do the pleasuring."

She gasped and bit her lip with a lustful whimper at the heat of his enormous tongue blanketing the full length of her from her mound to where her tail attached to her body in powerful, searing licks that made it difficult to concentrate on her own task. Using his free hand, he shoved her head down the length of him to remind her she had a job to do.

Slurping him wetly while she moaned, she used a hand in time with her head bobs, which was soon slick and tight at his base. When she used her other hand to massage his heavy sack, he had to pause a moment to pant while his head spun with euphoria. He couldn't see her face but he knew the moment she smirked, humping against his snout to remind him he was slacking.

Her whole body shuddered with the vibration of his growl. Pressing his tongue deep within her, his shaggy chin rubbed her clit so that her eyes fluttered, and she had to slow down and moan. Just as her mind was getting fuzzy, he reached down and pumped her down his shaft a few more times before she felt his balls clench in her hand, and her mouth filled with the intense heat of his pent up desire.

They lay there panting heavily a moment. That delectable meat pole was still slick and hard, the knot swollen above his thick, furry sheath. Smirking, Nova gave him a nuzzle to make him stir, watching her sit up and turn around to face him. Her smug smile only grew while she rubbed her moist slit along his shaft.

"Well, Master, since ye do all my pleasurin, don't ye think ye ought ta get to it?" she teased with sassy seduction, slipping the tip of him inside her and grinding on it.

The wicked amusement on his face made her whimper and bite her lip. Taking her hips, he pressed her down until he could go no further. "I think I've changed my mind about that mercy. This tight little knot pocket needs a reminder of what happens when I get teased."

Sinking down with ease, she was biting her lip and moaning the whole way. He loved that look on her face with her eyes unfocused and her mouth falling open to moan louder when his powerful grip made her set a hard pace. The slaves had had that unfocused gaze, but it always looked like they were somewhere else. She looked like she was right there, exploring the space in her head while she bounced on him with slick, wet noises accompanying her melody.

When she could not continue, slumping over his body and panting against his ear, he gave her a moment to catch her breath. Wrapping an arm around her, he grinned. "Do you regret teasing me, yet?"

She giggled, squirming around on him so he could feel every bit of her. "How ye even gonna get the knot in if ye don't let it deflate?" She gave an offended scoff as she grinded against his cock still buried in her. "I thought this were a punishment."

She yipped in surprise when she was suddenly on her back, her ankles in his hands and spread wide, still as deep as he could go. All she could really see of him in the dark were the disembodied glow of eyes and the amused line of teeth above her. It only grew when she was already clenching him, gripping the blanket under them, her tail wiggling.

"I guess I'm just going to have to pound all that sass out of you, my willful pet, and you're going to take this knot one way or another."

Her howling may have set off the rest of the pack, but they couldn't hear much over the sloppy sounds of her ravishing, and were really too preoccupied to care. There would have to be washed sheets when they were done, but once he was locked deep inside her trembling, satisfied passage, not even the sun could wake them the next morning, and no one dared try.

***

Most of the trees had changed through their myriad of colors and were nearly naked, etching up the dreary horizon in only a few weeks. Then, the first snow had lightly blanketed the land during the night. The pack woke to the sparkling landscape, taking a moment to appreciate the pristine view.

Anubis did not even feel the chill despite having nothing more on than his kilt and vest. Everyone else, however, were out in leather jackets and brightly colored woven sweaters, heading in for breakfast.

While sitting on one of the couches, Silver was busy rubbing a well worn and cared for leather jacket with a thick, clear oil that came from the wool of the shep. Luna slipped beside him and leaned to his ear to whisper something to him. Curious, he leaned closer before his face lit up and his tail wagged, looking at her with the most excited grin Anubis had seen on him yet. "That right?" he replied softly. "Puppies, huh?" She nodded, and he set his things aside to pull her into his lap and nuzzle her sweetly. "They're gonna be perfect, just like their ommy."

Nova's tail was wagging when she felt a shiver up her spine and turned to find Anubis smirking down at her. It only grew more wicked when the scent of her dampness filled his nose.

After breakfast, as the pack got ready to continue harvesting, a lookout gave a howl as a nice truck growled up the road to them.

"What's he want?" Fern grumbled, following after Jack.

"Well, we're 'bout to find out." Once the truck came to a stop, Jack approached, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Grr'siv! What... What's all this?"

Getting out with his Head Beta, Grr'siv smiled. "Ah, well, see, I, uh, decided to go diggin' into where all o' Dawson's supplies were goin' an', uh, found a few discrepancies. Turns out, Dawson's got plenty to spare, an', well, after what ye said at the bar 'bout yer pack goin' hungry this winter, I felt even more like a ass, an' were hopin ye'd consider this gift as a apology."

Fern's jaw dropped, looking in the back where many baskets and boxes of food were stacked. Jack's expression of shock quickly became a grin. "Shit, Grr'siv, thanks! Consider yerself forgiven!"

He smirked at his brother as the other pack members gathered curiously and grew excited. "There's really only 'nough fer a meal er two fer the lot o' ye, but better to ye than... disreputable recipients. Think I'd rather burn my bridges with that lot than my neighbors... an' well, most o' the pack agreed with me once they found out."

Clapping him on the shoulder with a smile, Jack shook his head. "Ye didn't burn the bridge, just singed it a bit. Though, I'd say this meal er two's a fresh coat o' paint."

As the adults were offloading and chatting, the pack of pups went giggling past, eager to gather what little snow remained in a shaded clearing among the trees.

Arrow arrived first, quickly balling up a handful and aiming for the first pup behind her, who happened to be her brother. Struck right in the chest, he slipped and tumbled back, knocking over the pups right behind him. With a triumphant laugh to his whine and lament, she dashed off again to avoid their attempts at revenge.

Pausing beside a bush, she grinned as she waited for them.

"Psst. Arrow!"

Perking, she turned around so fast that their noses touched. Stunned, they stared at each other for a heart beat before Fletcher blushed and pulled back. Arrow's brow pinched together, and she rubbed her nose as though disgusted.

"What ye want, Fletcher?" she demanded, putting her fists on her hips. "I knew ye was there, by the way. I jist didn't know ye was gonna talk to me."

He perked as he recalled why he had come searching for her and motioned for her to follow him. "I wanted ta show ye somethin'."

Glancing at the others, she pursed her lips and rolled her eyes before following after him. Leading her through the brush, he glanced over his shoulder. "I weren't even tryin' to sneak up on ye, by the way."

"Yeah, uh-huh," she scoffed with another roll of her eyes.

"Ye'll know when I'm really tryin' ta sneak up on ye cuz ye won't know!" he declared smugly.

She fixed him with an unimpressed glare and scoffed again as they came out to another clearing. "Ye wish."

With a pleased smile, he stopped and presented her with a small snowwolf he had spent quite some time trying to shape into a specific likeness.

Cocking her brow, she looked it up and down, then peered at him. "What 'bout it?"

Ears lowering a bit, he stumbled on his words. "Oh, uh, w-well, it-it's s'posed ta be ye."

Blinking in surprise, she looked it over again. "It's got a bow."

He blushed deeply. "W-Well, yeah. Don't girls like bows?"

Her whole face scrunched together indignantly, glaring at him with an emerald fire that made his hackles start to prickle before she thought about it and relaxed. Holding up her arms, she made the motion of pulling back an arrow to release it. "Yeah, the shootin' kind!"

Thinking it over, Fletcher glanced around quickly. The snow was sparse here so he could find a curved stick and hurried back to his sculpture. Carefully working it among the dry little twigs of the stick that made the hand of the snowwolf, he stepped back and beamed.

Looking it over critically with a hand on her chin, she reached out and flicked off the bow he had made with some dried grass and placed in front of a lump of ear, then grinned. "Yeah, that's right!"

Unable to handle the new weight, the arm fell to the ground. Looking at each other, they giggled, their tails wagging.

Arrow let out a sharp yelp, thrown forward by a large snowball, but it was the rock hidden inside it that grazed her head and cut her ear that left her whimpering on the ground, curled up in a ball.

"Arrow!" Fletcher cried, kneeling beside her to check on her when his ears perked to malicious cackles a few yards away. Head snapping up, his whole face wrinkled with white hot fury at 4 familiar sigmas from the neighboring pack laughing together. The chubby one was nodding, accepting the praise of his peers for his aim.

"Hey!" The teens perked and looked down at Fletcher snarling up at them from only a few paces away. He pointed at the one who threw the loaded snowball. "Yer a asshole!"

The chubby one smirked and leaned down to him. "Yeah, so ye ought ta fuck off, pup."

Fletcher's lips peeled all the way past his gums. "Git a li'l a closer, an' I'll bite yer face!"

The teens glanced at each other and snickered.

"Ye what now?" the chubby one taunted. "I could sit on ye!"

"An' I'll rip yer ass a new hole!" Fletcher countered without a thought, his hackles pressing hard to his clothes.

They laughed louder this time. "Yer just a gimpy midget with a big fuckin' mouth."

He jabbed his thumb to his chest. "I'm part Wogtal!"

Glancing at each other again, the teens utterly lost it, their hysterical laughter echoing around them.

"Part!?" cried the chubby one after finding some breath. "Which part? The part ye lost?" He pointed at Fletcher's foot before laughing again.

Bristling, Fletcher's growl grew low and menacing. "Ye know what's the best part o' havin' a wood foot?" He did not wait for them to answer, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I kin leave it in yer ass an' go get a new one."

Staring at him in stunned silence, the teens looked at each other, but their leader bared his teeth. "Li'l shit. Ye don't know well 'nough ta be scared."

There was something unnerving in his steady gaze that caused their hackles to prickle. "I looked at death. I were in its mouth. Ye jist ain't scary 'nough."

Growling with a wrinkled snout, the chubby one started towards him when a form as tall as he was rushed out of the nearby bushes to block his path so suddenly that he had to recoil to not touch noses and stumbled back a few steps.

"Don't ye dare touch my brother," Denver snarled furiously, teeth bared.

Staring at him incredulously, the teen had to take a second to recover, looking him up and down, noting his braid. "What the fuck? When'd ye grow some balls?"

Covering his teeth, Denver gave him the same kind of unwavering glare. "Ye ain't as scary as a skaowl."

Growling, the teen again stepped forward threateningly, grabbing Denver by the jacket and jerking him close. "Oh, we'll show ye scary, right, guys?"

Perking when there was no answer, he looked over his shoulder. His friends had not joined him and were shifting about nervously.

"W-Well, ye know," one of them started hesitantly, "I, uh, I jist got my rank an' I don't wanna lose it beatin' up on a pup." The others quickly nodded in agreement, backing up a little further.

Turning his growl back at Denver, he realized that expression had not changed, staring him boldly in the eyes. Brow pinching together, the Sigma released him with a shove that didn't move Denver near as much as he'd been hoping. "Fuck it. Yer right. A gay an' a gimp ain't worth losin' my rank over. No sense in wastin' my time wit' ye. I'd say go suck a dick, but ye'd actually like it, freak. Let's go, guys."

"Yer the freak!" Fletcher yelled after him as the 4 walked off.

"Fletcher!" Denver snapped at him, giving him a glare to quiet him before turning his attention to Arrow still whimpering on the ground. "Oh, shit, A-Arrow! Are ye alright?" Helping her sit up, he checked her head carefully, using some snow to wipe away the blood.

Kneeling beside her, Fletcher put his hand over hers when she whined and sniffled. "Ye'll be okay," he reassured.

Looking up at both of them, she wiped at her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I-I'm alright. It... it jist s'prised me, that's all."

"C'mon," Denver said with a soft smile as he helped her up. "It ain't so bad. Y-ye shouldn't be back here, anyway. We-We'll go back an' get Berry ta look at ye."

Denver held her hand as they trudged back. Though she sniffled, she looked over at Fletcher and giggled. He perked curiously. "What?"

"That were funny."

"What were funny?"

"What ye said 'bout yer foot."

His ears folded low with a hot blush, scratching at one sheepishly. "Oh, uh, ha, yeah. That, uh, jist came out."

"Were a real foolish thin' ta say," Denver chided. "They co-coulda hurt ye." In the next heartbeat, however, he had an entertained little smirk. "Though, yeah, i-it were funny. Just... don't ever do that 'gain! I-I-I just don't want ye gettin' hurt."

"Yeah, but my big brother were there watchin' over me!" he beamed up at him with pride and adulation as they came through the brush. "Ye sure made 'im think twice!"

Blushing a bit, Denver struggled to force his ears up to hide it, but his lips curled up with the ghost of a pleased smirk. "O-Oh, uh, heh. Yeah, guess... guess I did a li'l." Then he looked down at Fletcher. "Well, I-I-I weren't just gonna stand there a-an' let 'em hurt ye. I heard 'em l-laughin' an' didn't see ye two. I'm sure glad I found ye in time."

After getting to the medical cabin, Fletcher quickly offered to stay with Arrow while Denver went to get Berry. As they sat on the bench, she looked at him, then down at the wooden foot that was sanded with much more precision and a slight curve.

"How'd ye lose it?" She asked with innocent bluntness.

"What?"

"Yer foot. How'd ye lose it?"

He looked down at it, wiggling it up and down. The nub under his ankle nestled into a well sanded cup just big enough for a few layers of cushioning, and it gave a secure place for the bandaging to help keep it strapped tight to his leg.

"Oh, uh, well I were playin' in the quarry an' I tripped an' a big rock fell on it. There, uh, weren't nothin' ta save when they got it off. It weren't really a foot no more. I near died cuz it got infected."

Her ears folded back sadly. "Oh. Do it hurt?"

He shook his head. "Not no more. Though sometimes, I wanna stretch my toes, then I 'member they ain't there." He splayed out the toes of his other foot and wiggled them.

She looked down at her feet. "I'm sawry that happened ta ye."

Shrugging, he grinned smugly and leaned back, kicking his legs. "I'm so sneaky, death kin't even fin' me!"

She giggled at him.

"It's true!" He insisted. "My ommy told me I were born real early 'fore I were s'posed ta, an' I were the only one ta make it!"

Just as Arrow opened her mouth, Berry came in and began to check her over. "Aww, sweetlin'! What happened to ye? Was ye two playin rough?" She gave Fletcher a stern eye.

Both pups started talking at the same time, making a discordant noise that was difficult to understand. The door slammed shut a little harder than it needed to, startling them quiet. Berry glared over her shoulder, making Denver grin sheepishly.

"Uh, s-s-sorry. Th-they, uh, they was just, uh, chasin a-a-an' she just, uh slipped, w-were all!"

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at him, which she turned to the pups, both of whom gave her the most innocent puppy eyes they had ever mustered in their lives, which only deepened her suspicion. Chewing her lip, she rolled her eyes in defeat.

"Alright, well, next time watch where yer goin. Yer alright. Go on back out there. Snow's gonna melt soon. Ground's not cold 'nough to keep it."

She snagged her cousin by the ear before he could escape out the door with the pups. "Don't ye be teachin' those pups bad habits!"

"Oh, w-w-well, I just don't want 'em gettin in more trouble. I-I-I already talked to 'em 'bout it. They didn't need an-n-nother talkin' to."

Releasing him, he hurried back to his post to watch the pups. It was hardly a moment later that an enormous shadow appeared slightly behind him. Snapping around, he clutched his chest and panted.

"Anubis! Y-Y-Ye gotta stop doin that to me!"

He smiled down at him. "Oh, well, if I did that, I would have missed out on my little Wogtal finding their teeth."

His amusement only deepened at the scrunch of Denver's face. He could barely contain himself when the young man put his fists on his hips indignantly. "Ye was w-watchin' the whole time? Y-Ye coulda helped!"

"Why? They were scared enough of you. The only difference I would have made would've been how fast they ran away."

His ears lowered a bit and he looked away with a little smile. "Uh, ye-yeah. S'pose that's true."

Using a finger under his chin to push his head up, Anubis smirked. "So far, you've stood up to a skaowl, me, and a bunch of bullies. Is there anything you're afraid of?"

Denver's smile grew, scratching coyly at his ear. "W-Well, guess I-I am sorta part Wogtal, ain't I?"

Now Anubis grinned wickedly, making his pet's tail wiggle rapidly. "Indeed! And later tonight, I'll be glad to... boost the percentage...."

***

The snow had not stayed. It blew in and left an awful muddy mess when it melted away the very next day. The balmy, rainy days that followed did not help with the mud, but there were few complaints for fear of upsetting the spirits that had finally seen fit to relieve the thirsty land. It was a blessing for the final crops, the late warm weather creating a final explosion in the harvest size.

After nearly a solid week of rain, the storm broke and gave the roads a couple of days to dry up. Just in time for the pack to pull their long trailer out of storage and get ready for the Festival of the Hallowed Harvest.

While most of the pack was going to be able to go, including the pups that were out of the den, Anubis was a little surprised to discover that the low ranks had to draw a winning ticket from a bucket at random, but it made sense not everyone could go. There were still puppies to tend to, equipment left behind and animals to manage. At least one high rank would also have to stay, but this year, several of those who would be retiring into town soon decided to stay behind, including Cloud.

On the morning that the pack gathered to go, Cloud overheard that Nova had given her winning ticket to Anubis and had convinced him to go to experience the festival for the first time despite his protests, and had refused Denver and Moon's tickets. Pursing her lips, she made a count and decided she had plenty of volunteers already staying. Nova's tail likely could have propelled her all the way to town on its own when she was told she could go.

After a pack howl of excitement started by the pups and quickly picked up by the rest, the truck gave a groan and managed to haul them all to town, albeit a bit slower than usual.

As they went, there was much chattering. Sandwiched between Nova and Denver, Anubis listened to the mentions of the festival, cocking his head when Moon pointed out that they had forgotten to make him a skull mask and there likely were none that would fit him.

"A skull? Whatever for?"

"Well, it's cuz we're all dead!"

"What?"

Nova rolled her eyes. "Ye gotta do better than that! See, it's the last time we all know we'll be together 'fore the Spring's Bounty. That's when those who made it through winter learn 'bout, ye know, those who didn't. This be the only time we got to tell everyone how much we care 'bout em, or maybe what else we might think of 'em. Fer three days, we all got food an' each other. Ain't nobody hungry, ain't nobody cold or lonely. Who knows 'bout 'morrow. But, that's why we're all dead today, cuz death ain't choosy, it comes fer us all equally. So, if we're all dead, then we're all equal."

Anubis thought about it and smiled. "I really like that sentiment."

"Oh, an' it's the ruttin' season for the deer folk!" added Moon.

Denver gasped with a tail wag, his eyes lighting up. "Oh yeah! Th-they got spectacular sparin' contests!"

Long Fang rolled his eyes at his brother with a smirk. "Ye just like it cuz they ain't hardly clothed."

The others snickered while Denver blushed with a little smile. "W-W-Well yeah."

Moon giggled. "I like watchin 'em, too!"

Once they had pulled in, a big box was opened and many sorts of masks were passed out, from leather and wood to delicately carved skulls of animals. There were all sorts of colors and patterns, from the plain to the vibrant. Anubis watched with great amusement, staying seated while the pups growled and squealed and chased each other.

It was inevitable he would have to stand at some point. Towering over everyone, it wasn't long for him to feel the many gazes that turned to him. Following with the pack to the main square, he felt a growing regret for coming along when hundreds of eyes noticed his presence. The crowd even moved away from him, leaving an open space.

It was in that open space that a great mass of giggling pups from many other packs came thundering through. Some of the pups in the group stopped dead in their tracks. One tiny girl's eyes grew wide upon seeing the giant, her tail propelling her to stand before him, her arms up as she hopped in front of him.

"Yer back! Yer back!" She cried gleefully while the others from her pack also rushed over with wagging tails.

Recognizing her from his encounter in the library despite her flowery little mask, he smiled warmly and leaned down to oblige her request, lifting her gently to sit on his forearm. The whole herd of pups turned like a living organism of its own and hurried back with excitement and curiosity, surrounding him with eager chatter and all their tails thumping one another.

Peering at his face, the little girl tilted her head curiously. "Why don't ye got yer mask?"

"Oh, uh, well, none of them fit me."

"Why didn't ye make one?" She pressed innocently.

"Well, I wasn't exactly expecting to be part of the festival."

"Well, it's a good thin' ye are!"

All the pups perked and were even more excited at the sight of Mother Meadow slowly hobbling through the crowd that parted for her. Her leather mask resembled her own near skeletal self a little too much. The older pups had to hold the younger, reminding them in hushed tones they had to be gentle with the elder. Standing before him, she smiled. "What kinda god would miss 'is own party? Yeah? God o' the Dead, ain't ye? Come ta lead the gala!"

The little girl on his arm pointed at him. "But, Ommy Meadow! He ain't got a mask! They dun fit!"

Frowning, Mother Meadow blinked in surprise, looking around. "Well, ain't nobody got some paint?"

He knelt so the shape of his skull could be painted over his fur in thick white paint that shined bright in the sunlight like a beacon when he stood tall over the nervous crowd.

"Yeah, that's better!" Mother Meadow barked out before glaring around at everyone. "What'cha all scared o'? We're all dead taday, ain't we? Couldn't get any deader, eh?"

Glancing around, there was a murmur of agreement with the sentiment before Fern raised his mug of ale and called out loud, "Hey! Now ye look the part! Could be the Hallowed Spirit 'imself!"

As soon as the rest of the Radkials in the crowd raised their mugs and cheered, in sociable wolf fashion, the whole crowd burst into cheers and howls. The deer and otter folk that had come to mingle with the wolves rolled their eyes with smirks, some even playfully howling along just for the fun of it.

Ears back, Anubis clenched his teeth in uncertainty. Feeling something beside him, he looked down to find Nova snuggling up to him, her fingers slipping between his. Lost in her eyes, the rest of the crowd could have poofed out of existence and he likely wouldn't have noticed. Sucking in her breath, her mouth opened and her sweet, melodic voice rose through the din. Like an infection burning him up inside, he could hold it no longer.

There was a visible wave through the crowd and stunned silence came over most of it, staring at him for most could not see Nova. But, she didn't stop howling with him, and the other Radkials only howled louder. In the next heartbeat, a collective breath erupted like a volcano from every lupine throat through the town, the vibrations felt even past its borders.

When the howl finally died down, Anubis joined the others in getting food from the endless tables piled high with each pack's signature dish and more, while the ale flowed freely from a seemingly endless supply of barrels. In great mounds were the rolls of their grass, free to smoke as they pleased while enormous clouds dotted the areas the adults gathered.

It was sometime after he was feeling a bit like he was floating that he was made aware that he had garnered a great deal of attention. Specifically, female attention. Nova was giggling at him when he mentioned a crowd of women were watching him quite intently and getting closer every time he looked up.

"They've been staring at me for over an hour."

"Uh, yeah! Think I heard 'em say there's 'nough o' ye fer all o' 'em."

Eyes widening a little, he had exactly enough time to realize what would befall him before he found himself practically surrounded by a small pack of cooing women. As they stroked his fur and made comments about his size and expressed curiosity for the parts of him they couldn't see, he grinned sheepishly with a blush. "Ah, ha, ladies, I, uh.... Well, not that I'm not interested, but I was, uh, already planning on a long night with my favorite bed mates."

Casting each other glances from the corners of their eyes, Nova and Denver snickered in a shared thought. While Nova slipped through the crowd of women to grab his hand, Denver was already waving them to a perfume cart to try and hide his scent, but neither the cart nor the friendly feline merchant were enough to hide his bulk. Glancing around, Denver led them to and through the great losa maze, pausing at a junction to giggle with Nova over their predicament.

"Which way now?" Nova panted, looking around.

"Uhhh, I-I-I were just runnin'."

"Ye mean... we're lost?"

Raising his brow, Anubis straightened up and peered over the thick stalks, scanning the paths around them. Both Denver and Nova's jaws dropped, shaking their heads at him.

"That's cheatin'!"

"Yeah! Whole point's ta be lost!"

"Oh." Hunching over again, he smirked at their expressions. "Then I guess you don't want me to tell you which way is out?"

His eyes darting around, Denver blushed and poked his finger tips together. "W-W-Well, I-I were k-k-kinda hopin' ta watch Baxter sp-sparin'."

Their ears perked to the sound of the group of women tittering as they drew close, swearing they had seen his head pop up somewhere in the area. By the time they got to where he had been, however, there was not a trace of him.

Finding their way out, Denver hurried them to the other side of town where the deer folk had set up their own entertainments. Though the deer peered at him in wonder, the moment they saw the giant join with Fern, they returned to their business unconcerned.

They were just in time to see the end of one match and watch Baxter strut out into the ring, dressed in nothing but a loincloth. After a theatrical display between the opponents- Baxter taking a moment to blow a kiss to Fern and Denver over his shoulder with a wink and flick of his tail- he locked antlers and fingers in a grapple that bulged both men's muscles. Their grunts and snorts were lost to the sound of the crowd. Fern and Denver howled their support, losing all composure when Baxter finally brought his opponent to his knee. Grinning wickedly, he made a remark for the loser to suck his dick, and the other stag even considered it, waggling his brows while they shook hands.

As the night closed in, fires were fed until they reached the sky, while strings of lights and lanterns were lit. Tents and yurts were erected all over the outskirts of town, and the moans and grunts of pairings filled the air like the heavy scents of heats and related activities. There was an occasional drunken fight between some of the more unfriendly packs, but nothing that wasn't easily broken up and quickly forgotten. Music was everywhere, from live bands to synthetic beats from speakers; every great bonfire had its own flavor.

It was at one of the bonfires where he was sitting with Nova on his lap that Anubis discovered he could not escape the feminine attention forever, and, after noticing that Denver had disappeared with Fern and Baxter, decided that his evening could be merrier with more, and Nova thought so, too.

He wasn't entirely sure where he was in the morning considering it wasn't the same tent he thought he'd be waking up in, but the new day went much like the previous. After making himself a ride for the pups, even showing off his strength by doing one armed push ups with a mountain of giggling pups tumbling off him in every direction, he slipped away from the growing horde of women that were eager for more, and followed his packmates to the games for prizes, and later cheered as Baxter won his next matches.

It was just before dinner that Moon, Nova, Denver and Long Fang wanted to go on a ride, but the wooden structure could not hold the mass of a god, and Anubis had to stay behind. Perking to his name, he happily trotted over to Jack, Fern, White Toe and Silver.

"Enjoyin' yerself?" Jack asked sarcastically, having seen him with his pile of ladies the previous night.

Speaking of ladies, Anubis' head snapped around when he caught the sound of them coming down an alley. Grinning smugly, he nodded. "Immensely, but if we intend to do anything, I think we should go now."

Bursting into laughter, the four turned to lead him back to the tables of food and barrels of ale. Glancing over his shoulder at the slow turning ferris wheel, he figured the rest would catch up and followed the others.

He had just turned the corner down a street when a lyrical voice stopped him dead in his tracks, calling out in the sweetest song he thought he would never hear again.

"Oh, Annie!"