* * *

The plan was to wait out the storm, yet the storm blessed them with the perfect gift—A shifting ceremony.

While Andy had been in a mess of panic, Sage had taken reigns as she sat either of the pups down into the snow while their heads lay resting in her lap. She made sure that they were directly under the moon's beautiful light and didn't rush them one bit.

The pup's only concern was about the onset of pain or if they were either hot or cold. The other wolves cheered them on from the sidelines, while the witches chanted a healing tune.

And by the end of the tortuous night—Half Crescent had received two new furry members, and it was touching to see that either young pup looked similiar in fur as well.
It was Clementine who had the small little white scruff on the side of her muzzle.

Sage had been equally tired but rose to her feet with the strong will to run with them for the first time. It was the pack's job to make sure they felt safe and secure with this new experience, and thus, Andy and a few others had taken lead.

The run itself hadn't been challenging, not when the bond was peaking at this newfound responsibility. Andy hadn't met many pups that hadn't shifted yet. Usually, they would die long before they reached his borders or leave with another family member pre-shift.

This had been a new experience for him as well.

And Sage couldn't be prouder with how well things had turned out. The pack was thriving with this good fortune that it didn't matter that they were facing a snowstorm for the next few hours. The pups needed to get used to their sore muscles and prepare for an even bigger journey now that they could follow at a better pace.

What was adorable, however, was them sleeping in their fur to get a better sense of their other half—Yet their stuffed bunnies were never far from them, and Chase learned firsthand that their wolves were the embodied souls of abused pups.

It was theoretically their only possession that didn't count the clothes on their backs or their water bottles, and Sage reprimanded Chase for even teasing them in the first place.

They were troopers, and Andy made sure they heard his praise. Not many their age would be able to survive the conditions they have, but throughout their time in agony, they recalled back to one of Sage's earliest pieces of advice.
To trust their wolf.

Ears up everyone. Might have a few visitors in a bit.

Severin called out, which caused Sage to pull forward and stand beside the Beta. Her nose bent down to sniff said print, and her wolf howled in confusion.

Close?

Can't be more than a few hours...Scouts, run up a bit—Stay alert.

While Sage's question had been intended for Severin, Andy found his way up to put in his own order. It earned him his female's attention, and she licked her lips in question.

Nothing to worry about, hun. We'll keep watchers tonight when we camp.

I'm not worried about that, look.

She gestured her own paw off towards the said track, and Andy knew Sage was a large wolf—An Alpha in her own right. But when she made a similar indent in the snow beside it, it was clear that her print was pathetic beside it.

Not a normal wolf.

Was all she said before falling out of skin, calling out a whistle to herd in the birds surrounding them. "Lupus enim magnus quaerere." [Look out for large wolf.] She directed off to them, and Holly let out a cheerful chipper in response to her mistress' beautiful phrase.

Alanna certainly aided her the last few days in boosting her grammar and phrases, and Andy sneezed in a playful manner towards Sage in skin. However, she ignored him for a moment as she looked around, no...That couldn't be right.

"Where are we?" She questioned, and while it sounded strange in the sense. Andy allowed his wolf's smile to curl directly before her.

I guess we're close then, hm? I was wondering if you'd recognize it or not.

"What?" She questioned in an attempt to gain an answer this time.

It's where Crescent Moon usually has their bear hunts, or maybe a lil farther down. It's the perfect route, and we don't have to be near humans that much. Besides, I told you I was getting a bear.

Her eyes grew wide as she stomped her foot in preparation to a shift, a small tussle came out of their disagreement—Nothing that Severin or Grey had to intervene with. But Chase was starting to get the feeling that Sage could flip the switch much quicker than their Alpha if it came down to it.

With the scouts not finding anything interesting, they regrouped and kept a cautious and steady pace in managing their next actions. It wasn't the size of the paw that worried Andy at the moment. It was the scent.

It wasn't necessarily Rogue, but it didn't have a connecting pack outlining it. A scent usually told a handful of things, whether they were mated, Rogue, status, and pack.
This was just...Empty.

And, of course, their constant thought on the fact had manifested a small pack of Rogues—And by the term small, hardly a decent ten to their name and not even a ranked among their pack.

Andy had pushed his way in front of Sage and snarled in an attempt to make a threatening pose, and the lack of respect had caused the mirrored stand-in to huff.

"We're passing through, don't want any trouble with you or your members beside you." The ragged man had returned nude, not being blessed by the statue of witch's knowledge. Eyeing Andy's words while also taking in the set numbers that Half Crescent held.

"Same to you, Alpha. Not too many of you around traveling without a pack...Or without land to your name." Andy attempted to bite back his growl, but it peeked out just a bit to cause the male members to buckle a bit.

"Where are you headed?" He questioned, and the stranger laughed. "North, I hear there's established Rogue packs...I'm taking my family there." Andy shook his head and gestured to those behind him.
"I suggest you ask for Bitter Claw or Lone Walkers...Half Crescent has fallen." The strange male didn't have control of his surprise, but the understanding had passed through either side. They didn't seem malicious. However, Sage shifted beside her male and smiled.

"Why are you moving to Canada?"
"Oh darling, that's another reason why. They haven't reached the borders yet." That caused Andy to frown further. 

"What is 'they' entail?" He beckoned, but the fear had caused the unknown Rogues to shift comfortably—The elder male had shaken his head and shivered.

"You don't want to know, Alpha. I wish you well in America, but I'd move right back from where you came from...It's not worth it anymore." And just like that, a howl pierced through the air that called everyone to still and listened.

It wasn't a 'they', it was a who...And just as Andy was about to intercept them, they were quick to take the detour instead to move aside.

You think this is something to worry about, Alpha?

"Not sure, Sage?" The female had stared in the direction of the howl, but her thoughts were scattered in an attempt to lead her to an answer. But after a small tug to her shirt, Andy urged her to shift back so they could get a move on. 

When they dispersed, it caused the Hunters and Enforcers managed a decent layer between the Healers and otherwise.

Hun? Are you feeling alright?

Andy question, her silence was deafening, and it made matters worse when her attention would always revert back to where the howl had been cast out before.

No, I feel fuzzy. I think that's the wolf with big paw print.

Alright, everyone, I know we're tired, but stay sharp! We're going to find higher ground to sleep tonight.

There hadn't been too many complaints, and the pups have already shifted back to skin and slept fitfully on the back of Chase and Jared, though they were protected by two layers around them.

When the moon had started to dominate the sky, that is when the complaints started to roll in. The eeriness from the nomad wolves had shocked Andy to the core, it didn't make sense. While Canada always had a beautiful picture of freedom, winter was not the time to travel and join into packs.

Whatever they were running from was much more horrifying than—

A bark had erupted from Sage's throat, the back of her neck rose with fibers of her fur in retaliation to what was before them. How could they not smell it before?

What the hell is that, Alpha?

Grey called out, but the molten red eyes had stalked forward in almost a calculated formation with the dozens behind them.

I don't know, but I'm not willing to find out, either. Sage, take the witches and head back to the cliff we saw earlier—We'll meet you when this is finished.

While Sage held her ground for a moment, the rush in the back of her head told otherwise. This was much too dangerous, and for one reason or another, her instinct told her to run.

Andy could see the fight in her eyes, but she yowled out the orders and bypassed through the remaining males that planted themselves in a blockage to the rest.

Sage, whatever you hear, don't turn around.

He called out, especially when both Tyler and Jared had attempted to tag-team the first dash of wolves—Then both Darrel and Ryan had done the same, though she aided the already attacked portion of the pack.

Andy, however, caught sight of the little pack's Alpha and targeted him outright. To end this quick he'd need to end the order's coming from this male.

Sir!

A voice called out, and Andy had slashed his way from another minion, but goddess, the agony from Koby had caused him to still and seek them out.

Tight formation! Their numbers are gaining from all sides. Cover Koby!

The order had fallen through, but when he himself had run beside the injured packmate.

Don't get bit! Their bites are toxic!

It was too late, especially when the panicked howl had emerged, signaling that their escaped members were also in trouble—The number of amber eyes acted without common morals.

There was no commutation or any ounce of apology for outright attacking a group of nomads.

And when Koby's whined out and complained about a burn, it had only been another moment before Sage mentioned a similar burning—Yet this was to Elena.

Panic coursed through Severin, but Andy had to keep him in check with this fight before they could serve their females.

When the final body had dropped, Andy fell out of his fur and embraced the snow—The bites on his arms hadn't managed more than a few short stings, but for the others, they were starting to fester further.

"Status? Everyone alright?" They were not alright. Only a few had remained unharmed—The others bared no bites and had checked the given wolves for any abnormalities other than smelling like rotten flesh and the eyes...

There was a similarity between them.

The symbol hadn't caught Andy's attention outright, but he knew that perhaps the witches could most likely categorize it with whatever was going on with this absurd attack.

It was rather reckless to just have said piece of skin off the wolf-like had, almost immoral if anything. But the way the burn festered as if they were fire ants did not allow for second guesses or foolish behavior.

Instead, they racked up their losses and hurried, with Koby strapped onto Darrel's back, and off they went in return up the mountain.

The females had faired a bit better, but not for the reason that Andy had assumed—No.

A large strange male loaded his bow within a single motion and fired a warning shot, but he huffed in mention of Sage's familiar voice. "No! That's my male!" She cried, coming up to the beast of a man with the same fire in her eyes that Andy adored seeing.

"My apologies, can't be too careful." The lowness of his voice sounded rougher than normal, but the fellow bent down and allowed the length of his arm to cross over his chest.

"Alpha Andy." Was all that was instated, but the said Alpha walked straight up and morphed from fur to skin with retaliation in his eyes.
"Who the hell are you?!" He roared, his chest puffed in defense of his title but Sage frowned and baited her hand to block them both from fighting one another.

"I mean you or your pack no harm. I do not associate with those things. I seek to destroy them. My name is Torin, and I believe I can be of some help to your pack."

______

Date: 10-24-22

Time: 10:56

Words: 2309

Author's Note:

I have been so excited to introduce this new character, Torin!
Picture a big Viking male, armor and all! With him comes a new danger, one that will be explained over the course of the next few chapters. 

And Clem and Poppy have their wolves now🥺❤️

Since last chapter had so long of an author's note, I'll be quick!
Small progress to the next story. It will have over fifty chapters.
I better get to editing now😂

Only three more chapters in this phase AND only six chapters left altogether, can you believe it?

It's been a long time coming!

Alrighty, I hope you all have a fantastic week, and I'll see you Friday for the next chapter✨