Looking down at the clipboard in my hand, I sigh and close my eyes. It has been two hours since we agreed to help Golden Fang and I am already feeling the toll of what was left from the attack. When we arrived at the pack - the structure thankfully only having minimal damages from the attack house - and met with an Omega that thankfully gathered clipboard and pens for us, Miss Asteria gathered the able-bodied wolves with the help of Quincy and asked for a report of damages, wounded and the deceased. Sadly, we were met with hostilities until Quincy vouched for us, stating that Alpha Stanton was the one to invite us to join the pack and that we were here to help now. The three wolves that had followed us to our trucks also vouched for us, telling them that we are no threat. The crowd soon settled down and the information we needed was given to us one by one.
It was clear that only the bare minimum had been done and that these wolves needed some sort of leadership to help get the cleanup done in a tamely fashion while another group searched for their missing and dead. Miss Asteria went into action, telling the she-wolves to gather all the pups into the school to keep them away from the site. Anyone sixteen to eighteen were tasked to go to the pack hospital to help with those with minor injuries by cleaning and dressing their wounds.
I volunteered to help organize the dead so the funeral arrangements could be made right away while Gale volunteered to help survey the damaged buildings. It turns out that while Quincy was confirming our information, five of his men were organizing wolves to put out the fires so that became one less thing for us to worry about.
Now after the initial role organization, I am left standing in front of rows upon rows of dead bodies. Each one is covered with a white sheet, a tag on their left big toe being the only indication of who they are. I have a team of four Hunters helping me as these wolves are used to carrying dead bodies when they hunt prey and bring it back to their pack, but I can see the toll of carrying their dead has taken on them.
“Why don’t we take a break?” I suggest when they have finished helping me identify a she-wolf that had her throat ripped open and coffered her with a sheet. It turns out this suggestion was the right move as I turn to look behind us and spot an Omega making their way towards our group with a basket in hand. I can smell the scent of food and realize that I could desperately use the light meal. The wolves agree instantly, their eyes staring sadly at their dead pack mates before we all make our way towards the Omega and thank him for the meal. Sandwiches and water greet me when I open up the basket and I hand each wolf a bottle of water and two sandwiches. It is not much, but it will keep us all fed for the time being.
The meal is spent in silence as I survey the damaged buildings behind us. Most of the debris have been cleaned up by Gale and the small team he has while Quincy is left to direct wolves into new tasks or towards temporary shelters that were put up. It seems some of these buildings were also houses for those that helped run the day-to-day tasks of the pack and so we had all decided that the guest house would be used for them. The Pack house would be set aside as our base of operations and dressing of minor wounds. It turned out the pack hospital had become overrun with the minorly wounded, leaving no room for those with moderate to severe wounds to go. We decided then that the pack house would be used for those with minor wounds and this worked in our favor as many of them could still help with clean up after their wounds had been cleaned and dressed properly.
Finally, those that find deceased Golden Fang wolves would bring the bodies here to me in front of the pack Church. My four helpers would then take the bodies from these wolves and send them back to their task at hand while they would tell me the name of the deceased and pack rank. From there I would create a tag for them and tie it to their toe before the body is added to our growing pile. The only bright side I can see to this task is that thankfully no one is under the age of eighteen other than the two pups of the Alpha family.
“I just did a sweep of the land. It seems you have gathered everyone who was killed.” Quincy’s voice sounds from behind me, making me jump in surprise and nearly drop my sandwich. I glare at my helpers as they snicker before I turn to face Quincy who has an apologetic look on his face.
“Does that mean we can do a funeral pyre soon?” I ask, feeling relieved. I am ready to send these wolves souls to the Goddess.
“We can. I have men gathering materials for it as we speak.” He answers. I thank Quincy and turn to see the same relief I feel on the other’s faces. Giving them all a reassuring smile, I tell them that if they want to go help with something else for now, they can. It will take a while before we can bring the dead to the funeral pyre and send them to the Goddess. The four wolves thank me before they finish their sandwiches and take off after stating they will help gather the materials needed. Quincy tells them where the others gathering the pyre materials are before they disappear from our sight.
“You surprised me when you offered to help with the dead.” Quincy states when it is just the two of us. I sigh, looking towards the many white sheets that line the ground with sadness. Each one hides a body underneath it. A wolf that were loved by their pack mates and family.
“It’s the duty of a Beta to help take care of the dead. I am just doing what I am born to do.” I answer with a shrug, looking away from the scene before me to face Quincy.
“Well, I am glad you stepped in. You don’t look more than twenty at best.” He states with a sad smile that does reach his eyes.
“Actually I am eighteen. My birthday was ten days ago on the first of May.” I try to smile back as I correct the man before me, but the pain of the Rejection causes me to wince. I can feel the dam cracking. Feel the pain leaking through bit by bit.
“Happy belated birthday then. Have you met your mate?” Quincy states as cheerily as he can given the situation. His question though has my heart shattering and the tears I have held in since being rejected and leaving Pine Moon finally fall. I find it hard to breath as I focus on pushing back the pain and stopping the dam from cracking some more. I can’t cry. Not now. Golden Fang needs my help.
“He rejected me.” I finally manage to whimper out, looking up at Quincy. A look of shock that then turns into anger crosses his face. He closes his eyes and takes deep breaths as well and I wait in silence unto he opens his eyes and sends me a sympathetic smile.
“Mine is engaged to another man. She told me I was too weak for her.” He admits sadly. For some reason I laugh and tell him how mine is also engaged to someone else, but he never told me any of that as we grew up together. It seems that this is the same situation for Quincy, stating that he and his mate were born on the same day and that on their eighteenth birthday, she rejected him because she fell for another wolf. It is then that I learn Quincy is twenty-five years old and he tells me that if I need a friend to talk to, he was here for me. I thank him and ask him to stay with me until it is time to release the souls of the fallen Golden Fang wolves with the funeral pyre and am grateful when he accepts. Quincy takes this time to tell me about Golden Fang. How he grew up here and how he worked his way to the top as Head Warrior at twenty-two. His rambling about his pack distracts me and helps to push the pain back and seal the cracks in the dam once more.
“Do you think it will be possible for me to stay in the pack house for the next few days?” I ask as we watch the sun set.
“Why would you want to do that when you guys have the house I showed you to?” Quincy asks in confusion. I chuckle and state that by tomorrow, a Council Representative will come to the pack and explain the next steps Golden Fangs will need to take. Having me in the pack house means I can entertain this representative while someone can contact Quincy and have him and the beta couple come down to deal with the wolf the Council sends. Quincy agrees that this is a great idea but informs me that the Beta pair are in the pack hospital. They were gravely wounded in the attack and now sit in the intensive care unit and are being monitored in case they pass in their sleep. Shocked by this news, I am left wondering what will happen tomorrow. Without an Alpha or Beta of the pack, Golden Fang will be without a leader.
“What will you do then?” I ask Quincy, feeling slightly nervous for Golden Fang’s future.
“Try to pick up the pieces and maybe rely on you, Gale and Miss Asteria for the time being.” He answers with a sheepish smile. I shake my head at his honest answer, a smile on my face. It seems that Quincy is hoping we will take charge with him and I am not apposed to this idea.
As the sun sets, I ask Quincy what their training regime is and how they schedule their patrols. He groans and goes into detail that although the Alpha and Luna were kind leaders, they sucked at planning any form of training, hunting and patrolling schedules. That no matter what Quincy did, no one would listen because the Alpha and Luna were laid back. I frown, thinking about how we have our work cut out for ourselves as Golden Fang only has one week starting tomorrow to rebuild and find a new Alpha and Luna. It will be a challenge, but it is a challenge I look forward to.
As he and I begin discussing ideas for a schedule to start the day after tomorrow, a group of wolves slowly file in with wood and pine branches in their hands. Quincy excuses himself from me and I watch as the red headed wolf begins to organize where to build the pyre. It will need to be large enough to fit the thirty-five wolves that passed away and in a place that it won’t set fire to the remaining buildings.
Within an hour the pyre is built and the pack gathers. Everyone is who is not severely wounded or treating the severely wounded are here from the youngest pup to the three remaining elders. Quincy is the one to lead the funeral, saying a prayer that the souls of the dead find their way to the Moon Goddess’ side and are one day able to reincarnate before he lights the pyre. The flames grow as it consumes the body and I send a silent prayer of my own, wishing for those who have passed to guard the happiness and survival of Golden Fang and making a silent vow that I will make this pack stronger.