A New Enemy Rises

Running Dreams begins to scavenge the loot from the dead and I look at him through narrowed eyes. I was disgusted, yet I understood the importance of his actions. I became suspicious when he spoke to James though. Who were they talking about? I give the pair of men an expectant stare. They better tell us what's going on right this damn minute! I swear secrets would be the death of this pack. I mean look at what happened today because Nellie decided to keep her past a secret...I get up to go, hoping that Running Dreams and especially James will come clean.
"Nellie, go lie down. You've had a long day..." I tell Nellie as we head to my room. I was kinda hoping Nellie would stay with me and elp me interrogate our pack mates, but I don't know, she did just kill an Alpha...I sigh-frustrated and more than a little angry with the whole situation. <James> I mind link to my mate with a tired and weary voice. I didn't want anyone to listen in...<We're really going to run? This is our home...are we going to run every time there's a threat, every time something goes wrong?> I sigh. Maybe there was something bigger going on-something that I didn't know. <What's happening? Why are we running if the alpha is dead?>

Looking at the Luna, Running Dreams growled. "Leah, we need to get ready to go. Normally I'd be with you all the way here, but... If you all wern't leaving, I would be. The group that equipped them is the reason my life story for you started at eleven. Alpha, I'll get my truck ready, as well as my bike and trailer. We're going to be making a whole lotta gone."

After preparing the gear, Running Dreams nervously fingered his forearm. With a snarl, he pulled out a small skin of red wine. Puling the cork with his teeth, he daubed it over his left arm, two inches below the elbow. As he rubbed, a tattoo appeared- waining crescent moons linked together, with a ring of dunland wolves running under it. "Moon Shadow, why did you have to go?" he whispered. "WHY, WHY!?" he cried, mentally, physically, and with every ounce of passion in his whole body. "Why... did you leave me... Moon Shadow... why?"

I huffed and started packing, obviously having no say in this situation. I begin to make preparations for the journey when I hear Running Dreams cry out. I fly out of the house to where he is. "<Running Dreams?! What happened? Are you alright?<" I asked fluttering around him like a worried mother hen. I checked to see if he had any wounds, but did not find any that were life threatening.

Leah I call her out loud. She looks at me and I tell her that I am fine. Also I can rest later, because I have all this energy right know within my body.
Leah maybe it is safe to leave for a while, look at there espression I say meanwhile looking at the guys. Don't think it as running away because we are not, it is more like element of surprise to our enemy.
I am going to go to my cabin and pack few things and I will come to your then and help you with yours okay.
When I finish saying this I head to my cabin and see my already packed bags that running dreams put in my cabin after he captured me.
I open the bag and add some weapons and more travel gear. After I am done I carry my bag toward the compound where leahs help to help her with her packing.

Dragging himself to a sitting position, Running Dreams threw away the wineskin, disgust filling his face. Looking at the Luna, he reached up a hand. She pulled him up without hesitation. Quietly standing, he looked down to the diminutive Luna, so much smaller in stature than his own seven-foot frame. "It's nothing you can do anything about, Leah. Some things never were meant to ever be aired, and nobody else knows this one, not even the Alpha. Leave it, and me be. I need a drink..." he said, staggering off to his fith-wheel trailer, which would shortly become something so much more than a rover's mobile home.

Before I head to the compound I see Leah, caring for Running dream wound that he got. I walk toward them with a smile and say hi to them meanwhile putting my bag on the floor.

So Leah you almost done with your packing or do you need help?

I watch as Running Dreams leaves, feeling sorry for him and at the fact that I couldn't help him. If the reason we were running made Running Dreams into the man he was today..,.then I'd gladly leave.

I hear Nellie come to us "ummm...need help please!" I say to her. "To be honest, I've put off packing, my heart nor my head was really into moving. But I think we have to go now..." I tell her with a sad resignation.

OH ummmmm...... Did you find the reason for our sudden departure from the pack land , do you think it is because I killed an alpha and we are running away or is there more to it. Why do i have a feeling that these boys are hiding something from us.

I mind link to the whole pack. <We are not running. We are going north. Running dreams, no truck. We are not taking anything modern with us. Leave all that behind, and don't argue. We are not traveling heavy.> Then I focus in on Leah. <remember the story i told you when you first joined us? Skyth is a clan lord of the north, or was till we had thought we defeated him in battle. He brainwashes wolfs with the physical build of an alpha and uses them for his own army. I can't leave all of you here because if I do, he could send assassins at you all. Those wolfs, the mark on their forehead, ist Skyths crest. A serpent. They are and were on his side. They attacked under his orders. I am sick and tiered of him getting in my life. I am going north to end this. You and the pack will come as far as the Crescent Star Clan. I will leave you there for your own safety.> I explained as I finish packing a small bag. I set it on the ground and shift. Walking outside. I had not realized i never really focused on just Leah. The others could easily have heard what I said. However it mattered not.

I would not put my pack in harms way, because someone wants me dead. No. their safety came first. Once they are safely settled in the clans capital village, I will head north to join up with Mangoth, report what I have learned, and hopefully plan a counter strike. Skyth had to be stopped and not just for my sake. But for everyones. I looked around at the gathering pack members. <I am sorry there is little time to explain. its a three day trim in wolf form, a week in human so we run as wolfs. Be warned now, the people you will see and meet, are far different from those of the city. One hour is all you have to pack, and don't pack a lot, only whats needed to survive three days in the wild at a minimum. No questions now please, okay? Just hurry.>

<James! You cannot just expect me to sit behind while you go on. I don't care if it's just for my safety! We are mates-partners! Whatever you do, I will be there to help, you can't leave me behind! I'm not some invalid that you throw behind once things get tough> I respond in the mind link roughly packing a duffel bag. "Well looks like we got out answer Nellie" I say to her, knowing that she had just heard mine and James' conversation.

<I learned a while ago not to argue with your determination. Running Dreams, your looking after the pack after I and leah leave the village. No one else is coming. I am not taking that risk. The rest of you will remain in that village till I return. It may be a while so is safe to get comfortable, just not too comfortable.> I had to agree to Leahs demands. Not because I have to but because she is right. This choice, as my mate, is hers to make. As for the others, I was leaving no room to argue. They are my pack. They come first. If I could leave them behind safly then i would but I knew all too well that Skyth would try to harm me in any way possible. It was bad enough I was not arguing with Leah on the matter.

<And THAT is why we need a Beta> Running Dreams mind-muttered. <Listen, great plan, but we need to MOVE. If the McKennons are in this, the village is a sitting duck for a HADES bomb to the face. Seeing as the newest weapon you can use is a crossbow, let me explain this in simple terms. It hits this village, and this happens. (follow link for picture)>
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<Now, because that probably didn't get the point across, the explosion is second only to a nuke. YOUR enemies have your tech level. MINE are able to level cities and not even blink. Right now, they happen to be working together, so I am getting the hell away from death by airstrike.>

Slowly I turned to running my dreams and snapped my jaw in his face. <We go where I say we go and either you fallow or leave. Make your choice. I have no dam quarrel with your enemy and if you being with the others is going to threaten their lives, then pack and leave.> I had had it with this guy pushing my command. Yes, I did not like a monarchy but when someone thinks they can over rule my command, then I will defend it.

<I won't explain much but I am going to tell you know, technology does not work over their. I have no idea why but it does not. Anything modern you bring that requires a fuse or anything involving electricity won't work past the silver mountain. These villages are built in the open. No where near cover to hide when approaching. Modern tech does not rule the world Running Dreams. No make a choice, leave, or fallow.> I made sure my voice was loud, clear, and commanding. I was not going to argue with him. We had to leave, and there was no time to waist arguing with someone would question my authority in the matter.

We had all transformed in our wolf...
it looked like james and running dreams were having a conversation in there mind. My wolf looked at leahs wolf and stick its tongue out in a playful manner. My wolf walked toward her started bumping her in a fun manner. ( Roxy my wolf wants to play). I looked at leah and she had a grin on her face and lunged at me in a playful manner like she is always is.

"I get it, Covingston. I get it. Tech may not work, but breeding will, wherevere you're going. Seeing as I happen to want to stay in the good graces of the pack, I'm giving you this. It's an UHWV shrieker, and will work if a compass will. Pull the lanyard, and I come, wherever the hell you end up. Of course, I suggest pulling it when a platoonof silver-proof wolves attacks. Just a suggestion, 'cause you all would make perfect stock for their projects. Seeing as I'm not going to be with you, when you get out, you can probably find me on Kinja. I'll be the gringo drinking tequila on the beachin low season, so don'y heasatate to come. Just to proove to you that wasn't all I did, you'll find a concrete tent with all that came out of the trading I did. Good luck, seeing as I won't be there."

Running Dreams finnished, hopping in his truck. With one last thought, he grinned

<Leah, feel free to ride my bikes while I'm gone. Just don't crash the good one!>

I watched Running Dreams leave. I would have tried to stop him but time was not on our side. A howl, way closer than the first set, filled the air. We had to leave now. I turned and nodded to the others, knowing they would fallow, and began to run into the forest. For a short few hours we headed west, over to the open plains. Once at the edge of the forest we turned north. I kept close track of the howls of our followers. They were becoming distant again. This was good. The further we moved north the colder the air got. However, it was a very small change considering our thick fur coats. by the end of the day, when the sun was beginning to set. The peek of the Silver mountain, glittering like a jewel in the sky, was in sight. By now, mountains dotted the area, leaving hilly terrain between each one. I looked for the nearest cave where we would sleep for most the night. Once in one, that sat only a few meters to my left, I turned and did a head count. Everyone was here, perfect.

I shifted to my human form. "Okay, listen up! We are not risking a fire tonight. The smoke could give away our position. Take a moment, stretch and do what you must to wind down. We leave again tomorrow at the crack of dawn. One more full days travel and then about two hours the next." I gave everyone the travel plan and pulled out a hot can. It was a meal in a can and already warm. Stayed that way till you open it too. I thought it was a neat invention by the humans. I sat down and prepare others for the rest of the pack. handing them out with spoons. Once I was confident everyone had eaten and was settled, did I finally sit to eat myself. Once I was done, I cleaned up, buried the cans under rocks in the back of the cave and sat at the entrance in wolf form. I decided to take first watch for the night.

I was goofing around with Nellie as James and Running Dreams sorted out their egos and what not. It looked like they were arguing but I wouldn't know because they were using the mind link. As Running Dreams left to go I turned to watch-afraid that they hadn't worked it out. I began to full out worry when he mind linked me. <Running Dreams! You are awesome buddy! I will worship your bike don't worry!> I told him through the mind link letting out a series of yips and excited barks. <Hey, be careful Running Dreams, you better come back in one piece alright?>
I watched as he got in his truck and drove off. James nodded to us and we took off after him. Howls followed after us; however we soon left it behind us as we changed directions and covered more distance. We soon settled down at a cave and were getting ready for the night. James was driving us hard, but I understood. He was worried for his pack and was trying his hardest to get us to safety-and keep us safe. We all sat in various places within the cave and ate. I was mostly silent-weary from the long day of running. I watched as James took care of his pack mates, ate last and cleaned up after us. He even took first watch. I walked up to him and sat by his side, slightly, leaning against his side. <You okay?>

Speeding down he highway, Running Dreams snarled. It felt all kinds of wrong to leave the pack in the dust while he went and get stoned on some warm island beach, while they froze their asses of in some border pass. With a sudden turn, he aimed his truck south on the road, headed for one place- Xiabala. Time had come to use those ratty old tunnels for the one thing the Mayans had designed them for.

After runing dreams left we also headed out, running in our wolf form we came upon a cave. We had ran for hours after we heard a howl in the sky. In the cave we ate a small meal, I noticed our alpha eating after he fed everybody else. We got the plans for tomorrow and we headed to sleep. It was hours into the night and i had woken up and was unable to fall asleep. I sat up and saw the alpha facing outside of the cave and leah leaning against him. It looks like he was watching for any intruders. I got up and headed toward james and leah. I made my presence known and told them I could keep watch until the morning and that we need our leaders strong and not sleepy. I smiled at them

<No, to be honest, I am frightened..... Its been so long since I have had this trouble. I thought it was over with, but now, I find myself exactly where i was several years ago. Fighting the same man I believed to be dead.> I sighed. <I will be fine as soon as this is over and our pack is safe. Then, for once we hopefully can relax.> I told leah, smiling when she leaned against me. When nellie came over I looked over without disturbing Leah's current position. <No Nellie, I will sleep when I need to. If you wish, you can join us though.>

No thnax
I think i will go on a walk, just to get a breath of fresh air...
I needed some fresh air and I just wanted some alone time after the battle but everything happened so sudden that I had no time for myself. After I inform james I headed out into the forest. the forest in the night was quite but peaceful, the crikets sang in their unique language, owls made noises and the creatures are asleep. I came upon a stream where I sat down on against the tree and I looked upon a river full of water... I looked at the water and I remembered about what had today. I remember how I killed that alpha. I killed an alpha... I could't get that out of my mind, that i scoop right to his level and killed him. how does that made me any better then him.... those were the thoughts running through my mind but I kept it hidden so nobody knew what i was thinking about. I leaned into the tree and I closed my eyes and let my thoughts consume me

God, why did I do this... Running Dreams thought quesaly as he stepped in to a flycar. Xiabala, the ancient Myan underworld, also was synnonomus with a massive underground series of tunnels ith gravity-propeled cars on a hanging line. The reason it earned a name synonumus with hell was because climbing in to a wicker basket and pullling a rope that would suddenly accelerate you to 300mph in volcanic lava tubes was very hellish, at least by the part-Myans who discovered it after the origanal Myans left. As Running Dreams pulled the chuck, he grabbed his medicine bag and prayed while a three-ton boulder fell down a volcano. Shortly later, he flew like a bird as the basket got tugged to the Hub. The Hub was a massive extinct lava chamber, where all the lines went. As Running Dreams flew in, he manged a gracefull-ish landing on a mat as the basket plunged to oblivion. Being the extinct center of a dead civalation with it's records locked behind a Tomorow Code, the Hub was known to only him and a select few. Moving to a cache, he revealed his winter weather clothes- equipment made as natrualy as possible for travel to a cold climate. Grabbing and dressing himself in the thick wools and furs, he picked up his war-bow, battle-hachets, knives, lin bao, fire-spitters, and all his other weapons. With a grimance foe the heat, he quickly hopped on to a train that would lead strait to Silver Mountain.

<Nellie, dawn is coming upon us. Please return before we have to come hunting for you.> I requested as a yellow light glowed from behind a mountain. Yea it was still dark here but it will be several hours before the sun rises over the peeks. Leah, at some point, had fallen asleep on my me. She has been leaning on me the whole night. I mentally grinned and licked her face till she woke up. <Its time eat.> I said in a smooth calm voice. In fact, I was calm all morning. I didn't push anyone. The howls of our followers were so far off we could hardly hear them. This was good for us. We could start the journey at a walk. But not for long. Slowly, helping Leah stand in her half sleeping state, i walked us into the cave and prepared food before waking the others. when we ate and all was cleaned up, Nellie arrived. We let her eat as we packed up. Truth be told, there was not much to pack up. We were wolfs after all so its not like we really needed much.

Once all was done, we headed out. Walking for several hours before running. By the time the sun peaked over the mountains, the forest was far behind us and we ran through snow.This was normal. The weather was not too cold, just enough for it to show most the year, leaving it very easy to hunt down pray and trespassers. However, this also meant our followers could track us and this was in no way good. So I lead them to the only place we could lose them. The tunnels. It was too dark in there to see easily and was so wet that it was impossible to rely on sense of smell. Hardly anyone knew of them. They ran through the base of a mountain. The key to getting through was math. Every intersection has three roots to take. The most common first choice is to go forward, so all those tunnels are littered with traps. The choice normally ignored is going left so one in every three is the correct choice leaving only one tunnel to choose from. Going right. However, because people get use to the pattern, only two options go straight. And thats only is your headed the direction you started in. So if you think about it, its simple to get through.

Once on the other side, we made camp at the exit. It had taken most the day to get through that maze. So, in the morning, we will finish the first step of the trip. <Make camp> I announced as I sat up for first watch again. I repeated the same routine as the previous night. feading the others and cleaning up after I ate.

James mind linked me to come back due to dawn coming. I opened my eyes and looked in the sky and started to see dawn was on its way. I transformed to my wolf and headed to the cave. Where I was given food to eat meanwhile james and leah packed up I asked if they wanted help and they declined my offer. We headed out and went through tunnels, which smelled funny and was exhausting. Once we exited the tunnel and i SMELLED fresh air I felt good, it was to squishy in there. We made camp again and james went through the same routine as yesterday. Me being me went out for a walk again and found a clearing to sit at and relax my muscles.
As I closed my eyes for a second I heard multiple howls in the sky and it sounded like it was headed to the camp site which we had built. So I immadetaly got up and transformed in my wolf and made my way back to the camp site. .......

At some point I had fallen asleep against James and was woken by him in what seems like the same second. The morning passes at a quick but steady pace. I was still half asleep and I think more hindrance then help. No matter, we were soon on our way, careful not to leave anything behind. We arrived at the base of a mountain which apparently had a system of tunnels in place. We all followed James in and made our way through the maze like structure. I just hoped that Running Dreams could find his way here…I only hoped. I had been leaving him little clues, as tiny as crumbs and hoped that he would be able to decipher them.