Chapter 3: Hutch meets his Match
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"So as wewe can see," Humphrey tells Wildflower after they enter a clearing with different ledges, "The pack is much bigger than it used to be. That's because the Western and Eastern packs were united due to multiple failures during hunts."

"Wow." Wildflower says, a bit astonished, "I have a question, is your mate an Alpha?"

"Yes, Kate is an Alpha." Humphrey replies. "Why do wewe ask?"

"Just curious." Wildflower says, then she turns her head away for a moment.

"Wow, Humphrey must be an Alpha too if he married Kate. But I thought he was an Omega, like me." Wildflower thought to herself.

"Is something wrong?" Humphrey asks Wildflower, a bit worried about her.

"No, I'm fine." Wildflower replies.

"Okay." Humphrey says, then he looks in the direction he's going to see Winston, Eve, Tony, Marcel, and Paddy. "Oh good, I was hoping we'd find them."

"Find who?" Wildflower asks.

"You'll see." Humphrey says, turning toward Winston and the others. "Hey! Winston, Tony, Eve!"

"Yes?" Winston replies.

"I want wewe to meet someone, this is Wildflower, she's my younger sister and she used to live here in Jasper Park a few years ago." Humphrey says, introducing Wildflower to the others. "She already met Kate, Lilly, Garth, Claw, and my omega friends, so wewe won't have to introduce her to them."

"Nice to meet you." Winston says, walking up to Humphrey and Wildflower. "I'm Winston, father of your brother's mate and ex-leader of the western side of the Central Pack."

"Nice to meet wewe too." Wildflower replies.

Then Eve walks up. "I'm Eve, Winston's mate and mother of Kate and Lilly. Nice to meet you." She says kindly to her.

"Same here." Wildflower replies.

Then Tony walks up, "And I'm Tony, father of Lilly's mate and ex-leader of the eastern side of the pack. Nice to meet wewe too." He says.

"Same here as well." Wildflower responds, "I can see where Garth got his good looks from."

"Very funny." Tony says in a joking way.

The Marcel and Paddy come up.

"And these two here are Marcel and Paddy," Winston says, "They helped Humphrey and Kate get back here when they got relocated to Idaho."

"Technically it was Sawtooth National Wilderness, Idaho, sir." Paddy interrupts.

"Paddy, please," Marcel interrupts, "It was Sawtooth National Wilderness, Idaho to be exact sir."

"Same thing." Winston chuckles. "Not to mention they helped me and Tony find a hobby when we retired."

"Golfing, to be exact." Marcel says. "Pleasure to make wewe acquaintance kwa the way."

"Pleasure's all mine and it's nice to meet wewe too." Wildflower says. "What is golf to be exact?"

"Let me onyesha you." Winston says. "Paddy?"

Paddy pulls out a golf ball sized/shaped rock a branch shaped like a golf club and hands them to Winston.

"Just watch." Winston says, standing on his hind legs, holding the club with his forepaws and slowly moves it behind his head.

"Fore!" Winston yells as he swings the club, hitting the rock and sending in a far distance.

"Wow! That was cool!" Wildflower exclaims, surprised kwa what Winston did.

"Oh, but it's zaidi complicated than that." Winston says, holding the club on his left shoulder "When wewe play the game, wewe have to get the ball into a small hole in order to gain points and songesha to the inayofuata course. The smaller the number of how many times wewe hit ball, the higher the score, if the ball gets into the hole."

"Wow, I'd like to play it sometime, but Humphrey's giving me a tour around the territory at the moment."

"Well, I have no problem with that." Winston handing Paddy his club and standing on all fours again, "Continue with your tour, Humphrey."

"Okay, see wewe Winston!" Humphrey replies, walking off.

"Those guys seem very nice here." Wildflower says, commenting on Winston, Eve, Tony, Marcel, and Paddy.

"That's true." Humphrey says, "However, Eve does have a short temper and a mean viscous streak, so it's best to stay away from her when she gets mad, she even tried to strangle me to death once!"

"Ouch!" Wildflower says, shocked at what Humphrey said.

"And that's not the worst of it," Hutch says, "She even says evil things like ripping out someone's tail and shoving it down their throat."

"Double ouch." Wildflower says.

"Exactly." Humphrey says, "But she's a good mother though as she cares for Kate and Lilly."

"Oh, well that's nice." Wildflower says, now relieved about Eve.

Then Humphrey and the other two climb onto the ledge where Winston and Eve's pango is.

"Here we are, the pango where Kate and I live, come on in." Humphrey says entering the small cave.

"Hey, Humphrey?" Wildflower asks her brother, "If wewe don't mind, I'd like Hutch to onyesha me around the area some more."

"Well, I was hoping we could spend some time together after being separated for a while, but go ahead." Humphrey replies, noticing the tone of Wildflower's voice and her expression meant she was in upendo with Hutch.

"Okay, come with me." Hutch says and walks off with Wildflower following.

A few moments later…
"So tell me about yourself," Wildflower says, "What do wewe like to do?"

"Well, mostly I'm the second-in-command for Kate and Humphrey and I take lead of the pack when they're not around, I also patrol around the area to keep anyone suspicious out the territory. Unlike wewe however." Hutch says.

"So, I take it you're an Alpha then?" Wildflower says with a somewhat sad expression on her face.

"Yes, is there something wrong about that?" Hutch asks, noticing her expression.

"No. I'm good with someone being an Alpha." Wildflower says, trying to hide her sad expression.

"Okay," Hutch says, "Want to see something an Alpha can do?"

"Sure." Wildflower says, following Hutch.

A few moments later…
Hutch is hiding in tall grass, then he jumps, leaping off of trees and lands on a log and tosses a smaller one in the air and spins it around with his hind feet as Wildflower watches. Then Hutch releases the log and kicks it, causing it to break into pieces and each piece lands on juu of one another, forming a stack.

"Vola! chajio, chakula cha jioni for two!" Hutch says, "It's a new songesha Garth taught me for stalking prey."

"Wow, that's pretty good!" Wildflower says, wagging her tail.

"Thanks!" Hutch says, "Now how about wewe try?"

"Oh, no thanks, I'm not much of the hunting type." Wildflower says, backing into some tall grass.

"Come on, it'll be easy." Hutch says, trying to encourage Wildflower, "Just do what I do."

"Okay." Wildflower says.

Then Hutch gets himself into position to grab a pinecone off a nearby mti and Wildflower copies his movements.

"1…" Hutch says,

"1…" Wildflower repeats,

"2…"

"2…"

"3!"

Hutch jumps toward the tree, stunning Wildflower for a moment, then she jumps screaming as she just misses the branch after Hutch grabs a pinecone.

"Wildflower!" Hutch calls to the pink-gray mbwa mwitu after she flies past and runs in the direction she went to see her stuck halfway in a mti stump.

"Wildflower?" Hutch calls to her and she pulls herself out of the stump, landing on her back on a piece of bark that spins over to Hutch with her on it. Then the bark flips over, putting Wildflower back on her feet.

"You okay?" Hutch asks Wildflower.

"I told wewe I don't hunt." Wildflower says sadly after lying down and backing into the alcove the half-pipe shaped piece of bark made on the ground.
Hutch, feeling bad for Wildflower, lifts the piece of bark off her and looks into her face.

"Maybe, this will help." Hutch says softly and brushes her fur, manyoya back with his muzzle, revealing that she has purple markings surrounding her sapphire blue eyes and that she has a light pink colored marking on her muzzle which goes to her forehead.

"Wow." Hutch says, amazed at how she looks.

"What?" Wildflower asks.

"Your eyes and markings," Hutch majibu softly, "They're beautiful!"

Wildflower blushes and looks away from Hutch, trying to hide her expression.

"What do wewe say we try again au do something else?" Hutch asks Wildflower,

"I think I'll try the hunting technique again" Wildflower replies.

"Okay." Hutch says, walking off. "Come on."

Wildflower stands to her feet, but her fur, manyoya falls in front of her face again, she rolls her eyes for a moment then uses her forepaws to push the fur, manyoya back again and follows Hutch.

Later, at sunset…
Hutch and Wildflower walk up to a small cave and walk into it.

"And this is where I live." Hutch says to Wildflower,

"Nice." Wildflower says, looking around the den.

"Thanks." Hutch says,

Just then Humphrey comes in.

"Hi there." Humphrey says,

"Hi." Hutch says, looking toward Humphrey.

"So Wildflower, how was the tour?" Humphrey asks his little sister.

"Pretty good." Wildflower says, "Hutch even showed me some skills Alphas could do."

"Being a showoff again, aren't we?" Humphrey says to Hutch in a joking way,

"Very funny." Hutch jokes back to Humphrey.

Then Humphrey looks back toward Wildflower notices her fur, manyoya was out of her eyes.

"Wildflower, you're wearing your fur, manyoya back!" Humphrey says in a surprised tone.

Wildflower is confused kwa what Humphrey says, but quickly realizes what he meant.

"Oh, sorry." Wildflower says, brushing fur, manyoya back into its original position with her paw, "To much, wasn't it?"

"No, I liked it that way." Humphrey says, brushing Wildflower's fur, manyoya back with his paw.

"Oh." Wildflower says, "Mind if I sleep here for tonight? Hutch was the first one I met when I arrived after all."

"Depends on if Hutch is okay with it." Humphrey says,

"I'm good with Wildflower sleeping with me tonight." Hutch says.

"Okay then, I'll see wewe tomorrow." Humphrey says as he leaves the den.

"See ya!" Wildflower says, then she looks back at Hutch, who is moving some leaves around to make a kitanda for him and Wildflower to sleep in.

"There wewe go." Hutch says, lying down, "You can sleep inayofuata to me tonight if wewe want."

"Okay." Wildflower says, walking up to Hutch, then she lies down inayofuata to him,

"Good night, see wewe in the morning," Wildflower says as she closes her eyes.

"Good night." Hutch says as he doses off with Wildflower.

The inayofuata morning, Hutch awakens and looks down at Wildflower.

"She's still sleeping." Hutch thinks to himself, "She looks cute when she sleeps though."

Then Hutch gets to his feet and walks out of the pango and looks around.

"Sure is a nice day." Hutch says to himself, then he looks back into his pango and
Wildflower. Then his thoughts went to how nice he thought her name was, then he got an idea.

"Wait here, Wildflower. I'll be back." Hutch says, running off.

Then Hutch reaches a field of flowers of different types.

"Now let's see, which one should I get for Wildflower?" Hutch asks to himself, "Red, pink, white? No."

Then out of nowhere, Hutch bumps into Garth and both fall to the ground, sending a couple maua, ua petals airborne as they hit.

"Sorry about that." Hutch says to Garth, after getting back on his feet.

"Don't worry about it." Garth replies, "What brings wewe here anyway?"

"I was looking for maua, ua that might be perfect for Humphrey's sister." Hutch says.

"Cool. I was also looking for a perfect maua, ua for Lilly here too." Garth says, "I looked all over, but I don't see any that could be good for her. White wouldn't do since it'd blend in with her fur, I don't think red au pink will do either."

"Same here, I can't a perfect maua, ua for Humphrey's sister either." Hutch says.
Then Garth walks down a little further and sees a red maua, ua with a white border on its petals.

"Perfect." Garth says, taking the maua, ua in his mouth and snapping the stem so dirt wouldn't stay on it.

"What do wewe think? Think it'll do for Lilly?" Garth asks Hutch.

"I think it'll be perfect." Hutch says, then he turns his head and sees a maua, ua in different shades and tints of blue. "Hey, this one'll be perfect for Wildflower." Hutch says, "It matches her eyes."

"Indeed it does." Garth says,

Then Hutch takes the maua, ua in his mouth and snaps the stem, and hides in his
mane, wanting it to be a surprise for Wildflower.

"Okay, now that we've gotten the flowers we were searching for, let's go." Hutch says, walking off.

"Right behind you." Garth says, following Hutch.

Later, Hutch reaches his pango and looks inside, but doesn't see Wildflower.

"Hmm, she must've left to look around the area." Hutch says, walking off to find Wildflower.

Hutch looks all around the area, but finds no sign of Wildflower. Just then, he sees Humphrey and Winston.

"Winston! Humphrey!" Hutch says, running up to the pair.

"Hutch?" Winston says, "What is it?"

"Wildflower." Hutch says, "I can't find her anywhere."

"Really?" Humphrey asks,

"Yes." Hutch says, "I already got her scent, now I just need to figure out where she is."

"Well, where've wewe looked?" Winston asks Hutch,

"I looked all around the dens and checked Howling Rock." Hutch says, "But she's not there."

"Where is your nose leading wewe then?" Humphrey asks,

"Hold on." Hutch says, sniffing around, "I got something… this way!"

Hutch runs off with Winston and Humphrey following, then Hutch stops in front of his pango and sniffs the area.

"Wildflower was here last night, and her scent leads off in this direction."

Hutch says, walking off in direction Wildflower's scent leads him to.

"I wonder where she can be." Humphrey says in a worried tone,

"You know, wewe can try howling." Winston says, "That usually works."

"Good idea." Humphrey says, then he tilts his head back and howls.

After a moment, the trio hear a feminine howl from the distance.

"I know that howl," Humphrey says, "It's Wildflower!"

"And I think I know where her scent leads." Hutch says, "This way!"

Hutch runs off with Humphrey and Winston chasing after him.

Then after what seemed to be endless searching, Humphrey calls out to Winston and Hutch,

"Over here, guys! I found her!" Humphrey says,

Hutch and Winston walk over to where Humphrey saw Wildflower and they see the pink-gray mbwa mwitu lying down near a small ledge as if depressed.

"Hey Hutch," Humphrey says, "What'cha waiting for?"

"You go first." Hutch says,

"What? Why?" Humphrey asks, confused.

"I think I may've angered her yesterday kwa mistake and I don't to make it worse if she's still upset with me." Hutch answers.

"Oh." Humphrey says, "I see. I'll go talk to her first then."

Humphrey enters the clearing and walks toward his younger sister.

"Hey, Wildflower" Humphrey calls to his sister, catching her attention.

"Oh, hi Humphrey." Wildflower says in a depressed tone before turning away.

Then Humphrey, knowing something is wrong with her, walks over to Wildflower's side.

"Hey, sis, what's wrong?" Humphrey asks Wildflower softly.

Wildflower stays silent for a moment, then turns to Humphrey, slightly noticing Winston, who had just walked up behind her.

"Promise wewe can keep a secret?" Wildflower asks her brother sadly.

"Of course, why?" Humphrey replies.

"Well, I've had a crush on Hutch for a long time, but I feel that I can be his mate because he's an Alpha and I'm an Omega. Me and him mating would go against the pack law." Wildflower says.

"Technically, it doesn't." Hutch says, who had come out of hiding after hearing what Wildflower said.

"What do wewe mean?" Wildflower asks Hutch.

"A few months ago, Tony and I agreed to let my daughter Lilly and his son Garth to mate in order to unite the West and Eastern packs to avoid failures during hunts." Winston says, "However, Lilly was an Omega and Garth was an Alpha, so Tony and I abolished the social rule between the classes to allow their marriage."

"And Alphas and Omegas can mate now." Hutch says, finishing Winston's sentence.

"So, even though I'm an Omega, and Hutch is an Alpha, he and I can-?" Wildflower asks Winston and he nods in agreement, much to Wildflower's joy.

"Hutch!" Wildflower yells out, tackling Winston's second-in-command, knocking him onto his back with her on juu of him.

Then Wildflower and Hutch share their first kiss as Humphrey and Winston watch smiling.

"Looks like I have another son-in-law." Winston says

"Yep, and a new brother-in-law for me too." Humphrey majibu to Winston.

"Hey, Wildflower," Hutch asks his new mate, "I got this for you."

Hutch pulls out the blue maua, ua he picked earlier from his mane and gives it to Wildflower. "I thought it would bring out your eyes."

"Thank you." Wildflower says, taking the maua, ua from Hutch.

"Oh, and Wildflower?" Hutch asks, "The Moonlight Howl is coming up tonight and I was wondering if wewe would-"

"I'd be honored to jiunge you." Wildflower interrupts, kissing Hutch again.