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Chapter 16: A Path crossed (Part 2)
"The difference between tactics and strategy is that tactics are the means to acquire the immediate objective, whereas strategy is the larger overall plan to obtain the long-term objectives. Never let your focus on your immediate surroundings make you lose sight of the distant vistas, and never let your tactics give away your larger strategy to the watchful enemy."
Consortium cadet training manual,
Preface to lesson 476
The Mysterious Beyond:
"So um… you sister is one of her kind?"
The pink fastrunner snorted. "Yes, Dear. My sister has teeth and claws, and I am sure will just love to eat you up… with affection."
Nahoda glared at his mate playfully. "I am beginning to think that you enjoy watching me suffer, Dear."
Is Nahoda still mad about me wanting to eat him? Mender wondered, having overheard the conversation, I told him I wasn't going to. Though he does smell delicious.
"Well I know that I sure do, Nahoda!" Orchid noted as he patted him on the shoulder before walking back in formation behind Mender. Nahoda rolled his eyes at the display. It was obvious from his now calm reaction around Mender that his fear about Ruby was more familiar than existential.
"It will be nice to see my sister again," Arial noted, "We haven't seen her since Dein and Terri were here."
Orchid nodded. "It was great to see them for the first time in Cold Times. I just wish the meeting didn't involve everyone nearly killing one another."
Which made Mender consider an awkward meeting that she would soon have as well.
"I haven't seen them since I left," Mender said, "I hope they're fine with me coming back after all this time. I never got a chance to visit until now."
Instantly every member of her pack whipped around to stare at the fastbiter in shock.
"Why wouldn't they, Mender?" Buse asked with confusion, "We have been trading words and songs with them for many Cold Times."
Cynnil nodded. "You may not have been there in person, but you were there in spirit, and this is what matters."
"It's not the same," Mender objected, "They sometimes hear about what I've done, but that is very different from actually being able to talk to me."
"Well then answer me this, Mender, how do you think Arial and Orchid reacted when they met Ponder for the first time since they were little runners?" Cynnil asked, "Did her family push her away?"
"That's completely different. That was family."
Orchid smiled. "Most of Seeker's pack are not family; they were different kinds before the stone got them, but they still consider one another family. Why wouldn't they consider you the same?"
"Besides the pack still includes you in their song," Cynnil added, "Sure sounds like they consider you family to me."
"They do?" Mender asked.
Cynnil smiled. "Did you think that when we sing your pack's song that we were simply adding a few verses? I kept it as true to the original as I could gather from the messengers during the last Full Night Circle of the Cold Time."
She then edged closer to her packmate with an amused expression. "You might have heard them if you weren't too busy helping out that flyer."
"What? The kid was sick. His mom was almost worse. She couldn't seem to decide whether to let me help or peck me to death."
"I wasn't criticizing, Mender, I was explaining," Cynnil clarified, "Though I think that perhaps our newest packmate might need to be caught up on your song."
She gestured at Orchid who was suddenly quite enthused.
"Yeah, you mentioned how you joined Seeker's pack, but not what happened to your brother and Staza." He paused for a moment. "Have you seen them since…?"
"I've seen them a couple of times since their eggs hatched," Mender answered, "One of their kids nearly gave Staza a panic attack." My reaction was probably worse, though.
Nahoda tilted his head. "What happened there?"
"One of her kids pretty much had my coloration," Mender replied. Or way too close for anyway.
Orchid could easily read the subtext of what that meant in terms of smell-blindness and quickly intervened before Nahoda could ask another question. "Are they doing alright now?"
"They're fine. The kids I might call a bit too curious, but they're fine."
"Kind of like my sister's pack then?" Arial noted with humor, "Curiosity certainly led them to their fair share of trouble."
"They actually got their first real safety lecture from me," Mender admitted, "They didn't hide when they first saw me. Granted, I was with my brother, but still..." If I had let Verant do it, he'd still be lecturing them for it today.
"Oh no, you didn't train them, did you?" Nahoda asked as Arial forced his beak shut playfully.
"If they ever try to hunt you, you'll wish I had. Had my brother been going after you you wouldn't have known he was there until he had his jaws around your throat," Mender replied, purposefully putting on as menacing display as she could. Nahoda was the only dinosaur that knew who she was and still acted afraid of her. It was too much fun to pass up on.
It was at this point that Cynnil decided to have mercy on Mender's favorite victim.
"So I do believe you left off on you joining Seeker's pack and being welcomed, perhaps it is time to focus on your brother's side of the story?"
Mender smiled as the pack continued across the grassy plain. "Yes, as Leap seems to have a talent for he managed to invite my brother's ire. In this case he earned the safety lecture." She then gave Orchid a long look. "And... Orchid?"
The fastrunner gave her his undivided attention. "Yes, Mender?"
Mender's eyes radiated humor. "You might notice something similar about the naming. Sometimes I get my best ideas from songs."
Orchid didn't have time to ask a question before Mender resumed her tune.
As Leap hid in his high abode,
His sister continued to search through the unknown
Unwilling to let her quarry escape,
She did not notice the approach of fate
The past:
Leap held fast to the tree as he kept watch for any sign of his pursuer. He was the master of this game, and he was not going to be discovered without a struggle. He had covered his scent with stinkweed, waded through the stream, and then climbed up the large tree. Now he only had to outlast his sister and he would again win at Hunter and Prey.
The fact that this was a children's game did not dissuade him.
"Now where did he go?" Swift asked to not one in particular as she sniffed the ground. This game had been a mainstay of the siblings ever since they had been orphaned, and she took it almost like a pack rite. It was a way to remember her parents, and the childhood that had been cut short.
It was this scene that Dodger and Tracker stumbled upon. Their reaction was typical of their own life experience. They both tensed up and started to hide themselves, searching with both sight and smell for what Swift might be looking for. If she were hunting, they didn't want to get in the way. If it were anything else, they wanted to figure out what was going on before interfering.
"You know, Brother, that I will find you eventually," Swift taunted in the hopes that Leap might be surprised and accidently give his location away, "You can't hide from my sniffer forever."
"Should we help?" Tracker asked.
"You can offer," Dodger said. Before Tracker had a chance to reply he started to move away, intent on disappearing. Time to find Leap myself.
Leap clutched to the tree as he stared down at where his sister continued to search. That was when he saw two flashes of color in the distance. A flash of blue and another of green. Um… Sis, it is not part of the game to have helpers!
Swift was unaware of the new arrivals as she began to inspect the trees around her, I wonder if he went up a tree again. That bastard always wants to play dirty! she smiled though at the challenge this involved, that will just make my victory all the sweeter.
Having quickly lost track of Dodger, Tracker moved towards Swift, intent on asking if she wanted help but deciding to practice her stalking before then. She carefully moved so that she was somewhat behind and definitely downwind of Swift and moved closer.
Dodger, meanwhile, had thought he'd seen movement in a tree and investigated, being as quiet as possible. Leap, you're crazy. There's no good way to retreat from up a tree.
Ah, shit, Leap thought as he began to shake despite himself. Even though he and Dodger had had a resolution of sorts, the idea that he appeared to be stalking him did not make him feel safe. As he got closer, his nervousness only grew.
"You're an idiot, you know that," Dodger whispered to Leap once he reached the tree, "Worst hiding spot ever."
Leap sighed as the tree began to sway under both of their weight, "It is an old game that my sister and I play. I only have to hide until she gives up." He then gave Dodger a sardonic look despite his nervousness. "Besides, I am supposed to act like prey right now, and prey can be stupid sometimes."
"Not this stupid. I should know. I've been prey," Dodger answered, "Stupid two-footers."
Leap looked down. "Calin… being food would have been kinder," Dodger had not been the only one to experience being on the other end of the chase.
"I still wish I could've helped kill him," Dodger said, barely able to keep himself quiet, "He got off easy if you ask me. He can't die enough times to make up for what he did."
Leap continued to look down as he noticed one of those victims of Calin get rather close to his sister. "Oh come on, sis. How can you not see Tracker coming at you?"
Dodger said nothing but did smile at how Tracker continuously kept herself concealed.
Tracker, for her part, crept up on Swift until she was close enough to touch the other fastbiter. Maybe I should say 'hi' now.
Swift heard the breathing behind her and immediately turned around in a defensive position. "Ha! Found you, broth… what?" That was when she noticed that the fastbiter in front of her most certainly was not her brother.
"Hi," Tracker said awkwardly, embarrassed at being caught. She stood up carefully. Ow. Too much tension. Not enough practice.
"Ha, looks like we both got caught, sis!" Swift looked up as she heard the voice of her brother from the tree above. She was surprised not to see one, but two fastbiters clinging to the tree, causing it to noticeably sway. Her brother soon finished his statement, "Perhaps we should just call today a draw, huh?"
Swift rolled her eyes. "I will get you next time, brother."
"You wish, sis!" came the response.
Swift shook her head. "I can see why they call you Tracker."
"Thanks. I sort of grew into it; I didn't actually earn it," Tracker admitted. While she could lie for a joke, Tracker had never once managed to intentionally say something that wasn't true and not be at least under suspicion.
Swift snorted. "Well, birth names are like that. I used to be called Slender Tail, even though my tail well…" She gestured with her relatively fat tail. "...I earned the name Swift right before my parents fell in a hunt."
Tracker cringed in sympathy. She refrained from telling about her own family, at least for the moment. Making uninvited comparisons didn't feel right.
It was then that Leap lived up to his namesake by jumping from the tree he was clinging to another, and then to another. Within a few moments he landed right beside his sister.
"Brother! How many times must I tell you to stop doing that!" Swift protested, deciding not to give him the safety lecture again.
Leap shrugged. "I wouldn't know, I never listened." He dodged the playful bite that he knew was coming. But that was when he saw Tracker. "Oh… hello," he offered awkwardly. With their histories that made this meeting quite awkward.
"Show off," Dodger muttered, having half slid, half fell out of the tree thanks to Leap's sudden departure from and the subsequent shift of the tree. He moved to stand beside his mate.
"Oh crap! I'm sorry, Dodger." He had not intended to risk Dodger in his attempt to show off and annoy his sister. "I should have been more careful."
"Judging by your choice of hiding place, I'd have to agree. Ever heard of getting trapped?" Dodger was reluctant to let that topic go. Where did you get this idea? It practically screams 'death'.
Swift looked at Dodger. "Well, it is a game, Dodger."
Leap was hesitant to defend himself but attempted to do so anyway. "If I were being pursued by one attacker then I could do what I just did to get down and have a head start, even if I was found. But, yes, if I were being chased by a pack then going up a tree would be stupid, except as a last resort."
"If you had only one pursuer you could just kill him," Dodger said as if it were the most obvious option, "With a group you'd need to disappear first then come around behind them and start picking off the stragglers." Had to do that once or twice. Okay, maybe more than twice.
Leap remained silent as he considered Dodger's words. They were the reflections from a fastbiter who had a bloody past. Though Leap and Swift had their share of battles beside Littlefoot and the others, they had previously tried to go with the flow. This had earned them a place in Calin's pack, and the disaster of trying to flee from it.
"It is better to be in a pack, and not to have to do either on your own," Swift offered diplomatically, "But, I'm sorry, you two must have wanted to talk to Thud..." She turned to walk towards where she had last seen her pack leader.
"I was actually hoping I would get a chance to talk to you guys," Tracker said to Swift, though she gestured to Leap as well, "I haven't had a chance to do so, so I thought I'd try to make one."
Swift stopped as she turned back towards Dodger and his mate. "Oh, well that is certainly alright. I, um… never mind, that would be improper to ask."
"Go ahead and ask," Tracker said. It's not like you don't already know the one thing I'm truly embarrassed about.
Swift looked away before asking, "I know that Thud expressed interest in having you in our pack. Have you made a decision?"
Leap spoke next, hoping to clarify things, "It would be an honor to have both of you, despite… um… our initial awkward meeting."
"I'd rather not do that again," Tracker said, "That was embarrassing." I hope Taunt's the only one that figured out why I was so panicked. I'm probably not that lucky, though.
Swift nodded. "We all have had difficult pasts, but fate has decided that we should meet as something other than enemies. Regardless of what you choose, I am glad of that."
"Thanks," Tracker said, a bit embarrassed at the amount of attention she was getting.
"I guess I'm going to talk to Thud," Dodger said, taking that as his cue to leave. Tracker nodded in acknowledgement.
Leap watched the pack leader leave as he departed to find Thud. "I am pretty sure that he is by his sleeping area. Would you like me to summon him, sir?" The change in tone was obvious. "Or did he tell you to meet him personally?" He tried to be polite, but he knew that he would be derelict in his duties if he allowed a non-pack member to interrupt his pack leader if he were busy. Certain protocols had to be maintained.
"It might be best if you at least checked to see if he wanted to see me. I can't remember what he said about this at the moment, so it's probably best to be overcautious here," Dodger said.
Leap nodded formally but then spoke with some humor, "I am sure more pressing matters were on your mind, I will return shortly, sir." He then sprinted off in the direction of his pack leader. Within moments he was nowhere to be seen.
"Don't worry, Thud isn't extremely strict, but he is strict about his sleeping area," Swift explained, "There are a lot of 'please wake up, sir's on some mornings. He can't seem to yell at Leap when he wakes him up with a 'sir'." She chuckled slightly.
"As long as we're not the ones getting blamed when something goes wrong when Thud's at fault, I think we can handle strict," Dodger said.
Swift nodded. "Thud is seldom wrong, but he doesn't blame any of us when he is. I mean he is Taunt's dad, so he is pretty good-natured."
"Good to hear," Dodger said.
"Swift, you didn't happen to hear anything about our old pack leader, did you?" Tracker asked, curious as to what Swift might know about her pack's past.
"I only know what I have heard from the others. Prowler did not seem to be a friendly biter," she admitted, "I also was told that all of you are orphans, like my brother and I. We had just earned our adult names from our pack when our parents and uncles were killed."
"My pack got attacked by two-footers. Not sure what happened to everyone else, but Violet, Prowler, and I got swept down a river," Dodger explained.
"My pack got completely wiped out. I'm all that's left," Tracker said, "I was at my eighth Cold Time. I'm thirteen now if you count Cold Times, twelve if you go by my hatch day." That's actually a bit disturbing when I say it out loud.
Swift bowed her head respectfully. "Were you able to learn their songs?"
Tracker nodded. "I was the smallest in my pack, so I spent more time by myself listening to the adults sing than most of the others. I guess it was worth the effort; I know most of them by heart."
Swift smiled. "That is good to hear. As long as we remember our ancestors then they can live on in our thoughts. I know that my brother and I often sing Verok's favorite song when I watch the stars at night. I know that he enjoys it wherever he currently is."
"I still sometimes wonder why I'm the only one that survived. I really shouldn't have. Wouldn't have, actually, without Dodger. He found me and actually forced Prowler to let me join the pack." I will not be describing just how ugly that got unless you really want to know, Tracker mentally added.
Swift hesitated before looking at Dodger. "You forced your pack leader to take her in? Did you have to challenge him?" If he did then how wasn't he the new pack leader from then on? Or dead?
"Threatened to," Dodger said, "At the time, Prowler had as much authority as I agreed he did. Violet and he didn't get along in the slightest, and she wasn't going to listen to Prowler unless I made her. Prowler and I were also closer in size. Plus, we were kids. Arguing was a lot easier than fighting. Once Prowler got a lot bigger, we started having more problems. But that was later."
"I see," Swift muttered as she considered this information, "So all of you survived as a pack of children? For how many years?" Many child packs don't survive a season.
"Five," Dodger and Tracker said at the same time.
Swift's mouth hang agape as she didn't even attempt to hide her shock. "No wonder why you had to be taught some adult things… I… wow." She shook her head. "That puts what you told Leap in more perspective."
Dodger and Tracker looked as Swift quizzically, then at each other, unsure which of them she was directly addressing.
"Which 'you'?" Tracker asked, gesturing to both herself and her mate.
"Uh..." Swift hesitated, "Dodger, your mentioning of how to pick enemies off one by one. You have had to do that, haven't you?"
"Um, a few times."
Swift noticeably hesitated. "My brothers and I survived for a season until Calin found us. Though we had enough sense to separate before he found us so he didn't realize that we were related." She visibly shuddered. "But Verok soon fell after we left that bastard's pack, and Leap and I were all that remained. Had Seeker's pack not taken us in then we would have been done for. We never fought for our lives until Thud and Seeker's pack taught us how."
"I'm starting to envy you," Dodger muttered, not entirely intending to be heard. Learning by experience is not fun when failure equals death.
"You never had to fight?" Tracker asked, disbelieving. She'd never really had to personally fight, but Dodger had been in more fights than she could count.
Swift shook her head. "No, and neither did Leap. Verok was able to buy us time on the few occasions when we were chased by another pack, but mainly we just ran away," she frowned, "But with Calin's pack, running wasn't an option. At least not until later."
Tracker nearly replied in agreement but stopped herself. My little escape would've failed without them. It nearly failed with their help. She unconsciously grabbed her arm, remembering when she dislocated it.
"It was only after you left that we realized that we might have a chance. Redclaw was readying for the final battle so we knew that he could only use some of his resources against us." Swift looked down. "But that was enough to require my brother to be put down rather than suffer Calin's wrath."
"I almost didn't run myself. If there hadn't been a cliff nearby I wouldn't have risked it. I'm not very fast. Never have been."
Swift took a deep breath. The next question would be awkward, but it was better if she asked it than Leap. "Will both of you be alright working with us? I… realize that… um… there is some history between us." That is a fucking understatement, Swift berated herself. "Leap is not like how you saw him in the other pack… he simply had no choice unless he wanted to become the one that would be used. I still remember nudging him afterwards to make him stop shaking when it was time to sleep. We couldn't allow him to show any weakness to the others for his own sake."
Tracker remained silent for a bit, unsure how to respond. I wonder if I should tell her about how I reacted once I got back to my pack. Or would I come across as weak?
"I don't think we'll have any problems. I actually caused plenty of my own when I got back to my pack." For Tracker those memories had both embarrassment and humor attached. None of it was funny at the time, but she found her contradictory wish to be left alone and to never be far from her packmates to be quite hilarious in retrospect.
Swift nodded before slightly shifting her gaze towards Dodger.
"I'm following her lead on this. If she doesn't have a problem, I don't either," Dodger said.
Swift nodded with obvious relief. "I am sorry to bring it up, but I had to make sure." She then laughed slightly, though with a bit of awkwardness. "Now the only thing we have to worry about is deciding rank."
Tracker motioned for Swift to follow her a slight ways away. There might be a problem here, and I want to make sure she understands why. Without embarrassing Dodger by having the discussion around him, of course.
Swift did not immediately speak as she followed Tracker to where she directed, but instead she tilted her head slightly in inquiry.
"If we're supposed to do that by fighting we might have a problem," Tracker said bluntly.
Swift did not speak for a moment as she debated how to phrase her next statement. "I would imagine that my brother will consider his recent sparring loss to Dodger as settling who is higher ranked between them," she then hesitated awkwardly, "But… um… I guess that leaves us two."
"In that case, I lose," Tracker said, trying to sound both serious and light-hearted at the same time.
Swift snorted. "I am sure that the pack will have a spar for training at some point, and we can resolve it there, but I don't think there are many doubts as to how things will turn out. Though I will probably be sore after facing Dodger. He gave Leap quite a beating."
"Just to warn you, I think Dodger was going a bit easy on Leap. I saw him hold back a few times where he shouldn't have." I think he was trying not to look like he wanted to beat Leap to death.
Swift smiled. "He noticed, but he appreciated the gesture." She then scratched her head. "I suppose we will need to make sure that our claws are well-covered in mud for that spar, and that there are no trees around," her reference to the Dodger-Littlefoot fight clearly indicated her concern about what could happen when emotions ran wild.
"If we've got to spar," Tracker said carefully, trying not to shift to a pleading tone, "just don't pin me. I… I don't react well."
Swift nodded as she began to walk back towards an awkward-looking Dodger. "Don't worry. We score by hits, just like Seeker's pack. Unless either of you would prefer to do it by pin, we will just do it the other way."
"Thanks," Tracker said, relieved that she wouldn't be risking a panic attack in the future.
It was then the a familiar scent carried on the wind, which was followed by footsteps shortly thereafter. Within moments the confident-looking form of Thud came walking towards the group, with Leap walking close behind, his head unbowed, but his body postured in a respectful manner. The proper gesture for a messenger, or a second-in-command.
A position that he knew that he would be losing shortly.
Running largely on instinct, Tracker hurried to get behind Dodger. She tried to cover it up by shifting to a more respectful position, but both she and Dodger knew she'd been trying to hide. It had been what she used to do when Prowler showed up unexpectedly.
Thud noted the odd reaction but kept silent for a moment. It was not until Swift had settled in right beside her brother that he addressed the two fastbiters.
"Greetings, Dodger and Tracker. Leap told me that you wanted to see me?" He knew full well what this was about, but he would follow the usual traditions. Besides, Dodger and Tracker seem to favor the traditional way.
Dodger took a small step forward as he lowered his head slightly in a respectful gesture, which was replicated by Thud. The standard greeting between pack leaders on good terms.
"Thank you for seeing us," Dodger said, feeling a bit like he was being an inconvenience by having had Leap ask Thud to come see him rather than check to see if it were okay to approach. I'll need to ask about the rules later.
"It is not a problem," Thud responded but refrained from saying more. Since Dodger had done the summoning it was on him to make the next move.
Dodger considered making the necessary gesture outright but didn't want to leave Tracker hurrying to catch up. He turned to his mate. "Final chance to back out."
"Since when do you back out?" Tracker teased, but she nodded in silent agreement with her mate's intention.
Thud heard the silent exchange and gave a slight growl at his two packmates. A soft signal to tell them to get ready to accept the submission gesture. Otherwise, he remained expressionless and stoic as the solemn event demanded.
With surprisingly good timing for a movement they'd never practiced doing simultaneously, Dodger and Tracker managed to make nearly identical bows to Thud. Much to Tracker's embarrassment, she found herself having to use her hands to catch herself at the end to avoid being entirely on the ground.
Thud walked over to the bowed fastbiters and carefully placed his hands on each of them one by one. Then, the formal gesture of acceptance having been made, he spoke, "Arise."
Both fastbiters did so, though Tracker was being visibly careful with her movements now. It just had to happen to me, didn't it? she berated herself.
"I appreciate the gesture, and it is my honor to accept you into the pack." Thud finally allowed himself to smile as he sniffed each of the new packmates in turn. The traditional greeting of new members was now in full swing.
This must have been really awkward for Violet, Dodger thought to himself, especially with having so many new packmates. Hopefully it didn't make her think about her sniffer too much.
"Hello again," Swift teased as she took her turn to sniff her new packmates, "In your parent's pack did you ever do this ritual?" The question was directed to them both.
"I saw it once," Dodger said, "Not for real, but as part of acting out what happened in a song." Tracker just shook her head 'no'.
"Well don't worry," Leap spoke as he sniffed Tracker, an awkward situation for them both, "There is not really a set ritual for this besides being friendly and sniffing."
Swift snorted. "And Seeker barely kept to the rituals anyway."
Thud rolled his eyes, "Though that was a special case where my situation was a bit undefined." he then laughed softly."I was a pack leader, but taking orders from Seeker, and living on Dein and Terri's land. So some of the rituals were dispensed with."
Dodger couldn't help a slight cringe at the mention of Dein and Terri. He was pretty sure they would be most unhappy to see him again.
"Well then! I do think that before we leave that we should provide a gift to our hosts, should we not?" Thud suggested, "But first there is something else we must attend to."
Leap remained silent as he took his place beside Thud once more, aware that his position would soon change, here comes the naming ritual. Swift took a position beside Leap as well, as the ritual demanded. This would entirely be up to Thud.
Well, I guess I'm about to lose the last of what my family gave me, Tracker thought with an odd mixture of sadness and excitement. While there was much in her life that she loved, there was also plenty she wanted to leave in the past. Having her name changed would help with that. Dodger was having similar thoughts.
Thud stepped forward and looked Dodger in the eyes. "What do you know of this ritual?"
"Almost nothing," Dodger admitted. There's far too much that I don't know.
Thud nodded. "Traditionally the naming is done by someone that you know after one's first hunt." He then bowed his head slightly. "I regret that I do not know you all that well, which is something that I hope to resolve soon, but I think that I know someone who does. Which is why I discussed this matter with Seeker this morning."
Dodger tried not to look slightly startled. There was a good bit about himself that he'd told Littlefoot. There was also a great deal that he hadn't, including some things he had never told anyone, not even Tracker.
"He held your conversations in confidence, but he did suggest some names. It is with that in mind that I tell you that although I will give you your names today, you have been named by Seeker." He then looked Dodger in the eyes as he gestured for Tracker to move to Dodger's right side.
Tracker hurried to comply. Okay, I'm a bit confused. But I've never done this before so I should just pay attention.
"Tracker," Thud spoke with a formal voice as he touched her on the shoulder. His words were not a question, but a statement. An acknowledgement of her old name one last time.
That sounds oddly important. Why do I feel like that's the last time I'll hear my name?
"Dodger," he spoke again as he touched Dodger on the shoulder. He felt odd doing this. Normally a pack leader would already have an adult name, but Dodger's pack was no ordinary pack.
Well, there's definitely no going back now, Dodger thought.
"Dodger," Thud spoke with an odd cadence to his voice, "You have been protecting your packmates since you were a child. Despite constantly being uncertain about yourself, and blaming yourself for all of the problems that have arisen, you have been there for the people under your care."
Less than pleasant story of my life. Can't entirely disagree with that summary.
"Your old name, Dodger, no longer fits. As you have not dodged your responsibilities, but rather faced them head-on. For that reason, you shall henceforth be called 'Verant'. The one who does what must be done, regardless of personal cost.
Dodger stood up fully. That's going to take some getting used to. 'Verant'. Never would've come up with that on my own.
Thud smiled as he turned towards Tracker and placed his hands on her shoulders.
How did Violet get through this? I'm nervous enough I could faint, Tracker thought, Hopefully I won't get a name that's too silly.
"Tracker, you have lived up to your childhood name to the best of your ability, seeing things that others miss. Like Violet and Dodger, you have been orphaned by fate, with your songs and your childhood name being the only vestiges of your beloved parents that remain…"
Tracker tried not to let her sadness at those memories show on her face. She was pretty sure she wasn't succeeding. She had more control than her self-declared sister, but saying she had more control than Violet was like saying she could smell better than Violet. Neither were accomplishments.
"As one who has lived up to her name, it would seem appropriate to acknowledge this, but a new name denied is an adulthood denied," Thud explained in a solemn tone, "For this reason you shall be called, 'Staza', which means Tracker in the hidden runner dialect. Your name is now that of an adult, but the vestiges of your given name remain in spirit. That part of your parents you will never have to lose."
'Staza'. Well, at least Hidden Runners will know who I am. This is… wow. I didn't entirely lose my name. She didn't say anything, but anyone whose sniffer was working could figure out that Tracker was extremely happy with her new name.
Thud could smell the contentment from Tracker, which relieved him greatly, Nice suggestions, Seeker. It beats my original ideas of 'Defense' and 'Serenity'. But why are they not speaking… oh right… they don't know that they are allowed to.
"You both can speak now, by the way," he smiled with good humor, "You are now adults in name, and adults can speak their minds."
"Well, I've got a feeling I'm going to be messing up my mate's name for a bit," Dodger said, "even if it does mean the same thing." Which might make it worse.
"It also means a song verse in the hidden runner dialect, as they consider singing the act of tracking the truth through song," Leap smiled, "But I am sure even the hidden runners would understand the context."
"It would fit either way," Tracker said, laughing at the surprising connection between herself and both meanings of her name, "Singing was the only thing even Prowler would admit I was good at."
Thud looked relieved, "Well, I am glad that Seeker picked the names then!" He then looked at Dodger. "And Dodg… hrmph, caught myself, Verant, how do you like your new name?"
"I'm hoping I can live up to it," Dodger said, not entirely sure his name wouldn't become an ironic mockery of himself.
Swift smiled. "I am sure that you will. Speaking of which, didn't we have a responsibility to attend to?"
Thud nodded. "Indeed we do! Come along, everyone, and let's see if we can catch some prey for our hosts. I am sure they will appreciate the gesture."
As Leap took his place immediately behind Thud, he hesitated and gestured for Dodger to approach.
Dodger walked so that he was directly beside Leap. "I haven't earned that," he said with a shove, pushing Leap back towards his original destination.
Leap nodded. "But you will. When it is time all you must do is ask for it." He then looked towards Tracker and Swift, who both seemed somewhat surprised by his actions. "But until then… come along, everyone! We have our orders!"
As the pack departed for their hunt they had no idea that the other pack had much the same idea.
The present, hidden runner territory:
Verdant feathers shifted behind the tall grass as golden eyes gleamed in the starlight. Only the most observant dinosaur would have seen the approaching danger if they had been looking at that instant, but they were gone as soon as they had appeared.
Hunters could not afford to be in one place for too long.
The pink Oviraptor was unaware of any dangers as she cradled her eggs under her body. The burden of laying the eight orbs had taken its toll, but now the welcome coming of the night had brought her sanctuary. She was sound asleep on her developing children. A family in waiting through the uncertain night.
The hidden runner raised an arm as another passed him a spear. He was well aware of his orders. The fastrunner was not the target of their wrath on this night, but she was the necessary distraction.
As he gripped the wooden instrument of death in his hands he counted his breaths. His timing needed to be just right. He could not start the distraction until the dirty work had already begun.
We want to distract the fastbiter, not alert the dead.
"Interesting... Not so talkative now, are you?"
Wrok watched as the useful female flailed as he tightened the vines around her neck. She was nothing special, just the wench of someone who had bothered to betray him, but her death would be enough to quiet opposition. Even those who were willing to risk their lives for a cause think twice when it is their loved ones who would pay the price.
"Looks like this might be useful! What do you say, dear?"
The female was silent, her movements becoming less frantic now. Despite his enjoyment of leadership's little pleasures, he was not one to let an opportunity pass him by. Disposing of his own kind was far different than dealing with a leaf-eater, and she had provided him with the perfect opportunity to test his idea. With a hidden runner's voice box in their lungs even a bite to the neck would not silence a foe from making a final call…. but cutting off the air from the outside...
Wrok smiled as the female slumped unconscious. Not a single word or call had escaped her beak since the vines came into play.
He allowed her body to drop to the ground. She was not yet dead, but that was all the better.
The remaining few days of her life would give his squad plenty of opportunities to refine their technique.
The grass parted as a pair of yellow eyes stared across the clearing. The eyes peered on the surroundings with a cursory glance before giving the slightest of nods. Then three additional pairs of eyes appeared.
Wrok had found his target.
The steam appeared in front of them. This was the dividing line that supposedly had foiled his would-be allies in their attempt to expand their territory. Being fearful of patrols they had always attempted incursions across the water, but Wrok had a better idea. They would lie close to the rocks and follow the roughened rocks straight into what the opposing pack thought was their safest point and where he hoped the leaders would be asleep.
Without a word they advanced upon the stones, keeping their bodies so low that they hugged the rocks. Water washed upon them as they struggled to avoid falling into the rushing water. But this precarious position had its own advantages.
Ari walked along the edge of the water, only halfheartedly glancing across the stream. He didn't see any point in paying too much attention. After all, who was going to try to cross the stream when doing so would make so much noise it would attract the entire pack's attention?
After a quick glance at some rocks and seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Ari moved on with his patrol, all the while wishing that he would be relieved soon so he could get some rest.
"A quiet night?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Ari blurted out, surprised that he was no longer alone.
Alon rolled her eyes as she patted Ari on the shoulder. She had been deputy long enough to know when it was time to change shifts.
"Well, it has been since Verant decided to help. How about you go rest, Ari?" She yawned despite her best attempt to hold it in. "And I might do the same. It is time for the Night Circle patrol to take over."
"I was starting to think they forgot about us," Ari said as he rather gladly took Alon's suggestion to heart.
Alon watched the young hidden runner retreat with an amused shake of her head. In many ways the young pack members reminded her of herself back in her younger days.
She felt her distended abdomen as she watched the stream wash against the rocks. She knew that she would soon have younger pack members of her own to tend to. Like most of the females she had tended to the call of her instincts when the Wet Times had come.
"Another quiet night. Let's go to the sleeping area, children."
She had no idea those would be her last words.
The sound of shifting grass promptly ended his slumber.
The male opened his eyes with concern until he noticed the tell-tale pale green of the female settle into her sleeping area. It was just Alon.
He sighed deeply as he attempted to settle in for a return to slumber. He had once considered taking his deputy for his own mate, but that seed had already sprouted. At least she could raise her children in peace in the fertile lands across the river. It was a testament to his leadership that the rival pack had appeared to settle their ambitions. Perhaps, one day, the two packs could even coexist in peace.
He closed his eyes. Such concerns were for another day. They could wait until his sleep stories.
Wrok held his breath to a whisper as he carefully stepped through the grass. There was no room for error in this endeavor. He had no doubt that he could escape if detected, but if his chosen few failed in this task then his new allies would look elsewhere for assistance.
And that was not an option.
The sound of snoring echoed in his ears as he carefully examined the various sounds. There were at least a dozen hidden runners to his left, undoubtedly under the trees that obscured the stars in the distance, whereas there were the sounds of footstep to his right.
The other patrol is checking the stream... Too late, you fools.
Wrok raised a hand as his three companions froze and fell to the ground as if struck dead. He then carefully crouched down and peered through the grass from the bottom of the stems. That was when he saw the desired sight.
Two hidden runners slept in the distance under a single tree. They were in clear view of the other sleeping areas, but away from any other bodies.
Wrok smiled. This was just what he had trained his companions for.
He looked over to his left and raised a single finger. Within moments the female of the group stepped forward, still crouched to the ground.
With a swift movement, Wrok made a strangling motion over his neck and gestured towards the distant female. As soon as he received a nod of understanding he gestured at himself and made the same gesture directed at the male. All of this being done, he simply smiled and gave them a nod. The suffocators had been selected so there was no need to inform the others of their task.
They would be the stabbers.
He sucked in a breath as he considered the distance. This was not for his benefit, as he felt no fear at what lay ahead, but rather for his companions. They felt those weaknesses that he was blessed enough to avoid. By taking a deep breath he was reminding them to do the same and to let their training take hold. Fearful underlings were not useful.
A longneck's length. Five breaths away. Twenty breaths for the kill. Ten breaths for the escape. This may cut it close.
Technically even if they killed them and were noticed then they might still be able to manage an escape and he could secure his new allies, but it would be better to make a clean victory here. Wrok knew the perils of ambitious underlings more than anyone, and he needed to establish his unchallenged dominance from the beginning. His alliance against Ignis would be no good to him if he were dead and some other bastard was on the leader's scrape.
At least the obnoxious female is competent.
He gestured at the spear-holders who were now in position for a quiet sprint. They each held a spear under one shoulder, and had their other hand lying on the ground, as if preparing for a race.
He then raised three claws… then two… then one.
Now!
The sudden sensation of wind in his face exhilarated him as he forced his breathing and steps to go in a careful tandem. Quiet was more important than speed in this case, but both were essential. They had to be in and out before anyone awoke to see their handiwork. Just like thunder in the night, they would come without warning and leave no sign of their coming.
As he approached the halfway point to the male he gripped the vine in his hands. He would only get one chance of this. He had to loop it around the bastard's neck and secure it before he could make a sound. Then, of course, he would have to avoid the volley of stabs as his target's lifeblood was exuded like a rainstorm from his eviscerated flesh.
He could hear the female's breathing as he approached the male. It was a slow and steady hum against the gusts of air rushing against his ears. A hum that would soon cease forever.
He slowed as the male came within a few body paces of him. His neck lay prone against the ground, with his clawed hands secured underneath his body. This was the perfect position for him to work his technique. He just had to wait for the last moment.
It was then that he felt a tap on his shoulder, a confirmation that the others were ready over their target. He smiled. It was time for the fun to begin.
It only took a single nod for the murderous deed to commence.
Raising his right arm into the sky he brought the vine down upon the male's neck as if he were whipping it from the ground. Then, before it could make contact, he grabbed the other end and wrapped it around his arm. He had the vine around his neck and his foot on his throat before the male opened his eyes.
An aborted gasp escaped the male's beak as his eyes went wide in horror. The victim barely had time to register the lack of air before the first sound of slicing flesh could be heard. They had timed their assault perfectly.
Wrok struggled to hold the male's head down as blood gushed from the holes in his chest and abdomen. The gusts of warm fluid made a hissing noise which stood out against the peaceful night. Only the heavy breathing of his emotional counterpart interrupted to harmonious sound of death in Wrok's mind. A sad necessity when conducting such work. The last person he wanted working beside him was another such as himself.
He watched with fascination as the male's eyes began to run through a cascade of expressions, some of which he recognized and others he did not. The first was the most boring in his mind, that of fear. It was a useful emotion to have in others, but it was also the most predictable. Then, as the male's body began to spasm, came the look of sorrow. This was accompanied by an almost instinctive glance in the direction of his deputy.
"Don't worry. We got her too." Wrok's whisper barely escaped the wind. "You're all gone. Good riddance."
The hidden runner watched for a few more seconds as the male's expression turned to something that he could not define. Something akin to resignation and defiance all rolled into one. This was a curiosity to him. He had come across enough emotions to replicate most of the motions, but this one still alluded him. What did the doomed think when they did this?
The moment did not last, however, before the male's eyes shot open in the spasms of death. Only the mindless twitching of his body remained, taking the secret of his final emotions with him to the grave.
Wrok frowned. That was one victory denied to him.
He rose from the bloody mess as he looked back at his counterparts. They likewise gleamed red in the light of the Night Circle in front of the remnants of their handiwork. It was time to make their escape.
With a final nod, Wrok gestured towards the grass from which they had come. Within moments they had disappeared into the wind like a breeze in the night.
Only the snores of the living greeted the ears of the dead.
The scream of the oviraptor shattered the night. In an instant Verant was on his feet, claws and teeth bared for battle.
"We're under attack," Verant stated with surprising calm, "Get the children hidden now!" He didn't wait for his alert mate to respond before he hurried in Ovie's direction.
Staza did not need to be told as she nudged the children forcefully. Partially out of instinct and partially out of training they latched onto her back in a fearful pile. What they had trained for had come to pass.
"What's going on, Momma?" Ungu stammered. While usually the most quiet of the siblings, she was also the most likely to admit she was afraid.
"It sounds like something attacked Ovie!" Staza hissed as she dipped her head below a branch in her headlong sprint, "You children are going to stay in your hiding place until Mom and Dad can make sure everything is okay."
A chorus of "Okay"s and "Yes, ma'am"s were her only acknowledgment. Otherwise the children were uncharacteristically quiet. A frightened hush had fallen over them.
As Staza neared the hill with the hidden crevice she mouthed a wish into the air.
Oh Ovie, please be alright.
The fastrunner fell to the ground with a resounding thud as the green invader kicked her again. It was only when a slick fluid made contact with her leg that she realized what she had fallen upon.
"Ah, crushed one!" The hidden runner mocked with a twisted smile, "As much as you scream…"
Ovie felt the air leave her lungs as another kick landed on her chest.
"...I'm sure that your helpers should be on the way soon. Don't want the boss to be distracted, now do we?"
He did not notice one of his companions look upon the fastrunner with pity. "Grassy, perhaps we should go. The fastbiter will be here soon…"
As if to mock his female companion, Grassy crushed two of the other eggs. Ovie's screams had now degraded into pitiful cries. "Alright, let's go! We need to regroup with the others by the stream."
Ovie struggled to rise as her shaking hands slid on what had once been her future children. Now only the exposed embryos and the shattered yoke gleamed in front of her eyes. A testament to her failure.
Despite her dazed state she could feel the sharp point begin touch her shoulder. She merely closed her eyes. As least her children wouldn't be lonely.
"What the fuck are you doing, you sick bastard! Our job is done; now let's get out of here!"
The hidden runner rolled his eyes as his disgusted companion. "No need to leave loose ends."
He never had time to know what hit him.
In a sudden lurch Grassy felt his spear fly from his hands as an unimaginable force suddenly slammed into his abdomen, taking from him his last breath. Then, with a sudden eruption of pain, he felt pressure building on his head. The final sound that he heard was the resounding crunch of his skull imploding.
Verant let his body fall.
"Shit! It's him!"
In an instant the other hidden runners scrambled to their feet in order to respond to the sudden threat. As three of the hidden runner moved back with their spears raised in defense, another advanced with his spear.
Dodge this!
The hidden runner thrust his spear at the blood-soaked beast with all of the force that he could muster. It was only when he felt the spear collide with the mud that he knew his mistake.
The fastbiter had grabbed the spear!
In terror the hidden runner let go of his now useless weapon and turned back towards the security of his friends. This only earned him a moment's respite as he felt something hard collide with his head.
"Help! I…"
His beak erupted with a garbled gasp as blood rushed from his throat. He only had a moment to register the fatal blow before a sickle claw ended his misery.
The fastbiter jerked the spear out of his fallen enemy's throat almost automatically. Turning towards the remaining three, he hissed in barely controlled rage before rushing his next opponent.
The three hidden runners kept their spears taut in an unbroken line as they watched the enemy approach them with one of their own weapons against them. It was only when the fastbiter's spear was sailing into the air that they realized their folly.
"Ahhh!"
As their left flanker screamed from his chest wound the massive fastbiter landed upon him as if he were prey. As his victim collapsed under the weight, Verant had all of the momentum he needed to attack the now exposed center.
The hidden runners tumbled as Verant kicked the center hidden runner into his companion, sending a confusing mixture of spears and bodies into the mud. It was only when the sound of ripping flesh was heard that the female realized her situation.
She was the only one left.
She forced herself up as she struggled to her feet. It felt as if there was something holding her back, but she did not allow that to slow her. She had to escape from this relentless enemy. Fighting was not longer an option.
She struggled to gain a few body lengths from the enemy as she felt her legs begin to defy her. Now was not the time to give up! She had to go on!
She took a few more steps before she felt herself drag once more. It was only then that she used her hands to feel from whatever was holding her back. That was when she felt it. The sensation of slick wood sticking out of her side.
The female wavered a moment, uneasy on her feet. She felt giddy and lightheaded for a moment as the reality of the situation hit her. She had fallen on her own spear.
When she finally heard the fastbiter approach she didn't bother to resist.
Verant was barely paying attention when he finished off the last hidden runner. He immediately hurried over to Ovie's side. Please be alright.
"Ovie!" Verant almost yelled when he reached her side.
The fastrunner coughed as she struggled to catch her breath. Her words were almost indecipherable. "Verant… my children."
Verant glanced over at was left of the once full nest. Oh Ovie... He barely held in a growl of rage. This was soon replaced by a glimmer of hope, however. At the far end of the nest two eggs still remained intact. "Two still remain," Verant told Ovie, almost whispering.
The fastrunner did not answer immediately, but merely began to sob as the reality of the situation reached her. She had lost six children on this day. Six younglings that would never hatch, six younglings who would never feed and cry, six younglings who would never be.
It was simply too much.
"Were there any other Hidden Runners, Ovie?" Verant asked urgently. He hated to be blunt, but now he was hoping to prevent further tragedy.
Ovie did not respond immediately as she continued to sob. She clutched the two remaining eggs in a protective grasp, as if they were the only things that remained in the world.
"Ovie, I know it feels like the world is ending, but you still have two eggs we need to protect. Ovie, are there any more hidden runners?"
The fastrunner continued to sob, and for a moment Verant feared she would not answer, but she finally choked out an answer. "T...They said something about making sure that I screamed. That it would help the rest…" She shook her head as she beat the ground. "Why? Why!"
"I don't know why they did this, Ovie, but I do know that they won't leave here alive." As angry as he was, Verant wished that he had more to give her than vengeance. However, there was not a thing he could do that would bring back her children.
Caw!
"We're under attack!"
"Take your positions!"
It's a little late for that, you fools, Verant thought angrily, At least there's still enemies to kill. He sprinted towards the cries of alarm.
In his wake remained a single fastrunner female, struggling to protect what remained of her family.
"What the fuck are they doing?"
Wrok watched as his benefactors began the assault early, crossing the stream en masse as the scouting parties sounded the alarm. This was not the plan. The plan was for Wrok and his team to be out of the way before the assault began.
The hidden runner cliched his hands into fists. If he didn't need Questor's alliance then he would have seen to it that he died under his own hand.
"What do we do, sir?"
Wrok resisted the urge to slap his companion as he took a spear from the vines on his back. With the sounds of battle registering all around them it was obvious what they would have to do.
"We fight until we reach the stream! We have no choice now!"
Without another word the team of four began to sprint towards the raging rapids of the stream as the pack of their would-be allies approached. Though, in their headlong rush to avoid the waking enemies behind them they had forgotten one detail: how to avoid being considered the enemy in the dark.
A spear embedding itself in the mud beside him soon reminded Wrok of this complication.
"You fucking idiots! It's us!"
But it was to no avail as the sounds of battle erupted all around them. In front of them stood death by confusion, whereas behind them stood death by battle. They may had killed their leaders but that didn't mean that resistance would fail instantly.
"What now, sir?"
Wrok opened his mouth to speak, but that was when something most unexpected happened.
"Ahhhh!"
"It's the fastbiter!"
Wrok watched as his allies began to fall in the river's currents. He could not see the instrument of their doom, but he could listen to their pathetic screams. It seemed that his new allies had failed in their objective to distract the beast until the mission was over.
Serves the idiots right.
"We have an opening!" Wrok gestured at the fleeing hidden runners to his left. "Follow their retreat!"
He began to advance into the water, only to notice no one else was following him. "Come!"
The other hidden runners continued to hesitate as they stared at the black water. "Sir, what if the… ak..." The speaker was promptly cut off as a spear embedded itself in his back. The enemy was nearly upon them.
"Move!"
This time there was no hesitation.
Staza glanced back towards where her children were hidden, a worried expression on her face. I wish I knew what was going on. Verant, come back soon. She moved a bit further away from her children to a much better hiding spot for herself. Or rather ambush spot would be more appropriate. She wasn't letting anything near any of her children while she was still alive.
She did not have to wait long. Staza soon heard voices approaching. Voices she didn't recognize. They didn't seem to realize that anyone else, namely herself, was nearby. Just like hunting tiny biters, she thought grimly.
"Be careful, they might be around here somewhere."
"Shush! Keep your ears open and your mouth shut!"
Okay, make that dumber than tiny biters... Noticing that one of the hidden runners had fallen two whole fastbiter lengths behind her companion Staza couldn't help but curl her mouth in a predatory smile. Too easy.
"Stop!" A voice hissed in a whisper. "I think I hear something."
Yeah, me. Nearly silently Staza moved through the tall grass the hidden runners thought they were successfully sneaking through, carefully approaching the straggler.
"Ahhhh!"
The hidden runner twisted his head as he turned towards where he had heard the scream. "Flower?!" He gripped his spear as he began to rear back. "Flower, talk to me!"
Unable to throw a spear accurately no matter how hard she tried, Staza tossed the spear beyond the remaining hidden runner while he was looking the other way.
The hidden runner looked in the direction of the spear in horror. It was only when he noticed where it had landed that he realized his mistake.
Too late.
Staza leapt upon the hidden runner with a feral shriek, her sickle claws digging into his back when she landed. As her momentum continued to carry her forward she clamped her teeth around the hidden runner's throat and started to shake her head back and forth. It was only when the body hung limp in her mouth that she realized that her quarry was dead.
That was when her mate's enraged roar echoed in the night.
Without a word Staza started sprinting towards her mate. There were still enemies to kill. No one threatens my kids.
How many of you do I have to kill before you get the message? Verant wondered as he lunged and snapped the neck of his latest overeager opponent. The next one died just as quickly, notable only for nicking the fastbiter's shoulder with his spear.
Nice try, you little...
That was when his shoulder erupted into pain.
"Got him! Finish him off!" The hidden runner boasted as he began to retreat back to the tall grass. As if on cue another hidden runner advanced, spear in hand.
With one arm currently useless Verant could no longer effectively use a spear. He still picked up a fallen one anyway and fell back, putting a few lengths between himself and his opponent.
The hidden runner kept pace with his opponent, waiting for him to make his move. He had the initiative now that the fastbiter was wounded.
It was only a thud behind him that reminded him that his back was not secure. Being careful to keep his focus ahead, he called to his friend.
"Greentail?"
The only answer he received was a sudden weight upon his back. This was followed by the sensation of fiery pain as his sides were impaled by a flurry of spears.
"Verant, are you alright?"
Staza was upon her mate in an instant as the bloody mess was left behind her. About a dozen or so hidden runners fanned out to either side, as if they were a protective guard.
"I'm fine, Staza," Verant reassured her. He quickly turned serious again. "I need you to get the children and take them to Ovie's place. I'll meet you there."
Staza looked at him with concern as she examined his shoulder. "Where are you going? You can't fight like this!"
"I will if I have to," Verant snapped, the stress of the situation starting to get to him, "I've done it before." It was then that he noticed the nearby hidden runners. "Does anyone here know what's going on?"
The hidden runners looked at one another with more than a little uncertainty. It was only after a moment that one of their number, a young runner with a large gash on his back and a haunted look on his face, decided to speak. "They're all gone, sir."
The mourning tone was not lost on Verant's ears as another one spoke.
"They killed Alon and Daline." The female was in tears. A part of Verant's mind noted the the blood dripping from her beak. "They hit us before we knew what happened."
"There's too many of them! They are coming from everywhere!" another voice spoke.
They're about to panic. Has any of them been in a fight before? Verant chided the pathetic scene in front of him. He then noticed some motion in the tall grass, nearly startling him before he realized he was looking at children, not enemy fighters. "Where are the others?" Verant asked the group. We've got a few families here and what I think might be half the patrol for tonight.
The hidden runners merely looked at him glumly, as several of the previously hidden children climbed on the backs of the females. Taking a quick count he noted ten adults and four rather small younglings.
"Dear… Dear, I think…."
"Staza, get the children to Ovie now," Verant replied as calmly as he could, "We'll fall back to you and head north once we're all together. We can't stay here anymore." This last statement was directed at the hidden runners.
The hidden runners barely changed their expressions as the fastbiter's words registered in their minds. Only one of the children spoke in a frightened voice.
"Are we going to die, Momma?"
"Not while I'm still alive," Verant said, cutting off anything the mother might have said. He then turned to the adults. "Are you sure this everyone? I don't want anyone left behind." His tone made it clear that he expected an answer.
As the sounds of yelling and aggressive calls echoed behind them, it was the mother who answered in a mournful wail. "No one still alive."
"Alright then," Verant said with a sigh as he looked in the direction the enemy's calls came, "Families to my left, the patrol between them and the enemy. I'll bring up the rear. Any questions?" Anyone who has a better idea speak up now.
No answers came as the hidden runners obeyed without question. It was only when they had done so that the reality of the situation came crashing down upon him. Of the teamless pack that he had helped the day before, only fourteen remained. Fourteen out of a pack of over forty adults and twenty younglings.
This wasn't a battle. This was a massacre.
By the time that Wrok reached the latest object of his contempt he was nearly out of breath. Questor was conspicuously free of blood and grime as he inspected the bodies before him. He had just encountered some of Verant's handiwork.
"I thought that you said that they would melt away if their leaders were killed!" Questor raged as he kicked the corpse in front of him. "What in the name of Fate do you call this?"
Wrok's two remaining assistants froze behind him as Wrok held up a calming hand. There were certain battles to be won through violence and others to be won through charm. This was clearly one of the later.
After all, Questor was of no use to him dead.
"Their pack lies dead and yours is victorious, Questor," Wrok noted cheerfully. "It seems though that the distraction came a bit early…"
This was not what Questor wanted to hear. The distraction was something his pack was supposed to have attended to. This was more than a slight attack on his competence.
And worse yet he knew that Wrok was right.
"But… I am sure that was due to the fastbiter's unpredictability. At least your forces have gotten him." Wrok paused for a moment. He knew very well that the fastbiter still remained. "Right?"
Questor glared at him, but dared not to question his guest. Wrok had carried out his part of the bargain and today's events showed how much more competent Wrok's elite forces were to Questor's entire pack. The fact that he was within earshot of his deputies only heightened the tension.
Oh this one is a sly one. He offers me an out, but he puts me in a corner, Questor fumed, I will need to play the long game here.
Questor's face turned appreciative as if a switch had been thrown. He was not fooling the recipient of his gaze, but then again he wasn't really the intended recipient.
"I am sure the fastbiter will be taken care of soon." He glared at his deputies who promptly picked up spears and scrambled in all directions. It only took a few moments for each to grab whatever hidden runners looked somewhat ready for action. It was only then that he turned back towards Wrok. "But I am sure that you will want to talk about my side of the arrangement."
Wrok's smile went from predatory to beaming. "Oh… I am sure that it can wait. After all, this is a time of celebration for you. Your pack now controls the entire stream." He paused as if for effect. "I look forward to our alliance leading to a brighter future for all of us."
Questor fixed him with a gaze that was mostly friendly to the outside observer, but with the coldest eyes. "Yes, a brighter future that both of our packs will share."
The two shared a polite bow as Wrok and his entourage escorted themselves to the right of Questor, in the place where his deputies usually would have been. It was a clear show of strength on a day that Questor had long hoped he would have enjoyed alone.
Yes, a brighter future. But my future will be longer than yours.
Without another word the four hidden runners advanced across the stream again to inspect the conquered territory. Each hoped it was the first victory of many.
Gyors watched mutely as two blood-stained hidden runners carefully carried Ovie's eggs between their hands; the distraught fastrunner followed close behind. Between the stench of blood, the unmistakable scent of fear, and his father's uneasiness, the little biter had no idea what to think in this moment.
"Where are the rest of Ovie's eggs?" Gyors asked in a confused tone. He specifically remembered that Ovie had laid eight eggs.
Staza swallowed as she let out a long sigh. "Son… this is all that is left." In the distance one of the hidden runner males leaned against Ovie in order to assist her in walking. If the physical blows had not been enough to weaken her, the mental ones certainly were.
"What happened?" Ungu asked, "Why are we leaving home?" Several of her siblings were soon asking the same question. Their parents hadn't been very forthcoming with an explanation when they fled the territory.
"When are we going back home?" Sana asked once his siblings had quieted down.
It was then that their father stopped, his blue hide gleaming in the starlight. The children, still clinging to their mother's back, watched transfixed as their father turned towards them. His grim face and yellow eyes made each of them go silent. They had never seen this expression on their father's face before. He looked defeated, a resigned expression clouded his features.
"We're going to have to find a new home," Verant finally said, sounding more certain of himself than he looked.
This hit the children like a rainstorm as they looked at one another in shock. They had known no other home except for the land by the stream. For as long as they could remember their father had been the land's protector, and the hidden runners the beneficiaries. But now the land was soaked in blood, and their old sleeping area was abandoned.
All that they knew was gone.
It was then that the children's world erupted into a minor earthshake as a low growl emanated from their mother, causing their bodies to quake. They all recognized this tone: it was the growl that mother used to put them to sleep. Soon, however, the growl faded and it was replaced with their mother's soft voice.
"Children, sometimes the Bright Circle shines and sometimes the clouds make sky water, but the Bright Circle always comes back. No matter how dark it seems right now... we are still here. Be grateful for that. Many others are not."
Thinking on what his mother had said Gyors looked around at their group. It just now occurred to him how small it was.
"Ha! You fastbiters are fast, but you cannot hide!"
Despite his usual formality around others, Verant let out a hearty laugh as Gyors strutted in front of the hidden runner child.
"Oh yeah! You're on! You will never beat us at Hunter and Prey!"
Dono snickered as he examined Gyors' hide. The dark green was not a good match for the lighter green of the grass around them.
"You're on! The losing team gets the other snapping shells!"
It took several hours for the game to end, with the hidden runners winning the match by the barest of margins. Despite this Gyors owed them no ill will. After all, they were his friends.
Gyros looked out at the hidden runners behind them. There were so few adults, but even fewer children. In fact there was only one whom he recognized. Dono's cousin clutched another female's leg as she shuffled on their endless journey. He opened his mouth to ask the obvious question, but no words left his throat, for he now knew the answer.
If Dono was not here, then he was gone. They were all gone.
"Mom, stop."
Startled, Staza stopped immediately, nearly dislodging a couple of her kids.
Without hesitation Gyors jumped off of his mother's back and gestured for the hidden runner children to move forward. Fearing that some threat was coming, the hidden runners needed no further motivation to obey the young biter's gesture. Within moments all four children were now awkwardly on Staza's back, her children having made room for the newcomers.
"Everyone ready?" Staza asked as she stood back up, not wanting to risk anyone falling off.
The movement of the fastbiter resumed again as the hidden runners struggled to find their footing, not being accustomed to traveling on another's back. It was only once that they were moving that they realized what they had done. A few of them almost looked like they were considering leaping off before Gyors spoke in a mournful voice.
"When packmates die, my Daddy says that we sing a song for them. Would you…"
The hidden runners all turned now, staring at the fastbiter in shock. They had never seen a predator in tears.
"Would you like to help me make a song for our friends?"
Verant intentionally turned away from the scene as the children began to sing. Honoring the friends that were no longer with them. The ones he had failed to protect. The ones that would never be seen again. He could do nothing to change their fate or to right his failure. The broken promise that would forever hang over his head.
But he could do one thing for the fallen.
He could avenge them.
Sorry for the delay, but things have been quite hectic on our end. Nonetheless, the third and final installment of chapter 16 is ready and should be posted in about a week or so. Before I respond to reviews, however, I just wanted to let everyone know about a collaborative project that I am working with The Wasp1995 called A Wish Granted: Tears of a Sharptooth. That story is scheduled to have chapters posted every two weeks under The Wasp1995's fanfiction account. It touches on familiar themes for my readers, but they will be explored in a unique way and with The Wasp's unique writing style. I encourage everyone to give it a look. (:
Ottomatican: Thank you, and thanks for the catch! I will try to get that error in the previous chapter corrected.
bryanmccloud: Don't give Axiom and Datum any ideas about bows and arrows. d-; It's bad enough that the kids accidentally let slip the secret of fire. All joking aside, I look forward to your thoughts on this chapter.
gordhanx: Thank you for the detailed review as always. I look forward to your thoughts on the latest part of this chapter. Due to the size of the overall story-segment this came from (in excess of 30,000 words) some splitting was necessary. We are now exploring what has been going on elsewhere in the Mysterious Beyond while the reunion is about to occur. As we can see... the situation that the pack is about to find itself in is very different from the situation days prior.
keijo6: Yeah, this was the part of the roleplay where things began to move plot-wise in a much speedier fashion. The interlude-style chapters are good at characterization, but they can be lacking in a dynamic focus. As for fire, let's just say it will be a slow-burning detail (sorry, had to make the pun) in the background, as the main focus of the story is being elaborated in this chapter. The winds of change are blowing in the hidden runners' territory, and the resulting tumult is going to effect everyone in one way or another. The allure of power from the 'cultural contamination' in the Seven Hunters is bound to have long-term repercussions. Now we are beginning to see what those are.
Nimbus01: You are quite correct about the rainbowfaces' concerns about fire being quite justified. The results of the knowledge of fire getting lose in the Mysterious Beyond might inflame tensions to put it mildly. Fire is a game-changer if and when it manages to be common knowledge. As for Dodger (Verant) you are quite correct. For reasons that will be explored later, he has a special bond with Mender that is quite protective, and in fact it has defined his life in many ways. Now that he has found himself free of that burden he is free to develop his personality in a new direction... but old habits do die hard. We will see a bit of his life in the new pack in Act 2 of this story. Unfortunately for Dodger he has two writers who just can't let the poor guy catch a break. d-;
xPrimalHunterx: Yeah, the trilogy is getting quite sizeable, though I believe this story will be the last major story of the Seven Hunters arc. Though I may explore the Seven Hunters through oneshots in the future.
Thanks again, everyone! I look forward to your feedback and thoughts. (: