A/N: Here's my một giây story, I hope that you'll enjoy it. Please review on what bạn think of it, hoặc how I'm doing. Anyways enjoy the story.
Heres a Summary: Humphrey jumped on the train and left Jasper Park to become a lone wolf. Now Kate has to go find him and bring him home. Will she be able to bring him home? hoặc will Humphrey be too hurt to come home. Read to find out
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Chapter 1: Leaving Jasper
Humphrey's POV
I sitting in the boxcar of the train I had jumped on a few hours cách đây to leave Jasper. I looked out the open door and watched the forest go bởi me; the sun was beginning to set. My mind was Mất tích in thought. 'I can't believe Kate never told me she was getting married to Garth, after all we went through.' I thought 'Well maybe being a lone chó sói, sói won't be so bad.' I laid down 'Hmm... I wonder where the train will take me this time.' I was heading north and out of Jasper Park. 'I guess I'll get some sleep and see where I am in the morning' I closed my eyes and fell asleep
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Back in Jasper
Kate POV
I was laying down in the Alpha den, I couldn't sleep knowing that Humphrey was all alone out there somewhere. I never married Garth, how could I if my tim, trái tim belonged to someone else, and that someone was Humphrey. Now I made him leave and I may never get to see him and tell him how I feel about him. 'I have to find him!' My mind yelled at me, I got up and was about to walk out the den when my mom opened her eyes and saw me waking out of the den.
"Where are bạn going Kate?" She asked
"I'm going to find Humphrey, no matter what it takes." I said
"Well okay but bạn be careful I don't want bạn getting hurt." She said
"I won't, I'm going to find him and bring him home." I đã đưa ý kiến before running out of the den
I ran a little way through the forest and stopped in a small clearing. I smelled the air around me looking for his sent; I couldn't find it so I walked around the area, still smelling for his sent.
After searching high and low for 20 phút I found his sent. I started running again, following his sent. I wasn't long before I approached the train tracks that ran through Jasper Park. As soon as I got to the tracks his sent vanished 'He must of gotten on the train.' I thought to myself, I decided not to wait for the tiếp theo train and start walking along the track, heading north. "I'm coming Humphrey" I đã đưa ý kiến and kept walking
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Back on the Train
Humphrey's POV
The sun was rising over the mountains in the east, I opened my eyes. The train was still moving and I had slept through most of the night. I looked out the boxcar door, the scenery and trees look mostly the same as they did back in Jasper but there was a lot thêm snow and it was much much cooler. I let out a shiver, I could see some dark clouds up ahead but where I was it was clear with a few high clouds.
I got up a stretched; my body was stiff from sleeping on the hard ground of the boxcar floor. I decided that it was time to get off the train and explore this new area to see if there was I place I could live. I looked out ahead of the train waiting for the perfect time to jump. When I saw a clear spot I jumped of the train, jumping in the opposite direction the train was going to minimize the impact one my legs. I landed safely on the ground, and watched the train keep going and disappear into the distance.
I looked around this new world I was in. There were plenty of trees and bushes. The ground was covered in snow in a few spots, I could see some birds flying around between the trees. 'This seems like a calm and peaceful place.' I thought to myself, I started waking again, still looking around for a place I could call home.
Up ahead I could see a small valley between two tall snow caped mountains. 'Maybe I'll find a good trang chủ in there' I kept walking toward the valley in the distance, the dark clouds were getting closer and I knew that I had to find some shelter fast. I quickened my pace to try and beat the distance storm. My path through the forest started to get a little steeper as I ascended into the valley up ahead of me. I kept up the pace the storm slowly catching up with me, I looked behind me and I could see some lighting striking out of the dark clouds, I could also see the pouring rain too. I looked up ahead and saw a huge narrow pond with a river running into it. 'I’m sure I have time to take a quick water break.' I slowed down and walled up to the ponds bờ biển line. I bent my head down and started drinking the water. When I finished and was about to get back up I was hit on my side. I flew a few feet sideways and landed hard on the ground. I looked up to see a dark grey chó sói, sói above me, growling at me. I quickly got to my feet and backed away slowly.
"Who are bạn and what are bạn doing in my area?" The chó sói, sói asked
"I’m sorry, I didn't know this was your area, I'm new around here, please don't hurt me." I đã đưa ý kiến still backing away
"Well I'll let bạn go this time, but tiếp theo time I see bạn in my area, I will kill you!" He đã đưa ý kiến "Go now!"
"Okay okay" I đã đưa ý kiến getting up and walking past the chó sói, sói and along the narrow pond bờ biển line "Gees what was his problem." I đã đưa ý kiến to no one in particular.
I kept heading deeper into the valley following the narrow pond. The storm was right above me and it started raining. I looked over and saw a small cave 'I guess I'll sleep there tonight.' I thought and walked toward the cave. I walked in and saw that no one was home. I walked to the back of the cave and laid down, falling asleep with the sound of thunder outside.
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Chapter 2: A New Home
Humphrey's POV
I woke up in a moist cave, I could see fog just outside the entrance of the cave. I remembered that I slept here to ride out the storm that was chasing me the ngày before. I got up and stretched cracking my back, the ground of the cave as hard and uneven making it difficult to find a conferrable position to sleep in. The air was moist and cool, it was much mát, máy làm mát in this new place than it was in Jasper. I walked out of the den taking a quick look around me. There was some snow patches here and there. There were lots of pine trees and shrubs all over, moss was growing on some of the trees and dangling down the branches. With all the fog bạn couldn't see vary far, everything had a kind of eerie look to them like there was something was going to jump out of the thick fog and attack me.
I walked around not straying too far from the cave I slept in, I found a small stream that flowed behind the cave where I could get some water. I lowered my head and drank the water, to my surprise the water was the purest I ever drank. 'Wow that's good water' I thought to myself 'Maybe I'll just stick around here and live in the cave for a few days.' I lifted my head back up and kept exploring. There was a light mist in the air making my lông, lông thú a little damp, I followed the stream upstream finding that it kept getting steeper and steeper. I kept climbing and the clouds kept getting brighter and brighter with each step I took, indicating that I was getting to the hàng đầu, đầu trang of the đám mây layer. I found that the vegetation wasn't as deice as it was back down at the cave. I finally popped out of the clouds and found that I hit the cây line, all the trees just stopped and it was nothing but snow and rocks beyond that. I stopped and looked at the view around me. The mountain hàng đầu, đầu trang was about another mile hoặc so up ahead, all of the clouds seemed to of have been pushed and trapped in the thin valley. It was clear enough that I could see the train tracks where I got off the train yesterday way far in the distance.
I decided that I climbed far enough and turned around descending back in to the clouds and fog. It was windier up here then it was back down in the clouds. I was making my way in the fog when I heard a twig snap across from me. I turned my head and prepared myself for another attack, but nothing jumped out at me. I walked over to where the noise came from and I saw a con sóc, sóc on the ground trying to break open a pinecone. I stopped and hid behind a small bush, 'Looks like I found some breakfast.' I thought to myself. I got into a crouching position and prepared to pounce at it. I jumped at him, flying straight for him, but the con sóc, sóc saw me and ran out of the way. I landed hard on the ground, I saw the con sóc, sóc running away. I quickly got up to my paws and ran after it, slowly gaining on it. I was right behind it almost able to reach him, I was so busy focusing on the con sóc, sóc that I didn't notice that it was heading straight for a tree. The con sóc, sóc ran up the cây and I slammed head first into the tree. I fell to the ground, my head was in so much pain from the impact. I looked up and saw the con sóc, sóc laughing at me this ticked me off.
"Why bạn little bastard!" I yelled at it "Don't bạn worry I'll catch bạn tiếp theo time!"
"Who are bạn talking too?" A voice đã đưa ý kiến behind me
This made me jump, I turned around and saw an all-black chó sói, sói staring at me with its head tilted to the side. The chó sói, sói looked obviously male because he was very muscled and had a male voice.
"Don't sneak up on my like that." I đã đưa ý kiến trying to catch my breath from running and getting scared.
"I'm sorry, I just saw bạn run bởi and I saw bạn hit the cây head on, are bạn okay?" He said
"Yeah I'm fine, I was just giving that con sóc, sóc a piece of my mind." I said
"What’s your name?" He asked
"Humphrey," I đã đưa ý kiến "What's yours?"
"I'm Hunter, nice to meet you" Hunter said
"Nice to meet bạn too" I said
"So what are bạn doing out here?" He asked
"Well bạn see I'm not from around here, I left my old pack and became a lone wolf." I said
"I see, go on" He đã đưa ý kiến sitting down
"So I spent the night in a cave not too far from here and I was exploring the area and looking for some food." I said
"Well bởi the looks of it you're not a very good hunter, judging bởi the dent in that cây over there." He đã đưa ý kiến pointing to the cây I ran into
"Well I've never hunted before, I have no skills when it comes to hunting." I said
"I see, I'm guessing bạn were and Omega in your old pack." He said
"Yeah I was" I đã đưa ý kiến letting out a small shiver, it was still cool and damp
He shivered too "Come on I'll take bạn to my den where it's not so cold." He said
"Sounds good to me, I need to rest my head after hitting that tree." I said
"I bet, bạn hit that thing hard" He đã đưa ý kiến getting up “Follow me" He đã đưa ý kiến walking down the hillside.
"Right behind you" I đã đưa ý kiến getting up and following him down the hill.
The fog was starting to clear up and the sun was starting to come out, the temperature has gotten warmer but it was still cool. We walked up to a big old cây stump that had a small hole underneath. Hunter walked up and crawled inside and I followed. The inside was a lot bigger then it looked on the outside
"Wow bạn got a really big place" I đã đưa ý kiến looking around
"Yeah it took me quite a while to dig out all the dirt." He said
"I bet" I đã đưa ý kiến "Is it just bạn that live here because bạn could fit a small pack in here."
"It's just me and this is the main room, there are two smaller rooms in the back over there." He đã đưa ý kiến pointing to two small dark holes in the wall.
"Wow but why so big? I mean it's just bạn that lives here." I asked
"Well when I was building this I decided to make it big just in case I found a mate and started a family, but I haven't found that special one yet."
"Oh I see" I said
"So what's your story, why did bạn leave your pack?" He asked sitting down
"Well it all started.." I đã đưa ý kiến telling him the story of Kate and I being chó sói, sói napped and taken to Idaho, and our adventure getting home. ".... When we returned it turned out she was set to marry another chó sói, sói named Garth so that the packs would be united. I didn't want to stay with the pack and see the tình yêu of my life get married to someone else, so I left and headed north and here I am now." I said
"Wow that's too bad, I feel bad for you." He said
"Thanks, but that's all in the past. All that matters now on now and the future." I said
"I see" He said
"So where's the rest of your pack?" I asked
"I don't have one, bạn see in this valley it's just single wolfs and single family living in small zones, so each area is about one square mile." He said
"Are there any vacant zones that I could live in?" I asked
"Yeah there's one right tiếp theo to me, bạn actually slept in it last night." He said
"How do I get one, because I would like to live here for now." I said
"Well bạn basically leave scent markers along the border and let out a loud howl to tell everyone nearby that bạn own that zone." He said
"I see, I guess I'll start now." I đã đưa ý kiến getting up
"Mind if I tag along, I got nothing better to do this morning." He said
"Not at all, bạn can tell me thêm about this valley and how everything works." I said
"Okay" He đã đưa ý kiến getting up
We walked out of the den and made our way toward the vacant zone that would soon be mine.
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Chapter 3: Settling in
Humphrey's POV
Hunter and I walked up the cave that I slept in last night.
"This is the place." I said
"I can see that" He said
"So what do we do now?" I asked
"Well bạn can go mark out your zone with your scent, and I'll clean up inside the cave, making it a den." He said
"Sounds like I plan" I đã đưa ý kiến walking away from him
I walked back toward Hunters zone so I could start marking my scent along his border, then the south, west, and north borders. All the clouds had vanished from the heat of the high noon sun, it had warmed up enough to where the snow was starting to melt. I could smell Hunters border and I turned to the south heading along his border stopping to mark my scent every few hundred yards. Along the way around my zone I could see what kind of landmarks I had in my zone.
I bordered a small pond to the south and my western border was marked bởi a stream that ran into the small pond. To the north I bordered along the cây line that I ventured up to earlier this morning. To the west was a small meadow full of beautiful hoa in bloom. In the middle was my den along with a few dead cây stumps that could be dug underneath to make extra dens if necessary. I found mostly squirrels in my zone, so it looked like I had to be taught how to hunt.
After I finished with marking my zone I climbed up on a high rock that could overlook the whole valley below. I sat and raised my head, letting out a loud howl that echoed out. Letting every chó sói, sói know in the area that I owned this zone. I lowered my head and jumped off the rock, heading down to my den to see how Hunter was doing. It had taken most of the afternoon to explore and mark my zone, the sun was getting lower in the sky and was getting closer to sunset. I approached my den and peered inside to see if Hunter was still there, and he was.
"How'd it go? I heard bạn howl so it must have been successful." Hunter asked
"It went great; I learned my borders and memorized so landmarks." I said
"Good" He đã đưa ý kiến while pushing a stick with his paws across the floor
"What are bạn doing?" I asked confused at why he was pushing a stick around the floor
"I'm leveling the floor so it’s not so uneven." He said
"Oh, good idea," I đã đưa ý kiến "because it was a pain to sleep last night."
"Well now it won't be" He said
"There’s one thêm favor I'd like before bạn go." I said
"And that would be?" He asked
"Well since I was and Omega I don't have any hunting skills, so I was wondering if bạn didn't mind teaching me." I said
"Sure I'll teach you" He đã đưa ý kiến "but not today maybe tomorrow since it's getting late."
"Alright" I đã đưa ý kiến "How about we grab some bữa tối, bữa ăn tối I'm starving."
"Yeah same here, I have two fresh squirrels that I caught earlier this morning back at my den." He đã đưa ý kiến "You can tham gia me if bạn want"
"Sure let's go" I said, Hunter and I walked out of my den and headed to his den.
"So are there any other Người sói I should know about that border me?" I asked walking beside him
"Well there's Lola that lives in the zone to the west of you. Thens there's me to the east, and no one to the north. But bạn have to watch out for Mason to the south of you, he doesn't take to kindly to trust passers and is one of the most vicious Người sói in the valley." He said
"Yeah I noticed when I went to get a drink yesterday when I arrived." I said
"Well your lucky he didn't just kill bạn on the spot." He said
"Yeah I just told him I was new around here and was not a threat, so he just told me to leave quickly." I said
Hunter and I reached his den and we both walked inside. Inside he walked into one of the dark rooms and walked out with two squirrels in his mouth. We both sat down and he slid a con sóc, sóc over to me and we both dug in.
"You know I got to say thank bạn for helping me and giving me some food." I said
"Oh no problem I didn't mind it, it's good to have a friend. It was getting quite lonely loving here all alone." He said
"Well aren't bạn Những người bạn with some of the neighboring wolves?" I asked
"Sadly no, we mostly kept to ourselves and minded our own businesses." He said
"I see" I said
We both finished our meals, I đã đưa ý kiến goodbye and walked out of his den. It was already dark, a little bit of light still appeared over the mountains. The light from the full moon shone down on the forest, letting me be able to see the path ahead of me. I walked back to my den, but I decided to take a little detour and head up the mountain, to the rock that overlooked the valley. It was getting colder and colder as the night wore on. I made it to the rock and jumped up on hàng đầu, đầu trang of it. I sat and looked down my territory and the rest of the Valley beyond. It was a clear night not a đám mây in the sky, the stars were shining beautiful and the moon shone bright. Then what I saw tiếp theo amazed me, a band of greenish blue light shone up in the sky. Slightly rippling, I sat there with my jaw slightly opened, it was the beautifulest thing I've ever seen.
"Beautiful, huh" I heard a female voice say behind me
"Ahh!" I yelled "Why does everyone keep sneaking up on me today."
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you." She said
"It's alright" I got a good look at her, she had dark brown lông, lông thú with golden yellow eyes. "I'm sorry but what are bạn doing in my zone?" I asked, I didn't want to be rude but she did trust pass in my zone.
"Oh, I thought this place was vacant." She said
"Well it's not anymore, I own it now." I said
"I see, can I sit with you? I always came up here to watch the aurora." She said
"Sure bạn can sit with me, what's your name?" I asked
"Lola" She đã đưa ý kiến "What's yours?"
"Humphrey, so you’re my western neighbor?" I asked
"Yep I am now, it's nice to meet you." Lola said
"Nice to meet bạn too," I turned my attention back to the aurora in the sky. "So that what bạn call those dancing lights." I said
"Yeah" She said
"Well they sure are pretty, I never had those back where I came from." I said
"Oh, and where did bạn come from?" She asked
"I came from a place south of here, called Jasper Park." I said
"So I'm guessing something happened and bạn became a lone wolf, right?" She asked
"Yeah that's what happened, how'd bạn figure that out?" I said
"Well everyone here was hoặc is a lone wolf, that's why some decide to live here and take a zone instead of just wonder aimlessly around the forest." She said
"Oh" I said
"So how do bạn like it here so far?" She asked
"Well I actually like it here, everyone I met so far was nice except for Mason, he's thêm of a grouch." I đã đưa ý kiến letting out a chuckle
"Yeah bạn can say that again." She đã đưa ý kiến laughing "Well it's getting late and I got to get up early, goodnight Humphrey it was nice meeting you." She đã đưa ý kiến getting up and walking away
"Nice to meet bạn too Lola." I đã đưa ý kiến as she disappeared behind some bushes.
I sat there for 10 hoặc so phút watching the night sky. I started to get sleepy and decided that it was time to get some shut eye. I jumped off the rock and descended down the mountain to my den. I could see some clouds rolling into the valley and there were dark. 'Looks like another storm night.' I thought to myself. I walked into my den and laid down on the now even and softer floor. I took a good look around my den admiring Hunters work, 'I guess I owe him one' I thought to myself. I laid my head between my paws and drifted off into dreamland.
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Chapter 4: New Forms of Transport
Humphrey's POV
I woke up to find that it was another foggy dull morning, but unlike yesterday there was now a foot of new snow on the ground. It was cold and the floor of my den was damp, I looked up to see that some snow had gotten into my den through some holes of the cây stump above me. 'Well I guess I got to patch that up before the tiếp theo storm.' I thought to myself, getting up off the floor and stretching I walked outside into the dull grey morning. Even though I've gotten used to living here the forest still had an eerie look to it, the trees seemed to pop out of the grey fog along with the snow covered bushes. It was early in the morning I could tell through the fog that the sun was just rising.
I tried to walk further away from my den but my paws kept sinking into the fresh snow, making it hard to walk. I turned around and walked back the entrance of my den where the snow was shallower. I sat and tried to think of a way to get around the snow without sinking into it. I looked around the sides of my den then I found a flat piece of thick bark about the length and width of myself. An idea popped into my head, 'If I stand on that piece of bark then I can use my back leg to push myself around, similar to log-sledding.' I thought to myself. I decided to give the idea a shot, I grabbed the bark in jaws and dragged it back to the front of my den. I stood on the piece of bark and with my back leg pushed myself forward, to my amazement the bark slid phía trước, chuyển tiếp in the fresh snow with ease. I kept pushing, faster and stronger each time. I started to gain speed as I slid over to Hunters den to see if he was up yet.
I slid through the fog swiftly, 'This much easier them walking' I thought to myself. With all this new snow my zone seemed completely different o wasn't sure where it ended and the tiếp theo zone began. But I could still smell Hunters scent through the snow, so I knew I was in his zone. I could see the outline of his den start to emerge from the fog. I also saw a dark outline of a chó sói, sói standing outside of the den, which I could tell was Hunter. I could see he was looking at me with a puzzled and confused look on his face.
I stopped tiếp theo to where he was standing. "Good morning" I said
"Good morning, what are bạn doing?" He asked
"Oh, well I kept sinking into this new snow so I decided to slide around on this piece of bark." I said
"And where did bạn come with such a genius idea?" He asked
"Well back in Jasper me and my other Omega Những người bạn invented this thing called log-sledding. It's where bạn sit in a hollowed out log and slide down a mountain slope, so I took that idea and figured I could slide around on this." I explained
"Wow I've never thought of anything like that before, I've always had trouble walking around in the snow." He said
"Well if we can find another one of these I can teach bạn how to use it, it sure does beat walking." I said
"Yeah, let's look for one after some breakfast, care to join?" He said
"Sure I'll tham gia you" I đã đưa ý kiến and followed him into his den
He gave me another con sóc, sóc and he got one for himself, we both dug in and chatted about a few things. I told him that I met Lola and saw the aurora the trước đó night.
"Sounds like bạn Lola got along well." He said
"Sure did" I said
"Are bạn interested in her at all?" He đã đưa ý kiến with a do bạn like her expression on his face
"Nah... She's not really my type" I said
"Well she's one of the few single Người sói here." He đã đưa ý kiến "So bạn don't have much of a selection"
"Well I not sure if I want a mate, I don't want to deal with the hurt and suffering of finding the one and then being told that bạn can't have her because she has to marry some other guy." I said
"I see" He đã đưa ý kiến "but I've been looking for a mate and to be honest the only one I find to be attractive is a girl named River."
"Well, have bạn made any moves?" I asked
"Not really I've only met her a few times, she lives on the other side of the valley. I never go over there that often." He said
"Well maybe we can go meet her today, if bạn want." I said
"Well I was going to teach bạn how to hunt today, but with all this new snow the squirrels will be hiding in their homes. Sure we can go meet her, but bạn have to teach me how to slide on that piece bark first." He said
"Sure, bạn first have to find a piece that bạn can easily stand on." I said
"Okay let’s go tìm kiếm around" He said, I could tell he had a little excitement in his voice.
We both walked out of his den and looked for a suitable piece of bark.
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Meanwhile
Kate's POV
It had been two days since I left Jasper, I had done nothing but walk, eat and sleep. I was tired and my paws were soar from all the walking I had done. For some strange reason the train had not passed bởi me once since I left Jasper. Making me walk along the train track hoping that the train would come around the tiếp theo corner. So that I could just jump aboard and rest my paws. It was a bright and sunny late morning, the birds were hát and there were a few clouds above me. I had managed to catch a few squirrels to eat along my journey but I really craved some caribou.
It was getting slightly colder the further I walked north, and it was getting hard to sleep at night with no one to sleep close too so I could use their body heat to keep myself warm. My mind was always set on Humphrey, I wouldn't rest until I knew he was an toàn, két an toàn and was bởi my side back in Jasper. But I knew he might not take me back because I hurt him, bởi not telling him that I had to marry Garth. Hopefully he will forgive me. I kept walking along the tracks hopping I was getting closer to Humphrey with every step I took. I suddenly heard the sound that I've been waiting two days to hear, a train whistle. I turned around and saw the train chugging along the tracks towards me. I stopped and waited to get closer, when it finally got close enough I started to walk, I started to run when it got right beside me. I saw an open box car and I jumped up and landed on the hard wood floor of the boxcar. I sat and watched the trees go by, I could now relax for a few hours and then jump off the investigate the area. I laid down and closed my eyes as I took a short nap.
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To Be Continued
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Heres a Summary: Humphrey jumped on the train and left Jasper Park to become a lone wolf. Now Kate has to go find him and bring him home. Will she be able to bring him home? hoặc will Humphrey be too hurt to come home. Read to find out
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Chapter 1: Leaving Jasper
Humphrey's POV
I sitting in the boxcar of the train I had jumped on a few hours cách đây to leave Jasper. I looked out the open door and watched the forest go bởi me; the sun was beginning to set. My mind was Mất tích in thought. 'I can't believe Kate never told me she was getting married to Garth, after all we went through.' I thought 'Well maybe being a lone chó sói, sói won't be so bad.' I laid down 'Hmm... I wonder where the train will take me this time.' I was heading north and out of Jasper Park. 'I guess I'll get some sleep and see where I am in the morning' I closed my eyes and fell asleep
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Back in Jasper
Kate POV
I was laying down in the Alpha den, I couldn't sleep knowing that Humphrey was all alone out there somewhere. I never married Garth, how could I if my tim, trái tim belonged to someone else, and that someone was Humphrey. Now I made him leave and I may never get to see him and tell him how I feel about him. 'I have to find him!' My mind yelled at me, I got up and was about to walk out the den when my mom opened her eyes and saw me waking out of the den.
"Where are bạn going Kate?" She asked
"I'm going to find Humphrey, no matter what it takes." I said
"Well okay but bạn be careful I don't want bạn getting hurt." She said
"I won't, I'm going to find him and bring him home." I đã đưa ý kiến before running out of the den
I ran a little way through the forest and stopped in a small clearing. I smelled the air around me looking for his sent; I couldn't find it so I walked around the area, still smelling for his sent.
After searching high and low for 20 phút I found his sent. I started running again, following his sent. I wasn't long before I approached the train tracks that ran through Jasper Park. As soon as I got to the tracks his sent vanished 'He must of gotten on the train.' I thought to myself, I decided not to wait for the tiếp theo train and start walking along the track, heading north. "I'm coming Humphrey" I đã đưa ý kiến and kept walking
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Back on the Train
Humphrey's POV
The sun was rising over the mountains in the east, I opened my eyes. The train was still moving and I had slept through most of the night. I looked out the boxcar door, the scenery and trees look mostly the same as they did back in Jasper but there was a lot thêm snow and it was much much cooler. I let out a shiver, I could see some dark clouds up ahead but where I was it was clear with a few high clouds.
I got up a stretched; my body was stiff from sleeping on the hard ground of the boxcar floor. I decided that it was time to get off the train and explore this new area to see if there was I place I could live. I looked out ahead of the train waiting for the perfect time to jump. When I saw a clear spot I jumped of the train, jumping in the opposite direction the train was going to minimize the impact one my legs. I landed safely on the ground, and watched the train keep going and disappear into the distance.
I looked around this new world I was in. There were plenty of trees and bushes. The ground was covered in snow in a few spots, I could see some birds flying around between the trees. 'This seems like a calm and peaceful place.' I thought to myself, I started waking again, still looking around for a place I could call home.
Up ahead I could see a small valley between two tall snow caped mountains. 'Maybe I'll find a good trang chủ in there' I kept walking toward the valley in the distance, the dark clouds were getting closer and I knew that I had to find some shelter fast. I quickened my pace to try and beat the distance storm. My path through the forest started to get a little steeper as I ascended into the valley up ahead of me. I kept up the pace the storm slowly catching up with me, I looked behind me and I could see some lighting striking out of the dark clouds, I could also see the pouring rain too. I looked up ahead and saw a huge narrow pond with a river running into it. 'I’m sure I have time to take a quick water break.' I slowed down and walled up to the ponds bờ biển line. I bent my head down and started drinking the water. When I finished and was about to get back up I was hit on my side. I flew a few feet sideways and landed hard on the ground. I looked up to see a dark grey chó sói, sói above me, growling at me. I quickly got to my feet and backed away slowly.
"Who are bạn and what are bạn doing in my area?" The chó sói, sói asked
"I’m sorry, I didn't know this was your area, I'm new around here, please don't hurt me." I đã đưa ý kiến still backing away
"Well I'll let bạn go this time, but tiếp theo time I see bạn in my area, I will kill you!" He đã đưa ý kiến "Go now!"
"Okay okay" I đã đưa ý kiến getting up and walking past the chó sói, sói and along the narrow pond bờ biển line "Gees what was his problem." I đã đưa ý kiến to no one in particular.
I kept heading deeper into the valley following the narrow pond. The storm was right above me and it started raining. I looked over and saw a small cave 'I guess I'll sleep there tonight.' I thought and walked toward the cave. I walked in and saw that no one was home. I walked to the back of the cave and laid down, falling asleep with the sound of thunder outside.
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Chapter 2: A New Home
Humphrey's POV
I woke up in a moist cave, I could see fog just outside the entrance of the cave. I remembered that I slept here to ride out the storm that was chasing me the ngày before. I got up and stretched cracking my back, the ground of the cave as hard and uneven making it difficult to find a conferrable position to sleep in. The air was moist and cool, it was much mát, máy làm mát in this new place than it was in Jasper. I walked out of the den taking a quick look around me. There was some snow patches here and there. There were lots of pine trees and shrubs all over, moss was growing on some of the trees and dangling down the branches. With all the fog bạn couldn't see vary far, everything had a kind of eerie look to them like there was something was going to jump out of the thick fog and attack me.
I walked around not straying too far from the cave I slept in, I found a small stream that flowed behind the cave where I could get some water. I lowered my head and drank the water, to my surprise the water was the purest I ever drank. 'Wow that's good water' I thought to myself 'Maybe I'll just stick around here and live in the cave for a few days.' I lifted my head back up and kept exploring. There was a light mist in the air making my lông, lông thú a little damp, I followed the stream upstream finding that it kept getting steeper and steeper. I kept climbing and the clouds kept getting brighter and brighter with each step I took, indicating that I was getting to the hàng đầu, đầu trang of the đám mây layer. I found that the vegetation wasn't as deice as it was back down at the cave. I finally popped out of the clouds and found that I hit the cây line, all the trees just stopped and it was nothing but snow and rocks beyond that. I stopped and looked at the view around me. The mountain hàng đầu, đầu trang was about another mile hoặc so up ahead, all of the clouds seemed to of have been pushed and trapped in the thin valley. It was clear enough that I could see the train tracks where I got off the train yesterday way far in the distance.
I decided that I climbed far enough and turned around descending back in to the clouds and fog. It was windier up here then it was back down in the clouds. I was making my way in the fog when I heard a twig snap across from me. I turned my head and prepared myself for another attack, but nothing jumped out at me. I walked over to where the noise came from and I saw a con sóc, sóc on the ground trying to break open a pinecone. I stopped and hid behind a small bush, 'Looks like I found some breakfast.' I thought to myself. I got into a crouching position and prepared to pounce at it. I jumped at him, flying straight for him, but the con sóc, sóc saw me and ran out of the way. I landed hard on the ground, I saw the con sóc, sóc running away. I quickly got up to my paws and ran after it, slowly gaining on it. I was right behind it almost able to reach him, I was so busy focusing on the con sóc, sóc that I didn't notice that it was heading straight for a tree. The con sóc, sóc ran up the cây and I slammed head first into the tree. I fell to the ground, my head was in so much pain from the impact. I looked up and saw the con sóc, sóc laughing at me this ticked me off.
"Why bạn little bastard!" I yelled at it "Don't bạn worry I'll catch bạn tiếp theo time!"
"Who are bạn talking too?" A voice đã đưa ý kiến behind me
This made me jump, I turned around and saw an all-black chó sói, sói staring at me with its head tilted to the side. The chó sói, sói looked obviously male because he was very muscled and had a male voice.
"Don't sneak up on my like that." I đã đưa ý kiến trying to catch my breath from running and getting scared.
"I'm sorry, I just saw bạn run bởi and I saw bạn hit the cây head on, are bạn okay?" He said
"Yeah I'm fine, I was just giving that con sóc, sóc a piece of my mind." I said
"What’s your name?" He asked
"Humphrey," I đã đưa ý kiến "What's yours?"
"I'm Hunter, nice to meet you" Hunter said
"Nice to meet bạn too" I said
"So what are bạn doing out here?" He asked
"Well bạn see I'm not from around here, I left my old pack and became a lone wolf." I said
"I see, go on" He đã đưa ý kiến sitting down
"So I spent the night in a cave not too far from here and I was exploring the area and looking for some food." I said
"Well bởi the looks of it you're not a very good hunter, judging bởi the dent in that cây over there." He đã đưa ý kiến pointing to the cây I ran into
"Well I've never hunted before, I have no skills when it comes to hunting." I said
"I see, I'm guessing bạn were and Omega in your old pack." He said
"Yeah I was" I đã đưa ý kiến letting out a small shiver, it was still cool and damp
He shivered too "Come on I'll take bạn to my den where it's not so cold." He said
"Sounds good to me, I need to rest my head after hitting that tree." I said
"I bet, bạn hit that thing hard" He đã đưa ý kiến getting up “Follow me" He đã đưa ý kiến walking down the hillside.
"Right behind you" I đã đưa ý kiến getting up and following him down the hill.
The fog was starting to clear up and the sun was starting to come out, the temperature has gotten warmer but it was still cool. We walked up to a big old cây stump that had a small hole underneath. Hunter walked up and crawled inside and I followed. The inside was a lot bigger then it looked on the outside
"Wow bạn got a really big place" I đã đưa ý kiến looking around
"Yeah it took me quite a while to dig out all the dirt." He said
"I bet" I đã đưa ý kiến "Is it just bạn that live here because bạn could fit a small pack in here."
"It's just me and this is the main room, there are two smaller rooms in the back over there." He đã đưa ý kiến pointing to two small dark holes in the wall.
"Wow but why so big? I mean it's just bạn that lives here." I asked
"Well when I was building this I decided to make it big just in case I found a mate and started a family, but I haven't found that special one yet."
"Oh I see" I said
"So what's your story, why did bạn leave your pack?" He asked sitting down
"Well it all started.." I đã đưa ý kiến telling him the story of Kate and I being chó sói, sói napped and taken to Idaho, and our adventure getting home. ".... When we returned it turned out she was set to marry another chó sói, sói named Garth so that the packs would be united. I didn't want to stay with the pack and see the tình yêu of my life get married to someone else, so I left and headed north and here I am now." I said
"Wow that's too bad, I feel bad for you." He said
"Thanks, but that's all in the past. All that matters now on now and the future." I said
"I see" He said
"So where's the rest of your pack?" I asked
"I don't have one, bạn see in this valley it's just single wolfs and single family living in small zones, so each area is about one square mile." He said
"Are there any vacant zones that I could live in?" I asked
"Yeah there's one right tiếp theo to me, bạn actually slept in it last night." He said
"How do I get one, because I would like to live here for now." I said
"Well bạn basically leave scent markers along the border and let out a loud howl to tell everyone nearby that bạn own that zone." He said
"I see, I guess I'll start now." I đã đưa ý kiến getting up
"Mind if I tag along, I got nothing better to do this morning." He said
"Not at all, bạn can tell me thêm about this valley and how everything works." I said
"Okay" He đã đưa ý kiến getting up
We walked out of the den and made our way toward the vacant zone that would soon be mine.
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Chapter 3: Settling in
Humphrey's POV
Hunter and I walked up the cave that I slept in last night.
"This is the place." I said
"I can see that" He said
"So what do we do now?" I asked
"Well bạn can go mark out your zone with your scent, and I'll clean up inside the cave, making it a den." He said
"Sounds like I plan" I đã đưa ý kiến walking away from him
I walked back toward Hunters zone so I could start marking my scent along his border, then the south, west, and north borders. All the clouds had vanished from the heat of the high noon sun, it had warmed up enough to where the snow was starting to melt. I could smell Hunters border and I turned to the south heading along his border stopping to mark my scent every few hundred yards. Along the way around my zone I could see what kind of landmarks I had in my zone.
I bordered a small pond to the south and my western border was marked bởi a stream that ran into the small pond. To the north I bordered along the cây line that I ventured up to earlier this morning. To the west was a small meadow full of beautiful hoa in bloom. In the middle was my den along with a few dead cây stumps that could be dug underneath to make extra dens if necessary. I found mostly squirrels in my zone, so it looked like I had to be taught how to hunt.
After I finished with marking my zone I climbed up on a high rock that could overlook the whole valley below. I sat and raised my head, letting out a loud howl that echoed out. Letting every chó sói, sói know in the area that I owned this zone. I lowered my head and jumped off the rock, heading down to my den to see how Hunter was doing. It had taken most of the afternoon to explore and mark my zone, the sun was getting lower in the sky and was getting closer to sunset. I approached my den and peered inside to see if Hunter was still there, and he was.
"How'd it go? I heard bạn howl so it must have been successful." Hunter asked
"It went great; I learned my borders and memorized so landmarks." I said
"Good" He đã đưa ý kiến while pushing a stick with his paws across the floor
"What are bạn doing?" I asked confused at why he was pushing a stick around the floor
"I'm leveling the floor so it’s not so uneven." He said
"Oh, good idea," I đã đưa ý kiến "because it was a pain to sleep last night."
"Well now it won't be" He said
"There’s one thêm favor I'd like before bạn go." I said
"And that would be?" He asked
"Well since I was and Omega I don't have any hunting skills, so I was wondering if bạn didn't mind teaching me." I said
"Sure I'll teach you" He đã đưa ý kiến "but not today maybe tomorrow since it's getting late."
"Alright" I đã đưa ý kiến "How about we grab some bữa tối, bữa ăn tối I'm starving."
"Yeah same here, I have two fresh squirrels that I caught earlier this morning back at my den." He đã đưa ý kiến "You can tham gia me if bạn want"
"Sure let's go" I said, Hunter and I walked out of my den and headed to his den.
"So are there any other Người sói I should know about that border me?" I asked walking beside him
"Well there's Lola that lives in the zone to the west of you. Thens there's me to the east, and no one to the north. But bạn have to watch out for Mason to the south of you, he doesn't take to kindly to trust passers and is one of the most vicious Người sói in the valley." He said
"Yeah I noticed when I went to get a drink yesterday when I arrived." I said
"Well your lucky he didn't just kill bạn on the spot." He said
"Yeah I just told him I was new around here and was not a threat, so he just told me to leave quickly." I said
Hunter and I reached his den and we both walked inside. Inside he walked into one of the dark rooms and walked out with two squirrels in his mouth. We both sat down and he slid a con sóc, sóc over to me and we both dug in.
"You know I got to say thank bạn for helping me and giving me some food." I said
"Oh no problem I didn't mind it, it's good to have a friend. It was getting quite lonely loving here all alone." He said
"Well aren't bạn Những người bạn with some of the neighboring wolves?" I asked
"Sadly no, we mostly kept to ourselves and minded our own businesses." He said
"I see" I said
We both finished our meals, I đã đưa ý kiến goodbye and walked out of his den. It was already dark, a little bit of light still appeared over the mountains. The light from the full moon shone down on the forest, letting me be able to see the path ahead of me. I walked back to my den, but I decided to take a little detour and head up the mountain, to the rock that overlooked the valley. It was getting colder and colder as the night wore on. I made it to the rock and jumped up on hàng đầu, đầu trang of it. I sat and looked down my territory and the rest of the Valley beyond. It was a clear night not a đám mây in the sky, the stars were shining beautiful and the moon shone bright. Then what I saw tiếp theo amazed me, a band of greenish blue light shone up in the sky. Slightly rippling, I sat there with my jaw slightly opened, it was the beautifulest thing I've ever seen.
"Beautiful, huh" I heard a female voice say behind me
"Ahh!" I yelled "Why does everyone keep sneaking up on me today."
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you." She said
"It's alright" I got a good look at her, she had dark brown lông, lông thú with golden yellow eyes. "I'm sorry but what are bạn doing in my zone?" I asked, I didn't want to be rude but she did trust pass in my zone.
"Oh, I thought this place was vacant." She said
"Well it's not anymore, I own it now." I said
"I see, can I sit with you? I always came up here to watch the aurora." She said
"Sure bạn can sit with me, what's your name?" I asked
"Lola" She đã đưa ý kiến "What's yours?"
"Humphrey, so you’re my western neighbor?" I asked
"Yep I am now, it's nice to meet you." Lola said
"Nice to meet bạn too," I turned my attention back to the aurora in the sky. "So that what bạn call those dancing lights." I said
"Yeah" She said
"Well they sure are pretty, I never had those back where I came from." I said
"Oh, and where did bạn come from?" She asked
"I came from a place south of here, called Jasper Park." I said
"So I'm guessing something happened and bạn became a lone wolf, right?" She asked
"Yeah that's what happened, how'd bạn figure that out?" I said
"Well everyone here was hoặc is a lone wolf, that's why some decide to live here and take a zone instead of just wonder aimlessly around the forest." She said
"Oh" I said
"So how do bạn like it here so far?" She asked
"Well I actually like it here, everyone I met so far was nice except for Mason, he's thêm of a grouch." I đã đưa ý kiến letting out a chuckle
"Yeah bạn can say that again." She đã đưa ý kiến laughing "Well it's getting late and I got to get up early, goodnight Humphrey it was nice meeting you." She đã đưa ý kiến getting up and walking away
"Nice to meet bạn too Lola." I đã đưa ý kiến as she disappeared behind some bushes.
I sat there for 10 hoặc so phút watching the night sky. I started to get sleepy and decided that it was time to get some shut eye. I jumped off the rock and descended down the mountain to my den. I could see some clouds rolling into the valley and there were dark. 'Looks like another storm night.' I thought to myself. I walked into my den and laid down on the now even and softer floor. I took a good look around my den admiring Hunters work, 'I guess I owe him one' I thought to myself. I laid my head between my paws and drifted off into dreamland.
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Chapter 4: New Forms of Transport
Humphrey's POV
I woke up to find that it was another foggy dull morning, but unlike yesterday there was now a foot of new snow on the ground. It was cold and the floor of my den was damp, I looked up to see that some snow had gotten into my den through some holes of the cây stump above me. 'Well I guess I got to patch that up before the tiếp theo storm.' I thought to myself, getting up off the floor and stretching I walked outside into the dull grey morning. Even though I've gotten used to living here the forest still had an eerie look to it, the trees seemed to pop out of the grey fog along with the snow covered bushes. It was early in the morning I could tell through the fog that the sun was just rising.
I tried to walk further away from my den but my paws kept sinking into the fresh snow, making it hard to walk. I turned around and walked back the entrance of my den where the snow was shallower. I sat and tried to think of a way to get around the snow without sinking into it. I looked around the sides of my den then I found a flat piece of thick bark about the length and width of myself. An idea popped into my head, 'If I stand on that piece of bark then I can use my back leg to push myself around, similar to log-sledding.' I thought to myself. I decided to give the idea a shot, I grabbed the bark in jaws and dragged it back to the front of my den. I stood on the piece of bark and with my back leg pushed myself forward, to my amazement the bark slid phía trước, chuyển tiếp in the fresh snow with ease. I kept pushing, faster and stronger each time. I started to gain speed as I slid over to Hunters den to see if he was up yet.
I slid through the fog swiftly, 'This much easier them walking' I thought to myself. With all this new snow my zone seemed completely different o wasn't sure where it ended and the tiếp theo zone began. But I could still smell Hunters scent through the snow, so I knew I was in his zone. I could see the outline of his den start to emerge from the fog. I also saw a dark outline of a chó sói, sói standing outside of the den, which I could tell was Hunter. I could see he was looking at me with a puzzled and confused look on his face.
I stopped tiếp theo to where he was standing. "Good morning" I said
"Good morning, what are bạn doing?" He asked
"Oh, well I kept sinking into this new snow so I decided to slide around on this piece of bark." I said
"And where did bạn come with such a genius idea?" He asked
"Well back in Jasper me and my other Omega Những người bạn invented this thing called log-sledding. It's where bạn sit in a hollowed out log and slide down a mountain slope, so I took that idea and figured I could slide around on this." I explained
"Wow I've never thought of anything like that before, I've always had trouble walking around in the snow." He said
"Well if we can find another one of these I can teach bạn how to use it, it sure does beat walking." I said
"Yeah, let's look for one after some breakfast, care to join?" He said
"Sure I'll tham gia you" I đã đưa ý kiến and followed him into his den
He gave me another con sóc, sóc and he got one for himself, we both dug in and chatted about a few things. I told him that I met Lola and saw the aurora the trước đó night.
"Sounds like bạn Lola got along well." He said
"Sure did" I said
"Are bạn interested in her at all?" He đã đưa ý kiến with a do bạn like her expression on his face
"Nah... She's not really my type" I said
"Well she's one of the few single Người sói here." He đã đưa ý kiến "So bạn don't have much of a selection"
"Well I not sure if I want a mate, I don't want to deal with the hurt and suffering of finding the one and then being told that bạn can't have her because she has to marry some other guy." I said
"I see" He đã đưa ý kiến "but I've been looking for a mate and to be honest the only one I find to be attractive is a girl named River."
"Well, have bạn made any moves?" I asked
"Not really I've only met her a few times, she lives on the other side of the valley. I never go over there that often." He said
"Well maybe we can go meet her today, if bạn want." I said
"Well I was going to teach bạn how to hunt today, but with all this new snow the squirrels will be hiding in their homes. Sure we can go meet her, but bạn have to teach me how to slide on that piece bark first." He said
"Sure, bạn first have to find a piece that bạn can easily stand on." I said
"Okay let’s go tìm kiếm around" He said, I could tell he had a little excitement in his voice.
We both walked out of his den and looked for a suitable piece of bark.
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Meanwhile
Kate's POV
It had been two days since I left Jasper, I had done nothing but walk, eat and sleep. I was tired and my paws were soar from all the walking I had done. For some strange reason the train had not passed bởi me once since I left Jasper. Making me walk along the train track hoping that the train would come around the tiếp theo corner. So that I could just jump aboard and rest my paws. It was a bright and sunny late morning, the birds were hát and there were a few clouds above me. I had managed to catch a few squirrels to eat along my journey but I really craved some caribou.
It was getting slightly colder the further I walked north, and it was getting hard to sleep at night with no one to sleep close too so I could use their body heat to keep myself warm. My mind was always set on Humphrey, I wouldn't rest until I knew he was an toàn, két an toàn and was bởi my side back in Jasper. But I knew he might not take me back because I hurt him, bởi not telling him that I had to marry Garth. Hopefully he will forgive me. I kept walking along the tracks hopping I was getting closer to Humphrey with every step I took. I suddenly heard the sound that I've been waiting two days to hear, a train whistle. I turned around and saw the train chugging along the tracks towards me. I stopped and waited to get closer, when it finally got close enough I started to walk, I started to run when it got right beside me. I saw an open box car and I jumped up and landed on the hard wood floor of the boxcar. I sat and watched the trees go by, I could now relax for a few hours and then jump off the investigate the area. I laid down and closed my eyes as I took a short nap.
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To Be Continued
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