I Can't See The Forest For The Trees.

Written by, Wolfie Steel.

Part Eleven.

Here come the usual rules, all characters used in this story belong to their owners and are used with their kind permission. There will be references to homosexual acts and violence, you have been warned!!!!

It has now been many moons since what I hope was the final battle with my father and his pack, those of his pack that survived have now swelled the numbers in my own pack to forty-nine Wolves and one very strong, very determined and very sexy Husgar. I won't deny that there is still a little friction between the different packs, but everyday things get just a little bit easier.

I have now decided that to make everyone feel wanted and needed I will rotate the pack duties, for three days there will be hunting parties, water collectors, and warrior training, if a Wolf is on Warrior training one day then the following day he may be a water collector or joining a hunt, then there will be three days where each wolf can decide which of the three duties they want to improve upon and will train in that duty, finally there will be a day of rest where the pack will do nothing more than eat, sleep and attend pack meetings.

My father has not dared to show his face since the day of the great battle, has he survived the injuries that I left him with? That much I do not know and it pains me to have to say this but I also do not care. Over the many seasons, my father has been the cause of many deaths and serious injuries to both his pack and those outside of his pack, I very much doubt that if he still survives that he will be able to get another pack to take him on as their Alpha.

Kasa has now fully healed and has taken charge of guiding the new pups in the pack. Each day he grows more and more like my old friend Gideon, so much so that on some occasions I have even mistakenly called him Gideon, but he has taken it in good heart and I dare say even a little pride to be thought of as his father.

Jason and Jacob are still very much together and have now become two of the pack's respected elders, Jacob still aids in tutoring of the warriors while Jason helps Rion and me with the day to day running of the pack, speaking of Rion he has become adept at both water carrying which is why he leads each party and also has become very wise in the use of medicines and herbs.

Stella has taken the role of leading the females of the pack, they keep the den clean and tidy they also make sure that the stocks of food and water are kept at reasonable levels. I have also given them a new role, they are now also our diplomats and ambassadors, though Stella also goes on the occasional hunt, she is one female that very few wish to cross.

It is thanks to Stella and the female members of the pack that we have a very special event planned, our bond with the human village is stronger now than it ever has been and so in three moons there will be a great feast held in a forest clearing to celebrate the continuation of the relationship between the Steel pack and the human village.

I cannot deny that with all of the hurt and pain that this pack has been through I am looking forward to having this day of celebration. We have also sent word to our neighbouring packs asking them if they would like to join us for just one day, some have crumpled the invitation up as soon as they have received it but some of the smaller packs have accepted the invitation and have replied that they will be attending.

My plan for this morning is to take Rion and Jason up onto the rocky plateau above the caves to talk about our plans for the celebration and also about a plan that I have in mind to allow the other packs to become our allies, well let's face it, you can never have enough friends.

Rion and Jason sit on the plateau next to each other and facing me, Rion is the first to speak.

“So Wolfie the preparations for the celebration are going well, there is not much else needing to be done. There is a small party of warriors guarding the clearing so that we don't get any uninvited guests, Stella has asked that we send another company of Wolves out to do one last hunt and collection of water so that we will be sure that we have enough."

I consider what Rion has just said.

“A good host always makes sure that his honoured guests are well catered for so yes another small hunt and water collection is approved."

Next, I turn to Jason.

“Jason while the whole pack will be enjoying themselves at the celebration I don't want us to let our guard fall completely so I wish to have a small warrior force looking after the perimeter of the clearing, who knows if some of the other packs that are unsure about joining us as allies feel safe while they are enjoying the festivities maybe that will be the deciding factor in their thoughts. Be under no illusion, though I want the small guarding team to enjoy themselves too, just not to overdo it."

Both Rion and Jason nod their heads to say that they have understood my requests and they head off to accomplish the tasks. I decide that as I haven't yet seen what the pack has done to the clearing in the way of decorations I should take a walk and find out.

The clearing stands just at the edge of the human village, it is also not far from the collapsed den that once served as the Anderson Pack base. It is still a place that holds some raw memories for some of the pack but in a way it will also serve as closure for them too.

I stand in the clearing and I look around and I can see that much work has been put into making it a place for much joviality, I can also see what looks to be lookout posts built into the trees at each corner, the lookout posts are easily accessible and will mean that the security arrangements should be easy to accommodate.

My inspection is cut short by the sound of a twig or branch being broken under paws, my ears instantly train onto the sound, it has come from about fifty feet away which puts it right on the perimeter of the clearing, the fur all over my body begins to bristle and a low deep growl comes from the pit of my soul.

I look around me and I can see some of my pack who are working on the clearing, I also see that two or three of them have heard the noise too.

I raise my paw in a silent command for my pack members to be alert but to stay because after all, the sound that we all heard could have only been made either by a single human or animal and so if needs be I should be able to fend them off myself.

I hunker down low and begin my slow and silent journey towards where the sound had come from my eyes and ears scanning the immediate area for any other sights and sounds.

I make it to about ten or eleven feet away from my destination and the smell of another Wolf hits my nose, I recognise the smell as that of one of the neighbouring packs that had decided not to join our festivities.

I know that I should consider calling for the Wolves at the clearing but I stay silent and continue my journey. As I am skulking through the long grass with my nose close to the ground I suddenly bump into the nose of the other Wolf, it is a brown furred Wolf whom I know only as Maximillion of the Trigonna pack.

The Trigonna pack are one of those that I like to say sit on a fine line, I have heard the human pack say this as someone who sits on a fence, though why you would sit on a thin piece of wood with the possibility of getting wood splinters dig into your nether regions is beyond me but I digress, they are a pack that have never actually attacked us but one gets the feeling that they don't exactly see us as a trustworthy pack either.

I take a chance and stand fully on all fours, a move which Maximillion mirrors he then clears his throat and begins to speak.

“Alpha Steel, I have been asked to seek you out by my Alpha Tongo, he wishes to have an audience with you at our pack's den."

I sit on my haunches and regard Maximillion for a few short moments before I make my reply.

“Well Maximillion, from the stance that my nose found you in I would say that you were actually told to try and infiltrate my pack's borders, I also remember the last time that I met with your Alpha only a few moons ago to offer him the chance to bring his pack to our celebration, he crumpled the invitation up in front of my very own eyes so for me to walk with you back to your pack's den without my personal guards would be foolhardy of me, don't you agree?"

The brown Wolf lets out a gentle sigh and then makes his reply.

“Fine I will allow you to bring one of your pack mates with you."

I stand up again and turn to look towards the clearing, I see that Jacob is standing by one of the lookout posts and has his keen eyes trained upon me, a thought enters my mind well Wolfie it would be good to share the walk with someone who knows you intimately and Jacob fits that description nicely. I nod towards Jacob and he makes his way towards us.

“You called for me Alpha Steel?"

Inside my head, I marvel at the way that Jacob can change his demeanor if it had just been the two of us he would have addressed me purely as Wolfie but when he is in the company of others he is so formal.

“Yes Jacob I did call for you, I would like you to travel with me as my guard, we are heading to the Trigonna pack's den where I will have an audience with Alpha Tongo."

Jacob bows his head in respect.

“As you wish Alpha Steel."

Maximillion begins to lead the way back to his pack's den with myself and Jacob following close behind, as we travel my mind wonders to the possible reason for Alpha Tongo to request my presence, it could be a trap but I know that Jacob would be quick to stop that from happening, of course it could also be that Alpha Tongo has had a change of heart and wishes to allow his pack to join our celebration, well in half a days travel we shall find out.