by Cherie Camins

Created on: September 23, 2011

It was almost noon and there was a crowd of people waiting in the parking lot of the abandoned school.

"Where is she? We cannot be here all day."

"I am here."

The figure jumped down from the rooftop, her cloak trailing behind her as she landed on the ground. She pushed her hood down and stepped towards the man who spoke. "My apologies, but I met with an uninvited guest and had to dispose of it."

Judging from the shocked gasps coming from the crowd, it seemed they understood what she'd meant. There was danger all around from the Others and their pets, monstrous beasts that would tear a human to shreds.

"We give thanks for your unexpected help. My name is Richard and I am the unofficial leader of this group."

"Greetings. I am Nanette Cubangbang from pack 371 of Las Vegas. I have a message from my Alpha. You and your people need to leave this place by tonight."

Cries of outrage filled the air but Nanette raised her brown hand. "The pack that used to protect Summerlin was almost destroyed a few days ago by a group of Others and the few that survived have joined new packs. My pack cannot protect both your territory along with ours, and still guarantee everyone's safety."

"Then where will we go?" cried out an elderly woman.

"Several of my companions as well as those from another nearby pack are waiting at the edges of Henderson. We are willing to take you in into our own territories." Nanette shrugged her shoulders. "Summerlin is lost."

The cries of the crowd grew louder, but Nanette no longer cared to hear them. She put up her hood and launched herself upward towards the roof. She had several more groups around Summerlin to tell her Alpha's message to, and there wasn't a lot of time left in the day.

Once she'd delivered her messages, she found her friend and packmate, Jamie Takahashi, waiting at the edge of Summerlin. Jamie glanced at her and nodded her head. "Are the humans moving out?"

"They should be." Nanette sighed. "What happened to the Summerlin pack was tragic. We cannot allow that to happen to our own."

"It won't."

There were no guarantees, but Nanette hoped that Jamie spoke the truth.

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