Chapter 4 - Pack

510 A.R. July3,Volkov Household,Morning

Mother sat down beside me in the hallway, "Something wrong dear?"

I glanced over at her, "I'm leaving for some place and I haven't packed a thing..."

"Nervous?" Mother whispered as she nudged shoulders with me.

"Yeah," I answered.

Mother wrapped her arm around my back, "You'll be home in a week dear, relax, and try to have fun."

"Have fun doing what?" I asked.

Mother made a light smile, "Wolves forge very strong bonds, the family, the pack, the clan. You have your family, it's time to try the waters for making a pack."

"I feel like I'm being pushed into things I'm not ready for."

Mother put her head to mine, "Your instincts will help guide you, and if you don't like the others then we'll just find new wolves and try again."

"I don't understand," I sighed.

Mother leaned in and sniffed along the short black fur by my neckline.

"What?" I asked.

Mother leaned back, "You're starting to mature Vilkas."

"Huh?" I asked in confusion.

Mother's smile turned mischievous, "A good looking wolf like you is sure to get suitors."

My eyes went wide, "Mom!"

Mother snickered, "What? We are going to expect grandchildren you know. You can't escape that just because you like guys."

My short tail twitched and tried to crawl between my legs as my ears folded back, "Mom..."

Father stepped into the hallway, "Time to go."

Mother leaned in and kissed my cheek before prodding me to get going, "Have fun!"

510 A.R. July3,Forest,Evening

The bumpy ride came ended as the car came stopped within a dark glade surrounded by tall pines.

Three other cars were parked in the glade and there was a group of hybrids nearby illuminated by the headlights.

Father looked over at me, "Time to hand over your phone pup."

My ears perked, "My phone? Why?"

"You're here to spend time with the others, not to stare at a screen. Besides, your phone wouldn't survive the journey if you brought it with you."

"... All right. I just need to send a message to Jason," I said as I fetched the phone from my pocket.

I had just opened the phone as I noticed father's hand creeping closer as if to grab it. Something primal triggered as my lips pulled back in a snarl while my hackles rose.

Father jerked his hand back in an instant and glared at me with a frown.

I eased up at once and felt both surprise and shame as I folded my ears back, "Sorry... it was an instinct. I need to do this dad, Jason is my childhood friend and I don't want his life on my shoulders."

Father made a light sigh as he spoke up, "Is it that serious?"

"Jason begged me to come with him to that summer camp, I think something happened to him while he was there. I've never seen him this broken down before."

"Mm... Forgive me, I shouldn't have tried to take your phone Vilkas," Father said.

"Yeah, and I didn't mean to snarl," I whispered.

"... You're a good wolf Vilkas, standing up for your friends like that," Father said with a warm smile.

The comment warmed my heart as I sent the message and looked up, "Thanks dad."

I handed the phone over and father pocketed it.

"Let's go," Father said as he opened the door and stepped out.

I opened my own door and set my paw on the ground. A strong and alien sensation ran through me as the calloused pads came in contact with the harsh surface. I could feel individual pebbles, dirt, branches, old leaves, they were cold and a bit damp.

"Come on," Father repeated as he glanced back.

I shut the door and followed with the strange sensations bombarding my paws with every step I took.

"I don't have any shoes," I whispered as I moved up beside father.

Father glanced over, "Hybrids don't have shoes Vilkas."

"Paw protectors then?" I asked.

Father shook his head, "This isn't the city, there's no glass or sharp shards lying around out here."

"So are we going to be camping? Or what?"

Father made a slight smirk but didn't answer as he picked up pace.

There were seven hybrids waiting for us, all male by the looks of it and they were separated into three groups. One group consisted of the adults and they were as big as father. The second group looked like the three sons.

Standing by the side of the other groups was a lone medium sized wolf with his arms crossed.

I followed but kept out of reach as father joined the other adults. Father's tail and those of the other adults began to wag as they shook hands and brushed their muzzles together as they exchanged scents.

Father looked back and motioned for me to come closer, I approached and he grabbed me by the shoulders as he presented me to the other adults.

"Say hello," Father whispered by my ear.

The adults turned to look at me as I gulped, "Hi... I'm Vilkas."

The three adults made bemused grins as they stepped closer and focused on me. I was forced to look up in order to meet their eyes as they presented their hands for a shake.

"Hey pup, nice colors," One of them said as he held out his hand.

I shook his hand, "Thanks."

The wolves took turns as they leaned in and sniffed by my neck, I meanwhile found myself frozen in place as I was subjected to the strange ritual.

The three adults stepped back and father patted my shoulder as he pointed at them.

"That's Hector, Miles and Raul. My pack," Father said.

I nodded in silence while the wolves focused on father who stood behind me.

"I guess it's time for us to leave," One of them said.

I glanced up at father in surprise, "... You're leaving?"

A sudden murmur of whispers could be heard as the other sons raised their voices in wonder of what was going on.

Father crouched a little and put his muzzle by my ear as he pointed at the medium sized wolf standing by the side.

"Yes, that's Davis, he'll take care of you while you're out here."

"... When are you coming back?" I whispered with an irritated frown.

"You'll do just fine Vilkas," Father whispered as he let go of me and began to leave.

The other sons seemed to suffer the same treatment as their own fathers just left with nothing but a few whispers.

Davis approached and spoke with a loud dominant voice, "Listen up pups!"

Davis was broad shouldered and a head taller than the rest of us but he was nowhere near the sheer mass of the other adults. His fur was a rather bland mix of gray and he wore a simple pair of shorts.

"We're going to spend the next week in this forest, it'll be rough, but fun as hell. It's late though so we're going to march north to a nearby lake and then sleep for the night, understand?" Davis asked.

I glanced over at the other sons who still seemed as stunned as me, I then glanced back at Davis and spoke up, "Fine."

Davis looked at me, "Good."

The cars rumbled to life and began to drive off, the lot of us turned our heads to watch as the cars faded into the forest. Moments later Davis clapped his hands and caught our attention once more.

"The forest is harsh and dirty but our fur is hardy and our hearts beat strong," Davis then pointed at a small chest sitting next to a tree "Your clothes are a danger out here, they can get caught on things, they'll get damp and won't dry, you may not get sick from it but mold will grow on you."

I frowned in wonder of what he was insinuating but found my answer moments later as Davis reached back and unmade the clasp on his shorts. Moments later he had wriggled out of them leaving him nude to the world.

Davis then walked over to the chest, opened it, and threw his shorts inside it.

"Next!" Davis ordered.

I glanced over at the others who stood frozen in place. One of them stepped forward and began to pull of his shirt, he looked a bit bigger than the others and had thick fur in brown hues.

The brown wolf glanced back to the others and spoke up as if issuing a command, "You heard him, get out of your clothes!"

The ears on the others folded back as they began to undress.

I frowned in anger and wondered if this was what wolves were like, I didn't dare protest though as I followed suit and unbuttoned my shirt. I then worked on my shorts and squirmed out of them with a bit of unease as a gust of cool air brushed against my groin.

I picked up the shorts and then approached with the others as we dumped our clothes in the chest.

Davis slammed the chest shut moments later.

"Lets go!" Davis ordered as he took the front and started walking into the forest.

I soon joined up with the other sons and noticed that the brown furred one moved closer to me.

"What did they tell you back there?" The brown one asked.

"Nothing, just that they were leaving," I answered.

The brown wolf sighed and glanced back at the others, "They didn't tell him anything either."

I looked back to the others, "... I didn't catch any of your names?"

The brown furred wolf met my eyes, "I'm Peter, I finished my change a few months ago and have been waiting for the rest of you slowpokes all this time."

Another wolf about my size with the fur of a feral gray wolf spoke up, "I'm John, finished my change just a few weeks ago."

The third one, a wolf with pure white fur spoke up next, "I'm Allen, finished just a few days ago."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Vilkas... I haven't finished my change yet as far as I know," I said.

Peter inched closer and leaned in with his snout as he sniffed my face, "Yeah, your tail is a bit short and you've hardly started to mature yet, just like Allen."

"Mature?" I asked.

"Oh, I guess your sense of smell can't pick it up yet. It's-" Peter said before being interrupted.

John pushed up and raised his voice, "It's a bit difficult to explain it but I guess it's like... testosterone... it's very male, potent, the smell of it can be a bit acrid but it grows on you."

Peter made an irritated frown and pushed John back with a shove, "It makes your instincts stronger and you'll feel like a real horndog at first, not to mention the growth downstairs."

I couldn't help but glance down to their groins as I heard the comment. There were distinct differences between Peter and John compared to myself and Allen.

Peter's sheath looked full and was almost bulging as it swayed with every step he took, there was also the presence of a rather furry and bulging scrotum filling the gap between his legs.

Peter reached out and gave me a light push on the shoulder, "Hey."

I looked up and felt my ears fold back, "Sorry."

Peter made a light huff, "We're walking nude through the woods at night, no need to be shy but you don't have to stare either."

Allen spoke up with an irritated voice, "Enough about everyone's junk, what the hell are we doing out here?"

Peter glanced back at Allen, "I think they want us to become a pack."

Everyone grew quiet.

"Peter?" I asked.

"Yeah?" Peter asked as he looked back.

"You're a few months older than the rest of us, anything we should know?" I asked.

Peter seemed to ponder it, "Not really... just... all these instincts and stuff."

Allen spoke up, "Like what kind of stuff?"

I glanced back at the others, "Like marking stuff?"

Peter looked at me and made a toothy grin, "Did you get that instinct?"

My ears folded back a little, "Did you?"

Peter nodded, "Yeah, I did. Makes it feel all homey, doesn't seem like everyone inherits the same instincts though."

John pushed up once more, "Uh, so what... you take a leak on everything you consider yours?"

Peter glanced back at John and stared him down, "Yeah, why not tell us about your instincts John?"

John backed off a little and made something of a sheepish smile, "Uh..."

Peter huffed, "Come on man, we've all been through the transformation, out with it."

"Well... I want to smell things," John whispered.

"Duh?" Peter answered as he raised his brow.

John frowned a little, "... No, I mean. I don't feel like I know someone until..."

"You've sniffed their ass?" Peter asked with a smirk.

John frowned and averted his eyes, "Something like that."

I glanced back at Allen who's pure white fur seemed to shine in the light of the moon.

"What about you Allen?" I asked.

"I don't know if it counts, but waving something in front of my makes my skin crawl," Allen answered.

"Because you want to catch it?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, it's a bit annoying because people do it around me without realizing how tempting it looks."

I decided to speak up, "I think it's rather fun, just playing around with something as simple as a stick."

John nodded, "Yeah, all of these instincts would be rather scary if it wasn't for the fact that I still like my old hobbies."

I nodded in agreement, "Yeah, so far the symbiont only seems to have added stuff, not taken it away."

Allen mused and snickered, "You mean apart from our dignity?"

Peter pounded his chest, "Speak for yourself, I'm a proud wolf and I try my best to embrace all of it."

"How about we say something about ourselves, who we are, jobs, school?" I asked.

Peter looked over at me, "You first Vilkas."

"I've lived in Pasloe all my life, I have a liking for old retro games and I used to work at the local TechShop in town."

"Used to?" Peter asked.

Allen pushed in between us and spoke up, "TechShop likes to employ humans in the store front, that's what you worked as, right?"

I nodded, "Exactly and now I'm thinking of going to university once things settle down."

"I heard you're pretty big on education as well?" John asked as he looked over at me.

"Yeah, Pasloe is actually the biggest agricultural zone in all of Sophos that in turn barred most other industries from setting up shop which led to us becoming something of a student town."

Peter focused on me, "Are you single?"

"Yeah. Why?" I asked in wonder.

John smirked and chuckled, "Watch out, Peter's on the prowl."

Peter lunged back in an instant and grabbed hold of John with a light growl, John squirmed and began to struggle.

"Cut it out!" Davis yelled out with a dominant bark.

Peter and John let go of each other in an instant, to my surprise none of them looked very angry but instead glanced at each other with a slight but undeniable smirk.

I cocked my head in wonder, "Do you know each other?"

Peter shook his head and joined my side once more, "No, but we arrived early so we've had a chance to talk... or get on each others nerves."

"Uh huh. So what about you Peter? What's your life story?"

Peter grew silent for a few moments while his tail grew slack, "I live in Redgate at the moment, it's near the Dyssia border as the name implies. I guess games are a pretty big deal in my life as well, but I just did it to waste time though. I've been longing to be a wolf like dad all my life."

"Is it what you imagined?" I asked.

Peter began to smile, "Hell no, it's even better! I feel like the king of kings, claws, big teeth, and senses I couldn't even imagine before. I love this."

"You got your age restrictions lifted, right?" I asked.

Peter ears perked and then folded back, "Yeah, how did you know?"

"Dad told me, they lifted my age restrictions as well," I answered.

Peter made a wild grin, "Oh, you must have worked hard?"

"Not really, I was a bit of a mess actually."

Peter cocked his head, "What do you mean?"

"All these secrets got to me, somehow I managed to twist things around until I thought there was this grand conspiracy."

John moved up and nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I know the feeling. Being told you can't understand, people changing around you and becoming distant, it felt like some kind of horror movie."

Peter frowned, "I don't get it, you thought something like that and they lifted your age restrictions?"

"Do all of you know who Athena is?" I asked.

Everyone nodded while John spoke up, "She's that AI asking all those strange questions at the testing center, right?"

"Yeah. She had a serious talk with me and cleared things up. After that... well... this was the obvious choice."

Peter spoke up, "Yeah, deep down I guess we were all wolves in spirit."

"Did you hear about the gathering?" I asked.

Peter made a big grin and nodded, "Yeah, apparently our clan is 300 wolves strong."

Allen spoke up, "Hopefully they're good people and not like the stories everyone like to pull."

Peter looked at Allen, "What do you mean?"

John raised his brow and interjected, "Are you so crazed about wolves Peter that you haven't even noticed what everyone else thinks about us?"

Peter dismissed it with a huff and a wave of his hand, "Bullshit rumors and prejudice, wolves are strong and brave."

I looked back at Allen, "So what's your life story Allen?"

Allen shrugged, "I live in Norvale, it's not very big but it has a huge harbor. I used to work in a library, and... here I am."

Peter raised his brow, "Aren't you pretty old Allen?"

"... I'm 22," Allen whispered.

"So why did you take so long? Did you belong to some human cult or something?"

Allen's ears folded back, "No... I just... wasn't in a hurry... and Athena thought I had 'problems'."

"Problems?" John asked.

"I was insecure, didn't know what I wanted, that's bad according to the compatibility quotient."

"So what changed?" I asked.

Allen shrugged once more, "... I dunno."

I decided not to push the issue and looked over at John, "What about you John?"

John made a light smile, "I'm from Veripolis."

"The capital huh?" Peter said.

John nodded, "Yeah and I just went with the flow, I turned twenty, wolf seemed like an obvious choice. I've been lazy since finishing school though, I guess I'll aim for university once this calms down."

"We're here," Davis said without warning.

I turned to look ahead and saw that we had arrived by the edge of a dark lake. The moon stood high above it and painted everything a gray shine as it reflected in the blank surface of the lake.

John whispered, "I thought there would be a camp or something."

Peter grinned and glanced back, "They didn't even let us have our clothes, remember?"

Allen spoke up, "Should we make a fire or something?"

Davis looked at Allen and raised his brow, "With what? Rocks and wet sticks?"

Allen backed off and cowered.

"Who are you Davis? How do you know our parents?" I asked.

Davis walked within reaching distance of us, "I don't actually, clan mother asked me to lend a hand, so I did."

"Clan mother?" I asked.

Davis nodded, "She's the ruling figure of our clan, clan father died a few years ago."

"... Have you been a wolf for long Davis?" I asked.

Davis frown returned, "Do I look I like it?"

My irritation soured and hit a peak as it turned into anger, "How come you're acting like such a dick?"

Peter turned to stare at me and I could hear the others shuffle as a tense silence filled the forest.

Davis bared his teeth and stared me down as he stepped closer, "Watch yourself pup."

Peter bumped shoulders with me and spoke up.

"How about you chill down instead Davis? You can't take on the four of us even if you're bigger."

Davis glanced over at Peter, "It was just a warning pup, your fathers wouldn't approve if I picked a fight with you."

John moved up beside Peter, "How about all of us calm down, this was supposed to be a pleasant time... I think."

Davis stepped back, "We're sleeping here for tonight, I'm going to scout around, don't wander away on your own."

"We wont," Peter answered.

Davis walked away while the rest of us watched until he disappeared from sight.

Peter nudged my shoulder and made a dark chuckle, "You don't smell mature but you sure have balls Vilkas."

I smirked and shook my head, "It was a valid question, we're knew to this and he should try to educate rather than mock and tease us."

Peter nodded and started to nudge me along, I followed but spoke up, "Where are we going?"

"Just want to talk," Peter whispered as he glanced back to make sure the others weren't following.

He led me to a massive tree and then glanced over at me, "You seem to have more of a drive than the others Vilkas."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Like the thing moments ago, or that face you made when Davis ordered us to strip, the others obeyed without hesitation but you seemed ready to blow a fuse."

"I guess, you seemed rather eager to lose your clothes though," I said.

Peter grinned, "Doesn't it feel good though? Clothes make me feel like I'm being cooked these days, it feels nice to be free like this."

I glanced down at myself, I could feel the roots underneath my paws, my tail was free to move as it wished and there was a lightness in my body as I felt the cool wind brush against my fur.

"I have to admit that I didn't expect myself to feel this comfortable, even if it's a bit cold," I said.

Peter reached down to his crotch without warning and then pulled the sheath down. My eyes widened a little in surprise as I saw a red shaft that had no human resemblance slide out. Instead of a glans there was a rather flat head with a tapered end.

There was also a slight bulge by the base which grew a little as Peter aimed the shaft downwards and released a stream of urine on the tree with a sigh of relief.

The smell hit me in an instant and awakened an instinctual urge to join in.

"What?" Peter asked as his ears perked.

"Nothing," I answered as I glanced away.

"Shy?" Peter asked with a mocking tone.

"No," I answered.

"Guess this tree belongs to me then," Peter said with a teasing voice.

The comment ticked me of on an instinctual level as I frowned and reached down and grabbed my sheath.

"Hell no," I whispered as I pushed the sheath down with a blip of pleasure.

The top of my shaft still had the rough outline of a human glans but it was clear that it was losing its shape as I aimed and relieved my bladder.

"So... ever eaten raw meat?" Peter asked.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Really?" Peter asked with what sounded like a bit of surprise.

"Tastes great," I said.

Peter nodded and whispered, "Yeah, it does."

Peter finished moments later and waited until I was done, the constant manipulation of the sensitive shaft made it difficult to keep calm and it was something of a relief as I let the sheath slid into place once more.

The air was rich with our scents and it made me pull a deep breath through my nose. It felt right and the mixing scents were interesting. Peter's mark differed from my own though as it had a rather sharp edge, it made me feel as if I was lesser in some way.

A sudden touch on my shoulder snapped me out of my daze as Peter leaned in and whispered by my ear, "Hey, a proposition..."

"What?" I asked.

"I'm clearly the alpha around here, you're though but calm, how about I make you the beta that helps keep me in check?"

Some part of me wanted to play dominant, another part wanted to punch Peter in the face, reason overruled me though as I neither understood nor had the experience to make a proper judgment call.

"... Okay," I answered.

Peter's ears perked in surprise, "What? You're not even going to fight me for it?"

"We hardly know each other Peter, backing you up sounds good for now."

Peter seemed confused and folded his ears to the side, "... Thanks."

"Don't be an ass though, we should work together and..."

"And?" Peter asked as he cocked his head.

"Could you ease down on the whole alpha male thing, I think it's getting on everyone's nerves."

Peter observed in me in silence as if judging me, moments later he made a slight nod, "All right, I can do that,"

His response surprised me and I found myself rather confused as I tried to wrap my head around how his personality worked. Things only got stranger as he leaned in and put his muzzle alongside my own.

He then sniffed along my neck and put his nose deep into my fur, my instincts flared to life and I found myself mimicking him as my snout buried in the dense brown fur by his neck.

It carried the scent of wolf, and there was some kind of marker hidden in the scent that identified him as 'Peter' inside my mind.

Peter eased back and looked me in the eyes, "I knew wolves were quick to bond, but I feel like I've known you for a lifetime already."

My mind still tingled with the rich scents as I nodded and made a light smile, "Yeah."

Peter glanced back and I did the same, to my surprise I saw John and Allen marking trees of their own.

I chuckled at the sight, "I have a human friend, he's asked me several times if I've started marking my territory yet. I always thought that was just a silly joke."

Peter made a feral smile and nodded, "Yeah, I would have laughed if someone had told me I'd be doing this half a year ago."

Peter started walking toward the lake and I followed while Peter stretched and made a big loud yawn. It didn't take long for me to mimic the infectious yawn while Peter sat down by the grassy area just beyond the sand filled beach. I joined his side and settled on the cold ground.

"Are we supposed to sleep like this?" I asked.

"Cold?" Peter asked.

"A bit," I answered.

Allen and John approached and settled on the other side of Peter.

"Are you guys tired? I've been traveling all day," Peter said.

The other nodded while Peter turned his head and focused on Allen, "Allen, you cold?"

Allen brushed the short white fur on his arms, "A bit, my fur isn't that thick yet."

"How about we all share the warmth? It looks like me and John are the only ones with full coats so we can cover the rest of you."

John chuckled and glanced at Peter, "Are you going to hump us in our sleep?"

Peter made a toothy grin and looked over at me, "Nah, or what do you say Vilkas. Want to fuck?"

I raised my brow in disbelief, "Not with a proposal as crude as that."

Peter's ears perked in surprise and his smile faltered, "Oh..."

John began to hum, "Peter and Vilkas, sitting in a tree..."

Peter frowned in an instant and snapped back as he gave John a hard shove, "Oh shut up!"

John almost fell back but smirked as he sat up once more, "I'm willing to share the warmth, you Allen?"

Allen nodded, "Sure."

Peter got up, moved to the right of me and then lay down on his side before motioning for me to join him. I felt a bit uneasy but followed along as I lay down and shuffled close to him.

Peter reached back, grabbed my arm, and then put it around his chest before shuffling back with enough force to push my groin against his backside.

"There," Peter said while I flushed red beneath my fur.

Nonetheless I hugged him and let my muzzle rest by his neck, moments later Allen followed suit and pushed up against my backside.

My heart began to thump with the strange sensation of being sandwiched between them.

"Goodnight," Peter said.

"Goodnight," I whispered as I felt the beat of their hearts thumping alongside my own.

510 A.R. July4,Forest,Morning

It felt as if I was dreamlike daze as my nose buried deep in a mound of fur, the scents screamed at me and my mind buzzed as I let it seep into my consciousness.

It was raw, male, and it had the distinct scent of wolf and hybrid, it was intoxicating and my excitement made the daze break and crack apart.

I blinked and felt my mind clear as I realized that my snout was nuzzling Peter's brown mane, I leaned back with my head and then moved my hand. To my surprise and slight horror I felt my fingers trail by his sheath as I withdrew it.

Peter squirmed a little and then made drawn out yawn while I glanced back and saw that the sun had risen which made the lake glitter with reflected light.

"Morning," Peter whispered.

"Good morning Peter," I whispered as I felt Allen starting to move.

"Are you happy to see me? Or is that something else poking me in the back?" Peter asked.

Realization struck and I shifted my hip backward only to end up colliding with Allen's crotch.

"Just joking," Peter said with a dark chuckle.

I frowned but glanced down at my crotch to make sure, my sheath did seem a bit plump and like usual the very tip of my shaft was poking out at the top.

It was a bit embarrassing and I found myself desperate to divert my mind, I glanced around and then realized something serious.

"Where's Davis?" I asked with a cautious tone.

Peter sat up and made another wide yawn as he scratched his sides and neck.

"Scouting?" Peter asked with a dismissive voice.

The others began to look around.

"Guys?" John said.

We all turned to look at John who was pointing at the ground behind us, we glanced back and saw a large piece of paper with a rock placed on top of it.

The lot of us got on all four and crawled over to look at the paper.

'ATTENTION PUPS!'

'Logistics have forgotten to supply us with food, truly a shame!'

'I am correcting this slight mistake as you read this! Do not worry!'

'I will be back in a day... or two! Maybe three!'

'Thar be dragons in the woods!'

'Stay together! Stay safe! Stay warm! Do NOT get lost!'

'Yours truly, Davis'

Allen spoke up with an incredulous and irritated voice, "Is he serious!?"

I smiled to myself, "I don't think for a second that they'd 'forget', they wanted to get us out here and Davis led us here."

Peter nodded, "Yeah, this is beginning to look more like a rite of passage for every second."

John filled in, "So what do they expect us to do? Stay put? Track down Davis? Find our way home before we starve?"

Allen spoke, "This is bad... let's say we just sit around, three days from now we'll be mad with hunger."

Peter leaned back and sat up, "Maybe that's the point, they want us to hunt, to survive and get our own food like real wolves."

I spoke up, "I think... that we should start by doing what it says. I trust my father and I know that my mother would kill him if he ever put me in real danger."

Peter chuckled, "Yeah, I guess it's a bit of a stretch to believe they'd try to starve us out here to bring out our instincts, and you haven't even fully changed Vilkas."

"Yeah," I whispered.

"Hungry?" Peter asked.

I touched my abdomen and sat back, "Yeah, but I'm guessing I'm not alone regarding that."

Everyone else nodded in agreement while John spoke up, "I saw berries in the forest last night, we could eat that for now."

Peter shook his head and huffed, "Berries, well I guess it's better than starving."

510 A.R. July4,Forest,Midday

My ears swiveled and I turned my head towards the noise, Peter was approaching through the blueberry field and was glancing around.

"Find anything?" I asked.

Peter shook his head and frowned, "No, I've circled the camp thrice but I can't find any trace of Davis apart from a few pawprints by the beach. Not even a scent... how the hell did he manage to pull that off?"

I held out a hand with a fair amount of blueberries, "Dunno. Want some?"

Peter shook his head and then walked up to a nearby tree before starting to mark it.

I looked away and lapped up the blueberries with my tongue before settling in the field, it was peaceful, and quiet, apart from the rather disturbing sound of liquid hitting a tree.

Peter finished and approached moments later while sniffing the air, he settled next to me in the field and plucked a few berries for himself.

"I found deer droppings," Peter said.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, and other scent marks, there's a lot of wildlife out here."

I made a slight grin and caught Peter's eye, "Eager to hunt?"

Peter smiled back, "Yeah, it's been months since my change finished but my dad has kept me locked up at home all this time. You?"

"... I don't know, the thought of chasing down an animal, killing it, eating it, a few weeks ago the mere idea would have seemed preposterous."

Peter stretched and lay back in the patch, "I had doubts as well until dad explained a few of the ground rules."

"I haven't heard about that, wanna share?" I asked.

"Well, we only hunt the overflow, the old, sick and wounded, it keeps the populations in check and the herds healthy, which in turn saves the trees and overall ecosystem."

"For all creatures?" I asked.

Peter shook his head, "Nah, only the bigger ones. And he's kept drilling me about doing it the safe and proper way."

"And what way is that?"

"Stay away from the hind legs and watch out for the horns on the bigger herbivores. Also, don't drag it out, aim for the throat, bite down hard, hold on, and cling close to the body until it drops dead."

"Hmm," I murmured.

Peter looked over at me, "You must have taken a lot of advice from your own dad."

"What do you mean?"

Peter made a slight grin and pointed a brown claw at me, "I'm months older than you but your neck, muzzle, and teeth are bigger than what I have now."

I touched my muzzle and felt the big canines threatening to bulge out of my lips, "Yeah."

"I wish my own dad would have given me that advice, it looks good, and so does the cool red stripes of yours."

I made a humbled smile and looked at the warm shifting hues of brown on Peter's body.

"You're not that bad looking yourself Peter," I said.

Peter's tail began to squirm along his legs as he made a pleased smile.

"Ya got any siblings Vilkas?" Peter asked.

I shook my head, "No."

Peter cocked his head, "That's surprising."

I shrugged, "There's not enough children to go around at times, my parents just got me. What about you?"

"I have a little sister, she's not aiming to join me or dad though."

"So what does she have planned?" I asked.

"Her role figure is miss Meow, cat heroine solving crimes and fighting evil."

"Oh, she's rather young then?"

Peter shook his head, "She's seventeen and she's still got her role figure but these days I think she's aiming to become a journalist."

"How are your parents dealing with her not wanting to follow in their footsteps?"

"My mom is actually a bear so I don't think she minds much, they've never said a word about it though but I think my dad might be a bit disappointed about it in secret."

"... Yeah," I whispered.

"Why so curious?" Peter asked.

"Just thinking about it, I don't know what I'd want when I have kids of my own. Or if I'll keep up the veil like my parents did... thing is that I'm starting to realize why they did it. Our symbionts changed us, not only our bodies, but our minds as well. Showing kids all the grizzly stuff, telling them about our strange ways... it could scare them off."

"Yeah," Peter whispered.

510 A.R. July4,Forest,Evening

I glanced back toward the beach. The lake was still visible so I reasoned I hadn't wandered too far yet.

I crouched down, caught a few more berries and snapped them up with my tongue as I sniffed the air in interest.

Something lingered in the air, I couldn't tell what it was but it awoke a certain hunger that made me eager to follow the elusive yet appealing song it whispered to my mind.

The instinct kicked up a notch without warning and made me drop the berries in my hand. My body tensed up, my heart picked up pace, and I crouched to the ground as I leaned forward while my tail lowered.

My instincts grew mad and they scattered my thoughts as I felt myself pulled into their embrace.

I lifted my nose to the air as I fell under its spell and crept along the ground.

A noise from the bushes ahead made me freeze into place. I didn't even dare breath as my ears focused on a patch of bushes nearby.

My eyes grew wide as I stared and searched the ground like a hawk.

THERE!

Sitting by a small bush beside a half rotten tree was a brown hare that was busy grooming itself.

The world seemed to slow down as something primal woke to life and took control of me.

My breath became deep but slow, my heart thumped, warmth flooded my body as it readied itself. Each step forward felt like a careful maneuver in stealth as my paws found clear spots of dirt to tread on.

I was mere meters away but it felt like I could almost taste it as I readied my clawed hands.

Drool dripped from my muzzle but I didn't care as I took a careful step closer.

The hare froze, turned its head, and saw me.

My body acted on its own and I barely registered it as I sprinted forward. The paws of the rabbit made a thump in the ground as it tried to skitter away.

My own paws sent dirt flying behind me as I leaped forward into the air and stretched out my arms with all my might. My hands caught something as I slammed into the ground with a loud thud.

For a moment I thought I had missed but the sudden pull on my arm was quick to tell me I hadn't.

The hare squealed, struggled and began to slip from my hand. I reached out in panic and slammed my other hand on the hare's back.

I could feel its heart beating like a jackhammer in my hand as it squirmed in desperation and began to slip once more.

Quick and efficient!

Another instinct screamed and demanded me to secure it and to end the annoying noise.

I opened my muzzle wide and snapped down as I caught it by the neck. I felt the fur brush against my tongue as I tightened my jaw per automatic and heard a loud crunch as something broke.

Warm blood oozed into my mouth as I continued to clamp down.

The hare stopped moving and I froze in place while my own heart beat like a violent drum in my chest.

Reason began to sink back into my mind as I eased my jaws and looked down.

The neck of the hare was a crushed mess, the hide had broken and there were signs of bone and flesh jutting out of the lethal bite.

I licked my lips and swallowed, the blood had a nice taste to it and it made my stomach growl with a need that mere berries couldn't satisfy.

Damn I'm hungry... damn that felt good...

A sensation of disgust filled the back of my mind while I began to smile in a conflicted sensation of pride at what I had done.

I should eat it... no... I should share... with my pack... they're all hungry...

It only took a few moments to put aside my greed as it was replaced with a rather exuberant sensation of excitement and pride at the thought of showing my prey to the others.

The instincts won and my tail began to wag in joy as I lifted the hare by its back and stood up.

I began to jog with a weightless sensation in my paws as I yelled out, "GUYS! Peter! John! Allen!"

"Where are you?" One of them yelled out in the distance.

I picked up pace and began to sprint in glee as I hid the hare behind my back.

The others entered the forest and stood tall as they watched me sprint towards them like a madman.

"What's wrong!?" Peter asked out loud with a look of worry.

I made a sheepish grin and panted as I came to a stop.

"Is that blood?" Allen asked in surprise.

I imagined that my expression must have looked rather insane as I grinned and held up the hare for them all to see. Their muzzles opened in surprise as they stared at the hare and its lopsided head that was dripping blood.

It was amazing to see the effect it had on the others as shock turned to interest which made their nostrils flare while their ears perked.

Peter leaned forward and huffed the air before glancing over at me, "You caught it? How?"

I licked my chops and caught another glimmer of the sweet tasting blood, "It just sat back there grooming itself, I sneaked up on it, jumped and caught it by the leg... and then..."

Peter inched closer to the hare while angling his head as he sniffed along the length of it. His curiosity became a stare and he licked his lips while his eyes turned to hunger.

I stepped closer to John and Allen who seemed to cower a little as I held out the hare, it didn't take long for them to fall under the spell as they leaned in and sniffed.

"What are you going to do with it?" Peter asked.

I glanced over at Peter and saw a droplet of drool fall from his now open muzzle.

"We should eat it," I said.

Everyone looked at me and I imagined that they were experiencing the same thought I was having.

We were standing nude in the forest, clad in fur, behaving like beasts while slowly succumbing to our instincts, and now we were about to consume prey in a way only animals would consider.

Everyone began to pant and I could see my own thoughts being reflected in the others as we descended into our altered nature.

"It's your kill Vilkas," Peter said.

"So? We're all hungry... we should all eat," I whispered.

Peter made an eager nod, "Yeah."

My own hunger demanded satiation and helped make the push as I crouched down and lay the hare on the ground. Everyone crouched in a circle and stared at it.

"How do we do it?" Allen asked.

John wiped his muzzle and gulped before speaking up, "I saw father eat a rabbit, our stomachs won't have a problem digesting the bone... it can be eaten whole..."

I reached out and dug my claws into the severed hide near the throat of the hare, I grabbed hold of it and began to tear at the skin. It took some force but it began to tear and revealed the musculature covering the chest and abdomen of the hare.

Peter helped out, cracked the paws, and then slid the appendages free from the hide.

"One for us each," I whispered as I grabbed a hind leg and snapped it loose.

Everyone stared as I brought it up to my nose and sniffed. The scent of hare clung to it mixed with that of iron rich blood, warmth still seemed to radiate from the flesh while the forest grew darker around us.

Something died inside of me but was replaced by something that awoke and came to life, it was the final push I needed as I opened my muzzle and brought the leg to the jagged molars.

The muscle broke apart with ease, the bone cracked and fragmented with every chew, the sinew resisted and turned into a tangled mess as I kept chewing. My mouth felt as if it was overflowing with saliva as I raised my head and swallowed.

I looked over at Peter who seemed to snap out of his daze as he reached down, snapped off another leg and was quick to follow suit as he began to chew with a wild look plastered on his wolfish face.

I focused at John who reached down in a careful manner and loosened a foreleg. He sniffed at it, hesitated, but then began to gnaw at the edges.

Allen remained frozen and stared down, somehow his white fur seemed to scream innocence and it almost hurt as part of me felt that we were in the process of killing that innocence. Another part of me wanted him to join in and experience the amazing sensations the rest of us were having.

I reached down and loosened the remaining foreleg before holding it out to Allen, "Try it... it's good."

Peter swallowed his piece and looked over at Allen, John was still gnawing on his own piece but also turned to look at Allen.

Allen's ears folded back, "Is this all right?"

Peter leaned in and whispered, "You used to eat meat, right?"

"Yeah," Allen whispered.

"This is meat, it's just fresh. It lived a rich life and now it's going to nourish us, it wasn't raised on an industrial farm, it wasn't transported and led through a maze of death. This is more moral than what we used to do."

It seemed to work as Allen took the leg from my hand and brought it to his muzzle. He began to pant like mad, licked his lips, and then seemed to give in as he snapped his jaw shut around the piece.

His eyes went wild as he chewed and his hands trembled as he minced it up and swallowed.

"More..." Allen whispered.

Peter made a pleased smile and looked over at me.

Excitement bloomed in my heart as I made a sly grin and looked down at the hare, "Let's eat."

The four of went wild as we lunged down and let our muzzles decide who got the most.

510 A.R. July5,Forest,Morning

I was asleep one moment and then felt something wake inside me. My conscious mind felt like a slow glacier in comparison while some primal circuit snapped to life in an instant.

The primal nature of it was courteous enough to tell my mind what it was doing and why, the problem was that I couldn't understand it even as my body rose like an enraged titan.

My mind began to unravel the mystery, there had been a noise and it had sounded like a twig being crushed. It had been distant enough not to have come from any of the others but it was also close enough to represent a danger not only to me but the rest of the pack.

The conclusion was simple, danger had come, and I had to show it that we were not easy prey.

I felt the others by my side as my heart thumped in order to power the sudden need for strength.

My hackles rose, my tail stood tall, my lips pulled back far enough that I felt cool air on my gums. A cacophony of growls filled the air as I stood on all four.

The rest of my mind seemed to click into gear as it dawned on me what the 'threat' was.

Standing deeper in the forest and looking at us was a hybrid deer with big antlers perked on his head.

Not much further back were the rest of the family, a mother and what looked like a son that had followed in their footsteps. The lot of them were clothed in green survival gear with bright orange stripes.

They had all frozen in place like statues and I could see the fear in their eyes as they looked at us.

Everyone seemed to realize at the same point as I did, our growls died down in an instant and the ferocious atmosphere dissipated like a popped balloon. All of us relaxed and my hackles lowered as I eased down with a look of surprise and shame at what we'd done.

Peter was the first to react as he raised his hand in the air and yelled out, "Sorry! You took us by surprise!"

The father of the family didn't say a word and kept his eyes locked on us as he began to reverse in a slow but careful manner.

We stayed put and didn't dare move for fear of making things even worse as the buck returned to his family and hurried off into the forest.

"Well... fuck..." Peter whispered.

I glanced over at Peter and noticed that the fur by his muzzle was tinted red, John looked the same but Allen was the worst as his white fur stood in stark contrast with the blood that made him look like he'd bathed in it.

John glanced over, "Our scent must be all over this place, what the hell compelled him to come here and drag his family along?"

Peter looked at the rest of us, "Maybe they thought we were regular canines enjoying a picnic by the beach? I guess they didn't expect to find four... uh..."

I couldn't help but smirk and shake my head as I filled in, "Four naked wolves covered in blood snarling like they were next on the menu."

"Yeah," Allen whispered as he looked at the red blood tinting the white fur on his hands.

John made a slight chuckle, "Did you see the look on their faces? Like deer in headlights."

"Yeah," I whispered as I felt around my muzzle and noticed that the remains of last night's meal had clumped the fur and had become sticky.

The others seemed to realize the same thing and Allen had started lapping at his hands to clean the fur.

I felt a slight shiver of surprise as a warm tongue gave my muzzle a lick, I glanced over and saw Peter lick his lips in delight.

"Rabbit," Peter said.

"Hare," I corrected.

Peter shrugged, grabbed hold of my shoulders and then leaned in as he started lapping at my face. I felt unease at first but that soon dissipated as I relaxed and let him do his thing.

Allen frowned as he saw us and spoke up, "Or we could use water from the lake you know."

Peter stopped licking me and a smile of mischief spread on his lips as he glanced beyond me and focused on Allen. I made a grin of my own and glanced back as I stumbled on the same idea that Peter seemed to have.

"What?" Allen asked as his ears folded back in fright.

Peter made a delighted murr, "Get him."

John seemed to be of equal mind as he snapped hold of Allen and held him in place while the rest of us pounced on him.

Allen squirmed but began to chuckle as we gave him a tongue-bath he'd never forget.

510 A.R. July5,Forest,Night

I awoke to the sensation of warmth radiating from within like a furnace, the air felt cool but I was burning up on the inside. I let go of Peter and eased out of Allen's embrace as a parched sensation hit my mouth.

My head felt woozy as I scrambled away from the others and crawled toward the beach on all four. The sand was cool against my knees and it felt like a chilling bolt as I dipped my hands into the cold water.

I leaned down and put my muzzle by the water as I began to lap with my tongue. My body screamed in need for water and it didn't take long for another wave of change to suffuse me once more.

Water dripped from my muzzle as I leaned back and tipped over as I fell onto the wet sand.

It started in my guts, it pulsed and my insides felt like they were liquifying, the sensation spread and covered every fiber of my being, tail, legs, arms, chest, head.

I squirmed and dug my claws into the sand as every beat of my heart made my body flex and grow.

The taste of blood filled my mouth as teeth pushed out further. Something in my jaw flexed and began to spasm followed by a sudden and growing ache. It got so bad that I held my muzzle and whimpered.

Something fused and my jaw solidified as it locked into a new configuration.

I tried to move my jaw sideways in hope of relieving the discomfort but found that I couldn't, instead my jaw insisted on moving only up and down. My neck and throat pulsed and swelled while the musculature surrounding my jaw settled and strengthened into their new role.

The ache eased only to be renewed as the change wandered down and hit my pelvis, it made my tail witch and grow while my spine tingled and forced my back to arch.

A cramp in my legs made me squirm while a strange and rather cool sensation brushed against my lower groin as my tail kept twitching.

I reached back in wonder and realized that my buttocks seemed to have receded a little while the fleshy tail had pulled my plumbing along with it in the process.

The change settled moments later and it left me exhausted and gasping for breath.

A clawed hand touched my shoulder and I heard Peter speak with a careful voice, "You all right Vilkas?"

"Yeah," I murmured as my body buzzed with exhaustion.

He grabbed hold of my shoulders and eased me up so that I rested against his chest.

Moments later John and Allen joined us and huddled up beside us as if to lend support.

"When was the last time you changed?" Peter asked.

I shrugged, "A day before I got here?"

"This is probably your last then, congratulations," Peter said.

I smirked and made a light chuckled, "Thanks."

Silence filled the beach as we sat there looking at the stars above, slowly but surely my energy began to return.

"Hey, want to hear something cool?" Peter asked.

"What?" I asked.

Peter made a sheepish smile and then eased back a little, "Okay... give me a moment."

Peter made a light cough as he cleared his throat. He then drew a deep breath and looked up at the moon.

It started as a slight whine but picked up tone and then clicked as it turned into a deep and long howl that made my ears perk while my body shuddered with a strange sensation as his chest reverberated against my back.

He kept at it for about twenty seconds before running out of breath. A big grin spread on his lips as he relaxed and glanced around, "What did you think?"

"Awesome," I said with a grin.

Peter's tail must have started wagging as I could hear something shuffle against the sand.

"Isn't it? It has a good feel to it, want to try?" Peter asked.

John and Allen nodded while I spoke up, "How did you do it?"

Peter pointed to his throat, "Okay, so... you need to kind of clench your throat and look up in order to hit the right spot."

I figured it was just a matter of trial and error as I cleared my throat and pulled a deep breath. I looked up, straightened my back and exhaled as I tried to howl. What came out though was nothing a long drawn but human 'o'.

The others made their own attempts but most just turned into various human sounds.

Peter leaned closer and touched my chest, "You have to feel it, deep within your chest, kind of like a growl."

I was tired but took another deep breath and relaxed my muzzle as tried over and over again. After a while something seemed to latch on as my windpipe shifted and hit a dark rumbling tone.

Peter was quick respond, "Yeah! Yeah! Keep going!"

It seemed to inspire the others as we were soon making a rather horrible and coarse cacophony of sounds. Peter took another deep breath, sat tall and hit the right tone in an instant as his sharp and beckoning howl cut through our own attempts.

That strange sensation hit me once more and it guided me from the inside as an instinct woke to life. It clicked, my chest reverberated and the tone grew clear and picked up pitch as I joined in choir.

It had a nice feel to it, a sort of unity and spiritual sensation as I stared at the glinting web of stars covering the night sky.

"Again!" Peter exclaimed in excitement.

My heart thumped and my mind blurred with exhaustion but I took another deep breath and synced with Peter as we raised our heads and sang.

Moments later John and Allen joined in pitch to form a grand howl that must have reached far beyond the lake.

510 A.R. July6,Forest,Morning

There was a noise and my primal mind flared to life, the sensation bothered me and it made me hesitant as I tried to resist the effect it had on my body.

The primal mind relaxed without warning and it whispered to me that there was no danger. I couldn't understand it at the moment but it began to make more sense as the noise cleared and became language.

"Hey pups!" Davis yelled out.

The familiar voice made me relax as I opened my eyes and glanced up toward the forest.

Davis was approaching but he had something slung over his head, an animal, a deer. The deer had part of its throat torn out and Davis muzzle and hands were red with blood.

The others rose around me as I felt my hunger return with a vengeance. My mouth began to water at the thought of sinking my teeth into it but I forced myself to push the urge aside as I focused on Davis.

"Hi Davis," I said out loud.

Davis smiled and seemed more at ease than before as he walked up to us and dumped the deer on the ground with a loud thud.

"Miss me?" Davis asked.

The others stared at the deer while I looked up at Davis, "Yeah, we were beginning to worry."

Davis made a broad smile and seemed like a different person compared to the sour and authoritative self he had shown before.

"It took a bit longer than I expected but you guys seem to have survived. Hungry?" Davis asked.

I nodded and noticed a sliver of drool dripping from Peter's mouth.

"Yeah," Allen whispered.

Davis crouched down and leveled with us, "Now, I know it must seem disgusting but-"

Peter interrupted Davis, "Can we eat this?"

Davis nodded, "Yeah, that's the-"

Davis was interrupted once more as Peter lunged down at the deer, It awoke something in me as I almost panicked with the thought that I wouldn't get my share.

The rest of us slammed at the deer in an instant and it only took moments before I sunk my teeth into the side of the deer and was ripping the hide open with a voracious hunger. I gripped hold with my clawed hands and shook my head as I ripped pieces off and swallowed it whole. Blood covered my face, it splattered and it grew warm as I buried my snout deeper in its innards.

"Wow... you guys must be really hungry," Davis whispered.

None of us responded and it took only moments for Davis to take his spot as he joined in the frenzy.

510 A.R. July6,Forest,Midday

It felt like a pleasant daze as I walked with my gut feeling stretched and full. A content sensation hummed inside my mind and made me make a goofy smile.

I glanced back at the others and they too were slouching along with bulging bellies. Allen truly looked like he'd bathed in the deer as the stark crimson color covered his face, chest, arms and even trailed down to his crotch.

I licked my lips and looked in front at Davis who had taken the front once more, he too seemed taken by our meal as he made a big yawn and glanced around.

"So... is our adventure over now?" I asked.

Davis glanced back, "For now I guess, but you'll meet again I'm sure."

I picked up my pace and joined Davis side, "You seem... more pleasant now?"

Davis made an awkward smile and folded his ears back, "Yeah... sorry about that... I guess you can call it tradition."

"So this was some kind of rite of passage? Our parents acted cold and you played mean to help push the rest of us together?" I asked.

Davis made a light smile, "Yeah."

"I see."

Peter picked up pace, joined my side and then let out a wet burp before glancing over at me.

"I want to do this again, we make a nice pack, right... Allen? John?" Peter asked as he glanced around.

I looked back at the others as I spoke up, "Yeah, I wouldn't mind us becoming a pack."

Allen and John smiled and glanced at each before looking back at Peter and me.

"Yeah, pack," John said with a nod.

Allen's smile widened as he nodded, "Pack."

Peter bumped shoulders with me, "And there we have it, things can only get better from here on."

The ground changed texture all of a sudden and nearly made me stumble over as I looked in front. We had returned to where we had started and four cars were parked nearby. Standing by the cars were our fathers who turned to look at us.

My tail began to wag as I hurried along with the others to meet them, the four of stopped just within reaching distance and bumped shoulders with pride as we looked up like pups awaiting praise.

Our father's had these sheepish grins and looked at each other as if both pleased and surprised.

"You've been quite busy," Father said as he stepped up to me.

I nodded and licked my lips as I got another taste of blood, "Yeah, we caught a hare, we've had loads of fun, and Davis brought us a deer!"

Everyone began to split moments later as they began to regale their stories with their own fathers.

Father leaned in, sniffed the air and then gave my muzzle a big lick and seemed to ponder the taste.

"Mm," Father murmured.

I grinned to myself and then glanced over at the others, a sudden pang of anguish hit me as I realized that this was the end of our journey, "I want to spend more time with them."

"You like them?" Father asked.

"Yeah... they're great... we've hardly left each others sides... we've played... chased each other... shared food... we've slept together during the nights to keep warm... they're the best friends I've ever had... even if I hardly know them."

My voice turned to a whisper as I realized what I was saying, these people were actually strangers to me and I hardly knew their names, yet I found myself desperate to cling onto them.

"That's great Vilkas," Father said with what sounded like relief.

Something else clicked inside my mind as I realized that I was standing in front of my father, naked while my fur was clumped with sticky blood.

My hands wandered to my crotch and my ears folded back as I felt a more human state of mind returning to me, "This is awkward."

Father put his hand on my head and ruffled the short but sticky fur, "Relax Vilkas, you did great, I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks," I whispered with some unease.

"So who caught the hare?" Father asked.

I made a light smile up and felt a glimmer of pride as I answered, "I did."

"Really?" Father asked with a wolfish smile.

I nodded in excitement, "Yeah... I caught its scent, dropped to the ground and crept forward, it was just sitting there, it was dusk, it didn't notice me until I was almost on top of it... I lunged at it, bit its neck and then shared it with the others."

Father smile became warm and proud as he made an approving nod, "You're a good wolf Vilkas, I'll teach you how to hunt far bigger game, we can do it together, father and son."

My heart thumped and I found the unease slipping away again, "Sounds great dad."

Father glanced around and I did the same as I saw the others withdraw toward their cars while talking with livid voices.

Father patted my shoulder, "Time to go home pup."

"Mm," I whispered as a foreign and rather uneasy sensation crept up on me.