Special thanks to:

TimberHumphrey for the idea that Winston and Eve took him in.

jhilton0907 for the idea that Humphrey was relocated as a pup.

Chidori1334 for idea to bring Hutch back, the idea that Humphrey was an orphan, the idea to bring Daria back, and for the idea that Cando and Hutch found Humphrey.

Chapter 2: Pack Meeting

That night, Humphrey didn't sleep too well. He was continuing to think about his parents and was talking in his sleep as he did so.

"Mom. Dad. No, don't leave. Help!"

Outside the den, Kate and Winston were quietly talking.

"We can't keep it a secret any longer," Winston said to Kate. "He has to know the truth." Winston turned around and looked into the den, seeing Humphrey who was still tossing and turning.

"I agree," Kate said, following her father's gaze. She had never seen him like this before, and she hated it. She hated seeing the one she loved turn into someone she didn't recognize. It was like he had become a whole new wolf, not the Humphrey she knew and loved, but someone completely different. She wanted the old Humphrey back.

The next day, Winston called a pack meeting in the center of the valley, just outside the den. As everyone gathered around, Humphrey sat at the very back of the assembly, hoping to not be noticed. Winston stood on a rock with Cando and Hutch on either side of him.

"Do you really think we should tell him, sir?" Hutch asked Winston.

"He has to know," he replied before addressing the large assembly before him.

"Everyone," he shouted, his loud voice echoing off the valley sides. "We are faced with a time we all knew would come, a time we all knew would be hard on this pack. But as difficult as it will be, it will not be as difficult for us, as it will be for Humphrey."

Everyone turned to look at Humphrey who was sitting at the back, disappointed that this meeting was going to be centered on him, when all he wanted was to stay out of it as much as possible.

"Humphrey," Winston said. "Come here. We have something we need to discuss that is of the utmost importance."

Humphrey reluctantly walked up to the front where he sat down and stared at the ground.

"It's time you learned how you got here," Winston said. "How you came to be in this pack."

There was a silence that followed his words.

"When we first found you, you were still quite young, but it was obvious you had been on your own for a long time," Winston began.

"What happened?" Humphrey asked.

Winston turned to Cando and Hutch.

"I think you two should take it from here," he said as he stepped down from the rock and Cando and Hutch took his place.

"The day we found you started off like any other day," Cando began, recalling that fateful day that brought Humphrey into the pack.

"We were on a routine patrol through the woods around the outer edges of the territory that morning," Cando continued.

"We were about to turn back when we noticed a small shape appear through the morning mist," Hutch said. "I called out to you, but you didn't say anything. Soon enough, we could see that it was a young wolf pup, much too young to be out wandering around on his own like you were."

They paused as Humphrey started remembering a little bit.

"We didn't recognize you from the Western or Eastern pack," Hutch went on. "So, we decided to take you to Winston."

Winston joined Cando and Hutch on the rock.

"When they first brought you to me," he said. "It was very apparent that you weren't from either pack. Kate wasn't much older than you were at the time, and Lilly hadn't even been born yet. When Kate heard us talking, she became very curious and wanted to know what was going on, but I just told her that it wasn't anything she needed to know and to go back to her mother. As we talked, we decided to leave you with me for the day and that we would decide what to do with you in the morning. You were quite rambunctious that day and it quickly became clear that you were an omega. You also became fast friends with Kate, mostly because she couldn't contain her curiosity of you."

Humphrey looked over at Kate.

"I remember," he said. "She wouldn't stop following me and asking questions for the first couple of days."

Kate turned away, a little embarrassed, and smiled as she remembered that first week she had known Humphrey all those years ago.

"After we decided to accept you into the pack," Winston continued. "It wasn't long before you met your other friends and formed your own little omega group. Over the first couple of years that you were part of the pack, you lot were quite the troublemakers, but it wasn't long before you all grew into the mostly responsible wolves you are today."

Humphrey opened his mouth to say something, but struggled to speak, the thoughts of what he was going to say weighing down on his mind. Finally, with much effort, he was able to get it out.

"But what...what about my...parents?" This last word had to be strongly forced out.

Winston sighed, knowing full well that he couldn't answer this question.

"No one here really knows what happened the day you lost your parents. Only you can tell us that," he said.

"But all I remember are images in my head," Humphrey said. But then Humphrey stopped, and very slowly, a look came on his face like he had just remembered something. And he had.

"And my parents," he said, slowly. "Running after the truck. There was someone else with me. There was another cage right next to me, but I can't remember who was in it. The last thing I remember was my dad yelling that he would find me. That was the last time I saw them."

Once again, there was utter silence in the valley.

"Humphrey," Winston said. "We know your parents might still be alive somewhere. And if they are, we wouldn't want to keep you from them. So, I've decided to let you go and search for them. I've assembled a team to go with you, if you'd like."

Humphrey suddenly looked up, surprised at what was happening.

"Really?" he asked.

"Of course," Winston said. "If they're out there, you have to find them. Now, as I said, I've assembled a team to go with you if you want them."

"I'll take them," Humphrey said, eagerly. He couldn't believe that after all these years, he might actually find his parents. He thought he would never see them again, but this could be his chance.

"Good," Winston said. "Cando and Hutch will take you to the edge of the territory where they found you. You can start there. I'll also be sending Daria with you. If there's anything out there, she'll hear it. And," Winston hesitated.
"Although there's about a million things telling me otherwise, I'm sending your pups with you, too."

"I'll take Stinky," Humphrey said. "But Claudette and Runt stay."

"Humphrey," Winston said. "I think you know as well as I do that if you take one, it's not going to be long before you find the other two following you. You'd be better off with all three."

"All right," Humphrey said, reluctantly.

"We're going, too," Marcel said.

"Yes, if there's anything to see from the air, you'll hear it from us," Paddy agreed.

"I'm going, too," Kate said.

"And so are we," Garth said with Lilly sitting next to him.

"Very well," Winston agreed. You'll leave tomorrow morning. Now, try and get a good rest tonight."

As the pack began to depart, Winston called out to Humphrey.

"Humphrey."

Humphrey turned around to face him.

"Don't get your hopes up. There is a possibility that you might not like what you find."

Humphrey paused as he thought about this. It wasn't something he wanted, but he had to make room for the possibility that his parents were dead.

"And good luck."