re-forming into a human nose and mouth. He was clearly frustrated by his garbled speech. He growled and shook his head violently as if that would speed up his transformation.
Stalkson Grey had moved toward the new arrivals at first alarm. “Redmane. What brings you here looking like a devil is chasing you?”
After a few more seconds, Redmane’s words became intelligible. “Seven of us were stalking game on the foothills. The dragons came.” He was panting, still out of breath. “When we saw them we tried to run, but… they flew close enough to the earth to slash at us with their tails.” He stopped and looked into Grey’s darkening eyes. “It was like they were playing with us. When they flew away, three hunters were dead.”
Stalkson Grey straightened. “Who?”
“Cloudspring. Pathmaker. Jimmy Clear Eyes. Three of our best.” Redmane looked down at the ground. “All had families.”
“Have they been told?”
Redmane glanced up at his alpha, but his eyes went immediately back to the ground in front of him. “No, Alpha. The widows don’t know.”
“Go outside and wait for me.” After the two wolves were outside, Stalkson Grey turned back to the Council. “As you’ve heard, I’m needed. If anything useful could come from the senseless deaths of young wolves, let it be that you make the right decision. We need weapons powerful enough to either exterminate the dragons or persuade them to move on to another world. The New Elk Mountain tribe votes yes. As you are deciding, remember that I’m leaving to attend to our dead and the loved ones left behind by this senseless act.”
As Grey turned to leave he heard one of the First Colony advisors tell SilverRuff that he had warned her the whole Council thing was a mistake. With that the wolves from Grey’s tribe departed for the grim rituals of informing families and arranging funeral rites.
The remaining assembly fell silent for a time after the Elk Mountain wolves were gone. They were, no doubt, each in their own way, contemplating the implications of Lunark werewolves being murdered without provocation.
Liulf and Ken leaned together in a whisper a few seconds before Ken rose and called for a vote.
“As ye all heard, New Elk Mountain votes aye. Likewise, New Scotia says aye.”
There was an immediate uproar as the infuriated First Colony contingent rose to their feet. SilverRuff, while remaining seated, simply raised a hand. Her confidantes begrudgingly took their seats and waited for her to speak.
“We agreed when the Council was formed that a majority vote would win. Two out of three tribes have voted to import weaponry sufficient to eliminate the threat, now confirmed, posed by the dragon shifters. First Colony will honor the vote and abide by the terms of the Council,” she looked pointedly to her right and left at the other First Colonists, “as agreed.
“According to the plan set out by Stalkson Grey, we will await an off-world visitor who might convey our need to those who would give us aid. In the meantime, the young must be always attended and always close to shelter. Hunt and travel only at night. We must exercise great caution if we want to contain the damage. Naturally all Gatherings are suspended until the threat is resolved.
“Anything else?” She looked around the room at the remaining Council members. No one moved or indicated that they had something to add. “We are adjourned. Wait until dark. Carry this news to your tribes.
“Liulf.” Liulf raised his chin when SilverRuff spoke to him directly. “Please send a messenger to your uncle with the news of this decision.”
Liulf nodded once, then leaned over and murmured something to Ken, who, likewise nodded.
CHAPTER 4
Stalkson Grey couldn’t remember a funeral burdened by such a great sorrow. Three very young werewolves struck down before they’d passed so much as a single century. As the one responsible for the migration to Lunark, there was an ugly
Stalkson Grey had moved toward the new arrivals at first alarm. “Redmane. What brings you here looking like a devil is chasing you?”
After a few more seconds, Redmane’s words became intelligible. “Seven of us were stalking game on the foothills. The dragons came.” He was panting, still out of breath. “When we saw them we tried to run, but… they flew close enough to the earth to slash at us with their tails.” He stopped and looked into Grey’s darkening eyes. “It was like they were playing with us. When they flew away, three hunters were dead.”
Stalkson Grey straightened. “Who?”
“Cloudspring. Pathmaker. Jimmy Clear Eyes. Three of our best.” Redmane looked down at the ground. “All had families.”
“Have they been told?”
Redmane glanced up at his alpha, but his eyes went immediately back to the ground in front of him. “No, Alpha. The widows don’t know.”
“Go outside and wait for me.” After the two wolves were outside, Stalkson Grey turned back to the Council. “As you’ve heard, I’m needed. If anything useful could come from the senseless deaths of young wolves, let it be that you make the right decision. We need weapons powerful enough to either exterminate the dragons or persuade them to move on to another world. The New Elk Mountain tribe votes yes. As you are deciding, remember that I’m leaving to attend to our dead and the loved ones left behind by this senseless act.”
As Grey turned to leave he heard one of the First Colony advisors tell SilverRuff that he had warned her the whole Council thing was a mistake. With that the wolves from Grey’s tribe departed for the grim rituals of informing families and arranging funeral rites.
The remaining assembly fell silent for a time after the Elk Mountain wolves were gone. They were, no doubt, each in their own way, contemplating the implications of Lunark werewolves being murdered without provocation.
Liulf and Ken leaned together in a whisper a few seconds before Ken rose and called for a vote.
“As ye all heard, New Elk Mountain votes aye. Likewise, New Scotia says aye.”
There was an immediate uproar as the infuriated First Colony contingent rose to their feet. SilverRuff, while remaining seated, simply raised a hand. Her confidantes begrudgingly took their seats and waited for her to speak.
“We agreed when the Council was formed that a majority vote would win. Two out of three tribes have voted to import weaponry sufficient to eliminate the threat, now confirmed, posed by the dragon shifters. First Colony will honor the vote and abide by the terms of the Council,” she looked pointedly to her right and left at the other First Colonists, “as agreed.
“According to the plan set out by Stalkson Grey, we will await an off-world visitor who might convey our need to those who would give us aid. In the meantime, the young must be always attended and always close to shelter. Hunt and travel only at night. We must exercise great caution if we want to contain the damage. Naturally all Gatherings are suspended until the threat is resolved.
“Anything else?” She looked around the room at the remaining Council members. No one moved or indicated that they had something to add. “We are adjourned. Wait until dark. Carry this news to your tribes.
“Liulf.” Liulf raised his chin when SilverRuff spoke to him directly. “Please send a messenger to your uncle with the news of this decision.”
Liulf nodded once, then leaned over and murmured something to Ken, who, likewise nodded.
CHAPTER 4
Stalkson Grey couldn’t remember a funeral burdened by such a great sorrow. Three very young werewolves struck down before they’d passed so much as a single century. As the one responsible for the migration to Lunark, there was an ugly
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