"Move!" he roared at the feral-Maith, glad when they scattered at the order. Nahele was on his tail, literally trying to grab his long tail. He reached the tree with branches overhanging the clearing just in time. He launched himself up into the branches, sparing a split second to smile when Nahele followed. The field was Nahele's advantage, but Nahele wasn't a tree-hunter.
He wove his way around the branches, leaping and twisting, his long tail helping him switch directions. Nahele chased him, but when he doubled back, it was too fast for Nahele to react, and he pounced. His claws tore into furry flesh, and Nahele bit him as they fell.
The ground met them both mercilessly, but he was in a better position and watched as Nahele's breath was forced out of his lungs, crippling him for a moment. Alec lunged, rolled Nahele face down, and pinned him. "Yield!" he growled, holding Nahele down as Nahele struggled to regain his breath and dislodge him.
No answer came, and unease began to creep in with the adrenaline. Nahele nearly managed to buck him off, but he yelled and struck with one hand, clawing a deep scratch along Nahele's ribs. Nahele hissed and struggled, and Alec felt his heart speed, panic filling him. If Nahele refused to give in, he'd be forced to kill him. He didn't want to, but desperation brought his claws to Nahele's throat. "Yield, Nahele," he repeated, digging his claws in. "Yield!"
Nahele stilled beneath him, and for an instant, fear stole Alec's breath away. He waited, and the seconds stretched into an eternity in his mind as he slowly tightened his grip on Nahele's throat. He actually jumped when that throat moved.
"I... y-yield..." Nahele ground out.
Alec all but jumped off Nahele, and fought the urge to sob his relief. His arms trembled along with his tail, and he leaned heavily on the ground next to Nahele, the thundering of his pulse finally giving way to the din of the crowd around them.
Nahele slowly rose from the ground, and Alec could see how much effort that took. His own body burned and ached with every scratch, gouge, and pulled muscle. Nahele, though, seemed to have hit every branch, and the impact with the ground... well, Nahele had taken the brunt of that. Alec stepped forward, reaching for Nahele, but Nahele slapped his hand away with a vicious growl.
"I don't need your help," Nahele snarled, his eyes dark and distant.
Alec's heart lurched, and in that angry gaze, he saw the friendship he'd so cherished dying a swift, sure death. "You have yielded to me," he said, his voice quiet, but serious. "I, Alec, am now Alpha of this clan."
Around them, the clan cheered. Alec had rightfully won, bested Nahele, and it meant he was the better leader. The stronger leader. Nahele's shoulders remained square, his head high, his tail stiff. Alec expected nothing less from Nahele. Even in defeat, Nahele clung to his pride.
"You, Alec, are now Alpha of the clan," Nahele repeated, his official acknowledgement of his loss of station.
And, in a heartbeat, Alec went from mid-level clan member to Alpha. His head spun as Nahele turned away and limped from their temporary battleground. Nahele was swallowed up by the rush of other feral-Maith, all coming to congratulate him, tend to his wounds, and celebrate his victory. Alec didn't feel much like celebrating.
In fact, even as he smiled and accepted his people's joy, he wanted to weep and mourn the cost he would now have to pay.
The morning was chilly, but that was nothing new. What was new was the way everyone in the pack looked at him as he walked up to the hunting party. It was his first hunt as the clan's Alpha. The last four days had been spent healing from the challenge, but unlike before, he'd been given every bit of help he needed and the luxury of a warm bath to ease his aches once the wounds had sealed. The female cats had moved his belongings into the Alpha's den. He wasn't sure where Nahele had ended up, and thoughts of his friend had only made him realize how every bit of his new den smelled of Nahele, bearing a mark that could only have set in after hundreds of years. If he hadn't been so exhausted that first night, he would probably have spent it grieving.
As it was, he had done his best to simply heal and take the shift in his position one job at a time. He had spent enough hours in Nahele's company to know what needed to be done. He organized the hunting party into groups, making sure the newer hunters were scattered in with veterans who wouldn't mind helping and watching out for them.
They were nearly ready to depart when an awkward hush fell over the entire group. Alec's ears twitched, and he smelled Nahele before he even turned to see the tall feral-Maith. "Nahele," he greeted, trying to keep emotion out of his voice. He wasn't sure how to proceed. "Joining the hunt?"
"Why else would I be here?" Nahele quipped. The glimmer of cruelty in his copper-red eyes made Alec's chest ache with a sudden chill.
"Very well. You can be in my group with Chaska, Tellu, and Aditsan," he replied quickly, ignoring the nature of Nahele's words. "We'll pass to the other side of the river together, and then fan out as usual. Any questions?"
Nahele raised a hand. "Why would you place Tellu in the same hunting group as Chaska? They'll kill each other."
Alec's eyes narrowed at the casual, matter-of-fact tone Nahele took as he told him this. He'd completely forgotten that Tellu blamed Chaska for the death of her litter the previous winter. How could he have been so stupid? Alec tried his best to cover the lapse. "Because it's high time Tellu got over her grudge."
Tellu growled softly, and Alec barely swallowed his sigh. Nahele had sown the first seed of discord. Not only was he painted as incompetent, but now he was insensitive as well. These first few days were so crucial, and Nahele was sabotaging it. Alec should have expected it, but he'd hoped Nahele would have been more graceful about his loss.
"Any more questions?" he asked, giving a pointed look at Nahele.
There was an awkward silence in the group, though Nahele looked entirely too smug. Alec suppressed the urge to growl at him and simply gave the order for everyone to move out. The predators of the group stretched a little and warmed up by moving quickly toward the river. The few hunters they had whose feral sides were prey stayed in a group all their own, always keeping downwind so they wouldn't throw off the scent. Most of the feral-Maith had learned to distinguish true animal prey from the feral blood in other clan members, but the last thing he needed today was for some rookie hunter to get excited and accidentally attack an ally.
At least Eimhin was heading up the group of prey, and she had been with the clan just as long as Nahele. If her expression was any indication, she didn't approve of Nahele's attitude. It was nice to see he wasn't alone.
They made it to the river without incident, and the groups began to split off to the areas of the forest and mountains he had chosen. The tension between Tellu and Chaska was nearly palpable, and it only made things worse to have Nahele around. Aditsan was young and all but attached himself to Chaska, staying silent in what Alec could only assume was an effort not to make any trouble. One out of four was the best he could ask for, it seemed.
"We'll head over the second stream to the field. That will give Aditsan a bit of practice and assure us a good kill this time of morning," he reiterated to the group, mostly for Nahele's benefit.
He received nods all around, much to his relief, and they followed a path that led to a fallen tree that spanned the stream. It made for easy crossing, and they turned, following the river uphill in a silent line. Alec had to growl at Nahele a couple of times to keep him in line. Nahele was used to leading his party, and that would have been a good thing if he had been assigned to a hunting group without Alec. Having them both in the same group, however, meant that any insubordination was a reflection on his leadership. It pissed Alec off each time Nahele pressed on in front of him, but he forced himself to funnel that anger into his instincts, sharpening them for the hunt.
When they finally crested the hill to the field, the group was utterly silent, all five hunters moving along the perimeter of the field with keen eyes locked on the group of deer grazing at the far side. The
deer were upwind, and their scent made Alec's mouth water a little, his energy spiking as he led the group around to the best position for a strike.
They crouched in the tall grass behind a couple of shrubs, excellent cover so close to the unwitting prey. Nearly all of the grass had begun to die, thanks to an early frost, and that meant the little that was left drew wildlife close, no matter how many mornings they patrolled the area. Alec smiled and glanced over at Chaska and Aditsan. The young cat's tail was flicking, his eyes wide and darting hungrily between the deer and Alec.
He was about to give his nod to Aditsan when a soft rustle made his head snap to his other side so quickly it was almost dizzying. Nahele was moving forward without permission, and he saw the telltale testing of Nahele's balance an instant too late to reach out and stop him. In a flash of gold and black, Nahele sprinted forward.
Alec's heart leaped into his throat, and he watched the deer scatter as Nahele deftly chased one of the largest down and brought it to the ground with a roar of triumph. Alec sat in the brush, stunned to stillness for several seconds in the following silence. A small whine of disappointment snapped him out of his shock, and he looked over to see Aditsan batting sadly at a tuft of grass while Chaska glared across the field at Nahele's spotted back.
Anger rose up in Alec with a vengeance, and he growled as he stood and strode across the field. There was no use for stealth now, and he growled loudly when he reached Nahele. "What the fuck was that?" he all but yelled, his eyes narrowing at the way Nahele was sitting pretty next to the dead buck.
"I'd say it was a damn good show of skill," Nahele purred, a smug grin curving his bloody lips.
"You attacked without my permission!" Alec roared.
"I'm sorry. Did I need that?" Nahele asked nonchalantly, the only sign of his agitation a quick flick of his tail.
"You know better than anyone, dammit! That kill was Aditsan's to take. Did you not listen to a word I said earlier about him practicing?" He paced like a caged beast, his yellow-green eyes narrowed dangerously at Nahele.
Tellu, Chaska, and Aditsan cautiously approached, keeping a bit of distance from their arguing superiors. It was just as well. Nahele's smile fell into a disapproving frown when he glanced behind Alec at Aditsan. "He's just a kitten. He isn't ready to make a kill."
"He'll never learn as long as he's never given the opportunity," Alec growled, his ears pressing flat against his braided hair. He could hear Aditsan shifting behind him, and he was sure the young feral-Maith wanted to tell them not to argue over him, but it wasn't just about Aditsan. Nahele was challenging his intelligence and had been undermining him in little ways all morning.
Alec crossed his arms in front of his chest, his tail swishing angrily. "I seem to remember a time when I had to come directly to you to ask that I be given a chance. The older hunters in my group wouldn't let me take the kill."
Nahele scoffed. "And when I told them to let you take the next easy kill, you failed. You botched up the kill for your entire group, and they all came back empty-handed."
"Yes, but I learned from that failure, and by the next time I was allowed to try, I succeeded," Alec continued, raising his voice. "Aditsan deserves the chance to learn, both from his failures and his triumphs."
"It's foolish," Nahele growled, kneading angrily at the buck beneath him. "The clan is low on reserves for the winter, and instead of ensuring a kill, you would let an inexperienced hunter miss the mark."
"The sooner he learns, the sooner we will gain another skilled hunter. If Aditsan and the other two cubs learn quickly, we'll have another group that can hunt on their own throughout the winter," Alec pointed out, his arms dropping as he puffed himself up, his fur standing menacingly on edge. "You are no longer Alpha. You follow my orders now. You look to me for permission to take the kill, and if you don't get my nod, you sit your ass down. Is that understood?"
Nahele's eyes glinted like wet blood in the sunlight. "A good Alpha wouldn't let his people starve through a harsh winter."
Alec gritted his teeth. "Go back to the settlement, Nahele. Go! We'll gut the buck and bring it back, but you don't get the privilege of carting the kill into the settlement."
"I will not--"
Alec growled, his claws curving as he prepared for a new fight. "I said go!"
Nahele stood, hatred and defiance in his eyes that were merely more stabs to Alec's already bleeding heart, and then stalked off. Alec watched him for a moment, making certain Nahele was going back toward the settlement, and when he was satisfied, he let out a long breath. He forced a smile on to his face and turned toward Aditsan.
"Come here, Aditsan," he called, waving a hand. "If you couldn't bring down the kill, you'll learn how to prepare it for the return home."
The first snow flurries had shown up, but it wasn't sticking. Alec looked around the bonfires at all the feral-Maith huddling close in the cold, laughing as the meat was dished out. He sniffed at the air, scenting the snow cleanly in the night, and sighed. It wouldn't be more than another week or two before the snow finally stuck. They'd need to work through the night for the next several days to fully prepare the settlement for winter. The hide tenting needed to be strung up on the trees to keep the lower grounds clear of snow and ice.
"Hyrad," Alec called to a neighboring bonfire. When Nahele had been deposed, Hyrad had also lost his place as Beta. Beta wasn't a won position; it was appointed, and Alec knew he was at a disadvantage for having not chosen one yet. "I need you, Shefra, Talan, and Geryl to fetch the winter tent hides from the storage den. Make sure none need repair, that they are ready to be strung up in the morning."
Hyrad stared at him for a long time, and then looked over to Nahele. Alec watched the two stare at each other for a long time, and he could see by their body language that Hyrad didn't give one shit about Alec's orders. If Nahele defied him, Hyrad would refuse. The two dozen feral-Maith surrounding the bonfires closest to Alec, Nahele, and Hyrad all became very still, very quiet, and Alec waited to see if this would be yet another battle he had to win.
But Nahele merely gave a nod to Hyrad, who then looked to Alec. "All right. We'll pull them out after the meal."
Alec let that slide, unwilling to cause a scene at supper. Hyrad had been Nahele's Beta for decades, so Alec could understand Hyrad's hesitance to blindly follow him now. If it continued, though, he'd need to have a discussion with both Hyrad and Nahele.
He turned his attention to a younger wolf. Waura had only a hundred winters under his belt, still a pup, really, but capable of easy tasks. "Waura, I want you and Stercy to scout out about three miles around the settlement. Make sure nothing but rabbits are nesting near us." The rabbits would make for excellent mid-winter fare, but anything bigger could pose a threat. "And Serra?" Serra, a petite creature that was part squirrel, part cat--which never ceased to amuse those in the clan--looked up, her brown eyes worried at being called on. "I want you, Jerin, and Urah to go up into the trees in the morning and check all the upper branches. I don't want anything dead falling on us in the middle of a blizzard. You can then help Hyrad and his group hang the hide tents."
Both Serra and Waura looked at Nahele, immediately deferring to the old Alpha. Alec's teeth ground together, a low growl in his throat. Nahele met his gaze evenly, steadily, and there was the faintest smile on his lips. How could love turn sour so quickly, Alec wondered. His entire life, he had worshipped Nahele, and now Nahele wanted to see him failed and humiliated. Well, that wasn't going to happen, gods be damned!
"Waura, Serra?" Alec snapped. "Do you understand?"
Serra squeaked, her tail flicking rapidly with fright, but her eyes locked onto Alec again, and she nodded. "Yes, Alpha," she tried to amend, crouching low on the ground and returning to her meal.
Waura took a couple more seconds, looking between Alec and Nahele several times before bowing his head at Alec. "It will be done." He huddled down with Stercy, but his bright eyes kept glancing up at Nahele and
Alec.
A change in the clan's Alpha hadn't happened often, and certainly not within the lifetime of anyone younger than Alec. He growled softly, his tail fwapping the fur beside him as he ripped another chunk of meat from his cut. After chewing and swallowing, he finally looked away from Nahele with an unhappy sigh. The clan had to adjust to him being the new Alpha, but Nahele was making things infinitely harder than they needed to be.
It wasn't the first offense. Alec had actually started to lose count of the small, subtle slights he was enduring from Nahele. Each one was another cut not only to his position in the clan, but to his emotional tie to Nahele. It hurt to be sabotaged by the feral-Maith he loved most, the one he had respected, even through his challenge. One by one, those hurts were compiling, the slights building into a broader, more dangerous insubordination that was slicing at his already frayed nerves.
How many more of these small, quiet challenges was he supposed to take? How long before something truly awful happened? It was careless of Nahele to countermand him. It put their clan at risk because it was divided, because his thoughts were divided. It had to stop. Either they all worked together, as they had when Nahele ruled, or the one who was causing the upheaval had to be removed. Alec didn't want that. He didn't want to kill Nahele or to banish him from the clan. Banishment was as good as death, really, but it was a lingering death.
Alec slowly finished his meal, and then stood. He didn't look back as he left the bright fires. The cold night air was actually warmer than the circles around those bonfires. He wasn't welcomed, but he wasn't shunned, and he had expected a little friction as the reins of power shifted. Alec just hadn't expected the slight frictions to set off a fucking forest fire, ready to consume them all in this insane power play.
This hunt would never end.
The snow had stuck, but Alec had also beaten it by three days. The settlement had been ready for that first true snowfall. The hunts that had followed, though, had been hard and trying. Nahele would not, no matter how many times Alec shouted at him, fall into line. Instead, Nahele did what he wanted, when he wanted. It was no end of frustration for Alec, and it meant those who followed him were weakening in their belief of him. It couldn't continue.
Wild Passions Page 11