The North

Chapter 8

Sorry if it's taking me a bit longer than a week to edit each chapter. They're more than two times longer than I normally write, so you're technically getting two chapters an update *winks*

Chapter 8
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Dreams filled my head; of summer hunts and long exploratory treks, of running through thick meadows filled with rainbow-coloured wildflowers that sweeten the air, and the salt of the sea on the breeze. The horrors that had driven my pack from our home were forgotten, and even Mànas was alive and happy as I slept.

But I couldn’t sleep forever.

Groggily, my eyes fluttered open, and I realised it wasn’t my brother calling my name but a blurry female who hovered over my makeshift den.

“Finally.” The female laughed, holding up one of the blankets that must have fallen across my face in the night.

Rubbing my eyes free of sleep, I was greeted by the joyful smile of Astrid. Blonde hair fell like a veil around us and I found myself blushing at how close her face was to mine.

“I was worried I wouldn’t be able to wake you,” she teased. “What were you dreaming about that put a smile on your face?”

Sorrow gripped my heart and my voice was thick with grief as I admitted, “My older brother. He was killed a few months ago.”

The smile fell from Astrid's face, her crystal eyes misting up with sympathy. Moving away so I could sit, I felt a little bad for ruining her good mood as she helped me untangle myself from furs and blankets.

“Do you not like the bed?” she asked, smoothing her hand over the red deer pelt on the floor.

“It’s a fine bed. I’m just not used to all this. Maybe it’ll grow on me if I give it a chance.” Though I doubted I ever would. “How is my pack?”

She studied me for a few seconds, maybe trying to decide if I was telling the truth or if she could move the bed out for someone else to use. “They have settled in well. Everyone has had breakfast and your siblings with the other pups. They've made great friends already. Your older cousin, Fionnlagh, took some persuading, but he too is with wolves his own age after I might have mentioned it was your orders. . .”

I chuckled at that, and felt a measure of relief. Oighrig too would find it easy to mingle amongst strangers, she always did. Though her mind was sometimes lost, she was a sweet female and others often gravitated towards her. Even Fionnlagh would find a place with wolves whom he could play fight and hunt with as he once did with Mànas. There was much to learn in the games we played with others.

“And my father?”

“Is doing much better too. He’s awake-“

“What? When did he wake?” Shoving the blankets away, I clambered to my feet with every intention of going to see him immediately.

Astrid stood and grabbed my arms, reading the panic in my expression. A gentle rumble of her wolf had me calming enough to focus on her.

“I will take you to see him, don’t fret. I took your dress to be washed while you were asleep but a few other females have offered clothing for you,” she soothed, tugging me over to a plain wooden chest that had appeared at the end of my bed.

Too tired to repeat my claim that I didn’t need nor want to wear clothes, I decided things would probably go much smoother if I gave into this pack’s ways for a while. It might help me in my plight of gaining Alpha Hati’s trust if he saw me trying to fit in. I could appreciate a gift when it was given too, I wasn’t completely without manners.