“Except for cart paths, there no roads. No vehicles. Four legged is the fastest way.”
They left their clothes on the porch. In biped form, Liulf was much bigger, but they were about the same size after shifting. Stalkson Grey wasn’t sure if he remembered having ever seen Liulf as a wolf. He thought he’d remember because of the unusual coloring. Like Grey, Liulf was mostly black, but he had the caramel colored eyes that were characteristic of the Cu Ahlee clan.
The two huge black wolves would have made a picture trotting together across the pristine panorama of Lunark Dimension. Going at a steady pace, it took an hour and a half to reach the border of the northern territory.
When the landscape changed to vistas that reminded Liulf of the Highlands, Stalkson Grey led him to a shallow place where they could cross a river by jumping from rock to rock and then climb straight up a grassy mountainside. At the top, Grey shifted to human form and pointed out the territory boundaries from north to east to south to west.
“What’s beyond?” Liulf waved in the direction Grey pointed.
“We’re on a small continent surrounded by water.”
“How small?”
Grey shrugged. “About the size of Briton, I think.”
“Are there other species in this world?”
Grey was silent for a minute. “Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever asked.”
“Just because lycans are no’ seagoin’ creatures does no’ mean that there are no’ others who are. Elves, fae, humans… all seafarers.”
“If there are others, their cultures are still primitive.”
“Primitive as in pre-nuclear submarines or primitive as in pre-sailin’ vessels?”
“New Gaul has been here a long time. If there was a danger, it would come before the Council and we’d discuss it.”
“Council?”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. What I’m trying to say here is don’t borrow trouble.” Grey smiled. “When it comes to worry, you seem more like an old woman than a lycan alpha male.”
“Yeah? Well I may be a new alpha, but I’m old enough to know ‘tis ne’er a good idea for wolf people to be gettin’ too comfortable. Somebody is always waitin’ and hopin’ for exactly that.”
“Cynical.”
Liulf shrugged. “I call it managin’ expectations, Uncle.”
“I take your point.” Grey looked at Liulf with a new interest that wasn’t there before. “I hope you join us, Liulf. Maybe the goodness of life here is making us too complacent. We probably need your perspective. If you decide to migrate your pack, we’ll help with the initial building – get you started. The descendants of the first colonists at New Gaul helped us.”
Liulf was aware of the emotion surging in his chest as he imagined what might be. He had thought he loved the Highlands, but that was before he saw the lands that he’d already decided would be named New Scotia. He didn’t want to be rash and make an impulsive decision that would have such far-reaching consequences for his pack, but his uncle had said that Fate had something epic at hand for him to accomplish.
While Liulf was considering, Grey was continuing to feed information. “I suppose I should also mention that things are done a little differently here. But nothing that you and your people won’t get used to.”
Liulf was only half-listening. He was too busy picturing his people hunting, playing, and procreating in the beauty that stretched all around him. After a few beats, he registered what Stalkson Grey had said.
“Differently? How differently?”
“Well, for one thing, we have a Council, like I mentioned before. It meets on the first day of the new moon every month. Each territory is represented by the alpha, two seconds, and two pack elders. All discuss and advise, but only alphas vote.”
“Vote?!?” Liulf was incredulous. “Wolves votin’?” He snorted as if he’d never heard anything so ridiculous.
Stalkson shrugged. “It’s a new world. A paradise for wolves,” he swept his hand out in a wide arc, “and we want to keep it that way. The best way to go about that is to respect the other packs and do the best thing for all the inhabitants of Lunark and the future of the species.” Stalkson Grey put his hands on his naked hips. “I know I made it sound like we’re naïve, but we’re trying to use our heads about this. It’s a perfect place for us, unquestionably ours, every tree, rock, and blade of grass, but that’s not to say that couldn’t change. Others could come here the same way we did. If that ever happens, wolves need to be united… used to working with each other.
“Silver Ruff, alpha of the New Gaul pack, came up with these ideas. And they’re good ones.”
Liulf mulled it over for a moment, processing the possible merit of Stalkson’s argument. “What else?”
Stalkson grinned wolfishly. “We have Powwows.”
Liulf’s brow wrinkled. “What’s a Powwow?”
“Our version is a Gathering, sort of like a big party. It was my idea. Well, to be honest, it was a suggestion made to me back on home world by somebody I met through Black Swan. I suggested it to Silver Ruff and she liked the idea, said it dovetailed nicely with what she was trying to accomplish with the Council. So twice a year, on the Spring and Fall Equinoxes, packs come together in the south for three days. We build big fires, eat, drink, dance, talk, hunt and the unmated wolves get friendly with each other. We encourage intermarriage between packs, not just royalty.”
“Why?”
“Makes the pups stronger. Makes the alliances with other packs stronger.”
“I notice yer mate is human.”
“Yes. But she’s my true mate. A lot of the young wolves in my pack are mated to humans. We had a shortage of females at Elk Mountain and mating with humans meant survival. Some of the pups are full lycan. Some aren’t.” Grey’s gaze pinned Liulf as he said pointedly, “We love them all.”
“Of course. I meant no disrespect. I have nothin’ against humans so long as they’re no’ shootin’ at me.”
“Agreed.” Stalkson Grey slapped Liulf on the back. “If you’re interested in becoming my neighbor, we need to go talk to Silver Ruff out of respect, since her people settled here first.”
Liulf turned in a circle slowly, then nodded. “’Tis… perfect.”
Stalkson Grey seemed pleased. “How many do you think we’re talking about?”
“I do no’ know how many will be choosin’ to come, but there be a few more than five hundred Mahdrah Ahlee in the Highlands.”
Stalkson whistled and looked at Liulf with new admiration. “Had no idea. You know… I’ve been an alpha for a long time. If you ever need to talk, come see me. There are things that… well, that others won’t really understand.”
“Thank ye, Uncle. I will.” Liulf tilted his chin up then shifted to wolf form.
A little less than three hours later, they reached the edge of New Gaul, the original lycan colony. Stalkson shifted and entered a small outbuilding. Liulf shifted and followed him inside.
Stalkson handed Liulf a breech cloth. “I keep a change of clothes here since I visit often. I’d offer a pair of doeskin pants, but they would never make it up your fat thighs.”
Liulf was indignant. “My thighs are no’ fat. They’re muscular.”
Stalkson raised his eyebrows, snorted softly and shook his head. “If you say so.” He smiled to himself, thinking maybe he’d spent too much time with Deliverance. He didn’t know his nephew well enough to know if Liulf had the kind of sense of humor that allowed for teasing.
Liulf tied the breech cloth to his waist and stepped outside. He bent forward pretending to make an adjustment while surreptitiously glancing at his thighs. When a slight breeze rushed past, he concluded that he liked having extra air circulating when weather allowed.
As the two walked toward the center of the settlement, Liulf was able to get a firsthand look at the business of everyday affairs within a mature colony on Lunark. Like stepping into a time machine, it was life much like what he remembe
red two hundred years in the past. He paid close attention to two things. Having fully recovered from the shock of interdimensional travel, his mind was actively engaged in a fantasy construction of New Scotia. As they had approached the settlement, he’d mentally catalogued the livestock and made a point of noting the expressions people wore on their faces.
The New Gaul wolf people looked at Grey and Liulf with curiosity, but without alarm as they passed. No one stopped or slowed the task at hand to regard them more closely.
It was obvious to Liulf that Stalkson Grey knew where he was headed and it seemed to be the building on the rise at the head of the clearing, but before they reached their destination, they encountered Silver Ruff standing outside the blacksmith’s work shed talking to a small group. She looked over and gave Grey a warm smile of recognition and acknowledgement.
“What brings you, Alpha?” She nodded at the people she’d been talking to and stepped toward Grey. “And who’s this?” She swept her eyes over Liulf. He watched her nostrils flare slightly as she evaluated his scent without being overly impolite.
“This is my nephew, Liulf. He’s alpha of a pack from our world of origin. Would you have time to speak with us today?”
“I always have time for you, Old Dog.” As they started walking toward the building on the rise, she turned her head toward Liulf. “Has Grey shown you around?”
“Aye, madam. ‘Tis a place so beautiful I’ll be pressed to find words to describe it when I return home.”
She nodded as if she was pleased with his answer. “I haven’t heard your way of speaking before. You’re not from, ah, Elk Mountain.”
“No, madam. My mother was sister to Stalkson Grey’s first mate, but I live on the other side of the world from Elk Mountain. My people speak the same language, but better, with a flair for perfection.”
Silver Ruff gave a hearty laugh that made Liulf instantly warm to her. “So tell me, Stalkson Grey. What would you like to talk about?” Of course she knew the purpose of the visit perfectly well, but wanted Grey to name it.
“For much the same reason that my people migrated here, Liulf would like to discuss the possibility of a similar arrangement.”
“I see.”
She said no more until after they entered the lodge-type building that was, apparently, both her home and the headquarters for the New Gaul pack. It was built with a combination of logs and stone that Liulf thought was very attractive in an organic sort of way. She motioned them inside and then yelled at someone.
“New Day! Bring some of that broth for my guests.”
She waved toward some rough-out leather ottomans set around a table made from an enormous tree trunk. When Liulf sat down, he decided that kilts were better than breech cloths after all.
“So, Liulf, is it?”
“Aye, madam.”
“I have two questions. Why do you want to come here? And, what value will you bring?”
Liulf met Silver Ruff’s clear-eyed gaze evenly and without hesitation, which she admired. “My uncle on my father’s side was alpha until very recently. He was shot by a PowerBow…”
Stalkson put his hand up to indicate that he would interrupt. “A PowerBow is a bow that has an advanced mechanism – a tightly coiled automatic spring that operates by trigger. It doesn’t take strength to send arrows great distances at great speed.”
Silver Ruff’s brows knitted as she apparently considered the implications of that.
Liulf continued. “He lived for a short while, but unfortunately, died of the wound. He is no’ the first to fall to… humans and their weapons. I fear that, if we stay where we are, we will either have to try to live without shiftin’, or war with humans. Life would no’ be worth the livin’ if we did the first. And we would no’ survive the second. There are too many.
”My uncle’s last words were an instruction to bring our people here.”
“I can understand that being a powerful motive, much like that of my ancestors who first settled this world. So tell me, if I gave permission for you to occupy a free territory, what could you offer us?”
“Good breedin’.”
“Did I understand you correctly? Did you say good breeding?”
“Aye. I did.”
Silver Ruff’s eyes sparked as she looked at Grey. “Does your nephew insult us? What does he mean, ‘good breeding’?”
Stalkson Grey opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t imagine what could have gotten into Liulf, what he might be thinking, but he was beginning to regret bringing his nephew for an audience with Silver Ruff without knowing him better.
Undaunted by the shift of energy in the room, Liulf forged ahead. “I’m prepared to offer good breedin’ on two counts. First, comin’ into yer village, I noticed ye’re raisin’ a variety of short haired sheep that, forgive me for sayin’ so, look dumb as rocks. In the Highlands where I’m from, we have a sturdy, strong breed of sheep that grow fine wool. It feels like silk, reachin’ almost to the ground when they walk, and weaves into a cloth that cools in summer, heats in winter, and feels beautiful to touch. They also have curly horns and will defend themselves when necessary.”
Liulf paused, but noting that Silver Ruff seemed both placated and interested, he continued. “We also have a lovely breed of chicken. Gray in color. Larger than the ones I saw here, with great talon roosters who would take out a predator’s eyes before allowin’ it near one of his hens.
“If I’m understandin’ the transport process correctly, I believe we could bring enough of these animals with us to propagate for ourselves and other packs as well. Eventually.”
“Interesting proposition. And one I haven’t heard before. What about the second count?”
Liulf glanced at Grey. “My uncle tells me that ye’re encouragin’ marryin’ between packs. We, the Mahdrah Ahlee, would be bringin’ a hale and hardy bunch of randy unmated wolves, both male and female.”
Silver Ruff stared for a few beats and then laughed out loud. Looking at Grey, she said, “I like him, Grey. He’s an original. Not bad looking either.” To Liulf she said, “Do these young singles you speak of resemble you?”
Liulf took on the indecipherable expression of a seasoned politician. “No. Most are ever so much more comely than I. Between myself and two brothers, I’m rumored to be the ugly one.”
Silver Ruff laughed louder, then stopped abruptly to yell, “Day! Where’s that broth?”
After another hour of talk about the problems of alphas on Lunark, Grey and Liulf stepped outside, saying goodbyes and readying to depart. Liulf felt the barest whisper of cloth on his arm as someone passed. That small contact left a scent that had his nostrils flaring and his cock attempting to lift the heavy leather of his breech cloth.
He turned to see who it was just as Silver Ruff was catching her daughter’s arm to stop her from hurrying by without speaking.
“Slow down,” she said. “I want you to meet the head of our next colony. Liulf, this is my daughter, Rain Falling.”
After several failed attempts to get his mouth to open and cooperate with his brain, he found the best he could manage was a single jerk of a nod.
“Hello,” she said, giving him just as little attention as was possible without being so rude that she’d be scolded by her mother, or father, or both. She looked him over quickly, obviously didn’t like what she saw, and with a tiny smile toward her mother, disappeared inside the building from which they’d just come.
Sensing Liulf’s interest, Silver Ruff’s gaze swung to him. “So. You’re unmated yourself, I take it?”
Liulf pulled his attention back to Silver Ruff. “I have no’ had the pleasure of findin’ my true mate.”
“True mate, is it?” Silver Ruff barely contained a smirk. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a romantic, Liulf. Surprising. And quite charming.”
Grey and Liulf deposited the temporary garments in the little building at the edge of the settlement, and shifted. On the journey back to New Elk Mountai
n all Liulf could think about was Rain Falling. All the lycans in the Highlands had eyes that were either light or caramel-colored like Conn’s. Liulf had never seen anyone with such exotic, nearly black, eyes. She had long hair that looked like richly polished mahogany and lips almost as red as the shift she’d been wearing over her shin-high sheepskin boots.
He ran with his tongue hanging out, partly because of the exertion and partly because of the euphoric excitement of finding her.
CHAPTER 3
Liulf took his second ride through the passes a little better. It still made him dizzy, but at least he didn’t feel nauseous. That night at supper, he sat in front of the winter fire with his brothers around a roughhewn table that had not moved from the small room off the kitchen for centuries.
Ken frowned through most of the meal while Conn looked more and more curious.
“A breech cloth?” Conn smirked.
“Aye. And all the native wolves raised their lip when I passed by because the lasses’ eyes glazed over on seein’ my fine form.”
“Ye know, Liulf, ye’ve always been bossy, but bein’ alpha is makin’ ye a liar as well.”
“If ye want to disprove it, ye’ll have to agree to come to Lunark and see the lands that would be our new home. New Scotia.”
“New Scotia?” Ken asked.
“Have to admit I like the sound of it,” said Conn. “Ye’re serious about this?”
“Aye, little brother. The climate is moderate. The game is plenty. The air and water are clear like they were when we were pups. ‘Tis gorgeous to behold. And ye should see the faces of the people. They’re content.” Liulf paused. “They also have a different way of doin’ thin’s.”
“What do ye mean?” Conn and Ken asked at the same time.
“They have a Council meetin’ between pack leaders every new moon to talk about what’s best for all the wolves. Ye’d both be goin’ with me. And they have Gatherin’s on the Solstices. ‘Tis like a big party, all the packs interact for three days.”
Liulf: Alpha of the Mahdrah Ahlee, New Scotia Highlander Werewolves: A Paranormal Romance (The Brothers Cu Ahlee Book 1) Page 3