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The old door creaked in protest as it was opened. The High Alpha Magi flipped the switch and a small marble sized ball of blue flame rolled along a track that lined the wall. Every few feet it would hit a small bowl and a larger white flame flared to life. The little ball of flame rolled to a stop in a basin in the center of the room, lighting it, and dissipated into the fire. Kynali watched in amazement and Shirai chuckled to himself, since he had seen this little magic trick before. Leading them to the chairs in front of his desk set at the back of the room, the High Alpha Magi sat in his bigger chair and pulled a small knob. The faint sound of a bell range outside the semi open door; a young Magi entered the room looking slightly worried and hurried over to the desk. Kynali recognized the boy from her writing classes. He was not much of a talker but got his work down quickly. He was always the one to have his hand raised, but he never spoke with much confidence in his, always correct, answers.
"How may I help you Sir?" The young guy fidgeted a bit and kept his eyes low. Shirai's ears tilted back, concerned by how much fear he could smell from the male before him.
"I need you to bring John FangBlade to me. But first I need the other two High Alphas, so pull the summons rope on your way." The young male hurried out to do his tasks, shutting the door as quietly as he could. Kynali watched as both Shirai and the High Alpha Magi's ear locked onto a sound she couldn't hear, it was quiet funny because they were like in sync for a moment and that kind of thing was something she found entertaining.
The first of the people the High Alpha Magi had requested came in, no knocking, no request to enter, and no announcement, she just opened the door. Kynali could tell they were an Alpha but what shocked her was that they were female. Her fur was a honey blond color, which was unusual for a Wolf. She wore a black shirt and washed out jeans with a belt that held a blade holster which looked to be about 6 inches in length. Shirai could feel the presence she brought with her, the air noticeably heavier.
"So why did you call me down here Rob?" her voice was something that Kynali almost recognized. She hated that she couldn't remember where.
"Celeste! No need to be rude, can't you see I have guests?" Celeste looked over Kynali and Shirai with a critical eye. She broke out in a smile and walked over to Kynali and held out her paw.
"I like you. What's your name?" Kynali almost flinched back but instead held her ground, stood, took Celeste's paw, and shook it.
"I'm Kynali. It is great to meet you Celeste." Kynali smiled and Shirai watched is silent amazement as she just instantly befriended one of strictest Wolves out of the High Alphas like it was no big deal. Celeste looked over at Shirai and smirked.
"I've seen you on the fire magic field. You aren't half bad. Not cocky, cocky people never get anywhere with fire. Well besides the medical wing." Shirai nodded his head and Celeste laughed. He knew all to well what overconfidence did to anyone. Magic was something you respected, not used to show off. A Wolf could lose his fur if he wasn't careful.
"Now... Tell me Rob, why am I down here?" Celeste locked eyes with Rob and the tension in the air was a little thicker.
"I'll get to that when the other two I summoned get here Celeste. Why don't you sit down? You know how Alex can be." Celeste finally dropped her gaze and pulled a chair next to Kynali. Kynali sat down quickly and scooted a little closer the Shirai and shot him a slightly nervous smile.
Twenty minutes later, the door swung open to reveal a sleepy looking Wolf. His long black hair partially covered his eyes and stood out against his silver fur. His ears and tail looked like they were dipped in ink. The red t-shirt he wore looked a bit wrinkled, and his dark green shorts looked like they had at least fifteen different pockets. A dark gray messenger bag hung loosely over his shoulder and he walked in and looked around the room.
"Rob, Celeste dang what did I do now? And-"looking around the room he spotted Kynali and Shirai. "-Who are they? Wait… Chick. You're the water magi that showed up Bruno last week. You got that Jackal's fur all in a twist. Nice job." Kynali blushed and nodded at the complement.
"Bruno?The Snook Bruno? The Ice queen? Ha. Must have put her and her little attitude in place when she got her tail whipped by a human, since she has the weird idea that humans are lower then she is." Celeste stood up and hugged the other High Alpha, who must have been the Alex Rob had mentioned.
"Alex please grabs a seat. We are waiting on FangBlade. Who should be here soon…If he knows what's good for him." Alex looked over at Kynali and frowned, her scent went from curious to fearful in three seconds flat. He walked over to her and smiled his winning smile, with his paw outstretched.
"I'm Alex, don't worry, I can deal with Fang if things go bad." Kynali stood up and took his paw about to shake it when he pulled her into a hug. Shell shocked for a moment she froze, and waited for something to happen to her. Shirai stood quickly, he did not like how stiff Kynali was; till he saw her relax. Kynali felt the energy around Alex and it reminded her of a big brother. She smiled as Alex stepped back.
"I'm Kynali. This is Shirai. Glad to meet you Alex." Shirai slipped his arm around Kynali's waste and nuzzled her neck for a moment before helping her sit back down. Celeste liked Shirai. She could tell he was a decent guy, and the way he was about to stand up to a High Alpha meant he had his pack sense straight. Unlike the stupid brutes she had to deal with. The way Shirai was about to stand up for Kynali impressed Alex too; he liked the spirit in these two. But he was still concerned why she feared Fang. The Alpha was only Alpha because of his dad. It was his right as a son of a High Alpha. Too bad he relied on strength and intimidation.
"You can leave now. I know how to open a dam door myself thank you." The sound of John's voice cut straight to Kynali's heart. Both Celeste and Alex looked at her with concern; they didn't like how fast her scent changed. Alex looked at Rob who stood up and let his tail curled up at the tone his son used. John entered the room and Celeste, Alex, and Shirai stood growled in unison when he smirked at Kynali ready to go for her.
"Now that the final guest is here, I want to bring something to attention that I want dealt with; Now." Rob walked around his table and John's ears went flat. Shirai stood behind Kynali, Celeste moved to her left and Alex on her right. John was baffled; the little human got his father, and two High Alphas on her side and it hadn't even been five minutes. Things did not look like they would turn out well.
"What's this all about? What do those two have to do with it?" John walked closer and kept his eye on the three Wolves that did not look happy to see him.
"This is about the matter you called to my attention by going to a Human High Magi. This is a pack problem and we are here to deal with things the way the rules intend it to be dealt with." John glares at Kynali, Celeste's paw twitched towards her blade and John straightened up a little.
"So what did he do?" Alex interjected, he wanted to figure out what is going on.
"I did Nothing! It was her." John pointed to Kynali, and all four Wolves in the room looked like they didn't buy it.
"Nothing. You did Nothing? You Did Nothing? You low down liar. I'll tell you what; it is dogs like you the villagers would have put down at birth because you aren't even worth feeding. No offence High Alpha Magi, but I can't let him lie." Kynali stood and let her anger show in her magic as the air visibly got colder. Everyone looked at Kynali in shock. She was afraid before but now… Now she looked like she would skin him. Shirai smirked and mentally praised her for finally showing the fire he loved.
"He threatened her, and almost forced her to be his mate." Shirai stepped next to Kynali and his paws gave off a small puff of heat. Celeste looked at the two and let her magic fill in her sight. Both Shirai and Kynali's magic were twining together… Like they would if they were mates; that was unusual for any couple.
"Is this true John? What do you have to say for yourself boy?" John's ears went flat and he shot Shirai a dirty look.
"She wrongly challenged me. That's all there is to it." The room's temperature dropped lower, and the part of the floor where Kynali's feet touched it had small veins of frost. Shirai wrapped his tail around her waist and pulled her flush against his side.
"You would have raped her. I saw you. I could smell it. She is Mine." Shirai's hackles were raised.
"She belongs to me! I have a right to claim her!" John stepped forward.
"What do you mean? What world do you live in where females can't choose their mates? I thought I raised you better than that. We left the old world ways behind when we came to coexists with the others. Yes we have Pack and ranks, but there are too few females having pups then there ever was. Have you not thought why that might be son? Our own females won't have pups because they do not love their mates. What pups we do have are becoming less and less honorable, less able to lead." Rob stepped between his son and Kynali, staring John down he crossed his arms.
"I am an Alpha! He isn't! If he is so great then why isn't he an Alpha? Why can't I have the one female that I so desire?" John stepped back and looked at Alex and Celeste. Neither of them would help him, and with his father in the matter he couldn't do much else.
"You can't have everything you dam wanted you little pup!" Celeste was near ready to gut him. The way he spoke about another female just pissed her off.
"I challenge Shirai for rights to mate. I want a dominance battle. Any and all suitors will fight Kynali, if they get first blood they move on, then those left will face off till one remains. The winner must fight Kynali and defeat her. If one of us looses they will be an outcast. If neither of us win then the winner will take her as their mate and we will have nothing more to fight over." John smirked and looked to Shirai. He knew Shirai could not reject the request; not when his little human was at stake.
"Challenge acknowledged. Since you decided the terms of loss and gain I get to decide time and what can be used within the guild lines of the ancient battle terms." Shirai kept his voice calm. He knew if he were to even appear weak John would use that against him. The only thing that worried him much though, was the thought of fighting Kynali, his future mate. He knew she could handle any of the others that might come to fight, but he didn't want to hurt her. Kynali looked from Rob to Shirai then to John. She had no say in the matter. Her confusion was easily seen and Celeste walked up to her and rested a paw on her shoulder.
"I can't do anything to stop this, but I can help train you." The sudden contact slightly startled Kynali and she nuzzled closer to Shirai, wishing for the one hundredth time that this day had gone differently. Shirai looked over at Celeste and nodded his thanks. Rob looked worried to him, but then that was not surprising. These challenges usually had deaths involved.
"I guess this means we get to draw up the damned paper work for this challenge right? Great, just what I need, and who gets to invite the guests to watch the fight? Of course it is the High Alphas. Come on Celeste, we need to get this done before you can train her. And you, Kynali, I want to talk to you later. There are some things I want to ask, whether or not you answer me is all up to you." Alex headed out the door and mumbled quietly to himself. John was quick to follow and Celeste lingered for a moment to whisper something in Kynali's ear.
"Well... That was not what I thought would happen." Kynali sat heavily in her chair and held her temple. Rob made his way over to his chair and sat down looking deep in thought. Looking up an minute later he sighed.
"What did I do wrong? I raised that pup in the old ways hoping it would bring him to desire honor." Shirai looked at Rob and shook his head.
"Sometimes it isn't the parents fault for the child's actions. Some people are just born inherently bad." Kynali look up at Shirai and furrowed her brow.
"I don't think that's quite it. I think he is just caught up in to much bad to see the good he has in him..." Her voice wavered and she sighed a little. "Why do I have to see the good in everyone?"
Shirai chuckled and Rob nodded quietly. The room had gotten progressively warmer since Kynali calmed down; the flames along the wall reminded Rob of how right Kynali was. If you put a flame around the wrong material, no matter how well trained you are it will go out of control; but that is neither the flame nor the Magi's fault if the material is not visible.