The Girl in the Woods

Chapter 5

As the sun is about to set, the woods are getting more dense than usual. The birds headed towards their nests, crickets started getting wild, and all animals in the wild may be ferocious or adorable, proceeding to their home to rest. In a cave, a few kilometers distant from the lake that divides the North and South Kingdom, a group of people are gathered led by a woman in her cloak made of wool. Her shoulder-length hair is loose, in sync with the gentle breeze that passes through the entrance of the cave. Her fierce eyes showed power and bravery, but it didn't help her hide the benevolence that made her loved by her peers. She is sitting confidently on a rock that is probably carved and serves like her throne.

She is Montana Bilstein, a woman alpha of the Forest Moon pack. She led the pack since her father Abdon Bilstein decided to be alone. He thinks that he is too old to lead the pack so he passes it to Montana when he finds her capable of leading their not-so-big pack. There are only three families among their pack. Their family, Abdon's brother, Damien and his family, and one distant cousin. Some joined their pack when they found them during their exodus to hide from the cruelty of humans. All in all, they are just about twenty. They chose the woods to hide because they know that humans are afraid to come. The woods where they stay is known as a habitat of wild and ferocious animals. Many hunters are killed during the hunting period, but werewolves like them can fight against those beasts and they can heal their wounds inherently if they're hurt during the fight.

“How is she?” Montana asked the guy who was sitting a few meters from her.

He is Gareth Straus. Gareth was one of those orphans they found during the exodus. His parents were killed in their village because of the human's cruelty. Gareth came from a family of lone wolves as what he called their family. His parents decided to live away from other packs to live a normal life, but their enigmatic life ended when someone saw his father shift his shape during one of the full moons. Not until dawn that night, when people gathered and attacked their home. Gareth's mother pushed him away, asked him to hide and find someone to help him. He was crying back then and didn't want to leave, but his mother begged him so he had no choice but to do what she asked him to do. He is not that far yet when people who attacked their home killed his parents. He became a vagrant, wandering from place to place begging for food. At the age of fifteen during that time, he managed to survive living on the streets until he met a girl of his age and brought him home. That day too, they left the place and went to the woods and there he met them all and found out that they are a family of wolves. They are shapeshifters during the full moon. Gareth then felt that he found a new family, but until the present, he is still questioning himself, why are people treating them differently? Because they are humans capable of shifting into wolves? He knows the difference, but if they treated them as beasts? What do they call those people who murdered his parents? Aren't they the ones acting like beasts for taking someone's life? Though he has a lot of questions about the cruel treatment of normal humans, he didn't instill anger within him. The pack taught him how to understand things, may they be difficult or any possible things in the world they're in. Rather, Montana and the elders like Damien taught him to have hopes, that someday they will have the freedom like a normal human can do.

“She is a grown-up now, an adventurous one,” he replied. “Today, I saved her from several men that are chasing her and her winged friend,” he continued.

Montana stood up abruptly when she heard what Gareth had said, but Gareth gestured her to calm down so she slowly sat back on her rock throne.

“Do you know the reason why they are chasing her?” She asked.

“In Lakeside Village, it is a normal sight for the residents to see that guy showing his magical facade, but today is different,” Gareth said and started narrating what had happened during the show and why the guy's men are chasing a girl. “She destroys the Prince's magical show, and I think the Prince got interested in her and let his men follow her,” he continued.

“Prince? Magic?” Montana asked with her brows knitted with curiosity.

“Prince Darvyn of Assimont,” he replied. Gareth knows about the Prince. He was there when he was crowned as a Prince of the Kingdom and he is always there when he is showing his magic tricks to the residents of the village. It's been a month since he was there and today is a lot different. The show is more interesting because of that one girl. “From what I saw, she has magical prowess that she manages to counteract the Prince's techniques,” he added.

“It's not just a skill, it runs in her blood…” she said, cutting her statement, but continued. “Always keep an eye on her when she is out of the woods. The time is getting near and we don't know what should be her reaction. How she will handle the truth,” she said looking at everyone who was intently listening to her. She gathered them to talk about the girl. The full moon is getting near and they know that during that time, something will happen, something will change, and the change they are waiting for.

“Uhm…” A man who is just listening from the start of the conversation between Montana and Gareth gets their attention by clearing his throat. He is the oldest among their pack.

“Yes, Uncle Damien?” Montana turned to him and asked.

He is Damien Bilstein, Abdon Bilstein's brother. He is old at seventy, but he chooses to stay with his family. Abdon once asked him before he left to be alone, but he refused. He told him, he will stay with the pack until his last breath. He said that they went through many challenges and struggles within their pack to the cruelty of humans, but they still survive and it's a lame reason to leave because he is old and just wanted to be alone. Damien knows his brother. He is going through something he didn't tell them which is why he decided to leave the pack. Damien tried hard to understand him and had no choice but to support his brother's decision by staying in the pack and helping his niece; Montana. He still hopes that someday they will still have a chance to meet again, fulfill their promise to their late father to be together in unity until their last breath, and pass it to generations, that being united, is one great foundation of their pack.

“I was just thinking, what if she can't accept the truth? I mean she won't join us?” Damien replied. He is bothered thinking about their coming member of the family.

Montana heaves a sigh. “We'll respect her decision,” she responded.

Damien nodded and didn't utter any words. He agreed to Montana. In their pack, everyone's decision matters. They maintain respect for everyone as long as no one disobeys the rules.

After their short talk, some left to continue their tasks before they are going to rest, but Gareth as usual goes to visit his friend, Elora Lowe. Elora didn't join the meeting because she is asked by her mother to do some household chores and she is not needed in the meeting. Elora is the girl who brought Gareth to their pack. She always saw Gareth wandering around their village. She felt differently for him that is why she made friends with him and brought him to their pack. She didn't know yet that Gareth is a werewolf, but when she knows that Gareth is someone that won't be harmful to them, he convinces him to go with her during their journey to leave the village.

“How's your trip to the village?” Elora asked Gareth when he arrived. Elora's family lives just outside the cave. The cave serves as their pavilion for gathering, and Montana's abode.

“I met her. I mean we got to know each other accidentally,” Gareth answered while picking up a nut from the small basket that Elora just put next to him. He is happy with the way he said it. He is looking at the nuts which is why he didn't notice the change of expression on Elora's face. She smiles bitterly when Gareth sounds happy telling her that he met the girl that Montana had asked him to keep track of her.

“If she'll come here, you have a new friend, then,” Elora said, and sat next to Gareth, facing him.

Gareth smiled and held her on her chin. She turned her head to get away from his touch, but Gareth is persistent, he stands up and stands closer to her until their faces are just inches away.

“Are you jealous?” Gareth asked her in his deep tone while looking at her intently.

“I'm not!” Elora averted her gaze. She cannot withstand the way Gareth looked at her.

“Look at me when you say it, Elora,” he said. Gareth then went back to sit. “We've been friends for years now. Don't get jealous,” he lightly chuckled to tease her.

Elora frowned. She knows that Gareth has imprinted the girl since the day he saw her. Since their pack leader told him to track the girl, she can feel his excitement, his happiness when heading out the woods to look after the girl when she is out of the woods. There is nothing about the girl that didn't escape to their knowledge.