Here, ladies and gentlemen, is the moment you all have been waiting for…

For all who have already read my story! Where this is "o·o·000·o·o" begin reading there. It's centered.

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Chapter 5: The Evil One

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Preytheive the Evil One, but to all, the Evil One, hid behind a clump of brush as he watched his captains talk around a campfire. He yawned and glanced over to the makeshift log holding pin where he kept his wargs. The dozen were sitting in a circle staring out of the cracks in the wood. Turning his attention back to the fourteen beasts sitting around the campfire, the evil wolf listened closely to their talk.

"Do y' all think the Evil One has the right to boss us around any longer? We all saw how he slayed that rat the other afternoon. Methinks it's time for a new leader! Who's with me?" The speaker was a weasel, born with three black paws and one white.

"Com'on, Kapegut, y' know what he does with traitors. No beast can ever escape the wrath of his Lordship. You'll never be the leader of a five thousand count hoard like Preytheive is. Only wolves can command such numbers. I bet even y' have trouble commanding the hundred the One has entrusted to y'self.""

"Honestly, Urijrel, you are the most dimwitted fox I've ever seen!"

Murmurs of disagreement flowed through the captains who were listening to the fox Urijrel and weasel Kapegut argue. So far, as the Evil One presumed, Urijrel was getting the upper hand of the argument.

The strange thing about Urijrel was the fact that his eyes were a solid red. Every animal Urijrel encountered shuttered at his scarlet orbs.

"Don't y' all see it? If we wait any longer, we'll all be made fish bait!" Kapegut still held onto his proposition. "I say we sneak up on his tent and kill him now!"

A couple beasts shook their heads while others stood up.

"We're wid ya Kapegut! We cen see 'ow the Chief will kill us all soon! I feel it in me stomach! And me stomach ain't never been wrong!" The speaker, a large rat called Left, picked up her spear and followed Kapegut in the direction of their chief's tent.

Other creatures followed, convinced by the words of their fellow captains. Only five loyal beasts still sat around the fire watching the other nine sneak off. A martin named Beatserker shook her head in horror. "I won't want to be around when the Chief gets 'em."

"Aye, me too sister. He'll skin 'em alive. I bet he's watchin' 'em right now."

"I know the Chief won't die. He's too clever fer them."

"Weasels have no brains, as me patter use ta say. Never trust 'em."

The creatures left were three martins, a fox and a cat. For the first time that night, the cat entered the discussion. "I'm glad I'm not going to be the only captain left."

Beatserker's brother Oagnle was as surprised as any of the other three beast, but he asked the question on all of their minds. "What?"

"My great great great great great great great great great great great great great…"

"Aw stop wid the "greats" already!"

Angry golden eyes pierced the interrupter's mind. "As for you, Fegaver, you interrupting martin, go right over to those bushes yonder and tell me what you find, if you live to tell the tale. I've known we've been watched ever since we sat down."

Fear appeared in sweat droplets as what the cat said dawned on him. Only one creature would watch his captains, Preytheive the Evil One!

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Angry at being found out, the grey wolf slunk off to deal with the fools that set out to murder him. Quietly he backed up and snuck around to his tent. The nine captains were just entering it so he waited awhile until he heard muffled cries. Seizing his chance, he dashed into the tent and flayed about wildly with his bare claws and teeth. Anguished screams woke the entire camp and everyone rushed to the tent. None dared to go in because they didn't want to be caught.

"You fools! Think you can murder me in my bed! Stand and fight, here's your chance, weasel! I though I could trust you, but no! I heard you fourteen captains talking around the fire! So don't go and blame the other loyal four still there." Preytheive's shouts were heard by every beast outside.

They stood back as the wolf marched out of the tent holding Kapegut by his neck. The weasel struggled against Preythieve's viselike grip; gasping for air. Instead, the wolf squeezed harder.

The evil wolf looked at the crowd watching and said, "I will show you what happens to those who oppose me. Jyak, take a score and tie up those vermin in the tent. Make sure the ropes are good and tight."

He addressed a tough looking fox who motioned for the beast around him to follow. They went in the tent as the wolf now put both paws on Kapegut's neck and squeezed for all he was worth. Dropping the lifeless form, he had two weasels take it away.

Turning to deal with the eight remaining, scared-to-dead, former captains, Preytheive nodded to Jyak.

"Get hot fires going in between those two trees over there." He pointed at two trees with two parallel branches about twelve feet apart. "Elizon, take two pikes and fasten them together long enough to lay on those branches. Then tie a noose around each prisoner's neck with long ropes. Have five help you."

The female rat quickly went to do her master's bidding with five other rats; even though by this time she figured out what a horrible death the traitors would suffer. So did the eight prisoners. They wailed and screamed for mercy, but the cold hearted wolf had gags put in their mouths.

"Fire's ready Chief." Jyak announced with a half-hearted salute.

"Good. Stand by to help lift the pike onto the branch."

Elizon marched up, "Pole fixed an' nooses ready, sir."

The Evil One rubbed his hands in glee. The hoard watching shuddered as their chief smiled. His teeth were pinkish red; not with dyes. "Let's begin!"

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Hardly anything to account for the Chief of Evil, but I'm working on it!