“ALPHA JAMIE MORTON of the North London pack. It’s a pleasure, as well as a surprise to see you here.” A watcher stepped forward, extending his hand. 

“Same could be said about you, Alyssé.” Jamie said, taking the outstretched hand reluctantly. “What are you doing here?” 

“Same could be said about you, Alpha.” Alyssé said, echoing what Jamie had just said.

“Touché. Well, this happened on my border. So it’s just natural that I find out what occurred here. Answer my question now, what are you doing here?” 

Alyssé’s eyes went behind Jamie to where the young man who had brought them here and Claude was standing. 

Without turning to face them, Jamie raised his voice and said to the man, “Go to the settlement, boy. Let my wife that I might be late. And tell her to instruct everyone inside right now. And then you go home.” 

“Yes alpha.”  He said and ran in the direction of the stream. 

“Now, you can answer me.” 

Alyssé was still hesitant to answer as his eyes still shifted to Claude who was standing behind Jamie. 

“Nope. He isn’t going anywhere. He’s my  second in command, he deserves to be here.” 

“I insists he leaves, Alpha.” Alyssé persisted. 

“Claude, what were we just talking about before we headed out here?” Jamie asked Claude while still facing Alyssé.

“About our expanding our territory to reach this area.” 

“Yes. Thank you.” He said to Claude, then he looked straight at Alyssé and continued, “So, if you’re not ready to talk, I’d suggest you leave my territory before things get nasty.” His voice had dropped to a deep growl that made some watchers move back in fear. 

But Alyssé didn’t even flinch a bit, he said in a calm and cool voice, “A new ripple started out here. Not one of a wolf or vampire. It’s is one that has not been seen possibly in centuries.” 

“What is it?” Jamie asked. 

“It’s most likely a Cat. A werecat, we don't yet know its subspecies but I do know it is a restrained one at that. It caused this damage at the slightest opportunity it got.” Alyssé said, his slim fingers waved around the massacre around. 

“A Werecat? I thought they had all gone extinct.” Jamie mused.

“Not extinct. They were killed off by your kind.” Alyssé corrected.

“What’s the difference? The matter here at hand is that our boys were here with an angry WereCat.” Jamie turned to speak to Claude.

“What do you mean by our boys.” 

“He means our sons. His and mine... you get it?” Claude spoke for the first time. 

“Where are the boys? I would like to speak with them.” 

“Missing. We came here and the first thing I caught was their scent.” Claude answered. 

“And besides, I’m not letting you interrogate 15 year old boys.” Jamie said. 

“They’re 16.” Claude whispered in Jamie’s ear.

“Whatever.” 

“We are not interrogating, we just want to ask some minor questions.” 

“No. And infact, I’d like you and your clowns to leave right now.” 

“We’ll be going now, as you’ve commanded, Alpha. But we’ll be back.” 

The watchers opened a portal and vanished the way they came.

“God! Those guys are something else. They want to dive into the minds of 16 year olds to retrieve information?” 

“You handled yourself well. They’re gone. Now we have to focus on finding our kids.” 

“True. We focus on finding our kids and prepare for the war that is brewing already. The Vampires might see this as something else.” Jamie said.

“They would. They’ll opt for war. Those blood sucking monsters.” 

Together they walked back to the pack territory. 

When the place was empty once again, a swirly portal opened and grey robes filed out and dispersed into the night. 

THE SINGING OF birds made me jump awake. I clutched my bag before yawning loud and long, making Jake to open his eyes too and sit up. 

“Do you by any chance have your phone with you?” Jake asked me, he was still half asleep. 

“No. Why?”

“Nothing. Just wanted to check the time.” He said, covering his mouth with the back of his hand as his mouth opened in a jaw cracking yawn. 

“Come on. Rinse you face in the stream. Then we find our way back home.” I said. I was already washing away at my hands and feet. 

“Can’t I just sleep for a little while more? Maybe 30 minutes?” Jake said. He started to lie down again but I sprayed him a handful of cold stream water. He came awake immediately and walked sluggishly to my side saying, “You’re mean.” 

“I know. Now wash up.” 

He did as i said. After washing, he sat at the bank of the stream and was just watching the water. I went over to him, “What are you looking at?” I asked. 

“Here.” He pointed. “And there.” He pointed again. 

I looked closely, at first i didn’t see anything. Then, i saw them. Tiny little fishes were darting around in the water. 

“THAT’S A BIG ONE.” Jake exclaimed in excitement. 

“Hey, are you hungry?” I asked him, while gently wading, ankle high in the stream. 

As if in reply, his stomach made a loud gurgling sound. He rubbed it and said, “Yeah... You’ve got food?” 

“I have now.” I dived in the water with my arms outstretched. My fingers circled the body of the fish “I got ‘em!” I yelled. I held it for a moment then it slipped away. “Or no, I don’t.” 

“You can’t catch a fish like that.” Jake said from the banks. 

“Watch me!” I dived again and came out empty handed. 

“Seriously Jason.” He picked a stick from the floor and joined me in the water. “This is how I’ve seen them do it in the movies.” He stabbed the stick into the water and came out with a fairly large fish. 

“I told ya!” He yelled in victory. 

I dived in again and also came out with a fish too. “No, you didn’t.” 

We waddled out of the water. I found a small penknife in my bag, we used it to gut the fishes.

“How do we cook it?” Jake asked as we laid in the morning sun, drying the bottom of our trousers and soaking up heat. 

“We eat it raw.” 

“Gross.” 

“I’m serious, in Japan, they eat fish raw. Sushi comprises of raw fish, doesn’t it?” I said. I sliced my fish into strips and placed one in my mouth. 

It felt disgusting but tasted quite good. 

“Hmm, try it... its great.” I put on a brave face just for his benefit. 

After seeing, I did not vomit or die, He ate one too. It seemed like he really enjoyed it, because he finished both his and mine. But, I felt sick to my stomach. 

“Have you figured a way to take us back home?” Jake asked me.

“Me?” I asked, confused. “You’re the wolf here. You’ve got the heightened hearing and sense of smell. It should be you who’ll take us home.” 

“You always figure something out. You’ll figure this out too. Right now, I’m too full to think.” 

I facepalmed myself in disappointment and said, “Anyways, I figured we’ll stick with the stream. But we’ll move in the opposite direction.”

“I told you you’ll think of something, but why opposite direction.” 

“Idiot, because the stream on our western border of the pack’s territory flows out. So if we go opposite, it might just lead us back to where we came from.” 

“You’re so smart.” 

“That’s because I read. Tell me, do you read, Jake?” I asked, looking at Jake. 

“Of course I do. When I’m forced.” He laughed. 

I smiled and shook my head. “Come on.” 

We started walking, staying close to the river so we could watch our path. 

“You know, we could just stay one more night out here... enjoy ourselves and be free for some time.”

“No, we can’t –“ The snapping of twigs made me jump. “Did you hear that?” 

“Can you perceive that?” Jake asked, at the same time.

“Perceive what?”

“Smells like... Vampires!!” 

Oh shit!!

“RUN!!” I said in a fierce whisper.

We broke out in a frantic run, still going the opposite way of the stream flow.

“But it’s daytime. Look the sun is up. I thought they’d have severe sunburns if they come out in the day time.” 

They’re Elder Vampires. The voice rang in my head.