"To Flin! One hell of a runner and the best tracker I know! Sorry Jacobs you know it's true! Wahahaha!" Maxie laughed, He's feeling quite Chirpy and the Crowd was eating him up, I thought losing the race would hit him a lot harder but it seems I was wrong.... Mostly, I think the fact that he got healed by Nikki, they've been going steady.... but the injury he suffered gave their relationship a much needed boost! I walked in on her giving him 'Therapy'..... I can never look at that girl the same way Again!
".....You did good Peters, the race was a success.... too bad you couldn't participate," I said
"No... no it's fine, My Chief Karl needed me, It's only natural I stay at his side," Peters replied.
"I can my duties now,"
"No! You're still not at full strength, You'll need me at my side,"
"You're speaking nonsense!"
"Am I? You're still not eating as much, are you?"
".....I'm simply not.... hungry.."
"And that scares me! You're usually a gluten wh-!? stop twisting my arm! You know I'm right!" The cheeky little bastard has been getting too full of himself lately! Me? Need him? Bah! I'm doing the little fella a favour! He needs me! Still.... he and the Twins will be quite useful, Their talent for reading and learning will be useful in understanding Albert's lessons.... I'll inform the twins of their duties when they finish with their punishment!
Yes... the two bastards were in working with Clint! He persuaded them into taking out half the competition! Promised them half of the prize... mostly the hunting grounds, if he should win! I promised them a whiping when they confessed.... I'm not really gonna whip them but I have something just as fun in mind!
"Where's Amari? I do not see her,"
"She, Booker, Dorian, Elder Michala and Jacks are having a meeting, she said she'll send someone to call you when they reached a consensus,"
"Jacks..... Dorian's apprentice right? The fella with sapphire eyes right?"
"Yes, Chief Karl, He and Dorian got back during the race, they tracked the young lord all the way to The whispering ponds..."
"I'm guessing they didn't catch him?"
"....No but they had something important to tell the Alpha and-"
"That something.....lemme guess.... does it have to do with humans?"
"..."
"I see...."
I swirl around the mead in my tankard.... I wonder what they're discussing.... if it's humans does that mean something happened? An army coming by to attack us? No.... if that was the case Amari would summon me immediately! Meaning.... they captured some humans and are afraid I'd be biased in our judgement of them.
"Peters.... get me some more venison!" I ordered.
"Yes Chief Karl!" Peters replied before running off to get my meal.... Not a second after he left, someone plopped down at the seat right next to me.
"...Yo!" It was.... Gail, Of course just who I needed to sit next to me as I think, Hah.....She regarded me with those cold Grey eyes.... before attacking the venison on her plate! Might as well strike up a conversation with her, Fenris knows she'd vent regardless of my silence.
"You're in a good mood for someone who got disqualified.
"Yep!"
"You're not disappointed?"
"Nope!"
"...Okay? Shouldn't you be celebrating with Flin since you're in a good mood?"
"Ha..... no,no,no! The scamp just got lucky is all! Nothing worth getting my panties in a bunch!"
".....for someone not disappointed you sure sound bitter,"
"I'm not bitter or disappointed! I'm just- A disqualification man? And you thought you'd be cooler when you became Chief Karl!"
"I didn't suggest it if that's what you're mad about..."
"You didn't oppose it too strongly either, did'ja? Peters told me everything! Amari's got you whipped!"
".....Amari has me whipped because you made a fool of yourself?"
"Exac- Ha! Almost made me say it but I didn't! I didn't! I DIDN'T! Ha! Fool!"
"...if we didn't train together when we were younger I'd think you were an imbecile or a drunk,"
"Ha! Still as sharp tongued as ever! Huh? Yeah! Yeah! So... why don'cha come hang out with us as much, huh? Feeling too big for us, huh? Since you've come up in the world, huh? Well you're wrong! Amari didn't invite you to the secret meeting, Yeah! You'renot so big, Yeah!"
"How the Hell did you know about that?"
"Wolf ears! How wouldn't I know! Bahahahaha!"
"This place is bloody loud! I can barely hear you! How the hell did you hear what we said when you were over there a few moments ago!?"
"Wolf ears dummy! How many times am I supposed to tell yah!? Are you touched? Touched in the head? You are, are'nt cha!? You are! Bahahahaha!"
I wanted to strangle the creature in front of me.... Maxie, Nikki, Gail, Flin! Why do the fools always flock towards me!? Am I cursed? perhaps a tavern for black sheep is written over my head? If not for Amari and Peters I'd think I had some kind of social outcast curse!
"Bah! that's what you get for being so full of yourself! Fool! FOOL! Bahahahaha!"
"Are you here to just piss me off till the party is over?"
"...Nah! I'd get bored of that quick! I've got better things to do than hang with a gloomy little shit like you all night! I've got a date afterall!"
"....Pigs don't count as dates!"
She tried to smack my head, and deftly dodged her attack, she ended up spilling her food due to the clumsy attempt, she wept and I laughed, it felt satisfying seeing her in such a miserable state.
"Wah! Wah! Fool! Meanie! Sheepstealer! Give me back my food!"
"Bah! Get away from me! I tire of your nonsense!"
"No! Give me back my food- Stop twisting my ear! Stop! You spilled my food! It's your fault! GIVE IT BACK!"
"SHUT UP! get away from me!"
"No! My food!"
She whined and whined and whined until I gave in and gave her the Venison that Peters fetched for me... Great now I'm hungry and pissed!
"why you so mad?"
"....Because you stole my food?"
"Nope! Didn't steal anything! You gave it to me.... besides, your face was like that before I sat down!"
"..."
"Are you mad cuzz the Mrs didn't invite you to Family meeting?"
"G-Gail! Please don't!" Peters cautioned her.
"What! Everyone knows! You know, I know, I'm sure That firey Lil human hard on Maxie knows too! If it's bout Humans, You're gonna be totally biased! It's why you didn't become Alpha to begin with!"
".....Amari got chosen because she was the superior leader..." I said cooly.
"Y-Yeah no one's saying Amari isn't solid! Not me! Definitely not me!" Gail said sensing my growing irritation at the topic.
"Good..."
".....Alls am saying is.... You'd have benefitted more from the Ascension.... maybe even been the Better Alpha too! You were evenly matched when it came to the Blood trials, either of you being choosen as the next head would'ha made sense! Y-You know that right? C'mon you do!"
"..."
"Maybe we should change the topic Gail? I do not think it's wise to-"
"Shut it Peters! Someone has ta have the brass to say these things to his face! The reason we picked Amari over you is cuzz you'd have challenged the humans immediately after your Ascension! You'd have raided this town immediately! With or without the Eye of Mani, Dooming us all!"
I slammed my Fist into the table shattering it to pieces! The music and Laughter stopped all around us.... everyone's eyes were on us.... on me.... I could feel my Rage bubble up, it took all my willpower not lash out on Gail or anyone around me.... her words.... her thoughts.... we're what she was saying true? Is that how they all saw me? As a fool that would risk our numbers for the sake of retribution? Nonsense!
"How dare yo-"
"Wait! Wait! At least lemme finish first!"
"....."
"P-Please!"
I take a deep breath before responding, "Make it quick!" and folding my arms.
"O-Okay! Emmm.... I hate hate'em too! We all do.... the humans that is, You're not the only one who suffered because of em.... had you or anyone of us become Alpha.... we all would've stormed the town early, before we were ready!"
"And we became ready now?"
"Yes! You brought the eye of Mani afterall! Without it we'd have been slaughtered.... the moonlight helped too..... Amari and Elder Michala and all the other Alphas before em knew we had to wait till we was, right?"
"....."
"You knows am right!"
"....what is the point of this talk?"
".....If what you're thinking is true.... that it involves humans.... try to listen with an Open mind, would yah?"
"What makes you think she'll take my word for anything? She didn't even invite me for the meeting!"
".....Amari might be our leader.... but she's till a lady, Y'know? A ladys in loves! She'll listen to your council as a Lovers first before as a Chief Karl.... Please make an-an-an.....What's the word?" Gail said scratching her head, she's was sounding so wise too! I almost forgot who I was talking to....
"...You mean objective, Gail?" Peters muttered.
"Yass! Objective! You need to make an Objective Opinion! Yeah! Yeah! Good boy Peters! Good boy!" She said while patting Peters head....
"You're both the same age, you know?" I said incredulously.
"Yeah? So what?"
"Nothing....."
"Good! Now if you excuse me.... I have a date! Nikki and Maxie gotta show me some of that.... 'healing magic' Yeah! Yeah!" She said before bolting off towards Maxie.
"Your Friend.... is going places Chief Karl.." Peters muttered.
"Don't envy him, those two women would devour him before he realizes it!" I retorted.
"....but at least he'll die happy right? He has two beauties at his side, yu have Alpha Amari and I.. I'd probably die alone..."
".... I know you have a thing for Iva,"
"Wha-What!? I don-"
"I saw the way you stared at her during the race.... Part of me says that's why you dropped out and not this Wolf dung about my health, You didn't wanna compete with her, did you?"
"Chief Karl, you're wrong! I-"
"I'll set you two up.... when I have the time that is, we're all gonna be working close together going forward, It'll be easy really,"
".....You'd do that for me?"
"Yeah! You make a cute couple!" I said winking at him, he flushed and I chuckled before sipping my mead.
"Chief Karl!" a teenage boy yelled.
".....Yes?"
"A-Alpha Amari would like to see you!"
".....Of course, let's go,"
He lead me into the castle of the former Duke, the party was going on in the courtyard, the only reason I didn't storm inside immediately I learnt of the meeting is because that would be... a bit much really, I trust Amari.... and her decision.
".....I'm here," I muttered.
"Good... I wanted to hear your opinion on this..." Amari spoke.
I stepped closer and saw..... a group of people standing between Jacks and Dorian.
"Good to see you again Dorian," I said
"And you Chief Karl Barker," Dorian muttered while stroking his bushy beard, it's grown wilder since I last saw him.
"What.... is this?" I said pointing at the crowd.
"New blood! 30 new viable members of our pack!" Elder Michal spoke.
".....Just Viable?" I asked.
"We.... wanted to hear your opinion before making a final decision..."Amari said.
"..What's so special about it? If.... they're our kin-"
"Not all of them!" Jacks spoke.... I looked him right in those Sapphire stained eyes... the fella must have sensed something sinister because he flinched and took a few steps back, he ruffled his amber hair before standing straight and clearing his throat.
"W-we found them in a village near the whispering ponds! A small community of Humans and Werewolves... they helped the Young Lord and the Tanned Girl escape long before we met them..." Jacks continued.
"....and why are they here then?"
"My Chief Karl.... they grew to regret their decision.... a mysterious man wearing a red cloak and speaking the same tongue as the Tanned girl arrived a few days later.... he slaughtered many their people with a Basilisk!" Dorian added.
"Albert probably, no definitely... still why are the humans amongst them here? You.... know our culture does not allow them!" I said.
"....They wish to become like us..... like Werewolves to avenge their dead.... to drive away other humans from the Continent!" Dorian spoke.
"Why? Why not have their own Villagemen turn them? and why betray humanity for the actions of one foolish sheep?"
".....Because, Because..... they abandoned us! The other humans shunned us when they found out that We had Werewolves amongst our Brethen.... It's been that way for years... even before the fall of this city! We....we tried following the footsteps of Amanda," One of the villagers said... a middle aged man, he had sad brown eyes and thinning curly hair.... added with his long face, I felt the need to give him a hug...
"....You know of the wandering saint?" I asked... he said Mother's name, was thier village one of the many she visited?
"Yes.... she helped our people many a times... we owed her our life! The only way we could repay her was by showing the same kindness to those in need.... it did not work out.... the other humans have shunned and antagonized us for our efforts.... the Basilisk was the final straw..."
"What is your name?"
"Frederick.... but my friends call me Fred,"
"Well Fred you still haven't answered my other question.... why not have your own village men turn you?"
"None of them have the ability to do so,"
".....You have no MoonChildren amongst you?"
"No.... they do not, You, Amari, Elder Michala, Jacobs, Tasha, Clint, Henry and Dancer are the only ones we know of.... you're the only ones that can turn them...." Dorian said.
".....They are not much... but we need the numbers regardless, Barker.... what do you say?"
I touch my Chin with my left hand and look at each person in the room, From Amari to Dorian to the villagers.... they had similar expressions on their faces.... that of hope and desperation.... they've all made their decisions and so have I.
"I say we take them.... but I want them to finish a trial I have in mind,"