Akela

Akela is the main character in Wolves and a minor character in Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty And The Beast
These meat-eating predators are shown to be inhabitants of the Black Forest surrounding the Beast's castle, presumably as a part of the Enchantress's spell.

After Maurice gets lost in the forest following his separation from his horse, Philippe, the wolves spot Maurice and immediately chase him all the way to the castle. Even when Maurice manages to get inside past the gate and close it, they still try to get him and one manages to bite his foot, but he still gets away safely. Later on, when Belle runs away from the castle after the Beast frightens her, she is ambushed by the wolves and attacked. During the chase, one of the wolves inadvertently fell into the thin ice of the lake and was stranded, slowing him down from the rest of the pack. The wolves almost kill her, but the Beast turns up, possibly tipped off by Lumière and Cogsworth (who saw Belle leave and alarmed the Beast to save her from the wolves), and fights an entire pack of the wolves. Although they manage to bite him several times, the Beast throws one (possibly the alpha male) against a tree and knocks him out cold, and the rest run off in fright. This is the last they are seen in the film.

Cursed by the enchantress
The Prince still called the house in the woods the Thornton dwelling, even though it had been many years since the Thorntons had lived there.

Once a fine-looking house, (at least by the 18th century's standards), the house was now in a state where no one could possibly live there. The walls were mossy; tiles fell randomly to the effect that you could see bits and pieces of the building's structure. Thorns grew and curled around the windows, which were small and thick with grime.

But the wolves lived there.

A pack of ferocious wolves had been banished from the forest because they hurt too many animals. They were slightly glad of it, for the forest was covered in snow. This place was warm and sunny, and (in their opinion) there was a nice place to live: the Thornton dwelling itself. They lived happily there for a long time...until a revolting turn of events turned their lives upside down.

An enchantress had cursed the Prince. Why it happened, they knew not. But what affected them was the snow. Their paradise was suddenly frozen. Not only that, but food was scarce in the forest. They tried to avenge the enchantress, but when they launched their attack she held an electric shield on the tip of her wand. All the wolves charging her bounced off.

There was nothing left to do...except avenge the Beast.

Attack on the Beast's castle
The wolves continued to live in the Thornton dwelling, where they came up with ideas for their revenge.

This wasn't the first bad thing that happened to them. Another time Santa Claus had visited their home and declared that they were all on his naughty list. He sent them a present anyway, but it was a bomb. Alas, amid the cold it froze and never exploded inside the package.

Another time the enchantress visited them, but the wolves miraculously scared her off. That was because she didn't have her wand with her.

But that was just a day before the Prince's curse. They didn't even execute their revenge plot for about a year. But when they did, it was a beauty...and a failure.

The plot started with the wolves gaining entrance. Cogsworth and Lumiere halted them upon entry, but the wolves bit Cogsworth and sent him running. Although Lumiere managed to burn one of the wolves, another gnawed him and ripped off one of his candle arms.

Meanwhile, the Beast was fuming in the West Wing (like usual). Cogsworth, with a dent in his side, told the Beast the news. The Beast roared that they sound the alarm and promptly counterattack. Cogsworth left and blew the whistle, alerting everyone into action. Mrs. Potts hurried her teacup, which was literally a baby, to the cupboard before joining the fight.

The wolves stepped inside and prowled the front room. And then the furniture attacked.

A mop soaked a wolf's head, and Mrs. Potts poured tea on the commander. Cogsworth, however, turned out to be unarmed and was forced to flee. He promised himself he would get scissors next time the castle was attacked. Cogsworth only hoped that day would never come.

Lumiere used his candle to its fullest. Like Cogsworth, the mop finally found a convenient hiding place. Even the pans and spoons fought to the finish.

After about fifty minutes of fighting, the wolves retreated.

Although the knives had made quick work of two wolves, the rest had survived. They were more upset then ever before. Indeed, Akela felt humiliated that they had been fended off by inanimate objects. "What a shame. Next time, we must devise an intelligent, multi-pronged attack."

The multi-pronged attack on the castle failed miserably. While the servants finally seemed to be at loss, the intervention of the wardrobe and Beast were more than enough to prevail. The wolves were driven out forcibly, and stood outside the gates miserably.

One of the wolves lamented that failure seemed to abound at every turn. Akela agreed and proceeded to set up a patrol.

Pursuit of Maurice and Belle
This patrol lasted for eight years. The spy rushed past the growth, and noticed Maurice and a horse. He's going to the Beast, no doubt, it thought. But if he isn't, oh, how angry Akela will be! As he rushed past to report in, he could swear Maurice turned his head. ''Whew! That was close!''

He found the Thornton dwelling quickly and sounded the war cry. Akela asked him who it was. He said it was an old man with a horse and what was undoubtedly a weapon, mighty yet secretive, under a tarp.

"He must be stopped," said Akela, and asked for the old man's current whereabouts.

Just then, they saw the old man balancing on the edge of a growth and turn back around.

"I never knew there was anything over there," one of them said.

"Whatever," said Akela. "There's the horse. Two of you go after him. We'll take Maurice."

Two of their best tore after the horse. Led by Akela, the rest decided to use surprise as an ally. They proceeded to stalk the forest briefly before revealing themselves.

''This will be easier than I thought. His horse has left him.'' "Charge!" Akela growled.

Maurice gasped before turning to run. Led by Akela, the wolves chased him, primed for capture. Maurice's breaths started to tell his exhaustion. This gave the wolves new energy as they chased him across a log.

And then Maurice tripped off a ledge that the wolves had used as a war post twice. He looked ahead to see the notorious castle the Beast lived in.

And then the wolves stood over him and growled, suggesting that he surrender while Akela asserted their victory. The other wolves roared their agreement. But because Maurice was a human, he knew not what they were saying.

Maurice got to his feet and rushed for the gate. Calling him an insolent coward, Akela tore after him, followed closely by all but two of the pack. Maurice rushed through the gate.

"Quick!" Akela shouted. "Before he closes it!"

The wolves nodded and charged at full speed. However, Maurice slammed the gate shut a split-second before they arrived. All the wolves banged against it, hurting their noses but causing no nosebleed.

Akela noticed a weakness, and went for it. Maurice's foot stuck out of the gate. Using his teeth, he gnawed at Maurice's foot. However, Maurice wedged free and rushed ahead. The wolves barked after him angrily.

"Once again, we have failed," said Akela, turning to the pack. "I am sorry. I'm afraid we need to find a time he'll be leaving. There will be no convenient drop-off then."

The wolves nodded.

"I think we should see how the other two are doing," said one.

Akela nodded. "Hopefully, they had better fortune than us."

They returned to the Thornton dwelling, and were surprised to see the two wolves were already there. They miserably reported their failure to make the horse their supper. One of them explained to Akela that they would have chased the horse further, but heeded their leader's warning to not enter the city beyond. The location of people.

Akela understood, as his own team had failed in their objective. "But this time, we have a backup plan. The horse will return sometime. Maurice will have to leave the castle eventually. And when he does, we'll be ready for him!"

Less than five minutes later, the horse returned, this time with a girl riding it and wearing a dark-blue jacket. No doubt she was a friend of the old man's.

Then she climbed off her horse and disappeared behind the gate. The wolves realized they had to stop her, and quickly.

"Not yet," said the leader. "There must be a way to find out who she is. And we need to know why she's here."

Skirmish
The girl never came out. However, the old man was taken away in a walking cell. Not knowing it was him, the wolves did not even try to stop it.

However, a few days later Belle escaped the castle with the horse. Akela saw them go. When he realized she was riding the horse, he ordered pursuit.

As quick as lightning, the wolves tore out, scaring away a flock of peacocks in the process. They found Belle quickly, who was doing circles with her horse.

"Surrender, you fat bitch!" said one.

"Watch your language," said Akela briefly scolded the wolf for using foul language and, making a face at Belle, called for attack position.

The wolves did as they were told&hellip; and then Belle took off. Akela shouted for them to follow her, insisting they stop the horse at any cost. The wolves tore after her, rushing below several trees. Belle's horse broke through a branch. They never learn... The horse had made an opening for them. It rushed off a ledge.

The wolves rushed off the ledge, landing precisely. They charged again. Akela noticed with approval that one of the wolves had used the ledge as a fulcrum for overhead speed. It quickly caught up and started nipping at the horse's heels.

The others caught up quickly, only for Belle to slam the same wolf against a tree. The rest charged, claws tearing chunks of snow away. To win, every obstacle had to be turned into an advantage.

Suddenly, Belle and her horse plummeted through the ice and into a shallow lake that had frozen over a decade ago. The wolves didn't stop; they rushed across the ice crack and continued their pursuit.

One of the wolves fell into the icy water. Akela turned and saw it was trapped. It shouted at them to go ahead, promising it would catch up.

Akela seemed reluctant, but upon remembering what caused a major casualty the second time they attacked the Beast's castle, took off with the rest. One of them had found a shortcut to clear space the horse hadn't crossed.

Ahead, Belle and her horse rushed into an open space.

Thanks to the shortcut, the wolves appeared in front of her and not behind and in pursuit. Victory an inch away, they all growled maliciously.

Shocked, Belle tumbled off the horse and landed in the snow. The horse's rein slapped over a tree branch and somehow tied itself there.

"Keep on the horse!" Akela shouted. "We'll get the girl!"

The wolves started barking at the horse, who started backing away in vain. One climbed on, its teeth angled to bite...and then a stick moved forward and knocked it off. The wolf fell into the snow.

Belle had gotten up and seized a smooth tree branch. The wolves regrouped, and Belle held her stick en guarde. One of them made a lunge for her foot, but she drew back. Akela wondered if she could use it well. Grunting, she began to swing her weapon in random directions. After dodging another strike aimed at its head, the wolf next to Akela grabbed the stick with its teeth and wedged it in two. It flung the larger half aside, which had caught in its mouth.

Smiling, Akela tackled Belle, knocking her over. "Our next meal is here!" he said. "A triumph of wolf over horse! Help yourselves!"

One of the wolves started gnawing at her cape, the last obstacle in the way of her highly edible flesh&hellip;the others were welcome to start on the horse&hellip;

And suddenly, a massive arm swept it away.

Akela growled in shock. He looked ahead to see the Beast slam the first offender into the snow. The Beast stood menacingly over Belle. "Prince Adams," Akela growled in Wolf. "We meet again." He licked his lips. "If we can't have Human for supper, we'll have Beast meat instead!" Akela decided it was time for a third attempt. The wolves had already resumed position. "Your furniture isn't here to save you this time." With nothing more to be said, he shouted, "Charge!"

The wolves charged. The Beast hunched over, flailing his arms and knocking another wolf aside. Akela joined the charge, and before long the wolves pigpiled their opponent, knocking the Beast to the floor. While Belle stood by with horror, the Beast rolled on the ground, trying to wedge free.

Eventually, the Beast got up and attempted to knock the wolves off him. And then Akela was on him, digging his teeth deep into the Beast's shoulder. The monster howled in pain, and began to swing at the wolves with its arms. Suddenly, it lashed out and slammed Akela against a tree, knocking him cold.

Seeing their leader go down, the other wolves ran away, hoping their vicious assault had been enough. After galloping for at least a mile, one of the wolves suggested they stop. Elated, the wolves agreed. One suggested they should go back for Akela.

The enchantment lifts
The battle was over. Now the wolves had led another tragic loss, this time caused by interference.

Akela recovered and found the rest of the pack at the Thornton Dwelling. The transpiring events had led to a change of heart for him. He apologized for putting them through everything and acknowledged that fighting is not the only answer. "Just because we've been iced over doesn't mean we need to kill whoever supports the Prince."

All the wolves nodded.

"And word has it the spell will be broken soon. With that, everything will be as it was before."

Everyone clapped with their paws.

As the wolves had predicted, the snow began to thaw the very next day. And by the end of the following week, the grass returned in full flower.

A wolf saw it from the window of the Thornton dwelling and reported the absence of the snow.

Akela walked over. "So it has! Let's go outside and see if it's warmer now." He stepped outside. The warm air brushed on his fur, and he was wowed. Akela shouted for joy. It was at least sixty degrees outside.

The wolves stepped forward. One by one, they came outside and felt the warmth too. Warmth they had not experienced for a decade. Plants were growing, and birds sang.

"And we no longer need to leave the forest to steal food," said Akela. "There will be plenty of food for all!"

Akela's apology
Afterwards, the wolves ventured to the castle. Belle saw them coming.

The Prince opened the door and pointed out the pack of wolves who had made three attempts on his life.

As head of the pack, Akela hung his head and growled. He felt sad for the damage they had caused, and begged for the Prince's forgiveness in the only language he knew.

"I don't know what he's saying," said the Prince. "Cogsworth, do you have a piece of paper and a quill I can use?"

"Right away, Master," he said. He disappeared into the same room he had tried to prevent Maurice from entering earlier, and came out. "Here you go!"

The Prince put it on the ground. "I'm sorry, but I don't speak Wolf. Can you write it down on the paper my loyal servant has brought you?"

Akela took the quill and held it in his jaws. Craning his head, he wrote five large letters across the sheet. He barked briefly, and the Prince read it. The letters spelled the word "SORRY" on it.

"Oh, it's OK!" said the Prince. "I'm sorry we caused the curse on you as well. It was my fault. Feel free to visit us anytime."

Touched by the Prince's forgiveness, Akela nodded, and beckoned the wolves to leave. They all rushed out to frolic in the summer warmth.