Taken

" You can't really be serious Rudina!" Hunter bellowed.

" As serious as they come Hunter. I've had it with the way you are lately. You dropped me the moment things went wrong. We grew up together and I just can't understand how I got you so wrong." Rudina said as she looked him square in the eye. He might be intimidating and had pushed her around before but, now she didn't flinch. 

" You are the one who excepted that little runt and ran off with him. I was the one who drove away the enemy yet you see me as one." Hunter said barely containing his rage.

" Don't call Canagan a runt he's brave and saved my life I..."

" And I saved ALL our lives back there. I can't believe I almost took you as my mate." Hunter said as he moved his head almost against hers in an aggressive gesture.

" Same! I'm glad I saw the real you before it was too late Hunter."

" Think you so clever huh? Bet you didn't expect this." 

Before Rudina could think or react, Hunter had her by the wrist and dragged her towards him. He kissed her not with love or passion but to show who was in charge. Rudina tried to break free but, he was too strong.

Helpless she stood and then calmed herself. Slumping her weight to make herself heavy. It finally worked and Hunter jumped back.

" You bit me you bitch! That's it stop this nonsense and come with me." Hunter picked her up and started making his way far from her pack. Rudina started to feel afraid as she realised he wasn't kidding. She was going with him like it or not and this was a big NOT.

Canagan had been on his way to go see where Rudina had gone to when his heart jumped as he saw Hunter carry her off. He went after them as fast as he could and kept them in his sights.

What the hell had she seen in this crazy man? Hunter had been born into this and had been helped and taught all his life. His werewolf experience had been violent, lonely and frightening. He used the anger at what he had been through to give him strength. He felt like a puppy running after a big dog.

And then with them still in his sights, they vanished. Canagan looked around but there was no sign of them anywhere. He rushed back to the village to get help. He thought it better than to search in vain for hours alone. When he got back he was breathless and worried.

"Hunter...took...Rudina. I tried...to follow  them...vanished! Please...help me find her!" He tried his best to speak as quickly as possible. The longer they took, the more Rudina could be in danger. 

" Calm down child." Sarina said as she put her hands on his shoulders. " You can find her faster then we can." She turned to retrieve something. When she returned she took a deep breath before saying.

" You are sure you saw what you saw? She had a long relationship with Hunter. Perhaps they got back together. In that case they would have to run because he is not her bonded." Sarina waited for an answer. She didn't want her daughter in danger but to have run off would mean certain death!

The Human Pack were met by several Alphas at the village gates. A huge Werewolf stood there pacing up and down. Was he going to stop them?

" What took you all so long?! Humans!" And why has The Lowell not found her?" The big wolf said with a worried tone that made his size and muscle look comical. 

" He doesn't know how yet Devon and we have a trial to do in the morning. Not sure in which direction to go." Sarina said to The Wolf. 

" Fine I can help momentarily but,  if you can't find her in three hours he MUST learn it himself." Devon said and hoped this boy could learn fast.

Moments later they sat in a quiet room. It seemed a sort of lounge with new comfortable couches and tables. There did seem to be something special about it. Canagan touched the walls and started to hear whispers. He quickly removed his hand as though he had been burnt.

" These walls are pure salt and certain precious stones. It keeps things pure and simple." Devin explained as he couldn't help giving a little chuckle at the boy's reaction. 

They waited as Devin explained the process and how to do it. When Canagan had just found the answer to one riddle, it just seemed to bring on another. He had to focus his emotions for her that he didn't understand along with find her emotions that he didn't know. 

One thing he had gotten plenty of was her anger. He knew it so well that just the memory of her face at her Bonding Accent drew him right to her. 

" She's with the ones who attacked us not long ago. The one who attacked Rudina in battle is there. I remember it's smell. This place is right behind the next trial. They took her to do the trial and then hide past it. Without her we can't save her." Canagan said with joy and amazement that soon turned to despair. 

" What are we going to do?" He asked them all 

" We make sure we do the last thing they expect." Sarina said as a plan started to form in her head. Sarina always had a plan...ALWAYS.

The enemy would expect them to bargain with the next Fox. That would isolate the next in line and would weaken them further. There were no rules that said that  others weren't allowed to do the trial with you. Instead they would go to The Mori. 

They got to the forest and made a fire, spoke to The Mori and found that Rudina had sent them several messages. 

" She has been taken by a Wolf named Hunter. She doesn't know why he took her accept to take her through the trials. She had passed with The Yama but, cannot tell you how to pass yourselves.  The gift she got there allowed her to climb the mountain unlike any other beast. She used this to escape Hunter but, must wait for you on the other side. You must find her before Hunter retrieves her and takes her even further away." The Mori explained happy to help. 

" Thank you so much kind Mori." Sarina said as she took a steel kettle off the fire to make coffee.

" We can't find a way around the mountains it's like a wall. Worse still the mountains live. Creatures lurk in its shadows ready and hungry." Sarina told the others when they sat to come to a decision. 

" I will go to The Yama and find a way do The Trial." Canagan said when they were done. No real plan had come together and it seemed the only way.

" We will rather go to the village near the mountains. We need to find what they are in need of and get it to them. If we help the people of the mountains then The Yama might just let us pass." Sarina said having worked out a better solution by herself as usual.

" Why can't we just go to The Yama and explain to them what happened. Surely they will let us go get Rudina." Canagan said getting frustrated that this was taking so long. 

" I'm sorry they will never let us pass. If they did then my father would still be alive today. It would waste time to try to persuade them Canagan. You don't think maybe it's agony for me to know Rudina is out there in danger and I can't simply go get her. I've been through this before and it ended in heartache." Sarina said before she turned to face in the direction of the village in the mountains.

The sun was setting fast as bats danced around them. Now and then they dipped down to catch an insect. They could hear some kind of music playing nearby and knew they were near the village. The bats seemed to fly in tune to the beat.

They arrived feeling like the only uncool kids that dared to come to the party. There was a festival and everyone danced to live, happy music. As they moved through the city they saw more and more people with wolf masks on. They all ran around like kids being silly and drinking. A young man almost ran into them, lost his footing and went face first into the ground. 

" If you ask me Sarina. What this town really needs is a ban on alcohol." Canagan said as he tried to help the young man up.  Then when he saw he had passed out he carried him back into a nearby bar. They had gotten him to a room to rest. 

" That may be true but more than that. They will need money after this party and strong people when others are too...um sick to work. We keep the mountains going and we might find favour with The Yama." Sarina said as her newest plan would take effect by tomorrow.