14. Weaver of Packs
He kept his position, ears flattened, muscles tense. The wind had changed directions again, bringing the stranger’s scent wafting through the undergrowth. The others took their cue from him. The slender Australian Shepard bitch had efficiently herded her younger charges back into the hollow log while the eldest had slipped a very long, nasty looking knife out of his coat and lay at ready in front of the entrance.
The faint sound of footsteps soon followed the stranger’s scent. It was accompanied by the soft sounds of whimpering. He flicked an ear. The eldest didn’t even move in the slightest behind him. The footsteps faltered and the whimpering tapered off.
*We know you’re there.* Came a soft, sibilant whisper against his mind. *We will not let you harm her.*
He rose to a half-crouch then, slinking around the bush, hackles stiff and lips curled in a silent, battle ready snarl.
He nearly went face first into the dirt in pure surprise. As it was, he sat back on his rump, trying to maintain an aura of confident control of the situation as he stared at the figures before him.
The woman was clearly sick. She held a toddler tied to one hip in a makeshift carrier that may have once been some sort of blanket. The whimpers were coming from the toddler. The woman’s free hand was curled into the harness on a very large, very shaggy dog. In front of the dog were two very fierce, if small, looking Siamese cats. The woman stared at him hopelessly. He scented death in her shadow.
“Khan?” The eldest broke his silence then, coming to crouch down on one knee beside him, knife at the ready.
He licked the boy’s cheek, then opened his mouth in a non-threatening yawn.
*The woman dies soon.* he remarked. *What will you do with the child then?*
*She is ours. We will manage.* came the soft reply. He realized the cats both spoke in unison. He stood and gave himself a quick shake, then nosed the boy.
“Khan says you can come into our camp.” the boy said quietly. The woman’s eyes flickered to him, then back to Khan. “He won’t hurt you. We’ve got water and a little food. It’s warm and dry. You can meet the others.”
“How old are you?” she asked in a voice that was heavy with her pain.
“Eleven. We’re all heading for Dragon’s Keep. We’re going to ask for asylum. I’m Donnie.”
The woman smiled a faint smile.
“My husband’s name was Donnie.” she said. “I’m Janet. This is Kennedy. Chance, Princess and Prince wouldn’t leave me.”
“Right after it happened, the animals seemed to just know where we needed to go.”
“I hear tell that the animals in Dragon’s Keep have magic that lets them be smart. May be ours are smart, too.”
“May be they always were.”
The woman nodded, and her mouth firmed. She focused on Khan.
“I’m pleased to meet you, Khan.”she said and gave the harness in her hand a slight tug. “This is Chance. The two troublemakers are Prince and Princess. We thank you for your help.”
Khan gave a gusty sigh and wagged his tail. Donnie put his knife away and stepped up to let Chance and the cats sniff him over. Then he took Kennedy from the woman and settled her on his own hip.
“Lady.” he called softly. “Come, Lady.”
The Aussie bitch came out of the hollow log, wagging her tail so hard, her whole body wiggled. After her tumbled three half-grown pups and two more children, ages four and six. Khan sighed again and looked at the three newcomers.
*Our pack.* he said ruefully. *We can use help hunting for them. If the felines are able, there is a stream not far from here where we can catch fish. My boy has the ability to make fire to cook what we can catch for the two-legged puppies. We have no milk for the young one. Can she eat meat yet?*
*Of course.* the dual voice answered. *We know what green things are safe to eat as well.*
*There are tree seeds as well.* Chance stated in a weary voice as he stepped past them, leading Janet over to the log to sit down. *You’ll need to break cover when you cross the next town. Use the twins as scouts.*
*You are not coming?* Khan inquired, suddenly noting the grey hairs of age around the muzzle of the other dog.
*I am too old. I stay with my human. You know the howl for truce for safe passage and in dire?*
*I have never had to learn it.*
*Very well. I will teach you when we have rested. It will ease your travel in non-human territory. I cannot do anything about other humans.*
*We have managed. My boy has had his first kill. He will make a fine alpha when he is grown.*
*Good. I will rest. The twins will keep watch. My human does not have long.*
Khan blinked in acknowledgment. The cats glided forward, rubbing against his forelegs and flicking their tails into his nose. He sneezed and sighed again. Troublemakers indeed.
Janet died during the twilight period between night and the dawn. Khan heard her breathing change and immediately rose to go to her side. Chance was already there, his head resting on her breast. Her fingers were curled into the shaggy fur of his ears.
“Good boy, Chance.” she murmured softly. Her breathing hitched once, twice, then she exhaled softly and did not breathe again. A soft mewling sound came from her side and Khan saw the two cats in the darkness. The mewling escalated to a full-throated yowl of anguish. Lady was out of the hollow immediately, braving teeth and claws and hisses as she curled around them and frantically tried to comfort them. They gave up trying to drive her away and let her curl around them as they continued to yowl like someone was pulling their tails. From the hollow, soft crying began, followed by gentle murmurs and the sound of a lullaby.
Chance heaved himself to his feet.
*Come.* he ordered softly and limped away into the darkness. Khan followed him, hackles raised by the chill the yowls still sent over his spine.
Near the stream, Chance halted and sat down.
*Listen to the howl and then we will repeat it together. You must put your entire heart and soul into it. If you do not, others will know and you will be marked as false. Only if you bare all will you earn safe passage.* Chance intoned.
Khan blinked, then sat respectfully. Chance heaved a heavy sigh, then raised his muzzle to the sky.
The sound was unlike anything that Khan had ever heard or even attempted. Within the sound was the grief of loss, the hope of joy and the purity of love, loyalty and selfless courage. If Khan had been able to, he would have wept at the emotions the sound echoing in his ears evoked. It sent an electrifying tingle throughout his blood and every nerve in his body. The compulsion to raise his muzzle grew stronger and stronger until he threw his head up and joined his voice with Chance’s, filling it with his love for Donnie, his hope for Lady and the puppies, both two-legged and four, the grief over the loss of so many of his human pack and his willingness to die if it meant his new pack would be safe in the land of Dragon’s Keep. He howled and howled and howled until he felt his throat would close forever from the rawness.
A soft, cold nose nudged his cheek. He came back to himself, whimpering and whining like a small puppy again.
*We heard. We came. We will help you. Truce. Truce until Dragon’s Keep.*
He gasped out another whimper as the Racoon raised its paws to pat his muzzle once more. He blinked, and blinked again. In the light of the rising moon, he counted two raccoons, a small half-grown black bear, three coyotes, a mountain cat and one very skittish mustang. Chance sat beside him, alert and watching him.
*Well, done, Young one.* Came the murmur. *That was a very powerful howl.*
Khan could only pant and submit to the ritual of sniffing the other newcomers subjected him to.
.
Miles away, far to the North, a small rock wolf paced and paced inside a dark kitchen, eyeing the way back to his charges and the door. A large black dog paced and paced with him, pausing to whine anxiously every so often.
*Puppies.* the black growled out.
*Pack.* came the reply.
*Brothers.*
*Sisters.*
*PACK!*
Light suddenly flooded the dark room. Both canines froze, snarls on their lips. Not even the warning growl from the large female rock wolf cowed them. The older male raised an eyebrow at them both.
“Well aren’t you two the proverbial poster children for prescription sleep aids . . .” he snorted in a grumpy tone. “If I let you out, will you promise to let me go back to bed?”
*Bad idea.* came the growl from Isis.
*PACK!* came the mental roar from both of the agitated canines.
“Alrighty then, outside it is for you both.” Tremayne grumped and stomped over to open the kitchen door.
Dar snarled at Isis.
*Watch pack siblings!*
Bear snapped at Tremayne’s fingers on the way out.
*Guard them!*
Tremayne watched them speed down the garden path and out of sight, sucking on his stinging fingers.
“You’re welcome.” He muttered sarcastically then turned around to go back to bed. “Aw, Bloody Hell.”
“Tremayne, what the hell did you just do?” Kat asked him in a soft, dangerous tone.
“Put the dogs out?”
*Stupid human.* Isis grumbled and stalked back to the nursery as Kat raised one eyebrow ominously.
Rhia, Morgan le Fae, High Queen of the Sidhe – often mistakenly called “Fairies” or “Elves” by humans, clutched her head.
The Howl was powerful, and was ringing between her ears at painful volumes. Being Queen meant she had been Gifted (If THAT word could be used right now . . .) with a connection to the Elements that extended and enhanced normal senses beyond the realm of “Normal”.
Wherever that soul was in the area now being called The Devastated Lands, it didn’t belong there. It was too powerful to belong to any mere human who lived there where the cities used to sprawl across the land.
The silence was sudden, and welcome, and she knew action had to be taken, NOW.
“Larl-ae!” she bellowed.
“Already on it, Sister – my ears are ringing, too.” Larl appeared, already dressed to travel – her own warriors, four-footed and two, ranged behind her.
“You’ll probably meet up with some of the Pack from of out Northern Dragon’s Keep on your way, I can’t imagine that Howl didn’t carry at least that far. And watch out for the Deviants!” The last order was addressed to the retreating backs as the squad vanished into the mists.
The Deviants . . . beings affected by the blasts in human lands. Some said they were just radiation poisoned humans who didn’t realize they were walking dead, some used the crude term “Zombies”, while still others said they were a mutated breed of human – twisted and stripped of any remotely saving human trait, like compassion. So far they only attacked in singles, sometimes pairs – and they didn’t survive encounters with the Barrier. Still – Larl would be going beyond that unnatural hedge to find the source of that Howl, and bring it back if they could.
