Chapter 28: Humphrey's Decision

It took two days for Kate and Humphrey to return to the valley and they were greeted happily when they arrived.

“You’re back!” সর্প exclaimed when she saw them.

“What happened with Viggo?” Oscar asked.

“He’s gone,” Humphrey replied, beginning to explain their entire ordeal.

“Viggo’s dead?” Stinky asked when Humphrey was finished.

“They’re all dead,” Kate replied. “Viggo, Robert, the survivors of the battle; they’re all gone.”

“It’s finally over,” Humphrey said, smiling a little.

Word quickly spread that Viggo and Robert were dead and for the পরবর্তি দিন অথবা two, the entire forest was alive with the sounds of celebratory howls from every pack in Jasper. The দিন after they got back, Humphrey went to visit Runt’s grave under the old den.

“Hey, Runt,” he said, looking down at the ground. “Viggo and Robert are gone and this nightmare is finally over. I really wish আপনি were here to celebrate with us. আপনি would’ve had fun. We all miss you, but we’re also very proud of the নেকড়ে আপনি and your brother and sister grew up to be.”

Humphrey stopped for a moment and looked around him.

“We did it, Runt. We did it.”

Late that night, Kate noticed that Humphrey hadn’t yet turned in, so she went out to look for him. She eventually found him in the forest just outside the border of the territory. He was standing outside of an old, worn-down tent.

“Humphrey, what are আপনি doing out here?” she asked him. “And what’s this tent doing here? It looks like it’s been here for years.”

“It was Viggo’s,” Humphrey replied. “He was spying on us from here ever since I was brought into the pack.”

Humphrey looked over through the trees and Kate followed his gaze. Through the trees, there was a perfect, unobstructed view of what remained of their old den. Humphrey looked back at the tent.

“It feels weird,” he said, “having Viggo gone. We learned so much from him. He spent so much time trying to kill me and manipulating my life that I’m not sure who অথবা what I am now.”

“Humphrey,” Kate said, “Viggo didn’t make আপনি who আপনি are now. The নেকড়ে আপনি are now is because of your resilience to what Viggo has done to you. No matter what happened, আপনি always managed to stay true to the best parts of yourself. আপনি kept pushing অগ্রবর্তী and because of that, আপনি helped all of us to survive. That wasn’t him. That was all you.”

“Has anyone ever told আপনি that আপনি always know exactly what to say?” Humphrey asked.

“I have been told that,” Kate replied, smiling.

“You know, I can’t take too much credit,” Humphrey said. “Whenever I faltered, আপনি were always there to help get me back on my feet, and I can’t thank আপনি enough.”

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” a voice said.

Kate and Humphrey turned around to see Leyla standing behind them.

“No, it’s alright,” Humphrey replied.

“What are আপনি doing here?” Kate asked.

“I heard about what happened and I just wanted to see how আপনি guys were doing,” Leyla replied.

“We’re doing pretty good,” Humphrey told her. “A little shaken still, but otherwise fine.”

“Is that Viggo’s sword?” Kate asked, spotting something in Leyla’s hand.

“Yeah,” she replied. “Well, what’s left of it.”

She lifted it up and showed it to them. The blade had been broken in half and the metal was bent and misshapen from the explosion.

“I dug it out of the rubble,” Leyla continued. “He may have been a psycho, but he was still my brother and I wanted some kind of memento.”

“Leave it here,” Humphrey said.

“What?” Leyla asked.

“Leave it here,” he repeated, “as a reminder. Viggo was the worst-of-the-worst, and yet there was still some humanity inside of him. Leave it here as a reminder to all of us that anyone can change.”

“I like it, Humphrey,” Kate said. “What do আপনি think, Leyla?”

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Leyla replied.

She then walked over to the front of the tent and planted what was left of the sword into the ground, surrounding it with some small stones to help support it.

Two years passed and life mostly returned to normal. However, Kate noticed that something was off about Humphrey. He didn’t seem as happy as he had once been. Sure, he was much better emotionally than he was in the months after Runt died, but he still didn’t seem like he was one hundred percent again.

Sometime around late spring, Kate noticed that Humphrey was sneaking out in the middle of the night and was gone for hours at a time. She eventually started to secretly follow him to see what he was doing and he led her through the forest to many different places that held some kind of significance in his life.

He led her to what was left of the sandstone cliffs, to Shadow Forest, all the way back to the ruins of his old pack. Every time they got to wherever they were going, Humphrey simply sat down and stared into the forest. He would stay there for a few মিনিট to upwards of an ঘন্টা before simply turning around and heading back to the valley. After about a মাস of this, Kate finally confronted him about it.

“Humphrey, what are আপনি doing?” she asked.

“Okay,” Humphrey said, “and just so we’re talking about the same thing-“

“Every night for the past month, I’ve seen আপনি getting up late at night and leaving for hours,” she clarified.

“Oh, that,” Humphrey said.

“Humphrey, what are আপনি doing?” she asked again. “I’ve been following আপনি and আপনি just sit there until আপনি decide to go home.”

“I’m…revisiting all those places,” he replied.

“But why?”

“Kate, if I’m being perfectly honest…this place just hasn’t felt the same ever since Viggo died,” Humphrey admitted. “I’ve done my best to try and go back to the way things were but every time I look around, I’m just reminded of all the bad that happened. Winston, Eve, Tony, Runt, all the নেকড়ে that died down in that valley. Even Runt’s wedding when Viggo tricked us and blew a crater in the side of the valley. I can’t even look at my own grandpup without thinking of Runt.”

Humphrey let out a deep sigh.

“I just don’t feel happy here anymore.”

“So what are going to do?” Kate asked.

“I’m gonna go back to Leyla’s,” he replied.

“You’re leaving?” she said, surprised.

“I spent nine years there,” Humphrey explained, “and they were some of the best years of my life. I was happy and at peace. Life was simple. আপনি didn’t have to hunt for food, it was always warm and comfortable. And after everything, I just want to settle down and relax and I can’t do that here. That’s why I’ve been going back to all those places. They all hold special memories and I wanted to see them one last time before I left.”

“When are আপনি leaving?” Kate asked a little sadly.

“I was going to go tonight,” he answered.

“And were আপনি ever going to tell us, or-“

“I…don’t know.”

Kate and Humphrey stood in silence for a moment before Humphrey continued.

“You guys don’t need me anymore,” he said. “Stinky is a very capable leader and he’s proven that he can take care of himself and the pack. They’ll be fine without me.”

“Without us.”

“Us?”

“I’m coming with you.”

“You are?”

“You’re right,” Kate said. “They’ll be fine. The pack is safe. Humphrey, we’re both old and have seen আরো than enough action to last a lifetime. I’m ready to settle down and live out my days with you.”

“Man, how are we going to tell everyone?” Humphrey wondered.

“How are আপনি going to tell everyone what?” Stinky suddenly asked as he and the others walked up to Kate and Humphrey.

“Oh, boy,” Humphrey said.

“Humphrey and I have made a decision,” Kate began, “and, well, we’re leaving.”

“What?” Claudette exclaimed.

“We’re leaving the pack,” Humphrey repeated. “You guys don’t need us anymore. The pack is safe, and you’re a very capable leader, Stinky.

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean আপনি have to leave,” Stinky said.

“Where will আপনি go?” Steven asked.

“We’re going to go live with Leyla,” Humphrey replied.

“Where does she live?” Kenya asked.

“Just outside of Shadow Forest,” Humphrey replied, “due west from the Central Region.”

“When are আপনি guys leaving?” Stinky asked.

“Well, we were going to leave fairly soon,” Humphrey answered.

“No,” Stinky said. “You’re not getting away from us that easily. Dad, আপনি saved this pack and the park. আপনি deserve a proper sendoff.”

“It wasn’t just me, Stinky,” Humphrey replied.

“I know. All the আরো reason for us to take a whole দিন for ourselves,” Stinky countered. “We can all just relax, tell some stories, and reminisce about the good old days. Jax, Jonas, and Martin can get the chance to know their uncle.”

“Plus,” Adam chimed in suggestively, “it is your fiftieth birthday tomorrow.

“Thanks guys,” Humphrey ব্যক্ত smiling. “That would be nice.”