The Moon Wolf

Chapter 7 (1st Draft)

Anex, the Master at Arms for the Orthos pack, upon hearing the commotion behind him, turned to look back at the dirty, scrawny Griffin pack survivors. He was astonished to see them all transformed by genuine smiles on their faces when they had looked so fragile and fearful during his initial interaction with them. The rogue she-wolf was speaking to them and they all wanted to hug her, kiss her and cling to her afterwards. The sight would have been endearing if it wasn't so unsettling. 

In his fifty three years he had never seen a rogue like her. She smelt wild as the deep woods, even under the cover of all that camp smoke, but her demeanour was anything but wild. In fact, she reminded him more of the royal wolves from the old country, which he'd encountered just a few times in his life. Like them, she was calm, even under pressure, and she gave nothing away. Her body and face were like stone. He couldn't tell from looking at her whether she was hot or cold, whether she was rough or soft, whether she was a threat or an ally.

However, like the royals he'd encountered, she gave off a powerfully strong presence when she wanted to. He didn't sense it when they first approached her and the pups. She might have been just any run-of-the-mill rogue she-wolf. Only, when he and his counterparts -Jenna and Drummond - subtly but with deadly intent encroached on her personal space just a few minutes ago, he had felt a commanding presence roll off of her. It electrified all the fine hairs on his body and took him quite by surprise.

If the pup, Cassidy, had not placed her hand on the rogue's arm, Anex was sure the rogue would have shifted from her skin to her fur to defend herself. It would not have been an unprovoked attack. He had, at that moment, every intention of taking her down now that the pups were safely in Orthos territory. It wasn't personal just standard procedure when confronted with a rogue. But, he hesitated when he felt the unexpected surge of power from her. It unsettled him. He hadn't realized what a potent force she kept so well hidden - something that could only be accomplished through strict self discipline and restraint. But, those were not the characteristics of a rogue.

Anex didn't know what to make of her. Especially knowing what great lengths she must have gone to, to bring these pups to safety – all 18 of them. Not a one lost to sickness, starvation, accident or animal attack. They had trekked hundreds of kilometers over the most dangerous terrain around and there wasn't even one broken bone between them or bruised bottom. At least, not that he or his subordinates could tell. The rogue displayed leadership, was committed to the pups' cause, and was faithful to fulfill her promise to a Luna that wasn't even her own. Again, not typical rogue behaviour. In fact, it was all quite remarkable - the journey and the rogue that made it possible.

The pack had been looking for the pups for several weeks. Special patrols had gone out initially to search for them along the regular and less regular routes through the mountain range. However, as the days turned into weeks those patrols stopped. The pack had almost given up hope of ever seeing the pups because they knew a rogue was in charge of them. It seemed a forgone conclusion that the pups would be abandoned or left for dead at some point. Rogues weren't known for being charitable, dependable or in any way trust-worthy. So, Anex was really shocked to encounter the pups on his rounds that afternoon. No one ever thought they'd come through the most treacherous pass of all.

Who'd ever heard of a rogue acting as a guardian for a bunch of orphaned pups with no promise of any kind of gain anyway. It was sheer fantasy. In all their searches, in all their plans, it had never occurred to the Orthos leadership that the rogue would take the children through Mourning Cross. Grown wolves would find the journey dangerous let alone one adult wolf with 18 pups to look after.