‘Rotan,’ Star Wolf was keen to cease formalities and get down to business, ‘please escort us to where we will be staying for our visit. If you’ll allow us an hour to get ourselves in order we will come to the Hall of Mooses.’
‘Of course, your gr—, your prin—’ Rotan didn’t manage to finish either word, probably due to River’s incessant howling laughter. The Wolf soon stopped when Star Wolf yanked his exposed tail, harder than necessary. They followed Rotan through the long wooden walkways of the Alces, strange given the concrete and metal air-hangars they’d come from. The truth was the Moose were simple animals, quiet and efficient in their own way. They had no ambitions of power, just a simple life left to their own devices.
‘Here are your rooms, we will collect you in an hour then,’ Rotan winced, ‘if that’s OK with you?’
Star Wolf nodded; he was too preoccupied envying the simplicity of solitude.
AS IT TRANSPIRED THE Tigers arrived thirty minutes after the Wolves landed. A fact that was a little too convenient for Star Wolf. They should’ve arrived well before the Wolves and yet they arrived just behind, as if laying in wait. Star Wolf knew the capabilities of a battleship and given Darkchurch was the finest spacecraft ever built he had no doubt that cloaking devices would’ve been a standard feature for such a vehicle of destruction. But why wait for us?
‘Good of you to join us,’ said Star Wolf, neutral as possible aware a hall of one hundred plus Moose’s nervously glanced on, plus a death squad of Tigers. His guard of Wolves stood in close proximity, and if looks could kill the hall would be bathed in Wolf, Tiger and Moose blood alike.
‘Quite alright, young,’ the Winter Tiger’s words oozed that easy charm he apparently used at mass gatherings, though he paused on his next word, ‘Wolf.’ It came out as a statement, the single syllable echoed outward across the meagre yet stylish hall of the Moose.
‘We were expecting you to arrive sooner, before us in fact.’ said Star Wolf.
The Winter Tiger smiled, a half-smirk but it seemed sincere enough.
As he moved over to Star Wolf his bare feet clacked on the stone floor, Star Wolf couldn’t help but glare at the Winter Tiger’s polished, razor-sharp claws. The Tiger leader still wore his black leathers and golden armour but opted for a more exposed, primal attire, only wearing trousers and flowing robe vest. His arms were broad, and housed many scars, which flexed as he moved ever closer.
The only sound in the entire hall was a slight breeze escaping from a handful of windows, ajar, way up in the oak rafters.
As the Winter Tiger drew closer, time ceased to exist for Star Wolf, his perfumed scent reached Star Wolf first. An alluring floral smell, masking the usual danger notes of a wild animal. The Winter Tiger’s final few paces brought an automatic reaction from the half-dozen Wolves stood behind Star Wolf, in a flash they all stepped forward three paces to draw level to Star. Though none drew their laser guns, daggers or swords. To do so would’ve almost certainly started a battle Star Wolf knew they’d lose against five Tigers.
‘Everything is fine,’ said Winter Tiger, palms turned upwards, ‘I’m unarmed. Don’t panic,’ he chuckled, ‘my young Wolf, your guard are touchy, aren’t they? Impressive but a little overzealous.’
‘Everyone is a little on edge now, given five planets have been destroyed. Aren’t you?’
‘I’m always on edge, that’s what makes life worth living. Wouldn’t you agree?’
The continuation of the sub-text from the Goat Master’s chambers wasn’t unmissed by anyone in the hall. Every Moose was tensed so tightly that a smashed plate would’ve brought about multiple heart failures. Even the Moose Chief, Gold Fern, sat on his chair carved out of a huge block of onyx in utter silence.
‘That must be a very exhausting way to live,’ said Star Wolf.
‘Ha! Very good, though stamina has never been something I’ve lacked. To rule one must endure.’
‘I wasn’t aware you were a ruler? I thought the Elders ruled Tigris.’ Star Wolf’s stomach lurched as the words left his mouth. The Winter Tiger’s face blanched, the long whiskers on his granite visage twitched. The Tiger rubbed his hands together, huge paws housing more deadly claws. Star knew a creature of such power, with such natural weapons, didn’t require manufactured aids. The Winter Tiger could disembowel the Wolves singlehandedly, without breaking a sweat. And Father claims he has three hundred more.
‘Indeed they do, but out far and wide in the galaxy it is I alone who speak for them and all their wisdom.’ the Tiger’s words returned to smooth, he had an uncanny ability at controlling his emotions, even when provoked Star Wolf noted. The mark of a true leader.
Star Wolf saw River bristle by his right-hand side. The Winter Tiger gave River a cursory, dismissive glance. A look that made it abundantly clear River was not to talk, and the young Wolf obeyed the silent order much to Star’s surprise.
‘What say you then? Shall we begin our investigations?’ said Star Wolf.
‘By all means, though I believe this will all be a formality. We have all but concluded our investigation,’ said the Winter Tiger.
‘How so?’
‘Well, this is our final stop. The other four neighbouring planets, who witnessed such atrocities have all given similar accounts of what happened.’
‘Wait, what? You said to meet here first!’ raged Star Wolf, too loud and too aggressive. He noted the wicked grins across Winter Tiger’s death squad.
The smaller duo of Steelclaw and Oakenclaw scrunched their noses, in unison, when they caught Star’s eye.
The older pair they were flanked by, the taller and larger Tigers, Hitback and Blackfire remained a tad more reserved with their mocking glances.
The Winter Tiger leaned in close. ‘Did I?’
The fur on Star Wolf’s back rose, as he inhaled. His initial thought to bite, savage, attack dissipated when he tilted his head to see the innocent looking face of Winter Tiger. Confusion took over instead, which brought laughter from the Winter Tiger.
‘You fret too much young one,’ the Winter Tiger placed a warm hand on Star Wolf’s left shoulder, causing an involuntary shudder, ‘we will leave you here to come to your own conclusions and test yourself. Should you prevail we will meet back at The Council of Worlds to report our findings. How does that sound?’
Star Wolf couldn’t speak, not at such close proximity. The Winter Tiger had invaded his personal space and made a room of one hundred plus animals feel like it housed only the two of them.
‘Uh,’ stammered Star Wolf.
‘Very good.’ The Winter Tiger released his hand and hypnotic grip over Star Wolf. ‘Gold Fern, I believe you’ve already provided your report to Hitback.’
The Moose Chief nodded, a solemn expression on his weathered, long features. The antlers atop his huge head trembled, along with the lavish gold chains hanging over his swollen purple shirt, as the Winter Tiger’s gaze lingered.
‘Please indulge us and give a detailed account to the Wolves, they have some catching up to do.’
And with that the Winter Tiger gracefully strode out of the room, accompanied by a death rattle, clack, clack, clack. His claws and those of his four followers echoed all around the room, Moose and Wolf remained no one daring to move a muscle.
The great hall’s doors finally swung shut and a collective sigh left everyone.
Star Wolf turned to see River and Sky both shaken, unable to offer quick remarks or reassurance. The festering shame of fear seeped through Star Wolf and surfaced as embarrassment, which forced him back into action.
‘Gold Fern, please provide your findings and we will be on our way.’
‘Good,’ a lone voice from the crowds of Moose.
Wolf heads snapped in every direction, no one sure where the voice emanated from.
‘Quiet, please.’ Gold Fern’s nervous demeanour seemed at odds with rule, ‘As we have already told the Tiger, we saw very little I’m afraid. One moment Agitare Lyncas was there, and the next it l
ay in ruins, crumbling, all the Lynx gone.’
‘And you saw a Space Kraken?’
‘We saw nothing, as I said, the attack was at night and by the time we were aware they’d gone there was nothing we could do.’
The last part rankled Star Wolf, the oddity that plagued him since he had arrived on Alces.
‘Where are your forces?’ Star Wolf noted the lack of fighting Moose’s all over the great hall, landing bay and huts he had passed. Even now, in the hall, he looked up and around upon meek politics or old Moose’s who fighting years were well behind them. Gold Fern’s personal guard of nine Moose’s stiffened where they stood, glaring at Star Wolf; Star knew they understood the insinuation all too well.
A flash of terror danced across Gold Fern’s haggard brownish-grey features before composure took over. ‘We have forces deployed across the galaxy at present, on various diplomatic missions. Standard stuff really, why only yesterday five ships, two hundred on board each, set off to ferry food supplies back here. They shall return soon.’
The last few words came with aggression; a not so subtle reminder the Moose’s had a great number of fighters. And yet they’re not here.
‘That’s an awful lot of warriors to run an errand,’ Star Wolf spun around to see Sky finish her sentence.
‘These are troublesome times, a precaution.’ replied Gold Fern, words spoken with an aloof tone betrayed by eyes housing a deep fear, Star Wolf could see all too plain.
‘Are you OK?’ whispered Star Wolf.
Gold Fern shuffled in his stone seat, a ginormous creature whose stature was metaphorically sinking into the cold rock by the second, ‘Why of course,’ he stuttered, ‘why wouldn’t we be?’
AFTER THE LONG, AND thoroughly unsuccessful, day Star Wolf demanded solitude, much to the protests of Sky, and less so River. His personal guard contented themselves by taking shifts outside the room Gold Fern’s servants had prepared for their guest of honour.
The words of the Winter Tiger still rang in Star’s ear, ‘If you prevail,’ he muttered, staring out the bay window in the centre of bluish-grey stone wall. The soft furnishings in the room were pleasant enough, if you could stand the stench of wet Moose fur and smoke. It was a cold night, but Star had ordered the fire be left to burn out, he liked the cold; it made him feel alive. No matter how long the fires went unlit the tang of smoke would dwell a long time in his provincial castle. The Moose, like most animals across the galaxy, lived simple lives unburdened by the nonsense the entire galaxy mocked down on Earth. So much technology wasted on vanity, a trait that left humans ignorant to their impending doom. If only they’d focused more on exploring the galaxy.
Thinking of Earth didn’t improve Star Wolf’s mood.
The destroyed planet represented a great tragedy to him, even more maddening given so many in The Council of Worlds believed it to be an act of mercy. That remained to be seen. Handing an Atomic World Bomb to the Tigers was beyond insane, and yet it
had happened and they had carried out the Council’s order.
‘That’s it!’ said Star Wolf, and yet no sooner than the thought arrived did it dwindle into failure. Atomic World Bombs could’ve destroyed the other five planets, but the problem with an AWB was that it left no trace evidence. The atmosphere absorbed all the particles, returning a planet to dust, and then nothingness, just another great void in the never-ending black. There would be no proof, and besides all AWB’s, as rare as they were, had been decommissioned and stored away at the end of the Apex Wars.
A gentle wind buffeted the shutters outside the windows. The breeze, sweeping from left to right, rattled the three sets of shutters. Looking out upon the eerie calm of the House of Moose woods, a sacred place only Moose’s were permitted, soothed Star Wolf’s troubled mind. A privilege to be sat in a room observing the wood and small lake, races rarely made such exceptions where their holy grounds were concerned.
An imposing four-poster bed awaited Star, and yet sleep would evade him, as it had of late. Plus, the irritating clunk of wood on glass wouldn’t cease outside the window. So he opted to stare out into the woods once more, shuffling deeper into the burgundy cushions thrown about the bay window nook. After a time, gazing upon the still serenity of the treeline, he found his eyelids closing of their own volition. The gentle patter of the wind was now a soothing lullaby.
‘Hang on!’ said Star Wolf, head snapping alert. ‘There’s no w—’
The window to the left shattered inward, a huge hoof booted through the stained glass, followed by a Moose diving into the room, blade in hand swishing the weapon in an arc toward Star Wolf. Rolling backward, in clumsy fashion, saved him from being cut in two. The commotion immediately started banging and cries from the corridor, Star’s Wolf guard were trying to break down the door.
The Moose, who wore a sage coloured cloak and nothing else, blocked the escape through the door. There was something frantic about his movements, a rushed attack. Assassinations were rare, unspoken things in the galaxy, but any story Star Wolf heard of an assassin told of stealth and cunning, not some half-naked oaf. The victim usually died before they even knew they were in danger. The loutish creature, wafting the sword in slow, ungraceful movements didn’t scream of assassin. If anything he appeared drunk, a whiff of beer confirmed Star Wolf’s suspicion.
‘What in Lunalupus are you doing?’ demanded Star Wolf, as he dodged further cumbersome swings.
The Moose stumbled down onto all fours, a primal move, and charged full tilt. Wood splitting boomed out from the bed and door in unison. The Moose crashed into the bed and two Wolves burst through the shattered door.
‘Star!’ said Ash, the broader and darker of the two Wolves.
‘Look out,’ added Stone, his pale-silver muzzle let loose a growl, as the Moose staggered back to its hind legs. The overpowering tang of urine tainted the air, cutting through the smoky notes.
‘Oh, merciful Lunalupus.’ Ash shielded his nose with a grey tunic sleeve. ‘Have you wet yourself? What is wrong with you? Who are you?’
Ash and Stone had their standard-issue Wolf lasers, light and practical weapons, pointed at the unknown Moose’s chest. The Moose’s huge, hazelnut eyes darted between the three Wolves. The creature seemed unsure of its next move, its sword long discarded and now at the feet of Star Wolf.
‘Speak!’ said Stone.
‘I...I...I have to. You don’t understand, Star Wolf must d—’ Whatever thoughts ran through the Moose’s mind soon painted the stone wall as two neon-green laser shots pierced through it’s brain as it charged forward for the final time.
‘Why did you do that?’ demanded Star Wolf.
‘He was going to kill you!’ rebuked Ash, a little too firmly before correcting himself, ‘Sir.’
‘Yes, but we could’ve questioned him. We don’t know who sent him do we?’
‘Well isn’t it obvious,’ said Stone, moving over to kick the headless Moose, as if the creature might magically rise up once more, ‘the Moose don’t want us here. They kill you and then take the rest of us out.’
‘Don’t be absurd,’ replied Ash, vocalising what Star was thinking. ‘There’s no way the Moose would make such a move on us, or so clumsily. They are many things, but they are not clumsy.’ The older Wolf spoke sense, which was why he was paired with a younger more inexperience guard member like Stone, as was the Wolf way; train the pups, keep the pack strong.
‘The Moose would’ve poisoned us, or something far more discrete, but anyway this was an unprovoked, random attack by an individual.’ continued Ash.
‘What makes you so sure?’ asked Stone, which was met with a heavy sigh from Ash.
‘Because, and you heard it yourself, if you were paying attention the majority of their fighting Moose’s are off-planet. You don’t attack a Wolf convoy of fifty-plus if all your fighting animals are elsewhere.’
‘Good point,’ said Stone as he glared at the emerging pool of blood.
‘And you think it’s a random, un
provoked attack because he was drunk?’ asked Star Wolf.
‘Of course, who else would want you dead?’ responded Ash, a seasoned fighter who only saw things in black and white.
‘The Tigers perhaps.’ said Star Wolf.
Stone exhaled, eyes bulging wide.
Ash, however, went silent appearing to mull over the words.
‘Aye, could be Tigers,’ he finally said as a herd of Moose’s burst into the room.
5. Equus
For once River erred on the side of caution and reason. Star suspected it had something to do with Ash, a revered warrior, threatening to rip one of his legs off if he didn’t fall in line and shut up.
When Star’s best friend heard the tale of the rogue Moose assassin, whom Gold Fern claimed was nothing to do with him or anyone from the House of Moose, he demanded immediate retribution.
Star Wolf didn’t believe the Moose leader, but as with everything else he was investigating of late; he had no evidence. Still staying longer to investigate another crime ran counterproductive to their core mission.
Perhaps that’s the point.
No straight answers would be given on Alces.
‘Time to move on to the next planet,’ said Star Wolf. ‘Prepare the ship. I want to be on our way to Equus in one hour.’
‘Leave it with me,’ said Ash, the most senior fighter within the Wolf envoy had taken on a fierce protector role like none other. Of their fifty strong ranks Star Wolf sensed confusion and fear in some of them but not Ash.
‘Equus will stink worse than this putrid hell hole,’ complained River.
‘You’ll fit right in then,’ said Sky.
ANOTHER JUMP ACROSS the infinite void of space left Star Wolf groggy, not that he had time to dwell on his achy limbs. The longer he took exploring the remaining planets, nearby to those destroyed, the more time he gave the culprit time to escape, or worse plan their next victims. To make matters worse, River was right. Vast open fields of yellowish-brown trampled grass, smothered with Horse faeces were commonplace, more so than the occasional wooden structure.
Star Wolf: A Space Opera Fantasy (Songs of Star & Winter Book 1) Page 4