Chapter 15 The Group

Issy walked up to me.

"Tuff" said Issy, "you should come over here and listen to what some of the other wolf cubs are saying"

"OK" I said.

Issy walked away and I followed him to a group of wolves. The wolves were talking wildly but they were hushed. We entered the circle.

One of the wolves was talking. A white wolf with black paws. "So does anyone else think they know why they want us here?" There were murmurs in the crowd.

"I heard they're looking for a single wolf" said another black wolf.

"I think they're looking for the one with the Nost" piped up a plain white one.

"Yeah right . . . that's just a myth" called a third wolf, gray with white spots.

"Wait, what if you're right. I mean that one white wolf did send me flying by just looking at me" said the black one.

"That was you?" asked the white one.

"Yeah, and I bet that if any of us knew who that wolf was and gave them away they would let the rest of us go" said the black one

"Yeah" said the group.

I shivered. They were talking about me. What if someone accidentally found out. It would be the end of me. It would be horrible.

"I bet that if we bite the one with the Nost . . . they'll use their power to get us to stop" growled an anonymous voice from the crowd.

"Yeah" the crowd whispered back.

"How about we make a line and two of us will bite each wolf in turn"

"How do you even know if the one with the Nost is here" said a muffled voice from the crowd. The crowd parted to show my big brother Moge.

"I mean . . . what if the One is still out there . . . hiding out"

All the other wolves shook their heads. I think they may have all been feeling doomed.

"But what if the One is here?" asked the white one that had started all this talk.

Moge put down his head. "Fine. Then . . . let me pick the first one"

I felt a wave of relief over me. But to my horror Moge chose me.

He walked over and whispered in my ear, "I'm doing this so if you do give yourself away the others won't have to suffer" I nodded.

The self appointed leader of the group, the white one, with black paws, walked over. He told me to lift my paw. I did. He put his mouth on my paw. I prepared for the horrible pain. The wolf bit down hard. I let out a high yelp. It had hurt a lot more then I had prepared for. I tensed up. I did my best not to defend myself by invading his mind.

My focus was slipping.

His binding teeth punched in further. I cringed and rolled over. I closed my eyes. Then . . .

I was in his mind . . . I was looking at my self.

I looked like I was in so much pain.

I felt my teeth sink in further . . . Into the paw of the wolf before me . . . I felt bad for him . . . then, remembered it was me. I could see the blood.

I strained to get the wolf to stop . . . He was testing me.

I knew if he stopped all of a sudden the entire group would know I was the One.

I tried to let go slowly. Then his/my jaws came apart all of a sudden.

I had tried too hard.

All of a sudden . . . I was me again. I felt very tired.

The wolf looked at me in shock.

"Y-You! Y-Y-You have the nost. The crowd gasped with one whispered voice.

The biter wolf turned around and ran.

"No!" I yelled.

Now, it was all over. The hope of everyone was now gone.