Rouke’s Story: Chapter 7 - Kifin

(Read the prologue and chapters 1-6 first)

Something drew Kifin over to the left corner of the trap room. He usually stayed in opposite right corner. He considered it his “territory”. Staying too long in the trap house could make you search for old wolf traditions in the strangest place, like owning a territory.

Kifin knew when he saw the pair of wolves what had brought him there.

He had seen one of the wolves before, the thin, sleek one. But the other one, sitting tall and proud, Kifin had never seen before, but he could tell that wolf had been the alpha of his pack.

Kifin approached the two wolves slowly, his tail held proud, not wanting to show weakness.

“What do you want, pup?” The sleek wolf asked, his eyes studying Kifin.

Its true that Kifin was not much more than a pup, but he growled defensively. “I’m not a pup. What are you doing here.”

The alpha wolf snarled, “Wolf trappers, the same reason as you, but probably not the same way as you. You weak little pup probably barely put up a fight. I would have taken them down if I hadn’t been injured!”

Kifin growled, but watched the alpha wolf admiringly. “I fought! How did you get injured, you look fine now?”

The alpha wolf studied the pup, his eyes showing skepticism.

The sleek wolf stepped forward, clearly his role in his pack had been a beta.

“Tree branch fell on his back legs, pinning him! He fought so tough, he almost took down both Argy’s.” The beta wolf said.

The alpha wolf snorted. “If it wasn’t for Jaz, I wouldn’t have been able to do any fighting. Don’t lie to this pup, Lok. Gama fought braver then me.”

“I know Alpha, but you fought once Haz moved the log, and Jaz wouldn’t have been here if you hadn’t pushed him out of the way of the log.”

“Where is your gama, Jaz?” Kifin asked, leaning in curiously.

The alpha snarled. “Humans have him.”

“He’s in the healing place,” The beta, Lok explained.

Kifin could tell the beta wolf had been in the trap place longer. Kifin, the oldest pup in his pack, but still one of the youngest wolves in the pack had been the only one taken by the trappers so far.

“All my pack is still back in their territory. They are good at camouflage.” Kifin explained. “I have two sisters, my mother, my father who is alpha, and his brother, the beta. We also have a pack elder.”

“I see…” Lok smirked. “The male pup thought he’d prove how tough he was by hunting alone, and got himself caught? Hmm?”

Kifin looking around, seeing many other male adolescent wolves. “You got that story from others I’m guessing. How’d you get here though?”

“They caught me off guard in the middle of the night.” Lok growled.

“Where your pack come from?” Alpha wolf huffed. It seems like a big pack.”

It’s a pack of 7, but once my siblings and I leave it will be a pack of four again.” Kifin said. “We come from the North side of the mountain. When me and my siblings leave, we might just start of pack, just the three of us.”

Lok and Alpha chuckled.

“Trust me, we all say that.” Alpha laughed.

“Young pups…” Lok smirked.

“I’m not a pup!” Kifin insisted.

Lok looked at alpha. “You know, we are just a pack of three. We could maybe take in a fourth sometime.”

Alpha snorted. “That would tak a lot of convincing to make me accept this little pup.”

Kifin sighed. “I’m strong you know!”

“Sure, I’ll think about it,” Alpha sighed, rolling his eyes. “Run off now pup!”

Kifin growled again, but reluctantly trotted off to his own little corner.