The atmosphere was already tense before the werewolves even arrived, but their appearance only helped to make it worse. Lili sat nervously by herself in one of the four chairs set around a large circular table. The meeting to draft a new treaty was to take place inside of the Great Hall in the center of Schattenwald, which was usually used for social gatherings and town meetings. It was the most neutral place anyone could think of since the werewolves were surrounded by humans, and the space was too confined for the humans to use any weapons. That logic did nothing to ease the tensions between the two groups
Both packs had arrived in their human forms as they agreed beforehand to do. The alpha male of each group sat in the two remaining seats at the table; Ludwig across from Vash, and Ivan across from Lili. The original search party and each pack stood behind their leaders while casting distrustful glances at each other. There was no one behind Lili, but she almost prefered it that way. She was the mediator, the liaison. She wasn't supposed to have anyone on her side.
"It looks like we can get started now," Vash said. No one seemed upset that he was taking control of the meeting, so he proceeded. "We propose a treaty with a strict no contact clause. You are not to come on our land. Ever."
"You mean to punish us?" Ivan asked with narrowed eyes. "You dare attack us, and then tighten the nooses around our necks?"
"I agree that this proposed idea is too restrictive. Most of the conflicts that have occurred lately seem to have been caused by the inflexible nature of the last treaty," Ludwig added.
Vash's lips pressed into a thin line. "Then what do you propose?"
"Something with less restrictions on boundaries."
"You are being too lenient, Ludwig." Ivan's violet eyes flickered between the other alpha and Vash. "There should be no limitations. We have suffered long enough under the terror of the humans."
"Perhaps we should let our mediator decide."
They all turned to look at Lili, who swallowed nervously. Even though she had volunteered for this position, she was afraid that she would make the wrong choices. Instead of improving relations between the two groups, she might just make them worse. Lili pushed those thoughts aside. Now was not the time to be doubting herself.
"It's true that the old treaty didn't give the werewolves much freedom, but there are other things to consider too," she said. "Not everyone would feel safe if there weren't any limitations."
"It sounds to me that you are agreeing with the humans," Ivan accused.
"No, I don't agree that no contact is the solution. Anyone, human or werewolf, should be allowed to go wherever they want without the fear of being attacked."
"We don't want giant beasts roaming the village streets," Vash objected, and the other men murmured in agreement.
Antonio raised his hand. "What if we were like this?" He gestured to himself. "Would it be all right if we, you know, looked like other people when we're on human territory?"
No one seemed too unhappy with the idea. Feli actually looked excited by it. Vash turned to the other men behind him, and they talked in hushed voices for a few moments.
"We will agree on one condition," he said when he turned back around. "Humans and livestock are not to be hunted not matter what."
Ludwig nodded his head. "That sounds fair. Ivan?"
The large man clasped his hands together on the table. "Yes, I suppose."
"Then we're all in agreement. The next thing I'd like to talk about is the changing of humans into werewolves."
Every person in the Great Hall froze. Lili's eyes went wide, and she snuck a peek at Elizabeta, who also appeared to be stunned beyond words. What was Ludwig planning on saying? By the looks on the faces of the members of his pack, they didn't know.
"I propose that it should be forbidden for any werewolf to forcefully turn a human without their permission," Ludwig continued.
Ivan actually seemed amused by the whole thing. "That sounds hypocritical coming from you," he said.
It took Lili a moment to realize he was talking about her. "He didn't force me!" she cried before she could stop herself. "This is what I wanted!"
Vash started at her with an expression that was a cross between horror and sadness. They hadn't talked much about her transformation in the days leading up to the meeting, but there was always the unspoken questions that hung between them like an unbreachable curtain.
"Forgive me. I did not mean to upset you," the tall man said with his usual smile. "But I will not agree to this idea."
"Why not?" Vash asked suspiciously.
"It is sentencing our kind to extinction. There is no faster way to make more of us than to change a human."
"There are other ways, however," Ludwig interjected before anyone could get upset. "In return for agreeing this idea, I expect the humans to respect anyone's decision to become a werewolf. In the past and future."
It was after he said this that Lili realized exactly what it was Ludwig was doing. He was making sure no retribution would come to her for choosing to become a werewolf, and he was also ensuring that the atrocities of the past which ruined lives like Elizabeta's would never be repeated. It was an ingenious move on his part.
"We accept," Vash said softly. Then he and Ludwig turned to stare at Ivan.
"Fine. We shall also accept." He sighed. "But in return, I propose that we be allowed to roam wherever we want at any time."
Lili's brother clenches his fists. "I don't think you're in a position to be making proposals."
"Are we not the ones who have suffered the most after your joint attack?"
Ivan's logic was undeniable. He had as much right to make suggestions, and blame for the current state of affairs, as any of the others, even if Lili didn't like his idea that much. But she didn't trust him enough to allow him and his pack to wander around as much as they pleased, so she had to get involved.
"What if we alter the old treaty?" she suggested. "Instead of the werewolves being allowed to go wherever they want on the night of the full moon, they can go wherever they want all day once a week. That way they have more freedom, but people don't have to worry about them being around all the time."
"An interesting idea," Ivan mused. "Will the humans respect it?"
"We will as long as you do," Vash said.
"Then it is agreed."
Ludwig's eyes swept around the table. "Are there any more proposals that need to be discussed?"
"What's for lunch?" Feli asked.
"Dude, I could totally go for something right now!" Alfred shouted.
"You just ate less than an hour ago," Arthur reminded him.
"Yeah, but this meeting made me hungry."
"You didn't even do anything, you stupid git!"
Their arguing seemed to be the signal that the meeting was over, and Vash shook hands with the two pack leaders to make the treaty official. A written copy would be made later and kept somewhere safe until there was cause for another to be made. Lili hoped that day would never come. As she watched the three different groups slowly merge and mingle, she wished for the peace to last forever.
"Are you ready to go home?"
She turned to see Ludwig standing beside her seat at the table. Lili stood and looked up into his blue eyes. "Yes, I think so."
"We'll be waiting for you whenever you're ready."
He turned and joined the crowd of people all talking together. It was a strange, but wonderful feeling to see the walls between both groups falling down, yet Lili still felt a little somber. No matter how many walls they tore down, humans and werewolves would always exist in two different worlds. And it wouldn't be possible for her to live in both. She caught Vash's eye, and he moved to join her. It wouldn't be easy to tell him the things she needed to say, but it had to be done. She had made her choice.