From Book 1
By the end of the twentieth year, the human and wolf population threatened to overflow the Plains of Nev and the reconstituted Council, now called The Council of People, included representatives of both human villages and the wolf packs equally. They decided they would have to expand outside the protective confines of the Plain of Nev. Accordingly, the Council appointed six scouting parties, each under the command of a human and a wolf in equal partnership. There would be six humans and six wolves assigned to each command the teams and they were to go outside the protective walls of the plains and explore for areas that the people could live. Of the people, there were now over two thousand humans and twelve packs of wolves, they would soon outgrow their food supply, so expansion was not an option, it was a necessity!
Chapter 1 - EXPLORATION AND EXPANSION
The six Exploration Teams agreed that they would remain in mind contact, even the humans had now developed sufficient mind power that such contact was possible for them. They started off, north, east and west to cross the barrier mountains. The Great River Col to the south was too much of a barrier for them to cross, however, two teams, one from the west and one from the east would circle around when they found a way to cross the Great River.
The team led by Stan and Dol headed directly north and they entered a great salt basin that contained a few oases' scattered across the blowing sand and salt-covered plains. The land did not look promising and the taste of salt made their mouths sour. The reflected sun off the light-colored salt made their eyes hurt and the salt made them burn. They both feared they would have to turn back, surely there would be no shelter for their folk in this awful place.
As Stan and Dol approached a small oasis, Dol reported there were two human male cubs hiding in the bushes and that they seemed to be quite young. Leaving their team to wait, Stan had Dol make a circle around and they entered the oasis from opposite sides. Stan mind called, "I am Stan and my companion is Dol, we will not hurt you. We carry food, if you are hungry, we will share our meal with you."
Two small boys peered from behind a bush and shouted, "You will not hurt us? Or turn us in to the Elders?" Stan replied, "No, we will care for you and feed you, why should we turn you over to someone you are afraid of?"
The two boys ran to Stan and hugged him, they were both naked except for a dirty strip of poorly preserved animal hide wrapped around their loins. They were clearly near starvation and their ribs showed prominently. Their narrow, dirt-covered faces were gaunt and they looked haunted.
Stan started to pull some dried rations from his pack and he began a small fire. He asked one of the boys to fill his cooking pot from the spring and he started making a stew. It took both boys to carry the pot back, only half full of water, they were so weakened, they both were panting for breath from the exertion.
Both boys were drooling as the delicious smells began coming from the pot. Dol came striding into the small grove and the boys screamed, "Wuf, Wuf" and started to run away. Stan grabbed them up and held them, "That is only my companion, Dol and he surely will not hurt you."
One boy said, "BbbbBut he is a wuf?" Stan smiled and replied, "Yes, he is a Canine and he is my life companion. His own mate remains back at our home with their younglings and they are playing with my own children while my mate watches over them."
He motioned for Dol to come closer and he draped his free arm over the Canine's neck, "Ask him his name, just think it and he will hear you." One of the boys gathered up his courage and thought, "Me be Ton and my eerer ah, friend be Jan."
Stan thought to himself, "Oh, Oh, I think I see the problem." Dol overheard him and sent, "Who cares if they are mates, what difference does it make?" Stan replied, "Because so few children survived, it became taboo for two children of the same sex who love one another to be allowed to survive. But, that is no longer the case and there is no excuse for such beliefs now and there is sufficient food for all, even for these two boy children. They will be our boys, yours and mine to raise."
Dol then sent to the boys, "I am Dol and I will help Stan protect you both from harm."
The first boy said, "The Elders condemned us to death because they found us sleeping with one another. I love Jan and would die for him." Stan smiled and sent to both boys, "I and my Canine friend will care for you and protect you. Will you come with us as we travel these lands? Will you become our sons?"
Both boys were eager to agree, whether it was the thought of food or that of safety, Stan did not know, but the two boys continued to hold each other and sent to their two rescuers, "You gave us food and protection. You gave us love and you gave dignity to our love for one another. We claim you, Stan, and also you, Dol as our true parents. We shall honor and obey you for the remainder of our days and our love towards you shall never cease."
Stan raised his eyebrows and thought, "Papa Dol?" Dol laughed, "My pups have some competition!" He then thought about it and sent it to Stan, "My pups have brothers!"
So it was the exploration team became a party of four travelers as they departed the small spring and continued their survey. Ton and Jan gained strength and their bodies filled out rapidly with proper food. Dol brought down a buck and Stan carefully cleaned and treated the hide. When it was prepared, he made new loincloths for the two boys, knowing they would need a full set of clothing by the time the cold time came again.
The boys were growing so rapidly, if he made their clothes now, they would no longer fit them when the weather turned cold. He did, however, make them some moccasins, they had never worn coverings on their feet and they marveled at how much better they could walk with their feet protected from the sharp stones and briars.
They skipped along, playing with Dol, throwing the ball that Stan had made and Dol would bring it back to them. They became used to his voice in their minds and Dol taught them many things that would make them better humans than they had been before.
Their journey took them deep into the mountains of the North, where they encountered a pack of Dol's kind. They were sitting near the fire after they had finished their meal and discussing whether to continue following the small stream deeper into the mountains or cross the ridge and exploring the next valley.
Suddenly, Ton pointed to a set of glowing eyes just beyond the light from their fire. Stan sent to the boy, "Yes, we know he is there, he is just watching us to make sure we present no danger to his pack."
Ton shyly asked, "May I speak with him? We mean them no harm and, maybe they will play with us like Dol does."
Stan replied, "Surely you may, just think your words to him, he will understand." Stan had already been in mind contact with the visiting canine and knew that he meant them no harm.
The young boy thought, "Sir Pack Leader, I am Ton, we mean you no harm. These are our Papas Stan and Dol, the other youngling is my brother, Jan. We welcome you to our fire, may I offer you some of our food?"
They all heard the Canine's reply, "Welcome Human Pup to our hunting grounds, I and my Pup, Jas, accept your hospitality." A large wolf stepped into the firelight, followed by a somewhat smaller version of himself.
The large wolf walked up to Ton and put his muzzle on the boy's shoulder, "I am called Lee and long we have waited for our brothers, the humans, to return to our lands. I greet thee with great joy, our brothers have returned to us. I call my pack to celebrate your return!"
Lee then, let out a loud and long howl, followed by several yips. The call was answered from a great distance and they all heard in their minds, "Your news is great Brother, we are coming to you and our humankind brothers, it has been far too long!"
Jas sat down next to Ton while the older Canine let out a series of yips and yowls and a mental stream of commands to assemble. The humans were able to hear what Lee was sending and they eagerly awaited the arrival of Lee's Pack. Within minutes, there were thirty wolves sitting in a circle around the humans, wolf younglings crowding up to be petted and hugged by the two human pups.
The wolf pups shivered in delight as the boys' hands rubbed their fur. Their ancestral companions had returned and their great need was fulfilled at last. The chain of companionship was being forged yet again!
Lee stood before Stan and sent, "Human Leader, I and my Pack ask that we might join with thee, for too long we have not had our human brothers at our side. This I pledge, NO HARM SHALL COME TO THEE AND THY FOLK AS LONG AS I AND MY PACK SHALL LIVE!"
For the first time in several thousands of years, humans and canines had rejoined in communion with each other in this land. The two groups felt such a feeling of peace, they had a meal together and they all lay down for the night, each knowing they lay there in perfect safety. The younglings of both races snuggled up to each other, the human younglings had their arms locked around the necks of their wolf-kind brothers.
The next day, Stan decided they had to move on, he had been in contact with Wander and was told to invite the Canines to join in their search of the northern mountains.
The Wolf Pack agreed immediately and they began their search again, two human cubs, an adult human leader and his wolf companion, and a Wolf Pack Leader with his entire pack of thirty wolves that included six wolf younglings who had adopted Stan and Jan as two of their own.
The young wolflings stayed at the side of their young humankind friends and growled in fierce combat mode if they thought something was trying to harm them. It was a mutual companionship that would last them their lifetimes.
They spent the next several days traversing sharp volcanic valleys, the lava rocks tearing at their feet. They finally reached a warm spring, surrounded by low leafy trees. The humans and the wolves were footsore from the sharp, jagged lava. They all soaked in the warm pool, easing their sore feet.
As the sun began to go down, two of the pack's youngling wolves brought back several large rabbits and Stan set about making them all a delicious stew. He found wild plants to add to the stew, it would not be enough to feed them all, but the wolf younglings had gone back for more rabbits to share with their pack brethren.
After they had all eaten, everyone was relaxing in front of the campfire. Lee was relating some of his pack's legends and everyone's heads beginning to nod, they were all tired and ready for sleep.
Suddenly, two of the wolf younglings stood with their ears erect. Before anyone could react, they dashed off into the darkness. Those still by the fire could pick up snippets of mental conversation, but, before they could make any sense of it, the younglings returned, leading two badly injured young wolf pups.
The youngling humans ran to the two pups and gathered them up and carried them to the warm pool. They gently washed the blood from the frightened juvenile wolves and cleaned their wounds. Stan retrieved some astringent leaves from his pack and pressed them against the wounds to stop the bleeding and to help them heal.
Lee asked the pups about what had happened to them, the pups were not old enough to be proficient mind speakers, so it took some time to retrieve their story. Their pack had been attacked by a group of giant felines and their dam had sent the two pups into the night to hide. They had become lost and had seen the light from the traveler's fire and hoped to find help for themselves and their pack.
Both Stan and Lee sent their minds out in search of the wounded pack, but could get no clear thoughts as to where they were, only mental screams of pain and misery.
Lee and his pack raced out, into the darkness in search of the injured wolves. When they finally located them, the members of Lee's pack were appalled at the injuries and death the giant felines had wrought.
He sent out a call to his new human friends to come and help his wounded friends. Dol emerged from the darkness and sent, "Hurry, injured wolves need you, I will lead you to them!" Stan gathered up his bag of medicinal herbs and started to follow Dol, Ton and Jan were on his heels as were the two little pups, Tok and Lor. They raced into the darkness, following Dol.
They broke out into a clearing and there was enough moonlight that they could see dead and dying wolves strewn about like old rags. The three humans worked as fast as they could, cleaning wounds and pressing Stan's astringent leaves against the torn flesh of the wolves. They quickly bound up gaping wounds with strips of hide. Stan was rapidly running out of his few simple medicines, he hoped they would last until dawn.
By daylight, they had saved sixteen of the wolves, but there were twenty-two dead wolves, including the sire and dam of the two little pups, Tok and Lor. The two tiny wolflings were crying in despair until the two human younglings picked them up and cuddled them, telling them that they would love and protect them.
While the injured wolves were recovering, Stan dug a pit to bury those wolves that did not survive the attack. Ton and Jan had to grab the two pups before they could jump into the pit to join their parents.
The boys were holding the two wolf pups and trying to soothe them. Ton said, "My brother, Jan, and I will be your Papas, we will raise you as proper wolves to the best of our abilities."
The two puppies snuggled down into the arms of their human benefactors. They were still crying, but the warm arms of the two humans made them feel safe and loved. They had been told the previous night that the two human younglings would love and protect them, but, when they saw their sire and dam dead and being buried, it was just too much for their young minds to handle.
Stan covered the dead wolves with large stones before commending their souls to the Great Spirit of them all. The pack was now without a leader and their dead leader's two pups, Tok and Lor, were too young to lead the pack. Dol invited the pack to join his own until Tok and Lor were old enough to assume leadership.
He walked over to the two and sent, "I do not steal your pack, young Pack Leaders, I will lead them and protect them until you are old enough to claim leadership, then they will be yours to lead and protect."
Dol added the sixteen adult wolves and two pups to his pack, making his pack the largest pack in the range and he was its leader. Pride was unknown to his kind, but he knew responsibility and he swore to the Great Spirit that he would protect the two wolflings and their folk to the best of his ability.
Tok and Lor would remain companions to Ton and Jan for all their lives and, when it was time for them to assume pack leadership, they would do so jointly and the pack would also remain with the two humans. Their liaison would last the continuing generations of both tribes.
After a year of searching, the six search teams returned to the hunting grounds of the Toma to report what they had found.
There was no way to cross the Great River Col to the south and the searchers found only dry desert to the east. To the west, the searchers reported the land still glowed blue from the terrible bombs dropped by the ancients.
Stan was able to report there were habitable lands to the north and he reported that the Wolf Packs of those lands were waiting to welcome their human friend's return. He spoke of the dangers, of the terrible giant felines, the flesh-eating plants and the jagged lava they must cross to get to the lands of the north.
Wander and Gar were ready to lead the tribes and packs who wished to emigrate to the Northlands, they would begin their trek the following warm time. They both knew of those lands, but they felt the wolf folk and the humankind of this time, must discover those places as their own.
Chapter 2 - PREPARATIONS
There were six small family tribes who wished to emigrate northwards, along with six wolf packs. The tribes and the packs had already paired up and were happy with their choices.
Stan asked to lead one group and the leaderless pack would be his own. The two pups, Tok and Lor, were growing like weeds and the boys, Ton and Jan were sons to Wander. Lee's pack also was aligned to Wander, so when he and Gar began making plans to lead the way north, beyond the Plains of Nev, two wolf packs were also getting ready to go, the broken pack of Tok and Lor and also Lee's pack with Stan as their human leader and his folk as their humans.
There was only friendly rivalry between the two packs and the two pups knew that Lee and Gar had much they could teach them.
Wander showed the humans how to dry and preserve meat and how to make foot coverings that would withstand the rigors of the sharp lava they must cross. He taught them about the medicinal plants and the dangerous plants, especially the ones that would try to eat them.
They spent the remainder of the warm time making their preparations to depart. They hunted the giant felines for their fur, finding the feline fur to be far superior to that of the deer to keep them warm. The giant felines became scarce and Wander suspected they had retreated to the far mountains to hide from the humans.
All that warm time the humans made clothing, preserved meats and practiced with their weapons as Gar pushed Lee and the pups' packs in hunting techniques, ranging and battle.
During that cold time, they cleared the Plains of Nev of all remaining giant felines. Never again would they make orphans out of any wolf pup! Their humans carefully skinned the fallen felines to make cold-time clothing for those humans who would be emigrating to the north.
Both sets of younglings, Ton and Jan and also Tok and Lor shot up in stature, becoming gangling teens. Already they were the largest in their age groups. Lee was a bit worried that the two pups would soon be large enough to challenge him for leadership of his own pack!
The pups soon disabused him of that notion, they came to him and sent, "Uncle Lee, we will never challenge you for leadership of your own pack, Uncle Gar has shown us what our future is to be and we are content with that."
Lee looked over at Gar and he shuddered, he thought to himself, "If those two pups become as huge and powerful as Gar, they will become pack leaders of all the wolves!" Lee could not know just how prophetic his thoughts were!
The brief cold time was beginning to loosen its hold on the Plains of Nev and thoughts of emigration to the north began to occupy the minds of many. Clothes were gathered, packs of preserved foods were made into backpacks, foot coverings were given a final fitting before being placed in the backpacks and weapons were checked over, refastening heads wherever needed and knives were sharpened.
It was not long before Wander announced that they would begin their trek the next day. The orphan boys and pups had made many friends among those living on the Plains of Nev, they made the rounds saying goodbye to their friends.
Ton and Jan had become handsome-looking lads, there were more than a few girls who were sorry to see them leave.
Tok and Lor had shot up in the last several months, already they were taller than most adult wolves, when they attained their full stature, they would be fearful wolves indeed! Several young female wolves had been watching closely and tears were flowing at their departure.
The two young wolves stood behind Gar, waiting for him to lead, Wander nodded to Gar and the three large wolves stepped out, sniffing the air for any danger, the two younger wolves flanked Gar as he led the way out of the encampment.
The younger wolves' pack, now increased to twenty wolves, divided into two groups and they flanked their humans as they began the trek, no danger was going to get to their humans, not if they could prevent it.
Ton and Jan had collected a group of humans, mostly young men and women, who wished for the adventure of new lands and opportunities. The group began their journey crossing the Plains of Nev, towards the mountains to the north. In two days, they were at the foot of the mountains.
They camped there to rest and change into the clothing they would need in the cold mountain air and put on their foot coverings to protect them from the jagged lava. They could see the mountains they had to cross and they knew it was not going to be an easy trip.
Chapter 3 - THE TREK BEGINS
The next morning, they began their climb toward the summit of the protective range of mountains. Even at the base of the mountains, the sharp rocks tore at their foot coverings. The higher they went, the steeper the climb became and the more rugged the terrain became.
They knew that once they had crossed the mountains, they would be subject to the terrors the mountains had protected them from since the end of the Before People's Great War. They knew about the giant felines, but they had only stories and half-truths about the other dangers they would be facing. Wild tales told by the few travelers who had crossed the mountains before them made them fearful, but, at the same time, they knew that, if they were to survive, they needed to expand their range.
Wander had told them about the flesh-eating plants and the poisonous worms that he called snakes, and the wolves who did not know humans. The other dangers, they would learn as they went, perhaps it was best they did not know until it was too late to turn back.
The sun beat down on their backs as they made their ascent up the jagged mountains, it took them all day to reach the first set of cliffs, where they camped for the night.
As they were drifting off to sleep, their minds were assaulted by strange thoughts and visions of creatures known only in the nightmares of those who had partaken of the fermented cactus pods. They awoke the next morning feeling as if they had not slept.
It was difficult for them to get moving, but finally, they were ready and began their climb toward the snow-covered peaks above them. There was a cold, raw wind blowing down from the peaks and they were all shivering. Wander kept them moving, insisting they get past these awful peaks before darkfall.
Just past midday, they crossed the last pass and they could see all the way down to the valley floor below them. They soon left the ice and snow behind them and they found themselves among strange trees and vines with lethal thorns on them.
Wander had warned them that the thorns were poisonous and to stay away from them. He told them that the vines were semi-aware and could move. He had killed a rabbit with his throwing stick and he tossed the body near the base of one of the vines. The vines immediately moved towards the rabbit's carcass and began to cover it. Tendrils wound around the rabbit's body and there was a slurping sound. When the vines relaxed, there were only the bones of the rabbit remaining.
The flesh was entirely consumed. The humans shuddered and made sure they and their children stayed far away from those vines.
They spent the next two days working their way down to the valley floor. They were dismayed that it was nothing like their old home, it was desolate and dry. Nothing seemed alive for as far as they could see. Wander told them not to despair, that it would get better in a few days.
The human adults were not convinced. Some of them were ready to return the way they had come. Ton and Jan started their group to singing and the pups, Tok and Lor danced to their humans' song, making everyone who saw them laugh. Soon, the entire group was in better spirits.
They walked until they came to a small oasis and Wander decided to allow everyone to camp there for the night. As darkness began to close in, both wolf packs formed a defensive circle around the humans. The wolves were on edge, they felt danger was nearby.
All through the night there were strange sounds and frightful calls coming from the darkness that surrounded them. However, they were not attacked and the only sign they could find of the intruders the next morning were footprints in the sand.
They made ready to continue their journey. Ton and Jan were seen with their heads together along with Tok and Lor. As soon as everyone had made ready to depart, the new pack with Ton and Jan leading their humans and Tok and Lor leading the wolves in formation, stepped out to take the lead. They never looked back, Wander smiled and sent a tight message to the four, "Bravo, you are already the leaders you need to be!"
Gar smiled to himself and thought, "They listened to me, that is the first step!".
They met no challenges that second day, other than several springs that were obviously poisonous. There was a nasty-smelling grey crust at the water's edge and there were several dead animals half floating in the water. Their days began to run together, the sere landscape unchanging in its lifelessness deadened their souls.
On their tenth day on the terrible desert, with their spirits beginning to fail, they spotted greenery on the horizon just as the sun set in the west. Humans and wolves alike were excited. Darkfall forced them to stop, even though everyone wanted to reach the greenery they saw on the horizon.
Sleep was difficult that night, everyone was speculating on what they would find the next day when their march took them to that green line they had seen in the far distance.
Everyone was awake and up as soon as the sun had cleared the distant mountains. They ate a quick breakfast and formed up for their march. Ton and Jan were standing proudly out in front of their humans, ready to lead.
In the few weeks since they had left the Plains of Nev, the two teen boys had grown noticeably, they were even taller than they had been and their shoulders had broadened, it was obvious they were going to be nearly as big as Wander himself! Wander wondered about that, but he had not the time to contact his leaders in the sky.
As for the two wolf co-leaders, other than Gar, they were the largest wolves anyone had ever seen and Gar was thinking, "Yeah, and they are not done with their growing yet!"
Ton and Jan looked back to make sure everyone was ready before they set out at a pace set to accommodate the slowest of the humans among them, the small children. The children were excited and were singing their little happy songs as they trekked along. Jan started out with his song and was soon joined by his brother, Ton. Their happiness sounded in their voices and the humans behind them took up their song and started bellowing it out.
Tok and Lor couldn't help themselves, soon they were skipping and dancing to the tune Jan and Tor were singing. It was a happy troupe that crossed the last sand dune and looked down into a broad, fertile valley, filled with life and green plants. Everything looked lush and fertile a new land untouched by others.
Off in the distance, they saw wild cattle and there were sheep grazing on the hillsides. The human's eyes widened as they took note of the large trees ready for building homes and broad fields waiting to receive the seed they had brought with them. The wolves ranged their minds across this fertile land and could detect no dangers that might threaten their humans. It was almost too good to be true.
That perhaps was not a total misrepresentation, there were some problems, but they would find them in the future. For now, this new land was a paradise for these humans and wolves, who had trekked for weeks across the barren sands of the desert to their south.
If there were any problems, they would take care of them later, they needed to rest their weary bodies and souls in the green vibrancy of this verdant land and get their food crops planted to carry them over the cold time.
TBC
The Wolves and their Humans have found a new home. Will it be a paradise or will it be "Hell on Earth"? Only time will tell, but, they have four new leaders emerging, Tok and Lor and Ton and Jan are all coming into their adulthood and are already fearsome foes to those who would harm their people.