He was not lying as he drove thru the night and not to long before dawn came to a stop at a large clearing at the base of a mountain where two makeshift huts were sitting.
"There is still time before dawn so I am going to get some rest. Do as you will until then." He waved is of as he slowly trudged to a tent.
Without a word all of us got together too plan on how to proceed. The general census seemed that I would speak for us as a group and we would asset our position almost immediately. It was time to see if the old veteran had what it takes to work with us.
The first Ray's of light broke over the mountain bathing the field in a golden hue turning the mountain into a outline that stretched into the shadows at the base still covering the forest. The old man slowly emerged from the tent only glancing at us before grabbing a pack of his wagon and seeing to make a meal. I quietly walked up to him and sat as he set some dry grasses for a fire.
"I do not know what you have planned for us but we will not be used as coming workers. We will work beside others but will do so at our discretion."
"I figured as much. Why don't we discuss what is to be done and how to go about it." I raised an eyebrow at him but waited to see what he would say next. "I don't know much about you or the rest of them but I do plan to put you in higher positions if you do not overstep your bounds. I was sent here to build another kingdom, which if you ask me, will be very small so I use the word loosely. As long as that happens with little problem then how is negligible."
"Will to get to the point none of us are any longer human like we look. The four women might as well be called demons because the gain power if they drink blood. Mainly the blood of people rather than animals. It is not a must because they can still eat as well as you and I. The group is for men you saw are able to take the form of a wolf albeit many times larger or a half form which looks like a man in wolf clothing. The group of three when I escaped and myself are a mix of both. We were brutally trained and tested on to create what we are."
His heart rate spiked as he spoke. "So your kind are the demons that attacked the other kingdoms?" I smiled as two of the men shifted to wolves that towered above a normal man before turning back and all for women smiled revealing pointed teeth and blacked out eyes.
"It was not our group but others like us. If you want to survive what is to come then you have to trust us." I started at him without blinking, waiting for a response.
"I will work with you and listen to what you have to say but I want final word on anything that goes on. There should be supplies and workers along with some slaves showing up soon so we can begin." He spoke carefully as if we were looking for a reason to kill him.
"Once they arrive we will explain what is going to happen and what we are.... at that point none can leave. What do you mean by workers and slaves." A low rumble responded in my throat.
"The workers are made up of either the poor or lesser skilled peasants that were told of a chance to start new. The slaves are prisoners that normally be sent to the headsman's block but are being forced into manual labor. So the are not kidnapped our anything like that. Our king is cruel but he knows the use of making the people think they are free."
"That makes sense. There are two trailers heading this way." My thoughts were interrupted as I nodded to the others. The eight of us shifted into wolves and stood in a line behind the veteran while the four women stood in front of us with their eyes blacked out. The two trailers stopped a distance back from us as the veteran stepped forward.
"Are you here from King Tyran? I am general Shane..... " He continued to walk forward and we didn't pay much attention as we were talking thru our pack link making jokes of the fear we could smell coming from them and surprised they did not run immediately. One member interrupted us as Shane was walking back. The eight of us shifted back into human form causing stares as we were nude. Realizing that we tired what scraps of clothes we could around us.
"They will unpack and get organized. There will be two workers and one slave working with each of you the others will be done what I decide. If you come to the tent we can plan on where to start." He spoke as he walked by and right into his tent.
The workers constantly watched us as I entered the tent after Shane. "It is the beginning of spring and we have no idea how long we have until everything goes to hell and since you seem to know what is going on better than I do what is our first objective?"
"Well, Shane, we get a basic town started and slowly expand. We will do what your king wanted. As long as it looks like he is listening to the seer then he will be safe for a while." I put emphasis on his name.
"I didn't realize I never gave my name. It didn't cross my mind or come up with everything going on. What are your names." He interlaced his fingers under his chin.
With us names are seldom used since we communicate in a different way and we know who is talking and who were talking to but you can call me..... Shadow." I thought after a second when the others were telling me that none of us would again take a human name but names of stuff nightmares are made of. He raised an eyebrow at that and I said what the others decided and he nodded not pushing any further.