Chapter 8: Invasion


As the sun rose the successivo morning, it seemed as if their troubles were over for the time being. Oscar had been safely hidden away in Sawtooth Cave and there had been no sign of the Crimson Pack since his rescue. They knew, however, that the Crimson Pack wasn’t just going to let them keep Oscar. They would almost certainly be back for him.

Stinky and the others went about their day, continuing to tidy up when Martin appeared through the trees. Stinky walked up to him.

“Where’s Runt?” he asked.

“He’ll be here,” Martin replied. “He went to find Fran, Freida, and Floyd to protect Oscar.”

Stinky sighed and smiled.

“Yeah, I figured,” he said. “Even as pups, we could never keep him away from those porcupines.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Martin asked.

“Oh, he’ll be fine,” Stinky replied. “He just spends a bit too much time around them. He would come home late at night with quills in his paws and side. He always insisted on giving them hugs.”

“What’s the word on the Crimson Pack?” Martin said, changing the subject.

“Still quiet,” Stinky replied. “We’ve had Lupi patrolling the borders all night and we’re clear for now. Everyone’s still on high alert, though, for when they do come.”

All of a sudden, there was the sound of a great commotion coming from the north side of the pack where the omega’s dens were.

“Speak of the devil,” Stinky detto as a lupo came running up to him. “Let me guess,” he said, turning to the wolf. “The Crimson Pack is here.”

“Yes,” the lupo replied. “They came in from the north side of the territory.”

“How could we have left ourselves so vulnerable?” Stinky asked.

“We can talk about this later,” Martin said, rushing off toward the northern part of the pack with Stinky and the lupo close behind.

The Crimson Pack had indeed broken through, but they didn’t fight very hard, which surprised everyone who had rushed to defend the pack. It wasn’t long before the Crimson Pack turned and retreated back into the woods leaving Stinky and the others confused in the midst of the short skirmish.

They quickly regrouped and began to discuss what had just happened.

“This makes no tactical sense,” Adam said. “A group of Lupi invade the pack, but barely fight back and make no attempt to push deeper.”

“And yet they somehow got past our perimeter,” Stinky added. “How did we leave ourselves so exposed?”

“Uncle Finster,” Jax butted in. “That’s what. It has to be him.”

Martin lowered his head and sighed before addressing his brother.

“Why do te make up these family members?” he asked. “We never had an Uncle Finster.”

“Oh, so that’s what you’d have us do?” Jax asked. “Take away our creative minds and be like the rest of you?”

There was a short pause as no one detto anything.

“Okay, fine. We’ll try it your way,” he continued. “What do think the Crimson Pack is doing right now, bro?”

“They probably sent a secondo group to attack from the south as the first group reengages from the north,” Jonas replied.

“Why would te say such a thing?” Jax asked.

“Because that’s what they’re doing. I mean, that is them, right?” Jonas said, pointing south toward the valley.

The group rushed over to look and sure enough, a large group of Lupi had appeared through the trees and were making their way across the valley.

“What the-“ Stinky exclaimed. “How?”

“It’s Hammond,” Martin said.

“Who?” Stinky asked.

“The lead wolf,” Martin replied. “Hammond. Oscar told us about him this morning before we left.”

“Okay, Steven, te take the lead here and hold this position,” Stinky said. “They attack you, te attack them back.”

“Me?” Steven asked. “You want me to-. I’m Steven. I’m completely irresponsible.”

“I trust you,” Stinky said. “And if it makes te feel any better, I’m leaving Adam here too.”

He then turned to the rest of the group.

“Everyone else, with me,” he detto as he rushed down toward the valley where Hammond was waiting with his invasion force.

The group stopped once they reached the valley and Stinky walked up to Hammond.

“Hello, Hammond,” he said.

“Who told you?” Hammond asked.

“Oscar,” Stinky replied.

“Ah, I see,” Hammond said. “Where is he?”

“Not here,” Stinky answered.

“Then where?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” Hammond asked.

“You should,” Stinky replied.

“It doesn’t matter,” Hammond said. “Even if te are telling the truth, I’m still going to tear te pack apart.”

“You’ll try,” Stinky retorted, a growl forming in his throat.

The two sides began to fight, each struggling to get the upper hand. However, the northern group began to falter and eventually broke under Steven and Adam’s offensive. The group then went to support Stinky and the main force.

The Crimson Pack was severely outnumbered and outmatched and was soon forced to retreat. A crimson lupo ran up to Hammond.

“Our attack has failed, sir,” he said. “We must retreat.”

“I am not leaving this pack empty-handed!” Hammond shouted.

He then looked and noticed an injured lupo trying to stand up not too far away. Hammond grinned.

“Follow me,” he said.

Meanwhile, Stinky, Claudette, and the others had chased away the last of the crimson Lupi and were beginning to think they had won when Martin noticed that something was wrong.

“Where’s Hammond?” he asked.

Everyone suddenly looked around as they realized that Hammond had completely disappeared after the initial attack.

“You guys have him, right?” Martin asked.

“No,” Claudette said.

“Stinky!” Adam called.

Stinky and the others rushed over to Adam who was standing at the edge of the valley, facing Kate and Humphrey’s old den. Up on the cliff was Hammond with a couple of other crimson Lupi and alongside him sat Lisa with a terrified look on her face.

“Lisa!” Stinky shouted.

“I know you’ll be coming for this one,” Hammond said. “So here are my terms. te must bring Oscar with you. If he’s not with te when te come to get her-“ Hammond chuckled. “Well, te know.”

He and the other crimson Lupi turned and left over the hill, taking Lisa with them. Just then, Runt returned from Shadow Forest. He took one look at everyone’s faces and knew something was wrong.

“What?” he asked. “What is it?”

“Hammond, “ Stinky replied. “He attacked us, and they took Lisa.”

Runt’s face turned from one of shock to one of anger-filled determination. Stinky knew he was planning on doing something.

“Runt?” he asked nervously, knowing his brother never got like this. “What are te planning on doing?”

“I’m gonna kill him,” Runt answered. “Are te with me?” he asked Stinky.

“Yep,” Mick detto as he walked between them.