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Draw The Line

Written By: Spudz

The shadows of the tall evergreens cast the snowy ground in splintered shadows. A full moon hung low on the horizon tonight, its eerie glow keeping the darkness of night at bay.

The wolves always said a night like this breathed new life into the pack, that the energy of the moon's radiance held the blessing of Marlois. And Araki believed them, for the bond had taken on a new life. The energy became palpable, building and building until all she wanted to do was tilt her head back and howl at the stars alongside her packmates.

That roiling energy smoldered in the back of her thoughts as she picked her way carefully through the trees. In the otherwise muted stillness of the forest, only the soft footfalls of her paws crunching through the dry snow reached the husky's ears. Not a step behind her Doko followed, his movement muffled by a skill only the wolves could master.

Their target loomed some distance away as a fuzzy aura in the husky's mind--Shishu and her son Rehato. The two cheetahs shouldn't be out here this late. It's too cold. Far too cold.

Another few bounding steps brought her right to the edge of the target clearing. She halted with her back up against a tree for cover and took a moment to steady her breath. The situation warranted caution even though Shishu had been, in days past, the only friendly face in Northpoint. Araki had no way of knowing if circumstances had changed since their last encounter.

Doko held himself motionless at her side as she slowly peeked around the trunk of the tree. The distinct clack of two stones banging together in rhythmic, frantic fashion couldn't be mistaken. When Araki's eyes caught her target, she found Shishu huddled over a barren patch of ground trying in vain to start a fire. The small scattering of twigs at the feline's paws spoke of her desperation.

An oversized coat obscured the cheetah's small frame as she worked the stones together in futile effort. Even with the protective clothing, she shook with the discomfort the night's chill brought, her short feline fur proving next to useless in the cold. Without a fire the danger of freezing to death was all too real for both her and her son, who stood nearby with arms clasped around his chest trying to put on a brave front.

Shishu had lived up here long enough to know the dangers of roughing it out in the wilderness. This was, simply put, reckless. Araki didn't like the implications one bit. There had to be a good reason for her to abandon the safety of Northpoint.

<What do you think?> Doko's mindspeak carried a wary edge to it. He kept his profile low at her side, his motionless black form taking on the semblance of a rock. <I don't recall any anthros from the village staying out here this late.>

<Nor do I,> Araki mindspoke, keeping to the quiet of the night. <It's not like Shishu to take risks like this.>

<Do you suspect a trap?>

Araki weighted the idea for a long pause. <No. This doesn't seem right. Why would she venture out now? It's dangerous for her. Deadly, even. She knows that.>

<But if she was compelled to come here as a way to draw us out?> Doko's concern was valid.

<Stay here.> Araki started to move away from the tree. A tug on her arm stopped her short.

Doko held her with a gentle bite. <I don't like this. Please wait for the pack.>

<It's best if I make contact alone. I know Shishu. Her intentions aren't hostile.>

After a long hesitant moment, the black wolf released her arm and stepped back. His eyes showed his unease. But he trusted her judgment. <Just be careful.>

She nodded and took a step out into the open.

The cheetah didn't notice Araki's approach at first, so caught up in her futile fire-starting efforts as she was. Only Rehato's surprised mewl jolted his mother back to her surroundings just as the husky ghosted into view out of the forest.

"Gods above! Araki!" Shishu very nearly leapt from her crouching position to pounce on the husky, wrapping her up in an overjoyed hug. "I can't believe it's you."

Araki held the cheetah, feeling the relief wash over the cat in her arms. She'd never seen Shishu so shaken. Even Rehato, who decided to stay at arm's length, couldn't keep his elation at bay.

After a long moment Shishu reluctantly pulled away. "Look at me." She held up her shaking hands, clearly disgusted with herself. "I'm a right mess. I'm sorry for getting all emotional on you like this."

Araki stopped her with a hand on the shoulder. "Don't be." A snap of the husky's mind brought the scattering of firewood to a nice even flame, lighting up the surrounding tree trunks in dancing shadows of light. The warmth that followed put the cat more at ease. "What happened? Why are you out here like this?"

"The Tukor." Shishu spat the word like a curse, taking on more of her typical animated self for a brief moment. "They came without warming."

"More bloodtails?"

"No." The cat looked over her shoulder toward Northpoint. "I... I'm not sure what they were. I didn't have time to... to see. Just another night in the tavern. The townsfolk were pouring on the drink to celebrate a good day in the mines. It almost felt like things had gotten back to normal." She saw how Araki flinched at her words and ducked her head, averting her gaze. "As normal as could be, I guess." She sighed to steady herself. "I just remember shouting. I'm not sure who it was. Someone said there was an approaching army on the road. The patrons didn't give me time to think. All I remember is being rushed out the back door by the arm. They gave me their coats, whatever they could tear off their own backs." She held up her arms to show how the heavy clothing hardly fit her tiny frame. "Someone pushed Rehato into my arms and told me to run."

Araki tried to keep her voice level. "Did they see you?"

"Soldiers started chasing us," Shishu went on, shuddering as she pulled Rehato close. He didn't protest. "I don't know how many. We ran as fast as we could. No belongings, nothing. Just ran for the trees. I could feel them on me. Breathing down my neck. Several of them, heavily armored, shouting in a foreign language. We managed to lose them," she looked back reflexively, "I hope we did."

The husky followed her gaze and immediately reached out with her mind to touch the barrier weave facing the town. Nothing else had passed through. Nothing lingered along the weave's border. "You're safe. No one followed you into the woods."

Araki's conviction in her statement didn't go unnoticed by Shishu. "How can you be sure? Gods, Araki, where have you been?" Her long tail lashed about beneath the cape of her oversized coat. "What happened to you? Why are you here now?" She let go of Rehato and brought her arms up. But the motion ended as a gesture unsure of what it was supposed to be. "I... don't know. Haven take me! I'm out in the bloody fucking woods, chased from my home. Going to starve to death if we don't freeze first or get killed!" All of the emotions boiled over as Shishu dropped to her knees to look down at her useless hands balled into fists. "Why did this happen?"

Araki joined the cheetah on her knees, draping an arm around the smaller feline to steady her. "We'll find a way to make this right."

Shishu motioned angrily to the trees around her. "How? Go storming back into Northpoint and take on an entire army? Can you do that? Can you drive them from the village? Gods preserve us. I know you're a spellweaver, but surely they have the same sort ready to meet the likes of you in battle."

"Araki's not alone."

The husky started. She hadn't even sensed Koov's approach through the bond. The malinois stepped into view through the trees, sporting the undergarments that typically complemented his armor, much like Araki's own appearance.

When the husky's eyes met his, he nodded ever so slightly as his voice whispered in her head. <The pack's holding back. I convinced the alphas to let us deal with this for the moment.>

"Koov!" Shishu's despair vanished as she bounded over to wrap the dog up in a hug no less joyous and relieved than the one she'd given Araki. "Gods, it's good to see you!"

Koov absorbed her momentum as best he could. "Good to see you in good health, Shishu. I came as quickly as I could when I heard what had happened."

The cat looked between the two canines, blinking. "I never expected to find you both. I never thought. Just hoped if we ran north of the village. I didn't know where else I could go." The reality hit home for her. "They will never take me or my son. The things I heard. The gruesome stories from the traders." She shuddered, unable to finish the thought as Rehato clung to her leg.

"Don't think about what could've been," Koov spoke, holding her still. "All that matters is you're not alone out here."

Shishu nodded dumbly, slowly removing herself from the malinois. "It just happened so fast."

"Do you remember what they looked like? Maybe what armor and weapons they carried?" She chewed on her lip and then shook her head. "Was there any spellweaving?" The cheetah shook her head again.

Koov stole a glance to Araki. "I don't like this one bit. Are they after us? Doesn't sound like more bloodtails."

"Shishu wouldn't have escaped if there had been any," the husky agreed. A grim thought to be sure.

"They were not heavily armored." Everyone turned toward Rehato, who recoiled back after he had gathered the nerve to speak up. "I saw them coming down the road when I was tending to the horses."

He didn't venture anything more until Koov placed a reassuring hand on the cheetah's shoulder. "Do you know what the armor looked like? Maybe what species they were?"

"I think it was chainmail. None of them had the same armor patterns and colors." He made an exaggerated elliptical motion with his hands. "They had large wooden shields shaped like this with a big red hand symbol painted on the front. I think... I think I saw some dingos... foxes... and dogs like you."

Koov's grim nod showed he had reached the same conclusion as Araki. "Auxillia."

The husky had many dealings with the Bloodhand Auxillia, which made up the outer echelons of the Tukor military. Most of the ranks consisted of lesser noble families and commonfolk not of the true blood. Enlistment into the Auxillia ranks offered the reward of citizenship rights only enjoyed by a privileged few, and many Tukor chose to answer that call even though said enlistment ended in death more often than not.

"Bloody fools," Koov spat. "The lot of them. Always the first to enter battle, and the first to die."

Araki explained what they were up against to Shishu, who could only nod numbly in reply. "But why Auxillia?" the malinois went on, shaking his head. "They aren't magically inclined and aren't a match for a sage." He turned back to Shishu. "I know this is a tough time for you, but I need to know. What happened after Araki and I left the village that night? Were there any more bloodtails?"

It took a long pause for the cheetah to find her words. "I... no. After the initial attack there was nothing."

"What about the bodies that were left behind. What happened to them?" Koov realized he was overwhelming the cat and softened his countenance. "I'm sorry, Shishu. I just have to know what happened to see what we're up against here."

Shishu chewed on her lip a moment. "We collected the bodies... put them on a cart and hauled them far away from the village to be burned." She looked away, trying to recall. "I don't remember how many there were. We just wanted them gone."

"That was probably best. It leaves less evidence to tie Northpoint to the fight that took place, aside from the battle scars." He turned to Araki again. "If no more bloodtails showed up after that first lot, then they must not have reported their position and trail when they tracked me here."

"They do tend to be imprudent," Araki agreed. "Lucky if true."

The malinois started pacing, his ears back in thought. "It stands to reason they are not here searching for us. I'm sure two lowly sages are hardly worth the effort of hunting down this far out in the wilderness anyway. So, a garrison then?" When he looked up to Araki, she gave him a cautious nod. "Has to be. Why else would they send army units here? But to what end?"

"The mines," Shishu answered. Koov hadn't been the only one in deep thought. "They're here for the iron. It's all Northpoint is good for. Only reason the town even exists." The cat motioned all around her to the surrounding mountains. "There's nothing else here but snow, ice and cold."

Not entirely true.

The silence stretched on uncomfortably with everyone staring at one another. The ghostly stillness of the surrounding forest made its presence felt.

"If... the mines," Araki licked her lips, her mind racing as she spoke, "then they will move to take over the operations." The rest didn't need to be said.

Koov's grim expression mirrored her own. "They'll squeeze everything useful out of the village they can. They always do."

The horror that painted itself on Shishu's face tore at Araki's heart. The cheetah comprehended what this meant for the poor inhabitants, her kinfolk. Some time passed before she managed to find her voice again. "What can we do?"

What could they do? The question hung heavy in Araki's mind. Looking off toward the town, she half expected an ominous fiery glow to paint the horizon, or to hear distant screams.

In the ensuing silence, Koov moved to comfort Shishu. But the cheetah's sudden start and sharp breath stopped him mid-stride. Her gaze was fixated just over Araki's shoulder, where the husky knew before she looked that Doko now stood. She held her breath, not sure what would happen next.

The wolf's piercing golden eyes reflected the dancing light of the fire, almost appearing disembodied with his black fur blending into the darkness of the surrounding night. A bad time, but this had to happen sooner or later.

The stalemate continued until Doko slowly, cautiously, padded more into the hue of light to let his features take shape around those striking lupine eyes of his. His ears were lowered and his tail tucked. The wolf did his best to look harmless, almost crawling on his belly toward them. Shishu and her son still did not move.

When he at last came to stand next to Araki, he kept his posture lowered and remained silent. The husky placed a hand gently between his folded ears, trying to put him, as well as the cheetahs, more at ease. She expected the cats to scream or to flee into the woods.

Shishu surprised the husky. "Thi... this is a wolf? Isn't it?" She stood and, after a moment of indecision, took a step toward Doko. "What the old scriptures spoke of."

Araki had not expected the cat's poise. "It is."

"All this time I'd wondered." She straightened more, her brow furrowing as she took in Doko's appearance. "I'd seen that you'd found my Canis Lupus transcription that one day I let you use my library." The husky's surprise didn't escape her notice. "You didn't put the book back in the right place. It made me wonder what you'd really found out here. You're," she pursed her lips trying to find tactful words, "not a very good liar."

The husky cringed. Shishu had known all along. Had it been more than just a sneaking suspicion? Gods above, she hoped the cat had not seen her with Doko during the fire.

"I didn't know what to think," the cheetah continued, looking between Araki and the black wolf at her side. "I never truly believed any of the myths and legends. But when I saw him appear that night and cow the villagers with his mindspeak." Her focus turned exclusively to Doko as she knelt down on a knee, extending a hand out toward him. "It's safe to say you're no simple dog."

At Araki's subtle nudge, Doko slowly padded up to the cheetah. He studied her offered hand with a careful sniff, before nuzzling against her palm to let Shishu give him a quick scratch beneath the chin.

The cheetah was beside herself. "Gods' graces, such soft fur." Her hand shifted to rub at the base of his ear. "This is amazing. Simply amazing. It's ok, I know you can speak."

Doko groaned his approval of her scritching fingers. <I'm sorry for scaring you and the villagers.>

"Don't be. You were just protecting Araki and Koov. The villagers were angry. I'm the one that should be sorry for what happened."

At his mother's invitation, Rehato padded over to splay his hands through Doko's fur, provoking a nervous laugh from the young cheetah. Araki could feel the wolf's empathic spellweave wrapping itself around the two cats, stimulating their emotions to a soothing calm.

"You've been watching over Araki and Doko?" Shishu asked, splaying Doko's ears with a pat of his forehead.

<I would not say that. We watch out for each other.>

After a beat, she stole a glance toward the distant mountains bathed in moonlight. _"_Are there more of you?"

When Doko looked to Araki, she took up the reply. No sense hiding the truth. "There are. The rest of the pack is holding back just out of sight."

Shishu paused, her rounded ears twitching "Pack?"

_"_Like a family. An extended family."

"Just one?"

"There are many more spread out across the great northern expanse."

"Oh..."

Araki could see the cat taking it all in, the wheels turning in her mind. It was a testament to her strength of character how well she had taken all of this.

"I didn't believe it myself at first," Koov reflected. "It's all straight out of legend and lore."

Shishu nodded her agreement with a shake of the head. "It's quite something." She looked between Doko and Koov. "But what do we do now? I'm... I don't..."

The malinois reached up to take her hands into his. "You don't need to worry. Just stick by me and I'll see you through this. That's a promise."

The cheetah's ears twitched again. She held his steadfast regard for a long pause and then did finally let the last of her defenses fall. "Thanks."

"Just..." He searched for the right words. "Please, though, it's best to keep quiet when the others arrive."

Both cats adhered to his advice when they found themselves surrounded by ten members of the Three Peaks pack a few minutes later.

<So now these Tukor have invaded the village,> Tolum mindspoke incredulously, holding the center of the lupine formation as he sized up Shishu and Rehato. The two cheetah did their level best not to cower under his withering gaze. He spoke in the wolf tongue, ensuring his mindspeak was not perceptible to the felines. <The anthro world's violence never ceases to amaze me.>

"We are a violent lot," Koov sighed. Araki noted how Shishu and Rehato clung to him for reassurance. The malinois stood tall, but with the submissive air his station commanded. "These two had to escape. The Tukor are not..."

<Yes, I know their reputation. You and Araki integrated your memories with the leyline and shared them with the pack. We know full well what we're dealing with.> He motioned with a jerk of his muzzle to Shishu. <I know what cruel things they are capable of toward other races. And what they will do to us if we are ever discovered.>

Lynua stamped a paw into the snow at her mate's side, her lips curling back to give a hint of fangs. <If they ever step foot in our territory, we will meet these Tukor with unyielding force.>

"Is that allowed?" Araki didn't know much about lupine doctrine when it came to aggressive action. Avoidance of any interaction with the anthro world had always been the way. But when that wasn't possible?

<The Circle knows of these Tukor. We shared your memories with the council. Every horrid event and every gruesome detail. The vote for the use of lethal force, should they cross into our land, was unanimous. We will do what the anthros have failed to do since this war of theirs started.>

The vehemence of the alpha's mindspeak resonated through the bond. Araki could feel the wolf's anger smoldering, fueled by her shared memories of past Tukor horrors. Lynua was letting herself be worked up by the strong emotions of Araki's troubled past. And not just her.

The pack's collective anger took on a tangible edge, seeping into Araki's thoughts through the bond. Why'd they have to come here? They'd already won. Killed countless innocent lives in their relentless conquest. Destroyed entire kingdoms. Cruel, heartless bastards. The husky's clenched fists shook with her rage. She knew she was being influenced by the moment and didn't care.

Nothing could be done for the villagers of Northpoint. And really, did she even want to help them? Those bloody fools had shunned her at every turn, even threatening violence on her when she had saved them from the bloodtail attack.

The husky's thoughts must've gotten away from her, given how Lynua turned her fierce eyes on the omega. <Those villagers brought this on themselves. They want to go it alone and run you out of their pack, then they can deal with the consequences. We look out for our own and only our own.> She brought up a paw to sweep across the anthros. <That includes you and Koov. Do not dwell on their fate. It has already been set.>

************************

Yutkao's head hung limply, a few drops of blood splattering into the snow at his feet from his broken nose. Two Auxillia held him up by the arms, supporting all of his imposing weight with no difficulty. He didn't move or even look up. Only the softest groan gave any indication of his barely conscious state.

Before the malamute, a tall imposing dingo stood with hands clasped purposely behind him. The ornate gold embroidery across the chest plate of his silver armor, draped in several furs, identified the status of his house as one of significant standing in the Tukor nobility.

The dingo waited patiently while the infantry at his command rounded up the terrified villagers, herding the stragglers into the open square next to the Trail's End Tavern. His cold, calculating gaze swept the crowd. The way they all cowered under his withering glare seemed to please him.

When the entire audience was gathered, he held up a hand to demand silence. "Good evening!" The few whispering voices that had persisted went quiet at his booming words in the Kaowyn tongue, drawled out in the dingo's harsh accent. "Good evening, good evening, good evening." He brought his hands together in front of him, favoring the circle of villagers with a sneering regard. "Tonight, an object lesson needs to be taught to my newest subjects."

They all tried to shrink away from him, knowing instinctively what they faced. The furs the dingo wore came not from wild animals.

"I am Lord Oslan Trueblood Raekord." He took an elegant bow, fluid, graceful, and practiced in its motion. "And I am here to lay claim to what rightfully belongs to the Tukor kingdom." When he straightened again, his gaze betrayed nothing but a deceptive calm. "A lesson must be learned first. A lesson of place and station." He motioned to Yut, who only just managed to look up at his captor. The malamute's injuries were severe. "A lesson on the price of defiance."

A subtle jerk of the muzzle cued the Auxillia holding Yut to hoist him up higher so that he was almost standing on his own feet. The malamute did his best to steady himself and stare Oslan down through the one eye not swollen shut.

Oslan's smirk only grew more sinister. "Such anger. But we will fix that." He whirled to face the villagers, raising his voice. "You stand accused of aiding in the escape of two felines from this village upon the arrival of my garrison, as well as resisting arrest. How do you plead?"

Yut didn't speak and continued to stare Oslan down.

"I said, how do you plead? I will have you know that I take particular interest in felines." He reached up to stroke one of the furs hanging from his shoulders that had the distinct spots of a cheetah. "The loss of two from right under my nose is not acceptable. Not acceptable at all."

The dingo's heavy accent and slow articulation grated on Yut. The malamute snarled.

"If you won't answer, then I find you guilty of these heinous crimes. The punishment is death." The dingo walked over to size up his captive, reaching over to hold Yut's chin up so they were eye to eye. "I fancy that fur of yours. I think I'll take it for my own."

Yut spat, spraying saliva and blood squarely into Oslan's face. He followed it up with another snarl, starting to struggle against the soldiers holding him as best as his broken body could.

The dingo said nothing. He didn't even react at first. Only after a slow and deliberate breath did Oslan take a step back, hand going down to his waist to draw the broadsword at his hip.

The gleam of sharp metal against the flickering light of the surrounding torches brought a wave of startled cries from the crowd. The quick, merciless thrust of the weapon into Yut's chest caused another.

The malamute's eyes went wide with pain and surprise as Oslan drove the blade clean through him in one swift thrust. For a long moment he remained frozen there, gasping and trying to react. The cries from the villagers were hysterical.

Another clean motion removed the blade from Oslan's victim, letting him fall forward to land face down in the snow. Yut's twitching body soon stopped moving.

Lord Raekord still said nothing, and bent down to rip off a piece of the malamute's shirt, before proceeding to wipe the blood and spit from his face. His threatening gaze that subsequently panned the crowd, along with the drawn sword at his side, silenced the hysterical cries down to a chorus of whimpers. "This is the price you will pay for insubordination." A flick and wipe of the sword on Yut's torn clothing cleaned his blood from the blade. "This village is mine. You are mine. The resources in these mountains are mine. If anyone cares to challenge that claim let them step forward now."

No one moved.

The dingo nodded. "Remember this lesson. Know your place as lessers of the true blood. My will is now the law of this pathetic village."

A subtle jerk of his muzzle brought a soldier over to the dingo's side. "Sir?"

"Escort the villagers back to their homes. Institute a curfew." The Auxillia nodded curtly. "And I want this dog skinned and his fur in my room by tomorrow morning."

The few villagers in earshot wailed in horror at his words, but were soon pushed away by other soldiers toward their homes.

The last image was that of the sobbing and crying townfolk being herded away, while two infantrymen unceremoniously picked up Yut's lifeless body by the feet and dragged him off to leave a trail of blood in the snow.

Araki fell back into the grass, shaking her head. She felt sick, and resisted the urge to vomit. The others looked just as pale.

<Gods have mercy,> Lynua reeled. The alpha female looked over toward Nolasa, who had been the one performing the scrying. <Are you ok?>

The mid-ranking female panted. <No... that... I can't.> She fell over onto her side, sprawling out with pure exhaustion and distress. As the conduit of the scrying spell for the others to link with, all of the emotional anguish had funneled through her.

Tolum was at her side in the next instant, blanketing the distressed wolf in a soothing aura to calm her down. The alpha male himself struggled to curtail his emotions after witnessing the horrific scene. <Barbaric monsters. How can such evil exist in this world?>

Only the alphas, Araki, and Nolasa had been part of the scrying session. Under the pulsing glow of the den's leystone, they had stood silent witness to the systematic invasion of Northpoint. The disembodied perspective of the scrying spell had spared no grisly detail.

Araki felt her anger building. No one deserved a fate like that. She remembered Yut; the malamute had accosted her at the tavern that first night she had arrived in Northpoint. A brute and a drunkard, but a simple dog with simple ambitions trying to make a living out on the frontier. And now he was dead.

Nolasa eventually managed--with the help of Tolum's empathic assistance--to calm down enough to release the mana pattern binding her to the leystone. The stone's pulsing glow slowly faded away, until only the faintest hue of color painted the small grassy clearing around the jagged rock.

Lynua licked her lips fretfully. <Now I know fully what we're up against. If they step foot in our land.> She left the unsaid words to linger.

<We will monitor their activity closely,> Tolum added. <Skinning someone for their fur! It's simply vile!> He snarled, hackles raising up. <I would rip that dog's throat out if given the chance!> Tolum always provided the voice of reason to Lynua's more hot-headed rhetoric. But not tonight.

Lynua curled her lips back to join her mate's ire. <Well said.>

"No hints of spellweaving or traps?" Araki spoke up. She looked to Nolasa, who was still doing her best to gather herself.

The tawny wolf took a long pause to reply. <No, nothing. I didn't even sense a whisper.> The pack had taken every precaution to ensure Nolasa would be safe, including tying her scrying pattern into the leystone. If there had been a trap, or a hostile spellweaver looking out for such snooping, any harmful counters directed back at the wolf would've been absorbed by the stone instead.

"That doesn't rule out enhanced weapons." Only recently, such magic-infused instruments had started showing up on the battlefield, giving the common Tukor foot soldier the power to wield all manner of deadly spells. The tide of the war had shifted precipitously in the Tukor's favor ever since.

Lynua stamped her paw. <No difference! The first time was a warning. Now, I will show them the true terror of my wrath.>

"Alphas..." At Araki's meek voice, they both refocused back to her. She ducked her head with pinned ears. "If I may. I would like to request that Koov and I be allowed to don our armor and weapons." She paused briefly for the stark refusal she thought was coming. But the wolves let her continue. "We've fought these monsters for years. I know such possessions are unbecoming of the lupine way. But if they invade, it's the best way we can fight."

The two alphas exchanged glances. No mindspeak was said between them; their deep bond as mates left no need.

The husky waited, until Tolum finally sighed <We agree. This is a trying time, and requires that we take every precaution. Please inform Koov and do what must be done.>

Araki took that as a dismissal and nodded her leave. She left the alphas alone next to the leystone, as Nolasa also removed herself from the scene. Once the others had departed the clearing, Tolem and Lynua wasted no time linking with the leyline to summon the Circle for an emergency session.

As Araki made her way back out into the main clearing, she could feel the building tension in the pack's bond. Under the evening stars, a small cluster of wolves sat in a circle carefully weaving a pattern to shore up the den's barrier. A few others worked on grooming and altering a series of regional mana patterns, sealing them off from any hostile weavers. Still more meditated in solidarity to cleanse mind and body of any doubt or distraction.

Maybe, just maybe, the Tukor would not discover us. Maybe they'd confine their conquest to Northpoint and the existing mines? Araki paused at the base of a thick tree trunk and reached out to press her palm to the coarse bark, digging her claws in a little. If they don't...

The tree she stood next to belonged to Koov. The husky looked up to follow the series of steps that wound their way around the tree trunk in a spiral, leading up to the towering branches above. Each step was grown directly out of the tree's bark by a spellweave. At the top, a large tree house rested on top of a major split in the branches, also similarly grown from the wood of the tree. The wolves took a great pride in their ability to work the natural world, and had jumped at the chance to craft Koov a home nestled in the tree branches after he'd made the request.

The soft glow from several mana lights within the tree house gave indication that the dwelling was currently occupied. Araki reached out to touch Koov's aura. <I suppose you know.>

After a moment the malinois's mindspeak filtered down to her. <Yes. I'll be right down.>

She waited at the base of the tree. Soon soft footfalls announced Koov's progression down the spiraling steps, until he dropped down onto the grass with a frown.

"Shishu and Rehato are laid up for the night," he sighed. "I gave them a mild sedative weave to help knock them out. They've had a long day, but they're safe and comfortable now." At Araki's nod he gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. What reprieve had painted itself on his expression quickly disappeared. "I know what happened. The bond and all. What they did to that poor dog is a fate no one ever deserves. We can't tell Shishu or Rehato; they'd be devastated." A hint of teeth, a brief flash of anger that was unbecoming of the malinois. "It's time to face our demons once more."

Doko was waiting by the entrance to the burrow that housed their stored armor. When Araki leaned down to him, he gave her whiskers a lick that she returned in kind. <I'm sorry for what happened. But I am glad we have you and Koov here with us.> His ears fell back slightly. <I know my mother makes bold claims. But I'm not so sure we can combat this menace without you here to help. If the alphas won't admit it, then I will for them.>

Despite everything that had happened, Araki found herself smiling. "Thanks, Doko. That means a lot to me." She gave him an appreciative pat on the head. "Koov and I will do everything we can."

<I know you will.> Doko nuzzled her side. <And I'll be with you every step of the way.>

She gave Doko's head another gentle pat before making her way down into the burrow with Koov following in her wake. A quickly woven mana light showed the way, leading to the two sets of armor and weapons carefully arranged against the far back wall. For a moment, the husky hesitated.

"Araki..." Koov stepped up to her side, his expression set.

After a beat she steeled herself, worried her lip with a nervous bite, and then extended a hand out. The katana and leather armor woke at her mental touch, responding to her presence. The blood seals pulsed along the scabbard and ebony leather pieces, disarming the protective spells woven into the items' construction.

A subsequent flick of the husky's mind drew her weapon and armor to her. Her katana took flight first and landed firmly in her open palm. Her armor, piece by piece, followed, sailing across the open space to snap into place on the husky's extended limbs, binding to the underclothing she wore.

First her arms, starting with the forearm. Piece by piece the armor filled out, working down to her hands, back up over the shoulders. Legs, feet, thighs, waist and finally the chest. Each protective segment melded together into a seamless layer of black armor, which stood in stark relief to Araki's ghost white fur.

She tested the fit with a roll of her shoulders, flexing her grip around the katana scabbard. It all started to come back. The armor's lightweight feel and surprising flexibility, the slight electric pulse from the bridge to her katana, the power and responsibility the gold four-point star on her chest piece carried.

The husky partially drew her weapon from its scabbard. The blade's black steel glinted in the mana light's glow. "It almost feels like I'd last donned this in another life." She resheathed her weapon and attached it to her hip.

Koov followed her example by reaching out with a hand to bridge a connection with his own armor and weapons. His wakizashi came forth first, smacking into his opened palm just as Araki's larger katana had. His full set of leather armor followed suit in similar fashion, letting him attach the small curved blade to a hardpoint on his hip once the last piece had slotted into place. The longbow and quiver came last--the malinois's primary weapon of choice-- and latched on to the proper hardpoints on his back.

When they were both fully equipped, the older dog drew a long and steady breath and faced Araki. "Just like old times." His words held no humor or mirth to them.

Back out in the clearing, both anthros took a moment to stretch out. The night was still young yet, and any time they could spend shaking off the rust had to be taken. What else could they do?

In the moment afforded, Araki reached out through the bond to the wolf standing watch over Northpoint. Through his eyes she could see that the town had gone mostly dark. Thankfully, everything seemed to have quieted down for the night. No telling what tomorrow would bring though. She had to be ready.

Doko and a few other wolves came to watch from the sidelines as Araki faced down Koov. She felt her ears fall at all of the old and troubled memories that suddenly welled up, seeing the malinois fully clad in his armor opposite her like so many countless times before. Adoptive mentor and student. Father and daughter. Always there for her.

And now...

"I suppose, this was inevitable. It's probably best if we have a few goes." He carefully disconnected his bow and quiver from their hardpoints as he spoke and set the weapons aside. His wakizashi slid free from its sheath smoothly, catching the light of the various floating mana lights that gave luminescence to the clearing. The wolves watching nearby visibly recoiled away at the weapon's appearance.

Araki reached down to grasp the hilt of her katana at her hip, pausing as her fingers closed around the finely crafted, leather wrapped wood. A cleansing breath filled her as the black steel slid from its protective cover.

Both hands firmly gripped the hilt when she brought her weapon up level with her eyes, angling the blade toward Koov parallel to the ground.

The malinois's arms came up, grasping his weapon in a high stance, cutting edge held above his head ready to strike.

_Just like old times. _

"It's... been quite some time since I practiced with my blade," Araki admitted, spreading her stance a little further. Even so, the weapon felt right in her grasp, almost weightless. All of the training started to come back.

"Standard contact practice?" Koov offered, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

The husky nodded, and flexed her grip. In that instant the black steel came alive with a hiss, taking on a dull yellow glow all along its surface.

Koov's weapon flashed to similar life.

The yellow tinge of the spellweave coursing through the metal let both sparring partners know that the cutting edge had been rendered completely dull. No damage or injury could be inflicted to the opposing combatant, save for a really bad headache should they get thwacked on the head hard enough. Another flex on the grip could--at any instant--shift the glow to a brighter, hotter cobalt blue that was the weapon's signature lethal presentation. Only those who had demonstrated a keen understanding and competency to hold such a formidable blade knew the subtle unlocking spellweave needed to bring this killing potency to bear on an enemy.

Araki raised her voice to be heard by all the nearby wolves. "Everyone should step back a few paces."

The sight of two drawn blades and two armored anthros--even though they were part of the pack--had been all the incentive the wolves had needed. They watched now from a safe distance with a mix of curiosity and wariness. Only Doko remained somewhat close, clearly holding confidence in the two anthros.

"You ready?" Koov spoke. At Araki's nod, they both entered a slow, graceful bow, a show of mutual respect between combatants of equal footing and strength. Just like old times, indeed.

The formality ended as Koov straightened and started to advance toward her, wakizashi still held above the head in his attack stance.

The amber hue of both glowing weapons slowly closed the distance between them, until Koov made his move.

His weapon moved in a flourish of graceful elegance, feinting in one direction before striking from another.

Araki countered, muscle memory and reflex driving her. The metallic tang and hissing sizzle of metal and spellweaves colliding rang out.

Another strike by Koov, slanting downward, met the husky's katana with equal strength.

The two sages engaged in a sweeping duel of steel and strategy, curved blades striking out at one another swiftly. Not a wasted movement. Not a single awkward motion.

The dance took on new fervor, weapons whirling and clanging together faster and faster still. Each attack blended together into one long fluid series of strikes, first perpetrated by Koov and then countered by Araki. They moved faster than the eye could manage, both relying on extra-perception.

Araki could see each strike as if executed in a slow graceful swing. She read each subtle eddy that Koov's weapon left in the mana threads around it, each subtle shift in the other dog's body that reverberated through the patterns.

The clashes of steel blended into a continuous series of hits, growing quicker and quicker in intensity and violence but never losing the fluid grace of two master swordsmen locked in combat.

Koov suddenly shifted his attack, wakizashi flipping to his off-hand in an instant. The swing came in low.

Araki left her feet a mere instant before his strike connected, jumping up and over the malinois in a front flip.

She landed, hard, bringing her blade up to the side.

His follow-up swing connected broadside with her katana, stopping him cold. In that moment, the combatants separated to face one another down, collecting themselves.

Araki brought her katana up to level the tip at Koov. The husky panted with the exhaustion of old muscles being used once more.

She'd feared that the art of swordplay had eluded her in the time spent with the wolves. But no. The ebb and flow of the duel came as effortlessly as it had in days past. She could feel her own excitement welling with the energy of the fight. It filtered out through the pack's bond, catching the audience up in its grip.

Koov, too, seemed to be caught up in the moment as he panted opposite her. "There's always a certain pleasure in sparring with you, Araki."

The husky had to admit the same to herself. Since joining the pack, she'd always been, even though the wolves never admitted it, inferior to them in every way. But this, the clashing of steel in a heated duel... this was something she and Koov alone could master.

Araki forced herself to stop panting. "Again?"

"Again. I still feel rusty."

They had the rapt attention of the pack now. Everyone aside from the alphas had come to watch the two anthros practice. Their collective attention spurred Araki on.

When Koov indicated he was ready, she took the lead.

Katana met wakizashi earnestly in a series of nimble attacks, forcing the malinois back. The weapon moved in her hands of its own accord, reaching out again and again, her momentum never faltering.

She appreciated each hit that reverberated up her arms, how the duel had become a game of chess. Each combatant tried to outguess the other, employing maneuvers and deft footwork to gain the advantage.

Her endurance soon started to flag. The duel would be decided by who faltered first.

An opening picked that moment to materialize; Koov's balance stumbled. He recovered, but not quickly enough.

The husky's katana snaked its way right past his hastily thrown guard, placing what would've been the sharp edge, were it not for the active dulling spell, right at his throat. The duel had its victor.

Both anthros remained frozen with her blade to his neck, panting as exhaustion exerted its influence. Finally, Araki did step back, bringing her hand to her scabbard.

Her katana's glow winked out of existence as she slid the dull edge against her hand, until the tip slotted into the opening of the scabbard, letting her reverse the motion to smoothly sheathe her weapon.

Koov did the same. Once weapons were secure, they both bowed between breathless pants as a means to conclude the training bout.

"You've always had a way of besting me," the malinois admitted, shaking his head. "Well done, as always. I see you haven't lost your touch."

The husky felt her ears wilt at the undeserved praise. "It just... came back to me."

"Fortunate, that." He padded over to her and patted her shoulder. "You're a fine swordsman, and an equally gifted spellweaver. Never slight yourself of those qualities."

Doko nudged at her side. <That was very interesting to watch. I've never seen anything like it.> His ears splayed as she reached down to give one of them a gentle rub. <That blade looks to be quite sharp. I imagine you can cut down anything with it.>

"I can, save for another weapon that employs the same spell my weapon uses to hone the cutting edge."

The black wolf's tail wagged. <Amazing...>

His innocence always made her smile in spite of herself. "This is my way of protecting the pack."

<I pity any enemy that crosses your path.>

They continued the training for several hours afterward, until Koov gave in to exhaustion and retired to his treehouse for the night. Araki's own muscles ached in ways they hadn't in quite some time. But even with her body worn, sleep didn't come easy.

The husky opted not to retire to Doko's burrow, which the wolf had graciously allowed her to move into, and instead settled for lying back in the soft grass of the central clearing to gaze up at the stars.

The rest of the pack had retired for the evening as well. Only the sentry, poised on the mountain slope overlooking Northpoint, burned brightly to her mind's perception. Still nothing had transpired on that front, and the husky hoped things would stay that way for the rest of time.

She sighed and felt Doko stir in his sleep against her thigh. The wolf had refused to leave her side earlier no matter how much she had protested. He could be stubborn, but there was something to be said about how his companionship provided a sense of comfort for her. Something about the wolf just... put her mind at ease.

She reached down to stroke a gentle hand across his flank and met his tired golden eyes as they fluttered open. <Can't sleep still?>

The husky shook her head. "Sorry to wake you. I forget how light a sleeper you are."

<It's quite,> he yawned a toothy yawn with a curl of his tongue, <alright. My dreams were troubled in any case. What's on your mind?>

Still slowly stroking fingers through his fur, Araki turned her gaze back up to the stars. The den's protective barrier slightly obscured the view with an opaque filter. "You ever stop to think how small we are in the grand scheme of things? That no matter what we do, we are doomed to our fate?"

She felt wetness on her palm from Doko's reassuring lick. <Why are you thinking about that? Is something wrong?>

"I... I dunno. It just feels..." She sat up on her elbows to regard him anew. "It feels like we are hurtling toward a great abyss. I don't know why I feel that. I have no compelling reason to think such a thing."

<What do you mean?>

It took her a moment to put her thoughts to words. "It's my intuition... on the Tukor and Northpoint. All of this gives me a terrible feeling that things are about to spiral hopelessly out of control. You'd think that silly fleeting thoughts like that should just be ignored." She scuffed at how stupid all of this sounded. "But this intuition. It's never steered me wrong before. I've never been a religious sort of person. Sure, I believe in the gods and such. But I never felt like I had any foresight into the future. This nagging feeling, though." She brought a hand up to splay fingers across the armor she still wore. "It's always turned out to be right. Call me crazy. But I just know we're being steered down a dark and deadly path."

Doko, for once, wasn't quick on his reply. <Araki... it never helps to think such things.>

"I know." She shook her head. "But that intuition led me to you. It brought me into this pack. And it kept me one step ahead of death on the battlefield. I'd be silly to dismiss it now. Do you..." She had to avert her gaze. "Do you believe me?"

<Of course I do, Araki. Never for a moment would I doubt you.> He nuzzled against her side and she felt her distress ease just a little. <The gods have their grand plans. There are many workings that you and I could never hope to understand. But in spite of that, I still believe your induction into this pack was no mistake. If this intuition has not guided you down the wrong path before, then it's only right to let yourself continue to be guided by it.>

"But that's just it. What guidance can I hope to glean from this dreadful feeling of despair? This occupation of Northpoint... we have no real reason to assume that the Tukor will continue their march north. Why would they? To them, nothing lies out here beyond Northpoint but snow and trees. But this feeling..." She trailed off, searching her thoughts, searching the wolf's questioning eyes. "There will be fighting and I feel as if I will have to act. But why, and for what purpose, I don't know."

Doko fell silent for a long pregnant pause.

The silence dragged on, until it became deafening and Araki forced herself to speak again. "I just hope that for once, this intuition of mine is wrong. Because if it's not." She left the rest unsaid. She didn't want to think what might happen.

Doko, much to her relief, did not use an empathic spellweave to calm her. <I'll bring your concerns up to the alphas in the morning. We can go to them together.>

Nothing else could be done. She reached over to scratch under his chin. "Ok. Go back to sleep. I'm sorry I woke you."

<Don't be. I'm always here to lend a bent ear for you.>

Sleep still did not come right away. The husky knew, as she listened to Doko snore softly at her side an hour later, that the worst was yet to come.

************************

The snow started to melt that next morning as a wave of warmer air swept in from the south. Weather patterns were already starting to shift, auguring the start of the great thaw to turn the landscape into a muddy mess until spring could take over. It was a time of great celebration both for lupine and anthro kind as the world became reborn anew. Such happenings and festivities were furthest from the minds of all who occupied the rocky outcrop of the mountainside.

Araki tried to keep a low-profile huddling near the back of the pack with Koov, both of them fully equipped in protective leather and biting steel. Her hand rested uncomfortably on the hilt of her weapon, flexing and gripping nervously as she watched the situation unfold. Her worst fears had indeed come to pass.

Out on the edge of the precipice the alphas stomped back and forth in a fit of rage. They had good reason to be worked up. Not an hour ago, the protective barrier guarding the border with Northpoint had tripped an alarm for a massive incursion. No less than fifty anthros had passed through into lupine territory, putting the Three Peaks pack on high alert.

Almost the entire pack had mobilized, and now stood with the alphas on the sentry point that overlooked the border. Down below, concealed by the thick tree cover, the enemy had already moved into lupine territory and taken up position at an old abandoned mining location--the same location where Araki had first met Doko.

Northpoint's mining operations bordered the town on the west and eastern slopes of the valley, territory outside the Lupine borders. More than enough ore lay in those mountains to sustain the Tukor for quite some time. They had no reason to expand the operations to the north. None whatsoever given the supernatural happenings of the past. The villagers had seen the err of their first attempt. But Tukor greed and imperialism knew no bounds.

<Those gods fearing bastards!> Lynua's voice snarled in the husky's head. <After the warnings we gave and the fucking line I carved into the landscape even! Surely the locals warned them!> The alpha female's hackles and tail stood tall as she growled her fury. Her mate stood by, stewing silently in his own rage. <I promised retribution and I will deliver!>

Next to them, Nolasa did her best to concentrate on her scrying. With another wolf providing help, she carefully worked the mana patterns to form a bridge to the mining encampment. Before anything could be done they needed intelligence to know what they were up against. The effort strained her mindspeak. <No traps detected. I'm solidifying the pattern now... Ok.>

As her weave snapped into place the entire pack linked up with her to see just what she saw. The result manifested in Araki's mind as a disembodied view floating above the site, with all manner of activity buzzing about.

In the center of the small clearing, a handful of villagers wrestled to set up surveying tools. Still more were actively inspecting the mining equipment that had been left behind from the first expedition, seeing what was salvageable and what had to be tossed into a scrap pile. The husky noted that sled dog teams had brought in new equipment as well, boxed up in several large crates unceremoniously stacked into the middle of the area. As she watched, one such sled waited patiently with four-legged canines straining at their leads while the villagers offloaded the cargo to add to the growing stockpile.

In the midst of all this organized chaos, twenty armed infantry stood guard. Araki immediately recognized them for their hodgepodge of armor and weapons, the only thing tying them together as infantry of the same unit being the large conical shields they sported with a bloody hand print adorning the face. None of them offered any help to the villagers. They stood around the perimeter, some facing out, others facing in to watch the locals work. Four of them in particular appeared to be manning...

The husky started where she stood. "Gods above, they have cuprum bombards!" The cannons, roughly the size and weight of a horse, were the very mana-infused weapons she feared most.

All the wolves turned with perked ears toward her. Lynua stepped forward. <Cuprum bombards are those two round cylindrical objects? These are the very same weapons from your memories?>

"Yes! They can wreak unholy destruction." From her vantage point granted by the scrying, she could see that a good number of shells had been piled neatly next to both weapons. At least twenty shots for each cannon. "The locals must've warned them about the past and what happened last time when they tried to expand to the northern slopes."

It took time for the Tukor to set up such heavy equipment. The bombards could not be moved once they were assembled, but could rotate on a full azimuth and elevation to unleash slow but deadly fire wherever the operator wanted. Araki had witnessed their destructive capability firsthand in battles' past. The wolves shared in this knowledge from her memories.

<Then we will take them out in one swift stroke!> Lynua declared. She turned her ferocity to Nolasa. <Not a hint of spellweaving?>

The wolf wilted under the alpha's piercing gaze. <No. Not even a whisper.>

"Artificially infused items like those cannons won't give off any signatures," Araki warned, keeping her tone meek to avoid the alpha's ire. When Lynua advanced on her, she instinctively knelt down on a knee and ducked her head as a show of submission, waiting to be tackled and pinned.

But the alpha didn't jump her to remind her of her place. <Your memories paint a clear picture of this, young Araki. Your concern is warranted.> When the husky looked up, she came nose to nose with the alpha. <That is why I will wipe them clean off the face of this earth right here and now.>

Araki had no time to appreciate the alpha's words. She felt it first, the slowly building whirlpool in the mana threads around her. They congealed and concentrated on Lynua as she padded back to the edge of the outcropping. The manifesting energy built ominously, swirling with angry vehemence.

"No! You can't. The villagers. They'll be caught in the blast!"

Lynua whirled around to stare down the husky. Her eyes blazed, her black fur standing on end with the power she gathered. <This is not your decision to make! Keep quiet!>

Araki bolted to her feet. "No, give them a chance to flee!"

Koov was a heartbeat behind her with figuring out the alpha's plan. "Lynua, please! Don't be so rash!"

The alpha female snarled, lip peeled back to display every formidable fang at her disposal. <You forget your place!> The gathering energy manifested visually now, forming into a hovering ball of angry crimson mana just above the wolf. The amount of power she poured into the spellweave sucked in the sunlight, darkening the sky around the pack. None of the other wolves so much as moved, Tolum included.

Araki walked up to her and knelt on a knee, taking a huge risk as she held eye contact with the snarling wolf. She felt Doko move to her side, showing his support for the other omega.

Tolum was quick to step between the husky and his mate, staring her down with all the authority he demanded from his omega. In the collective face of both alpha's anger, Araki almost whispered her plea. "Lynua, please."

Lynua hesitated. The concentrated power at her proverbial fingertips coiled and spun wildly, barely held in check. The sky darkened to the blackest of night. <Very well. A warning.>

Araki felt the pattern shift; the power compressed down even further into a tighter ball above the wolf, a hair's breadth from release. The air crackled and sizzled with the awesome power of her spellweave.

Lynua spread her stance and closed her eyes. Her hold on the mana threads reached out to aim her attack. _<Let them witness the power of the Lupine Domain!> _

The coiled energy hovering just over Lynua's body exploded forth, lancing out in a thick beam of blood red energy to impact into the valley below.

The deafening roar made Araki recoil back, covering her ears. She watched, muzzle agape, as all manner of trees, dirt and debris simply vaporized at the point of Lynua's attack; the finger of the gods reached down to touch the earth unleashing terrible, unstoppable power against mortal kind.

The pillar of blinding crimson light blotted out the sun, darkening the entire horizon far beyond the mountain. Lynua kept the spellweave anchored just above her physical self, walking the beam of lethal energy around the perimeter of the occupied clearing.

In a manner of seconds, it was over. The alpha's spell dissipated away, the pillar of light winking out of existence.

Where her attack had landed a long smooth trench of glassed earth remained, a glowing red-hot scar that ringed the northern edge of the anthro encampment several feet deep; the attack had been a warning, a loud and clear one at that.

Through the scrying link, Araki watched as the encampment erupted into pure chaos. The villagers were the first to flee. Yes. Run! Get out of there! But the infantry quickly stepped in, blocking any avenue of escape with swords and spears leveled at the hapless townfolk.

The crews manning the bombards--initially overcome by the surprise attack--started to react.

"No!" Araki cried out. "No. Run you fools!" Koov uttered a curse next to her. They were powerless to stop what was happening.

The bulky cylindrical barrels of both cannons pivoted on their mounts to face the mountain slope. The Auxillia manning each rushed through the loading procedure, jamming rounds into the breach with skilled efficiency. They had been rattled, but training and duty kept them at their posts.

The first bombard opened up; the shot pierced the morning air as a haunting wail, visible to the naked eye as a brilliant ball of white-hot light. Closer and closer it sailed to the pack, following a ballistic arc.

The mountain shook with the booming explosion that resulted, the shot landing five hundred paces away in a fiery blast that rocked Araki to her core. She stumbled under the shaking ground, biting back a yelp. The other wolves reacted with similar alarm save for Lynua and Tolum, who bristled with outright rage.

<They have the audacity to fire back at us!> Lynua's voice nearly screamed in Araki's head. <No! I'm done being merciful!>

The second shot, heralded by another eerie wail, impacted on the other side of the cliff face, sending a few small rocks tumbling down onto Araki as she tried to keep her balance. The blast punched right through her body. Suddenly she was right back in the trenches of war, fighting to keep her wits about her, hearing volley after volley of incoming fire rain down upon her...

The back pressure of Lynua's spellweave snapped the husky out of her trepidation. The alpha female snarled, the power gathering above her growing stronger and stronger, far exceeding her previously worked spell.

The third shot from the Tukor hit closer, pelting the pack with debris and snow. But they did not retreat and held fast behind the alphas.

The energy of Lynua's spell reached alarming levels. The sky darkened to near pitch blackness around them, sucking in the light of day. A void grew in the mana patterns with the wolf at its center.

She's going to level the entire valley! "Lynua!"

The alpha didn't listen. Still the power of her weave grew.

Araki tried to get through to her. "Lynua! Don't. You'll kill everyone!"

Lynua's enraged snarl never faltered. The spellweave reached its peak, right on the cusp of unleashing all of her fury. <Die!>

Araki didn't know what compelled her to act. Suddenly she was in motion, reaching out with her mind. Doko sensed her act and immediately came to her help, melding his aura with her own in that instant, giving everything he had to amplify her effort. It all happened too fast.

Both omegas latched on to Lynua's pattern just as the wolf aimed her attack and pulled with all their collective mind's might, acting as one.

The pattern skewed, twisted, and then changed trajectory.

Lynua's surprised yelp came just a split second before the beam of energy--this time no thicker than the width of a hair--raced off toward the opposite mountain face at the speed of light. The entire spell discharged in that one instantaneous moment.

The light of the distant explosion on the opposite mountain face blinded all. Araki shied away from the sight, bringing a hand up to cover her eyes.

Just as quickly, the light faded away, letting the husky look up to watch in muted horror as the blossoming fireball consumed the entire mountain peak, the explosion's shockwave clearly evident as it raced toward the heavens and distorted the clouds above in its wake.

Silence. The whole apocalyptic scene unfolded in eerie silence until...

Araki only had a moment to realize what was coming. She covered her ears just as the shockwave reached the pack, knocking everyone back with a savage report unlike anything she had experienced before.

She still felt the hit in her chest as she watched the fireball balloon up into an ominous mushroom cloud, lifting up higher into the atmosphere. "Gods above..."

But her inaction only lasted a moment. The husky reacted without thought. Her mind worked of its own accord, reaching up to the heavens to grasp at the weather patterns. "Doko!"

The other omega didn't need to say anything; he knew what her plan was and what needed to be done. Just as she started spinning up the weather patterns high above, hand going to draw her katana at the same instant, his teleportation weave snapped into place around both of them.

The startled gazes of both alphas and the pack changed in that instant to the tree line just outside the mining encampment. She had no time to waste. No time to think.

Her hand touched the top of Doko's head. "Thanks. Stay back now."

Before he could answer, she moved off at a dead sprint, katana sliding free of its scabbard to hiss angrily as the steel came to life.

In only a few steps the trees fell away, opening up to the first of the two cuprum bombard emplacements. The crew had stopped firing to stare off in amazement to the distant mountain slope now veiled by a huge plume of smoke. They didn't even see or hear her approach.

The husky's blade sliced out in a clean merciless strike, catching the first infantryman diagonally across his backside. The light chainmail armor stood no chance against her charged weapon. Before her first victim had even cried out, the katana came back around in a swift thrust, piercing the second Auxillia clean through in one stroke. Neither soldier would ever know what killed them.

Araki ignored the cannon and pulled her blade free of her second victim. She charged forward without a second's hesitation. The others were starting to react now. Far above, the weather patterns came alive at her call, shifting and growing in intensity. Not quickly enough though.

Still sprinting toward the next cluster of infantry she shifted her grip on the hilt of her katana, calling up a localized weatherweave from her own internal reserves.

All in one instant she spun the pattern and linked it to the edge of her blade. The subsequent slice of the weapon horizontally as she skidded to a halt discharged a wave of superheated air along the same trajectory, expanding outward in a fanning arch to the three Tukor Auxillia several feet away.

Before any of the infantry could bring a weapon to bear, the air around them combusted, setting all three aflame. Their writhing screams of agony would be the last tortuous moments of their ill-fated lives.

Araki ignored the carnage and turned to face the remaining adversaries. The other Auxillia were alerted to her presence now, and had leveled sword and spear to face her down. Fifteen enemy left: two manning the remaining cannon on the far side of the clearing, a cluster surrounding the frightened villagers, and a few sentries advancing on her from the surrounding perimeter of the encampment. None of them had any ranged weapons. None had anything magically enhanced from her studious eye, save for the bombard.

The crew of the cannon seemed to realize this mismatch as well, and frantically started pivoting the massive weapon on its hinge toward her.

The husky felt the skies responding to her now, the energy in the weather patterns heightened to the point where she could use them. She started to build a weatherweave, when the two Tukor manhandling the bombard suddenly froze in place.

It took only an instant for Araki to perceive the black arrow shafts protruding from both of their heads--Koov's unmistakable handiwork.

In the next heartbeat all hell broke loose.

Doko leapt into view out of nowhere, catching one of the sentries by complete surprise. His startled yell cut off as the wolf's jaw closed around his exposed throat.

The rest of the pack burst forth from the trees right on Doko's heels, charging at the enemy in a chorus of howls and snarls. All manner of spellweaves came to life: the snow and ground turned to quicksand at the infantry's feet, chainmail and weapons disintegrated into dust right off of their bodies, invisible bindings reached out to ensnare their arms and legs. The pack's opening salvo was quick, efficient and without counter by the ill-fated Tukor.

The soldiers found themselves suddenly defenseless against their approaching fate. They tried to run; only to remain rooted in place by the ensnaring speallweaves. Their panic and horror gave way to outright terror.

Screams cut off one by one as the wolves closed on their targets. Fangs and claws found their marks with brutal savagery to leave no Tukor alive; in a matter of moments it was over.

The silence of the forest took hold once more, belying the gory carnage of the battle and the victims that now lay motionless in the melting snow, staining the landscape a grisly red.

Araki stood in the middle of it all, katana held at her side. Everything had happened so quickly. Just like that the Tukor had been dispatched.

Nearby, the villagers--all able-bodied miners--huddled together in the middle of the clearing surrounded by death and gore. None of them uttered a sound. Their expressions ranged from shocked, to terrified, to physically ill. One of the malamutes collapsed to his knees and vomited in the snow.

Araki had no time to dwell on what was and could've been. One task remained, but the alphas wouldn't like it.

Nukenvu appeared at her side, the beta's aura giving off a conflicting range of emotions. The black fur of his muzzle dripped blood onto the snow at his paws. <You surprise me, Araki, defying the alphas like that.>

She felt her ears wilt just a little, but she did not say anything. The husky merely sheathed her katana, and turned to face the approaching Lynua.

The alpha female's hackles stood straight up with tail flagged high; she was livid, and made that known with the ominous growl building in her throat. <How dare you defy me!>

She pounced on Araki, knocking the wind from her as she was taken harshly to the ground. The husky did the only thing she could do and let the alpha stand over her, tucking tail between her legs. An omega was supposed to know her place; she certainly wasn't supposed to charge off into mortal danger alone in defiance of her alphas.

<I should rend you from ear to tail!> The wolf's bared fangs hovered inches from Araki's face. <We act as a pack, not as headstrong individuals. What were you thinking?>

"I..." Araki averted her eyes, unable to meet Lynua's piercing gaze. "I wasn't."

Doko chose that moment to cautiously approach. The alpha female quickly turned her ire on her son, leaping from Araki to pin him on his back beneath her. <And you! You of all wolves should know your place!> He followed Araki's example and tucked his tail, whining submissively beneath her bared fangs. <I will not tolerate it! No. Especially not from my own son. What do you have to say?>

The omega kept up his submissive display. <I was just... I have no good reason.>

<Why?> Lynua's tongue curled across her nose with her fangs still bared, giving a pointed emphasis to her enraged state. <You knocked my spell out of line. We could've leveled them in one swift stroke.>

"The villagers." When Lynua blinked and looked to the husky, Araki motioned toward the group of anthros huddled tightly together. Some of the pack had surrounded them, preventing any thoughts of escape. "You would've killed them."

<And why would I care?>

Araki was surprised how much the alpha's blunt question hurt. Why would she ever care about the villagers? To her, they were no different than the Tukor infantry lying about the snow in various pieces. "I... care."

<Do you now?> Lynua snorted derisively from atop Doko. <I suppose I should've seen that.> Her expression softened a little. <They are still part of your pack, yes?>

After a long moment, Araki pinned her ears back and nodded only just. She did not move from where she lay. "I'm sorry."

<We protect our own.> Her mindspeak held unwavering conviction as she favored her son with an unreadable look. <Even when they go off and do something inanely stupid.> Now she did remove herself from atop Doko. <You could've easily taken care of these savage animals on your own, I know. But do not do that again. Both of you. An omega has their place, and it is not acting rashly like this. Is this clear?>

Araki managed to sit up on her elbows in the snow. When she found the alpha female's expectant gaze, she ducked her head with ears still flat against her head. "Yes, alpha."

Doko cautiously rolled into a sitting position, his posture deflated. He echoed her chastised response. _<Yes alpha.> _

Conflicting emotions tugged at Araki until she finally worked up the courage to speak. "But I must ask something. I know it's not my place. But I must."

<And what is that?> Lynua's head canted just such so she could look down her nose with a cut of her eyes.

"We must finish what we started." She brought a hand up to motion at the terrified villagers. "Once the garrison learns of this slaughter there will be unholy retribution against the folk of Northpoint. We can't let that happen." She waited for the alpha to pin her again, or worse. Nothing happened.

<Unfortunately you're right. But you know what that means?> When Araki met Lynua's gaze, she found the alpha regarding her with an introspective look. <It would be an invasion of the anthro world, something our kind has never done since the advent of the second time.> Her mindspeak tapered off, uncharacteristic of the alpha female that always had an answer and conviction in her decisions.

"If nothing else, I can," again Araki had to work up the courage to say what she felt was right, "I can handle this on my own. I don't want to endanger the pack any more than I already have. But I can't just leave these villagers to their fates."

<They vilified you and drove you from their village after you saved them from certain death.> The black wolf sat back on her haunches and brought up a paw to point accusingly at her. <What do you owe them? I've seen your memories, all the horrendous things that you experienced. They had no right to do what they did.>

Araki started to speak, but then recoiled back at a loss. The alpha's words resonated with her, turning over and over in her head until they started to fester. Why did she care about them? What did she ever owe them? Why had she even leapt to their rescue only moments ago?

<Well?>

The husky started, realizing a long time had passed since the alpha had last mindspoken. She wanted to say what she really felt deep down. The hatred for those villagers--who represented the very kingdom she had sworn to protect--gave her all the answer she needed. But... but something else stopped her short. Something that she couldn't explain. In that long moment of reflection, the husky found the real answer she sought.

"Because if I don't, no one else will."

<You would protect them after everything they've done to you?>

"Yes." Araki's reply came without a moment's hesitation. "Yes, I would. The Kaowyn realm may no longer exist, but I've made an oath as a sage. That oath was to protect my own."

Lynua recoiled with a flick of her ears at hearing her own words spoken back to her. She was silent for a long pause, so long that Araki squirmed uncomfortably under her unwavering gaze.

The alpha searched her omega's thoughts, melding her aura to the husky. She felt the wolf searching, combing through her memories.

After a moment Lynua stood, her aura withdrawing. <Then ok. It's settled.> She started off to the other side of the clearing, where her mate waited next to the frightened villagers. <I'll find a suitable punishment for you later. For now, we will finish what we started.>