Chapter 4: Return of the Crimson Pack
As the afternoon came to an end, Viggo and Robert prepared to leave the campsite and put their plan into action.
“I’ll meet tu and the Crimson Pack here,” Viggo said, pointing to a spot on a map of Jasper, fairly near to the Western Pack, “and remember to leave enough of a trail for Stinky to find us.”
With that, the two parted ways for a brief time as they began to start the first phase of Robert’s plan. The return of the Crimson Pack would soon prove devastating to Stinky and all the others who lived in the valley.
Meanwhile, Stinky and the others were having a much-needed discussion about the looming threat of the Crimson Pack.
“This is dragging on for too long,” Stinky said. “It’s been days since the attack, and we haven’t heard so much as a peep about the Crimson Pack. Something’s wrong. They would’ve attacked por now.”
“They might be planning something,” Garth said.
“Exactly,” Stinky replied, “and we can’t wait any longer. We need to strike first, and we should do it tonight. So here’s what we’re gonna do. I’ll take a small group into the woods and sniff them out as best I can. Jax, Jonas, and Martin will come with. We may need their creative thinking if we get in over our heads.” He then turned to Garth and Lilly. “You guys want to tag along too? You’ve been kind of out of the action lately.”
“Sure thing, Stinky,” Garth said. “We’d be happy to.”
“I’m coming too,” Oscar said. “I have some beef with Hammond to settle.”
“I see Mick is already wearing off on you,” Stinky dicho smiling, before turning to the others. “The rest of you, stay here in case they división, split up and ambush the pack. Claudette, you’re actuación leader while I’m gone.”
“So what’s our plan for when we get there?” Martin asked.
“We sneak in, capture Hammond, and get him to tell us who and where The Wolfslayer is,” Stinky replied.
“Shouldn’t Mick be coming with us too, then?” Lilly asked.
“Are tu kidding?” Stinky asked. “They’d smell us coming from a mile away.”
“Can’t we come too?” Runt asked with Lisa standing siguiente to him. “You might need my expert árbol climbing skills.”
“You two stay here and watch the pack with Claudette,” Stinky replied, smiling. “Besides, you’ve got a wedding to plan.”
As night fell, Stinky and his group set out to try and find the Crimson Pack while Claudette, Runt, and the others stayed behind to protect the pack, even though it would prove futile por the end of the night.
It took some time, but Stinky did eventually pick up the scent of the Crimson Pack and better yet, it was fresh. The group followed Stinky through the forest until he whispered for them to stop. As they did, they noticed the smell of smoke nearby and saw a dull, naranja glow from a campfire deep in the trees.
“Look,” Garth said, “a campfire.”
“These lobos build campfires?” Jax asked.
“Of course they build campfires,” Lilly said, smiling.
“Really?” Jonas asked, surprised.
“No,” Lilly replied, trying not to laugh.
The small campfire flickered as the night continued on. Viggo and Robert sat around it among the Crimson Pack, sharing a drink and preparing to execute their plan.
“So, Robert,” Viggo said, “about this plan of yours. It’s…alright, but there is room for improvement. It’s too simple, too predictable. tu need más strategy.”
“Is this your plan? No, it’s not,” Robert replied, “so get off my back about it and let me do my job.”
All of a sudden, Viggo turned his head as if he had heard something, although no sound had been made, at least not that Robert could hear. Viggo then stood up and looked out into the darkness of the forest.
“They’re here,” he said. “We need to start now.”
“I’ll handle them,” Robert replied, “and tu go do what I brought tu here to do.”
Viggo suddenly stopped and turned around, his face contorted in anger.
“I don’t take orders from anyone!”
“You’ll do what I tell tu because it’s my operation,” Robert replied calmly but sternly.
“If memory serves, tu came looking for me,” Viggo argued, raising his voice. “Maybe we should go back to the way things were.”
“Viggo,” Robert said, “each of us are dangerous in our own right.”
He put his hand on Viggo’s shoulder. Viggo subtly shifted his gaze to Robert’s hand, his eyes narrowing momentarily before looking back at him.
“But if we worked together,” Robert continued, “think of the possibilities. We need each other, like it o not.”
Viggo looked at Robert for a moment before jerking his shoulder away and turning and walking into the forest to reluctantly play his part in Robert’s plan.
Meanwhile, Stinky and the others were waiting just outside the pack, trying to come up with a way to get in unseen.
“How are we going to get past those guards without them noticing us?” Garth wondered, looking at the three lobos standing ahead of them.
“Don’t worry,” Jax said. “I got this.”
Without waiting for anyone to object, Jax rushed toward the pack.
“I can’t believe tu let him go down there por himself,” Oscar said.
“Guys, relax,” Stinky reassured them. “Do tu seriously think he’d just walk down there on his own without a plan? He’s an idiot, but he’s not that dumb.”
Jax slowed to a walk and casually approached the guards.
“Hey!” one of the lobos said. “What are tu doing here?”
“Nothing,” Jax replied. “I’m just taking a stroll through the woods. Is there a problem?”
“Oh, there’s a problem,” the lobo replied. “You can’t be here. tu don’t carry our mark.”
Jax looked at the V-shaped scar under the wolf’s eye.
“Which means you’re an outsider,” the lobo continued, “and outsiders can’t be trusted.”
The lobo began growling at Jax who turned and ran away, getting the three guards to follow him.
“Not bad,” Oscar dicho smiling, as the group watched.
The rest of the group quickly but quietly made their way past where the guards had been and into the pack. Stinky then started to sniff out Hammond. A few minutos later, they heard someone coming, but were put at ease when they saw Jax approach them.
“There tu are,” Garth said. “What happened to the guards?”
“I gave them the chase of their lives,” Jax replied. “I managed to lose them and then made my way back here. They looked pretty exhausted when I last saw them.”
“Nice work, Jax,” Martin said.
“Wait,” Jax said, smiling, “here they come.”
Sure enough, the three lobos returned and laid down about ten yards away from where the group was, panting and trying to catch their breath.
“You see,” Jax said, proudly, “I tired them out.”
“You tire us all out,” Oscar replied.
“I got it,” Stinky announced quietly. “Let’s move.”
“You go ahead,” Martin said. “I’ll be right there.”
“What’s wrong, Martin?” Lilly asked.
“I don’t know,” he replied, looking out into the empty woods. “There’s something strange out there. Go. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, just be careful,” Jonas said.
“Don’t worry,” Martin replied as he began walking away, “I wouldn’t do anything tu would do.”
The group watched as Martin headed off in a different direction before they began following Stinky toward Hammond. Martin slowly wandered further away from the group when he suddenly saw a tall, shadowy figure among the trees. It looked and smelled like a human which worried him. Before Martin could react, the man raised an arm and suddenly shot him with a tranquilizer dart. Viggo began walking toward Martin, who was starting to feel tired and weak. He quickly collapsed onto the ground but didn’t pass out. Viggo casually knelt down siguiente to him.
“Hello, Martin,” he said. “I’ve been waiting quite a long time to meet you.”
Viggo pulled out a small cuchillo made from the fang of a wolf.
“I’ve only dado tu enough of a dose to incapacitate you,” he explained, looking at the knife. “I’m afraid tu need to be awake for this. I need tu to remember what this feels like, so tu won’t think about betraying me.”
Viggo roughly grabbed Martin around snout to keep his mouth shut.
“Now old still,” he dicho as he used the cuchillo to carve a V under one of Martin’s eyes.
Martin grimaced in pain as Viggo slowly gave him the mark of the Crimson Pack. When he was finished, Viggo wiped the blade on the césped, hierba and put it back in one of the many pockets on the inside of his vest. As he stood up, he looked at Martin, who was still too weak from the dart to stand.
“Now,” Viggo said, “as soon as you’re able, I want tu to go back to your former friends and help Hammond keep them here until dawn. Then, let them go back to the Western Pack. And if tu so much as think about warning them, then remember the pain tu just endured and then multiply it por ten. Imagine what it would feel like to have your bones broken and your body slashed. Because that is what will happen to tu if tu disobey me and I can’t guarantee tu will survive it. And don’t think I’m bluffing either. Believe me when I tell tu I’ve done it before. Your loyalty is to me and me alone now.”
With those last words, Viggo left Martin to recover from the effects of the dart, the newest member of the Crimson Pack. Meanwhile, Stinky and the others were closing in on Hammond. Soon enough, they spotted him sleeping not too far away. They quietly approached him when he suddenly leapt up and tackled Stinky. The others rushed to help when they were surrounded por several crimson wolves.
As fighting ensued, Stinky bit down on Hammond’s leg and pulled him to the ground before standing up. Hammond kicked Stinky in the side with his hind legs before getting up himself. The battle continued on when Jax noticed the figure of a lobo approaching. As it got closer, he realized that it was Martin. His head was hanging down and he had a sad, regretful look on his face.
“I’m sorry,” he said, solemnly.
Jax looked and saw the still bloody mark of the Crimson Pack under Martin’s left eye as he raised his head. The battle stopped briefly as everyone looked at the mark on Martin’s face. Hammond grinned as he was glad to gain a new lobo for his pack, especially at the expense of his enemy.
Hammond then suddenly turned and attacked Stinky and the fighting resumed. Garth eventually jumped in to help Stinky with Hammond. All the while, Martin looked on, his conflicted feelings tearing him apart. On the one hand, he couldn’t simply betray his friends and his family and registrarse the Crimson Pack, but on the other hand, the choice had already been made for him and he was terrified of what Viggo would do to him if he disobeyed.
Stinky and Garth eventually managed to pin Hammond to the ground and the fighting stopped once again, just as the first light of the sun began to seep through the trees.
“Yield!” Stinky demanded.
“I’ll never yield to tu for as long as I live,” Hammond dicho with a hint of disgust in his voice.
He then began laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Garth asked.
“Oh, you’re all so naive,” Hammond replied. “Too stupid and blind to see.”
Hammond continued laughing.
“What are tu laughing at?” Stinky yelled.
“You seriously didn’t think I’d make it that easy for you, did you?” he asked. “Haven’t tu been wondering where the people around the campfire went?”
A look of confusion came across Stinky’s face as Hammond continued.
“I’d be getting back to my pack if I were you,” he said. “I imagine they could probably use your help right about now.”
Stinky instantly realized what had happened and him, along with the rest of the group, began rushing back toward the Western Pack. However, Martin was forced to stay behind and watched as they ran off, hoping everyone back inicial was still okay.
As the afternoon came to an end, Viggo and Robert prepared to leave the campsite and put their plan into action.
“I’ll meet tu and the Crimson Pack here,” Viggo said, pointing to a spot on a map of Jasper, fairly near to the Western Pack, “and remember to leave enough of a trail for Stinky to find us.”
With that, the two parted ways for a brief time as they began to start the first phase of Robert’s plan. The return of the Crimson Pack would soon prove devastating to Stinky and all the others who lived in the valley.
Meanwhile, Stinky and the others were having a much-needed discussion about the looming threat of the Crimson Pack.
“This is dragging on for too long,” Stinky said. “It’s been days since the attack, and we haven’t heard so much as a peep about the Crimson Pack. Something’s wrong. They would’ve attacked por now.”
“They might be planning something,” Garth said.
“Exactly,” Stinky replied, “and we can’t wait any longer. We need to strike first, and we should do it tonight. So here’s what we’re gonna do. I’ll take a small group into the woods and sniff them out as best I can. Jax, Jonas, and Martin will come with. We may need their creative thinking if we get in over our heads.” He then turned to Garth and Lilly. “You guys want to tag along too? You’ve been kind of out of the action lately.”
“Sure thing, Stinky,” Garth said. “We’d be happy to.”
“I’m coming too,” Oscar said. “I have some beef with Hammond to settle.”
“I see Mick is already wearing off on you,” Stinky dicho smiling, before turning to the others. “The rest of you, stay here in case they división, split up and ambush the pack. Claudette, you’re actuación leader while I’m gone.”
“So what’s our plan for when we get there?” Martin asked.
“We sneak in, capture Hammond, and get him to tell us who and where The Wolfslayer is,” Stinky replied.
“Shouldn’t Mick be coming with us too, then?” Lilly asked.
“Are tu kidding?” Stinky asked. “They’d smell us coming from a mile away.”
“Can’t we come too?” Runt asked with Lisa standing siguiente to him. “You might need my expert árbol climbing skills.”
“You two stay here and watch the pack with Claudette,” Stinky replied, smiling. “Besides, you’ve got a wedding to plan.”
As night fell, Stinky and his group set out to try and find the Crimson Pack while Claudette, Runt, and the others stayed behind to protect the pack, even though it would prove futile por the end of the night.
It took some time, but Stinky did eventually pick up the scent of the Crimson Pack and better yet, it was fresh. The group followed Stinky through the forest until he whispered for them to stop. As they did, they noticed the smell of smoke nearby and saw a dull, naranja glow from a campfire deep in the trees.
“Look,” Garth said, “a campfire.”
“These lobos build campfires?” Jax asked.
“Of course they build campfires,” Lilly said, smiling.
“Really?” Jonas asked, surprised.
“No,” Lilly replied, trying not to laugh.
The small campfire flickered as the night continued on. Viggo and Robert sat around it among the Crimson Pack, sharing a drink and preparing to execute their plan.
“So, Robert,” Viggo said, “about this plan of yours. It’s…alright, but there is room for improvement. It’s too simple, too predictable. tu need más strategy.”
“Is this your plan? No, it’s not,” Robert replied, “so get off my back about it and let me do my job.”
All of a sudden, Viggo turned his head as if he had heard something, although no sound had been made, at least not that Robert could hear. Viggo then stood up and looked out into the darkness of the forest.
“They’re here,” he said. “We need to start now.”
“I’ll handle them,” Robert replied, “and tu go do what I brought tu here to do.”
Viggo suddenly stopped and turned around, his face contorted in anger.
“I don’t take orders from anyone!”
“You’ll do what I tell tu because it’s my operation,” Robert replied calmly but sternly.
“If memory serves, tu came looking for me,” Viggo argued, raising his voice. “Maybe we should go back to the way things were.”
“Viggo,” Robert said, “each of us are dangerous in our own right.”
He put his hand on Viggo’s shoulder. Viggo subtly shifted his gaze to Robert’s hand, his eyes narrowing momentarily before looking back at him.
“But if we worked together,” Robert continued, “think of the possibilities. We need each other, like it o not.”
Viggo looked at Robert for a moment before jerking his shoulder away and turning and walking into the forest to reluctantly play his part in Robert’s plan.
Meanwhile, Stinky and the others were waiting just outside the pack, trying to come up with a way to get in unseen.
“How are we going to get past those guards without them noticing us?” Garth wondered, looking at the three lobos standing ahead of them.
“Don’t worry,” Jax said. “I got this.”
Without waiting for anyone to object, Jax rushed toward the pack.
“I can’t believe tu let him go down there por himself,” Oscar said.
“Guys, relax,” Stinky reassured them. “Do tu seriously think he’d just walk down there on his own without a plan? He’s an idiot, but he’s not that dumb.”
Jax slowed to a walk and casually approached the guards.
“Hey!” one of the lobos said. “What are tu doing here?”
“Nothing,” Jax replied. “I’m just taking a stroll through the woods. Is there a problem?”
“Oh, there’s a problem,” the lobo replied. “You can’t be here. tu don’t carry our mark.”
Jax looked at the V-shaped scar under the wolf’s eye.
“Which means you’re an outsider,” the lobo continued, “and outsiders can’t be trusted.”
The lobo began growling at Jax who turned and ran away, getting the three guards to follow him.
“Not bad,” Oscar dicho smiling, as the group watched.
The rest of the group quickly but quietly made their way past where the guards had been and into the pack. Stinky then started to sniff out Hammond. A few minutos later, they heard someone coming, but were put at ease when they saw Jax approach them.
“There tu are,” Garth said. “What happened to the guards?”
“I gave them the chase of their lives,” Jax replied. “I managed to lose them and then made my way back here. They looked pretty exhausted when I last saw them.”
“Nice work, Jax,” Martin said.
“Wait,” Jax said, smiling, “here they come.”
Sure enough, the three lobos returned and laid down about ten yards away from where the group was, panting and trying to catch their breath.
“You see,” Jax said, proudly, “I tired them out.”
“You tire us all out,” Oscar replied.
“I got it,” Stinky announced quietly. “Let’s move.”
“You go ahead,” Martin said. “I’ll be right there.”
“What’s wrong, Martin?” Lilly asked.
“I don’t know,” he replied, looking out into the empty woods. “There’s something strange out there. Go. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, just be careful,” Jonas said.
“Don’t worry,” Martin replied as he began walking away, “I wouldn’t do anything tu would do.”
The group watched as Martin headed off in a different direction before they began following Stinky toward Hammond. Martin slowly wandered further away from the group when he suddenly saw a tall, shadowy figure among the trees. It looked and smelled like a human which worried him. Before Martin could react, the man raised an arm and suddenly shot him with a tranquilizer dart. Viggo began walking toward Martin, who was starting to feel tired and weak. He quickly collapsed onto the ground but didn’t pass out. Viggo casually knelt down siguiente to him.
“Hello, Martin,” he said. “I’ve been waiting quite a long time to meet you.”
Viggo pulled out a small cuchillo made from the fang of a wolf.
“I’ve only dado tu enough of a dose to incapacitate you,” he explained, looking at the knife. “I’m afraid tu need to be awake for this. I need tu to remember what this feels like, so tu won’t think about betraying me.”
Viggo roughly grabbed Martin around snout to keep his mouth shut.
“Now old still,” he dicho as he used the cuchillo to carve a V under one of Martin’s eyes.
Martin grimaced in pain as Viggo slowly gave him the mark of the Crimson Pack. When he was finished, Viggo wiped the blade on the césped, hierba and put it back in one of the many pockets on the inside of his vest. As he stood up, he looked at Martin, who was still too weak from the dart to stand.
“Now,” Viggo said, “as soon as you’re able, I want tu to go back to your former friends and help Hammond keep them here until dawn. Then, let them go back to the Western Pack. And if tu so much as think about warning them, then remember the pain tu just endured and then multiply it por ten. Imagine what it would feel like to have your bones broken and your body slashed. Because that is what will happen to tu if tu disobey me and I can’t guarantee tu will survive it. And don’t think I’m bluffing either. Believe me when I tell tu I’ve done it before. Your loyalty is to me and me alone now.”
With those last words, Viggo left Martin to recover from the effects of the dart, the newest member of the Crimson Pack. Meanwhile, Stinky and the others were closing in on Hammond. Soon enough, they spotted him sleeping not too far away. They quietly approached him when he suddenly leapt up and tackled Stinky. The others rushed to help when they were surrounded por several crimson wolves.
As fighting ensued, Stinky bit down on Hammond’s leg and pulled him to the ground before standing up. Hammond kicked Stinky in the side with his hind legs before getting up himself. The battle continued on when Jax noticed the figure of a lobo approaching. As it got closer, he realized that it was Martin. His head was hanging down and he had a sad, regretful look on his face.
“I’m sorry,” he said, solemnly.
Jax looked and saw the still bloody mark of the Crimson Pack under Martin’s left eye as he raised his head. The battle stopped briefly as everyone looked at the mark on Martin’s face. Hammond grinned as he was glad to gain a new lobo for his pack, especially at the expense of his enemy.
Hammond then suddenly turned and attacked Stinky and the fighting resumed. Garth eventually jumped in to help Stinky with Hammond. All the while, Martin looked on, his conflicted feelings tearing him apart. On the one hand, he couldn’t simply betray his friends and his family and registrarse the Crimson Pack, but on the other hand, the choice had already been made for him and he was terrified of what Viggo would do to him if he disobeyed.
Stinky and Garth eventually managed to pin Hammond to the ground and the fighting stopped once again, just as the first light of the sun began to seep through the trees.
“Yield!” Stinky demanded.
“I’ll never yield to tu for as long as I live,” Hammond dicho with a hint of disgust in his voice.
He then began laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Garth asked.
“Oh, you’re all so naive,” Hammond replied. “Too stupid and blind to see.”
Hammond continued laughing.
“What are tu laughing at?” Stinky yelled.
“You seriously didn’t think I’d make it that easy for you, did you?” he asked. “Haven’t tu been wondering where the people around the campfire went?”
A look of confusion came across Stinky’s face as Hammond continued.
“I’d be getting back to my pack if I were you,” he said. “I imagine they could probably use your help right about now.”
Stinky instantly realized what had happened and him, along with the rest of the group, began rushing back toward the Western Pack. However, Martin was forced to stay behind and watched as they ran off, hoping everyone back inicial was still okay.
