Khan flicked an ear, watching the road warily. Ten paces behind him, Donnie rested with his hand on the muzzle of the mustang filly that carried Tammy, Brian and Kennedy. Midnight, as they’d begun calling her for her black as night coat, was still somewhat skittish, but could be trusted not to buck the babies off. The raccoons were scouting the seemingly deserted town across the road with the twins. Khan had started calling them P&P for short. It didn’t matter which one was addressed, they both answered. The coyotes had the rear guard with Butch, the bear. Sylvester, as Donnie had dubbed the mountain cat, lay beside Khan, her tail twitching idly.

*It smells.* She remarked in a bored tone.

*We aren’t staying.* He sighed in response.

*The cubs need rest.*

*We’re too close to the border. We need to keep moving.*

*We need fresh meat and rest. One more day will not matter.*

*We cannot delay.*

*Why?*

Khan growled in irritation. Sylvester merely blinked lazily at him.

*I cannot explain it. If we stay here, we are in danger.* He growled.

*A sensible answer.*

*Must you do that?*

*It is my nature. You are a dog, I am a cat. Besides, it amuses me.*

*Obviously.*

*You are young. When you are older, you will seek amusements like this.*

*I find nothing amusing about what has happened to the humans.*

*Nor do I. It has created a great inconvenience for me. However, without amusement, there is no hope.*

Khan growled again, softly, his eyes searching for his scouts. Sylvester rolled over on her back, indulging in a brief, playful rub against a rock. She then rolled to her feet and shook the dust from her fur.

*Do you not wonder why I answered your howl? Why any of us did?* She asked in a lazy tone.

*Chance said it was the howl of truce and dire.* Khan did the equivalent of a shrug.

*There is that. But that howl is rarely answered by any but canines.*

*Why did you answer it then?*

*I was in a place where animals of many different types were kept in cages for humans to look at. Butch was there. When the disaster struck, we were left alone. No one came to feed us or clean our cages. One day, one of the keepers came. She smelled like the mad, foaming mouth sickness, yet not. She opened all of the cages. We all ran from her. Everywhere we ran, there were humans that smelled the same way. They would not have made good prey. So we kept running. It was many risings of the sun before we heard your howl. I came because I do not know any other life. Butch is the same. We will follow you into Dragon’s Keep and keep the truce permanently. You will need our teeth and claws and we will need your familiarity with humans.*

*And the racoons?*

*I do not know. They are canny, but honest and true. They will stay, I think. They seem fond of the cubs.*

*The coyotes?*

*They? They will break from us once we are through the border. They are wild creatures. If they do otherwise, I will be extremely surprised.*

*Tammy has named them.*

*Ah?*

*The racoons are Bugs and Taz. She named the coyotes Daffy, Wiley and Lulu.*

*How…Human. Do they answer to these names?*

*Apparently. At least for her. I believe she is like Donnie and can hear us.*

*A relief, that.*

*Agreed.*

*Here they come.*

Khan came to his feet, watching as first the cats, then the racoons darted across the road. P&P rubbed against his legs, deliberately flicking their tails on his nose while the raccoons raised up to run their paws over his ears.

*There is a warm resting place near the middle of the town.* P&P purred. *There is safe food and milk.*

*My whiskers do not like this place.* Bugs, the larger raccoon objected. *There are eyes that watch, but are not seen.*

*We should not stop here.* Taz chimed in.

*Is it safe to gather supplies?* Khan sighed.

*If we are quick. If we do not separate.* Bugs answered as Taz shuddered his fur in distaste.

*You worry too much.* P&P hissed.

*Better not to stick a paw into the snake’s jaws.* Sylvester yawned, showing her fangs as she glared at the two smaller cats. *You two are too pampered and soft. You let your desires for comfort blind your instincts.*

*Very well. We bow to your wisdom, oh great queen.*

Sylvester snarled and slapped a paw down on one of the cats and pulled, ignoring the startled yowl, then hissed right in the face of the Siamese. Both cats immediately flattened to the earth, mewling sincere apologies. Khan sighed gustily and waited for them to finish establishing who was the bigger, meaner cat. It was a normal routine now. He’d learned it was a cat thing and to just ignore it. He didn’t understand it anymore than they understood why dogs had to greet each other by sniffing each other’s hind ends. They all just agreed to live with it.

In due course, they were traveling through the town carefully, skirting the buildings and doing their best to stay out of the open. Khan knew instinctively they were very near the border. He also knew instinctively that they were all tired, footsore and had nearly reached the end of their limits. If they had to make a run for it, they wouldn’t last for more than a mile or two. But, he also knew instinctively that they couldn’t stop. So, he pushed them.

He stood guard while Donnie gathered portable supplies. The boy found backpacks and rope and soon had makeshift saddlebags made. Midnight eyed them dubiously, but didn’t even flinch as he settled them over her back. He seemed to hesitate over several cans of something before sighing and putting them back.

*What were they?* Khan asked without taking his attention off the area outside.
“Cans of evaporated milk.” Donnie shrugged. “Too much weight. The jerky and bread is lighter. But, we could use the fruit.”

*Take what you know we will use best. We do not know what awaits over the border.*

Donnie nodded grimly and found another backpack. He spent more time rearranging the ones over Midnight’s back, filling them with assorted cans. Then he filled the last one with lighter supplies and put it on. He then lifted the younger children back onto the Mustang’s back and they set out again, heading out of town.

They were nearly clear of the last buildings and could see the hedges that marked the border in distance when the coyotes gave the yipping howls that signaled trouble. Khan barked sharply and watched P&P scramble up into Donnie’s arms, then onto Midnight’s back. Midnight rolled her eyes, but gamely set off at a weary trot. Donnie pulled his knife and followed. Khan turned to circle back to help his rear guard.

*You should go with your humans.* Sylvester snarked, blocking his way.

*No. You guard them.* He ordered tersely.

*That’s not smart.*

*It is. You’re quicker. You outweigh me. You have a better chance of protecting them.*

*I’ll buy you more time.*

*Don’t argue, Sylvie! Just go!*

*Stupid dog.*

*Damned cat.*

Sylvester licked his jaw briefly, then loped after Midnight and his boy. Khan took a deep breath and belled a long bark of defiant challenge, running to help the rest of his pack.

Near the border, on the Dragon’s Keep side, Dar loped, tongue lolling. Bear ran beside him. Both heard the faint, belling challenge and went from a ground eating lope into a dead run. Both of them reached the poison hedges and seemed to find the strangest hole close to the bottom to slip beneath and through. Their passing triggered the wards that alerted the guardians of that quadrant and within moments, a squad of Faye were dispatched to investigate, backed by a yearling dragon.

The humans smelled like the foaming madness sickness. Khan wanted to run away, but they had Butch cornered. Daffy, Wiley and Lulu were feinting in and out, trying to draw them out so the bear could break out of the corner. Lulu was bleeding from a wound in her flank and her left hind leg dragged, but she kept trying. The humans were armed with sticks and sharp, long knives. Khan leapt to attack a female, trying to knock her away and watched helplessly as another male literally ran Lulu through and pinned her to the ground.

Snarling with grief and rage, Khan ripped the soft throat beneath his teeth wide open. He heard his snarls echoed by a furious roar even as his teeth snapped and closed on more flesh. Almost mindlessly, he ripped and tore and snarled and howled. A large black form fought by his flank and from his rear, he heard a cackling, almost manic laughing growl. From somewhere above, flames spewed, hot enough to half incinerate the humans where they stood. A sword flashed, decapitating the human he had been leaping toward. Half insane with his grief, he turned on the being that had deprived him of his vengeance. The huge black body crashed into his, stopping him short.

*No! PACK!* A voice cut across the red haze in his mind.

He stood, licking his jaws, tasting the fetid blood of the humans. A huge black Lab stood blocking his path. An armored figure stared down at him, looking human, but the scent was wrong. He frantically looked around and saw Daffy and Wiley, both wounded but alive, being guarded by Butch. Lulu lay to one side, side heaving, a small pool of blood spreading beneath her where the pole pinned her to the ground.

*Lulu!* Khan howled and sprang to her side. He closed his teeth around the pole to pull, but was stopped by her yelp of pain.

*No..do not!* She gasped, panting hard.

*Lulu!* He whined anxiously and nosed her muzzle. *Sister!*

*It’s alright, Brother. It will be fine. Butch?*

*I am well, Sister.* Butch’s voice was strong. *I guard our brothers.*

*Good . . . good. Khan, you must lead them. They will be lost, else.*

*Lulu, you can’t leave me! Not yet!* Came a faint, panicked sending.

*I am sorry little sister.* Lulu sighed softly. *It is the way of pack. We protect. We fight. We live. We love. We die. It is my time. I am honored to give my life’s blood so that the pack may survive.*

Her tail wagged feebly, once, twice. Then, with a faint rattle, she was gone. Khan nosed her again, hearing a mental scream of anguish echo in his ears. Then he raised his head and howled. He was joined by the large black lab and the rock wolf. Butch stood on his hind legs and roared while Daffy and Wiley howled. Khan felt a larger being somewhere behind him and was unsurprised to hear a fierce trumpeting, paying tribute to a warrior fallen in battle.

“Honored comrade, allow me to remove the foul defilement to her body.” A melodious voice cut across his grief and he stared at the human looking figure in armor kneeling before him. He managed a blink of acknowledgment and watched as the pole was pulled from Lulu’s body. Another armored figure knelt before him, this one female.

“Brother, allow me to carry our Sister.” She said gently, her hand held out for him to sniff. He did so, then nudged her fingers toward Lulu. She gathered the small body lovingly, holding it cradled as she would a beloved child.

*Queen comes.* The rock wolf whined anxiously.

*The others are being led back.* The black lab responded, then nosed Khan gently. *I am Bear. This is Dar. You are safe now.*

Khan looked around carefully. His eyes fell upon the being behind him and his mouth fell open in surprise.

*What the hell is that?* He yipped. *A mutant lizard?*

Jeweled eyes whirled a mad sapphire and the huge head lowered to lay in front of him.

*No, dragon. You may call me Bridget, young king.* She snorted in amusement before her eyes deepened to a deep green. *I am sorry for your loss. She will be remembered as a great warrior, I promise.*

“Khan!” Came a frantic scream. He whirled around, hackles raised, just as Donnie skidded to a halt, his knife held at the ready, tears streaming down his face. Khan jumped to meet him, letting the boy hug him fiercely as he licked his face. He heard the shrill neighing of Midnight, a frantic note in her voice and pulled away as the filly trotted up behind the boy, the younger children clinging to her mane and each other. Her eyes were rolling and she was trembling hard, but she stood her ground.

*Stupid dog.* A low hissing sounded and he was suddenly cuffed soundly on the ear before a rough tongue began licking his ears and face.

*Damned cat.* He grumbled but submitted to her ministrations.

*QUEEN COMES!* Dar literally shouted in a frantic tone.

*Jeez, take a chill pill, Dar.* Bear winced.

Angelique impatiently elbowed Talon to one side and with a wave of her hand, parted the hedge and stepped through. He sighed, rolled his eyes and followed her. Soft snickers trailed after him as Rhia and Kat followed, Isis and Merith grumbling in their wake.

“I still don’t see why we have to walk.” Kat stated mildly.

“I don’t want to spook them any worse than they already are.” Angel responded patiently. “They’re scared, hurt and have never seen dragons. One of them is extremely fragile right now.”

“I still don’t understand how you knew they were coming.”

“I had a dream. Then there was the fact that both Bear and Dar ran away nearly a week ago. That should have been a clue right there.”

“And why didn’t you tell me you could hear the familars?”

“I didn’t think about it. Besides, I thought it was the rock wolves. It took me a few days to figure out it was Nia in my head. And don’t get me started on Precious. Do you realize how twisted she is?”

“Do you realize what that makes you now that you can hear her?”

Rhia was trying to hide her snickers, but failing miserably. Kat shot her a dark look even as Angel stomped forward, muttering to herself.

They lost all humor as they reached the temporary camp that had been set up to assess the refugees. Larl was standing near the fire, cradling a limp body, singing a mourning chant as the other Faye with her dug into the ground. An eerie, soft yowling accompanied her in a disturbing counterpoint harmony. As the last notes faded, a series of howls began, one howl sent spine chilling tingles down all of their spines. The howls faded, to be replaced by roars. Larl gently placed the body in the now completed grave and as the Faye began to pile dirt and rocks over it, the dragon trumpeted fiercely. The sound echoed, then faded to the soft weeping sounds of human children.

“Oh, my.” Rhia stated softly.

“Ditto.” Kat murmured.

Angel merely walked forward and knelt in front of a white and gray malemute husky dog that regarded her solemnly. They seemed to stare at each other for a long time before he gave a sort of hitching whine and let her gather him into her arms.

*Queen* Dar sent proudly and then nudged the other four dogs, Australian shepards, forward toward her. He alternated between urging them forward and anxiously attempting to herd four children toward her as well. The large mountain cat lying near them literally rolled its eyes and leapt up to slap him on the rump while Bear opened his jaws in a canine laugh. The black bear hovering in the background rose up on its hind legs and things were about to get very interesting.

*STOP!* Angel’s mental voice made everyone wince. She stood up, her hand resting on the husky’s broad head. Her next words were gentle and kind. “They are all pack. We will tend to their needs, then we will take them into Dragon’s Keep. Our brothers and sisters have lost a dear loved one today. Lulu gave her life fighting for her pack. Her death will not be meaningless. Donnie, Tammy, Brian, Kennedy, Bugs, Taz, Daffy, Wiley, Butch, Midnight, Sylvester, Khan, Lady and Lady’s pups, you are now my family and my pack. My mother will be your mother. My father will be your father. My sisters and brothers will be your sisters and brothers. My family will be your family. My pack, your pack. You will never be alone again.”

Kat blinked at Rhia, who shrugged.

“You’re the one who said she collected alliances the way other mages collected familiars.” The Morgan pointed out.

*Told you, others would come to help balance our Queen* Isis chuckled.

Kat sighed heavily and walked forward to the children. The oldest boy stared at her as she stopped in front of him. She reached forward and cupped his chin tenderly in her hands.

“Hello. I suppose I’m going to be your mom, if you want me.” She said in a soft voice.

His eyes widened slightly and his lower lip trembled once. She saw the sheen of tears even as he ducked his head. He didn’t resist as she pulled him into a gentle, yet firm embrace.

Balance indeed.

16. Answering the Call