REVENGE OF THE BETRAYED WOLF

That night, Metis slipped out of the hut. For days, he had been planning to go in search of his father, eager to know the truth. Without arousing suspicion, he slipped into the shadows of the trees where the Orcs were resting. Once there, with extreme caution, he called Boox in a barely audible whisper.

"Boox, it's time to go," he whispered urgently.

"It's Metis time..." A small, husky voice emerges from the shadows.

Metis was startled and turned around quickly, her heart pounding. She discovered Ajax and Psyche in front of her. Nervously, she urged them to step back.

"Ajax, you scared me. Go back to the cabin. Don't tell Mom you saw me, please, keep it a secret."

"Where are you going with that, little brother?" asked Psyche, looking at the bag Metis was carrying.

"I'll tell them, but promise not to tell Mom," Metis asked earnestly, receiving a nod from his siblings.

"I found out that our father is the alpha of the Apka pack and his name is Crono. I'm going in search of him to find out why he abandoned us and why we have no connection with his pack."

"I'm coming with you, I want to meet my dad! I'm coming with you, I want to meet my daddy!" exclaimed Psyche, jumping for joy.

"You're not going alone, Métis. We'll go with you. It's not fair for you to discover our father without us," declares her brother.

"Please, little sister, let's go with you. Come on, yes," begged Psyche, blinking several times and making an adorable pout.

Métis was faced with a dilemma. It was easy for her to ride on Boox's back, who would protect her from any threat, but she understood that her siblings deserved to meet their father too.

"Mom will be very sad if she doesn't see us here. She always warns us that it's dangerous to venture out of this refuge, but we won't let you go off on your own in search of this Crono. Wait, I'll get some provisions," said Ajax, turning towards the hut, but was stopped by Métis.

"Ajax, stop, don't take that risk. We could be discovered. What I have here is enough for the five of us if we know how to distribute it. Boox and now Nero will go with us. But I'll go with Boox, and you two with Nero."

Psyche began to jump with excitement. In her innocent mind, she was excited about getting out of this shelter and meeting other wolves, as well as her daddy.

Métis, who had learned to communicate with the orcs by sign, asked Boox to find Nero to join the trip, and the three boys set off into the forest on the orcs' backs.

On the way, they stopped to eat bread and milk and rest, regaining their strength before continuing their journey into the unknown.

Freya woke up in the morning and went to the children's room, and when she entered and didn't see them, she began to search for them in the shelter. This place was home to several unjustly banished wolves, whom Isis had taken in and taught to overcome their fear of orcs. The solidarity between them grew day by day, forming a mutually supportive community.

Freya, seeing one of the guardian wolves, asks anxiously.

"Dexter, haven't you seen Ajax, Psyche and Metis?

"Mistress Freya, we're looking for two orcs who have also disappeared. The other orcs went on a rampage and Lady Isis went to see them."

Just then, Isis arrived, worried, and said.

"Freya! Boox and Nero have disappeared. I've come from the lagoon and they're not there."

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Freya's eyes went wide and her face tightened.

"My children are with them. That's Metis's job. That little girl has asked me several times about her father."

He grumbled and returned to the triplets' room. With all three sleeping in the same room, she noticed that Ajax's and Psyche's belongings were there, but that Metis's backpack and a few other things were missing. Worried about her little ones, she deployed her people and Isis, with the help of the orcs, set out to find them.

Metis took a map with him and showed Boox where to walk. They spent a whole day in the thick forest. Psyche was crying, already missing her mother. Metis asked her to calm down, she didn't want to rest, she knew they'd be looking for them. Months ago, she had studied the map to see which shortcuts would lead them to the Apka pride undetected.

As time went by, Metis shared with her siblings her knowledge of nature and forest survival, taught to her by one of the refugee wolves.

Meanwhile, back at the refuge, Freya is anxious. Isis was leading the search, coordinating the orcs and banished wolves. The tension in the shelter was palpable with the anxiety of finding the pups.

"Freya, calm down. They'll be all right. We're looking for them. Apollo and Sienna went through the herds without seeing them. They'll look for them," Isis said in support of her friend.

"You don't understand, Isis, they're in danger outside this refuge, they're small. She cries out, not knowing what to do. Just then, Agamemnon enters, worried, having been told his grandchildren are missing.

"Puppy, calm down. When I heard about it, I came immediately."

"Dad, I don't know where my children are. If they haven't gone into your herd, where can they be? If Pyrrhus finds out about them, he'll try to hold them back so he can get to me."

Agamemnon approached his daughter and hugged her. She just wanted to know how her little ones were doing.

The next day, the children, tired and sleepy, traveled all night on the orcas' backs. Metis didn't want to rest, she just wanted to see her father. As they rode through the forest to the manor house, guards saw them and pointed to the two animals. When they saw the children, they looked at them in amazement.

"Children, you're all right. Don't be frightened. Come down carefully from those beasts."

"Gentlemen, put down your weapons. You're frightening our friends. They won't hurt you," Metis poked his little head out.

Ajax and Psyche began to cry as they saw them targeted, while the orcs snarled with the children still on their backs.

"You see, you've frightened my little brothers. We're here to see the alpha Crono," protested Métis, squinting.

The guards are amazed at how the girl has calmed one of the beasts by passing her little hands over it. The orcs outnumber the wolves.

"I'm going to get the alpha. I'll be right back," said one of the men, running towards the manor. He entered and headed for Crono's office, knocking on the door.

Crono, sensing a knock on the door, ordered.

"Come in."

"Alpha Crono, at the entrance to the forest, three children ask to speak to you. The worst part, alpha, is that they're riding two orcs."

Crono sprang to his feet, walked over to the man and said:

"Take me to them. She doesn't know why, but she feels the need to know more about these children. Worry showed on her face as she followed the man towards the entrance. Each step increased the unease she felt at the idea of knowing who they were.