---------- Back in Uranus --------
The entire cave was bright and quiet, the moon stood briefly on top of their cave, all activities were immediately suspended due to the urgency and importance of the meeting, the entire werewolf clan in Uranus filled the meeting hall. Little murmurs a rose from each of them seated in the meeting hall.
As the door opened, Cassius the cave head, stepped in and assumed his seat the noise died out. Seated Cassius stared at the crowd with sadness in his eyes, he cleared his throat and his gaze fell on his wife and children seated on the front seat, taking a deep longing breath he began,
"We have a serious weighty issue on our hands now, our land, no!, no!, our world Uranus, which is the source of our wealth and livestock is going to experience a serious eight month drought beginning from tomorrow as confirmed by our livestock farmers and hunters", he paused as little murmur of sadness rose from the crowd.
Raising his voice so he could be heard "I know, I know is not going to be easy for us, but we werewolves are survivors we can do this, and is only going on for eight months" he paused as the murmur increased, looking at the crowd he saw Mortica cock her eyebrows at him.
[What's that look?] he telepathed
[Nothing], she said as she adverted her gaze away from him
[Doesn't seem like that to me, if you've got something to say just say it]
[Was just thinking about the trash you said earlier, how would we survive for eight months with no food or drink, and you just unreasonably blurted that bullshit from your mouth] she said without thinking
[Hey, he glared at her as frown lines etched his fore head, you have no right to talk to me with such language I can command them to have you for dinner]
[But you won't, look around you Cassius] she said glaring at him
Cassius gaze swept the entire hall, their murmur and argument was at its peak, the hall became noisy as most of them kept charging at each other, the famine had not begun yet but the situation is already messed up.
Shaking his head sadly he looked back at his wife,
[You were saying?] She mind linked him with sarcasm
[You're not helping Mortica]
Taking a deep breath, he looked at his children, Gabriella sat transfixed staring at him like he had grown two heads, damn he hated that look she kept giving him
[It's okay dad, you can do this, you're our leader for a reason] that was Cody, he loved him so much cause he took after him
[Really, look around you son, everything is so.... upsidedown]
[C'mon dad, just take charge of the situation, they'll listen to you, you're our clan head] he pleaded as his face stretched
Cassius sighed deeply as he gazed at the noisy hall, "can I have your attention please" he murmured inaudibly, no one budged as they kept on blabbing, he watched Cody slap his face with disappointment,
"Hey" he said this time a little audibly frowning, the people seated at the front gazed at him but kept on chatting
"HEY!" He charged, as he rose and, slammed the desk with his palm and growled getting the attention of everyone and everything both inside and outside.
Cody stared at his father, fangs out claws almost half of its original length, and dark red eyes, he looked visibly angry and could kill anyone now. The hall was now quiet and everyone looked visibly frightened cause they've barely see Cassius in his rage phase.
One of the councilman was about rising to speak, "don't even think about opening that your hole" Cassius spoke with his fangs peeking through his mouth
"But...I..."
"SIT DOWN!, he commanded. I promise anyone that opens his mouth to speak would be used as our dinner" he said with an expressionless face
Pin drop could be heard as the hall became silent, taking a last deadly glance at the hall with his dark gaze Cassius assumed his seat and continued speaking" as I said earlier on, we are survivors and yes thats what's we are, he stressed directing his speech at Mortica, we would begin rationing the livestock we have for now and our feeding hours would be switched to morning and night, no more late afternoon feeding, taking a deep breath he continued, I know things are never going to be the same, I know things would be though, but if we abide by the rules it would be much more easier, Seth, he called the hunter in a very loud voice,
"Ye...yes sir" Seth answered and stood up with shaky feets
"I need the accurate number of every man, woman and child in this clan, arrange them in their rank also, beginning with the Alphas to the omega, is that clear? And get the number of the animals we have left in the forest"
"Yes sir" Seth replied with a nod
"I need the numbers before sunrise tomorrow"
"Would do that sir" he replied then took his seat
"And to you all, he addressed the crowd once more, if anyone disobeys the clan rules, or caught fighting one another, or is caught stealing animals, I promise you that person would wish he was never born, things are gonna dry up in a few days, we should feed responsibly, he said and paused a bit, that would be all, you're dismissed"
Everyone began leaving the hall quietly. Everyone left aside from Cassius and his family, he stood up from his seat and joined them,
"As things are getting harder the pressure is getting hotter, right father?" Gabriella asked looking at him deep in his eyes
Happy Gabriella could relate once in her life he was proud, he couldn't speak but proceeded to rub her head affectionately
"that was one hell of a speech you gave, so motivating" Mortica spoke with scorn in her voice
"Not now, Mortica, you know we can't argue in front of the kids" he spoke expressionless but deep down he was mad at the attitude she kept exhibiting
"What, I don't know how you expect about two thousand pluspl people to survive with the little animals we have left, we had a hunt remember and animals were killed to carry out that exercise" said raising her voice
"How is that my fault ehh?, What do you want me to do now?" He asked visibly angry
Camly she spoke" well not being selfish, I suggest that we reduce the meal of the families that won the hunt, alongside those that had higher wins" she said bluntly
Cody stared at her puzzled, he had known Mortica to be heartless but not this wicked" why should we do that?"
"What, they got meat with them?"
"Deeped in grease!"
"Still roasted, is still good though"
"Mother, don't be so thoughtless, they can't..."
"Enough!, Cassius voice silenced their banters, we are not going to cut off anyone's rations when I get the accurate numbers of individuals in our clan alongside the number of livestock's left, then we can decide on how we would manage our meals facing Mortica he said to her, be a loser, but not a sore loser he said with an air of finality and stood up to leave them
[Just you wait Cassius, I can't wait till when all this your plan comes blowing up in your face] she telepathed to him
-------------------
The next morning Cody and Cassius were seated at the top of the cave, Cassius was deep in his thoughts and Cody just kept staring at him, waiting for an answer to the question he asked hours ago.
Seth leaped up the cave and approached them, "hello sir" he greeted them both
"Seth, Cody spoke with a half smile plastered on his face, you're up early any issue"
"Ahh yes, I brought back feedback from the assignment your father gave me during the meeting" he spoke while his eyes were on Cassius face, he hadn't budged since.
"Ohh, Cody looked at his father, he's in a trance, he smiled weakly at Seth, father", he began shaking him vigorously
Cassius blinked four times then his gaze fell on his son, "what is it?" He asked dryly
"Here, he pointed at Seth, he's here to see you"
"Regarding?" He asked
"Greetings sir, am here with your feedback for the task you gave me yesterday"
"Okay" he adverted his gaze from him, Cassius was worried how things were going to turn out, the last time a drought occured the result were bitter, a lot of lives were wasted
"Sir, we have a thousand and five hundred men, a thousand and five women and one thousand three hundred children some in their late teens, which is a total sum of three thousand eight hundred and fifty individuals, your family excluded"
"Include my family you pig" Cassius yelled at him
"O...okay...sir, it would be a total of three thousand eight hundred and fifty four people in our werewolf clan" he concluded with his head bowed low in fright
"You're sure that's the exact number?"
"Very accurate sir"
"Okay and the livestock's?"
"Errrr sir we have twenty two pig, fifty antelope and fifty four deer, a total of a hundred and sixteen livestock"
Cassius was shocked but didn't show it, "any of them pregnant?"
"No sir"
Frown lines etched his forehead, Cody looked at his father, he was visibly stressed out.
"That is all, you may leave now" he said , Seth bowed his head and left them
"so what are we going to do, there's no way that number of livestock is going to feed the whole lot of us for eight months" he said looking at his father
"Well, he took a long tiring breath and stood up, we've got to try something new"
"And what's that" he stood up and caught up with him
"A fighting pit"....