“I have to go potty,” Aden whispered into my ear.
Paul nodded at me, and I set Aden on his feet.
“You can go right here.” The little guy pulled his pants down to his ankles and relieved himself in an impressive arc into the snow. I chuckled, the first real humor I’d felt in days.
Keep moving,Grey’s message cut through my humor.Jim is on his way.
I shared a look with Paul then hurried to help Aden tug his pants up. If they were sending Jim, it couldn’t be too bad. Had they sent an Elder, I would have worried. Scooping Aden into my arms, I took off running again with Paul.
Mom and Dad caught up to us in minutes and took the cubs from us while still running. Without them in our arms, Paul and I could run faster. Together, we moved as a pack, staying close and leaving no trace of our passing. No trace but our scents.
We ran tirelessly for over an hour before Dad stopped. He and Mom set the boys to their feet without speaking. Liam and Aden, glad for a chance to stretch their little legs, walked to where Paul and I stood.
“Jim is close,” Dad said softly. “They are closer.”
“Why did we stop then?” I asked.
Dad pointed up. I tipped my head back and saw an old hunting stand in one of the tall pines near us.
“Keep the tree safe. Keep the cubs safe,” he said.
I understood his reasoning. It would be easier to defend a tree that couldn’t move than a child who might try to run in fear.
“I’m scared,” Aden whispered, looking up at Mom.
She squatted down in front of him as Paul and I discarded our packs at the base of the tree.
“Try not to be. Remember what I said about our noses? We smell everything. Push your fear aside, and you’ll be able to hide better.”
She hugged the little boy then kissed his cheek.
“I don’t want to hide in the tree,” he said.
“You won’t be alone. Paul and Henry will be with you.”
“Mom,” I said.
“Second line, Henry. Just in case. Take them now.” She stood and gave me a no-nonsense look.
I picked up Aden and, with only one free arm, scrambled up the trunk and onto the stand. Paul and Liam were right behind us. There wasn’t much room. Just enough for the four of us to fit if we didn’t move around much.
Paul sat against the trunk and had Liam and Aden sit on his lap. He wrapped his arms around them and began telling a story in a quiet voice that still carried through the trees. The sound didn’t matter. Our scent trails would lead the Urbat to our location.
While Paul spoke softly to the cubs, I watched the expanse of barren trees and pines to the south where Mom and Dad stared. In the distance, three wolves raced toward us, their dark shapes easily visible against the white. They were too big for normal wolves, and too focused on my parents. However, three to two wasn’t terrible odds. I’d seen my Dad help Thomas settle the disputes that usually occurred at Introductions. He was strong and fought crazy well. But this was different. The Urbat weren’t just ticked off because they couldn’t meet a female first. They wanted the boys at any cost, and my parents were outnumbered. If I went down to help…
“Stay there, boys,” Dad said as if reading my mind.
I glanced at Paul, but he remained focused on the cubs.
A faint howl echoed through the trees. Mom and Dad tensed, and I watched the wolves close the distance. The first two went straight for Dad. The third went for Mom. In all the time growing up at the Compound, I’d not once seen either of my parents move like they did now. Those disputes had been nothing to Dad.
As the two leapt toward him, he jumped up, twisting in mid-air to evade both attacks.
Mom met the one coming at her head-on with tooth and claws. Paul and I had gotten in plenty of trouble in our lives, enough to question if we’d live to see another day, but I’d never heard Mom growl like she did at that moment. Her face shifted as she opened her mouth and sunk her teeth deeply into the mutt’s scruff as the two attacking Dad landed and pivoted. Dad was already on his feet, too, waiting for them.
Mom shook her head savagely, and the scent of blood tickled my nose.
Dad met the second attack with arms extended as if he was welcoming them with a hug. However, his hands closed around their throats. Instead of stopping them, with a heave and twist of his wrists, he spun them away from him.
