Chapter 6: A House Divided

As they moved through the night, the group began looking for a good place to sleep as Humphrey filled Kenya in on all she had missed over the past twenty years since they last saw each other.

"So," Kenya asked. "What were you doing out here before you found me?"

"I'm looking for our parents," Humphrey replied.

"Humphrey," Kenya said. "I'm sorry, but our parents are probably dead."

"But, how could you say that?" Humphrey said. "Look, I get it. You haven't seen them in years. Neither have I. But I miss them, more then you can imagine." Then he paused. "Well, actually not more than you can imagine. You probably miss them just as much, but you know what I'm saying. If there's a chance that we can all be reunited as a family again, then I'm not going to give that chance up."

"Okay," she said. "Then I'm with you."

Eventually, they found a nice area, fairly clear of trees and shrubs to rest in. The next day, when they awoke, by the light of the rising sun, Humphrey realized something that he couldn't the night before because it was too dark.

"I know this place," he said, looking around. "This is where it happened."

"Where what happened?" Kate asked.

"Where we lost our parents," Humphrey answered. "It was too dark to see before, but now I see it, clear as day."

"Do you remember what happened?" Garth asked.

"No, it's still all just a blur," Humphrey replied.

"Humphrey," Kate said. "We're still too close to the human dens. And on top of that, we haven't seen anything to hunt for food. No deer, no moose-"

"I don't like moose," Humphrey interrupted.

"Yes, we know," Garth said. "We all know what happened when you-"

"Okay, Garth, I really don't want to remember any more. I almost erased that from my memory," Humphrey said.

"Wait," Kenya asked. "What happened?"

"Can someone else tell her?" Humphrey asked. "I skipped over that part when we were talking last night."

"Come on," Garth sighed, leading Kenya about ten feet away.

Humphrey and Kate resumed their conversation. It wasn't a minute after they started up again when they heard Kenya exclaim in surprise.

"Whoa! Um, that's great Garth, I do not need to know any more!"

She walked back to join the group again, and as she was passing Humphrey, he leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"It was horrible."

"Humphrey!" Kate shouted, trying to regain his attention. Humphrey turned and looked at her. "As I was saying, we haven't seen any food, and we've been gone for a while, my father and the rest of the pack are probably getting worried about us. Maybe we should start heading home."

"What?" Humphrey exclaimed. "No. I can't. I know they're out there somewhere, Kate, waiting for me to come home, and I have to find them."

"Humphrey, I know you want to believe they're alive but-"

"I know it," he shouted. "I know they're alive! They have to be. They just have to."

Humphrey," Garth said. "I agree. You need to turn back before you get yourself or someone else killed."

Humphrey thought about this for a second as the day wore on. As all this arguing was going on, Daria mainly stayed out of it, listening. Suddenly, she heard a very disturbing sound, a sound they were all afraid to hear. But as Daria tried to warn them, they just ignored her, too engulfed in their argument to pay any attention.

"Guys," she said. But no one heard her. And what happened next caused her to forget all about what she had heard.

"I can't just give up and forget them," Humphrey was saying to Kate. "They are the only family I have left and nothing is going to stop me from finding them. So if you want to go back to your nice, warm, cozy den and your own parents then go, I don't need your help!"

Everyone became silent as a response to this sudden outrage. Kate and Humphrey had always been a happy couple. They never fought and they never yelled at one another. And even if they did, no one would've suspected Humphrey to be the one to start it.

Kate looked at Humphrey, her mouth slightly open and a distraught look in her eyes. She no longer recognized her husband. She didn't see the fun-loving omega that she poured her heart out to, she saw someone she didn't know. Humphrey would never have yelled at her, he never would've pushed her away and told her to leave, he would've wanted her right there with him. And he never would've hurt her the way he just did. Kate didn't know who she was looking at, but she knew it wasn't the wolf she fell in love with 8 years ago on that train.

Humphrey didn't do anything at first, but then he realized that he had hurt Kate. And he had hurt her bad. And an overwhelming feeling of guilt washed over Humphrey and he felt terrible.

Humphrey began walking toward Kate to comfort her, but as he started moving towards her, Kate took a few steps back, increasing the distance between them. A wave of sadness hit Humphrey very hard when she did this.

"Kate," he said. "You know I didn't mean that, right? You know I would never hurt you as long as I live."

"You've changed, Humphrey," she said. "I don't know how, but you've changed."

"No, Kate," he said soothingly. "I'm still the same wolf you married. I'm still the same wolf that rescued you in the ravine, the same wolf that makes you laugh time and time again."

"I used to always believe that," Kate said and Humphrey's heart fluttered and skipped a beat when she said this. "But now I'm beginning to believe I don't know you anymore."

"Kate," Humphrey said again as he approached her. "Look at me."

Kate turned her head and looked into Humphrey's beautiful blue eyes that he had, no doubt, probably inherited from his mother.

"I will always love you," he said. "I will always be there when you need me and I will never leave your side. I promise. And these words mark that promise, a promise that cannot now, or ever, be broken."

There was silence as a single tear rolled down Humphrey's cheek. The two looked into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Until Kate, too, began to cry.

"Oh, Humphrey she said, burying her head into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too," Humphrey replied.

Everyone remained silent in the forest as the two embraced each other. But then Daria remembered what she had been trying to warn them about, but by now it was much too late. The hunters had arrived.