Part III: A Test of Strength
Chapter 22: The Great Gathering
Steven and Kenya arrived at the Protectors’ pack a few hours later and dropped off the pups of the Western Pack. Steven looked at his son, Luke, who was making friends with a female pup.
“Oh, I get it,” Steven said, smiling, “my son has a way with the ladies. He must’ve picked up a few pointers from his father.”
“I doubt it,” Kenya replied. “She’s not dry heaving.”
They approached Mort and asked him for help against Viggo. Mort gladly agreed, taking half of the Protectors with him and leaving Darren to lead while he was gone.
It was almost midday, and the valley was filled with hundreds of wolves. So many packs had arrived since Steven and Kenya had left that morning. But Runt was nowhere to be found again. Humphrey was standing atop the stone that used to be his den, looking down at the massive group of wolves that was gathered directly below him in the middle of the large clearing just outside the valley.
“Where’s Runt?” Kate asked, walking up to Humphrey.
“I don’t know,” he replied. “I’ve been howling for him all day, but he hasn’t responded. I don’t know where he could be.”
Humphrey turned to Arnold who had just walked up to him.
“What’s our count?” he asked.
“Steven’s pack is here as well as the Northern Pack,” Arnold replied. “Steven and Kenya should be here soon with Mort and the Protectors. Daria’s pack is here, too, and so is King and the Rogue Wolves. The eastern wolves were among the first to arrive. A couple of individuals have come, mainly friends of your pups from Shadow Forest. ”
“And what about our special guest?” Humphrey asked.
Arnold and Humphrey suddenly turned their attention to the tree line when they heard high-pitched screaming coming from the woods.
“Never mind.”
Gerald soon came running out of the forest. He tripped over himself and fell over, the bear stopping close behind him.
“Every…single…time!” Gerald shouted, looking at the bear. “Doesn’t this get old for you?”
Humphrey started laughing when Arnold steered his attention away.
“Hey,” Arnold said, “who are those guys?”
Humphrey followed Arnold’s gaze and saw a new and unfamiliar pack of wolves approaching from the southern end of the territory.
“I have no idea,” Humphrey replied, heading down to go greet them.
The pack got closer, and their leader walked up to Humphrey. She looked to be a couple years younger than Stinky, Claudette, and Runt. The black fur on her back, mane, and head perfectly contrasted the white fur on the underside of her body, running from her jaw to her hind legs.
“My name is Lara,” she said. “We’ve come to help you in your fight against Viggo.”
“Who are you guys?” Humphrey asked.
“We are The Lone Survivors,” Lara replied, “or at least that’s what we call ourselves. The last remaining survivors from various packs that Viggo has destroyed.”
“Well, we’re glad to have you in our fight,” Humphrey told her. “Every little bit helps.”
“Hey, aren’t you supposed to be dead?” she asked.
“I was,” he casually replied.
Lara looked behind Humphrey and her eyes widened in shock.
“Oscar?” she said.
Oscar’s ears perked up at hearing a familiar voice and he turned around.
“Lara,” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to help you fight Viggo,” she replied. “But what are you doing here? I haven’t seen you since Johnny lost his leg to that trap.”
“Okay, so you two know each other,” Humphrey said.
“Yeah, I joined their pack two years after I lost my home,” Oscar explained. “But I left because we were getting attacked and I just couldn’t bear to see anyone get hurt.”
“Well, I’m glad you decided to come, Lara,” Arnold said. “We need everyone we can find.”
“You know, you’re a big inspiration to me, Humphrey,” Lara said. “I heard about your story when I was a pup and it made me want to be just like you; a hero. And now I have. I’ve helped so many of these wolves find a new purpose after losing everything and I just want to say thank you on behalf of my entire pack.”
“Go and join everyone underneath the cliff,” Humphrey said, smiling. “We’ll be there soon.”
Humphrey turned around and looked at the large group gathered near his old den.
“So, we have seven packs, plus a small assortment of other critters,” he said, “against Viggo’s entire army of over five hundred men and the Crimson Pack. They still outnumber us, two-to-one. Even if my friend comes, this isn’t going to be easy.”
He saw something moving out of the corner of his eye and when he turned to look at it, he saw Runt and Lisa running up to him.
“Runt,” Humphrey said, a bit upset, “where have you been?”
“I was with Lisa,” Runt replied.
“Where?” Humphrey asked.
Runt paused awkwardly for a moment before answering.
“…in the tall grass.”
Humphrey couldn’t help but crack a smile after hearing this.
“So, what are your plans for your honeymoon?” he asked, changing the subject.
“If all goes well today, Lisa are gonna go sightseeing in the mountains as soon as tomorrow,” Runt replied.
Humphrey smiled before turning and addressing the large congregation of wolves under the cliff.
“This is a time of great turmoil and difficult choices,” he said. “We’ve had our quarrels and differences in the past, but we need to stand and fight together to survive. So I need to know now; are you with me?”
Slowly, one by one they all replied.
“The Northern Pack is with you.”
“The Eastern Pack is with you.”
“The Southern Pack is with you.”
“The Central Pack is with you.”
“The Rogue Wolves are with you.”
“My pack is with you,” Daria said.
“I’m with you,” Arnold said.
“And so am I,” Gerald added.
“We’re with you, Dad,” Stinky said with Claudette and Runt standing next to him.
“Will I actually get to kill someone this time?” Mick asked in typical fashion.
Humphrey chuckled a little, humored by Mick’s headstrong personality.
“Mick, I personally guarantee it,” he said.
“Good. Then I’m in.”
Humphrey turned and looked at Kate who gave him a playful smile back.
“I am always with you, Humphrey,” she said.
Arnold went back up to his previous perch on the slab of stone that once held Humphrey’s den on top of it. He wanted to keep an eye out for Viggo. The day was getting late, and he would be here soon. Humphrey joined him and it wasn’t long until they spotted a lone figure walking out of the trees and into the valley below. Arnold smiled to himself, hoping that Humphrey would play along with what he was about to do.
“He hath emerged from the forest,” Arnold boldly announced.
Humphrey immediately picked up on the que and without missing a beat-
“And? What of his gall bladder?”
“Impossible to say,” Arnold finished.
The two shared a laugh as they briefly reminisced about the past, when times were simpler. Back before all this happened. They sat and looked at Viggo who was simply standing in the middle of the valley, patiently waiting.
What are you up to now, Viggo? he thought. It didn’t matter. Humphrey had a wild card of his own that was on its way. Hopefully, it would get there in time.
“We should go,” Humphrey said after a moment of silence. “Let’s end this.”
He and Arnold headed down to join the others who were waiting near the hill that spilled out into the valley from the west. Humphrey stood in front of the group and started talking.
“Alright, everyone!” he announced. “Wait for my signal and don’t do anything until I make it. No matter what. The only way we’re going to defeat Viggo is if we maintain the element of surprise. Are you ready?”
“Wait!” came a voice from the far back of the crowd.
Humphrey stopped and the crowd slowly parted to let the speaker through. As the last few wolves stepped out of the way, Humphrey and the others saw who it was. All of a sudden, King pushed through to the front, a look of disbelief on his face, which was a strange thing to see.
“Princess,” he said quietly.
“Hello, father,” Princess casually replied.
“What are you doing here?” King asked his daughter.
“I heard about what’s been happening with Viggo,” she replied. “And I also heard that you had rejoined the Western Pack. So, I decided to find out for myself. I guess it’s true. You really have changed.”
“We’re glad to have you,” Humphrey said.
“Sorry about…all that,” she told him.
“Hey, don’t worry. That’s in the past. I’ve moved on from it,” Humphrey replied.
Runt made his way out from behind a few other wolves and stopped when he saw Princess.
“Speak of the devil,” Humphrey said as he stepped aside.
“Runt?” Princess exclaimed in amazement. “Is that you?”
“It sure is,” Runt replied, smiling.
“My, how time flies.”
“It always does.”
“Well, this is a touching reunion and all,” Oscar said, trying not to sound rude, “but time is at a bit of premium. So, if you don’t mind, we’ve got a battle to win here.”
Humphrey stood in front of the large group of wolves, preparing to give all the words of encouragement he had to offer.
“Everyone!” he began boldly. “This is the fight of our lives. We’re up against an evil unlike anything we’ve ever seen. This man has destroyed many packs and killed countless wolves over the years, with no one to challenge him. Today, that changes. Today we fight back. We are ready for anything, ready for anyone, ready to fight for our friends and our families and they are ready to fight for us. But today we fight for more than just our home. Today we fight for all wolves, past, present, and future, in Jasper and beyond. To show Viggo that we will not back down; that we will not be broken by fear. We’re strong, united by our courage and we will show the forest that we don’t need to fear him any longer. This is our moment, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. All the enemies we’ve faced, all the people we’ve met, and all the allies we’ve made, have brought us here for one final showdown. We’ve suffered enough losses. This time we win. This is our time. This is where we shine. Let’s show these humans what happens when they mess with the wrong wolves. For Jasper!”
“For Jasper!” everyone present shouted back at once before tilting back their heads and letting out one, unanimous, howl.
Chapter 22: The Great Gathering
Steven and Kenya arrived at the Protectors’ pack a few hours later and dropped off the pups of the Western Pack. Steven looked at his son, Luke, who was making friends with a female pup.
“Oh, I get it,” Steven said, smiling, “my son has a way with the ladies. He must’ve picked up a few pointers from his father.”
“I doubt it,” Kenya replied. “She’s not dry heaving.”
They approached Mort and asked him for help against Viggo. Mort gladly agreed, taking half of the Protectors with him and leaving Darren to lead while he was gone.
It was almost midday, and the valley was filled with hundreds of wolves. So many packs had arrived since Steven and Kenya had left that morning. But Runt was nowhere to be found again. Humphrey was standing atop the stone that used to be his den, looking down at the massive group of wolves that was gathered directly below him in the middle of the large clearing just outside the valley.
“Where’s Runt?” Kate asked, walking up to Humphrey.
“I don’t know,” he replied. “I’ve been howling for him all day, but he hasn’t responded. I don’t know where he could be.”
Humphrey turned to Arnold who had just walked up to him.
“What’s our count?” he asked.
“Steven’s pack is here as well as the Northern Pack,” Arnold replied. “Steven and Kenya should be here soon with Mort and the Protectors. Daria’s pack is here, too, and so is King and the Rogue Wolves. The eastern wolves were among the first to arrive. A couple of individuals have come, mainly friends of your pups from Shadow Forest. ”
“And what about our special guest?” Humphrey asked.
Arnold and Humphrey suddenly turned their attention to the tree line when they heard high-pitched screaming coming from the woods.
“Never mind.”
Gerald soon came running out of the forest. He tripped over himself and fell over, the bear stopping close behind him.
“Every…single…time!” Gerald shouted, looking at the bear. “Doesn’t this get old for you?”
Humphrey started laughing when Arnold steered his attention away.
“Hey,” Arnold said, “who are those guys?”
Humphrey followed Arnold’s gaze and saw a new and unfamiliar pack of wolves approaching from the southern end of the territory.
“I have no idea,” Humphrey replied, heading down to go greet them.
The pack got closer, and their leader walked up to Humphrey. She looked to be a couple years younger than Stinky, Claudette, and Runt. The black fur on her back, mane, and head perfectly contrasted the white fur on the underside of her body, running from her jaw to her hind legs.
“My name is Lara,” she said. “We’ve come to help you in your fight against Viggo.”
“Who are you guys?” Humphrey asked.
“We are The Lone Survivors,” Lara replied, “or at least that’s what we call ourselves. The last remaining survivors from various packs that Viggo has destroyed.”
“Well, we’re glad to have you in our fight,” Humphrey told her. “Every little bit helps.”
“Hey, aren’t you supposed to be dead?” she asked.
“I was,” he casually replied.
Lara looked behind Humphrey and her eyes widened in shock.
“Oscar?” she said.
Oscar’s ears perked up at hearing a familiar voice and he turned around.
“Lara,” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to help you fight Viggo,” she replied. “But what are you doing here? I haven’t seen you since Johnny lost his leg to that trap.”
“Okay, so you two know each other,” Humphrey said.
“Yeah, I joined their pack two years after I lost my home,” Oscar explained. “But I left because we were getting attacked and I just couldn’t bear to see anyone get hurt.”
“Well, I’m glad you decided to come, Lara,” Arnold said. “We need everyone we can find.”
“You know, you’re a big inspiration to me, Humphrey,” Lara said. “I heard about your story when I was a pup and it made me want to be just like you; a hero. And now I have. I’ve helped so many of these wolves find a new purpose after losing everything and I just want to say thank you on behalf of my entire pack.”
“Go and join everyone underneath the cliff,” Humphrey said, smiling. “We’ll be there soon.”
Humphrey turned around and looked at the large group gathered near his old den.
“So, we have seven packs, plus a small assortment of other critters,” he said, “against Viggo’s entire army of over five hundred men and the Crimson Pack. They still outnumber us, two-to-one. Even if my friend comes, this isn’t going to be easy.”
He saw something moving out of the corner of his eye and when he turned to look at it, he saw Runt and Lisa running up to him.
“Runt,” Humphrey said, a bit upset, “where have you been?”
“I was with Lisa,” Runt replied.
“Where?” Humphrey asked.
Runt paused awkwardly for a moment before answering.
“…in the tall grass.”
Humphrey couldn’t help but crack a smile after hearing this.
“So, what are your plans for your honeymoon?” he asked, changing the subject.
“If all goes well today, Lisa are gonna go sightseeing in the mountains as soon as tomorrow,” Runt replied.
Humphrey smiled before turning and addressing the large congregation of wolves under the cliff.
“This is a time of great turmoil and difficult choices,” he said. “We’ve had our quarrels and differences in the past, but we need to stand and fight together to survive. So I need to know now; are you with me?”
Slowly, one by one they all replied.
“The Northern Pack is with you.”
“The Eastern Pack is with you.”
“The Southern Pack is with you.”
“The Central Pack is with you.”
“The Rogue Wolves are with you.”
“My pack is with you,” Daria said.
“I’m with you,” Arnold said.
“And so am I,” Gerald added.
“We’re with you, Dad,” Stinky said with Claudette and Runt standing next to him.
“Will I actually get to kill someone this time?” Mick asked in typical fashion.
Humphrey chuckled a little, humored by Mick’s headstrong personality.
“Mick, I personally guarantee it,” he said.
“Good. Then I’m in.”
Humphrey turned and looked at Kate who gave him a playful smile back.
“I am always with you, Humphrey,” she said.
Arnold went back up to his previous perch on the slab of stone that once held Humphrey’s den on top of it. He wanted to keep an eye out for Viggo. The day was getting late, and he would be here soon. Humphrey joined him and it wasn’t long until they spotted a lone figure walking out of the trees and into the valley below. Arnold smiled to himself, hoping that Humphrey would play along with what he was about to do.
“He hath emerged from the forest,” Arnold boldly announced.
Humphrey immediately picked up on the que and without missing a beat-
“And? What of his gall bladder?”
“Impossible to say,” Arnold finished.
The two shared a laugh as they briefly reminisced about the past, when times were simpler. Back before all this happened. They sat and looked at Viggo who was simply standing in the middle of the valley, patiently waiting.
What are you up to now, Viggo? he thought. It didn’t matter. Humphrey had a wild card of his own that was on its way. Hopefully, it would get there in time.
“We should go,” Humphrey said after a moment of silence. “Let’s end this.”
He and Arnold headed down to join the others who were waiting near the hill that spilled out into the valley from the west. Humphrey stood in front of the group and started talking.
“Alright, everyone!” he announced. “Wait for my signal and don’t do anything until I make it. No matter what. The only way we’re going to defeat Viggo is if we maintain the element of surprise. Are you ready?”
“Wait!” came a voice from the far back of the crowd.
Humphrey stopped and the crowd slowly parted to let the speaker through. As the last few wolves stepped out of the way, Humphrey and the others saw who it was. All of a sudden, King pushed through to the front, a look of disbelief on his face, which was a strange thing to see.
“Princess,” he said quietly.
“Hello, father,” Princess casually replied.
“What are you doing here?” King asked his daughter.
“I heard about what’s been happening with Viggo,” she replied. “And I also heard that you had rejoined the Western Pack. So, I decided to find out for myself. I guess it’s true. You really have changed.”
“We’re glad to have you,” Humphrey said.
“Sorry about…all that,” she told him.
“Hey, don’t worry. That’s in the past. I’ve moved on from it,” Humphrey replied.
Runt made his way out from behind a few other wolves and stopped when he saw Princess.
“Speak of the devil,” Humphrey said as he stepped aside.
“Runt?” Princess exclaimed in amazement. “Is that you?”
“It sure is,” Runt replied, smiling.
“My, how time flies.”
“It always does.”
“Well, this is a touching reunion and all,” Oscar said, trying not to sound rude, “but time is at a bit of premium. So, if you don’t mind, we’ve got a battle to win here.”
Humphrey stood in front of the large group of wolves, preparing to give all the words of encouragement he had to offer.
“Everyone!” he began boldly. “This is the fight of our lives. We’re up against an evil unlike anything we’ve ever seen. This man has destroyed many packs and killed countless wolves over the years, with no one to challenge him. Today, that changes. Today we fight back. We are ready for anything, ready for anyone, ready to fight for our friends and our families and they are ready to fight for us. But today we fight for more than just our home. Today we fight for all wolves, past, present, and future, in Jasper and beyond. To show Viggo that we will not back down; that we will not be broken by fear. We’re strong, united by our courage and we will show the forest that we don’t need to fear him any longer. This is our moment, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. All the enemies we’ve faced, all the people we’ve met, and all the allies we’ve made, have brought us here for one final showdown. We’ve suffered enough losses. This time we win. This is our time. This is where we shine. Let’s show these humans what happens when they mess with the wrong wolves. For Jasper!”
“For Jasper!” everyone present shouted back at once before tilting back their heads and letting out one, unanimous, howl.