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20

The reaction was immediate. Over a thousand Wolves threw their hands in the air and shouted: "WHOOOOOOOAAAHH!!" The din was so loud Hezzi couldn't even hear Mother shouting at him. She was pointing at him, her jaws opening and closing so fast it almost looked like she was trying to bite the air. Slobber flew off her teeth in little spinning bolas. The tendons in her neck stood out like cords and her whole face was contorted into something even more hideous than the statue looming above her head with its red eyes and teeth of stone.

Wardo was just standing there with a thoughtful expression on his face, perfectly still, looking at the 'brat' that had dared to challenge him.

"This is gonna be good!" someone shouted.

"We haven't had a challenge for the Chieftaincy in generations!"

"Two coneys on Hezzi to win! Fast Paws! Fast Paws!"

"Are you insane? Wardo'll tear him apart!"

"No, Wardo's too old to fight!"

"Shut your mouth! Or do you want them to come and chop off your claws, too!?"

"I don't want to bend my knee to some pup half my age! Booo!!"

Hezzi risked a quick look behind him. There were so many faces, a whole ocean of them, some cheering, some cursing, but there were only a few he actually cared about. Renna was chewing on her nails again. It was a habit she was so ashamed of, but now she was doing it in full view of everyone. Lana, Danado, Taberah and Sorrin were all looking at him like he had gone mad, and Nilia... well, she was standing off to the side with her arms crossed, completely expressionless, not moving a muscle while Wolves jumped up and down and clapped their hands all around her. It actually made her stand out a fair bit.

She noticed him looking at her, and gave him a small nod. That was all. Just a nod, but it made Hezzi feel better. He knew he was doing the right thing. He was taking the weight of all their lives on his shoulders, and he must not fail.

Must. Not. Fail.

He turned back to face the one that had stolen his father's title, but Mother was still the one making the real fuss.

"Silence!" she yelled, waving her bony hands in the air. "Silence! Silence!!" She finally managed to get their attention in a most gruesome way - by raking her claws over her own face, opening four dark lines of blood across her forehead and muzzle. "SIIIILLEEEENCE!!" she shrieked, and this time there was indeed silence, so much so that nobody even dared to breathe. She rounded on Hezzi, blood dripping from her chin, and advanced on him like a creature out of a nightmare. "Hezzi! You fool! What are you doing!?"

"I am reclaiming Father's honour, Mother. This tribe is turning into something he never wanted. Something... cold, and hard, and cruel. He may be gone, but I am still his son, and it's my duty to save it."

"Fool! You have no idea what you're getting yourself into! Take back your challenge!"

"No, I can't do that."

"Do it, Hezzi!" Mother reached out and grabbed him by the shoulders, blood dripping into her milky white eyes. "Take it back!"

"No!"

"Take it back! Take it back!"

"NO!"

"Enough!" Wardo shouted. He was still caressing that gaudy necklace, running his fingers across its teeth and claws. "Let him go, Shekka."

"But War- I mean, Chieftain! He doesn't understand what he's doing! Let me talk to him! Just, please, I know I can make him see reason!"

"No, Shekka. As the drisa of the previous Chieftain, your son has every right to challenge me."

"I won't allow it!" She leaned in close until their noses were almost touching, her foul breath blasting into his face, her crazy eyes rolling back and forth in their sockets, searching for something they could not see. "Hezzi, listen to me. You may think you're doing the right thing, you may think you're saving your people, but you're not. Just step back! There's still time!"

"I'm not a child anymore, Mother. I know what I'm doing."

"YOU DO NOT!" she screamed, spraying him with a sticky mixture of spittle and blood. "I don't want to watch you die in some circle drawn in the dirt! I don't want to see you make the same mistakes as Ander!"

"The only mistake Ander ever made was putting his faith in Wolves like you!" Hezzi shouted, instantly regretting those words the moment they left his mouth. Shekka recoiled, covering her face as if struck, and Hezzi wished he could take it back. She was a frightful creature, a witch of terrible power and influence, but she was still his mother, and as much as he feared and loathed her, he also loved her. "Mother, I -"

"You are going to die, Hezzi," she whispered softly, so that only he could hear. "Even if you win your battle this day and become Chieftain, all you can expect is a knife in the back." She raised her hand and caressed his cheek, gently, delicately. "Don't you see? Kadai... your father... my love... he left this world wishing only for you to be safe. That's why he named Wardo the next Chieftian, to protect you. His dying wish, and my living wish, Hezzi, is all for you. Do you really mean to throw it all away?"

"You're the one who can't see what's going on, Mother, and I'm not talking about your eyes. If I don't take a stand right now, it's not just my own throat I'm slitting. There are good Wolves in this tribe. Strong, honest, caring Wolves. If I don't do the right thing, if I don't take to heart everything that Ander and Father taught me, then I'll just end up damning all my friends with me. At least this way, they'll have a chance. I'll make these walls safe again. For them, and for you, Mother. For every Wolf of the tribe."

"You're a fool, Hezzi," Mother said. "You've lived your whole life as a fool, but you don't have to die as one. Please, listen to me. I know you see me as some kind of monster, but I love you. You're the only family I have left, and I love you. Please, please don't do this..."

"I'm sorry, Mother." Hezzi stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her in what must have been the first real hug he'd ever given her. "I have to try."

She stood frozen in his embrace for a second, then lashed out violently, pushing him back. "You want to throw your life away!? Fine! Go ahead! If my sacrifices mean so little to you, then what point is there in being your mother? What point is there in loving such an ungrateful son? I wash my hands of you!" She stormed off and collapsed against the statue's leg, weeping hysterically against its heel.

Hezzi hated that sound. Every wail and hitching gasp seemed to rob him of strength.

Don't listen to it. Just do what you came here to do. There are Wolves counting on you. Focus.

"Wardo!"

The wretched Wolf regarded him with a strange combination of amusement and utter contempt. "Yes, boy?"

"Do you accept my challenge?"

He came closer, running his claws across the ceremonial necklace, his smile broadening with each step, and said, "No."

A gasp flitted through the crowd like a quick gust of wind, and Hezzi could only blink in astonishment, completely taken aback. "What did you say?"

"Clean out your ears, boy. I said no."

"But- But you can't just say no! You're the Chieftain! You have to accept my challenge, otherwise you -"

"Forfeit? Indeed, that's exactly what I'm doing."

"What?"

"I forfeit. You win." Wardo removed the necklace from around his head and held it out as if he were presenting something on par with a coonskin hat instead of the tribal symbol of Chieftaincy.

Hezzi took it, his fingers shaking, unable to understand what was going on, and apparently neither could anyone else, because the whole village had gone so quiet the necklace was the only thing making any noise whatsoever, merrily jingling away in his trembling hands.

"Congratulations..." Wardo said, smiling so broadly each and every one of his yellow teeth were clearly visible. "...Chieftain."

There was silence, but it did not last long.

"Well, I guess I'll be taking my two coneys, then."

"You can go rot!"

That small exchange was all it took to unlock an uproar. Wolves screamed and howled their displeasure at this most disappointing turn of events. They threw curses and threats and Hezzi was reminded of the time they had that vixen out here, locked in that cage. Come to think of it, wasn't she put on display in this exact same spot? The one he was standing in right now? The thought was enough to give him the shivers.

"Boooo!!"

"This is a travesty!"

"Blasphemy!"

It would only be a matter of time until somebody started throwing rocks, and once that happened, everything would deteriorate into chaos.

Mother raised her head from the wet patch against the statue's heel and cried: "I told you, but you wouldn't listen!"

Wardo stood back with his hands on his hips, surveying the rising cacophany like the lord of all creation. "Well, Chieftain? You better do something quick, before anarchy breaks out."

Hezzi didn't know what to do. This wasn't what he predicted at all! He was supposed to earn the title through combat, winning the respect and admiration of his people with blood. For Wardo to simply hand over the chieftaincy was something that never occurred to him, and now he was stuck dealing with a throng of furious Wolves!

"Quiet!" he yelled, holding the necklace up above his head. "I said quiet! Silence! Everyone just calm down!"

Lana was trying her very best to manoeuvre her brother out of harm's way, but there were so many Wolves pushing and shoving it was impossible. One Wolf stepped on Danado's injured foot and Hezzi's stomach did a complete turn as he watched his face contort and his mouth open wide in an agonising, but silent scream, one that simply could not be discerned among all the others.

Taberah was doing okay because of Sorrin's girth, and Wolves just automatically tried to keep their distance from Nilia, but poor Renna was being jostled every which way, her eyes wide with terror. Big, burly bodies were slamming into her from every direction and it was taking everything she had just to keep from getting knocked down. Hezzi suddenly had a terrible of vision of her falling beneath their feet and getting trampled. He had to do something! He had to -

A long, mournful call suddenly cut through the noise and confusion, a single note that drowned out everything. It was Dorin, blowing on a magnificent ram's horn, silencing the entire crowd and gaining everyone's attention in one fell swoop.

He stepped forward, all eyes on him, and said, "Hezzi, as leader of the warriors of this tribe, I hereby challenge you for the title of Chieftain."