“Are you prepared to face an enemy in combat, son? Are you ready to put your life and the life of your ictharr at risk for the Clan of the Great Lupine?”
“Yes, Alpha.”
McVarn offered his paw and Ragnar took it, met with a smile.
“I think you’re welcome into our training course, son. Meet us at the east gate tomorrow morning.”
“That quickly, Alpha?”
“Usually there’d be a transition period of a week. Considering what’s happening, a day is pushing our luck. It’s your responsibility to be there if you’re serious about joining the Krosguard – no one will be waiting or looking for you. If you don’t turn up, you don’t turn up. Understood?”
“Understood.”
McVarn gestured in the opposite direction for Ragnar, patting him on the back as he went, and turned to face Corsair. His brother stopped a metre away, turning to watch his brother’s inspection.
“Next!” one of the soldiers yelled.
Quickpaw gave another whimper. Corsair stepped forward with him in tow. They stopped before McVarn and his entourage, feeling all eyes on them.
“Pleasure to meet you, son. I’m Jonah McVarn, alpha of the Krosguard. I’ve worked with your father for a long time.”
Corsair, for a few seconds, failed to notice the paw held out towards him. He nodded and muttered, unsure of how to respond, before he spotted the lonely paw held out before him.
“Oh! Sorry.”
He shook it and let go. The alpha, to his relief, overlooked the awkward interaction and immediately turned to face Quickpaw.
“Another tournament rider out to join the Krosguard?”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“Your presence this morning is appreciated. How old are you?”
“Twenty.”
“Okay. Have you ever fought in a war before?”
“No, Alpha.”
“Have you ever served in the army?”
“Uh, no, Alpha.”
“You’ve held a weapon, I’m guessing?”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“What kind of weapons?”
“Lances… uh, swords, too, Alpha.”
McVarn hummed to himself. He moved to Quickpaw’s flank and stood there, examining him. Corsair met his steed’s worried eyes, placing a paw on his side.
“It’s okay. He’s just looking at you, that’s all.”
Quickpaw was distracted by his master’s reassurances so much so that McVarn resting his paw on Quickpaw’s snout was completely unexpected. The moment Quickpaw felt the weight on his snout he shook it off and rounded on McVarn, baring his fangs and giving a defensive growl. McVarn stepped back, drawing his paw away from him. The two guards stepped forwards, paws on the grips of their swords.
“Whoa, easy, easy!” Corsair said, stepping in front of him. “Relax, okay? There’s nothing to be scared of.”
Quickpaw gave a protesting moan, nuzzling him.
“Stay still for a few minutes. I need you to do that.”
Wary of the wolves inspecting him, Quickpaw gave a growl of agreement. Corsair turned his head to meet the leader’s eyes.
“He’s a bit nervous, sorry. He’s not usually like this, Alpha, I swear.”
He could tell that the alpha was unimpressed. McVarn came forward again and muttered to himself as he rounded the beast, the two soldiers chuckling with eyes focused on Quickpaw.
“What a runt,” one said.
Corsair winced, hurt by the harsh tone they put behind their words, and was thankful that Quickpaw was too distracted to hear. McVarn came back around to the front and stopped, his warm expression replaced with a stern look.
“What’s his name?”
“Quickpaw, Alpha.”
“Age?”
“He’s 11, Alpha. Male.”
McVarn sighed.
“Son, from what I’ve seen, this ictharr is not prepared to be in the Krosguard. He doesn’t possess the same ferocity the others do and he doesn’t display any form of faith or discipline.”
Corsair was speechless, mouth agape.
“You… you can tell all of that from one small thing?”
“I’ve done this for 30 years, son. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t question my judgement. War isn’t a suitable path for this ictharr. Thank you for your presence but we can’t accept you. Army is always open.”
McVarn patted him on the shoulder and turned before Corsair could answer, one of the soldiers stepping forwards to guide him away.
“Next!”
A moment passed where Corsair was content with the outcome. No Krosguard service. No war. No danger to him or Quickpaw. But then it subsided. He remembered his father and the scowl he aimed at Quickpaw constantly. He remembered how they had clashed four nights ago, his father determined for him to replace Quickpaw.
Those memories filled him with fear.
“Aren’t you even going to look at my stance? How I hold my sword?”
“Hey, he said beat it, cub,” the soldier said.
“What’s the hold up?” a wolf from the line yelled.
“The alpha is done with you. Beat it.”
“If you’re going to send me away, look at my stance, too!” Corsair yelled.
“He said‒”
“Let him have his way.”
The two soldiers turned, confused. McVarn stood there, an exasperated look on his face.
“I’ll humour him. We’ve got the whole day to inspect the arrivals. We’re in no rush.”
“What about me?” the next wolf asked.
“You can wait,” the soldier said, changing his tune.
McVarn approached him. Corsair held his ground, placing a paw on his sword’s grip, ready to demonstrate his fighting capability.
“Let me see your blade, son.”
He drew his sword from its home and passed it to McVarn, who examined the broad side of the steel blade. He turned it back around to display to the owner, revealing the numerous symbols and insignias engraved there.
“You have a lot of commendations.”
“Victories, Alpha.”
Humming to himself in thought, he passed the blade back to Corsair.
“Face-on stance. Go.”
Corsair immediately took up the stance as the alpha walked around him, bringing his blade level with his snout and staring ahead. His hind paws were shoulder-width apart, perfect to the millimetre, and the end of his sword did not waver. Holding it straight, he waited for the alpha’s remarks.
And waited.
And waited.
What is he doing?
He could see the two guards walking away, approaching the base of the stairs. The inspection area was left empty, with even the group of distracted soldiers relocating. Lowering his sword, he turned.
“Are you going to‒”
There was a flash of steel and, on trained instinct, Corsair brought up his sword to block it. McVarn’s sword struck his with a crystal clang, driven with enough force behind the blow to send Corsair staggering backwards. Flustered, he could see the alpha moving towards him, sword held across his body. Quickpaw snarled, taking a step forward towards the alpha, but the nearby guards held their weapons up to deter him.
“Hey, what the hell are you doing?” Corsair yelled.
“Come on, son! The enemy isn’t going to let you know they’re attacking – you’ve got to be ready for it! I thought you were a champion fighter!”
Yelling out, McVarn charged and stabbed for Corsair’s chest. Corsair weaved out of the way, fear keeping his own blade at bay, and he could only backpedal away from the alpha. Everyone in the marketplace watched, invigorated by the commotion.
“You’re going to kill me!”
“You’re free to drop your sword at any time and go home, son! All you have to do to win is get my sword off me, easy! Simple tournament rules!”
Corsair’s eyes swivelled in his sockets, moving from every corner and inch of his body to the next, looking for an indication
that he was making a move. McVarn jerked forwards to fake an attack and Corsair’s overattentiveness to detail made him believe it, dodging to the left as the alpha swung the other way. Reacting quickly, he tucked into a ball and rolled, moving underneath the swing and arriving behind McVarn. He brought the sword back and swung it at the black wolf’s hind paws with the sword’s broadside, hoping to knock him down, but McVarn was quick to react. He jumped up and turned, landing once the sword had swept past him, and sliced downwards from above. Corsair blocked the blow, keeping McVarn’s blade away from him, and stabbed forwards at the hilt of his sword. McVarn darted back, moving out the range of his swing.
“I was expecting a lot more, son! A lot more!”
Corsair knew that wasn’t the truth from the sound of the alpha’s heavy breathing. He could see McVarn had bitten off more than he could chew, having underestimated his capabilities, but he still hid it well behind his confident attitude. The cheers of his soldiers drove him on.
“He’s easy, Alpha, get him!”
“He can’t be that good, Alpha!”
“Come on! He’s just a rookie, Alpha!”
“Don’t beat the poor prince too hard, Alpha! Don’t want him running home to tell Daddy!”
The crowd laughed. McVarn swiped at Corsair, trying to hit him in the side, but Corsair saw it coming and parried with a crystal-clear clang. He pushed the sword from left to right, shoving him away.
Corsair had him where he wanted him.
Coming forwards shoulder-first, he crashed against the alpha. The driving force behind the shoulder barge caused McVarn to stagger, on the verge of falling backwards. Corsair took the opportunity available to him. With remarkable accuracy, the wolf swung down and struck the hilt of the blade, knocking it from the alpha’s paw. Before McVarn could even register that he dropped his sword, Corsair stepped forwards and pressed the side of his blade up against his throat, eyes staring into the alpha’s.
Silence.
Corsair stood there, nostrils flaring as he drew breath in and puffed it back out. He was as shocked as McVarn was, blinking as if to deny the reality of his victory.
“You… you can put your sword down now, son.”
Corsair lingered for a moment before he pulled the blade away, sliding his sword back into its scabbard. Unease raced through the ranks of the spectators and circulated the makeshift arena.
McVarn stared at him, bewildered.
“I… I would like a moment inside, son.”
“I want you to know that I had every intention of sending you away from the Krosguard minutes ago.”
The Great Hall of Wolves was vacant, the podium left without a speaker and the benches unoccupied. McVarn stood on the stage, Corsair beside him.
“We’re only as good as we are because it’s not an ‘everyone-is-welcome’ club. A big factor in whether or not you qualify is the ictharr that turns up on recruitment day. I also didn’t want to deploy a hesitant soldier to a war zone under the leadership of a unit that faces the worst of the worst. I was ready to turn you down.”
Corsair nodded.
“But when you kept asking to show your stance, I thought: ‘I’ll give him what he wants and show him up in front of everyone. That way he’ll stop begging for another go.’ As scary as it might seem suddenly to be attacked by a wolf with a sword, I had no intention of hurting you. I had full control over my weapon.”
“I understand, Alpha.”
“The first sign was when I saw the symbols on the side of your sword. There were a lot there, son. I started to put some evidence to the seemingly impeccable record of yours. Still, I have to admit, I was expecting to send you away with your tail between your legs.”
McVarn chuckled.
“Then you just went and showed me up in front of the capital. That’s damn good sword-wielding, son.”
“Thank you, Alpha.”
“After a display of skill like that, I’m thinking of allowing you into the Krosguard training course. If you’re interested and would like a chance to join our ranks, be at the east gate tomorrow morning. We won’t wait for you.”
Corsair blinked.
“You’re accepting me?”
“I’m chalking up what I saw from your ictharr as just nerves from being in front of so many people. You’re his rider, after all – you know his limits better than anyone. If you think you and your companion are up to the challenge of selection then I’d be happy to welcome you into the ranks. But one thing, son.”
McVarn stepped closer.
“This isn’t a game. This isn’t a tournament fight where losing means you miss the chance to get another engraving on your sword. Losing in war means your brother will have to bury you. The Land of the Sun and Moon’s army won’t hesitate to kill you. So I’m warning you - the Krosguard is the most ferocious fighting force in the history of this clan and Vos Draemar. If you know you or your ictharr can’t handle our intense training or the war we face, don’t turn up tomorrow.”
Corsair didn’t answer.
“Tomorrow morning, east gate. Maybe you’ll appear, maybe you won’t. That’s for you to decide. Go home, get some rest, think about this decision. I have more inspections to see to.”
Alpha McVarn shook his paw.
“Have a good day, son.”
With that, he walked down the aisle and out through the doors, Corsair’s eyes following him as he left.
Chapter Seven
Heart thundering in his chest, Corsair stood by the gates of the east wall with his family.
Delivering the news of his acceptance into the Krosguard was an affair of both happiness and woeful tears. His brother congratulated him with endless hugs and pats on the back in celebration of his achievement while his mother wept for the brothers’ upcoming departure. Both young wolves spent the evening coaxing her and trying to help her relax, to relieve her of the worries that plagued her mind.
His father, stone-faced, didn’t utter a word.
The night before, he had lain in bed, staring up at the ceiling with the moonlight streaking across his nightmarish mess of a room. McVarn’s words repeated in his head, bouncing off the walls of his mind, confronting him again and again.
If you know you or your ictharr can’t handle our intense training or the war we face, don’t turn up.
For a fraction of a second, Corsair decided that he was not arriving at the east gate. He would curl up into a ball in his bed and wait until the time passed, no matter the repercussions.
A moment later, his defiance receded and he couldn’t believe he had considered being so rebellious. His father would torment him with that perpetual annoyed expression, patronise him with his scolding, and would never let him hear the end of his grand betrayal of his family and his clan.
His paw had, on reflex, moved to the left side of his neck.
I need to go. Quickpaw and I will be fine. Ragnee is with me and we’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.
And that’s how he found himself by the east gate that morning.
The Sedrids stood patiently as they awaited a Krosguard official to direct them to their new home during their training. Before the open gates was a herd of ictharrs, their owners walking between the beasts and conversing with others they knew. Corsair could sense how apprehensive Quickpaw was, standing behind him, and rested a paw on the scruff of his neck.
“Easy, Quickpaw, easy.”
He nuzzled him in response, thankful for the reassurance. He glanced over to Ragnar to see Harangoth standing beside him, not requiring any comfort from his master. His mother stood between them, with Peter standing on one side and a second servant on the other. A squad of guards formed a perimeter around them, facing outwards and focusing their gazes on the passing citizens of Grand Wolf Plains.
She was holding her sons’ paws. She squeezed them regularly, trying to reassure herself they were still there, muttering under her breath.
“Mum, hey,” Ragnar said, “relax.”
“Relax?” she s
aid. “When I see you two raise your own cubs, then you’ll understand exactly how I feel right now.”
“We’ll be fine,” Corsair said. “We don’t want you to worry.”
“You two don’t understand that I am your mother – worrying is a big part of my job as a parent. No matter what, I will always think of you as my cubs.”
The two wolves rolled their eyes and groaned, Quickpaw contributing with a tired growl of his own. Corsair even noticed a falter in Harangoth’s steely gaze, giving a low moan as if he was sighing.
Finally, after moments of silence, Alpha McVarn made an appearance at the front of the herd.
“Shut up!”
Everyone fell silent, turning to face him.
“We will be riding east to Ignatius’ Mount where you will do your training. If you’re part of the Krosguard training course, then I’m giving you a minute to mount your ictharrs and ready yourselves to travel. It’ll be a long journey so pair up with someone you can talk to – there’s not a lot to do on the way. Move it!”
The riders hurried to their ictharrs and mounted, sliding weapons into sheathes and compartments attached to the saddles. Corsair saw his brother’s paw slip from his mother’s.
“You two need to go now,” she said. “I’ll have you in my thoughts all the time, OK?”
“Mum, come on.”
Corsair could see the tears in her eyes, her face beginning to crumple, and the two brothers immediately leaned in and hugged her. She held them, sniffling and wiping away tears over their shoulders. She eased them away and shook her head.
“I-I’m fine. Just… promise me you’ll stay safe, okay? You’ll come home safe?”
“We will,” Ragnar said. “Promise us we’ll get some more of your great cooking when we get back, though.”
“I’ll make the best dinner you two have had in your life. Now go, hurry!”
Peter and the servant waved as the two wolves turned to their steeds, snatching the reins up and joining the back row of the group. Corsair pulled himself up into the saddle and settled in his seat, making sure he was comfortable for the long journey ahead of them. Ragnar was on his left side, mounted on Harangoth. Riders were positioned on their left and right, eyeing the two princes on their beasts, muttering to each other.
The Sharpened Fangs Of Lupine Spirit Page 8