The Moon Wolf

Chapter 27 (1st Draft)

The children waited all winter for Penn to return. They gave up their skin for their furs and sat like stone statues in the backyard of the pack house watching the woods for Penn. Even the littlest, Mia, who was going to turn three shortly, would not be dissuaded from sitting outside in the freezing cold temperatures, for hours at a time, hoping for a glimpse of Penn's white coat and black streaked nose.

Fancy, their den mother, watched over them every day and prayed to the Moon goddess to bring Penn back safely. She could see, as the days and weeks passed, that the children, though determined to keep watch, were becoming less and less spirited, restless, and losing their appetites. They needed Penn. She prayed earnestly that Penn would survive her winter alone, and return in the spring after the snow melt. The children would not waste away this winter but if Penn did not return by spring, Fancy was convinced the children would never recover from the loss of her.

Someone cleared their voice and Fancy gave a little jump. She was so deep in thought that she hadn't heard anyone enter the cafeteria where she kept her daily vigil. Turning quickly from the window she saw Beta Lucas and his mate Jules had arrived. Usually they came during the supper hour to keep the children company but it was still early afternoon. The break with habit made her nervous.

"Is something wrong?" Fancy asked the two of them. She glanced nervously outside and then directed her attention back to the lovely pair.

"No, nothing's wrong Fan," Jules responded with a comforting smile. "We have some big news though."

Fancy's face brightened. "Have you heard from Penn? Has someone spotted her?" she asked excitedly only to watch Jules' and Lucas' faces fall a bit. "Oh," she said with a little laugh, "not that kind of big news."

Her heart ached for the children, but she put on a smile and asked Lucas and Jules to have a seat. Fancy kept her back to the cafeteria and her eyes on the children who were huddled together in the wind and snow and watching the woods despite the poor visibility. She was going to have to call them in soon, she thought to herself. The weather was just too miserable to leave them out there for long, even if they were in wolf form.

Sighing to herself she turned her eyes back to her guests and asked, "Have you found homes for everyone?"

Jules face broke out in a huge grin and she nodded her head eagerly as she unfolded some paperwork she happened to have in her hand and slid it across the table to Fancy.

"Everyone has a place now," she said happily, "and, we've managed to keep the siblings all together, which I think will help with the transition." She leaned over the table and pointed to a few names on the list. "See, here, here and here."

Jules scanned the list and frowned. "When?" was all she asked.

Beta Lucas exchanged a worried look with Jules. He cleared his throat and said, "They are all going to their new homes by the end of the week."

"Three days, then?" Fancy asked.

"Yes," Lucas confirmed as he watched her face pale a little and her shoulders sag somewhat. "You've grown attached to them," he said as the thought suddenly dawned on him.