During the next five days the group of wolves joined Packer and Anton each night out in the open winter night. The fire nights usually went on for four nights and the friends had had the tradition in place so long, they couldn't even remember when it had started.

Last night had been the final night. Around midnight the shooting stars had stopped coming and the colourful sky went back to the usual streaks of green, blue and purple. The nights, Anton felt, had somehow brought him and Ida's family closer. During daylight hours the wolves stopped messing around. They hadn't gone off hunting again and when they left, they made sure to at least tell Ant first. Even if just in a simple huff.

Packer and Ida had also become better acquainted. They weren't quite at the friend stage yet, but it was getting there. It was sad to think that Packer had to leave right when they were starting to do so. 

His friend also seemed to be a bit reserved today. Ant knew that Packer, as he had to every other year, needed to get back into town. Packer, not like him, didn't have a lot of money and therefore needed to make the most of the salary raises during the winter time.

So, as Packer packed his snowmobile up for the journey back down the mountain, the pack joined Ant while watching the preparations take place. "You'll visit again, won't you?" asked Ida while staying close to Anton's side. His eyes turned to watch as her lips pouted slightly, waiting for the answer.

Packer looked at her and then to Anton. "When i get tha' time, then ye'll see me before ya know it." His friendly smile underneath his beard made all the long tangled hairs stand in awkward directions. 

Ida cuddled closer to Anton's side and he could feel her smile at his friend in happiness. It was this particular moment that Anton realised two things. Ida did not have many friends, the only people she knew were her family, Ant himself and now Packer. If he interpreted her reaction correctly, the Packer would be the first friend that she had in her whole life. And the second thing was that Anton wished that she'd never leave his side. He never wanted to have to let her go, never wanted the smile to leave her beautiful lips and never have to lose sight of her mesmerising crystal blue eyes. 

The smile never left his face, even when Packer finally said his goodbyes and started the engine. The snowmobile left tracks in the powdery snow and avoided the disturbances in the almost flawless white carpet. where they had camped out for the past five nights.

Anton turned with Ida under his arm and made his way to the porch where he sat Ida down on his lap and they watched over the silent forests, the sounds of the engine lost amongst the trees. 

Ant watched as in the distance a swarm of crows flew into the sky. This immediately grabbed his attention and he rose to his feet. Ida had caught on to his mood and was watching the flock of birds intently as well. The crows and cries of the birds was then followed by a loud gunshot.

A menacing growl left Anton's throat. "Hunters!" Without looking at Ida's reaction he made his way to his own snowmobile. The gunshot came from the direction of the crows. Where the flock at taken off was part of his territory, which meant that the humans had crossed his property boundaries and were hunting on private grounds.

"Ant? What's your plan?" Ida was following him to the shed where he uncovered his own snowmobile. Her father was watching in the direction the shot had fired and growling none stop. This made Ant pause. "Ida? Where are your brothers?"

Anton watched as slowly horror seeped into her face. The curious expression left and transformed her face into an image he never wanted to see repeated.

"Come on, let's go!" Anton rushed to take out two of his guns. He knew Ida couldn't fire one, but she could be of assistance and carry them as they caught up with the hunters. In a rush he ran back out of the house and launched onto the vehicle starting the engine. He felt Ida's weight settle in behind him he quickly directed the snowmobile into the woods. The only wolf with them was her father, which meant all three of her brothers were somewhere out there. They hadn't heard a howl so far, but that didn't mean they weren't in danger.

It didn't take long for them to see a heavy armoured truck in the centre of a clearing. The four men that Anton had seen months ago leaving the pub in town were all backed up against the side of the truck. Their guns were pointed at two wolves that were standing over a third that lay motionlessly on the ground. Hackles were raised and teeth bared in menacing growls. It looked like the humans were in a stand-off with the wolves.

Anton cut the engine of the snowmobile. "You should go around to the other side and be ready to attack from the back. Watch out that none of them point the gun at you. Ida, i want you to stay here in case we need to make a quick get away. You remember how to drive it?" Her nod of confirmation soothed Ant to know that she would be save. "Good, now i am going down to see if i can distract them long enough for your brothers to reach the safety of the trees. Then i'll make my escape. As soon as you see me running start the engine and drive back home. Can you do that? You need to get your brother on the back so we can treat him at the cabin. He won't make it back alone."

Ant watched both their faces and nodded grimly as he saw determination and understanding in their eyes. "Alright let's do it." With that said, Ant took both rifles from Ida and slung one over his shoulder by the strap and the other he held in his hands, ready to fire.

The hunters were still frozen in place, the two wolves though began twitching their ears having heard that the others had arrived. The hunters must have also noticed a change in the wolves and became even more nervous. "Fuck guys! What do we do? There's more out there and they've already dodged most of our bullets!"

Anton took that as his cue to approach from the side. "Drop the weapons!" Anton shouted as he held his gun trained on the four trespassers. All four of them jumped in the air at the shout and a gunshot rang out. The growls intensified tenfold and the two young wolves regained their courage and took slow steps forward.

"Ahhh! Their coming closer!" "Shit!" Two of the hunters retrained their guns on the two wolves.

"Percifus! Back off!" Anton yelled at the wolf in front who never let his eyes leave his prey. To the hunters Ant repeated "I said drop your goddamn weapons! You are on private fucking property!"

"Dude, there's a fucking wolf advancing on us! I don't give a shit!" Just then the hunter closest to the hood aimed the gun at Percifus. Ant aimed and fired just before the hunter did. His bullet hit the cylinder of the hunters rifle, destroying it. In his peripheral he saw the two wolves crouch low just as the shot fired.

"Now get back in the fucking truck assholes!" Anton had had enough. Sweat was trickling down his brow and into his eyes. He was so nervous that his fingers were twitching on the trigger.

Ant turned his head slightly directing his words towards Percifus. "Get him out of here." Eyes still trained on the hunter he watched the two wolves drag the unconcious one behind the treeline and into the dark forest.

"That was our kill man!" One of the hunters said to him. Anger was seething out of his body, the beanie on his head kept slipping over his face only making him more agitated.

"That wolf was not yours to kill." Anton's felt his voice echo in the clearing. One could hear the icicles shatter as the words left his mouth. "Not only are you on my property, but wolves in this region are declared endangered! And don't believe i won't report you to the authorities. You have just broken more than one law of the federal county and will pay for this. Now, leave my land, leave my home and make sure you don't come back or you won't leave my land alive again."

"Are you threatening us?!" The biggest of them stepped out of the line they had kept against the car another grabbing his shoulder and saying quiet words into his ear. The bulk just shrugged the hand off and aimed his gun at Ant. "Piss off! It took us ten days to track down those wolves!"

"Even more of a reason that you should leave. Wolves have good memories." Just as he had said that the truck shook with a heavy thump. The clicking of claws was heard and the hunters turned around to look up at Ida's father, growling menacingly and poised to attack.

"Get in the truck. Now!" Ant ordered the four men. The bulk was unsure if to watch Anton more or the angry wolf. His friends were already piling in as fast as they could. The back door shut and the man behind the wheel made the engine roar to life. "Quick you idiot! Get in!" The driver yelled. 

His friend however had no such plan. In a split second decision he raised his rifle and fired just as Ant did the same and Ida's father jumped to attack.