Zuma's face fell at Kishi's words. "Don't we have enough problems without something else coming up? Midnight-"

"Midnight is enough trouble as it is," interrupted Ranshu, pacing restlessly."What could do that to a tree? And that heat...that burning heat..." His amber eyes rested on Zuma's singed ears and cheek before continuing. "I don't want to imagine what would've happened if one of us got hit." Ranshu looked at Kishi, a sudden thought coming to mind that he missed completely. "Hang on, did you say 'Midnight isn't the only one we have to worry about now'? As in it was someone, not something?"

Kishi, who stayed where she was, sighed greatly and nodded. "Yes," she said softly and looked down at her white paws. "Remember the reports of the humans that you and your pack mates told your Alpha?" Seeing their nods, she continued, lifting her amber eyes and staring into Zuma's light gold ones. "I believe they are the ones behind it all. The ones that shot at us back there. They-they have these metal sticks that shoot fire from one of the ends." Kishi rose to her feet and paced back and forth before Ranshu and Zuma.

"Fire sticks?" inquired Zuma softly, who ceased his pacing abruptly to this new information.

Ranshu looked from Zuma to Kishi, a confused expression evident on his face. "What are you two talking about? What's a fire stick?"

Either they didn't hear him or chose to ignore the question. Zuma and Kishi continued as if there wasn't an interruption. "Of course! That explains the very small herds in the forest." said Zuma.

"What does?"

"Exactly, though they normally don't hike the mountain range so high up at this time of the year. It's given our herds time to multiply beyond the usual numbers," replied Kishi, swishing her tail.

"What do you mean-"

Zuma swished his tail and sat down. "And you are sure those same hunters my pack saw are responsible for-"

With a mix of agitation and annoyance, Ranshu shouted, "Will somebody please tell me what you are talking about?!" He was up on his feet, head lowered, and legs splayed wide in an almost fearful stance.

Zuma was taken back at the low ranking wolf's actions. He had not expected this behavior after what their Alpha instructed; what's more, Ranshu did it in front of a high ranking wolf from another pack. Zuma knew he should be punished but couldn't bring himself to. They were all scared of what was going on.

Kishi jumped when Ranshu shouted but recovered quickly. She noticed the look of surprise on his pack mate's face, wondering what Zuma would do. Nevertheless he just sat there, staring at Ranshu.

When this went on for a few moments, Kishi took it upon herself to answer the outburst. "Ranshu, a fire stick is what the humans use to hunt. They don't have the speed or endurance like us to catch their prey, so they rely on metal sticks to do the killing for them."

"What? Okay...but what does that have to do with us?" asked Ranshu, tilting his light gray head in confusion.

Suppressing a sigh, Kishi continued filling the young wolf in. "Humans may hunt but it's not always for food, they do it for fun, like a sport." Her lips lifted from her sharp teeth in barely controlled anger. "What we rely on to survive they do for entertainment." Kishi walked up to Ranshu who was quivering where he stood. "That is not all the humans do with their fire sticks. They also take aim at what they see as pests, which means after one of our kind took a few of their precious house dogs, us."

Ranshu could only stare at the light gray female at these words. "We-we're being hunted?" he said hoarsely, jaw dropping in disbelief.

A small sigh escaped the female's parted lips as she nodded, once more looking at the ground. Kishi's head suddenly snapped up and stared directly into deep amber eyes; amber met amber without blinking. "We're not far from the foothills, another couple hour's walk," she said to Zuma, who was beside her. Kishi finally broke eye contact with Ranshu and set off towards her home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Five sets of eyes watched as Zuma, Ranshu, and Kishi trotted up the rise and disappeared. Turning to the remaining males, Drake said, "Let's get going." They set off in the opposite direction of the dismissed wolves at a brisk pace. Several hours of their fast gait brought them to the center of their territory.

Walking up to a pair of fallen trees, Drake vanished under a bush in the middle. Tork, Ruku, Kele, and Bongo sat down and waited for their Alpha to emerge. "What is he doing?" whispered Kele as he turned to Bongo, a confused frown on his face.

It was Tork, however, that answered the question. "It is of little concern to you." He kept his eyes on the bush as he spoke. "Here he comes." Tork rose and lowered his head as Drake passed and turned to follow his Alpha. The others hesitated for a moment, not entirely sure what they just witnessed, before moving as well.

The pack continued on the winding path towards the border of the territory; senses were heightened and footfalls were as light as feathers. With the possibility of Midnight and the humans being near the wolves exercised extreme caution, even on their own land. Nowhere was safe anymore.

They reached the border of their territory and cautiously looked about. The brothers, Ruku and Bongo, looked at one another fleetingly before they watched for danger. Kele, the only gray among them, crouched low beside his Beta, checking the trees and foliage beyond him and his pack mates. Tork, second-in-command, sat up straight and completely still; he made sure everyone was being quiet and alert around them. The pack Alpha, Drake, sat right on the invisible boundary line waiting.

After a time shapes could be seen traveling swiftly through the foliage and briar in the distance; the gap was closing rapidly between both groups. A large, black wolf with piercing green eyes appeared close to Drake, flanked by two golden-eyed black shadows.

"What do you want, wolf?" demanded the green-eyed Alpha, stopping just feet away of the group opposite of him.

Still sitting, Drake responded as he looked into the emerald eyes. "I bring news of danger. It has affected my pack and the ones in the mountains, and I believe it will come for yours next."

"What is this danger you speak of?" asked one of the golden-eyed wolves, stepping forward.

"The humans are not just hunting the herds, they're hunting us as well."

The wolf snorted in disbelief. "Us? Come now, why would they do that?" His companions started snickering, their mouths agape in a wolfish grin.

"We believe," began Drake, "that the reason is those humans think we're after them and their house dog. My scouts spotted them on the other side of our territory near the foothills."

Both groups looked at one another. The other golden-eyed wolf, a female, spoke up for the first time. "Will they travel this way? Across the border to my pack?" she asked with questioning eyes. "We have not had any signs of the humans on our side."

Gold met gold as Drake stared into her eyes without blinking. "I don't think so. The humans and their house dog seem to be heading over the mountains, which is foolish since snow and ice will be setting in soon.

Providing they will not be harmed, I can send a messenger to your Alpha," he said nodding to the black wolf closest to him, "if they change their direction this way."

"It would be most appreciated. You have my word they will arrive and return safely. We will be in touch. Come, Nita, Eli."

The three black wolves departed, leaving Drake and his pack alone on the border. Turning to his companions, the brown wolf flicked his bushy tail and they set off. "Rompa is a caring and strong Alpha. He will know what to do if the humans decide to pass on his land."

"Alpha?" asked Tork as he caught up to Drake. "Why did you not mention Midnight's return?"

The Alpha stopped and looked at his Beta; the others peered behind one another to listen to his answer. "Because, my dear Tork, it would have offended them."

Some time passed after Drake said this; the four wolves accompanying him mulled it over, trying to make sense of it. Along the way, low mutterings were heard as they moved swiftly through the forest, not unnoticed by their Alpha, but he made no attempt to quiet them.

It wasn't until they reached the dens that they slowed their fast run. The orange-yellow glow of the sun dropped behind the tall trees, her fiery light causing ripples that traveled to the forest floor. Long shadows were forming rapidly among the trunks and bushes, making them appear far larger than they really were.

The elongated bodies of the wolves were getting harder to see in the fading sunlight, especially Tork, whose black coat blended perfectly in the oncoming night. He wasn't one of the pups conceived by the current Alpha pair, nor the past. Tork was found alone close to the mountains by the pack living there; one sent word to Drake to ask if his pack could take on another wolf. It was agreed so the little bundle was carried back to the forest to be cared for by Reyna, Drake's mate, as she was bringing up two pups at the time.

Stopping at the center den, Drake was barreled over by two fluffy cannon balls. It took some time for the three wolves to untangle themselves, as the others were very near adult size with long, slender legs. Finally standing up, the Alpha saw that his two bombards were his grand pups, Tasha and Maroco.

Drake immediately saw that something was wrong; the two young ones were in a frantic state, shaking like a leaf and their fur was on end.

Tasha's terrified light gold eyes bore into his darker ones, begging for permission to speak. Looking from one another, Drake nodded, seeing the same burning desire in her brother's eyes. The problem came in a burst of high pitch barks, causing him to step back a pace.

Drake let out a loud commanding bark, ceasing the babble instantly. "Whoa, slow down you two! Please, one at a time. Maroco can go first."

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Maroco responded. "We were out with Ma just playing around before Conin went over the ledge-"

The Alpha's heart skipped a beat at this; out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tork was as still as stone. "What happened?" he demanded, keeping his tone commanding yet gentle.

"He-he tried to climb back up b-but the whole rock fell..." Tasha collapsed in grief. "W-we tried to h-help him but the ground w-was shaking, and it f-felt like we were next." Her lithe frame was wracked with shudders from her dash back to the dens and her sorrow.

Maroco's soft voice rose from behind his sister, who laid at their grandfather's feet. "Ma went looking for him to see what became of him." His greenish gold eyes were sad as he told Drake what Tasha missed, not once breaking eye contact or leaving anything out. "She's still not back and it's been two days," Maroco concluded.

"You waited two days for your mother's return? What way did she go?"

Finally looking away, the young wolf pointed towards the break in the treeline with his nose. "She went below the rock wall after him."

By now the rest of the pack was gathered around the returning males and young ones. Reyna, the female Alpha, and her sister, Airah, were first to appear from the dens. Their mother, Jade, stayed near her resting place; she tired easily these days, especially in the heat of the remaining days of autumn. She and her daughters fear the coming winter would be her last. It was she who asked, "Why were you three near that place? You know better than to go there." Jade's frail voice cut through the calm air like butter. She slowly got up and limped over to her Alpha, Airah supporting her, and gazed into his deep golden eyes. "Find them, Drake. Whatever it takes," Jade whispered.

All the wolves were silent, even Tasha's whimpering died away, as the elder spoke. She was well respected for her compassion and loyalty to her family, and her gentleness and merriness were known by the surrounding packs.

Coming out of his fear-ridden trance, Tork shook his great black head and went to comfort his pups; Reyna was close behind to assist, since they would be in need of a motherly figure. Tasha and Maroco snuggled both as the others discussed what to do next.