by SkySmoke » Fri Dec 03, 2010 6:17 pm
PART 11
Mystic sighed as she walked along side Nitro. She wasn't sure if she was ever going to fit in. It seemed like everything she did was wrong. Nitro seemed to sense her mood.
"Don't worry, you have plenty of time to figure out how to fit in. It's a big adjustment to make. It usually takes people a while. The only reason I'm even having this talk with you already is so you understand more. Most new pack members keep to themselves and don't show much interest in anything for the first week, so they aren't ready for this talk. I feel like you are."
"Thank you."
"Our pack is different than any other pack you will come across. First of all, there aren't many packs of this size. Most of them are ten to twelve wolves. Its hard to survive in a big pack because of the lack of food. All packs have names. The pack Kane comes from is called the HellHounds. Our pack name is Shadow Stalkers. Our closest rival is the HellHound pack, but I will tell you about the few other packs in the area some other day. The HellHounds are the most important. They are bigger and meaner than any of the other packs. The only reason they have any respect for us is because we still have a few wild wolves in the pack, and our sheer numbers."
"Why would having wild wolves gain you any respect?"
"Because, the wild wolves can teach the city dogs how to live as a pack. Even when city dogs come together and try to live in packs, they don't always do well. They don't have the same instincts or pack mentality. It can be taught, but the HellHounds would rather eat city dogs than teach them anything. They are not from around here originally. New cities being built drove them from their homelands here. They stay here because the city dogs are easy to hunt. That is their main problem with us, we take in city dogs before they can get to them. It's been a war between us for years. It has gotten worse recently because there seems to be fewer city dogs being kicked out of the city."
"So, why do you take in city dogs then?"
"We understand that we need you. Eventually we will all die out if we don't learn to live with and around the human cities. Wild prey is getting harder and harder to find. Understanding the cities and humans is our key to food. We teach city dogs to live as a pack and we hope to have city dogs be able to teach us ways into the city. Or at least ways to get to food."
"Has that worked?"
"Not yet. We haven't tried yet. We've been training and preparing before we try anything. Going into the city may put lives on the line. Commitment to a pack has to be strong before most are willing to do that. So we've just been waiting and taking in certain city dogs that we think have potential. We had actually decided we had enough about a week before Black found you. That is why Gage got upset with him that first night. He was supposed to be out hunting, not finding a new pack member."
"So...why did he pick me up then?"
"I'm not sure. If there is one thing I have learned about Black its to not question his motives. I've spent enough time with him to know he always acts with the benefit of the pack in mind. I trust him."
"So, you are a wild wolf? You weren't born in the city?"
"No, I wasn't born in the city. I have always been wild. I am not the only member of the pack that is wild. There are a few more, you just haven't met them yet. Now that you know more about the pack, I have to ask you to start thinking about where you would like to try to fit in. Everyone has a job, you will be no different."
"I want to be a hunter." Mystic answered without hesitation. Nitro looked surprised, but his tone of voice didn't show it.
"Are you sure about that? The hunters of the pack are also our fighters. They are the ones who go out to the city boundaries to hunt. There are fights with other packs often. It can get ugly, and the training is brutal."
"I'm sure. I want to help as much as I can. I want to be respected too, and I think that's probably the best way. Besides, my family traveled in and out of different cities a lot. I've been into and out of a lot of them. I think I could be helpful to you that way too."
Nitro dipped his nose towards her.
"Very well then, we will see how your training as a hunter goes. It will start tomorrow at dawn. There is a field behind the cave where you slept tonight. We will meet you there. The rest of today is yours to do whatever you want."
"Okay. Who will I be training with?"
"The rest of the hunters. We all practice daily, but your initial training with start with Black." Nitro answered as he walked away. Mystic's ears drooped and she sighed. It had to be Black. She shook her head and headed towards Spring and Twist's house to see if she could catch up with them again. She hoped maybe her anger towards Black would work to her advantage during training.
Vincit Omnia Veritas 


There's some people who are so much a part of us that they'll be there with us no matter what. They are our solid ground, our north star, and the small clear voices in our hearts that will be with us...always ~ Alexis Castle | | We are bound by our choices, but we are more than our mistakes ~ Kate Beckett | |




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