Stories of the Howling Crow Tribe and Others.

Wolf Mother.

An argument had started in the small camp of the Howling Crow tribe. One of the Elders, Graviil Kritovich, father of the Alpha and Beta was growling at a young wolf.

« How dare you speak agaisnt my wife ? The mother of your Alpha ?! »

The young wolf growled back at the elder.

« She is also my mother ! »

« Impossible! » said Graviil, furious.

The Alpha arrived during the confrontation seeing one of her man and her father arguing.

« What is going on ? » asked the women

Erwin, the young wolf bowed his head in respect and said with no hesitation :

« I cannot live in a lie anymore Alpha. I am your half brother. »

Naluak was shoked. But she did not listen her father that was screaming agaisnt this statement. He drew his sword, his eyes were full of fire.

« You are a liar. My wife did not have another son.» said Graviil sharply.

It was true that Byala and Naluak had an older brother named Divulk. He had died as a teenager before ascending to something else. But Erwin did not seem to lie.

« Call my mother. Now. »

A men went to fetch the elder as Naluak tried to separated her father and Erwin.

« Enough. Father, lay down your sword. » she said firmly.

Graviil stepped back but kept his sword high.

« He is disrepecting your mother. My wife ! » stated the men. « Your elder ! » said Graviil looking at the other members of the tribe.

« Father enough ! » said Naluak furious.

The entire tribe went silent. Even if Graviil was an elder and had to be respected by everyone for his knowledge and past, he had to respect the Alpha because she took the decisions for the tribe. She was the leader and the chieffe. No one could defy her. Even her own father.

« Put down your sword. We will get explanation from mother at once. But I do not want you to hurt Erwin. He always was a good cuman. He follows the rules and the tribes laws. » Said Naluak putting her hand in front of her. Putting distance between the two mens.

Erwin had stayed quiet since the sword had been drawn. Not wanting to be in trouble he had simply out his knee on the ground and bowed his head low.

« Alpha please... » said Erwin wanting to be eared.

Then a faint sound was heard, the sound of a staff hitting slowly the groud aiding an old woman, not more than 50 years old but with a lot of trouble in her mind. The grey woman advanced as everyone parted to make way, and bowed their head respectfully. As Misha saw her daugther and husband, she smiled. But it faded away, seeing Erwin with a knee on the ground.

« Alpha. Love. » she said calmly to her daugther and husband « What is going on ? »

Graviil felt his heart calm down as the soft voice of his wife filled the clearing. Naluak bowed her head to her elder.

« Please mother. We deserve answer. Is Erwin your son ? » she asked her voice breaking.

It was unthinkable for Naluak that her mother had another child with another man. Misha loved her husband with all her heart. And it showed. Misha sent a sad look to her daugter and the young wolf and went to her husband. She putted her hand on his cheek. Making him drop his sword on the ground to take her other hand.

« Please forgive me my love. » said Misha with sadness in her voice.

She gave a kiss on her husband cheek making him shed a tear. Was it all true ? Misha turned around, letting go of her husband hand to walk towards Erwin. She picked up his chin, making him rise. He was taller then her, keeping that from his father, but the wof kept his head low. She putted her hand on his cheek as he looked down at the woman.

« Mother ? » he said solftly.

Misha smiled and turned to the entire tribe.

« What Erwin told you is true. He is indeed my child. The first boy Veliki gave me. Even if he never seemed a gift at first. » Said the women confronting her tribe.

« Impossible ! » raged Graviil. « Who is his father then ? »

The tribe growled. It was frowned upon for couples to have affairs. But Erwin was older then Naluak, Byala or even Divulk, which made the confussion even bigger.

« The father of my wolf. Is... »

Misha took a deep breath and felt a tear roll down her cheek.

« Damir Rolitkar. »

Everyone was shocked. It was known that Rolitkar had bed woman before they had maried. But the babes were never seen again, or adopted by Damir and the mother had to be in his harem of women. The fact that both Misha and Erwin were still alive was weird. But Misha held her hand in front of her, demanding silence.

« You know how it was back then for us, young she-wolfs. Rolitkar was a shadow over all of us, wanting us between his claws. We never had the choice. It was either his bed, or our doom. »

Misha felt a tear on her cheek falling and crashing on the leaves on the ground.

« I had to hide my son. I hid from the tribe for a while. Making sure my Erwin was taking take care of. Then i met my love whom granted me with my second son and my twin girls. » she looked at her husband with love in her eyes.

But she saw the fire in the eyes of Graviil start again.

« He is the son or Damiir. He is a disgrace to us. To you. To me. » said the elder.

He drew a knife he had in his boot and walked toward the young men but got stopped by Misha.

« Please dont. I felt guilty enough for the horrible thing I had to live because of Damir. Do not hurt my son. The only boy I have left. Blood of my blood. Please love. Do not be angry at me.» she pleaded to her husband.

She putted her forehead on his chest and squeezed his shirt between her fingers, crying.

Erwin seeing his mother in such a state did not know what to do. He stepped back and search the eyes of his half-sister, the Alpha. Naluak, shocked took the knife out of her fathers hand. Making him wrap his arms around his wife.

« Im not angry at you love. I would never. But this wolf. Saying this. Putting dishonor on you. » he said trembling of anger.

« The only one who putted dishonor on me was Damir and myself. I decided to hide my son from you. From everyone, in shame. I never should have. » she shook her head rubbing her nose on her husband chest.

« I cannot let this unpunished love. Both my daughters and now my wife were hurt by this man. First Bya with Marcus, Nalu with... everything...and now you. And this wolf. » Said Graviil.

He kissed his wife on the forehead and letted her go. Graviil walked toward Erwin who bowed his head in respect to his elder. But as he rose his hand to strike, his daughter stopped him.

« We cannot have anger between eachother. With the Men of Lights at our doors and everything happening in our forest, we do not have the time to fight one another. Please father. Listen to mother. Erwin was always a good men. One of my best hunters and was always faithfull to the tribe. Leave him a chance. You do not have to threat him as a son. But let mother in peace with this. We do not need more bloodshed between us. »

Said Naluak hoping it would stop her father's frenzy. Graviil looked at his daugther and saw in her blue eyes, the same message as in her wife's.

'Please'

Then Graviil looked at the boy who dared to look up for one of the first time in the argument. Erwin had Misha's eyes. The same icy blue that both his daughter had. The elder putted his arm down. Defeated by the love he had for his wife.

« Pardon me daughter. And as for you. » Graviil looked at the boy. « I will be mercifull. For now. Behave and i will see if i will treat you as a son. »

Misha, Naluak and Erwin sighed in relief. Then Erwin spoke.

« Thank you elder. I only want your respect. The truth was to be found one day. But the sooner the better I thought. Maybe my judgment was wrong. Please forgive me. »

Graviil stayed neutral not wanting to disapoint his daugther or wife.

« Just stay out of my way and obey your Alpha . No harm shall be done to you. »

« Yes elder. » responded Erwin calmly.

Misha went to his husband and hugged him from behing. The warmth on his back, calming him even more.

« Thank you my wolf. » said Misha.

« Anything for you my love. » responded Graviil.