Chapter Eighteen
Avey III
All the pack fathers gathered outside Kato’s den. It would be the first time in three ages that they had all met, since the Goldbacks had come down from the mountain and Avey’s pack had given their lives to keep them from descending further. She was just a pup then, but her father had told her about the last time Pack Law had been invoked and they all came to agree upon helping her pack grow in exchange for fire.
To her surprise, Avey’s father had asked her to attend the meeting alongside him. She was admittedly envious of her sister, who was not permitted to be in attendance, because she was able to stay and play with their new sister. Avey had enjoyed playing with Haley in the weeks that they had known her, but she could see why Rivendale thought it important for her to experience Pack Law. Should anything ever happen to him, it would fall to Avey to lead the pack. Though it was rare for a female to be a pack leader, it was not unheard of. The albino pack from the northwest was notoriously led by a female called Fontaine. She had been the last of the leaders to arrive for Pack Law. Her fur was as white as fresh snow, but her eyes were thick brown beads, patches of mud that polluted the frosted field. Her pack was one of two to refuse them and Rivendale’s offer of fire.
To her surprise, Avey’s father had asked her to attend the meeting alongside him. She was admittedly envious of her sister, who was not permitted to be in attendance, because she was able to stay and play with their new sister. Avey had enjoyed playing with Haley in the weeks that they had known her, but she could see why Rivendale thought it important for her to experience Pack Law. Should anything ever happen to him, it would fall to Avey to lead the pack. Though it was rare for a female to be a pack leader, it was not unheard of. The albino pack from the northwest was notoriously led by a female called Fontaine. She had been the last of the leaders to arrive for Pack Law. Her fur was as white as fresh snow, but her eyes were thick brown beads, patches of mud that polluted the frosted field. Her pack was one of two to refuse them and Rivendale’s offer of fire.
“Pack fathers, and mother, I welcome you to my den,” Kato announced, standing before his seven equals: Rivendale, Fontaine, Flint, Marco, Silver, Rollins, and Skago. “Though my pack hosts our meeting, it was not I who summoned you here. Rivendale has called upon us once again, and though his pack is small, he is still one of us and has done great deeds for us, so I take great joy in seeing that you have all made an effort to come.”
“And why has the great Rivendale summoned us once again?” Skago, a grey Alsatin with a noticeable scar running across his face, asked sarcastically. He led a pack from the west, the other pack to refuse the gift of fire. “Did our packs not come to an agreement three ages ago to sustain this existence of his, despite their failure?”
“You did,” Rivendale said sternly. “And great gratitude I have for you all, but it seems the Goldbacks are once again pressing down the mountain. They have come as far south as here to Kato’s lands, and they have killed one of his sons. I have seen them moving through my lands, but with such small numbers, I cannot oppose them. I have taken to hunting on my own, for I fear for my children.”
“We have seen them too,” added Silver, a long, tan Alsatin. Silver’s pack was where Sky had been born. “Many of my hunters have had run-ins with Goldbacks. From what we can tell, they look to keep moving south. They have shown no desire to remain in our lands, only to pass through.”
“Let them pass, then,” Fontaine interjected. “Let them move to the forbidden forest and perish in its horror. What do we care for Goldbacks? Send out larger hunting parties, and if you see them, kill them or run them down south.”
“The forbidden forest is not to be trespassed upon by any being,” Rivendale stated flatly. “No Alsatin, Goldback or anything else is ever to set foot on those hallowed grounds. You know this, Fontaine. Should even the Goldbacks trespass in those woods, it would bring unspeakable horrors upon us all.”
“The forbidden forest is not to be trespassed upon by any being,” Rivendale stated flatly. “No Alsatin, Goldback or anything else is ever to set foot on those hallowed grounds. You know this, Fontaine. Should even the Goldbacks trespass in those woods, it would bring unspeakable horrors upon us all.”
“Says you, furless one,” Skago answered crossly. “Old legends from old times. I do not fear the forbidden forest.”
“Perhaps because you live far from it,” Kato said, defending Rivendale. “My pack lives on the edge, and we feel that fear every time we get too close to it. Eerie things come from those woods, Skago.”
Skago shied away from Kato and directed his attention back at Avey’s father. “Get on with it then, Rivendale. What are you asking of us?”
“Simply to have a pack that can adequately defend the northeastern border. I would request no more than five hunters from each of you so I may go into their mountains and settle this dispute with fire and claw.”
“Absolutely not,” Skago replied, earning unanimous agreement from the other leaders. “I will not send my sons and daughters to die under your leadership.”
“What do you mean to say?” Avey growled.
“Perhaps because you live far from it,” Kato said, defending Rivendale. “My pack lives on the edge, and we feel that fear every time we get too close to it. Eerie things come from those woods, Skago.”
Skago shied away from Kato and directed his attention back at Avey’s father. “Get on with it then, Rivendale. What are you asking of us?”
“Simply to have a pack that can adequately defend the northeastern border. I would request no more than five hunters from each of you so I may go into their mountains and settle this dispute with fire and claw.”
“Absolutely not,” Skago replied, earning unanimous agreement from the other leaders. “I will not send my sons and daughters to die under your leadership.”
“What do you mean to say?” Avey growled.
Skago jumped up, revealing the yellow razors in his mouth. “That your father is unfit to lead. Look, his own daughter would disrespect me in such a way! He can hardly control the pack he has now. Rivendale has failed once already, leaving his kind—your kind, Kato—all but dead and gone. Look upon him, upon the fur he wears. He has lived among us, but he is not one of us. Disgusting, deformed, furless beast. He is all tricks. Let the Goldbacks finish what they started, let them finally rid us of him so we do not have to share our presence with a cursed monster.”
“Bite your tongue!” Kato readied his claws. “You know nothing.”
Rivendale placed his paw on Kato, pulling him back. “Leave it. You are entitled to your beliefs, Skago, but know that should you challenge me, the pack of the west will be in need of a new father. Will none of you offer your hunters?” They fell silent. Not one of them volunteered. “Very well. I will go into the mountains, then, and find what troubles the Goldbacks. Worry not, Skago. I will once again bear the weight that you all remain ignorant of. Our people survive because of me and will continue to, in spite of the feeble leadership I see before me. I conclude Pack Law.”
Returning to the temporary den that Kato had fashioned for their pack, they found Sky rolling around with Haley. The two had been gnawing on the bones left from their last meal and were clueless about their father’s rage. He had not spoken to Avey since they left the meeting, and she dared not anger her father further. He approached his daughters and kneeled to the level of their newly acquired pup. He placed his forehead to hers and kissed the bridge of her snout. Sky stuck her head near their father’s as well, looking for the same affection.
“We must leave at once, girls,” he commanded. “I must go to the mountains, and I’ve no time to waste.”
“I will go with you, Father,” Avey proudly volunteered.
“No, you will not. Your place is in the den, protecting your sisters,” he softly said while running his paw across Sky’s face.
“But, Father, you will need me. The mountains are dangerous. The Goldbacks—”
“I will go with you, Father,” Avey proudly volunteered.
“No, you will not. Your place is in the den, protecting your sisters,” he softly said while running his paw across Sky’s face.
“But, Father, you will need me. The mountains are dangerous. The Goldbacks—”
“Are a danger to you! Not to me. Avey, I am afraid. Afraid of what I may find in those mountains, and afraid for your sisters. Yes, you may be of help to me up there, but what would become of these two? Haley is but a pup, and Sky is so young. They will need you more than I.”
“Why must you go, Father?’ Sky moaned.
“Because there are mistakes I must fix.”
“Why must you go, Father?’ Sky moaned.
“Because there are mistakes I must fix.”