28 Ch 28 Spirit Wolf

Everyone reacted at the same time. There were growls and bared teeth. Dad moved to one side, Cherokee to the other. Arctic and Lobo also moved to take points to surround the odd couple.

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The shy one had been too caught up in the joy of the group howl to realize what had happened. Old Grey merely sighed and moved to block the shy one so he couldn't leave the pointe in a panic without pushing the old wolf out of the way.

Businessman was actually the only one who shifted to human.

"What the hell are you doing that for?" he asked the young wolf in confusion. He looked around at the reaction from the others, at a loss for what to do.

I couldn't react at first. I knew Lone Wolf wasn't in any real danger. I finally stalked over to center myself in front of Lone Wolf and his companion. I rolled my shoulders, trying to decide whether to stand as man or stay wolf.

My intense gaze caused Lone Wolf to make a decision of his own. He moved. It took me a moment to figure out what was he was doing, considering his wide throat was still being held.

I shifted to man so I could tell the others what I saw.

"Lone Wolf wants to speak. We might as well settle in; the last time I saw him change forms, it took about an hour. I'll hear what he has to say before doing anything else," I told the group of wolves. "I do, however," I said, directing my last comment to the young wolf who seemed stuck holding onto Lone Wolf, "strongly suggest you let go of him."

When he didn't, my gaze narrowed and I shifted from the chest, dropping suddenly to all fours.

"Now!" I roared in a voice barely human, growling and advancing.

The young wolf let go, but didn't move off. He stayed crouched over Lone Wolf, baring his teeth. I couldn't understand why the idiot was acting like he was willing to take us all on.

Wolves changing from thinking about attacking to wolves stalking their prey didn't reduce tensions, merely changed them. There was a lot of pacing going on.

Old Grey shifted, looking first at the shy one before looking back at me.

"We will wait," the old man said, as if he spoke for the two of them. He shifted back to wolf and lay down to face the spectacle before him. It took a moment but the shy one finally laid down on the far side of Old Grey

I shifted back to furred man. I kept my eyes on Lone Wolf. Even as his huge wolf changed to bulky man, he stayed down on all fours. While it was still a lengthy process for him, it didn't seem as painful as the last time I watched him change. He made grunts and groans but no bitten back screams this time.

When he was closer, but not totally, human, he looked directly at me... and winked. Then, looking down, he bowed his head slightly. He raised his head. Looking intently at me again, he gave me a second wink.

Storyteller that I am, I understood what he was wanting. He wanted me to play up the Royal aspect to influence his companion. I tried to figure how to work that pitch without alienating the true wolves.

While Cherokee and I didn't share the same language, there was a few of his words I knew because of my love of stories. One phrase in particular was easy to remember and fit the situation at hand.

"Trickster fox," I said to Cherokee in his language, giving a nod toward Lone Wolf. He just gave me a look, then a slow nod.

"Black Wolf?" I figured dad understood. Dad let out a humph. He said something in Russian to Arctic and Spanish to Lobo.

I couldn't think of any way to give a heads up to the others without giving things away.

"What are you saying? What's happening here? I don't understand," said the businessman, still confused.

"Let me begin with how and why we are here in the first place. We were summoned by the Spirit of the Wolf himself," I said dramaticly. "Each of us, or in a few cases the person represented, heard his call.

"We have gathered from around the world, representing all wolves. From the far northern tundra, from both the northern and southern American continents, and from the ancient Black Forest itself," I said, gesturing toward each wolf in turn as I spoke.

"Those who have chosen life as wolf are represented," I said nodding toward Old Grey, "as well as those who have chosen life as man, like yourself and the one you represent, which is why you are here."

Everything I had said so far was true, as far as I understood things. We had been gathered to meet and renew the connection between wolves.

I was part of that connection. Brother to all wolves. It was not yet time for me to take the name waiting for me.

Connecting wasn't the only reason we were here.

If Spirit Wolf were to have one law, it would be that no one was forced to become wolf. To be able to become wolf was an honor and a privilege. It should be a choice for those not born wolf.

These wolves had been gathered to act as witnesses. These events were rooted in the breaking of that unspoken law. The witnesses were to insure this story would not be lost or forgotten. Whatever happened today was only part of that story. I knew there would be more. That twisted Alpha needed dealt with. The history of what made him how he was needed to be told.

What I did next, well, my mom always told me I had a flair for the dramatic. I played my part to the hilt.

I turned my gaze toward the wolf who had shifted to a young man. He still stood possessively behind Lone Wolf. I pulled myself even straighter. I shifted, slower than I usually did, concentrating on my face like I had for the girl in the fire. Focus was the key. It was harder doing it now on purpose with an audience like this, but I managed.

I brought one furless hand up, dropping my gaze to examine my clawed fingers. I closed my fingers in one at a time.

My wolf head moved forward just slightly as I brought my eyes back up to look at him over my clawed fist. I stood, obviously a man from the shoulders down. My next words were spoken incorporating wolf sounds.

"We are the Royal Council of Wolves, brought together to judge those summoned by Spirit Wolf himself to face his council."

Also true, as far as I knew, except the royal part, and my theatrics.

Lone Wolf was about done shifting. I could see his nostrils flare as he hid his amusement at my theatrical wording. He knew his wink was the only reason I used the hated word royal. Suddenly his fear spiked again. He had finished shifting and looked up at me.

I was practically in the form of some ancient Egyptian deity. I couldn't remember which one had the dog head.

Lone Wolf was on his knees, head bowed tight against his chest. He had one hand behind him, gesturing to his companion, silently begging the young man to be subservient and respectful before such a gathering.

The young man hesitated. It was wolf that kept staring at him through my eyes. He looked away. I closed my eyes, drew on Spirit Wolf.

A slight growl came from me, a demand for attention. When the young man looked back to me, I could see the fear in his eyes. He lowered his eyes and slowly went to his knees.

I was suddenly a wolf on all fours. It wasn't a normal shift and it wasn't under my control. Spirit Wolf closed on him, circling tight again and again. When the young man started to shift, I growled.

"Stay as man," Spirit Wolf and I growled as one. We used wolf sounds. "You deny the wolf."

It was strange, feeling Spirit Wolf this time. I could feel the depth of the anger within him. It wasn't anger the way I had been angry. It was judgement. There was anger but it was entwined with everything else. There was disappointment, regret... love.

It was bold of me, perhaps, but I reminded Spirit Wolf that Lone Wolf had wished to speak.

Spirit Wolf stopped circling the young man. He stood before him, huffing breathes through a grimacing and growling snout. The young man's head bowed until his chin was against his chest. This seemed to satisfy Spirit Wolf.

Spirit Wolf turned toward Lone Wolf. He put our nose against the tatted collar.

Lone Wolf trembled and I couldn't blame him. I could feel the love Spirit Wolf had for the big man. Spirit Wolf withdrew, taking a figurative back seat, letting me deal with the situation.

No pressure, I thought wryly. I felt drained.

My paw on that massive shoulder turned to hand as I shifted to man. I leaned on Lone Wolf for a second, taking a breath, feeling my body. One hand tilted his head up so he could see my smile and my exhaustion. My other hand brushed his hair back from his face.

"Hey my friend," I said as I pulled myself to my feet. "What I tell you about this shit?" I pulled him to his feet after me. He didn't want to stand but I insisted.

Lone Wolf's companion started to glance up and stand. I let out a small growl, a rumble really. The young man decided to stay down, keep his head down, and not interrupt.

I put my hand to the side of Lone Wolf's face again, applying pressure every time he tried to look down. I kept his eyes on me, just me looking out my eyes now.

"You ready to be wolf yet?" I asked compassionately.