Chapter 9

Cornell made changes in the tribe law on the same night of his leadership. First, he planned to free all of the slaves. Now that he was leader, everything the tribe ever pillaged or owned now belonged to him. That included each of the slaves. Slaves took their orders from slave masters, but ultimately both slave and slave master alike now took orders from Cornell. The concept of owning another person and mistreating them disgusted Cornell. Yet, if only but an ounce, it made him feel powerful.

He came to the slave camp that he and most his family loathed and avoided. The camp was silent all but for crickets chirping into the night. Moonlight reflected off the tents and luminated the area. Just the thought of being in a slave camp gave Cornell chills. He wandered through a row of tents and finally came to the last and largest of the tents. This was where the slave masters stayed. Cornell went inside and the tent was well lit, as the inside of the slave tents were dark. Inside, there were torches lit and spaced, and two medium sized wooden tables near the back before the tent was branched off by dirty cream drapes.

Cornell looked to his left side and saw a human by the tent wall. His hands were chained behind his back and long dark red whiplashes covered his bare chest and face. A deep gash across his chest reminded Cornell of Ortega. The slave's pants were of course torn, faded, and colored with dirt and dried blood. His short light brown hair was messy. Cornell also noticed that the slave was probably no older than Cornell himself. He looked up at Cornell silently.

"Have you ever been to a slave camp before, Chief?"

Cornell turned back around to the voice. A man-wolf with dark hair and a brawny build. His face held a blank emotion, hardened over the years of being a slave master. He held a whip in his hand and folded arms.

"No, I haven't." Cornell said with honesty. "I don't plan to see how it's run either. I came to set the slaves free."

The man-wolf showed a vague interest, but Cornell continued.

"I want them all packed and ready to move out in an hour. I will lead them to the nearest able village from here."

"You want me to turn out my whole camp to humans?!" The man-wolf asked miffed, though he already knew Cornell's answer. He wasn't going to give in to the authority of a youth so easily. "For what purpose?"

"Whatever the purpose is, I have given a command and I expect you to follow it regardless." Cornell answered curtly.

The slave master gritted his teeth, but didn't bother getting out of line.

"Of course, Chief. I will have them ready for you in an hour."

"Good. What's he here for?" Cornell nodded over to the boy chained up.

"Oh, he's staying here. The tribe will love to see some entertainment. This one's been causing trouble in the camp. Raising mutinies and things... He will be hung tomorrow evening."

"No one will be hung tomorrow. All of the humans are leaving tonight, including him."

The boy blinked and looked back and forth between the two. Once again, the man-wolf was opposed with Cornell's judgment. He looked sourly at the young leader but left into the back of the tent without a word.

The boy thoroughly pleased seeing his torturer become helpless, finally spoke up with a hint of caution in his voice.

"Yeh're a new leader, hmm?

Cornell nodded. "You can call me Blue Crescent Moon. What's your name?"

The boy shook his head. "Don't real'h have one, sir. Meh parents were killed when I was small. Crush Claw there alwehs calls meh Mutt though..."

"You're not a mutt. You're a nice young man, if any human were to say. You just need to be washed up and clothed...and fed." Cornell added noticing the boy's ribcage clearly showing under his skin. He took off the rope and chain binding the boy and saw deep rope marks in his skin.

"What name would you like?" Cornell asked, changing the matter.

"Hmm, I dunno any real nice names, sir...anythin' good'll do I suppose...Oooh, maybe Gold'n Eye or Quick'n Paws maybe!"

"... ...How about Christopher? How does that sound to you?"

"Sounds good ter meh, sir!"

"Good, good. Then your name will be Christopher. One more thing. Please don't call me sir, even though I'm suppose to be a leader and whatnot."

"Okay then, I see. Would'n you rather somethin' like Master?"

"No."

"Owner?"

"No."

"Oh, I know! Chieftain, isn't it?"

"No."

"Well, is it L--"

"It's just Blue Crescent Moon. Just that... Or you can call me Cornell, if you like."

"Yes, sir--I mean, Blue Crescent Moon...Cornell...sir..."

Cornell sighed to himself.

Cornell and Christopher sat on the grass hills outside of the camp and watched the site come alive with movement. As Crush Claw had said, the camp was ready within an hour. Cornell could hear orders being yelled throughout the camp, and to his horror, whip cracks. Cornell was unsure whether he was doing the right thing or not. What would the village think if he had brought one hundred undernourished slaves to them at once? Perhaps the humans he was guiding would turn on him before they got there. Cornell sighed deeply and turned away from the large assembly that he would have to lead soon.

"Yeh'll be fine," Christopher assured. "Weh're a nice bunch, once yeh get ter know us. Theh won't hurt yeh if yer freein' 'em."

"Man-beasts have treated you so badly..." Cornell said quietly.

"Yeah, but yer different. Yeh came ter help us. If anyone gets outter line, I'll deal with 'em for yeh, okay?"

Cornell looked at him and Christopher grinned, almost reminding Cornell of his own cousin, Marcell. Cornell wasn't too big on grinning (actually, he'd have to work on smiling), but he hadn't known anyone else who could look so giddy.

"I've suffered a lot er stuff, Blue Crescent Moon. Slashes, whiplashes, famine an' freezin' temps. Ain't cried once! No one here'll challenge meh or even think of it!"

Cornell smiled weakly and couldn't help shaking his head in pity.

The gathering of humans were ready. Cornell got up and walked back down to the campsite while Christopher followed. The humans were formed into neat rows. There were four rows lined together filled with about twenty-five people per row. The former slave masters didn't bother helping Cornell, but he certainly didn't mind. Christopher kept true to his word and assured the group that Cornell was going to help them. Afterward, the travel wasn't difficult. No one questioned or rebelled against Cornell or Christopher. They followed obediently, keeping organized in their rows. This relaxed Cornell a bit, though he could sense their fear of him. It gave him pains of guilt to understand why. What must it be like to be born a slave to pitiless and overpowering man-beasts? How could a human be starved and left in below freezing weather with nothing but a few thin and shredded garments?

Cornell thought of what Ada had been through and wished she was there by his side so he could wrap his arms around her and comfort her. Then there was his own mother. Cornell started to feel sympathy in the distant and cold way Matthew had acted. Cornell could remember that his father never took him to the site of Emilia's death. Cornell never wanted to see the ghastly images of hanging as Matthew had seen. Cornell also had the suspicion that Matthew had taken her down and given her a proper burial. That would have been just like Matthew...

Cornell wandered away from the past and focused on the current journey. He would end this human slavery plague that had come upon the tribe. Perhaps even a bond could be formed with these humans.

Cornell reached a large village by early morning. The sky had just begun to lighten with a soft purple hue as the sun began to rise. Villagers saw Cornell and the large group coming and informed their leader. At least that's what Cornell had thought. A man came to greet Cornell by the village's entrance. He looked fairly average for a human, but Cornell guessed that he was the one who had led the war against his tribe. The man carried a sword by his side and a serious look on his face. Bystanders stood curiously behind him at a distance. Two of the men there had the boldness to take out rifles and aim them at the man-beast.

"Lower your guns!" The leader snapped back at the men. "He's no threat."

The men hesitated and put away their weapons. Cornell nodded respectively and the leader returned the gesture and then spoke.

"I am Joseph. The leader of this village. What brings you here, man-wolf?"

"I am Blue Crescent Moon. Chief of the man-wolf tribe. I have come to propose a treaty between humans and the man-beasts of my tribe. Also, as an offering, my tribe gives up slavery. You have my oath for as long as I am leader."

Joseph gazed into Cornell's eyes with suspicion. No matter how fierce they looked, Cornell's eyes showed only honesty. Joseph turned his gaze to the multitude lined evenly behind Cornell. Each one a former slave of man-wolves. Their worn garments and frightened eyes showed it. Yet each one would soon be taken care of and given a place to live in. The town leader gave a small smile at the thought and looked back at Cornell.

"What type of treaty are you asking?"

Cornell paused at the thought. He had been so occupied freeing humans and hoping for peace, he hadn't fully decided the matter. His mind skimmed over the situation with his tribe and the humans...