Harry was rudely awakened, though he had to admit, he was very warm.
"Get up young master. We need to get going." Harry found himself starring into the blue eyes of the Warrior Mountain Wolf, and carefully peering around him he also noticed that the stars were still out. Harry sighed inwardly; he wanted to protest and tell the gigantic Wolf to go away and let him sleep, but he knew it was pointless and time consuming, so he simply nudged Fawkes awake - who also seemed quite annoyed at the disturbance - and pushed the covers down. His body was struck with a waft of frigid air and he was immediately set to shivering. Harry was in fact trembling so hard that he could not even manage to get up or pull the blankets back up, so NightSong brought him his bag and he began to search for some warm clothing. Passing over the bloody things he had warn the day before, Harry drew out a pair of thick wool breeches, a long-sleeved sweater and leather over-vest.
"Good God, and saint Mary! Is it always this cold here?!" The Wolf pack seemed to be amused by Harry's antics, but Warrior seemed only vastly annoyed.
"You have come at an unseasonable time." The giant Wolf told him matter-of-factly. Harry, still shivering despite his warmer clothing searched out a pair of wool socks, high leather gloves and a long high-collared cloak to repel some of the harsh mountain wind pounding against his little three-walled no roof house. The Wolves waited patiently while Harry packed up his little camp and NightSong tore heartily at the giant piece of meat he'd been given earlier, but they were beginning to get antsy, so Harry moved faster and quickly loaded Twilight's back again and mounted. As soon as he'd settled into the saddle, Fawkes flew up to rest on his shoulder, tucking himself in the giant collar and falling asleep with his head tucked under one wing.
"So how long until we're out of the...mountains? What's wrong?" The entire pack had stopped, and was in a defensive crouch. He turned his head slowly, surveying the area, but could see nothing. "What's wrong?" He repeated, drawing his sword. Warrior had started to growl audibly and the rest of the pack picked up the sound, moving in front of their charge.
"Be quiet!" Warrior snapped when he attempted to ask his question for the third time. Even as he said it, another pack of Wolves seemed to just materialize in the road, but in reality had only been well hidden and even better camouflaged. They were the dark gray of the surrounding peaks and their eyes were obsidian abysses set into stone. NightSong had shouldered up to Harry's side - his giant head reached Harry's knee, even though he was mounted on an abnormally tall steed.
"They are the South Mountain Pack. We are on their territory, but with permission; so they have no quarrel with us." He explained quietly, his lips barely moving.
"Then why are they stopping us?"
"Just because a common enemy has made us allies, doesn't mean we trust each other...we are the first North Mountain Wolves to set paw on their territory with permission - very begrudgingly given permission at that - and it makes them nervous."
"If this is their side of the range...why didn't they meet us at the pass and just take us to the boarder?" Harry inquired softly, his sword resting in his lap.
"They do not have very good relations with Dumbledore...the old wizard had no way to contact them, so he asked us to do it, and we pressed for permission, in exchange for aid in patrol and war parties. This side of the range is not large, but it is closest to the Forbidden Forest, and thus is hard to protect with the recent activity, and their numbers are few. They still do not like us here though - nor do we like being here." The South Pack had advanced casually, even though they had fewer numbers - only five Hunter-scouts - they seemed confident of their authority. This dissipated when Warrior punctuated his growl with a snappish bark.
"What do you want?" He asked in a dangerous whisper. The largest - though he was still pitifully smaller than even NightSong who was the smallest of the present North Pack members.
"We've run into trouble maybe five miles up the pass - we're grossly out number and our company has no Warriors....our leader knew you were close....we've come to request aid..." The South Pack members seemed vastly uneasy, and made sure to keep their distance as their long time enemies slowly loosened their stances and began to converse among themselves. Finally, Warrior came to Harry; easily as large as Twilight, he had no trouble speaking to the mounted wizard.
"If you wish, I can have NightSong stay behind with you...we must concede to their request...." Harry shook his head.
"No...if this battle is as bad as they make it out to be, you need NightSong...and maybe I can be of some help." Warrior opened his great jaws to say something contrary, then shut them and smiled as if he would like to remind Harry of how much of a help he'd been at the last foray with a pack of Wolves, but said nothing. Turning, Warrior ordered his pack to follow the five from the South Pack. Following closely, Harry kept his sword drawn and in his lap.
The five mile ride was a short run and they were soon at the peek of a steep dip overlooking a slight valley in the middle of the pass; the area was grassy and lined with dark thick trees that ran up the mountain side, clinging to whatever purches they could gain on the rough, rocky sides of the gentler slopes. They were lead off the path and to a cave-like opening in the mountain face. The cavern beyond was in absolute chaos. Warrior glared at the disorderly happenings and searched out the leader who was running around with about as much direction as his underlings.
"What's going on here?!" He bellowed loudly. The hall quieted, and Wolf faces turned to the white Warrior Wolf. The leader of the disorderly company nearly fainted with relief seeming not to care that Warrior was from the North.
"We are Hunters, lord....we do not know how to fight a war...we're losing more and more every day...we started with fifteen and have only eight now including myself that are able to fight." The expression on Warrior's face looked like one a human might display when they feel a headache coming on, and Harry mused that were Warrior a human, he would have been massaging his temples.
"Who or what are you fighting?" Warrior asked slowly, as if the smaller Wolf was too stupid to understand him, or he was trying to control his temper.
"A Forest pack...they came over the peaks and attacked us unaware."
"How many?"
"Twenty maybe."
"Still?" Warrior prodded
"I don't know how many there are now, I haven't really thought to count..." Warrior closed is early-morning blue eyes and calmly drew a breath.
"Warriors?"
"Nay, lord. Hunters." Warrior did a quick calculation, his eyes moving over invisible figures.
"Seventeen and one warrior....that's still cutting it close." He sighed and looked over the six Wolves that had gathered behind their leader.
"But...lord? You have two warriors...would one of you not fight?" The Hunter asked cautiously, obviously not wanting to offend his savior.
"Two....?" Warrior swiveled his head and looked over his pack. "You mean the boy?! Your eyes are failing you I think." He growled.
"My eyes have never been good, lord...but he has the scent of a warrior." The smaller Wolf persisted. Perceiving the upcoming fight, Harry dismounted and carefully came up behind Warrior, laying a cautioning hand on the giant's shoulder.
"I will fight, Warrior...maybe I'm not much good with a sword, but I know magic."
"Wolves aren't vulnerable to much of that." Warrior reminded him pointedly.
"Yes, but they are vulnerable to some of it...and I know which ones" /I think/ He added to himself, though didn't dare to say it out loud. Warrior considered this for a moment, but when the unaccounted for Wolf burst into the cavern he simply nodded his sanction and turned his attention on the scout.
"Lord! Lord! The Forests' are on the move again...they're at the far forest border...and lord...? You're not going to believe this....but they have a warrior with them...." There was a sound of unease and panic through the small gray Wolves in the cavern.
"Enough!" Warrior shouted to calm them. It was still an hour before pre-dawn and Forest Wolves blended in perfectly with the darkness making them hard to track even with a keen sense of smell. "Alright...SunRise...take the whelps out and set up a front line against our side of the valley."
"Yes, Warrior. Alright, everyone, follow me." SunRise was a bright white Wolf with stunning yellow eyes and dark gray paws, and was the largest of the hunters. Though somewhat unhappy at the leadership, the South Wolves followed the Northern pack out of the cavern.
"You too!" He snapped when the Southern hunter-leader made no attempt to follow them. The smaller Wolf jumped back a little, then carefully sidled past Warrior.
"I'm DarkSky by the way." He called over his shoulder before pelting out of the cavern. Warrior took a deep breath and turned to Harry.
"Alright, my job will be to take out their Warrior....SunRise is a competent leader, but he's still just a Hunter...and the Wolves won't follow him without question - especially not the South Pack...I need you to take command of the packs..." He said a little uncertainly, moving over to the entrance and looking out over the field, his eyes straining as he tried to catch a glimpse of the Forest Wolves he knew were there. Harry suddenly got an idea and he pulled out his wand.
"Lumin - 'blackwolf'!" He called out, immediately great glowing shapes appeared before his eyes. His lips moved silently while he counted. "Nineteen." He said finally, watching the pacing shapes among the trees.
"What?"
"There are nineteen Forest Wolves....eighteen small ones and one big one." Harry repeated with satisfaction.
"How can you see them?" Warrior asked, his head moving rapidly while he tried to see them, but failed.
"I just put a spell on them so I could see them..." Warrior's head snapped up so abruptly that Harry thought he might have said something wrong.
"Can you cast a spell so that we can smell them better?" Harry considered the request for a moment, then nodded.
"I think so..." moving closer to the ledge he held his wand up at shoulder height. "Garlic lumin blackwolf!" Even as he spoke the spell, Warrior's head jerked up and he looked over at Harry incredulously.
"Maybe you are useful..." He commented softly. "Alright...I suggest you take your horse...Wolves view your status by size and mounted you're bigger than any of them...it will make you an automatic leader...leave the bird though." With these orders, Warrior trotted down the path towards the slowly assembling front line. Harry closed his open mouth and walked back into the cavern. He carefully lifted the still sleeping phoenix off his shoulder and set him on an outcropping of rock.
"Do what you can for the wounded, but don't over tax yourself." He told Fawkes with a loving caress when the phoenix looked at the wounded Wolves inquisitively. "...and don't get yourself eaten." Harry warned over his shoulder though most of the wounded were unconscious or too weak to think of such a thing...for now, anyway.
Harry swung himself up into saddle and eased Twilight forward.
"Alright, boy...lets try not to get ourselves killed, how about it?" Twilight responded by shaking his head in a manner that reminded Harry of the shake Hermione gave him when he said something stupid or uneducated.
The front line was a single line, the South Wolves on one end and the North Wolves on the other, despite SunRise's attempts to strengthen the line by variating the order; Warrior was nowhere to be seen. When Harry approached, tall in his saddle, SunRise immediately stopped his angry speech and turned to Harry for guidance. Harry took stalk of their numbers then looked over to the still Wolves, glowing like mini sunrises against the dark of the surrounding forest.
"Alright....I'm going to cast a spell, so you can smell them better..." Harry explained as he recast the spell. "Now" He continued, trying to make his soft voice carry. "They'll go for the weaker parts of the line...that means smaller Wolves...and no offense..."
"Harry!" NightSong hissed softly, head resting in the mounted wizard's lap. "Don't bother with trying not to hurt their feelings or cause offense, you'll lose respect quickly that way. You're the leader, tell them what needs to happen, not what you think should happen as long as its okay with them." the Wolf whispered.
"Right, okay..." He took another deep breath and sat taller in the saddle "Being that the Southern Pack is much smaller than the Northern, I want the four largest North Wolves - two on either end and the remaining five spread between every two South Wolves - two in the center." NightSong made a pleased sound low in his throat that vibrated against Harry's leg and removed his head to locate his place.
"That's what I've been trying to tell them for the past fifteen minutes!" SunRise glared, trotting to his place at the far end. Harry followed him, reigning Twilight up next to him.
"SunRise? Warrior told me to take command...but I'll still need your help alright? I'm not sure how Wolves fight, I can just tell you what I see." SunRise tilted his head down the line.
"Alright, I'll second you. Will you be on the field?" Harry puzzled over the question for a moment before coming to the conclusion that SunRise was asking him if was going to fight. Harry swallowed hard, and looked down the line of expectant faces, and with sharp certainty Harry realized that they expected him to lead them into battle. He cursed softly, but looked down at SunRise and nodded.
"Yeah, I'll be on the field...they expect me to lead the charge, don't they?" He asked in an undertone. SunRise nodded in satisfaction and Harry carefully moved out in front of the line.
Sure, he had read enough tactic books - mainly on Quidditch - and he had a fascination with wars, and had studied them extensively. But Harry Potter had never fought in one.
"Are you sure you can do this?" Twilight asked him softly, Harry took a shaky breath and leaned down on his neck.
"Honestly....I'm not, but I damn well had better be able to..." The silence was breaking slowly as the Wolves behind him became more and more anxious. "Be still!" He hissed in what he hoped was the 'command voice' he'd read about in Modern Militia Today "I'm guessing this is a dawn attack...or predawn maybe. Now, you can smell them, but I know you Wolves can't see worth shit and if they draw you into the forest, you're goners because you don't know how to fight in foliage. We'll let them get into the open, and then charge them. If they retreat into the forest, you do NOT pursue. Do NOT pursue. Keep the line together and pace yourselves; you want them closer to this side of things than their own." There was some minor unease at Harry's order not to pursue, which SunRise silenced with a high-pitched bark and low menacing growl. Silently thanking his second, Harry took another breath and continued. "If they press too hard and the line breaks, retreat and regroup on the cave ledge. These Forest beasts don't know how to fight in the cliffs anymore than you know how to fight in the forest, if they pursue, we'll slaughter them, regardless of their numbers."
"Lord? What if they catch us in this forest on the retreat?" Someone asked tentatively.
"They won't. This forest is maybe eight meters wide, it's too thin. You'll make it through easily, then there's just the cliffs - and you're better climbers than they are." Harry responded, drawing from his vault of strategic information.
"What about the warrior? He could easily pull down all of us without trouble..."
"Warrior will be taking care of their warrior." Harry answered confidently.
"And if he fails?" Harry turned sharply in his saddle.
"Who's in charge here?!" He snapped sharply at the offending South Wolf. The Wolf lowered his head and muttered that Harry was in charge. "Then be silent and allow me to worry of such things!" The Wolf lowered himself further to the ground and refused to look up at Harry. There was a soft breathy chuckle from the end of the line, presumably from SunRise, but it sounded more approving then amused.
"What was that all about?" Twilight asked carefully. He wasn't used to hearing Harry raise his voice; not even when they were in-between two apparently hostile Wolf packs did he raise his voice above an angry growl. Harry once again leaned close to Twilight's neck to keep his charges from overhearing him.
"Honestly, I don't know what I'll do if Warrior fails to take out their warrior Wolf....if their as bad as what we were told in school, that one warrior will have no problem bringing us all to ruin." Twilight nodded his head in understanding.
"They are all that bad." He confirmed with apparent intimate knowledge, but didn't go into any kind of explanation. Harry puzzled over it for a moment, but his thoughts were interrupted by SunRise's deep voice.
"The sky lightens." He warned his superior with a tone that would imply he was stating this, not for Harry's sake, but for the pack's. Harry thanked him silently and glanced casually at the sky, trying to keep up the opinion that he had already known the sky's state of color. The sky was indeed turning a light shade of gray, but the mountains still had the valley cast in darkness. However, having better eyes than Mountain Wolves, Harry could see the Forest Wolves were starting to get up and form a tighter line. Harry turned Twilight and moved up and down the line.
"Alright, they're reading for the attack. Remember what I said, stay in line and don't let it break, and do not pursue into the forest." Having said this - more for his own good than that of the pack, Harry mentally reviewed the situation. "And if a retreat is necessary, I'll fire off bright red sparks - that should cover your retreat and provide enough of a distraction to get you back to the cavern." He added as an after thought.
"What about you?" Someone asked worriedly.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. If retreat is called, you turn and run; no matter what. Turn and run. Head for the cavern." The line of glowing figures was now advancing casually through the underbrush, and Warrior suddenly appeared.
"Are they ready?" He asked quietly.
"As ready as they can be." Harry answered with a confidence he didn't feel.
"You're leading the charge? Why don't you let..." Once again, his voice was so soft that none behind them could have heard.
"I will lead the charge." Harry interrupted forcefully. Warrior cocked one bushy eyebrow at Harry, but said nothing more.
"They are reading for the attack...your eyes are better than mine, and even with this smell you have put on them, they seem to blend into one mass...can you see where the warrior is?" Harry scanned the horizon, his eyes narrowed as he picked out the shapes.
"Far to the left, he's alone and he's not advancing....be careful; you don't know how to fight in the forest...get him into your battle field." Harry warned, and expected Warrior to get angry with him, but the big wolf only gave his thanks and ran through the trees to align himself with the warrior across the valley.
The Forest Wolves had now appeared in the tree line and the mountaintops had been stained a striking gold. Harry drew his sword and the pack behind him lowered into crouches.
"On my word...." Harry warned, his breath coming faster and shallower.
"Calm down, Harry, or you'll lose your head on the battle field." Twilight warned, his wings unfolding a little. Suddenly getting an idea Harry turned over his shoulder and told everyone to stay put and wait for his signal. He then eased Twilight into the open.
"Spread your wings to their full span." He asked quietly drawing him to a stop a few meters out of the protection of the forest. Without question, Twilight turned into a more imposing stance and unfurled his wings to their full impressive eighteen-foot span. Harry then sat a little taller and lifting his head, raised his sword with one hand and with his wand upright in his chest, he fired of a shower of bright golden sparks. He knew they looked impressive, rider and mount both clad in midnight black, Harry's high collar framing his face and the sparks shower on their either side. The Forest Wolves paused uncertainly and watched him warily, but quickly took up their advance again when their leader let out a great howl. Harry cursed; it had almost worked! But the black Wolves were picking up speed so Harry quickly tucked his wand into his cloak and held the reigns tightly.
"Wait for it!" He warned when he saw a few of his pack step forward. They returned to the line, but were beginning to paw the ground anxiously. "When I call the charge, you're going to run for them as fast as you can and try to get them with your hooves before they get you, and keep your wings back so I have some swing room, okay?" Twilight tossed his head in understanding and Harry watched the approaching Wolves apprehensively, hoping that his book tactics would work with Wolves. When the advancing Wolves abruptly broke into a trot, then run, Harry lowered his sword and called, "Charge!" as loud and with as much force as he could manage. Twilight was off with a jerk and thundering toward the advancing line, the joined packs on their heels. The lines met with a great clash and it was all a blur. Harry hung to the saddle with all his strength, barely registering that Twilight had tucked his wings tight to his sides, until the great unisus reared and there was a great black wolf sailing towards him. Not to be unseated again, Harry clenched his legs tighter around Twilight's sides and brought his sword up, holding it as tightly as he could. The Wolf met the sword solidly across the face and though he still collided with Harry's chest, the young wizard was able to push him back off before the Wolf's weight could bare him to the ground.
He didn't know how many times he ran his sword through tough black hide, or how many times Twilight reared and knocked down the shadowy shapes, crushing them beneath his hooves; nor did he know how many times he had been bitten, scratched, and nearly unseated, but there was a sudden howling cry that sounded like a victory cry. In near panic, Harry stood in his stirrups and looked around madly, but all he could see was the fleeing tails of the Forest Wolves, his own white and gray pack bouncing and howling in triumph. Harry sighed in relief and patted Twilight on the side of the neck.
"Are you hurt?" He asked, concern lacing his voice.
"Not much. You?" Harry sighed gratefully, and smiled.
"I don't know right now. I'll have to look later." he answered looking around the field again. Two gray Southerners and one white Northerner were down and didn't seem to be moving, and the rest of his pack was panting, frothy with sweat and covered in blood but appeared to be in good repair. Reigning Twilight, Harry lead them over to SunRise, who was howling gleefully.
"Damage report." He requested breathlessly.
"No deaths, three badly wounded." SunRise told him with a giant wolf-smile.
"No deaths?" Harry could barely believe his ears. SunRise's chest swelled with pride.
"Not a single one, and only three of the cowardice Forest Wolves managed to make it to the forest." Harry nodded and looked again at the small bundles lying on the ground. Now that he looked closer he could see that they were indeed breathing, though shallowly. Harry nodded and laughed, allowing himself a moment to revel in the victory.
"Let's get the wounded into the cavern...and...why are there...twenty-two Wolves on the field? We only had seventeen before..."
"Five joined us freshly healed from the cavern." Harry shook his head in disbelief.
"I thought I told Fawkes to take it easy!" He muttered to himself, but he was pleased at the number boost. "Alright...lets get inside...I ache everywhere!" Harry complained, but he mused, it was a victorious ache so he could put up with it. SunRise laughed and barked an order to gather the wounded and head back to the cavern. "Take inventory when we get back to the cavern; if we have any able, set up a guard of four to be changed every two hours for the next six hours, then every four hours after that." SunRise looked up at him with another of his smiles that seemed to be approval more than amusement, then made the order.
Looking up at the menacing climb, Twilight whinnied. Harry suddenly dismounted, brought over the worst wounded Wolf and placed him across the saddle.
"I can take both the smaller ones if you let me fly." Twilight told him quietly, so Harry helped to load the second and Twilight abruptly took flight, but moved slow enough to keep the wounded Wolves secure on his back. Then he returned for the third even though he was undoubtedly tired and very much in need of care himself. Harry watched the wounded being flown to the top of the cliff, then sighed and started up the trail; he had told the unisus not to come back for him as Twilight needed the rest more than he needed the ride.
"Potter!" Half way up the trail, Harry turned back around just in time to see Warrior bounding up to him. His white fur was so drenched in blood that he appeared to be a dark shade of crimson. Without a word, he nudged Harry onto his back and jogged up the rest of the path. All the other Wolves, minus four that were on patrol, were waiting for them and set up a great howl upon their appearance. Fawkes was immediately on his shoulder, nuzzling his face and pecking at his hair.
"I'm glad to see you too Fawkes!" Harry told him, stroking the phoenix. Waving down the cheers of excited, but tired victors and telling them to get some rest, Harry checked Twilight only to find that the unisus had already been cared for. Harry then gratefully unrolled his sleeping roll and collapsed on top of it without bothering to get under the blankets or even remove his boots, and drifted into a sweet oblivion.