The Wildest Truth
Where was he supposed to go? Theodore paced back and forth. After the illusion of his mother disappeared, he was back in the barren land he had been in after going through the veil with Vince and Jack. There were no more traces of his pack’s settlement now.
He didn’t know what was expected of him. No matter how thoroughly he searched his mind, he came up with nothing. The prophecy written in stone came back to mock him. A secret message was encrypted in it, but he didn’t have the wisdom to understand it.
What use was having so much strength, claws and fangs? Theodore shifted into his human shape and sat on the ground, looking down and feeling defeated. Hadn’t he done it all? Even as a child, he had saved as much of his pack as he could… but it wasn’t enough.
The evil doer who had trapped him intended to finish a ritual that would establish its victory. And Theodore had almost fallen for its tricks. If it hadn’t been for Jack’s glitter—
Where were they now? Theodore raised his eyes and looked around. That wouldn’t do. He needed to catch their scent and follow it. As guardian and seer, Vince and Jack had roles to play, and he would have to convince them.
But he had left Vince bleeding. He had not cared about Jack one bit. Were they even still alive? Remorse, bleak as night, weighed him down. As a child, he’d been a better wolf. As a grownup, he’d sneered at his companions and abandoned them in these strange lands.
He would have to beg their forgiveness. There had to be a reason why they had arrived here along with him.
Theodore shifted into his wolf again. His human nose was by far inferior to his wolf’s strong sense of smell. If Vince and Jack were still here, trapped beyond the veil with him, he would find them.
***
“You know what I’m thinking?” Jack said, rolling on the ground and scratching his back. “I’m thinking that it’s not an accident that we’re wolves.”
He stole glances at the wisdom tree. No comment. If his goal was to bait the tree and its nehesh into telling them more than he and Vince knew, it would be a hard task.
“It’s like we were born this way,” Vince chimed in, catching on quickly. “While we’re waiting, how about some fortunetelling, Jack?”
“I don’t have my cards,” Jack argued. “I practically bled some out, and then some in. Wait, was that a metaphor for having the gift inside me?”
The tree and the snake were both silent. If Jack didn’t know any better, he’d think they couldn’t speak at all.
“Well, let me see if I can do a bit of fortunetelling just by racking my brain…”
He closed his eyes so he could focus on whatever inner fortunetelling capabilities he had stashed inside his brain without his knowledge. Hmm, he could think of Theo, of his handsome face and able hands—
No, no, that would make him get a bit too excited, and that wasn’t how a proper seer was supposed to behave in front of a wisdom tree and a wise snake.
His mind drifted. They had come here, to this strange land, as a group and, for a while – not long, but still – Jack had felt like he had belonged… somewhere. To someone. With someone. When had he ever felt like that before? Never. He’d been alone, striking up friendships only to lose them later, as he was sent from one place to another, until unfamiliar faces remained just that: unfamiliar.
It was stupid of him to feel so sad, but he couldn’t help it. With Theo and Vince, he’d had a family. He still had Vince, but without Theo, they would both be alone, even if together. And wasn’t he supposed to be doing something since he was here, beyond the veil? Some seer he made. He didn’t even know what he was supposed to do.
Maybe it would be better if he just took a nap. Yeah, waiting would pass much faster if he just fell asleep for a bit.
***
It must have been a short nap, because Jack woke with a start. He looked around, wanting to ask Vince how long he’d been asleep, but no one was there.
“Okay, this is weird,” he said out loud. He’d freak out a lot less if he just kept talking.
And walking. Yeah, it was for the best if he just started moving.
Or it was all a dream! If it was a dream, then he would be fine.
“Anyone else in this weird dream of mine?” he asked at the top of his lungs.
A soft fog limited his field of view, regardless of where he looked.
“A bit creepy,” he told himself, “but I’ve dealt with creepy before. Jack, this is nothing. You’ve battled the forces of darkness and stuff.”
A sound like little bells made him turn his head. It took him a long moment to realize that what he was hearing was laughter. Laughter of children.
The fog dispersed to afford him a good look at a vast white field on which a few dozen kids were running. Their clothes reminded him of Theo’s pack and how they dressed there.
“Ah, so we are getting somewhere at last. Hello,” Jack shouted, waving his hands.
Good. In this strange dream, he wasn’t a wolf, but a human. The same as almost always.
The boys and girls stopped running and stared at him with curious eyes.
“Are you guys Whiteflame kids?” Jack asked.
The children started talking among themselves. Whatever conclusion they reached, it made them turn away from him.
“Hey, don’t go. I have questions,” Jack announced.
A few of them stopped to look at him, but they seemed in a hurry to leave.
“You’re a stranger,” one of them said. “Why are you here?”
“Well, I’m looking for someone. His name is Theodore and he is the alpha of Whiteflame.”
“That is our alpha,” a boy said. “He is ours.”
“Oh, I understand,” Jack said in a placating tone.
“He doesn’t need you,” another added.
“Hey, that’s not very nice. And how exactly do you know that?”
“Because he has us,” a girl replied valiantly. “We are his pack.”
“But he can have visitors, right?” Jack asked, dumbfounded by the kids’ manners.
“No. Only our pack is allowed here, and you’re not part of it.”
“Rude,” Jack said slowly. “I am here to see him. Oh, boy, don’t make me throw down with a bunch of eight-year-olds, ‘cause I’m not ready for it.”
“You talk funny. We can beat you,” the girl said.
“I don’t want to fight you. Just tell Theodore that his old buddy Jack wants to see him. He’ll want to talk to me, I swear.”
“What is happening here?” a deep voice boomed from a distance.
The kids fell silent and froze like in a cartoon video. They all turned to face the owner of the voice, and Jack followed everything with interest. It took him a total of one moment to realize who it was.
“Theo!” he exclaimed. “Wow, you look--” Older, he meant but he didn’t want to say it. He had met Tharion, so this man wasn’t Theo’s dad. But this Theo was at least thirty years older than the version Jack remembered, his hair white and his handsome face marked by the passage of time. “You look good,” he eventually said.
“Who are you?” Theo looked at him with the benevolence of his age, but he seemed intrigued.
“Jack! I’m Jack, don’t you remember me?”
“No, I can’t say I do. Where did you come from? There’s no other settlement within weeks of walking from here.” Theodore continued to examine him with curiosity. He was wearing his pack’s clothes, and he looked dashing in them for a guy his age. Jack didn’t plan on developing an affinity for silver foxes, just because Theo was one now… well, he was more of a silver wolf.
“I came from,” Jack paused for effect, “beyond the veil. In the opposite direction, but you know what I mean.”
Theo frowned. “Children, go home. I’ll entertain our guest for a bit.”
The kids seemed reluctant to go, but in the end, they started walking. Jack stared at Theo, eager to start a real conversation without so many ears around. Especially young ears, since Jack intended to tell Theo about the dark adventures he’d been through just to be together.
“From beyond the veil, you say?” Theo crossed his arms and looked at him intently.
“Don’t tell me you forgot everything. About how we met in Glasstone, under inauspicious circumstances, I admit, but then we joined forces, because of a prophecy, not just you and me, Vee too--”
Theo held up one hand. “You make no sense. What is Glasstone?”
Jack stopped his tirade. “Are you telling me that you don’t remember anything? What about the times you were the CEO of Pembroke Industries--”
“What is a CEO?”
This wasn’t good. Jack pressed his lips together and stared at Theo. Maybe he was supposed to see this. Theo was with his pack, and he was happy. Maybe he just forgot everything.
Which meant that he didn’t need Jack at all.
“Are you crying?” Theo’s voice was incredibly gentle, but that didn’t help at all. Jack wanted to bawl his eyes out.
“Yeah, maybe, I don’t know,” he replied quickly, brushing his sleeve against his nose. “I guess this is the moment when I wish you all the happiness in the world and all that.”
“Would you like to join us for dinner? You must be hungry.”
Jack shook his head and turned away to hide his face. A harsh wind blew suddenly, making him close his eyes.
When he opened them, he was lying on the ground, and Vee was shaking him.
“Did you have a bad dream, Jack?”
“I… don’t really know.”
***
Vince didn’t want to show Jack that he was worried, but he’d been trying to wake him up for several minutes to no avail. And Jack was crying in his sleep, really loudly, which made it worse. The wisdom tree remained silent, seemingly not caring about whatever trauma Jack was reliving in his dreams.
“Tell me,” he insisted, and pulled Jack onto his lap, though wolf-Jack was heavier compared to his human shape.
Jack seemed to find comfort in Vince’s embrace and pressed his muzzle against his friend’s chest. “Theo didn’t know who I was.”
“That’s the only proof you need that it was only a dream. He knows who you are, Jack.”
Jack’s cute wolf eyes darted to the wisdom tree that remained as impassive as ever. “But are dreams only dreams here, beyond the veil?” he whispered.
“I’m sure they can hear us. If they ignore us, we have no reason to conceal our conversation,” Vince said. “They’ll intervene if something is important enough, I reckon.”
“Yeah, yeah, I guess. But Vee, he was happy. Theo was old and had a bunch of kids. I mean, I suppose they weren’t all his, or maybe they were his grandchildren, I don’t know. He didn’t recall Glasstone or being a CEO, and he looked like he’d always lived there.”
Vince caressed Jack’s fur. “It doesn’t mean that’s real. Maybe it was only a trial sent your way.”
Jack squirmed in his lap until he achieved a comfortable position. “If that was a trial, did I pass or did I fail?”
“I don’t know,” Vince opted for honesty, “but since it looks like we’re still here, you couldn’t have failed.”
Jack’s dream intrigued him, but he didn’t want to let doubt needle into his heart.
***
He’d been walking endlessly for hours now. The evening was softly setting in, making Theodore think that it would be better if he stopped to rest for a while.
The sky above darkened, and the first stars began twinkling, timidly at first before settling into a rhythmic flickering.
Why hadn’t he thought about it until now? At night, he’d be able to see the mistress of all wolves and talk to her. Or at least attempt to do so, since she could very well ignore him and his pleas.
With his head tipped back, he searched the sky for her. Tonight, she seemed to be in hiding.
But not for long. She peeked at him from behind a cloud, and Theodore felt his heart fill with longing. He couldn’t even define what this feeling inside him meant. Longing for his pack? Without a doubt. For his childhood, yes, that too. But there was more to it, and it burned in his chest, dizzying him for a moment, and making his eyes sting.
“Moon, if you hear me, tell me how to find the wisdom tree. It is the only way I can bring my pack back to life.”
He wasn’t expecting much. He didn’t even know what to expect. Maybe a ray of light guiding his way, or a sign from the sky above that couldn’t be misinterpreted as anything else.
His surprise was so great that he shot to his feet when a white apparition landed softly a few feet away from him. Even in his pack’s tales, she had never been so ethereal, so otherworldly. But it had to be her, and she had listened to him.
“Theodore,” she said gently. Even her voice echoed as if it came from far away.
He didn’t dare move. “Is it really you?”
She laughed. “Jack is a bit more trustworthy than you are.”
“Jack! Do you know where he is? I must find him. And Vince.”
“And you will. If you follow your heart.”
Theodore clenched his fists in frustration. “Why does everything have to be so cryptic? I don’t know how to follow my heart. I’ve been walking for so long I can’t remember where I’m coming from.”
“But you do recall where you’re coming from, Theodore. You relived your memories and understood them. All that is left for you now is to understand your present and embrace your future.”
“My pack. Are they still alive?”
“They can be revived, yes.”
“Only if I get to the wisdom tree. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“Then what is amiss?” he exclaimed, throwing his arms up in frustration. “I want to save them. It doesn’t matter what it takes, I’ll do it. Do I have to sacrifice myself? I will.”
“You will,” the Moon echoed, searching his face with her large luminous eyes. “How will Jack and Vince feel if you do that?”
Theodore looked down. The burning in his chest and the stinging in his eyes returned. “They will understand.”
“I didn’t ask you if they would understand your choice or not.”
“I know they are important. I know that they came with me on this quest because Vince is a guardian and Jack is a clairvoyant. Their roles cannot be fulfilled until I meet them again. That much I see. So where are they?”
The Moon looked at him with pity written all over her angelic face. “You are willing to lay your life down for your pack, yet you are still so selfish, Theodore.”
“Selfish? What more can I give than my own life? You are cruel, Mistress.”
What the Moon did next took him by surprise simply because it seemed such a human thing to do. She raised a hand and rubbed her forehead, like someone frustrated with a child. “What did the prophecy in the rock tell you, Theodore?”
“Something about a heart that’s true and wild.”
“Yes. And how is your heart?”
“I… don’t know,” Theodore admitted. “Can you please help me?”
“Listen to it. What is your heart telling you, Theodore?”
“It… hurts.”
“Why?”
“Because--” He couldn’t say. He just knew that it hurt.
“It is because you believe you need to choose.”
“Don’t I?” Theodore believed he understood what she meant. “I must choose my pack. I care about Vince and Jack, but they’re only humans and--”
“Only humans?” The Moon appeared to examine his face sternly now.
“Extraordinary humans, yes, but they… are not my pack.”
“It is not customary for me to be angry, but you are infuriating, Theodore. And to think that I sent one of mine to help you.”
Theodore opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. He shook his head when he realized that he had to be gaping like a fish. “What do you mean?” he asked slowly.
“I had to ask the Sun to help me, even,” the Moon continued in the same manner, reproachful and a bit annoyed. “And you believe he’s only a human.”
“Jack?” Theodore explained.
“Yes,” the Moon replied. “That is the wildest truth, Theodore. Even the Moon can be at her weakest from time to time. That was when the evildoers attacked your pack. A feather from my frock, a star from my sky, a kiss from the Sun, and he was born.”
“And Vince?” Theodore asked, his heart beating hard and wildly inside his chest.
“He comes from a long line of guardians. Generations are often dormant, and they are awakened when a pack must be saved.”
“Then… I should…”
“No ‘should’, Theodore. Be true to your heart.”
Theodore looked his mistress in the eye. He knew what he had to do now. He knew where he had to be. He knew everything, and he was free!
“Hurry now, what are you waiting for? He is not the most patient child and his insecurities--”
“Say no more, Moon!” Theodore said, shifting into his wolf and breaking into a run.
TBC
Thank you for reading!
@Derek - what a beautiful thing to say - 'hope springs eternal' - I have a beautiful happy end prepared - and it will include Skarg! I solemnly swear all will be well with the young one in the end.
@Mark Mortland - he-he, you think exactly like Jack, Mark! Since he worries a little about the age gap between him and Theo, he will ask someone about it! So I'll leave that answer to appear on the page at the right moment!
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