Wolves and War

by Candy Rae

“Is it over?” asked Tara in a small voice.

  “I think it is,” said Kolyei. “The Larg flee.”

  “I’ll go and help with the wounded,” announced Emily. “Will you be okay?”

  “Should I come and help too?”

  “Stay here,” she answered, giving her a quick hug. “Kolyei may still need to pass messages.”

  “Tara will rest beside me,” Kolyei informed them with a weary sigh and watched as Emily and Ilyei left, Emily’s med-bags gathered over the girl’s shoulders.

  The sights that would meet Emily’s eyes were to haunt her dreams for many a day. There was no way the older girl would willingly expose young Tara to the horror that was the aftermath of battle, but it was this day that Emily decided that medicine, in some shape or other, was to be her future.

  Lindar Jalkei entered the settlement through the gap where the gate had been and advanced into the now deserted courtyard, noses twitching anxiously and hackles raised. The smell of burning flesh filled the air and irritated their noses. One look at the burnt out cabins close to the walls confirmed their suspicions as to the fate of at least some of the captured settlers. They grimaced with distaste and growled to themselves. Any southerners they captured would receive short shrift, Susyc Jim’s orders notwithstanding.

  The settlers were only now beginning to realise that the danger was over. Admittedly, there were still some enemy soldiers left behind (by accident or design, they were not yet sure) and some were still holding out in some isolated cabins but the very real threat of annihilation was gone.

  Kath and Matvei met the relieving Lindar at the edge of the courtyard. Matvei conversed mind-to-mind with the Susa and then stood impassively as Lind began to pass by him and Kath on their way inside.

  Kath could hear shouts behind her ordering the settlers to stay where they were, that their allies were here and preparing to clear the streets of any remaining enemy soldiers. Three blasts of the whistles would tell them when it was safe to emerge from their hiding places.

  The Lind of Lindar Jalkei were very efficient. As dusk approached most areas were clear. They also wished to know what they were to do with the many prisoners who had been captured trying to escape to the beachhead. In the end it was decided to put them in the corral outside the walls with the others. Presently, small groups of dejected men were to be seen being encouraged to walk faster in that direction. The Lind were not gentle. The men looked exceedingly nervous and fell over themselves in their anxiety to do as they were told.

  Then the colonists began to emerge, tentatively at first, to search for their loved ones.

  From one smouldering building, a young yellow-striped female Lind appeared, two very young children perched on her back and two slightly older ones stumbling by her side.

  After a burst of communication between her and Matvei, he hung his head, his demeanour one of sorrow. Kath, attuned to his thoughts, realised, with dawning horror, what had occurred. The four shaking youngsters had watched their mother being killed by a bunch of vengeful southerners. She leapt down from Matvei’s back and went to comfort them.

  The four were not the only orphans tended to that night. Not a few children had started that morning with both mother and father. Many had lost one and others both. Over four hundred colonists, mostly male, had died defending their loved ones, although the full death toll would not be properly worked out until the following day when a full roll call could be taken. That first night, the survivors wanted only to sleep, to tend the wounded and to thank their lucky stars for their own escape.

  Kath and Matvei managed to snatch a few hours rest after they had seen to the needs of the four orphans Kath had taken into her care.

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