Peace and Quiet Ch. 04

"Werepandas and weregrizzly?" Alan and Travis nodded. "Something to write home about. Mom always said I was descended from warriors."

"Walking walls, maybe," said Colton and grinned.

"The others went to different areas. There was another factions of Lycans that came from Egypt. The followers of Anubis, the Jackal god, knew of the plot against the Queen and her Solaris, but could do nothing to stop them. He was a god of the dead, what cared he for the living? But Bast appealed to her fellow god and he decided to break his neutrality because he was unable to guide the number of souls to the underworld. Too many were dying because of this war, most of them humans. Anubis brought his own followers in and they became the first Lycan jackal, what we call coyotes here in America." Colton looked like he was impressed. "Those of his order were known to be guides and the werecoyotes guided the followers of Bast north to the Mediterranean and across it to Sicily and beyond. Those few journeyed into the court of King Lyncus in Scythia."

This was like one big mythological mishmash. Bast, Anubis, Artemis. "Wait...is this the story of Demeter and how she turned the King into a lynx for killing her follower?" I had some interest in mythology growing up.

"Precisely, but that is not the precise truth. While she did turn him into a lynx, it was not for punishment but to save him. Triptolemus, in the guise of teaching him art of agriculture, had come to kill the king, and in defense, the king did kill the follower, but it angered many other people because the king had not shared the knowledge before killing Triptolemus. She turned him into a lynx to save him from the masses and he joined up with a few Solaris as they escaped. While he never had to deal with the Lupus, Demeter did instill a wariness of other Lycans into the species."

"Which might explain why the Creep still creeps me out. All of you do, a bit. Except Zeke. He creeps me out a lot too." I grinned over at him and he just smiled back and nudged me into the dirt. "Durned bear." Alpha Alan helped me up, me getting a lesser shock from him. "Hey...must run in the family."

"That is actually where this starts. Lyncus fathered many children after being changed, but none of them had his Lycanthropy. For ten generations the genes lay dormant until one daughter wed and mated a Solaris." I had a suspicion I knew where this was going. "Half of them were Solaris, the other half Lyncus. The thing is, the siblings seemed to have favorites among them and never one of their own kind. Always Lyncus and Solaris. Always." I looked over at Dylan and he had a serious look on his face. It showed he was wondering just freaky his life could get. "Throughout the rest of time the blood lines would diverge and then converge when these pairs got together. Sometimes as bitter rivals with profound respect for each other, others as siblings, and a few times as lovers. Always though, they were warriors."

"So Creepy and I are distantly related?" Alpha Alan nodded. "Huh. Good..." I suddenly stopped. Something had caught my eye in the distance.

"What?" asked Dylan.

"There is someone standing there looking in our general direction. Older man, kinda of like Sean Connery a bit."

There were smiles all around from the pack members. "Where?" asked Dylan. "I don't see him." I pointed and he squinted. "Wow, you can tell that detail from here? Neat trick. Over here, you old gossip!" Dylan called out. I saw the man look in our direction and then come trotting over. As he got closer I could see he was a Lunais and one handsome man for all his years. When he got close enough Dylan ran over and scooped the man up in a huge hug. It would take someone his size to lift this well built man off the ground so easily. "I have missed you!"

"I have missed you too, Dylan. You have grown so much since the split." Dylan carried him over like it was nothing and set him down, both grinning. "Been a long time since I was manhandled so easily." He bowed at the waist to the Alphas. "Nice to see you again, Travis. Alan."

"Welcome to Homestead Territory." There was a note of respect from Alan. "Jon and Pat will be thrilled to see you, but why are you here?"

Dylan's face got a bit serious. "I called him. We need your help." The gentleman nodded, not even questioning what the help was. What did he know? "Quintin, this is Gene. He's a former Hunter for the East Coast Pack and the liaison between the Lunais and the Lupus for that Pack." I raised a brow. "Long story. He'll tell you later." That brought a sort of merry twinkle to Gene's eye. "Gene, we have a situation and I'm not equipped yet to handle it. So I called in the best I know. Since he was busy, it fell to you." Gene laughed loudly and I liked the sound. This man was someone worth knowing.

"Anything for you, Dylan, you know that. What do we have?" I told him. As we walked back to the camp he was silent, nodding that he was listening to everything. I had no doubt he could repeat the entire thing back word for word. "I see. And you want some additional training." There was no question about it. He knew what he was here for and knew he would not be asked to fight Amos. "I can do that. With the moon tonight, I can work on some things, but it will mostly happen afterward. It's good you called. If Travis cannot track him, this man is good. Probably one of the best and Lyncus are known to be stealthy to begin with." His entire demeanor changed when we entered the camp. He was now just one more visitor. "I need to pay my respects to the Alpha Pair."

"DAD! STOP BANGING PAT FOR LIKE TWO SECONDS AND GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!"

"NO!" I heard in reply which then was followed by a laugh from all around.

"I do that all the time...since they do it all the time. I swear those two are always..." Dylan stopped when he saw my flat look. "Well they are."

"Kinda hot," Zeke murmured and I couldn't hold the look. It was a hot thought. The Alpha Pair were handsome men.

After a moment Jon came out wearing just a pair of basketball shorts, showing off the last bit of a chub...and a rather impressive one. All in all, he was what Alpha men should be built like. Just...wow. "So why do I have to stop bang...Gene!" Jon came over and pulled the man into a fierce hug which was returned with the same intensity. "How are you?"

"Good, and glad to see you. Were it under better times I would be overjoyed for the new pack." Pat came out in a sarong, another perfect specimen of manliness, and gave Gene a far more sedate hug. "I'm here to train these boys up. Give them a chance at this Amos guy."

Pat smiled then shot a look at Dylan. "Couldn't handle it, little dude?"

"No." The simple statement made them all become serious. "He's too much for me right now. Full moon and he's better trained. It took everything Colton and I had to just to keep him busy and away from Quint while he grabbed the rifle and kept watch over Zeke who took him on first."

"He's easier to take on in his lunar form," said Zeke. "Not as easy to hip toss someone without hands. He's faster, but I was able to hold him off by myself until my Mom chased him off. That's it, call my folks, they'll kill him for you." Zeke grinned.

"They're protecting my mom." He nodded like he had forgotten.

"Then she's safe. Believe me." I looked at Zeke and wondered how such conviction could come from someone so care free seeming.

"So, with your permission, Jon, I'll be taking the boys for awhile. Keep them moving so Amos will have a hard time keeping track of us." This suddenly sounded a lot like boot camp all over again, which wasn't too bad all things considered. I needed to get back into shape since Amos kept me all but prisoner for those years. This might be just the thing that gets me back into fighting form.

"You have mine, but you only have one week until we take Zeke back to his family."

"Or we could all go back," Zeke said with a smile.

"Not possible. If I send my enforcer and a crack team of insurgents that close to the ECP border, Angus will not take kindly to it. Gene being here is technically a breach, but we called him in." Jon had to make sure he did not anger the ECP any more than he had in the past. He had people to protect now and could not just go piss Angus McLeod off.

Zeke nodded. "But I thought the Wolf was neutral territory."

"It's in neutral territory, yes, but only eight miles from the border. Too close for comfort as the buffer zone is supposed to be ten miles. Quint can tell you how small that seems when you're traveling." I could. There had been times when I had to skirt dangerously close to a territorial boundary and twice I had to pass through another territory. It makes for very tense living.

"That sucks. I mean it really does. Can someone just, I don't know, shoot the bastard in the head with a silver nitrate bullet with silver shrapnel and just call it a day? Maybe get some silver grenades?" We all looked at Colton. "I thought it was a good idea."

"No one other than a Solaris could use it," Dylan pointed out. "Friendly fire would be a bitch."

"Oh yeah."

Gene spoke up. "I'll have your boys back with whatever I can train them in. Get what you think you'll need for a week long trip. We'll hunt for our suppers." Dylan snagged Zeke and they went off to his cabin for clothing. Colton went off to his. I was about to head back to the cabin I was using when Gene shook his head. "I need more info about this guy. What you've told the pack has been pretty cut and dry. I need more."

"What do you want to know? His favorite cereal? How he takes his coffee? How many times he hit me? How many nights I lay there wishing I was dead because he fucked me like a cheap whore?" I was getting angry and frustrated. This close to the full moon my emotions were not fully mine to control. "How my life was a fucking hell for the past years because that son of a bitch never told me I would become a Lycan?"

Gene put his hand on my shoulder. "You just told me more than I needed. This guy will not stop until you're his again." I shook my head. "Then we'll make him stop." I took a deep breath, then ten more, and nodded. "And you just told me more about yourself. You're pissed, and rightly so, but you're no coward and know when to relax and let the emotions go. I needed to know that more than anything."

"Combat might be different, especially if it includes explosions."

"Combat vet?" I nodded. "Then you can really help things along. You do guerrilla tactics?"

"Not much. Camouflage, yes, but I was not on the front lines. Still saw some fighting."

"Even better. The only way to find this guy is through stealth. Now, put the last anger out of your mind and go get ready. If you need a few minutes after that, I'll send in that big bear of yours to hug you back to happiness." Despite myself I grinned.

"Guess we do smell like each other." The men nodded. It was a cheerful thought that I smelled like Zeke...and not Amos. "I think I'm going to like you, Gene."

He laughed. "You say that now. Wait until after you're put through the wringer." That laugh and those words made me like him more. It was almost like being back in the service. Truth be told, being here was like finding a niche where I finally belonged.

We made some good distance away from any sort of civilization before we set up our camp for the night. My eyes had been scanning everywhere for any sign of Amos, but of course I saw nothing and the others scented nothing. I knew he was out there. He wouldn't give up that easily and the gun shot wound would be healed by now or it would be after tonight. My body itched something fierce as we dropped our bags. "I'll set up camp. You guys guard my back." Dylan, being a Solaris, did not change during the full moon. He could not change during the moon at all. Alpha Alan found it very difficult to change, but he could if pushed, but he was an Alpha.

"Gotcha, big guy," said Colton and stripped right then. Zeke and I checked him out and grinned at each other. Not bad. Still a bit of baby fat, but not bad at all. We followed suit and it felt almost...liberating to be out here, nude, with other people. I had never run with a pack. Cats didn't form them, and rarely did they even go in pairs. But right now, with these guys, I felt I could belong to a pack. "Gotta say you two make a very handsome pair."

"Checking out our butts?" Zeke asked.

"Maybe," Colton said and was about to say more but the moon rose high enough. He began to scratch at himself while Gene, Zeke and I changed. It seemed faster now than ever and far less painful. When I was done I looked at Colton. "My change takes time. I'm always be...hiiiind." I watched him double over and begin to pant. His change looked far more painful than any other one I had seen and by the heavy breathing he looked to be fighting it.

"Relax, Colt. You've been doing this for years."

"Not...w...w...with th...eeeeem arou...ou..." his word trailed off into a sort of howl as his face became a muzzle. I watched in almost horror as his change took its toll and he lay there panting. None of mine had been that rough, not even my first. Something told me there was a back story to this, but I wouldn't pry. He'd tell me if he wanted me to know.

When everyone was able to move about freely Gene stood. He was no Alpha, but at that point he was the highest ranking person. It was subtle, very subtle, because at that point I know I was not thinking along the lines of human thought. It was a scent thing. I smelled that Gene was the leader of this hunting pack and we all fell in line. "I'll hold down the fort. You four go hunt. If you need me howl or whatever."

"We will," said Gene, and I would have envied his ability to speak had I remembered what that was. Gene growled and then hissed. He spoke a bit of Felis; not much but, I knew when he meant. We followed his lead. We all took off silently into the night. My eyes were still scanning, but this time it was for prey. Colton and Gene made a good pair and I almost envied how well they worked together. Different species altogether, really. Cat's were stalkers, dogs were pack hunters. Bears...well...they were solitary hunters, but Zeke seemed to understand to stay with us.

We found a stream and we all drank, Zeke sliding into the water and almost immediately beaching a few fish. I watched as Gene and Colton snatched them up and ate with relish, but I waited even though there was a few still flopping around. Zeke came up and dropped a large one at my paws and when I didn't eat he pushed it towards me.

"Why not eat, Quint?" asked Gene.

I have not been given permission, I hissed and growled back. Felis is almost a language of body posture with the sounds being the accent and emphasis.

"I don't know what that Amos taught you, but in this pack, you eat when hungry and don't have to wait for the hunt leader."

It took a moment for the words to trickle into my brain, but when I did I leaned down slowly, keeping my eyes on Gene to make sure I had understood him. When he nodded I took the fish Zeke brought me and settled down to eat. Zeke's happy wuff told me I had made him happy by choosing the fish he brought me personally. He then grabbed a few of the smaller ones and ate them down quickly. This was not the main meal or purpose of our hunt, just a snack in case the hunt didn't go well.

I was the last one finished and I hated that I ate so slowly, but I had learned to never eat fast with Amos. It made him angry if I burped or farted or did a million other things he found uncouth. They waited though. Not impatiently either. They weren't put out that I took my time to eat a rather large fish. When I was done though we were back into the fields of Montana, searching for something that Gene seemed to know about.

It didn't take us long to get to an old building out in the middle of nowhere. When we got within a hundred yards of it I pulled to a halt and my hackles rose. I smelled Amos. His scent permeated the area and I felt my insides clinch. Zeke smelled it too and let out a different type of wuff, one of warning and anger, but his reaction was to come and protect me. I shouldn't feel this way, but I was grateful for him and his protection.

"The target has been staying here for the past few days. When Tommy said there was a problem I hoofed it out here to Montana and began looking around. Jon and Pat know I've a knack for finding things and I found his hiding place, but not him. This could be a ruse, a place he's set up to throw a false trail, but that scent is fresh, made just an hour ago."

Gene's words were a bit hard to deal with in such long sentences, but he waited for our no longer human brains to catch up. Colton growled something and Gene nodded. "You're right, his injury wasn't fully healed when the moon rose. You've a good nose, pup." Colton seemed to preen under the praise of the older male. "By now it will have healed, so don't think he's going to be hurt if we find him. This cabin was our target tonight. I know Colt's memory is pretty good when he changes back. How about you two?" I shook my head and Zeke followed suit a moment later. "Good to know. Keep your senses open while we head back to camp. We can find more evidence of Amos and maybe some dinner."

We didn't find Amos, but we found two mule deer and brought them down easily. Gene had paused the same moment I had. I saw the herd feeding and knew the wind was in our favor. They hadn't seen us yet so we could probably get a few. Gene motioned for us to go in different directions. A hammer and anvil strike, my mind told me, with Zeke as the hammer. He would drive them towards us and we would bring them down. It had been almost too easy. Zeke was quiet for a huge bear and went around the whole heard before they even knew he was there. Once they caught scent of him they perked up and began to mill about. Then he charged and they ran right to us.

Gene nodded his approval when we had our kills, and picked up both and started back to camp. I marveled at not only his strength at the age of seventy, but also how much simpler it was to have thumbs. You never think about how your life would be difficult without thumbs. I might have been less ashamed had I been a Lunais...

Zeke nudged me and I looked at him, wondering what the big bear wanted. He lay down and wuffed at me. At first I was confused, but then he wuffed at me while nosing towards his back. Did he...want me to ride him? I put a paw on his back and he nodded. Then I climbed on, feeling the amazing warmth of his body and I basked in the scent that was unique to him. When I was settled with my head on my paws he stood gracefully and the hunting pack walked on. His gait lulled me into a doze which ended as soon as he stopped.

"Two? Well, we are growing boys," Dylan said. "I'll start prepping them. You have a few hours to sunrise. Chunks or carcass?" he asked.

"Carcass is good enough. Will you boys be fishing?" Gene asked of us. We nodded. "Want back up?" Zeke shook his head. "Roar if you need us." Zeke went meandering back to the stream so we could eat our fill. I knew he didn't like red meat much and I did like fish. No big compromise for me. Plus I got to relax and be outside. It was nice to not be cooped up in a durned cellar. And I was finding out that Zeke was a good person to be around both in and out of fur.

After a large portion of fish for us both, I felt very drowsy. Zeke flopped onto the ground next to some large rocks and lifted a massive paw. Six months ago I would have run in fear of being hurt. I went willingly and curled up beside him. I didn't know that after we fell asleep Gene came to keep watch over us. All I knew was that I felt safe and loved. Peace and quiet.