Chapter 9: The First Battle of Jasper Park

“What?” Stinky said. “No, Runt you can’t. That’s their way. You’re not a killer. Listen, we will get Lisa back, I promise. But no one has to die.”

“Alright,” Runt said, a bit calmer. “What’s your plan?”

“I’m not entirely sure yet,” Stinky replied.

“Well, we don’t have much time,” Runt said. “According to Oscar, Hammond isn’t known for his patience.”

“Then get everyone together,” Stinky said. “We’re heading out immediately.”

“What about a plan?” Runt asked.

“We’ll improvise,” Stinky replied.

“How can it be a plan if it’s improvised?” Runt asked.

“Dad did it all the time,” Stinky said. “Why can’t we take a page from his book?”

He began to walk off in the direction that Hammond had gone to pick up his scent while Runt went and gathered the pack together. He knew it wouldn’t be enough, though. The Crimson Pack was strong, and Hammond was a good fighter. They would need backup. So Runt bypassed the pack and headed for the Northern Pack to get Kyle’s help.

As he entered the Northern Pack, Runt noticed Fleet nearby and rushed over to him.

“Fleet,” he said.

“Runt. What are you doing here?” Fleet asked.

“It’s a long story,” Runt replied. “But we could really use your help. We could use everyone’s help.”

“What’s going on?” Fleet wondered.

“You’ve heard of the Crimson Pack, right?”

“Yeah. I know they’re looking for a red wolf.”

“Well, they attacked us because we found him and now Lisa’s been wolfnapped and we need your pack’s help to get her back. They’re too strong for us to take them on by ourselves.”

“Is Claudette okay?” Fleet asked.

“She’s fine,” Runt told him.

“Do you know where they are?” Fleet asked.

“Stinky’s tracking them down now,” Runt replied. “The rest of the pack’s ready to move out, but we need backup.”

“I’ll go get Kyle,” Fleet said.

“Okay,” Runt replied. “Meet us at the southern part of the pack. By my parents’ old den.”

“Alright, we’ll be there,” Fleet said before turning and heading into the pack to get Kyle.

Runt turned and ran back to the Western Pack to get everyone else ready. Before long, Stinky had caught the scent and the pack had gathered near the old den. Kyle and most of the Northern Pack had just arrived and they were getting ready to move out.

Fleet and Claudette walked up to each other.

“Hey, Fleet.”

“Hey, Claudette.”

“Guys, later,” Stinky said. He then turned to the crowd. “Is everybody ready?” he asked. The group behind him nodded. “Then let’s go.”

He began venturing into the forest with the large rescue brigade following close behind. Stinky kept his nose to the ground, carefully following Hammond’s repulsive scent until they found the Crimson Pack hiding in the woods. Stinky stopped and so did the pack behind him.

“Where’s Lisa?” Runt asked, looking into the pack.

“I’m not sure,” Stinky replied. “I don’t see her or Hammond.”

“So, what’s your brilliant improvised plan? Runt asked.

“We attack.”

“Wait, just like that?” Runt wondered, confused at the simplicity of Stinky’s plan.

“Yep, just like that,” Stinky replied. “We hit them with everything we have and defeat them with overwhelming force. Use their own method against them.”

“I like it. What are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Mick said, before charging into the pack.

Everyone looked at each other in shock, when Stinky spoke up.

“You heard the man,” he said, before charging into the pack as well.

Everyone followed him and so began the first battle of Jasper Park, the first of four major battles in this war that the pack didn’t know had already begun.

One of the crimson wolves leapt toward Adam, but it was suddenly tackled to the ground when Steven pounced on it.

“What took you so long?” Adam asked.

“Why?” Steven replied. “Did you miss me?”

“There’s too many of them,” Adam said.

“We need to thin the herd,” Steven told him.

“I have an idea,” Adam said. “But it’s stupid and reckless.”

“You had me at stupid,” Steven replied.

“Okay,” Adam continued. “I’ll draw as many of the crimson wolves away into the forest as I can. You gather some of our wolves, get behind them, and hit them with everything you have.”

“Alright, I’ll get ready,” Steven said. “Good luck.”

Steven ran off into the battle to tell the plan to some of the western wolves as Adam got some of the crimson wolves to follow him. He led them into the woods where Steven and the others ambushed them. The two then met up with Stinky and Runt who were searching for Lisa amid the chaos.

“Still no sign of Lisa?” Adam asked.

“No,” Stinky replied. He then turned to Runt. “Runt-“

“I’m on it,” Runt said, rushing toward a tree and climbing up it.

He reached the top of the tree and looked out over the forest. The battle raged down below in a mess of teeth, claws, and fur. The tree Runt had climbed was near the top of a hill and as he looked down the other side, he noticed Hammond and Lisa below.

“I see her!” he said, excitedly. “Her and Hammond are on the other side of the hill.”

He looked and also noticed a small group of wolves surrounding the two of them.

“He’s being guarded by around seven wolves,” Runt said.

“How are we going to catch that many wolves off guard?” Stinky wondered.

“If only Humphrey were here,” Adam said.

He then looked toward the top of the hill and noticed a logboard resting on it.

“Humphrey,” he said to himself before addressing the group. “I have another idea.”

“Is it stupid and reckless?” Steven asked.

“Maybe even a little crazy,” Adam replied.

“Loving it!”

The group ran up the hill, got in the logboard, and pushed it down the hill. Hammond heard the log approaching and looked up to see Runt, Stinky, Adam, and Steven sliding down the hill in the logboard.

“What in the world is that?” he said.

Lisa looked up and smiled.

“That’s my boyfriend,” she said.

The logboard reached the bottom of the hill and nearly collided with some of the wolves guarding Hammond. Stinky and the others leapt from the logboard as the wolves rushed toward them.

“Go get Lisa!” Stinky told Runt. “We’ll keep these guys busy.”

Runt turned and ran off toward where Hammond was retreating with Lisa into the woods.

“Hammond!” Runt shouted.

Hammond stopped and turned around.

“Well, if it isn’t the King of the Forest,” he said. ”The son of the great Kate and Humphrey themselves. If only your father could see you now, the shame he would feel.”

“Alright, Hammond,” Runt said. “Give me back my girlfriend.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Hammond replied. “Get past me, and she’s all yours.”

“AHHHHHHHH!!” Runt yelled as he charged at Hammond.

He tackled Hammond to the ground and got on top of him, trying to bite his neck. However, Hammond was a better and more unorthodox fighter. He headbutted runt in the face and then pulled his legs out from under him with his teeth. Runt hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of him. Hammond then stood up and got on top of Runt.

“There was never any doubt in the outcome,” Hammond said.

Just as he was about to deliver the killing bite, he was suddenly body slammed by Mick and sent tumbling to the ground a few feet away.

“You okay, kid?” Mick asked.

“Yeah,” Runt replied, catching his breath. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Mick then approached Hammond.

“Go!” he shouted. “Get Lisa out of here. I’ve got this.”

Runt nodded and rushed over to Lisa.

“Come on,” he said. “We gotta get out of here.”

“What about Mick?” she asked.

“He’s got this,” Runt replied.

With that, the two escaped back over the hill where they met up with the others. The group then descended back down to join with the rest of the pack. The Crimson Pack had all but retreated and the last wolves were running away into the forest. However, as they looked around, they couldn’t find Mick.

“Wait, where’s Mick?” Garth asked.

“He was fighting Hammond,” Stinky said, turning around and looking up the hill. “But I don’t see him anywhere.”

The pack watched the hill for Mick. For a few tense moments, nothing happened. Then, Lilly spotted a figure on top of the hill.

“Look!” she said. “There he is!”

Sure enough, Mick came walking down from the hill. He looked exhausted, but proud of himself.

“Where’s Hammond?” Martin asked.

“He turned tail and ran after I taught him a thing or two,” Mick said. He then looked at the slightly bloody claw mark on his shoulder. “And he may have gotten in a few moves of his own.”

With that, having emerged victorious, the pack left to return to the Western Pack, wrongly believing their ordeal to be over.