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"Alpha," the wolf guide said, bowing to a large, black-furred wolf, who was sitting on the ground. The group that'd been following him was kept back at a respectful distance. "We found trespassers travelling through our lands. They had the Others with them, two to be precise. We have brought them to you."

"Very good, Knja'ju," the alpha said, standing up to look at the group. "Go rejoin the village for Last Meal."

"Yes Alpha," Knja'ju nodded, leaving then to rejoin his fellows at the fire. The other wolves just dispersed, leaving Kar'na and his group alone with the wolf alpha.

"So," the alpha said, briefly surveying the white wolf. "Knja'ju tells me you were trespassing in our lands. And not only in our lands, but bringing two of the Others as well."

The alpha's eyes flicked to the side, where a russet-furred fox was saying something to the group in general in an unknown language. Though it was consider an insult to speak while the alpha was speaking, the black-furred wolf let it slide. These were foreigners, not expected to know the customs of the wolf.

"That is true, alpha," the other wolf nodded, eyes cast respectfully downwards. This one knew how to deal with a pack. "My friends and I were on our way to the Assassin's Guild hall, just in-"

"I know of it," the alpha cut him off. "And I also know assassins frequently cross our lands, to and from the home of the Others. But never in so great of numbers and never with some of the Others in tow."

"They are friends, alpha," the assassin said, eyes still cast down. "They were instrumental in helping some of the enslaved from down south. They wish for refuge in Arlea."

"Refuge, eh?" the alpha asked, surveying the reptilian citizens. "And you say they helped free some of the enslaved? Where are these enslaved? I would speak to them."

"This is them, alpha," the white wolf said, gesturing to the group. "They were all in a mine in the-"

"What?!" the alpha barked in surprise. "You mean to tell me they had Ch'kiliil enslaved!? And not only Ch'kiliil, but brother wolves?"

"Yes alpha," the assassin nodded. "So is the custom of the Others."

The alpha flicked his ears and huffed, thinking. After a minute, he shook his head and turned to the group of slaves.

"Which one of you is the leader?" he asked.

The slaves stared at him with a blank expression and the alpha stared at them for a second, before turning to the wolf assassin.

"Are they slow?" he asked. "Why do they not respond?"

"They don't understand you alpha," the white-furred wolf said. "If I may be allowed to interpret for them?"

"Please do."

The wolf turned to the group and said something. Almost simultaneously, all their eyes turned to look at the young grey-furred wolf standing near the fox. The fox pushed him forwards and the alpha smiled. They viewed a wolf as the head of their pack. It was as it should be.

"You were a slave? Have I been told correctly?"

The white wolf repeated something and the young one nodded and said something. The alpha waited for the translation.

"Yes my lord, we were slaves in the Man'ahjit mine down in the south."

"How did you get free?"

Another pause.

"We escaped in a massive storm. We were almost caught, but leapt into the river. That's where Myra and Aryn found us."

"Who?" the alpha asked, turning back to the white-furred wolf.

"That is the name given to the reptilian siblings," his interpretor explained. "Myra and Aryn Sanvar'a."

The alpha nodded and turned back to the grey furred wolf, his ice-blue eyes scouring the wolf, looking for weakness. "Have you a name, boy?"

"Kiri," was the answer.

"And I am K'injyu," the alpha answered, smiling at the younger wolf. "How long have you been freed?"

The white wolf translated this to Kiri. He thought about for a minute, before hesitantly hedging an answer.

"Thirty days perhaps?"

"Hmm," K'injyu said, before looking over at the white wolf and back to the other group. "Well, then I have something to say..."

The group's leader translated this and Kiri waited for the alpha to continue.

"Welcome!" the alpha cried, making everybody flinch. "Welcome to our home. You and your party are welcome to stay until night and nightfall. Then we'll help you on your journey."

The white wolf translated this excitedly and the group cheered, hugging each other and generally acting excited.

"If..." K'injyu continued with a twinkle in his eyes, quieting the group almost instantly. "You tell the tribe your story."

"So," K'injyu said later, going to sit by the white wolf assassin, who was sitting off to the side of the festivities. "What's your story?"

The entire tribe, minus the few on watch duty, was sitting around the fire pit, staring riveted at Kiri's story, via his translator Svara and another wolf with a little experience at Skjanja, the language of the Falskin.

"Mine?" the wolf seemed distinctly surprised at being asked. "Why do you want to know?"

"I like a good tale," the alpha shrugged. "And I have a feeling an individual as battle marked as you would have a few to share."

The wolf barked a laugh.

"More than my fair share," he admitted. "I've seen a lot in my twenty-three years. I've even been to the camp before. What happened to I'reenu?"

"He lost favour with the tribe," alpha K'injyu shrugged. "In the traditional fight, I overpowered him and he chose to go into self-exile. I don't know where. Maybe I'll be able to place you. What's your name?" "Kar'na" the wolf replied, smiling a small smile at him. "I'm Kar'na. Also known to some as the White Wolf of Winterwrath."

"Winterwrath?" K'injyu asked with a wince. "You were there? Were you sold as a slave too?"

"No," Kar'na said, eyes going hollow. "But I _was_the sole survivor."

"I'm sorry," the alpha said quietly after a brief pause. "I didn't mean to open those memories. That must've been quite...traumatic."

"It's fine," Kar'na said, though he still looked as though he'd seen the ghosts of his past. "That's a story I'd rather not tell, just the same."

The alpha nodded and leaned back with the wolf, listening to Kiri's tale. The young grey wolf was just describing their encountering Myra and Aryn.

The tribe just couldn't seem to keep their attention off the siblings. The only Falskin most of them had ever encountered were the ones who raided and killed in the night. To find two that were actually friendly and talkative was odd to them to say the least.

"So where did you place in all this?" K'injyu asked, gesturing to Kiri. "How did one such as you simply end up helping a bunch of enslaved? I know your guild. You all don't care about those not of it. So why help them?"

"I had actually just completed a mission," Kar'na explained. "Assassinating an individual who killed Ch'kiliil just to skin them."

"Skin them?" K'injyu asked, clearly abhorred. "Why would anyone sink to such a depraved and horrible act?"

"Because there's money in it," Kar'na said sadly. "Nobody's immune to the powers of greed. It's just the sad state of affairs on the world. Ch'kiliil are not perfect either. I've hunted and killed those who sold our own into slavery. Ch'kiliil kidnapping and selling brother and sister Ch'kiliil."

The tribe gave a gasp to Kiri's story. He had just been telling of them running into their former guards and Jarris's betrayal.

"That's deplorable," alpha K'injyu said, shaking his head. "That people could sink so far."

"It's pretty despicable," Kar'na sighed. "And though I love fair Arlea, it is not perfect either. Neither are the Ch'kiliil. I mean, what's the most powerful group in Arlea? A group of killers."

The alpha barked out a laugh at this statement and slapped Kar'na on the back.

"That is true," he agreed. "Though they're far from what they could be. The guild uses what it does to gain a greater foothold and combat the threat of the Others. Were it not for your organization, Arlea may have fallen a long time hence."

"Maybe," Kar'na said thoughtfully. "Our guild was founded after the rediscovering of the Falskin threat. And we deal mostly in Falskin, hunting down only those of our own who have betrayed us to them."

"As is right," K'injyu nodded. "We should not be hunting our own, especially not in this time of war and destruction..."

He trailed, off ears perked high. Kar'na trained his own ears searching for the noise. There it was, far in the distance, a lone howl.

Another howl sounded, much, much closer, relaying the first one. A warning. They were in danger.

"Hunters," K'injyu said grimly. "They followed you in."

"We can run," Kar'na said, forcing himself to his feet. "We'll get them to bypass the tribe."

"No," K'injyu growled. "We will fight. Your pack is too injured and tired to outrun them. And these ones will find you if you hide. No, we will fight them off."

"I can't ask you to do that," Kar'na said, staring the slightly taller wolf chieftain in the eyes.

"Then don't," K'injyu said with a small smile. "We will fight them off. No one gets away with trespass. It's a matter of pride."

"At least allow me to help," Kar'na said. "I cannot stay here in good conscience while you risk yourself and your own for us."

K'injyu pursed his lips, before nodding his assent.

"Fine," he said. "You may come. I have a feeling that you'd show up either way. I'll leave behind some of the pack to take care of your friends."

He turned to the tribe, which was looking at him expectantly. Kiri had stopped his story a while ago and blended back in with the others. Though he was far from done, as a wolf, he could instinctively grasp what that howl meant.

"Friends!" the alpha cried to the tribe. "These trespassers on our borders are after our new companions! As the young Kiri has been telling, these individuals have fought their way through whatever the world could throw at them and beyond to get here. The people at our border now are here to drag them back! Will we let them?"

A resounding negative chorus echoed behind, punctuated by fierce howls.

"Then let's go!" K'injya said, emphasizing his point with a howl of war. The tribe echoed this and took off after the black-furred alpha, leaving behind only the group, with a few male warriors and women and children as well.

"Stay here!" Kar'na said to the group. "I'll be back!"

With that, he took off after the tribe. Soon, he caught up with them, as they dodged and weaved through the forest. The multitude of their footsteps made barely a whisper as they moved along.

Too soon, they found themselves near the main path. One of the wolf scouts, a little quieter than the rest of the pack, split off and went to the left.

Approaching from that same direction, apparently having no clue of the wolf tribe's concealed location, was a large squad of armoured Falskin. Mixed in with their ranks, were two or three wolves, apparently there to help track down the entire group. Every single Falskin seemed edgy, eyes roving the treetops and bushes, apparently not seeing the wolves.

The scout who'd broken off picked up a stick from the ground and cracked it. Though he was about a hundred yards south of the wolves, the sound was clearly audible.

Every Falskin head turned in that direction and the tribe silently rushed onto the main path, to assemble a wall of people in front of the reptilians.

One of the soldiers turned back to go down the path and jumped back with a curse when he saw the wall of wolves. The rest of the squad turned to see and a large amount of them twitched, cursed or gasped. A few dropped their weapons.

"Be warned," Alpha K'injyu growled to the squad of reptilians who were staring at him and the wolves open-mouthed. "You are trespassing in Wolf Clan territory. Leave now and we will let you live."

The reptilians stared at him for a minute before stepping forwards and speaking. He didn't speak in Wolfspeak, instead talking in a language he actually knew.

"Wolf," he said. "My men and I cannot understand you. But you are interfering with our mission. Leave us!"

"What'd he say?" Alpha K'injyu asked, turning to look at Kar'na. Though the white wolf hated to do it, he stepped forwards, knowing the reptilians would now have a target on them.

"I'll translate for you my lord," Kar'na said, before switching over to Skjanja and repeating the same thing to the Falskin commander.

"And why would we trust you, wolf?" the reptilian spat at Kar'na. "You, an assassin, who by your very training, is to work from shadow. How can we trust that you'll translate accurately?"

"Because the wolves here have plans to slaughter you anyways," Kar'na said pointedly. "Diplomacy can be reached here. I promise, on my word as the White Wolf of Winterwrath, to translate fairly and accurately."

The reptilian glared at him for another second before nodding. "Right wolf. Let's get to it then, shall we? Wolves! You are interfering with Falskin business! Begone and let us arrest the fugitives we came for!"

Kar'na translated this and K'injyu's face tightened.

"Never in a million moons," he snarled. "These ones have journeyed through Knjul itself to get here. You have no rights to them."

Kar'na translated and the reptilian captain stared at him quizzically.

"Knjul?" he asked.

Kar'na almost translated this, but realized that it was a question he himself could answer. Probably would've been a little embarrassing otherwise.

"Knjul is the wolf belief of hell," Kar'na explained. "An ultimate pit of despair, torment and death. Betrayers and murderers get sent there."

"Then you should enjoy the people you'll meet down there," the captain sneered, before turning back to K'injyu. "You fail to understand. I have my orders. I will remove whatever gets in my way of carrying out those orders. Namely, wolves who dare stand in my way."

"And we will slay any trespassers," K'injyu replied, accentuating his point with a growl. "Namely, reptilians who outstay their welcome."

"Well then my men and I shall be very brief. Turn over the fugitives...and we'll go..."

One of K'injyu's ears flicked and an arrow flew past his shoulder to impale in the captain's stomach. The reptilian staggered backwards, tumbling to the dirt, gasping.

"That was your warning shot," K'injyu said calmly as the reptilians bared their weapons. "That wound will not be fatal. But remain here and the next one will be. I suggest you leave."

"Never," the reptilian captain ground out. "Soldiers! Attack!"

"I was afraid he'd say that," Kar'na muttered as Knjul itself broke loose.

The tribe split apart and disappeared into the forest, where they'd be a more effective fighting force. The Falskin started after them in the woods, but were clearly not prepared for bush-fighting. Their heavy armour weighed them down and gave people a pretty clear sense of where they were.

One of the soldiers flew upside-down, a triggered noose wrapped around his ankle. Another guard fell into a pit full of spikes that'd been covered with leaves. A third pushed aside a vine and was shot by an arrow from another trap.

The soldiers staggered to a stop, carefully scanning the woods before them for more traps. And this is when the wolves struck.

One of the soldiers, a simple footsoldier, received an arrow to the neck, right in the most vulnerable spot. He fell to the ground, dead before he impacted. That single arrow triggered a reaction as arrows rained down on the guards from the trees, where the mostly non-engaged scouts had hidden. Within less than a minute, all were dead, dying or injured.

"This is all of them," K'injyu said, looking over the pile of bodies. "All of them except those that lived."

Kar'na nodded. There were about twenty bodies on the pile, all that was left of the squad that had pursued them.

"And the prisoner?" Kar'na asked, glancing over at the trembling Falskin who was over to the side, bound hand and foot with two wolves standing careful guard over him. His armour had been confiscated by the wolves, leaving him on his knees in little more than what the wolves themselves wore.

"We'll send him back," K'injyu shrugged. "With a message. Come, Kar'na, I have need of a translator."

"Yes alpha."

The six foot seven, black-furred wolf alpha loomed over the prisoner. The terrified emerald-green reptilian looked up in fear as K'injyu got down to one knee in front of him, to be almost at head-height.

"You're aware that you're the sole survivor, yes?"

Kar'na translated this and the Falskin glanced over at him before making his reply.

"Yes my lord."

"And you are aware the Wolf Clan does not take prisoners?"

The Falskin trembled and nodded, a tear sliding out of his eye.

"Then," K'injyu said, drawing a bone knife. "That's all there is for it."

He slashed and the reptilian flinched, eyes jerking closed. He opened them a second later to see that, strangely enough, he was not dead. Instead, his arms were now free, the rope now severed. However, he was still far from assured. K'injyu looked menacing.

"I'm not dead?" he asked in confusion.

"No," K'injyu answered when the translation came through. "And you're not dying today. I have a purpose for you yet."

He stood to his feet as one of the guards cut the binds around the Falskin's legs.

"I need you to deliver a message," the wolf said. "That my people are not to be messed with. And take this arrow. Tell your commander that no one will be spared these should they ever be seen to trespass again."

The Falskin nodded frantically, accepting the arrow and racing off back the way he came.

"That might just provoke them," Kar'na muttered.

"Good," K'injyu smiled. "I hope it does. Until then, you and your friends are most welcome to spend the night here. In the morning, I'll travel with you to the guild."

The night was filled with activity. The Wolf tribals put out a bounty of food for their visitors from down south. All styles of Ch'kiliil food were put before them, namely to say, raw meat. Lots of it.

The Ch'kiliil group seemed excited at this and clearly enjoyed it, while the Falskin siblings equally as clearly seemed revolted. They weren't even touching the large amount of food that the wolves laid before them.

"Hey," Kar'na said, sitting down beside them. "What's the matter? Not hungry?"

Myra smiled weakly. "Not for this stuff, Kar'na. It doesn't quite...agree with our palates. Do they have any cooked meat? Or fruit and vegetables even?"

"Sorry kiddo," Kar'na smiled. "Those types of food don't agree with us any more than raw meat agrees with you. As a species, we find your food...disagreeable."

"Really?" Aryn asked, surprised. "So your people'd rather eat meat like animals than cook it?"

Kar'na's expression cooled minutely, though Aryn didn't notice.

"Yeah," he said. "We don't eat cooked meat. I mean, I do. But only when in Parai, for appearances sake. I really don't like it."

He stood up and smiled at them.

"But after going through Parai, being forced to eat your food, I can understand not liking something and not wanting to have it. I'll go find some fruit. Be back in a while."

He headed off, determined to find some fruits and vegetables for the young Falskin. Meanwhile, not far away from them, Kiri was wrapped in an avid discussion between himself, Wraith, Svara, K'injyyu and Knja'ju, the scout that found them.

"So you never knew where you came from?" Knja'ju asked Kiri, via his proxy, Svara. "At all? No one ever told you?"

"Socialization wasn't really encouraged by the slavers," Kiri said as Svara translated. "They wanted us to be in the dark and hopeless. Would prevent our escape."

"You escaped anyways though," K'injyu pointed out. "I suppose their system wasn't as well thought out as they would've hoped."

"It most certainly was not," Wraith said. "But we still would never have left without a push from Svara here. He helped get us out of there."

Svara hesitated, but translated anyways looking sheepish. Kiri was surprised. Svara was the last person in the world he would've thought to be modest about what he did. He usually was the most arrogant.

K'injyu ruffled the younger fox's fur and smiled at him, saying something in Wolfspeak that Svara didn't translate. That didn't matter to Kiri.

"So, you all escaped Parai," K'injyu said a minute later, wrapping up his conversation with Svara. "Do you think you would've been able to without help?"

"No," Kiri and Wraith answered simultaneously, before Kiri continued on solo. "We owe most of our freedom to Kar'na. Had it not been for him, we would've been dead in Simil, the first city we entered. We were captured by a Flayer."

"Jarris, right?" Knja'ju asked.

Kiri nodded.

"So Kar'na helped you all through Parai?" K'injyu asked. "Under no obligations whatsoever? He just helped you?"

"Yeah," Kiri answered, looking at K'injyu strangely. "Under no real obligations. He's a good enough person to rescue us without another motive."

"I suppose," the alpha said, leaning back. "Kar'na has a bearing of such. A noble individual. He would drop whatever he was doing to help people. I'm just a little surprised there aren't more of you. I would've thought he would free whatever slave he came across."

"He sort of...did," Kiri said, thinking back. "He helped a group of slaves we met in the underworks of the arena. And he helped that jaguar, J'inuan. They all made it across the border thanks to him."

"Curious," K'injyu said. "Well, Kiri, you and your friends have a most powerful story. Keep it and use it. The emotions in that story will translate well into strength, if you build on it."

Though Svara translated, Kiri still didn't seem to understand. Nor did the Alpha really expect him to.

"Get some rest," K'injyu bid. "You have some more travelling tomorrow."

The former slaves all nodded in agreement. Kar'na walked by, completely overladen with fruit, and the others stared at him curiously.

"Why...?" Knja'ju asked in confusion.

"Probably best not to ask," Kiri grinned. "I don't even pretend to understand Kar'na all the time."

All the assembled burst into laughter and K'injyu stood up.

"Well," he said, a kind smile on his face. "I'm retiring for the night. Goodnight, everyone."

"Goodnight Alpha."

The morning came fast. Too fast for Kiri's liking, but he still awoke refreshed. Which is why, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed...so to speak...he was ready to go.

However, it seemed that the rest of the party wasn't quite so awake. Myra and Aryn were both seeming to have trouble waking up, Kytra was nowhere to be found, along with Wraith and Svara, and Ari was being woken up by Knja'ju. The wolves were already all awake and bustling around.

Kar'na had warned Kiri that the tribals would've been awake, but it was still neat to say.

"Hey sunshine," Kar'na greeted, a smile on his face, golden eyes wide awake. "Ready to go?"

Kiri grunted and sat upright, looking around the clearing. Kytra was just re-emerging from the woods, where he'd apparently been. He walked over to Knja'ju and Ari, joining with their conversation.

"If everyone else is," Kiri yawned. "These guys are so nice Kar'na."

"Don't let them get your guard down," Kar'na advised. "Yeah, the tribes aren't nice, but most are very xenophobic."

"Zeno...what?"

"Not important," Kar'na shook his head. "I simply meant that they don't trust outsiders. The only reason we're still alive is that I know this tribe. Well, that, and we were refugees. Though their hospitality is absolute, I still want to continue on."

"Alright," Kiri said, getting to his feet.

"That's the spirit. I'll go gather the others. If all goes according to plan, we should reach the Guild's Headquarters by this eve. Tomorrow, many of the recruits are going to be promoted to novices. And I hope to be there."

With that, the white-furred assassin headed off, beginning to gather the others. A shadow appeared over Kiri, and he looked up. There, K'injyu was looking down, a smile across his muzzle.

"Gara Kiri," he greet. "Kora shtray tasa? Tu wulf tufra, shi."

"I have no idea what you're saying, Alpha," Kiri explained, eyes averred in respect. K'injyu laughed and helped Kiri to his feet, before walking off to go speak to Kar'na.

Kar'na listened to the big Alpha for a bit, nodded, then turned to look over the group, most of whom now seemed to be assembled. Kytra seemed to be having a tad bit of trouble extricating himself from a mob of wolf pups, who seemed curious about their visitors.

"Alright team," Kar'na said, raising his voice slightly and clapping once. "While we indeed owe the tribe much and thank them for their hospitality, it is time for us to move on."

The group cheered, and the wolves howled, even though almost all of them had absolutely no idea what Kar'na was saying.

"So, in that regard, we best get a move on. We'll be finishing the journey through Wolf territories, before ascending Viper's Walk. Their, we can arrive at the guild. Hopefully, by mid-afternoon."

He looked to each of their faces individually, before nodding once, satisfied with his group.

"So, each of you grab a bag of supplies, and we'll be off."

And with that, they were.