Wintery Surprises

[Leucothea]

"The winters were rough in Alaska, always had been since the first wolves set paw across earth. Wolves had always been native to the area, knew how to survive the harsh wilderness their mother decided to throw their way. Then humans came, and little by little the Alaskan wilderness became a war ground, humans killing off Caribou and moose to feed themselves and the tainted wolves brought over from another place and trained like pets to survive the harsh weather. No one could fully beat mother nature when she attacked, her winters where brutal and her spring was plentiful. Both races lived peacefully for some time, until the humans started taking wolves as a threat. Their dogs pulled them along in carts, pulling logs from all over during the spring to make a small civilization in the middle of nowhere. Human hunting drew the animals away and with it, the wolves who used the area to feed their pack had to move across miles to find food. Many failed and lost their lives, picked up and used as fur for the hairless beings.​

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Time moved on and wolves became the enemy, scrounging for human leftovers to close to homes. The humans began to train their dogs to attack wolves, and in return the war started. Wolves attacked at night, snatching up dogs like rabbits while the same happened to the wolves. Small groups of huskies found lone wolves and attacked, making a horrible unfair advantage. The war had not stopped since. However with a giant storm that wiped out the human species from Alaska, and almost all of the wolves and huskies alike. However despite the conditions of harsh winter and little food the war still played as a barrier.​

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Without humans to kill the wolves, the creatures sought out the opportunity to lower and control the husky numbers. Bringing hundreds down to 13 by the time of this year. Wolves became border patrol keeping the beasts in line till this day." Her voice was weak, bones as fragile as a jellyfish top. Yet her weakening body couldn't stop the female from telling the greatest story of all time. Her name was Khevyel, and she was the mother of the wolves. An elder who marked her own destiny through her stories, mother nature kept her alive for a reason. To carry on the story to other pups and her granddaughter. Aleu, a alpha female heir. A small pack of 10 and five pups on the way from a few females, making the pack stronger through the winters. They expected far too much from her, and Aleu knew she would fail to please her pack.​

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"Watching the huskies this morning hmm?" Her brother nudged her side, making her twist her ear around at his attention while he rubbed his body against her like a cat before sitting down next to her. Aleu found watching the easiest way to keep the pack safe. They wouldn't get far without the wolves watching them, huskies ate the rabbits which hopped into the cabins for warmth. Aleu sighed, at least they had the old cabins to stay warm. Her brother nudged her again and licked her cheek "Alek knows you're here, he wants you to watch over Khevyel and the pregnant females while we go hunting. Shouldn't keep him waiting Aleu"​

 

[Metal_Baby_Lulu]

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The husky breed came to be about from domesticated wolves that kept breeding into the smaller stature canine it was now. In the harsh frost covered lands of Alaska, there was no better breed to use in traveling the land. Strapped to sleighs they pulled men and supplies alike. A far cry from their wolf cousins. Somehow throughout history the rift between the two became a strong one and as a pup you are brought up to know that wolves are only good for two things, killing or being killed. The hierarchy of the husky pack was much like the wolves. There was the alpha male and female followed by their grown up children that do not breed, yet that is, that one will eventually succeed their dying father followed by the younger dogs whose job is to hunt and protect the young.​

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Kobuk sat staring out at the white wilderness a mere inch from the line. The invisible division that kept him and his pack in a prison. The sun was just setting and the last bit of light reflected off the solid barren land and lit up his near white crystal gaze. He spent a lot of time at the barrier, looking out with hate whenever he'd see a wolf stroll by in the clearing of the woods. He heard the padding of paws before his brother pushed himself into his side.​

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"Mother's been asking for you Kobuk. Wants to know if you've decided on a mate." Koyuk said poking his nose to his brother again. Kobuk shot him a glance and sighed moving his head a fraction to signal a no. Koyuk sighed and yawned. "She's going to be angry." "Well I don't see a reason Koyuk. What is the point to keep breeding in this prison? To give them more to come and destroy? They'll snatch up the young as a damn appetizer before they get to us. I'm not breeding until our pack is free." Kobuk snarled standing and running off in the opposite direction of home. "Don't be caught out alone!" Koyuk called as he scampered off towards the den.​

 

[Leucothea]

Aleu stood and shook herself of the fallen snow which collected at the bottom of her fur. Giving her shorter brother a loving lick on his nose she walked through the small patch of pines which covered them from view above. Without a look back to see if he brother was following she trotted home, her mind running with longing to explore those old houses the huskies claimed. It wasn't much to see the huskies up close, she had seen them plenty of times as a pup, dead and ripped apart like rough hide from an animal. Aleu was fascinated with human items, especially their pocket watches. She had seen them shining in the snow, washed up from the storms and cleaned by the melting of snow. She had many in her den, if seven was supposed to be counted as many. Alek often brought her back items he finds. Only she knew the real reason, Alek had been trying to win her heart. Wolves of her pack became accustomed by watching the village through the years that wooing a female with gifts would get her heart. During the spring when the rivers and waterfalls flow again, the gifts would become more and soon it will come to the horrors of mounting.

Once chosen as mates the male and female will travel farther out from the pack to mate and spend two moons alone to mate and get the female pregnant when it gets close to her heat. Aleu couldn't understand staying two moons with Alek, he was not her perfect choice. He would never be. His eyes were not full of love, and far from innocence. After checking that her brother was not indeed behind her, Aleu took the longest way around, walking as slowly as she could, her eyes on the fallen snow. Soon it would be melting and she would be gone.

 

[Metal_Baby_Lulu]

Kobuk ran fiercely for a while feeling for just a moment that he was free. He ran until he reached the frozen lake. The silent tempting walk that led to many deaths of human, wolf and husky alike. He stepped onto it with one paw feeling still the pulse of moving water beneath. He wanted out... to be free but not enough to risk his life. It would kill his sickened mother to know her son had left without sire-ing a litter of his own.

His whole life he had known that he his kind would be stuck behind the barrier. He knew that with the population of huskies being controlled by wolves they would never grow strong enough to fight back. They would pick off the new pups two or three at a time. With only ten or twenty of them born they were lucky if two of them reached to see a year's life. In the spring he would succeed his father's position as alpha and would need to choose his mate and have her birth his first litter in order to do so. The tensions between the family drove him to run away and stay away from them. He did not eat in collection with them from their hunts. He hunted on his own, stayed on his own. That way he wouldn't have to read his father's disappointment.

 

[Leucothea]

"Ah Aleu, you took your dear sweet time to get here didn't you? No matter we have to hunt and it's your turn to watch the pups" Alek's body came crushing down on Aleu, she was small compared to him, but she couldn't deny him the right as alpha to pose his dominance on her. She lowered her body and rolled onto her back, a sign of submission she hated to give. Even if she chose him as a mate and became alpha female, she would never truly be above his dominance. His sand colored body moving above her as he licked her face in welcome. Eventually moving and allowing Aleu to wipe off her cheeks with the sides of her legs. Shaking the dirt and snow from her muscular body. Letting a growl escape her lips as alek moved on, her brother trailing behind the Alpha. Shaking her head, Aleu licked her lips and went to keep Khevyel company. The grey fragile creature lifted her head and allowed Aleu to lick it. "Watching the pets have we child? Back in my childhood we didn't have to watch them, they were to scared to move an inch. At least fifty of us now isn't that right?" the old wolf blew by conversation s far to quickly for Aleu to answer them. The female layed on the cover of sticks and pine needles the old dog was given as a bed to protect her soft state from the harsh ground. "20 wolves Khevyel. We have twenty" Aleu lowered her head to the needles and watched the prgnant mothers tend to the pups the other females left behind. Aleu had always wanted a few litters, expirience what it would be like to have a child of your own and have some of the single and pregnant females watch other them when she went hunting.

 

[Metal_Baby_Lulu]

Kobuk's ears twitched as he heard a sound off near a tree. He crept low onto the ground his white fur with barely any gray or black camouflaging him into their surroundings as he moved closer. A small rabbit appeared and sat scared as it saw the dog before him. In a blink of an eye it took off and Kobuk followed it racing to get his meal. He didn't even notice he had passed the barrier. He swept to the side moving stealthily and quickly until he had the mammal in his grasp, between his teeth. He tore it open with a few bites lapping at the blood that stained his paws and snout. He ate at his meal oblivious that he was playing with his own life at the moment.

 

[Leucothea]

Aleu had fallen into a light sleep against the old female. Soft vibrations of the elder speaking stories to the pups and the pregnant mothers, stories Aleu had heard far to many times until each one was imprinted into her blood. She could recite those words like the humans recited the bible at church. And soon all those pups would feel those words creep into their blood like a virus and spread quickly. Stories were all Aleu had to remember her pack if anything happened to them, it was clear that one more storm and harsh winter would be Khevyel's last, the wolf Aleu had called her mother for years was growing so old and frail the wind tried to carry her spirit away on many occasions. It had gotten so worse that the fragile creature only moved to the bathroom, what little energy she could have from that. Wolves clung to their elders like a newborn child to a mother. Aleu's amber eyes opened slowly as the smell of fresh blood wafted into the clearing. Her head lifted and she blinked the tiredness out of her eyes. There was no possible way the males had come back with a kill already, Hunting Elk took days, but it was weeks the meat stayed fresh under ice. The pack never ate much and yet they were completely healthy. Shaking herself free of pine needles, she let her nose and paws take her to the field where she smelt the dead rabbit. And a husky who didn't belong. Aleu stood her ground and growled, puffing her body up more than her size was already and snapped her jaws. Her tail sticking above her back like a scorpions.

 

[Metal_Baby_Lulu]

Kobuk was so engrossed in eating his meal for the first time in a week that he did not hear the wolf approach. It wasn't until he heard the growl and snapping of jaws that his crystal eyes looked up and darkened. He bared his teeth and puffed his own coat out as he too stood his ground. He still thought he was on his grounds. She was larger than he was even before she puffed out her coat and her hair standing on edge. His eyes never left her and he snarled at her.

"Let me eat in peace. I haven't bothered your kind." he snapped his entire body tensing, his muscles locking him in place.

 

[Leucothea]

This only infuriated Aleu, she snapped her jaws again, this idiot was putting her whole family in danger and she wasn't going to let him stay here. She wanted to be Alpha female, she wanted to end this war despite how much she wanted the husky kind dead. Those cabins would be in better use if they were for her pack and not for a small group who didn't need them. However she would make sure he made the first move to attack, he was stupid enough to hunt in her territory. "Go home, you don't belong here." Her position was far different from her voice and sadly she couldn't fix something like that. She had a sweet voice, it was sharp but a voice used for making those long wolf calls. The singing of first mates, mates for life. Aleu lifted her ears and tilted them to the side, fear hitting her muscles. Alek was back, the high pitched barks of her brother and the rest of them. Her anger turned to fear, for the husky. "Run, now! Get out of here!" she yelped, sadly it was loud enough to draw her males attention. They howled and barked for her and she knew Alek and her brother would make no time to separate and find her. "Run!" As the barks got louder and louder Aleu had no choice but to risk her own life to help this enemy. Something told her inside to keep him alive. She bolted towards him keeping her head low until it met with his front. Trying to push him into moving. "Come on, get out of here! Go, they'll kill you if you don't move!"

 

[Metal_Baby_Lulu]

"What do you mean I don't belong here? You pompous wolves think all of Alaska belongs to your mangy kind" he said with not as much ferocity. Her voice had thrown him off. It was so sweet compared to her demeanor. She looked as if she would rip him apart without a care in the world. Just like the rest of them. Kobuk hated this pointless rivalry. If it were up to him the wolves and huskies would live in peace. Unfortunately though the deep seated hate was bred into them. He never bothered with it, though he would protect himself and his family if it came to that.

Kobuk's ears tipped and his nose twitched as the scent of male wolves hit his nose. They would all have their way and tear him apart. He watched her his fur settling and his eyes taking her in with confusion. Was she really asking him to get out of there and save himself? He didn't even know what to say or think. Maybe she was just giving him a head start for her mate. Out of nowhere she charged him hitting him in the chest. He staggered back blinking his eyes at her before lowering his head to her as a nod and turning to run off as fast as he could. He ran fiercely as the memory of the moment kept repeating in his mind. Why had she done such a thing? She could get herself killed! "Why?"

 

[Leucothea]

Aleu took a seat once he was out of her view and gave a long sigh, that was far too close for comfort. That stupid husky could have gotten himself killed, roaming outside of his cage like that. Food or not, it was dangerous. Aleu had to think why she had let the husky go, she could have easily killed him despite his want to prove himself. Yet she let him go, warned him to go home before his body was devoured by her pack. Bending down to sniff at the mangled rabbit she wrinkled her nose and sneezed. Smelt horrible, like a decaying body, and Aleu used her long tail to slide it far from her nose. With one glance back in the direction the husky ran her males had returned to her side. Keeping close together, one elk on their backs, their fangs covered in fur that had broken off of the huge animal.

"Are you alright, A?" her brother trotted to her side and sat down, rubbing his cheeks against her like a cat. A bit roughly pushing her form to the side and giving a chuckle "Mind helping us? Since you left the pups and Khevyel alone. Alek is not happy with you" her brother gave a sigh and nudged her to her feet, escorting her and the other wolves home. Aleu knew what she had done was horrible, if Alek found out what she had done, her life would be in danger, despite his want of her. Lucky her brother seemed not to notice the smell of the husky dog she encountered.

 

[Metal_Baby_Lulu]

Kobuk reached the abandoned cabins and tried to slip into the one he slept in unnoticed. His brother raised an ear knowing the sounds of Kobuk's padding anywhere. "You're finally home brother." Kobuk's eyes narrowed as he shot a glance at his litter mate. At once their father Kenai, the alpha male, slowly trotted towards him. "Where have you been. Your mother has been waiting for you for hours. What have you to say for yourself?" the elder growled. Kobuk lowered at his father's presence, a sign of submission. "I was hunting." was the explanation he could give him. It wasn't fully a lie, at least that's what Kobuk thought.

"Listen here the others have told me you sit at the border and stare out like a lost pup. What are you waiting for? To get ripped apart by the savages beyond that line?" he snarled stepping closer and exerting his dominance over his young. "You will choose your mate and assume your position by sundown on the full moon do you understand me?" Kobuk released a tiny whine of assertion and waited till his father had left before standing. "Oh you have pissed him off this time. What were you doing?" "Shut up Koyuk." Kobuk growled before moving to lay in the large crate he had made his bed. He turned so he couldn't see the other huskies that lay about the cabin. The breeze carried a chill that filled the cabin. Kobuk merely curled up more and slept. He couldn't get her face out of his dreams.

 

[Leucothea]

Luckily Alek was not home, he was busy patrolling while the other males dropped the elk carcass on the ground in the middle of the grounds. Alan eyed his sister as the other wolves rushed towards the meal and sat around it waiting for the Alpha male to declare it edible. He shook his head and trotted towards his sister, licking her cheek "The pack is hungry, might want to send a message to Alek and tell him the meal is here. You like doing that" Aleu wagged her tail pleased that her brother would suggest such a thing. Already offering a small task which the Alpha female took. Aleu bolted through the trees, snow falling from the trees around her as she swivled through as if like a snake. It was her favorite thing to do, howling stood for many reasons also to alert for danger depending on how it was used. There was a certain slice of the mountain they rested on which looked out to the river and the cabins below. Aleu met her spot and took a seat, collecting her excitement and bellowing out a beautiful howl of victory at a meal. And to warn the huskies to stay close to their dens. Aleu closed her eyes slowly letting the wind swipe through her fur in a loving embrace as she breathed in the chilly air and howled loudly and wondrously again.

 

[Metal_Baby_Lulu]

The sound had the husky pups shivering and whining for protection. It made the adult huskies growl, their chests rumbling with displeasure. Kobuk's ears shot up and he turned his head. He moved out of the cabin slowly moving through a patch of trees and sitting a few feet from the barrier staring up on the mountain where he could see her howling, the wolf from before. Her howl was one his kind had heard many times. Of course they all knew what it meant as well. It was fluid and sweet as it cut through the air smoothly like the wolves teeth would be cutting through flesh, that she was now announcing.

He watched her, fascinated with her and still confused as to why she had done what she did earlier in the day. He wished he could howl a meal call to his own pack. They were nearly starving the bastard wolves keeping them corralled in. So many times it seemed like so little hope was worth having. There had been huskies that had been dumb enough to try to escape. They never made it ten minutes past the barrier. Wolves had also had a downfall to huskies. Of course two dogs would equal one wolf with its superior stature and strength. Kobuk wanted freedo of his people and freedom for his own self of all the traditions that dictated his every move as successor to the alpha role.

 

[Leucothea]

Aleu finished her call and forced her body down to the ground, panting roughly at the amount of air it took to form such a loud fluent howl. It was supposed to echo through the trees, the rivers, the very cabins of those who oppose the wolves as rulers of the land. It marked mating rights for the females, the male with the loudest howl got his choice of female. As alpha, Alek had the longest and deepest howl, he had chosen Aleu many times. Yet she had never been there to hear him, she was often in her own world, dreaming of other such things than mates, such an unimportant topic in her mind. However she knew it would become her time when she would have to accept the Alpha's advances and take her place as the ruled over ruler. Her chin rested on the chill of the snow, her eyes rolling around to observe what she could before she was the act of babysitter once again. So many times she imagined living alone, she would be as good as a husky alone, catching only rabbits and whatever animal spring would promise them. Aleu shifted her head slightly and lifted her head to get a better view at a small figure from the level. However from the view it only seemed like a small bush, she didn't know if it was a dog or not. But she threw her head back and glanced away from the distraction as if she was ashamed. She knew she would get no sleep tonight, she wasn't even hungry enough to eat.

 

[Metal_Baby_Lulu]

Kobuk noticed the way she shifted as if she could see him. One of his best qualities was his ability to camouflage in the frosted land they called home. He was nearly completely white with so little gray and his eyes were so light they usually looked white at times as well, just the slightest sliver of steel gray made his eyes stand out. He couldn't understand her movements and it unsettled him that he wanted to know. She had been by far the most interesting wolf he had run into. He moved his head slowly as if the barrier could be physically seen. Replaying the previous encounter he stepped back snorting through his nose angrily.

He had been out of their lands and into the wolves when he had run after that blasted rabbit. No wonder she had come at him the way she had and told him to leave. Like most huskies he had been caught up in the loathing of their kind to notice that he was completely wrong and had it not been for the weird off chance that she would keep him alive, he would have been the flesh offered as a meal tonight to her people. He had to apologize... he didn't believe in the barrier but he was wrong... He moved from side to side for a moment thinking of ways to apologize.

 

[Leucothea]

Aleu huffed where she lay, it wouldn't matter if someone was watching her from the barrier. Her fellow wolves guarded the barrier against anything and a husky was stupid if they thought they could step across unscathed. Wisps of mist wrapped around the air in a loose embrace, disappearing into the sky like snow left out in the boiling heat. Hearing a few paws behind her she lifted her head and tilted her ears to the sound. Khevyel's gaunt body snailed its way towards Aleu. The poor wolf woman was skin and bones, such weak legs Aleu had to get up quickly and assist the old granny to the top of the rock. The wolf wheezed and shakily brought herself to a sitting position "Child...." she started, shivering against Aleu's warm body. Khevyel used to be the most excellent color of bark, it was a rare color among wolves and one with such a coat became ranked as higher than the alpha's. Aleu was just a snowy white, grey and black. Speckles of sand brown along with it but Aleu was only special because the alpha male wanted her for mating rights. The old creature next to Aleu, whose fur was so sacred to the pack, was now the dullest of gray like the lead from a human's sketchbook drawing. The lightest. "You should be eating with the rest of us"

Aleu shook her head "You should be in your den, sleeping and not trying to strain your body. Your bones are weak, walk anymore and you might snap" rolling her eyes as the old wolf gave a soft chuckle and nudged closer for warmth "Hush girl, I'm not broken yet..... Something is wrong Aleu, you are troubled" White eyes stared up at the young female, expecting an answer.

"I let a husky go today. He crossed into our borders and i let him go" "And why?" "Felt like the right thing to do." Aleu's voice was quiet. But the old female still heard and weakly nodded. "Don't let Pinecone hear that." Khevyel always called Alek a pinecone, before he became alpha he had been knocked unconcious by a falling pinecone. Granny used whatever excuse to mock him for it. The old wolf had nothing to lose.

 

[Metal_Baby_Lulu]

"If it isn't little Kobuk." The husky tensed in his tracks as his name was spoken. He turned to look and find Enoch trotting towards him. "Enoch.." Kobuk sighed with a bow of his head. "I wondered if that was you. What has got you sitting out by the barrier? The wolves might just get cocky enough to cross and snap you to pieces. Mother would be most upset." His litter mate had been away in mating and was running against him for the position of alpha. Their mother had always longed for Enoch to succeed the throne so to speak but their father Kenai, knew there was more to Kobuk that met the eye.

"I have watched you watching that wolf. Are you wishing to end her?" Enoch asked with a rumble of laughter. Kobuk shot him an icy glare and set himself to stance. "This is my area Enoch head on to the cabins." Kobuk said with a sharp tone. Enoch's glimmer of playfulness dulled instantly as he spoke to him that way. "I will be sure to let mother know where you are." he added with an audacious laugh. "Be sure to tell her how you ended up without an ear." Kobuk snarled at his brother. The latter simply chuckled and trotted off.

 

[Leucothea]

It was time to take the old wolf back to her den, luckily such a sickly wolf was not able to be seen by the huskies watching below, just because Aleu saved one from being killed didn't mean she trusted them. She should have killed the dog when she had the chance, one day that might turn around and bite her in the rear. Aleu rusted her head inbetween the slim space of the elder's legs and lifted up the fragile creature onto her back. Khevyel had fallen asleep during the talking, having lost the remaining energy the elder had for transport. Aleu turned and walked home in silence like most other nights. Her brother busy with what the humans called a girlfriend instead of a mate and hunting when the alpha commanded it so. Her brother usually walked with her any other night. When she arrived home shortly after leaving she was met with Alek and his cold stare at her face. "You were supposed to come home right after you gave the call. You could have been hurt or run into one of those mutts" his voice was deep, his snout stained red from the blood of the elk. "Leave the child alone pinecone, she was just taking me out for a walk like I asked. You don't expect an old woman like me to see the sights with my weak body do you?" Khevyel had woken up for the time being, her small head turning slowly to Aleu's shoulder. Alek snorted, he hated the name pinecone but no one would dare go against elders, it was against their beliefs. "Go eat and tell someone first before you decide to go on a trip old bat" Alek snapped and glared at Aleu who walked slowly past him and slipped into the wide den that her and the elder shared. "Thank you for not saying anything to him" Aleu layed the elder down gently on her bed. "Don't worry about pinecone, I'm more likely to forget about our talk in the morning" Khevyel answered.

 

[Metal_Baby_Lulu]

Kobuk had run around during the night finding a spot to sleep high in the only mountain behind the cabins that was still husky country. He tried his hardest to keep her out of his thoughts but all he wanted was to see her again and thank her for saving his life. He woke with frost sticking to his whiskers. He lapped at it with his tongue. He sat up when he heard the sound of feet. He turned to see a young fox who stopped in its tracks. His stomach grumbled and he stood to run after it. He made it to the edge of the barrier and stopped in his tracks. "Lucky bastard." he growled instantly aflame with the damn rules the wolves saw themselves fit to pose. Who died and made them kings anyway? One day he was going to get away. Far away from the cabins, from the wolves and from the damn barrier.