Valerie was staying with her new pack, with her mate, and only made regular visits these days. Her mate, which just happened to be in Harold’s Pack was a newly appointed Delta in charge of training the ‘youths’. Aaron and Aiden where also there for the next three days… She had to find Aiden… They needed to know…

She quickly tied the blanket around her in such a way that she could climb up the tree while still making sure that Clara didn’t ‘fall’. The trees were thick and lush, many of the trees she could easily jump from one to the other leaving no tracks and very little of her scent since everything was ‘wet’ and muddy from the winter rain. Thankful that her mother packed a rope as well she threw the rope around the tree trunk and after three steps up the tree trunk she started slipping, the mud on her shoes making this a bit ‘trick’. She loosened the laces and tied the two together and then through the last hoops she weaved the extended ‘rope’ and made a small knot and then tied the other end to the rope. Now her shoes where loos, but she just needed it to stay on her feet for a few steps…

Her toes curled as to grip her shoes, and make sure it stayed on she took her first step, second step, third, she felt herself slipping and relaxed her toes as she made the next step the shoe dropping & dangling between the other shoe and the rope that was tied on either side of it. Another step and she let the last shoe drop, now hanging down the rope that she used as leverage to climb the tree. She continued until she reached the top. Running & jumping on the trees she headed west to the town before tossing the shoes.

“You see if any of them are even half as good as Dad then they’ll still find us really fast, so this should buy us just a little extra time.” She told her baby sister and then headed north for a while – to the direction of the town. Heading towards where she had placed one of her bird traps in the trees she was glad to see five small birds had been trapped going to open the cage she purposefully cut her hand and smeared some blood on the birds’ feathers and set them free and then headed east towards the lake, constantly taking the long round about routes, as she continued to make diversions, heading off course to break twigs and throw it down even going as far as purposefully breaking larger branches. Before back tracking and heading back on the original course to the lake.

She had her destination, she had to warn Alpha Rodrick of what happened, and what she could only think of was that the attack was the work of rogues that might head to them next… But an irritated nagging told her that it was already too late… and she could even go as far to say that it almost felt as though it was trying to tell her even if it wasn’t… that she was making the wrong choice… that she should head …

When she reached a good distance, climbing through trees she got back to ‘safer’ grounds and ran for the lake, it was a bit out of the way towards the Forest Dew Pack. Their Pack and hers, the Forest Lake, were ‘sister’ Packs, the only thing dividing the two was the lake and a few rock hills surround by the seemingly endless forest.

But the lake was her best shot to insure she got to her brothers safely…

…

“Where is she?” A man dressed in a suit asked, behind him a greying old man followed him around his silver eyes reflecting the moon, taking in the destruction of the Forest Lake Pack.

“You promised me I’d have her in my grasp by morning!” The young man remained calm, but anyone that knew him knew he was just about ready to kill any one of them. The wolves were going around inspecting every nook and cranny for survivors, searching for any young girls younger than thirteen.

“I cannot accurately track her, not until the last of the twelve are born… Even then it would be difficult.”

“So all we have is to find where they hid the children, but according to your vision she could very well have been in the other pack our decoys attacked.”

“No, I felt a sense of safety from the girl with this ‘Andrew’ from my vision, the Beta of the Forest Lake Pack!”

“Go check the Beta’s house. I want her found now!” The man finally barked, every wolf running to find any survivors or any trace that someone had escaped.

“We have tracks leading into the forest.” One of the wolves came running and shifted bowing, keeping his head low.

“Then? What are you waiting for, follow it!” The man snapped.

“Sir… The tracks end about a mile into the forest.”

“Then track the scent, they couldn’t have gone far.”

“Their scents are masked by the forest and mud.”

“How many tracks? Show me.” Another wolf asked, younger than the wolf who was clearly in charge of the assault, but by the looks of the two they were clearly related.

“One set.” The man led him to the forest. He stopped to observe the nearby surrounding, only one double story house. Following the tracks until it disappears; he sniffed the air and checked the trees for any traces that someone might have climbed it with their muddied feet… But only one set of muddy sneakers were on the tree right were the last of the tracks ended… and it didn’t go high it was right near the ground… He continued to scour the area until a few minutes later he found the said sneakers about fifty meters east of the last tracks. The smell was faint… but it was there… the smell of the forest… sweeter than the rest of the forest’s smells. He followed it until it seemed to disappear, but the proof was there, twigs and sticks littering a small trail.

“Smart.” The younger man said, grinning… But the grin disappeared when the smell suddenly changed ever so slightly… The smell of blood… such a vexing smell…

“Sir, did you find anything?”

“Tell Jacob they’re heading North-West. That whoever escaped is injured most likely to set more lures…” He spotted a bird perched on a tree no too far and ordered one of the wolves to catch it.

“Cuz, you are really a great tracker.” Jacob said coming forward not in the least upset that his shoes were muddied.

“What you got here?” He sees the one of the wolves carrying a bird.

“Blood… So this is what you meant that our little escapee is injured.” Jacob plucked one of the feathers and tasted the blood, and the wolves cautiously stepped back fear evident in their scents. Jacob grinned, he sharp canines glinting in the night, his blood boiling for the hunt that laid ahead of him.

“You sure he's heading into town?” Jacob asked.

“It makes the most sense, but I can’t be too sure, the scents keep changing, whoever it is… Knows how to lose a tail.”

“Good. I’ll take over from here, you head back, make sure our tracks are properly cleaned up then regroup with the others, we’ll meet in town.” Jacob shifted his pitch black wolf’s fur shone a vibrant blue hue compared to the dull midnight darkness that surrounded them.

Heading straight for the Beta’s house, the younger leader needed to check on something… something that was bothering him and making him question his skills… no it was something else, something more sinister…

Entering the house he came across two bodies sprawled atop the each other… He froze… His breathing suddenly rugged…

…

Reaching the lake she headed straight for the cabin, it was still pitch black night outside, but in the distance she could make out the orange glow where the last of the fire torched her home. Right now she didn’t have time to spare, instead of checking the supplies she ran out and around the cabin to where a quad-bike was kept beneath a tarp. Undoing the knots securing it in place she threw it off and hoped it would still work. The first few times the engine only moaned and groaned the fifth time was her lucky number as it roared to life, startling Clara still tied in a bundle around her shoulder and waist, but she didn’t cry instead she looked at Aegis with some sort of frustration…

“Just be patient with me, Clara!” Aegis pleaded as she pulled away and trying to keep her balance on the bike while it slid-and-slide beneath her on the muddy ground, she didn’t dare slow down! The sun was rising fast now, the forest covered in an eerie smog… She reached the Forest Dew Pack only to see wolves carrying away their fallen brethren… she was too late; they were already attacked as well…

“Aiden! Aaron!” She left the quad there by the forest edge and ran and weaved between the crowds looking for them, no one paid her any thought. She ran to the Pack house, Alpha Rodrick right outside.

“Alpha! Where’s my brothers?” Aegis asked, Alpha Rodrick looking at her first confused then shocked and finally recognition dawned on him.

“Aegis? Aiden and Aaron headed home just before the attack. Why are you here?”

“We were attacked…” Not sparing any time to explain, Aegis handed Clara to the Alpha and was already running back, back to where the quad was. Starting it, she spun it around and raced back, trying to stop them before they run into the rogues, the sun that peeked through the ever growing and darkening clouds, made the atmosphere of the forest seem eerier than ever before, and maybe it was because she knew the horrors she’d find in them that it bothered her so much.

She followed the roads she knew they’d have taken, she was almost back home when she saw the smoldering wooden houses, and nearby forest trees burnt to char.

“No…” Her breath hitched and she started running through every inch hoping to find someone who was still alive. When she reached ‘home’, her mother was slumped over Tristan blood pooled around them. Aaron and Aiden standing… frozen.

“Dad… Where’s Dad?” Her voice a bit louder than a whisper.

“He’s dead… Everyone’s dead…” Aaron was clearly shocked.

“Why are you here? Why are you alive?” Aaron snapped grabbing Aegis by the shoulders and shaking her violently as she stared passed him and to where her little brother was… lifeless…

“I should have waited… I should have taken him with me…” Aegis said slipping out of Aaron’s grip and to her knees. Sure her family was broken and spite her ‘wounded’ heart – how they came to treat her – she still loved them, especially Tristan, he was her buddy…

“Aegis? Where’s Clara?” Aiden asked, his tone cold and emotionless…

“With Alpha Rodrick…” Aegis voice broke, realizing her family was now shattered.

“Let’s go.” Aiden took Aaron by the arm and lead him away, leaving her there alone.

Aegis had been knelt there staring at her dead mother and brother for almost five days before Alpha Rodrick and a few of his men came to check what the ‘damage’ was to her home, the first snow already fallen, the storm raging outside had kept them from coming earlier.

Luna Brea, Harold’s mother coming along to bring Aegis back. She recognized the girl, she hadn’t seen in years, instantly.

“Sweet-pea…? It’s going to be alright.” She knelt down and hugged Aegis. She was furious when she saw the twins returning alone without Aegis, and even more so when she heard just how bad the attack was at the other end of their forest, but she couldn’t very well scold them… they had just lost their parents… instead she tried to tell them how they should instead be looking out for one another, just like how Aegis had made her way running between Packs and back in search for them. They didn’t even budge; Aaron even scowled at her for bringing up Aegis before heading to his room in the Pack-House, giving to him for when he stayed over, since he’d be joining the Forest Dew Pack when he was of age and ready to become the Beta.