Phwolfe Song (Golsidan Revival Series Book 1)

by Kimberly McLaughlin

  “Except in the hunter’s share, the hunter’s share goes totally to the hunters. Sato will receive twenty point four percent of that five percent to keep. Satorae will take none of that from him. The hunters share is a reward to the hunters for braving the danger of the hunt. They don’t even loose crown percentage out of it. Both the Hunter’s Share and the Hunt Chiefs divide are totally exempt from all other percentage divides. The watchers, the medics, winch operators, assistants and carters receive their percentage totally. Nothing gets deducted from them. The top quarter of the hunt goes to the Hunt Chief’s divide and to the Hunter’s Share. Satorae and Wolfe split the remaining three quarters.”

  “Ah… Of course, I understand now, trade chief.” Anna smiled at Jatlo. Mentally she said, I think I got maybe five percent of that. Does my portion of the Hunter share, stay mine even if Wolfe fails? Jatlo smiled and nodded.

  Anna’s mind shouted, Hallelujah! I can get whatever I want, for the children out of the hunters share. Jatlo nodded again. Anna looked at the Phsatorae and the Elders as they huddled together. She smiled. They needed to decide which set of figures was right. Anna just laid her money on Jatlo’s with blind faith. She knew better than to bust her cranium trying to figure them out. It took a while, Anna didn’t think anyone else on board could figure like Jatlo.

  Finally, the Phsatorae turned back to them. “Our apologies, Phwolfe, Jatlo has saved us from making yet another error. His percentages are correct. We neglected to figure in the ten percent equipment usage fee. We agree to his figures. By using his figures, we have deduced that Satorae is fifty-eight point eight seven percent responsible for the feast and Wolfe is forty-one point one three percent responsible. We once again have only what is on commodities available to offer.”

  Anna minded Jatlo. You get to tell them what we’ve prepared both verified and unverified. You also get to negotiate what their extra eight point eight seven percent responsibility will cost them.

  Jatlo grinned widely. “Phwolfe has been preparing. We have unverified prepared items stocked in Heroes’ Hall. As of one ninety-five this warm, we have available all the needed belao, mewu eggs, catronu, catronu oil, oesla, gesar syrup, gesar glue first and second boil, gesar flour, gesar flat bread, mashed savti, fried savti, roasted savti, oesla dye, greal dye, and denua dye. We have enough of these items unverified for both the feast and honor gifts. We have enough verified stock of leka, korftu nuts, unripe greal, cloth, and yarns. For honor gifts, we also have an unverified supply of color cloth and color yarns.”

  The Phsatorae stood motionless through Jatlo’s speech. He swallowed hard. “I see with the unverified stock, we would owe you eight point eight seven percent of its value. The verified stock, we would owe you fifty-eight point eight seven percent of its value. What does Wolfe want?”

  Jatlo sighed. “First, since Satorae has the higher percentage. The responsibility for the seating, the making of honor level lists, and the deciding of honor gifts falls to Satorae.”

  The Phsatorae nodded. “We agree.”

  “Secondly, being Satorae’s responsibility, Satorae people should put the gifts together. I will deliver the needed items to the packaging room, once they are decided on. But Satorae members do the packaging.”

  “We agree with this also.” The Phsatorae said.

  “There is an unresolved issue with Phwolfe. Phwolfe never received a Signet. Phwolfe’s never even been informed of her right to a Signet. If Phwolfe fails, would you have it said that she left nothing behind? She has given us first level barriers, tree barriers, electrical field switches, modified carts, rope slides, tienara scaffolds, takosund carts, takosund nooses, takosund gaff poles, and takosund winches. None of them bear her mark, because she wasn’t given a Signet. Would you have history forget Phwolfe’s contributions? Would you have her children, not know what she gifted the future? Why haven’t you given Phwolfe a Signet?” Jatlo finished at a full bellow.

  Anna had no clue what a Signet was. But she could tell that Jatlo was furious and that Jao and the Elders looked extremely embarrassed.

  “We had neither one to give or even the means with which to make one. The comp-forges were inoperable. Thanks to Phwolfe’s denua supply, their filters have been replaced and they began operating yesterday. And we didn’t have a Signet ordered yesterday because Wolfe’s sign on is a combination of three of the dead clans. A Signet can’t be made with a dead clans sign.” Kantuia said at a near whine.

  “Whoa, everybody! Exactly, what is a Signet?” Anna demanded.

  Jatlo turned to Anna and bowed. “A Signet is your sign on, in a physical form. You mark what Phwolfe created with it. The carts, the scaffolds, the barriers, everything that you designed, modified, manufactured, or contracted the design and manufacture of need to be marked with your Signet. It shows what you have contributed, because the mark can never be erased. If Wolfe becomes a sub clan, it shows the path you took to achieve sub clan status.”

  Anna shook her head. Mentally, she asked Jatlo. Show me the Satorae Signet and how it’s used. Jatlo did. “A brand!” Anna exclaimed. “I was supposed to brand everything I made.” She turned and glared at the Elders. “Do you realize? Do you have any clue of how long it’s going to take me to run around and brand everything I made? It will take days to run through all the gardens branding barriers, switches, rope slides, carts, gaffs, and nooses. Some of the stuff, I’m supposed to brand isn’t even mine anymore. The sculptures I gave away at the feast, the carts I showed Tanake how to make. Bloody heck! I have a feast to prepare and this gets popped on me.” She ran out of air and resumed glaring at the Phsatorae and Elders.

  “We apologize. We couldn’t make one. Now, we don’t know what to make? What would your mark be Phwolfe?” The Phsatorae asked gently.

  Anna’s temper flared red hot. He wanted to know what a Wolfe mark was. Anna mentally shaped the image she wanted. She carved it out of time and stone, wind and rain, blood and joy. She cut it with lightning strikes and pain. She grew it with loyalty, bravery, and patience. She howled it. She cried it. She took it from her mind and slammed it into the floor at her feet.

  The impact sent Jatlo, Jao, and Anna tumbling. The closest Elders fell to their knees. The ones in back were shaken, but left standing. Anna shook her head and stood up. Her head pounded. It throbbed with her every heartbeat. She felt like her eyes were crossed and shook her head again. And then she saw it.

  “What the...” Anna stumbled over and stared at the floor. She threw back her head and laughed. An image carved of time and stone, wind and rain, blood and joy was imprinted into the floor. It measured about two inches deep and about two feet wide. The wolf that could have made it wouldn’t have fit through the hall doors. A wolf’s paw print lay embedded in the floor colored in blood red. Anna dropped to her knees and ran her hands over it. “Is it real?” She looked up at Jatlo, the Elders, and Jao who stood crowded around her.

  Jatlo nodded. His voice awed. “This thing has only been done once before in our history. You have made your Signet Phwolfe. Mark what is yours with it.”

  Anna shook her head. “What do you mean?”

  The Phsatorae smiled widely. “Come!” He trotted off and Anna followed him. They went to East 4. The Phsatorae pointed to the Baker’s rack. “Gently Wolfe, gently mark it.”

  “I don’t understand?”

  “The image in your mind, your Signet image, touch it gently to that, where you want to mark it. Gently, touch it with the Wolfe mark.”

  Anna studied the Baker’s rack. On the side upright board, at eye height, she touched it with time and stone. She brushed it with wind and rain. She let it glimpse blood and joy. There was no impact this time, just a silent vibrating hum. Then the wolf’s paw print was there, where she had imaged it.

  The Phsatorae nodded. “Run Phwolfe, run. Leave your mark on all that belongs to you. We will await you in Heroes’ Hall. We owe you this time.”

  Anna ran and left her mark from Midsoutheast 8 to Northwest 4. She
ran through the supply depots and the processing rooms. She ran onto the safe second levels and past the first level barriers. She ran past carts, switches, rope slides, and scaffolds. She touched them with time and stone. Wind and rain brushed them as she flew by and they caught a glimpse of blood and joy as she faded from sight.

  Anna trotted back to Heroes’ Hall laughing. A wolf had run rampant all over this spaceship. She laughed harder; Des was going to get a kick out of this.

  The Elders and the Phsatorae were indeed still waiting at Heroes’ Hall. “All right, Jatlo. The Signet thing is done. What next?”

  “The Elders and the Phsatorae have agreed to pay Wolfe in credit for their percentage of responsibility. They have given us first buying rights with that amount of credit on listed commodities. If it is listed, Wolfe has first right to buy it until that amount of credit is used. Do you agree to this Wolfe?”

  “Yes, I do Jatlo. Is that it?” Anna asked. Jatlo nodded. “Thank you Jatlo. You have once again brought to my attention matters that needed to be corrected. I thank you for thinking of Wolfe’s future standing. Elders, Phsatorae if you will excuse me, I have a feast to work on.” They nodded and sketched bows. “May your blood stay strong.” Anna said and trotted down to East 4.

  Tamsi had filled the pans with tienara biscuits. Luckily, they only took thirteen minutes to cook. By the time, Anna finished putting the last pan in the last oven. The first pans were ready to come out of the first one. Empty the rack, fill the rack, and push it to East 4. Anna cooked all three racks full, before it was time to leave.

  “I know you dislike cooking. But I didn’t realize it infuriated you. That was a fierce headache. I am glad it faded fast.” Des pulled Anna into his arms as she walked through the door. “What happened, love?”

  “Here, I will show you.” Anna reached out and picked up his wolf bottle. She lifted it up and looked it over. “I think on the bottom is the best place. But it has got to be a real shallow mark.” She imaged as gently as possible. “There you go hon. See the Wolfe mark.”

  Des took the wolf bottle, looked at the bottom, and nearly dropped it. He set it down with shaking hands. He pulled Anna over to the bureau. He pointed to the back. “There!”

  Anna brushed the image against it. Then she walked over and did the steps, the keepsake box, and the other bureau. Des followed her. “How?”

  “I made a Wolfe Signet in my mind. I touch the image of the Wolfe Signet to them and leave my mark.” Anna shrugged. “I brought tienara biscuits home. Let’s eat.”

  “You made a Signet with your mind and you want to eat!”

  “I’m hungry.” She started setting the food on the table.

  “This has happened only one other time in our recorded history.” Des muttered.

  “Jatlo said that. When did it happen?”

  “Not long after the formation of the original clans. Phgolru designed what is now our traditional clan house. Phgolru contracted Skau to build the clan house. When it stood completed, Skau tried to claim the design as their own. Phgolru stamped his mind Signet onto every door post of the house. He asked how Skau dared claim it, when anyone who entered it, saw it was Phgolru’s.”

  “Maybe you have to be angry to discover how to do it. Jatlo demanded to know why Phwolfe wasn’t gifted a Signet? I didn’t understand what he meant. When I did, I thought of how much time, it would take to mark everything. I got mad because I still have a lot to do for the feast and they tossed out that I needed to brand everything.” Anna shrugged. “The Phsatorae asked what I wanted to be Phwolfe’s mark. He asked nicely. But it felt kind of condescending like. “Hey, it’s not our fault; we didn’t give her a Signet, who knows what she will pick as her sign.” Anna shrugged again. “I got really mad and decided to show them. I threw the mind image on the floor. I figured that would show them. They would see the image and how mad I was.

  Jatlo, Jao and I got blown off our feet and now a two foot wide Wolfe mark lies embedded in the middle of the floor of the entrance to Heroes’ Hall.” She poured some gesar syrup over her biscuits. It was the closest thing, she could find to a sweet. She wanted to figure out how to fry up some doughnuts or a close equivalent.

  Des shook his head. “It is in the middle of the floor?”

  Anna nodded. “Yeah, I hope people don’t trip over it going to the feast. I should probably put a rope around it or something.” She dug into her biscuits. They tasted good. If she could get them to be less crumbly and sweet without the gesar syrup, they would make good doughnuts.

  “People will want to see you make your mark.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They will want to see you do it, the marking.”

  “The only things, I’ve got left to mark are Sato’s and Daisie’s wolf sculptures. I ran around and marked everything else. I didn’t mark the winch, because Gresa designed it. I know I paid him for it, but it is still his design.”

  “Talk to Jatlo. If he paid Gresa to design it first, before he paid for him to install it, the design was contracted by Phwolfe and bought by Wolfe. You would have the right to mark it. Let Gresa watch you do it. That would make him very happy.”

  After they ate, Anna called Jatlo. “Jatlo, I didn’t mark the winch system, Gresa designed it. Des said the people would want to watch me mark things.”

  “Phwolfe paid for the design so you should mark the winch. Des is right; people will want to see you make your mark. Toruska is already pestering me about it.” Jatlo sighed.

  “But I marked everything, except for the winch and Dasie and Sato’s wolf sculptures. I have nothing else to mark.”

  “Anything you contract made from your design will need to be marked. I will be right over. We need to figure out a way to contract the curious to build one of your designs, and then they can watch you mark it.”

  “Jatlo’s coming over. He said Toruska is pestering him about the mark.”

  “As a history teacher, Toruska will pester Jatlo until he sees you make the mark.”

  “Des, if I contract something made and pay for it out of my hunters share. That means it belongs to me personally even if Wolfe doesn’t become a sub-clan, right?”

  Des nodded. “What are you thinking of?”

  “I’m thinking of stuff for the children, bureaus, steps, blankets, sheets, and clothes. And some small rugs for the floors so their feet don’t get cold when they get out of bed in the morning. Mine always do.”

  “Well, you designed the furniture. If you designed the clothes and rugs you wanted, and then contracted them made, you would need to mark them.”

  “They would have to put little tough denua fiber tags on them. I can’t mark soft cloth.” Anna went and logged onto the design page. She drew up some sweaters and vests first and wrote up the measurements needed for the smallest youngest to the largest eldest. She wrote that they were to be made in a solid color. They each had a left breast pocket over which a tough denua fiber patch was to be sewn. She would mark it there.

  Anna designed some sheets to be sewn together like a sleeping bag. The foot, one full side, and a quarter of the other side were sewn shut. She drew them up in the five different size ranges, two youngest sizes, two young tai’twain sizes, and the eldest size. The tag would go under where the pillow would be, at the very top. She ordered them also made in solid colors.

  Des let Jatlo in. “Jatlo I would like to contract stuff made out of the soft yarns and cloth in the Wolfe private stock. I have designs here for sweaters, vests, and sheets in a variety of sizes. I also ordered the invalid’s denua tough fiber, put into Wolfe’s private stock today. I would like to contract people using that to make some of those.” Anna pointed to the bureaus and steps. “Their design is already on the design page. I want to make the keepsake boxes myself so don’t contract those. Figure out a fair payment for the labor of making such items. I want the payment to come out of my Hunter’s Share, and my portion of the Hunt Chief’s divide. If the people make one of those items under a contr
act from Phwolfe, they can watch me mark it. Contract up to a hundred of each size of the sweaters and vests. We would need about four hundred of each sheet size. About a hundred of the steps and small bureaus need to be made. We could probably use about three hundred of the big bureaus. Would that work?” Anna asked hopefully. Des nodded.

  Jatlo smiled. “Yes, you would own such items personally. Store them here; this is your personal depot. I will go post the contracts and set payment fees. I will have Shalo stay in the Midsoutheast supply depots and issue the cloth, yarn, and the denua over to those who contract. I will just write that the contract needs to be signed at one of the Midsoutheast supply depots and that Shalo is there waiting. All those interested in seeing you mark something must contract an item and make it for a fee. That will send Toruska running to Midsoutheast 1.” Jatlo sighed. “I will go call Shalo, send him to Midsoutheast 1, and post the contracts. When do you wish the finished items brought here?”

  “People can bring them in the first thirty minutes of any hot or on my early cool nights from ten to eleven. I will also mark what’s brought to me on feast day at the hall or on off day what gets brought here. Will there be enough in the hunters share to pay for it all?”

  Jatlo nodded. “Your private share from hunters and chief hunters divide adds up to six point nine eight percent of the total hunt. You will have plenty. Your private share equals nearly a quarter of the size of Wolfe’s whole share. Simply put, you are rich. I will call the Phsatorae and tell him, you wish your hunters share to be in the colored cloth, dyes, yarns, and in broiled takosund. We will set aside your share. The people can take their payment in goods, or takosund. The colored cloths and yarns cost quite a bit. Anyone who fills a contract for the sweaters, vests, or sheets will want payment in colored yarn or cloth. Once they work colors again, they won’t be able to resist. Shalo and I will handle everything; you just mark what gets brought to you. Des spread the word with the medics, about the contracts being offered. Tonight announce before the harvest, that Phwolfe has labor trade contracts available. I will announce at Northwest 7. Word will spread fast. May your blood stay strong.” Jatlo waved and left.