The cry of the wolf

With the disappearance of the leader, the wolf beast men were in confusion and panic.

"What about the war now?" That was the only thing they were worried about now more than anything else.

"There is a fox here.." One of the beast men gasped and pointed towards the direction where Max and Rubia stood as pale as moon.

"They must have done something to our chief." One of them growled which made the others be suspicious of them.

Before they could launch attack and create chaos Rubia spoke in a loud and commanding voice.

"Stop wherever you are."

Some of them halted but other arrogant and outraged beast men charged forward shouting. "She is just a female, what are you afraid of?"

"Ohh yaa..I am just a female you say.." Rubia smirked when her strength was belittled by some stinky wolves.

With a whoosh the whole area was plunged into a strong gravitational field.

"What's happening??? My body is so heavy…" Soon all of the wolves under the intense gravitational field abruptly dropped to their feet and soon were stuck in the ground making craters with the increasing pull from below.

"So are you willing to listen to this female or should we increase the strength a little bit." Rubia looked at the field full of groaning beast men. She still hated men to death after all.

"Rubia, its enough I guess. You are not here to fight remember." Max finally regained his rational thinking and stopped her.

Although the wolf beast man hated to admit it, they knew they could not win against the fox lady. Seeing that no one was trying to revolt Rubia finally lifted her spell and spoke addressing all of the people beast man present.

"I have come from the fox tribe, as a representative to negotiate regarding this ongoing war but since your leader is absent I suppose, it's a win in our favor." Rubia was a fox after all, she saw the chance she was going to grab it even if that was cheating.

"What did you say?" The wolves were not ready to admit defeat causing them to respond aggressively to Rubia's declaration.

"Rubia.." Max whacked her head from behind. "Don't play around." Max did not want anything to happen for the day. One incident was enough to weaken his morale.

"Ahemm…." Rubia felt that she was treated like kid even though she was a grown up woman. "But I am not that mean enough to call this a win, I will negotiate with the five elders from your tribe. That's the least I can offer as the fox tribe leader."

"Fox tribe leader??? But didn't people say she hated men then what is she doing with one??" Some of them whispered.

"Silence." She didn't like to be discussed like a hot topic. Soon there was a meeting where many things were discussed and Rubia made sure she had the upper hand. The war was one thing but her sister was another thing. There were too many variables that even she couldn't solve.

Rubia as the sole leader of Fox tribe took charge of everything that had been left behind. With the help of Max she was able to prevent the wolves from dispersing and fighting among themselves for the position of new leader.

They were beast after all; they soon stopped worrying about the disappearance of their leader. Power and authority was the only thing in their mind. Rubia almost had a headache preventing the wolves from baring their fangs at each other.

For the time being Rubia was the one in charge of maintaining soldiers of both fox and wolf tribes. Max hadn't got any notification from his system regarding whether he failed or passed his mission so he could not leave the dimension.

One night Max woke up when heard a distant howling of a wolf. It sounded sad almost heartbreaking. "Was someone out of the pack?? Or was it someone else instead." He wanted to go and check but he had another thing in his mind concerning Rubia.

Rubia now-a-days looked a little different. Not in face but her attitude and behaviors slowly resembled to that of a primitive fox. She was obsessed with training soldiers and recruiting even more even though there were no immediate wars. She was always working late thinking of different battle plans and formations who knows for when.

Even worse she was always avoiding and ignoring him. It was really frustrating for Max.

Rubia herself felt that although she hated men to bone, her natural instinct was always trying to approach one and seduce them. She had always been able to control those urges but they were getting out of her hand. So she was involving herself in things that could keep her occupied.

Max looked at the tent that was still brightly lit clearly showing the person inside was not asleep yet. She had been acting like that for almost three days. He was worried about her lacking sleep and getting sick after all beast men also had a mortal body.

"Did you hear that cry?" Max stood at the door and asked Rubia who was still working. Rubia almost threw the pen she was holding at him when he spoke suddenly. It was just almost though. She calmed herself.

"Yes. I did" Rubia answered without looking up. 'I can't look at him otherwise all this will just go to waste.' Rubia kept her back straight and as high as possible trying to show her indifferent attitude although she was a little bit tired and drowsy today.

"What is it?" Rubia felt like he would burn a hole through her staring like that. Max remained silent finally forcing her to turn back only to head butt with him.

"Owww." She rubbed her head forehead. "Is your forehead made up of stone, why is it so hard?"

"Tell me the truth Rubia, what's gotten into you?" Max caught her by her hand making her look at him in the yes. Considering how powerful she was she could swat him away easily but she forgot she could do that.

"Le-et my haa-and go." She was flustered with him being just an inch away from her. Max looked at her red face and touched her forehead only to find it hot, extra hot.

"Are you sick?" He asked worriedly. He was pretty sure that was the case.

"Its nothing, just lea-ave he-er okay?" Rubia felt all her strength slowly fading away. All she could smell was the strong scent of the man near her which was protective and made her feel secure.

Without any warning Max picked her up in bridal style from where she was seated. "He-ey what are you doing? I a-am no-ot a child.." She struggled helplessly only to be carried by the man to her bed.

'This is way to straight forward, isn't it?' Rubia turned bright shade of red when some indecent thoughts entered her mind.

"It's a bi-it to-oo ear-ly.." Rubia stammered almost biting her tongue. She was delirious and almost bit her tongue.

"Huh??What are you thinking in that mind?" Max looked at her as he tucked her in the bed covering her with quilt.

"Ehh…" Rubia looked at him widened eyes. Did she just misunderstand? Yes she totally did. Was it only her who had those feelings for him? Rubia felt her mood worsening.

'He had not even smiled once after that girl Mina died. Hah…' Rubia conjured up her own thought making her eyes fill with tears. She covered her head. "I will rest so you can just go away."

Max looked helplessly at her. Who said she was getting more primitive, she was just getting more stubborn. 'But its better than her torturing herself in the sun training beast men all day.'

"Sleep well." He rubbed her head hidden underneath the quilt. He sighed as he gave her a light kiss there before heading out.

Rubia had not even a single clue as to what had happened just now.

The camp finally plunged into darkness with the light in her room also turned off.

It was a full moon that night. On a tall hill somewhere far away, a wolf sat there howling as it looked at the vast jungle before it. In the silent and dark night, from the top everything looked too small.

The wolf raised its head for the last time and gave a loud and long howl, its silhouette clearly observable and highlighted with the big and bright moon on the background that brightened the dark and black night sky. It was a tribute, a sign of farewell for the one who was no longer there to hear it.

"It has finally stopped." Max gazed at the distance when those sad cries finally stopped.

Those cries, were they only ominous or were they indicating something?? Max shrugged off his thoughts. 'Let's not think too much about it.'

It was the sixth day after Mina and the wolf tribe leader had completely disappeared. Were they dead? Probably yes but no one knew for sure.