“Well hello handsome!” a near by voice coos.
“Huh?” I reply opening my eyes in surprise only to be greeted by darkness.
“Not a talker? Well not to worry as I can talk enough for us both.” The voice says with a hint of mirth.
“Who are you?” I ask while trying to sit up only to hit my head on the ceiling. “How do I get out!” I ask with sudden panic not liking this enclosed place I find myself in.
“Thejia. But names can wait hon. Right now you need to relax and calm down.” She offers coming closer till I see a dim shape in the darkness. “It’s called a cage and we all hate them. But you will only be in here for a short time.”
“Why?” I ask while pressing forward to touch her, feeling a sudden overwhelming feeling of loneliness. But something stops me as I discover yet another side of the cage thing I rest within. Not sure how I know Thejia is a girl but now her voice sounds female to my ears I feel a fool for not knowing her gender when she first spoke a greeting.
“It's so my family and me can get to know you better before your put among us handsome.” She says giving me a feel of her tongue from between the bars of the cage as she licks me.
“Do you think they will like me?” I ask her finding myself become worried just at the thought of not being accepted by the pack.
“My parents are too old and will soon be on the great hunting lands far from here. Myself being old enough now and the others girls like myself...well you can see why we would welcome you so eagerly silly wolf.” She says pressing her muzzle between the bars of my cage once more as she noses and sniffs me.
I find myself returning the get-to-know-you type canine greeting while behind me my tail wags rapidly. “You flatter me with your interest.” I reply finding myself slipping into courting mode now that I feel comfortable with my surroundings.
“I will do more then that once you’re let out of your cage and put among us.” She teases moving so her tail is suddenly within reach of my nose as she rubs herself against the bars of the cage.
A hint of something wonderful that I can not name quickly has me pressing hard against the bars as I sniff her scents with keen interest. “Let me out.” I plead lifting my head to give voice to my feelings of the moment as I howl.
“I would if I could stud.” She says after having added her own howl to mine. “Chewing on that cage only hurts my fangs.” She offers laying down upon her belly before my cage watching me closely.
“Whats that sound?” I ask my friend suddenly.
“Sound?” she asks questionly flicking her ears while getting to her paws as ears perk and pan in different directions. “Its just the animals in the next compound.” She offers relaxing and leaning forward to try nuzzling me threw the bars.
But just then a metallic clang rings threw the darkness sounding almost painful to my ears causing me to cringe slightly and stand up on all fours before I remember the low ceiling. “That noise.” I offer turning my muzzle into the right direction.
“Humans.” She offers as she sniffs at the air then begins to give off a scent of nervousness. “Strangers!” she whines turning and disappearing into the darkness even as voices come to my ears.
“This is all your fault!” a voice mutters out of the darkness as I hear two beasts coming closer and find myself bristling and showing fang silently. Are they wolves I wonder as I listen closely keeping very still.
“Your the one that cast the spell so do not even try to blame me!” a second voice replies sounding annoyed.
“Truce? We are here to save Alan not fight between ourselves.” The first offers.
“Yes we must find Alan. But how will we find him among these other zoo wolves?” the second asks.
Alan? Is that my name I wonder suddenly feeling confused. Did I eat bad meat?
“Ok hold it right there you two!” a new voice commands. “I’m doctor Laura McDnuoh and no one is going to bother my wolves.” She states firmly. While shinning a moonbeam upon the two interlopers of our packlands. No not a moon at all...I think trying to puzzle out the item the human female is holding that is making the other humans easy to see. Just having this lady here brings a wag to my tail as I vaguely remember her feeding me and bringing water each day.
“Good Rehen does not seem to be hurt which is lucky for the both of you. I can hear him wagging his tail within his cage."
“His name is Alan.” Offers the taller of the two male humans. At that name I find myself no longer growling at these two males. Have they not come to challenge my place with this pack? The names Mitch and Dale come unbidden to me but I can not say from where as I watch the two humans while my keeper takes a moment to speak into a box thing she had with her. I can hear faint voices coming from it so know its not another light giver but without Thejia I can only watch and wait to see what happens feeling clueless why these humans act so unlike us wolves.
“Ok you two time to do some explaining before security gets here.” Doctor McDnuoh says just how I could think a human pack leader should.