The Necessary Sacrifice

Naomi stumbled away from her half-brothers home. No more. She could take no more of it there. She was out. She was ancy. It was nearing the full moon and she just felt pup-cranky. She did not feel her bones shifting the way they should be. Her skin and hair was not crawling the way they should have. She was not transforming.

And she should have been.

What was so special about Ariel? Really? Was it just because he was technically oldest? She was the same grade as him! Was it because he was male? Wow, was sexism even rampant in the most downtrodden of races?! How was any of that fair for her? Ariel was too soft and sweet to succeed her father.

He needed her. But he didn't know it yet.

And tonight her mission was to prove him wrong. She would get her own following. She needed it to get her dad on her side and to get the right people to help break Felix out. And if that meant she got a little furry once a month, so be it. She did not mind so much. She looked good in fur.

She apparated to the forest where she and Felix had been approached by the werewolves. They would start her pack. She could feel their draw to her. She knew her half blood of werewolf enabled her to be connected to the werewolves. Not as strong as her brother... but close.

It did not take Naomi long to find them. She walked slowly, panting because she was going up a hill and she had stormed from the house. She slowed because she heard footsteps, light footsteps. She stopped and looked around. She saw a pair of eyes approaching. And then more and more.

A black wolf approached, sniffing. He must have been the leader of this group. Naomi sniffed. She could tell they were all male. Bachelor band. She squatted and looked the black wolf right in the eye. She cocked her head, watching the others pace nervously. "Can you understand me?"

He looked at her and bobbed his head. "What's your name?" He blinked and she felt a single word run through her head. Colby. She nodded. "This is your pack? All of them?" Four. She nodded. "I'd like to join you. As you have figured out, I'm a Greyback. And I'm taking over this band."

Colby paused and turned to look at the other wolves. They stepped forward and she caught bits and parts of their conversation, but they could only communicate with her in fragments. She waited for a long time before they turned and Colby lowered his head. Naomi stuck an arm out and he slowly approached before biting her where her dark mark was. She let out a cry of pleasure and collapsed.

-two months later-

Paws pounding. Hearts thumping. Muscles straining. Lolling tongues, hot breath, pads cracking against the cold earthen ground. Noses twitching, low snuffles and growls. Colby ran at Naomi's shoulder, her right hand wolf. Behind her were the other three males. Karlyn. Hoover. Nester. They had a new addition, a middle aged female named Fyona. She brought up the rear as the new meat.

They ran through the forest. Naomi had convinced them to place themselves nearer to a muggle town. A small neighborhood ran near a small wood and Naomi had figured out how to get the kids near them. She and the dog were oddly connected. They thought as one, rather than one taking over. Her creme colored coat might have been a defect, but she had not yet lost a fight.

She began to slow and Colby barked a low bark, the black wolf warning the others. Hoover snarled. The chocolate-coated wolf was the enforcer. The dog was infatuated with Naomi's dog, as the man was with the woman, but neither Naomi nor the creme dog shared the feelings. They both knew how to exploit it though and Naomi would not hesitate.

Fyona stumbled into Karlyn and he snapped at her, though Nester snapped at Karlyn. Naomi wheeled around and stopped, forcing them all to skid to a stop. She stared at them, unblinking and they all bowed their heads. Slowly she turned and continued trotting on to the direction, her band trooping loyally behind her, sobered and alert.

She stopped at the edge of the woods and nudged Colby with her snout. He turned and the entire pack retreated while Naomi rumbled low growls under her breath, as though clearing her throat. She waited a moment, and then raised her head and began to yip, a quick, cute puppyish yip. She barked until she knew it was enough. She backed up and slipped into the ranks of her pack.

They smelt them first. She heard Hoover licking his lips. Her pack was not as bloodthirsty as her but she had trained them... She raised her snout and smelt children on the wind.

"Carly, it's just a hurt puppy. I've heard it all week, I think."

"Al, we shouldn't be out here so late."

A flashlight ran over their faces and the wolves lowered their heads, to ensure their eyes wouldn't reflect. The two children stumbled in. She felt Hoover jostle her. Kill or injure?

Naomi paused and tasted the air. Surprise me. Hoover chuckled and he, Nester, and an uncertain Fyona bounded crept forward. The children never knew what hit them.