by Mark Cole
“You claim to know honor?” Terra said with balled fists. Her voice quaked with rage. “You dare say that I know it not? Where were you and the Claw when the demons swarmed around the Arcane City? Where were you and the Claw when they flooded over its walls? Where were you and the Claw when defenseless children died at the gnashing teeth of undead monstrosities? I know honor, Chieftain. I wish I could say the same of you.”
She turned from The Bear and walked toward them. Rageclaw breathed heavily, fighting hard to not fly into a rage. “Let’s go,” Terra said. “The Chieftain has made his decision. I hope we don’t all die because of his folly.”
“Are you sure?” Brahm and Alex asked at the same time. She nodded. The three of them turned to leave, but Caitlyn stood her ground. There has to be something we can do, she thought.
Alex looked over his shoulder to her. “Caitlyn?” he called.
She made her decision. “I challenge for leadership of the Changelings of the Claw,” Caitlyn said, her voice strong despite the quaking in her heart.
The armor plated bear regarded her with his one good eye. “That is not a challenge lightly made, Fangsister,” he said. “You are not one of the Claw. You are less than a fifth my size. Your bravery is commendable, but it is a battle to the death. I would crush you with little effort. It wouldn’t be fair.”
She heard the crunch of snow behind her. She recognized the sound of Alex’s footsteps, his scent filled her nose. He knelt beside her and placed a gentle hand on her black furred shoulders. “Caitlyn,” he whispered. “You don’t have to do this. We will make do without them if we must.”
“I appreciate your concern, Alex. But you are wrong. We do need them. You said that yourself, back in Starfall and again with the sprites. Everyone is needed.” She looked him in the eyes. She thought the green of his eyes was the most beautiful color she had seen. I think I love him, she thought, then shook her head. Her heart thudded in her chest. “Just like you are Terra’s Shield, I am both of yours. I will do my best to carry out your will. It is my duty. I owe you that and more.”
He took a deep breath and let it out. “I understand,” he said. He studied Chieftain Rageclaw for a moment. “He will expect you to come from his left side because of his eye.” He squinted his eyes. The great bear watched them still. “He only has straps across his belly holding the plates on, if you get beneath him… It’ll be dangerous getting underneath his bulk, but his armor looks good and covers most of his body.”
Caitlyn nodded. Those were her thoughts exactly. “Alex,” she said drawing his gaze back to her. “If I do this, I’m going to do it as me. Not the monster the sprites have cursed me with.” He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. “You don’t know what it’s like. I feel like I can do anything when I’m like that. Like nothing can stop me.”
“I know what it’s like,” he said. “But that other form is part of you now no matter how you got it. If you think you may not make it, don’t hold back.” He looked at the Clawlord again. “He won’t.” Alex leaned in closer and dropped his voice so low only her cat ears could hear. His warm breath tickled the sensitive skin of her ear. “Stay fast. Don’t let him pin you down. Hit him where he doesn’t expect it. And remember, your collarbone isn’t better from when you healed me yet.” She nodded again.
He stood and walked back to his wife. The same curious emotion from earlier coursed through Caitlyn. Jealousy? I am happy for them, she told herself firmly. He is married to Terra. Let it go. She faced the Chieftain of the Changelings of the Claw.
“I challenge you for the leadership of the Claw. You said it was in a battle of honor with tooth and claw. I have all three.”
“I do not doubt your honor, but there is no backing down from this. Once we begin, it will not end until one of us is dead.”
“Are you trying to back down from my challenge?” she taunted.
“I do not, little Fangsister. I merely try to save you from yourself.”
“I do not need saving, Clawlord.”
Fat flakes of snow floated to the ground. The assembled crowds stood in expectant silence. Fog curled from the heated breaths of the two combatants. A hush fell over the open-air throne room.
“What is your name?” Chieftain Rageclaw asked.
“I am Caitlyn Shadowpaw, sister of Silvia Shadowpaw.”
The Clawlord regarded her. “You are the sister of the Fanglady?”
“I am. What of it?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to know who was foolishly throwing her life away.”
She snorted. “Don’t count your catch before it’s in your teeth, Chieftain.”
“Very well,” he said. “Let’s begin.” With surprising speed, he charged toward her. The ground trembled under the weight of his charge. As he drew near, Caitlyn made as if she was going to dart around his blind side. He lifted his right forepaw to swipe at her. She nimbly rolled beneath the raised arm and clawed at the straps holding his armor in place. He slammed his paw back down trying to pin her. It was a narrow miss.
She was only able to scrape the aged leather strapping. I have to be faster than that. The Clawlord charged her again. She feinted left before darting right again. He lifted his right paw and swiped at her a second time, but the blow came at the wrong angle, and she dodged. She didn’t try getting under him to claw at the strap again.
A third charge was met with a third feint. This time he anticipated her dodge to his right side and lifted his left paw to swipe at her. She figured he was going to expect her to try darting to his good side again and charged left instead. She got under the swing before he knew what was happening. She managed to rake his belly and sever one of the straps, but two more still held the massive back plate in place.
“Clever and quick,” he said with a tone of respect. “Just what I’ve come to expect from the Fang.”
Maybe I can make him lose his concentration. “Brutish and slow. Just what I’ve always heard of the Claw.”
The Chieftain bellowed in rage and rushed her. A hail of blows had her dodging back and forth. Caitlyn tried to find an opening but was unable to get through the onslaught. He swiped high with his right. She rolled under. Low with his left. A short hop carried her over. A snap of his jaws was met with a swipe of her claws from the air. Three angry red tracks appeared on his sensitive nose.
Before she landed, Rageclaw charged forward again, knocking her from the air. She scrambled to her feet, but he was there. She dashed left trying to move around him. His claws tore a shallow gash in her right hindquarter. Caitlyn felt warm blood begin to flow down her skin, matting her fur. She dismissed the injury as unimportant and raked at the exposed flesh between the plates on his right side.
Claws met fur and skin as she ripped open a shallow wound along his ribs. He tried to roll over onto his back and crush her, but she nimbly jumped back. She darted back in and climbed onto his stomach. Caitlyn severed the back strap with her hind legs and jumped away before he could score a hit. Rageclaw rolled back onto his legs and faced her. Blood dripped from his stomach, and two of the three straps swung free.
“Going for my armor?” he sneered. “Let me help you.” He stood on his back legs and sliced off the remaining strap himself. The heavy plate fell from his back and crashed to the ground. He ripped off the straps from all his armor. Each piece clanged to the ground. The only one he didn’t remove was the helmet. “I lost my eye when I took leadership. I won’t risk another just because some kitten thinks she can fight like one of the big boys.”
Stay calm. Don’t let him get to you. “Why would I want to fight like one of the big boys?” she chided. “It looks like this kitten is winning.” She heard Terra laugh behind her. Caitlyn smiled at the sound echoing through the silent courtyard throne room. She whisked her tail back and forth as if she were playing with her sister when they were children.
He charged again and began to lift his right paw when he drew close. Caitlyn prepared to dodge under the blow, but faster than she w
as expecting, Rageclaw shifted his weight and swung with his left. The blow caught her on the right side. Bear claws tore vicious furrows across her ribs. She rolled through the snow under the weight of the blow. He snorted at her as she tried to get up. Blood gushed from her side, staining the virginal snow red.
“This is over, little Fangsister. I will show mercy and let you flee with your life.”
Caitlyn hissed at his insult and charged him head on. Not expecting the sudden ferocity, he was surprised. She used the split second to slide under him and rake at his stomach. When he tried to crush her under his bulk, she darted aside and leapt on top of him ripping flesh from his neck and back. He rolled, and she jumped off. Blood pumped from both panther and bear.
The chieftain charged her, driving her back under a flurry of swings. She gave ground freely, stepping back and dodging as she could. She was about to plant her legs for a leap when her weakened right hind leg set down on something cold and hard that slid from beneath her. His armor. She saw the blow coming but could do nothing to dodge.
Claws ripped searing pain into her as yet uninjured left side. She slid through the snow under the unstoppable force of his blow. The massive bear slowly hulked toward her. She tried to stand, but her legs wouldn’t do what she told them to.
“We have to stop this,” Terra said from just a few feet away.
Alex shook his head. “We can’t. This is her fight. She knew the stakes. If we interfere, she would never forgive us.”
“But…” she started.
Brahm cut her off. “The lad’s right. This’s a matter o’ honor, Nexus. Caitlyn’s a warrior’s heart. She’ll no’ give up.”
Terra nodded. “You two are right,” she said softly. “She won’t lose. She doesn’t know how.”
Damn right I won’t, Caitlyn thought, emboldened by her friends’ trust. She tried to stand again. With effort, she did.
“This is your last chance, Kitten. I don’t want to kill the sister of the Fanglady. But don’t confuse unwillingness with inability.”
Blood matted her sides, and Caitlyn wobbled on unsteady paws. Her breath came in labored gasps. Torn muscles screamed in pain.
She never even considered the offer. “I’m not done yet,” Caitlyn said with grim determination.
The changeling focused her mind on the primal form that had been forced upon her by the sprites. Her body throbbed as blood flowed into muscles. She felt sinew snap and reform. Bones creak and crack as they enlarged. She screamed as foot long spines grew from her back. The giant bear took a step back in surprise and fear. Her jaw snapped loudly as it broke and grew longer. She felt teeth lengthen in her mouth.
The transformation ended and steam rose from her body. Her breathing was still labored, and blood still poured from her sides, but she now stood as tall as The Bear and looked him square in the eye. She stepped toward Chieftain Rageclaw. He stepped back in spite of himself.
“What are you?” he whispered.
“I am Caitlyn Shadowpaw, Sister of the Fanglady, Warden of the Forest, protector and friend of the Guardian and the Nexus. And I enforce their will.” She strode toward him. Every step forward she took, he took one back. “They have called the Changelings of the Claw and the northmen to arms. And they will march to war. With or without you.” With a roar the likes of which had not been heard on the Realm of Magic since eons forgotten, she charged the Clawlord.
Black fur slammed into brown, and both combatants thrashed and tumbled upon the hard packed snow. Teeth gnashed and claws flashed red. Rivulets of scarlet traced paths in the trampled snow and ice. Roars of pain and rage filled the air. As suddenly as the renewed fighting started, it stopped. Panting, Caitlyn stood over a heavily bleeding chieftain, her serrated maw around his throat.
“Finish it,” Rageclaw said. Her jaws tightened, and she tasted the salty, warm slickness of his blood as her teeth pierced his skin. Caitlyn released the bite. He glared at her. “Finish it!” he roared.
“No.” Caitlyn looked him in the eye. Snow fell lazily around them. She lifted her head and looked at everyone watching in rapt silence. She met Alex’s eyes. He nodded. “Everyone is needed. My only order as Clawlord is this: the north now marches to war. We will push back Azreal’s forces and kill the Overlord of Hell. I return the title of Clawlord to you, Chieftain Rageclaw. I no longer have need of it.” She walked toward Alex, changing into her birth form as she did. She heard the crunch of snow behind her as Chieftain Rageclaw surged to his feet. She spun to face him, but her legs failed as her strength ebbed. Caitlyn collapsed and could do nothing to stop the death looming before her.
Just before the enraged bear descended on her, the Guardian appeared between them. The Wrathblade burned white hot. Its searing heat melted the snow in a large circle around the three of them. Steam rose from the ground. Alex leveled the sword at the huge bear. Flames licked into the air.
“Don’t make me kill you after Caitlyn spared your life, Chieftain,” he said. The silence of the onlookers and the rage in his voice made his soft words carry. The Guardian stood in judgment, his voice full of righteous wrath. “She faced you in honorable combat although you wore armor and were many times her size. You saw that she could have removed the advantages you had over her at any time, but she chose to face you in the form of her birth.
“Only when she knew there was no other way, she unleashed the form of her primal ancestors. The form that all others have forgotten since Luna gave the protection of this world to the Changelings. She has defeated you and shown more honor than you have in your entire life. Stand down, and carry out her bidding. All other paths lead to ruin.”
The great bear bowed his head. “It will be as you say, Guardian.”
One week passed while wounds were bandaged and forces marshaled. As the army marched from Icethrone Castle, Alex had asked why the women and children came too.
“In the north, everyone fights. And when the north marches to war, everyone has a task, and none are left behind,” was Clawlord Rageclaw’s response.
Both parts of the statement were true, they had learned. Every child responsible enough to be given a task to carry out was assigned a job. Small hands carried unfletched arrowshafts to have feathers placed on them. Small feet ran with messages from one end of the camp to another. Those not old enough were taught by the eldest children. Men and women tended to weapons and armor.
A week of travel and the army arrived at the Gap of Druun in the Great Range. The sounds of battle echoed along the mountain passes, speeding the army’s march. They entered through the western gate and were immediately taken to the garrison commander. Fat snowflakes filled the air.
“The name’s Grey. It’s the biggest army I’ve ever seen,” the garrison commander, a large brown bear, told them.
“Show me,” Terra ordered. Grey led them to a keep in the center of the garrison. A spiraling ramp wound around the outside of the keep and took them to the top. A roiling black mass flowed over the mountain passes to the east. Alex stood beside Brahm as they studied the demonic army beyond the wall. He could feel Terra’s determination build.
“That force’s over a hundred thousand strong,” Brahm appraised. “An’ that do no’ count what I can no’ see.”
An older barbarian with white hair strode up the ramp behind them. A white scar cut across his mouth. He spoke slowly in a deep voice. “My scouts said there is at least three times that number. A massive host of demons and undead. We are pinned in here. Ligon Stormbringer, Nexus. I command the northmen.”
“How are your men holding up in the siege?” she asked.
“Supplies are holding well, and so far we have defended the passes to keep them from getting behind us. The demons arrived over three weeks ago. Attacks come at all times, and the screams of captives go long into the night. They won’t admit it, but every one of the ten thousand here is nearing exhaustion.”
She nodded. “We bring twenty thousand of the Claw, and over forty thousand of your brethren, Elder
Stormbringer. Rotate your men into our encampment to the west. They will have warm meals and be away from the sounds of battle for a short time. We will break this siege. We are marching to war.”
The thickly muscled man nodded to her. “Thank you, Nexus.” He turned to leave, but before he made it to the ramp he turned back. “I was told my nephew died defending the Arcane City.”
Michael’s uncle, Alex thought. Terra nodded. “He died with his weapon held high and a smile on lips. He died so that I could find the Guardian. Alex Zane, my husband.”
The old man studied Alex from head to toe. He couldn’t help but feel as if he were being compared to the dead man again. “Well met, Guardian. My nephew died protecting the woman you love. See that you carry on his charge.”
Alex clenched his jaw and nodded. “I am sworn to it already.” Ligon Stormbringer nodded and walked down the ramp. Terra must have sensed Alex’s anger and put a hand on his arm. A horn’s warning blast turned them back to the east. The horde began to charge toward the gates.
“Do we have any forces outside the wall?” Terra asked.
Grey shook his head. “We don’t send out scouts anymore. The men return, but not as they were. The undead infect them first, then the necrosis makes them turn.”
She looked at Caitlyn. The changeling was in her human form. She wore a thick white cloak to ward off the cold mountain air. “Are you ready?” Caitlyn nodded. “Take out any that make it past. Don’t cast at them directly, throw things.”
“I’m going to the wall,” she answered. She turned to Grey. “Bring me as many arrows and bolts as you can spare.” Caitlyn walked down the ramp with the garrison commander.
Alex stood with Terra and Brahm atop the keep. “I’ll do more good on the bloody wall with the cat,” Brahm said. He said the power word for the Armor of Kings, and his body was enclosed in the glossy black plate. He followed after the two descending the ramp.