The Journey

Chapter 4: A Journey of Mind and Spirit

"Come on Shadow, why don't you want to come with us?" Jackie asked.

"Because I don't want to have a cowardly wolf watching my back," Shadow replied, looking at Jeff.

"He's not a coward," said Stella.

"Do you really believe his lies, Stella."

"No, I don't believe his lies. But I do believe his truths. It is true that he loves me. It's true that he had a sister that looked just like Jackie here. And it's true that he killed the bear king when he was only 6 moons old!" Stella took a breath to calm down. "It was 5 seasons ago, I was hiding beside my parents' cave waiting for the Southern Pack ro leave when I see two pups running straight into the fighting. I watched them start talking to the Southern Pack's leader. Soon after, the fighting stopped, quickly followed by a roar that shook the ground. The Bears came blundering down the mountain at full speed. Wolves from both Packs rose up to fight the Bears. All except for one. Jeff. He was frozen in place from fear. That is, until he saw Julie's head get crushed by a bear's paw. His eyes clouded up and he sprang straight at the bear. He killed it with one claw to the under belly. He then turned on the Bears' leader and jumped on his back, clawing the Burning Cave out of the Leader. He then jumped off, clawing the Leader's shoulder on the way down. Jeff took one final leap and---"

"Killed the Leader by clawing open his stomach!" Jackie interrupted.

Jeff, Shadow, and Stella stared at Jackie. "How did you know that," they said in unison.

Jackie shifted her paws nervously. "I just guessed."

"Well, good guess then," Jeff replied. "We should get going, Shadow, are you coming or not."

"Of course I'm coming. It will provide great bonding time," the black wolf replied with a smiling at Stella.

"Don't even think about it," she said with a growl, moving closer to Jeff.

"Back off Shadow," Jeff growled, trying to hold back his anger.

"Ok,ok I'll back down."

"Good," Jeff and Stella said.

"Ok let's go," Jeff said. "Jackie, you lead, follow the river. Shadow keep your eye out for danger."

"Ha ha," the one-eyed wolf said sarcastically.

"Stella, scent for deer, moose, or rabbits. I'll bring up the rear, protecting our backsides."

As the wolves got in formation Jeff said to Stella "I need to talk to you."

When they were a few pine lengths down the river, Jeff said, "You're hiding something. I could tell when you were telling my story. What did you see after Julie died."

"I saw a shadow, the same size as Julie move towards your mothers cave," said Stella in a whisper. "And I think I know what that shadow did." She looked at Jackie.

"Do you think...?" Jeff asked.

"...Julie and Jackie are the same wolf? Yes," Stella finished.

"Should we tell her?"

"No, not till she's ready."

"And how will we know when she is ready?"

"Lupus knows. She will tell us when. Till then, don't tell Jackie."

They traveled the rest of the day, only stopping to hunt.

When they settled down for the night, Jeff had an unusual feeling of being watched. He turned around, but no one was there. He tried to pick up a scent, but the only things he could smell was the wolves he traveled with and sap from the beech trees around the clearing. Had he looked up, he would have saw emerald green eyes looking at him from the branches of the beech trees. He dismissed the feeling.

-------------------------------------------

"How did your scouting trip go?" said a voice from the shadows.

"The newcomers have settled in the clearing beside the river," replied a small wolf who was black with a white tail-tip.

"Should we greet them formally? Or should we send a war party?"

"It's your call, but they don't seem to be hostile. The larger one seems to be the Leader."

"Did you manage to pick up his name?"

"Yes, his name is Jeff."

"Alright, I'll go alone. Send a raiding party after me and tell them to wait for my signal. You did good Shadow. You did good..."