Warclaw (6 page)

When the war had finished five years later there were only two wolves remaining. Thousands of wolves had been massacred. They laid lifeless on the floor on that miserable day. That was a miserable day indeed. The two wolves that were left were Wallace and Wasil. The two Alphas. They still wanted the power so badly they could see it and feel it. As they fought, each wolf got weaker and weaker, until by the end of the day the battle had been won. Wallace was dead and Wasil had won the battle between them.”

“And the point of the story is?” Wibeke asked.

“That after the war, Wasil went searching for it. He looked to the mountains and to the sea but there was no sign of it until one day he went to the high lands of the high Alpha. There he found the pack that had taken it and battled the pack until he had won. But when he won the crystal, he couldn’t stop wanting to protect it. Wasil could not stop wanting to kill any other wolf that got to it or used it. The power that it possessed made the wolf want nothing else but it. Wasil had never aged once he had the crystal.”

“I’ll ask again Warclaw. What is the point of your story?” Wibeke asked impatiently.

“The point of the story is that...” Warclaw was cut off by Wren.

“Wibeke run! Get away from her!” Wren growled at Warclaw. Wren had been racing down the beach towards Warclaw and Wibeke. Will followed hotly behind him. Wren pushed her to the side of him, standing between Warclaw and Wibeke. Warclaw smiled evilly at Wren. “Oh shame. I was just getting to the point before you interrupted me.” Wren looked at Warclaw.  “Getting to the point of what?” Wren was now confused and so was Will.

It was quiet again. This time the breeze was whistling in the air and you could hear the faint sound of the ocean in the background. Will and Wren looked at each other confused, not understanding what had been meant by Warclaw’s comment. But Wibeke looked blankly at Warclaw. She knew what he had meant and she wanted to know what his point was. Finally breaking the ice, Wren spoke. “What do you mean, getting to the point? What point is this? Wibeke?” He turned round to face her. Wibeke looked down to the sand below her. “Wibeke? Tell me!” He walked up towards her. Standing in front of her, he looked into her dark brown eyes. Wibeke took a deep breath. “Warclaw was telling me a story about why we should not threaten him. And he was going to tell me the point of the story when
you
interrupted us.” Her voice turned cold.  “So let Warclaw finish!” She growled. “My, my.” Warclaw chuckled.“Wibeke you can certainly hold your ground. I like that in a wolf!” Warclaw smirked.

“What did you just say to her?” Wren growled before turning around to face Warclaw.

“I simply said that I like that in a wolf. What’s wrong with that? Jealous are we Wren?” Warclaw said mockingly. “No... I... err... am not jealous of it. There... there is... erm... nothing wrong with that at all!” Wren stuttered. Wibeke looked over to him seeing that Warclaw had embarrassed him quite badly. Wren met her gaze and looked away. “Oh what is it that we have here?” Warclaw smiled evilly. “Do I sense a bit of love in the air? Little Wren having little feelings for Wibeke?” He laughed again.

“Warclaw! STOP your games and tell me the
point
of your story!” Wibeke growled. She was angry. Noticing the harm and embarrassment that Warclaw had made for Wren, Wibeke had lost her patience with him.  “Tell me now!” Wibeke demanded. Warclaw chuckled.

“Why should I? Thank lover boy here for stopping me.” He walked over to Wren and started circling around him. His voice turned as slippery as a snake. He whispered into Wren’s ear “It was entirely your fault. You stopped me from telling her. It’s all down to you. Besides what would Wibeke see in such a lowlife like you? You’re way out of her league. You are pathetic and worthless!” Warclaw chuckled an evil chuckle. Wren’s heart was broke and he felt like he had been shoved six feet under, but his mind wouldn’t let that get him down. ‘I’ll show him who’s pathetic and worthless!’

Warclaw had started to walk off, when Wren pounced onto him knocking Warclaw into the ground, hard. Warclaw hit the ground with a
thud
. ‘Is he really going to do this?’ Wibeke thought. Her heart was once again racing in her chest. She knew what Warclaw could do and Wibeke didn’t want Warclaw doing it again to the wolf she held most dear. Not knowing what Warclaw had said to Wren, she went up to them and started pulling Wren off of Warclaw. “You really want to fight, you pathetic wolf!” Warclaw shouted. Everything had gotten out of hand once again.

“Wren, let go of him. He’s not worth it!” Wibeke shouted trying to push him out of the way. “Will. Come help me!” She shouted over to Will. He came running over and helped her push him off of Warclaw. Warclaw scrambled up onto his four paws. “Come on then! Let him fight like a proper wolf. Not like the measly wolf he is!” Warclaw spat.

“Leave it Wren. We’ll fight another day!” Will shouted.

“I am a proper wolf! Let me go!” Wren howled. Warclaw could see that Wren was getting more and more angry each second. It was most amusing to Warclaw that when he had started messing around with Wren; everything had become a lot more interesting. “Wren leaves it. Let’s go! Leave it now.” Wibeke said angrily at Wren. But he wasn’t listening to either of them. He just wanted to fight Warclaw and prove to Wibeke that he wasn’t worthless and he wasn’t out of her league. Suddenly he was brought back to reality when Wibeke hit him with her paw. “Come on Wren, let’s go!” Wibeke said again, but more calmly this time.

“Oh come on, stay. This was just getting fun!” Warclaw joked.

“No. We are going! Will, start walking Wren back. I’ll be there in minute.” Will nodded at Wibeke and started to do what Wibeke had ordered him to do.

Wibeke waited for a few minutes until they were out of earshot. She walked up to Warclaw and this time she circled him. “What was the point to that story you were making?” Wibeke asked. “What story? I don’t remember any story?” Warclaw started smiling.

“You know what story I mean. The one you were telling me earlier on.” She stopped circling and stood by his side. “Oh.
That one
.” Warclaw smiled. “My point was that that Alpha, Wasil, was my father. My father passed it down onto me and I have his power! Unfortunately through some rather horrible events, I had killed my father in order to protect that treasure of mine. And that treasure is so dark that I am not afraid to kill for it as I have done over so many years of my life.”

Wibeke took a step back. What had she expected him to say? “Well what if I was to make a bargain with you?”

“And what would that bargain be exactly?” Warclaw looked inquisitively at her.

“Well. I know you haven’t got a Luna. So...” Wibeke paused. ‘I have to do what’s right for the pack.’ she thought.

“So?” Warclaw asked, intrigued.

“So you could have me as your Luna. Do what you wish with me but you give me your treasure and I shall be yours!” Wibeke smiled, she knew Warclaw wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation. Warclaw thought about it. Her offer seemed fair, but he still wouldn’t allow any-wolf near it nor to take it. “And what if I was to say no?” Warclaw smiled at her.

“Would you really say no to me?” She swayed around Warclaw and brushed her tail under his chin. ‘This feels lovely! No Warclaw. SNAP out of it!’ Warclaw shook his head. He knew that she was tempting him. “Yes I would.” Warclaw moved back out of her way. “If it’s a war you want, a war it shall be!” Warclaw turned around and started walking back towards the lighthouse.

This is not how she expected it to go. “Fine a war it is then!” She shouted to Warclaw as he walked away. Whilst laughing to himself quietly, he shook his head. ‘If it is a war they want then it shall be a war that they get! By the high Alpha, she does not know what is coming their way!’ Warclaw thought to himself. Stopping he looked back around to see that Wibeke had started running to catch up with the others. Smiling, he was quite pleased with the outcome. It was about time that there was a war. It wouldn’t exactly last long either. There weren’t many of them.  Warclaw turned around and headed back towards the lighthouse. Stepping inside, he felt a wave of relief take over his body. He loved it and being in the lighthouse again was amazing. Although the lighthouse had been smashed down into the ground, it still felt like home!

******************

Wibeke had caught Will and Wren up, about five minutes later. “Well?” Will asked Wibeke.

“Well what?” Wibeke asked.

“What did he say?” Will asked again.

“Nothing that is of concern” Wibeke plainly stated.

“Wibeke spit it out. What did he say? I can tell it is not good by the look on your face!”

“Fine!” She sighed. “Warclaw wants a war. I said to him that if he didn’t give it to us then we would fight him for it. And now that’s exactly what he wants us to do! The trouble is I think that’s what he wanted all along.” Her voice had quickened up pace as she spoke.

“War?” Wren suddenly spoke up. “All the things you could say, and you say WAR! Wibeke we don’t have enough wolves to fight him!” Wren shouted at Wibeke.

“You weren’t exactly helping back there, were you? What were you thinking?!” Wibeke had started to shout at Wren. She was disappointed. What had made him like that? “I don’t know! I was trying to protect you. I couldn’t help it! Warclaw said I was out of your league. I believed him. I wanted to prove that I wasn’t out of your league!” Wren shouted and then sighed. Lowering his head he started walking forward. Wibeke had stopped walking. “You really think that? That I don’t love you and that you are out of my league?” Wibeke asked concerned.

“What does it matter if I think that?” Wren huffed.

“Because...” Wibeke fell silent. Wren turned around to face her.

“Because what?” He asked.

“Because...” She paused. “Because I always thought that you were out of my league! I always thought that you’d never love me.” Wren looked at her with soggy eyes. He smiled at her before walking over to her and hugging her closely. “How could you ever think that?” He asked calmly and sweetly. “I don’t know, the same way you thought that I was out of your league.” Wibeke sighed.

“Well, now we know what we both think.” He stopped talking and pressed his nose against hers. Wibeke felt her heart flutter and without telling herself to, she pressed her nose firmly against his. The world stopped around them. The wind rushed around them, ruffling their fur. For at least a moment in time, they could forget about their troubles and live for the moment.

When they parted, they smiled at each other. Walking side by side, they headed back to the pack with Will leading the way.

Chapter 8: Treasure.

The sea rustled quietly in the background and the wind whistled with a high pitch that could pierce your eardrum. The wind beat down upon the trees, moving the leaves roughly. The wind ruffled each of the pack member’s fur, as they waited to hear from Wibeke what would be happening next in their lives. They had waited for hours now and the waiting was killing them.

******************

It was getting late. The sun was moving down behind the ocean and the moon had taken its place in the night sky. The wind was as cold as ice. The sky was dark and full of clouds that had no control of where they went. There were hints of stars that were up above the misty clouds but you could only faintly see them. The sea was restless and could be heard faintly in the background. Wibeke, Will and Wren could hear it faintly. They were near the den now. They looked back towards where the lighthouse and Warclaw had been, wondering if he had followed them. But Warclaw hadn’t. It was just their imagination playing tricks on them.

They carried on walking towards the den. The tree’s parted and opened out to a vast area of space that had a few trees and a small amount of vegetation. It was quiet. It was a peaceful quiet. Wibeke waited for Waya to come out of the cave and ask them what had happened, but he didn’t. He was gone like all of the other great wolves that had been Alpha to the pack. She was sure that the pack was cursed, as nothing good ever happened to the pack or when something good did happen, it never lasted very long

Looking back out towards the middle of the den, she noticed all of the eager faces, looking to see if she had accomplished anything by going to Warclaw. But by her reckoning she hadn’t done much good. She had just made the situation ten times worse. Looking at their faces, she didn’t want to tell them the disheartening news but she knew that she had to, especially as it was coming down to war. It was the only way to get them on her side and ready to fight the biggest battle the pack has ever faced!

******************

Walking down the long inside of the lighthouse, Warclaw noticed that the door to the darkened room had been shattered to pieces. He walked inside but he had to walk on the wall due to the floor becoming the wall. Jumping over the smashed window, he remembered how bad that the storm had been and what had happened on that fateful day. And that day had only been a few weeks ago. ‘How time flies, when you are having fun!’ Warclaw chuckled to himself. He could remember that day so clearly that when Warclaw closed his eyes he could see it in front of him. That day would be a day that he would never be able to forget.

Looking back towards the way he was heading, he noticed that the chest that his treasure was in had disappeared. It had simply vanished into thin air. Warclaw took steps closer to where the treasure had once been in its chest. But it was not there, in fact there was no sign of it. There was no trace of it. Warclaw's heart started to pound in his chest. "Where is it?!" Warclaw panicked. His head was pounding. 'Why now? Why couldn't it have happened before the threatening, not after?' He stopped. In his head, the cogs started to turn and he started to realise who had taken it. 'Wibeke!' He spat. He continued to search through the lighthouse, to see if it had fallen into another part of it. There was no sign of it anywhere. Warclaw was searching frantically. There was no sign of it anywhere. His heart raced in his chest.