As the birds began to sing on the new day, I awoke. It sounded like a lovely and nice way to wake up in novels and fairytale books, but birds start singing at an alarmingly early hour, snapping me awake in exasperation. The sun had not yet risen. This was one of the reasons I preferred the rabbit burrow; I could sleep until daybreak if I wanted to – no bird sound to wake me up. I shook my head and yawned. I scratched my ear before jumping down and moving in a stealthy manner toward the smoker. Before I could nibble daintily on a piece of smoked mutton, I smelled the surroundings for any traces of the feral wolves. After finishing the mutton, I returned to the tree, followed the forest highway through the branches, and waited for the sun to fully rise.

Hours later, I didn't see any movement at this time of day, but I couldn't trust scents this high in the trees because the light breeze was whisking away the smells of anything below. I shifted to my human form and returned to the forest highway to check on the smoker.

I never walked on the ground beneath my tree penthouse for fear of drawing attention to myself, so I waited until I was back at the smoker before carefully scanning the ground and climbing down. It's tedious to secure the premise of no man's land, but it's become a routine to know that I'm safe. Having no one to protect you stinks, but I can't force myself into a pack anymore. I'm useless to them, as the packs who turned me down said.

I grabbed a handful of willow leaves from a shrub and lightly rubbed them on my arms and clothing before venturing into another day of scavenging dead animals, possibly hunting one, harvesting edible plants, and in the hopes of finding rubies as well. I did the same thing with pine needles last night. I alternated between plants so that my scent didn't smell too strongly of any one of them. This is how a rogue runt like me survives in no man's land. I unintentionally smacked the pouch hanging from my belt, causing it to fall to the ground. When it hit the ground, it made a low, jingling sound. And just as I was about to pick up the pouch, I heard a twig break nearby, and its crunch echoed in my ears. My breathing became constricted as I twisted my head to inspect the area. Except for trees and shrubs, I didn't see anything. It could have been a rabbit or any of a dozen other creatures common in this area, but I wasn't about to take any chances. To be safe, I ducked down and shifted before scooting beneath a small bramble bush.

My blue pupils narrowed to a thin line. I perked up my ears and swiveled them back and forth, listening for any sounds of a breathing creature. I couldn't hear anything, which concerned me much. The small songbirds had stopped singing. Harmless creatures in no man's land have always ignored my human presence and runty wolf form, but they've fled this time... implying that another predator is nearby.

I sat for a long time, peering out from under the bramble bush. I didn't hear anything or smell anything else. I stayed in my hiding spot for a long time before the birds began to sing again, indicating that the predator had most likely left the area. I heaved out a sigh, relief to feel safe again.

I was thirsty and exhausted from being on high alert for so long. Maybe I should go check on the nearby pack and ask how the fight between the guards and feral wolves ended. I wanted to know if any of the feral wolves had escaped.

I crept out from under the shrub and trotted past it. A flash of dashing brown and tan fur from the corner of my eye stopped me dead in my tracks. I swung my head in the direction I'd seen the creature chasing me, but I couldn't see it any longer. My heart began to beat faster; that color was similar to a cougar. I'm one dead meat.

I pricked my ears and tilted my head in concentration; it had been a long time since I decided to use my Omega abilities. I may no longer be an Omega in a pack, but my limited abilities remained. This was my last option, so I activated my Omega senses. Wolves, those pursuing me are wolves. They didn't have the aura or smell that the feral wolves did, so they were just another pack of werewolves. I took a deep breath and counted the number of wolves chasing me. They were arranged in a half-circle facing me. At this point, they were unable to see me, although the tan one in front of me had gotten a glimpse of me and had likely alerted the others through their mindlink.

The wind shifted, and I finally smelled them. My pupils dilated with nervousness. It was a pack scent - and it wasn't one I'd ever scented before. It was stronger because these were high-ranking wolves. Pack rules didn't really apply in no man's land, and some packs were well known for attacking rogues for fighting practice even when the rogues had done nothing wrong. My Omega senses informed me that they were focused on me and trying to locate me, despite the fact that they couldn't detect me because I had hidden my wolf scent when I rub leaves on my human body.

I took a few slow steps back as my heart rate increased and my breathing became shallow; this was not a good situation. I couldn't climb a tree fast enough to avoid full-grown wolves, and they could easily transform into humans in pursuit of me. In either case, their endurance would outlast mine. I wasn't near any large bramble bushes, and even a small one wouldn't protect me from four determined wolves.

But the fact that they had remained hidden for at least a half-hour while waiting for me to emerge was not a good sign. And now the question was, do they intend to harm me? Will they come after me if I run away? Most friendly rogues or pack members would shift into human form and call out. So, I assumed that these wolves seek only trouble and waited in ambush.

The scents were all male, and my Omega senses told me they were tough fighters. This worried me a lot. I almost wished a feral had gotten away from the other pack and found these full-grown wolves before they found me.

As a dark brown shape skulked in the long grass, my eyes darted to the side. As he crept forward, his belly almost touched the ground as he tried to stay out of sight. His eyes met mine and widened as he realized I had noticed his presence. I spun around and ran as fast as my small feet could carry me in the opposite direction. My heart sank as I heard four sets of footsteps close behind. Damn this, not another chase.

I used strategies that many small animals used, such as trying to go where larger creatures couldn't. I dashed under a few small bramble bushes and continued out the other side. They had to take a detour to reach me under the bushes, so it was an advantage, given that I am slow and would pause for a second to catch my breath. As I tried to stay alive during this chase, my heart was racing faster than my feet.

My steps slowed as I realized two of the wolves had sped ahead on a larger circuit and were waiting to catch up with me. I launched towards a tree and ricocheted off at a ninety-degree angle without slowing down.

One of the wolves trailing me was able to easily correct his sight toward my new direction and gain speed. His other companion had been right on my tail and was moving too fast for me to change direction so quickly. He'd take a moment to catch up, but the tan one was closing in. Damn this wolf, his pursuit of me caused me to panic and almost lose my balance.

There were no larger bramble bushes to hide under in this area, nor did there appear to be any other type of shelter. I wasn't going to be able to keep up this pace for much longer, and the pursuing wolves were getting closer.

I spotted a black hole under a small bramble bush and dashed toward the rabbit burrow. As the tan wolf circled, I dashed under the bramble bush's edge. He was expecting me to come out the other side like I always did, and it gave me the extra seconds I needed to squeeze down the rabbit tunnel. He would have caught me if he had stayed on my tail. He had not expected me to fit into a rabbit burrow.

As I examined the rabbit burrow, I felt a brief sense of relief. The rabbit who dug this burrow had obviously not lived long enough to complete it. There were no escape tunnels, and the den was dangerously close to the surface. In the cramped den, I turned around with great difficulty.

The tunnel was only about twice as long as a human arm and was almost completely straight. As I panted, I could clearly see the bramble bush above the tunnel opening. I silently prayed that the bramble bush would deter them and that they would not notice how shallow this burrow was.

As I listened and used my Omega senses to figure out what was going on above, I tried to keep my panting quiet and slow it down a bit. My Omega abilities have been put to sleep for a while because I hadn’t seen many wolves roaming in no man's land – and I always avoid the place where they train and practice hunting – I’d gotten out of the habit of constantly using my Omega senses. These senses were likely to be rusty from disuse, like stiff muscles that needed to be limbered up, but I could still tell and sense that all four had gathered around the small bush and were inspecting it. The bramble bush wasn't much bigger than the average wolf, so I wasn't sure how effective it would be as a deterrent for them. They were aware that I was present, and their attention was still drawn to me and the burrow underneath the bushes.

I noticed one of the wolves shift into a human form. Not long after that, I noticed a rope pass through the burrow entrance. As I heard the bramble bush shake and crack, my heart began to race once more. The man grunted as he and one of the wolves hauled on the rope that had been looped around the plant's base. Another wolf joined in, and the bramble bush was uprooted from the thin rocky soil with a rustle of leaves and loose dirt.

I could see a blue sky through the entrance a few moments later. A black wolf peered into the burrow, blocking my view. As he measured the distance between us, his sharp brown eyes locked onto my terrified eyes. He took a step back before beginning to dig at the tunnel's entrance. As they widened the tunnel, the dark brown wolf joined him, and their powerful legs made quick work of digging out the loose dirt and pebbles.

I wriggled against the wall behind me and desperately looked around, but I was at the very end of the tunnel and there is no way out. As they got closer, I began to tremble and made a low growl. There was soon insufficient space for the two wolf to dig, so the black wolf backed up and let the dark brown one takes over the entire digging operation.

I whimpered in terror, knowing that he was close enough to reach me with his paws if he tried. He sat back on his haunch seconds later, inspecting the tunnel's remains. As he shifted, I blinked in surprise. When he leaned forward, I pushed myself back against the dirt as far as I could.

"Come here, you..." he said, reaching a large hand into the tunnel, but my wolf form didn't stand a chance against the large man, so I snapped my teeth in warning. It didn't seem to bother him as he reached for me again. I swatted his hand with my paws, attempting to dig my nails into it. It wasn't like a scratch would deter a werewolf in either form, but there wasn't much else I could do. I growled, this time it is loud, trying to make it as a serious warning as he reached deeper into the burrow.

I swung my head around to bite his hand as his fingers brushed against my shoulder. My teeth clamped down on warm skin, and the faint taste of metallic blood indicated that my teeth had pierced his skin. He grunted in surprise and jerked his hand upwards, out of the tunnel, as an automatic reflex. My head hit the top of the

tunnel as a result of that biting scene and was somewhat stunned by that hit, pushing me to let my guard down. He skillfully grabbed the scruff of my neck, taking advantage of my dazed, stunned state.

I yelped in terror, trying to scratch him with my claws because I couldn't land a second bite from the way he was holding me. As he dragged me out of the tunnel, my claws scrabbled against his wrist and forearm in fear. I writhed in his grip, trying to break free.

There wasn't enough space to shift, and even if there was, it wouldn't help me much against four skilled fighters. He quickly pinned me to his chest with both arms, a well-known tactic for preventing runts or young pups from reverting to their larger human form. I struggled in his grip, but it was futile.

He backed out of the hole he'd dug before turning around to face his three human friends standing behind him. They all appeared to be in their twenties, and they were beaming with pride at their success in locating me. The guy holding me chuckled as he told them, "Sure has sharp claws, for a moment I was beginning to wonder if I had managed to grab a feral cat."

When the previously tan-colored wolf took a step forward, I redoubled my efforts to break free. But the man who was holding me had me firmly pinned in his arms, and my struggles didn't bother him. The approaching man blinked at my terrified attempts before saying, "Easy there.” He said in a comforting tone as he tries to pacify me. “Calm down.”

He drew his hands closer to me and I could almost bite it but I practically froze in disbelief when he began to softly pet my fur, despite the fact that not much of my fur was visible due to the way the man had me pinned. I examined the man, still in this disbelief. They had ambushed me for half an hour, chased me halfway through no man's land, dug me out of the ground, pinned me tightly so that I couldn’t shift and escape, then one of them told me to calm down? Go easy? What the hell was wrong with these guys?! I made a low growl, low enough to still allow the man to pet my fur.

He blinked in surprise. "Wow, this kid has a lot of soft furs."

The guy who was holding me snorted. "Well, those teeth and claws aren't exactly soft."

Another guy came in closer and tilted his head in confusion as he examined me. "Uh, guys, I don't believe that's a puppy."

The other two looked at him as if he were insane before returning their gaze to mine. They mistook me for a puppy? They clearly needed to have their heads checked. Pups were like dogs with oversized paws and tails. My body proportions were normal for a mature wolf; I was just a lot smaller. To be fair, if they were in wolf form, I was about the size of an eight-month-old child. But I don’t believe I look like a pup or maybe they have never seen a runt before?

They all turned to face me, their expressions varying from disbelief to confusion. One of the men sniffed. "Well, he hasn't got any scent."

Puppies didn't have any real scent until they reached adolescence, but they missed the obvious fact that I smelled like the forest rather than having no scent at all. That made a significant difference for those who were paying attention to what was going on around them. I tried a little twisting, but this guy was clearly much stronger than me. Another guy approached, and I pinched my ears back even more with a growl.

"Some rogues can camouflage their scent. Look at his ears, they aren't oversized as a pup would be. Come to think of it, a pup would not have been able to evade us like that. He had far too much coordination and pulled far too many evasion tricks for a pup."

The man who was holding me looked down, surprised and unsure. "However, a runt would be unable to survive as a rogue..."

When the fourth guy approached, the other two backed up to let him pass. I froze in terror as my Omega senses detected his Beta blood. He wasn't an actual Beta, but was likely the brother to one and definitely had Beta parents, as well as the added strength and speed that the bloodline gave him. He suddenly leaned his face close to mine, and I bared my teeth in a silent terrified warning.

He glanced up at the guy holding me as he commented, “And how about these sharp teeth? Obviously not the typical baby teeth, eh?” Someone off to the side started laughing, then the man with Beta blood in front of me spoke again. "If we put you down, can you shift so we can properly apologize for our actions without you inflicting scratches and wounds on us?"

My growl lowered down until it faded, my ears somehow relaxed. I blinked slowly, but it wasn't like I had much of a choice when I was surrounded by four of them – one with Beta blood. It was a little surprising that they wanted me to change positions so that the apology could be delivered face to face. It was a more respectful gesture than simply apologizing to me while I was in my small wolf form.

They wouldn't have asked me to shift if they didn't intend to harm me, right? Because I am certainly carrying weapons in my human form and could use them, in case they harm me. I gave a wary nod to the man who had been speaking. The person who had pinned me had already loosened his grip. He knelt down to gently place me on my feet before standing up and taking a few steps back to make room for me.

Was it true that they thought I was a puppy, or was this a trick? They clearly had the upper hand over my wolf form. They had also identified me as a rogue at this point, and rogues were known to have tricks up their sleeves in case they were cornered in human form. Rogues could be quite unpredictable at times, so he was understandably cautious at my actions, even if I was a runt. Before shifting, I took a look around at the four people around me. I blinked, felt my wolf form shift to human form, and moments later, I found myself standing on two feet. As I shifted my weight and considered my possible escape routes, I kept a wary eye on the four people around me. The guy who had pinned me was turning bright red, and they were all stunned. I took a look at myself, but I was dressed normally. Why were they embarrassed and their face turning into almost a red tomato?

I, once again, look at myself from head to toe and thought of the weapons I have. I wore a heavy belt knife and carried a bow and arrows in my backpack. I was aware that I had a number of slim blades balanced for throwing hidden in various sections of my clothing, but they were well hidden from view.

I returned my gaze to the four of them. With all four surrounding me, I wasn't going anywhere unless they let me go. I have a half-chance of escaping, runnig into the nearest tree, and use the forest highway but… damn it, I surely know they would still catch me. I wish a feral wolf could ambush us so that I can run away.

The three men took a little step back and averted their gazes from me. Except for the one guy who pinned me to his chest. He was gaping at me, clearly surprised. "You're… You’re a girl!”

The guy beside him coughed while I blinked slowly at his sudden realization. They probably assumed that I was a male like most rogues in no man’s land. He looked away in embarrassment when he realized that his surprised expression was too obvious and his statement sounded a lot more frantic than shocked. He looked to be in his early twenties and was a bit slimmer than the other three guys.

He rubbed the back of his hair as he mumbled, "Uh, sorry about that... Didn’t know you are a girl."

I nodded slowly in acceptance of his apology; my senses told me that it had been sincere – my Omega senses are still open, just in case they are planning something dubious. The fourth guy stepped forward, and I shifted my weight uneasily to turn and face him. He is the one with Beta blood.

He cleared his throat before he spoke, "Please accept our apologies for what happened. We thought that you were an orphaned pup, lost in this forest. None of us has seen a runt before and the possibility didn't cross our minds. We truly did not intend to harm you."

All of my senses told me that he was telling me the truth. I relaxed a bit and nodded again. I was curious though and asked, "Why would you think a young pup in the middle of no man's land would have to be an orphan?"

He looked and gestured to the east. "Last night, we heard a bunch of howling and arrived just in time to help the eastern pack fight off a dozen feral wolves.”

Dozen? The thought of dozen feral wolves roaming close to where I hide sends shivers to the back of my hair. Dozen feral wolves have been waiting to ambush the eastern pack, that’s quite a great number… after all, feral wolves are wild and would do anything to kill everyone that stands in their way.

Then he continued, “We caught a whiff of smoke from the west and came out to ensure that no one else had been injured. We came across a camp, although we didn't see anyone around. We checked the area, but it was empty. On the way back, we caught a glimpse of you and thought that you were a pup. We waited to see if you were calling your parents or group in with your companions. When no one showed up after so long, we thought that they may have been caught by the feral wolves which would have left them as an orphan. We decided to catch you and make sure that you got adopted into a pack."

The guy who had pinned me shrugged as he added his own explanation. "It didn't seem right in our minds to leave a pup all alone in no man's land. We just didn't realize that you weren't a… uh… a pup. Sorry about pinning you like that, by the way. But I have to say, in my defense, that you have extremely sharp claws and teeth..."

He looked amused, and I grinned slightly in response as I regarded the dozens of minor lacerations on his wrist and forearm. They weren't serious and would heal by this evening, but it did look like he had grabbed a wild barn cat by the tail. I did sharpen my claws so I could climb tree branches easier and hunt small animals.

I commented idly, "You could have tried talking to me while you waited or saying your intentions much earlier before you started digging the burrow. It would have saved you a lot of trouble.” It would have been much easier for me as well. They obviously were not used to dealing with rogues.

He made a wry face and then smirked. "I will keep that in mind next time."

His friends had walked over to stand by him so they were no longer half-surrounding me. I appreciated it, as a runt and rogue, I was more cautious than most. Being surrounded made me uneasy, even if they claimed to mean me no harm.

One of the others inquired, "What are you doing all the way out here anyway?"

I was pretty sure the speaker was the black wolf. I shrugged as I said, "Most packs will not adopt a runt because it makes them look weak."

His brows raised and he was taken aback by my statement. "I never thought of that. How do you manage to survive out here?"

I scanned the surroundings and replied, "Mostly hunting small animals and gathering edible plants for my food. And occasionally trading for things I can't make on my own."

The one with Beta blood looked intrigued as he inquired, "What do you trade?"

"Usually, whatever I can find that they want. Berries, mushrooms, occasionally precious stones, and some other things I deemed to be valuable."

"Hmmm..." He got a faraway look in his eyes that meant he was having an intense discussion with someone via his pack's mindlink. Considering the other three didn't have that look, he was probably speaking with someone else in his pack. His eyes refocused on me. "I just spoke with the Luna. She is quite surprised that you have done so well out here and wishes to invite you to join the pack. She also has a soft spot for mushrooms."

The offer was sudden, I was stunned by it and was suspicious, to say the least. People usually did not just approach rogues, in their case, chase a rogue because they assumed I was a pup, and throw an invitation card to offer me a place in their pack, especially to a runt like me. I mean… that’s not how it works. I had been turned away by dozens of packs that I had approached. I carefully assessed his expression and said, "There is something that you are not telling me."

He blinked in surprise before sighing in defeat. "Our Luna... She is unable to have kids. When we originally thought we had spotted an orphan pup, she had asked us to double-check if it was an orphan and to bring it back if it was. Even though she knows that you are not a pup, your small wolf form is still kicking her Luna instincts into action. The Alpha has no problems with it either. If you are good at foraging and

harvesting, you could be an asset to the pack."

I listened carefully, relying on my Omega abilities that would allow me to detect a lie. It was a complete truth though. Their invitation also made sense now; Lunas had a tendency to protect any in their pack, as well as any child. Even though I was an adult, my tiny wolf form made disturbed her Luna instincts.

It wasn’t unusual for most wolves to treat runts somewhat like pups if the runt was part of the pack. I often used a few puppy-like behaviors when in wolf form around other wolves since it made them more laid back and tolerant. Even when I had visited other packs, it was just a small number of prejudiced or biased individuals who caused difficulties. The average individual was tolerant enough.

There was another wolf rank that had the small size of a pup, called a Comforter, but they never lost their puppy features. They were only found in about a third of the wolf packs, so they were almost as uncommon as runts. They were usually kept away from outsiders, although I had spoken with one once. She had told me that she considered her rank as the most important task in her pack, and that is comforting others. Her tiny size and puppy features made the pack members want to cuddle with her. My small size gave me some leeway, but I looked like an adult, just in miniature. I also lacked the calming abilities that the Comforters had, so I needed a different approach.

I had been trying to get into a pack for years with no success and I did kind of miss being part of a pack, although I wasn't sure how well I could fit into a pack after so many years as an independent rogue. I glanced at the others as they waited for me to decide.

I asked, "I think I would like to try. Which pack is this?"

"Starblood pack."

That was not one I had heard of or had encountered before. I tilted my head as I said, "I have never heard of it, so there is a good chance that it is not anywhere nearby. And If it’s too far, I am not exactly a fast runner and won’t be able to keep up with other wolves easily..." I trailed off, waiting to see how they would respond.

The Beta looked deep in thought. "It is about a week's journey to the west. Hmmm... If we can get a picnic basket, would you allow yourself to be carried in it?"

At least he didn't suggest that one of them carry me by the scruff of my neck like a pup for that kind of distance. It was equally obvious that I would be unable to keep up on foot. I didn't see any problem with the solution he was offering.

I nodded in acceptance. "I have no problem with that, although I would like to let the pack to the east know that I am leaving."

"Well, that is easily accomplished. Another member of our pack will be stopping by there in a few days." His eyes got a faraway look for a few moments before he refocused on me and said, "Done. He will relay the message. Now, all we have to do is find a basket."

Considering we were in the middle of no man's land, that task was easier said than done. I glanced around; my wild run hadn't covered too much distance, so I knew exactly where I was. I did a quick inventory of where I had hidden various baskets and bags.

"If someone is willing to run back to where you found me," I said, "there was a big basket in the raspberry patch beside the smoker."

One guy said, "I'm on it." He promptly turned around and started to run back. He jumped over a log and shifted into his tan wolf mid-leap. I blinked as he disappeared from sight and glanced at the one with Beta blood.

He shrugged. "Crazy Luigi will always be crazy Luigi." He held out his hand to me, saying, "In case you didn't catch it, I'm Liam."

I shook his hand and gave him a flat smile. "I'm Etheral."

He nodded and gestured to the others. "The one to the left is Mel, and the other one is Yap."

I shook their hands, still a bit uneasy and unsure in the presence of these strangers, but doing my best to hide it. My senses finally allowed me to tag a name onto the wolves that had previously chased me. Mel would be the black wolf, and Yap was the dark brown one.

We waited for Luigi to return with the basket. I was a bit nervous about accompanying these strangers, but the chance of getting accepted into a pack was too tempting to pass up.