Chapter 2
The Uprising
Four Wolf Years Later
"Well Floriv?"
"Magkof is hunting by himself, or looks like he is. I suggest that we surround the area that he is hunting in, so that if he is trying to surprise us, his surprise will be negated."
"I'll go to the front, Floriv. You stay here and command the troops from the sides. Wait for my signal, if he brings out his ambush party."
"Right Rano."
Rano headed out into the clearing that Magkof was in.
Magkof, disbelieving what he saw in front of him exclaimed "Oh. Heh… Ranorait. We thought you were dead!"
Rano looked in disdain at the Magkof. Hatred poured off of him like a waterfall.
Magkof's nose perked at that moment.
"Why do you smell like Falort?" he asked warily.
"Well," responded Rano with as much collectiveness as he could muster, "I guess I can tell you, since you won't be with us long enough to care. They took me in when you exiledme. They found space in their ever expanding pack for me. They taught me everything I needed to know for today and the days that follow."
Magkof grinned.
"That's what you think. You see, I never travel alone anymore."
Twelve Haon wolves stepped out of the underbrush and closed in around Rano. Rano noted that all except one around the same age as he was. He also saw utter recognition in all of their faces.
"Try to carry out your plan now Rano." Magkof barked with laughter.
Rano rolled his eyes.
"Now why would you think I came alone into Haon territory?"
Thirty six Falort wolves rushed out of the underbrush and captured all the Haons.
Magkof roared with a fury that only a wolf could display "What! How can this be?!?"
"To put this simply Magkof, you let your guard down. I have learned everything that is possible to learn. Any last requests?"
"Don't… don't kill me Rano. Please don't kill me…"
He said no more.
Loki gulped. He knew who would be next. Vainly he struggled to break free.
Rano looked toward him. He remembered that scent. On the night that he had learned Slovarion was his great-great-grandfather; he had smelled that scent very faintly. When Magkof came to exile Rano and his mother, Rano remembered smelling that same scent coming from a wolf that stood near Magkof. Rano took a few steps toward Loki.
"It was your doing. Wasn't it?"
Loki feigned surprise, but his fear emanated off of him like heat waves.
Loki stuttered, "I-I-I don't know what your talking abo-"
"Of course you do. Why are you afraid? It will be quick and painless."
And it was.
The eleven remaining Haons were stunned. Their chief and his right hand wolf were both killed in the blink of an eye. One of the bits of training that Rano had received was how to move faster than the eye can see. He chose to head into the clearing at normal speed so that Magkof's plan could be countered.
"Now, is there any of the Haons who object to my leadership of both the Haons and Falorts?"
The Haons looked at each other. None of them wanted the same fate as their leader.
"I thought not. Haons, you will drag Magkof's body back to your camp. That way the Haons can see what became of their great leader. We will follow you. If you try anything, we have another eight hundred wolves in the forest."
"Rano?"
"Yes Floriv?"
"We don't actually have another eight hundred wolves in the forest."
"What they don't know won't hurt them right Floriv?"
The eleven Haon wolves dragged the carcass of Magkof. When they reached the Haon camp, the forces able to fight surrounded the Falorts. The eleven Haons who were dragging the remains of their once great leader told the rest what had happened in the woods. The Haon fighters backed off. Suddenly a whistle of wind stirred up a pile of leaves. The leaves turned green and took the form of the Wolf of the Forest.
"Behold the uniter of packs, descendant of Slovarion, Ranorait."