Episode 9

"Yes, remember when Uchoa mentioned that Aveline had taken the form of a wolf? That little creature could have been Aveline. I heard the animal whine, as we turned to leave, as if it were calling out to us, but we were looking for a girl, not a wolf cub." Demetrio concluded.

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Begai, crying. "We left her to be devoured by the wild wolves. My little girl."

"Now it's clear, if this is indeed the case, she has every reason to reject us" Zoren stated, his head hung low.

"It also explains why only now, seeing you, did the wolf appear again." Uchoa added.

The women left the room, Ava wearing a dress from Blanca and looking at us with resentment. Apparently, they overheard our entire conversation.

"Come Ava, sit down, have some soup, come Blanca, I'll serve you while the pups are asleep." Uchoa called out.

They sat down, and Blanca drew Shirley in as well.

"I'd prefer coffee if you don't mind. I had some broth at home. In fact, I need to discuss something with you about it, but later." Ava requested.

"Alright, there's hot water and instant coffee that Zoren brought yesterday." Uchoa replied as he fetched the coffee and a mug.

"I would love to hear your story, could you share what you remember, my child?" Shirley asked.

"Yes" Ava said, taking the mug with coffee and adding a sugar cube. "I remember playing in the snow and Demetrio calling to leave, when he turned around, I lost my balance as I was on the edge of the ski track, and I rolled down to the bottom. I think I blacked out because when I woke up, it was night, and I was covered in snow." Ava narrated.

"Maybe we didn't see you because of that, as it started to snow before dark." Demetrio interjected, clearly remembering everything that had happened that day.

"Well, when I woke up, I was disoriented and wandered aimlessly and didn't realize that I was moving away from the Pack, to the point of becoming so tired and cold that I shivered all over. That's when I heard distant howls, and I think that's what triggered the transformation. As a wolf, I didn't feel so cold and being white, it was easy to hide in the snow." Ava paused to sip her coffee.

"So it was the combination of cold and fear that made you transform; your wolf sensed danger and awakened too soon, for protection. Go on, Ava" the Alpha prompted.

"We managed to stay protected for a long time, I think a whole day passed, I don't quite remember, because the wolf found a gap among some rocks and hid there. But at night, we were hungry, and she decided to leave the hiding spot to find something to eat, and that's when the wild wolves picked up our scent. They found us, and it was awful" tears fell from her eyes, wetting her face and dripping into the coffee, but she didn't care.

"I was already severely injured, lying in the snow, when I smelt Demetrio and whined, trying to call him, but you, Alpha Zoren, left me there to be devoured. If it wasn't for Blanca's bear arriving, I would be dead now" her voice and face expressed anger, bitterness, and grievance for their neglect, not just because it was her, but because they abandoned a cub to the wilds.

Demetrio let out a cry and dashed out the door, transforming into his wolf form as he sprinted over the snow. At this point, everyone was crying and at a loss for words. The truth had come out, a series of circumstances and mismatches that caused such a beautiful and beloved cub to suffer to the brink of death or loss.

Something very strange was happening in the area; as Demetrio ran through the Pine Forest and ascended the Snow Mountain, he observed a flock of birds, not migratory, but fleeing, from their natural habitat on the rocky coast of the sea.

The birds flew in flocks, not knowing where to go, some landed in the forest, and others fell along the way, not accustomed to long flights and easily fatigued. Some animals also ran through the forest amidst the snow and collapsed in the soft snow, not getting up, for they had broken their legs. All these animals came from the Coast.

Demetrio knew he had to warn the alpha, as soon it wouldn't be long before that place would be overwhelmed by people and animals that did not belong there, and many would die from not withstanding the harsh weather conditions. Something had happened on the Coast that was driving the animals away.

Demetrio raced back to the bear's house and clawed at the door until someone answered. It was Uchoa, holding a cold weather cloak in his hands, thinking it would be the wolf. Demetrio soon reverted to his human form, donned the cloak, and entered. Everyone noticed his agitation, Zoren stood and approached him, offering a chair to sit.

"Take a deep breath, Demetrio, and tell us what happened?" the Alpha commanded.

But Demetrio could only gaze at his sister, reflecting on all he had done against her. Letting the tears fall, he looked deeply into her eyes and asked what his soul had longed to do for many years:

"Forgive me, my sister, please, forgive me. I love you so much, but I was a selfish coward and failed to take care of you. Now, I fear we may never be a family united again…"

"Stop that nonsense, boy! Of course, we'll be a united family again. The important thing is that Ava is here and alive, very much alive, thank God" Shirley interrupted Demetrio's speech.

"Still, forgive me, Ava, it wasn't intentional. I was looking for, we all were," he glanced at his father and the alpha. "for a little girl, we had no idea you had transformed. I know it's no excuse, but forgive me."

Ava looked at him blankly and didn't respond. The years of resentment over being abandoned weighed heavily; she felt rejected and if not for Blanca, she would have been devoured by the wilds. Only time could say if the wound would heal.

"Earlier today, I found a friarbird caught in one of my traps, and I thought it was odd. I presume by your panicked entrance, you saw something strange as well. What was it?" Ava asked without responding to her brother, her instinct as a forest ranger speaking louder.

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