Path of Kings

by James Dale

  Beltaran flicked his mount's reigns and bolted forward, the scout hot on his heels. Jack drew his sword and followed, ignoring Kirk's startled cry of protest. Eaudreuil easily caught and passed the two galloping Ailfar, pulling ahead of the pair. Soon they began to pass stray bodies of dead wolves, feathered by elven arrows in their fruitless attempt to escape. Ahead in the distance, Jack saw the leading squad of Rangers circling the last remaining members of the pack, shooting arrows into a tight knot of doomed wolves.

  By the time he joined them only one wolf remained alive, a young male, not fully grown and probably not much older than a year. He had a glowing silver pelt and eyes bluer than the winter sky. If the young wolf’s gangling legs and oversized paws were any indication, given the chance, he would one day grown into an imposing specimen of his breed. Of course, the elven archers had no intentions of allowing this until Jack intervened.

  "Stop!" he cried, leaping from the saddle to stand between the young wolf and the archers.

  "Move aside!" Eaolhar commanded, trying to shift is aim around Jack.

  "Stop I said!"

  "Move aside..."

  "Do as he says, Eaolhar!" Arrinor barked, reigning his stallion to a thundering halt.

  "But m'Lord..." the elf said, glancing uncertainly at his prince, "it...it's a wolf!"

  "It is indeed," Arrinor nodded. "A wolf the Duke of Thonbor wishes to remain alive for the moment. Do you think it was this one?" he asked, turning to Braedan.

  "I don't know," Jack replied slowly. "If Eaolhar will give me a minute, I'll find out."

  Braedan could feel the young wolf's eyes burning a hole in his back. Turning slowly so not to startle the beast, he sank to one knee, meeting the wolf eye to eye. The young monster growled low and threatening, baring sharp white teeth.

  "Careful," Arrinor said quietly.

  "Was it you I felt young one?" Jack asked, pushing his thoughts out to the wolf.

  The young wolf's large ears pricked up and his shaggy head cocked sideways in confusion.

  "I mean you no harm," he said.

  The young wolf stopped growling and sniffed at the breeze as if searching for the scent of truth. Jack met his questioning gaze calmly, at the same time slowly lowering his sword to the ground and showing the wolf his empty hands.

  "See?"

  "You speak the language of the pack?" the wolf beamed, its thoughts awash with wonder. "How is that two-legs?"

  "I'll be damned," Arrinor whispered. "He can Mindspeak!"

  "Of course, he can Arri." Jack nodded, shooting the Ailfar prince a quick smile. "Why shouldn't he?"

  "I'll be damned." he repeated.

  "How are you called young one?" Jack asked, turning back to the wolf.

  Suddenly his mind was filled with the vision of a chubby wolf pup, hardly old enough to be away from his mother's side, frolicking about in a field covered with snow, yapping playfully as it tried to snatch the falling flakes from the air.

  "Snow Dancer?"

  "Snow Dancer," the wolf beamed. "Of the Green Valley Pack."

  “Snow Dancer of the Green Valley Pack," Jack smile reassuringly, "I am called..." He tried to picture himself in a way the young wolf could comprehend, forming an image of himself in shining mail, mounted on Eaudreuil. When the wolf whimpered with confusion, he quickly switched to another approach, simply opening his mind, pulling the young animal’s thoughts into him. Several images flashed through the wolf's mind in rapid succession, until it finally settled on a picture of a large, sand colored lion standing victoriously over the bloody corpse of a Krayga. Other creatures; a spotted fawn, a grizzled old brown bear, and a majestic Val'anna stallion knelt in supplication around him.

  "Great Lion?" the young wolf asked.

  "That's not quite what I was going for," Jack said aloud.

  "On the contrary," Arrinor laughed, having also seen the vision, "I think he is very perceptive."

  "Are they...speaking to each other highness?" Eaolhar asked his prince in wonder.

  "They are indeed," Arrinor replied, "Duke Jack is..."

  "Quiet you two," Jack muttered. "This isn't as easy as it looks. "What is your pack doing here Snow Dancer?" he asked the young wolf. "Hunting? This is the...range of the Ailfar. The forest people."

  "Not hunting," Snow Dancer replied. "Long Tooth knows not to take meat from the Tree Shadows range. We were fleeing the Summoning."

  "Who summons you, Snow Dancer?" Jack asked, though he thought perhaps he could guess.

  "Red Slayer," the cub beamed fearfully. He could only mean the dark-King Graith. “He calls to us in our dreams.”

  "Red Slayer sleeps!" Jack snarled, sounding much like a wolf himself. "I have been to his den."

  "Sleeps maybe, but the packs hear his voice in their dreams. Red Slayer calls the packs to the land of the Angry Mountain. If we come, he promises us the whole earth for our range."

  "Red Slayer lies to the packs," Jack beamed forcefully. "He only wants you to kill the Tree Shadows and other two-legs for him."

  "Long Tooth knows this. Long Tooth did not wish to sacrifice his pack in battle with Tree Shadows and Dragon Men. But the Tree Shadows hunted us down regardless. Does Great Lion mean to hunt Red Slayer?" the young wolf asked.

  "I do." Jack nodded.

  "You are strong Great Lion," Snow Dancer nodded. "But strong enough to hunt Red Slayer?"

  "We shall see," Jack sighed aloud. "Tell me Snow Dancer, if the Tree Shadows let you live, will go in peace and never return to the Tree Shadows range?"

  "Why would the Tree Shadows let me live? They hate all the packs!” the young wolf growled. “They have slain Long Tooth with flying teeth, though he just wished to live in peace, away from the Tree Shadows and from Red Slayer."

  "If you promise to go back to the Green Valley," Jack replied, "and never return to the Tree Shadows range, I will tell them to let you go free."

  "Great Lion speaks the truth Snow Dancer," Arrinor joined in. "If you promise never to return, you may leave in peace."

  "Is this your pack Tree Shadow Who Speaks Like a Wolf?" Snow Dancer asked. ”Or are you in the pack of Great Lion?”

  "My father is pack leader," Arrinor replied. "But he is kin of Great Lion. He will see no Tree Shadows hunt you."

  "On one condition," Jack added. "You must tell this to the packs. Great Lion means to kill Red Slayer and all who follow him. Whether they walk on two legs or four. To the lands of the Angry Mountain and beyond Where the Snow Never melts, he will hunt them. But he will not hunt the packs if they remain on their own range and do not answer the summons of Red Slayer. Do you agree to my terms Snow Dancer?"

  The young wolf studied Jack for a long minute, then to the amazement of all, began to creep forward on his belly. When he was only inches away, Jack stretched out his empty hand. The wolf sniffed at his palm tentatively, then licked his hand with a long, pink tongue. "I will tell them Great Lion."

  "Then go in peace Snow Dancer of the Green Valley Pack," Jack nodded.

  The young wolf rose from his place on the ground and shook his shaggy head. Looking up at Eaolhar, who still had his bow drawn and the arrow pointed menacingly, Snow Dancer gave a soft cuff of disdain, then pulled back his lips in a mocking, canine grin. "Tell this one never come to the Green Valley," Snow Dancer beamed at Braedan. "The son of Long Tooth has his sent. So long as the Tree Shadow stays on his own range, Snow Dancer’s teeth will not taste his blood."

  "I'll tell him," Jack promised.

  "Good hunting Great Lion," the young wolf said in parting, then quick as a flash, he was bounding away with great, loping strides.

  "Well Arrinor," Jack said, as he watched Snow Dancer quickly shrink to a silver blur in the distance. "What do you think? Will he keep his word?"

  "I sensed no deception," the prince replied. "I think you have given us one less wolf to worry about at least. And who can say? Perhaps when word spreads among the packs of...Great Lion, Red Slayer will not have as many allies as he'd planned when
it comes for us to face him."

  "That was certainly my intention," Jack nodded, bending to retrieve his sword. "By the way Eaolhar, if you're ever in a place that looks like it might be called Green Valley, I'd watch my back if I were you."

  "Your grace?" the Ailfar asked, confused.

  "That young wolf’s father was the leader of this pack," Arrinor explained to the Ailfar Ranger. "He didn't think kindly of you shooting him full of arrows."

  The main body came galloping up to join them as Jack sheathed his sword and climbed back into his saddle. Cilidon rode forward and quickly surveyed the area, then looked in the direction Snow Dancer had fled. "One escaped. A young male by the looks of it."

  "None escaped father," replied Arrinor.

  "Are those not wolf tracks leading to the northwest?"

  "They are wolf tracks right enough," the prince nodded, "but he did not escape. We sort of...well..."

  "We let him go," Jack finished.

  "Oh?" Cilidon raised an eyebrow in uncharacteristic surprise, and Arrinor quickly recounted what had happened.

  "I see," the Ailfar king nodded thoughtfully. "And this young wolf is now what? A messenger to the packs?"

  "We hope so father," replied the prince.

  "And he said...Red Slayer was summoning them south through...their dreams?"

  "He did," answered Jack, looking quickly at Ailicia.

  "Do you think it would be possible?" the Ailfar princess asked excitedly. "I will try..."

  "No!" Cilidon interrupted seconds before Lady Ara’fael. "Not without the protection of another Dreamwalker."

  "As you wish father," Ailicia nodded, glancing furtively at Braedan. "Not without another Dreamwalker."

  "Resume point Eaolhar," Cilidon commanded. "Captain Beltran, reform the company.”

  As the column began to move once more, leaving the slain wolves where they lay, Jack guided Eaudreuil to Ailicia’s side. “I thought you said it was too dangerous,” he whispered.

  “We cannot pass up this opportunity to learn how He is summoning the packs,” she replied, her voice barely audible.

  “Jack Hawkfinder,” Cilidon called back to him.

  “Highness?”

  “Please explain to me again this covenant you and Arrinor saw fit to make in my name.” the Ailfar king sighed wearily. “I would not have it said, even among wolves the Ailfar do not abide by their treaties.”

  “Of course, my Lord Cilidon,” Jack smiled. “Exactly what part do you not understand?”

  They made camp an hour before sunset, about twenty leagues south of the border of Ail’itharain. After everyone had eaten a quick meal and seen to their horses, Cilidon’s Rangers took up a patrol around the perimeter while the men of Brydium took turns at watch inside the circle of the camp. Trying not to draw any undue attention, especially from Lady Ara’fael, Braedan spread out his bed roll a few feet from Princess Ailicia. When no one was watching, he attracted her attention and silently mouthed, “Where?”

  “I will find you,” she whispered.

  “Eaudreuil,” Jack called out. The stallion had wandered away to munch contentedly on the think grass of the Greenrun.

  “Horse-brother?”

  “I want you to watch over Morning Flower,” he instructed the Val’anna. "If you sense anything...happening, anything at all, wake her immediately."

  "I sense danger even now," Eaudreuil said anxiously, walking over to join him. "Be careful Horse-brother."

  "Don't worry about me," Jack replied. "Just watch Ailicia."

  "I will," the roan nodded.

  "What are you two up to?" Arrinor whispered, taking a seat on the ground beside Braedan. Belatedly, Jack realized he had neglected to guard his thoughts and the Ailfar prince had overheard their Mindspeak. "Why does Eaudreuil need to watch Ailicia?"

  "No questions Arri," Jack pleaded. "Will you watch me? Will you wake me if it looks like I'm in...trouble?"

  "What possible trouble could you get into while you are sleep..." He glanced quickly at Ailicia, who purposefully avoided his gaze. Understanding suddenly dawned on him. "Are you saying you can..."

  "Please," Jack whispered. "Just keep watch and wake me at the first sign of trouble."

  Arrinor regarded him silently for a long minute. "Take care of my sister Great Lion," he finally nodded.

  "I will," Jack promised, wrapping his blanket around his shoulders and closing his eyes. Just before he drifted off to sleep, far in the distance, he heard the haunting cry of a lone wolf.

  Then the dream took him.

  He was alone in the vast expanse of the Greenrun, sitting before a small fire, beneath a star-filled night sky, roasting marshmallows on a stick of all things. It was certainly not what he'd intended. He had tried for his suite at Count Arthol's again, but obviously he didn't have as much control over Dreamwalking as he thought. At least he hadn't dreamed himself back into the horrid abomination of Ellgenn's hall in Dorshev. Jack held his marshmallow closer to the flame and waited.

  It was not long until he heard soft footsteps behind him. "Cousin," Ailicia whispered.

  "That was quick," Jack grinned, turning at the sound of her voice. "Do you want a marsh..." But when he saw the Ailfar princess with bow drawn and arrow notched, looking about fearfully, his smile vanished.

  "What's wrong?" he cried, jumping to his feet.

  "We are in someone's dream!" she hissed.

  "What?" The stick in his hand instantly transformed into Grimrorr. "How? Whose?"

  "His I would guess," Ailicia replied uneasily, pointing her bow at a silhouette on the outer edge of the campfire's glow. As Jack wheeled to confront the shadow, a large gray wolf stepped into the circle of light.

  "Have you forgotten your covenant so soon Great Lion?" the wolf inquired.

  "Who are you?" Jack asked warily. Pushing his thoughts out toward the wolf, he was surprised to encounter a barrier stronger than any he'd ever experience. Maybe even strong than he could make.

  "I am Long Tooth," the wolf replied calmly, then sat down on the grass and began to lick his gray coat.

  "Snow Dancer's father?" Jack asked. "But you're..."

  "Dead?" the wolf cuffed in amusement. "Not everything the Tree Shadows intend comes to pass."

  "Then...how...?"

  "What is death?" Long Tooth inquired. "Does the Great Maker not promise even two-legs a life beyond your present one?"

  Jack nodded, relaxing slightly.

  "For the packs the promise is to come here."

  "To the Land of Dreams?"

  "What Land of Dreams?" the wolf asked. "When you leave this place, I will still be. How can you say then, this is a dream?"

  "I have never saw your kind here before Long Tooth." Ailicia said, entering the conversation, apparently unaware she was Mindspeaking.

  "I would be surprised if you had Morning Flower." the wolf laughed. "As much noise as you make."

  "Noise!" Ailicia bristled, "I am not..."

  "If our females hunted as badly as you," Long Tooth interrupted teasingly, "the packs would not survive the first snow. Is this your mate Great Lion? If you taught her to hunt you will never catch Red Slayer."

  "Morning Flower is not my mate," Jack smiled, amused by the wolf's rebuke. "She is my...sister."

  "And that excuses you?" the wolf snorted.

  "Why are you doing here Long Tooth?" Jack asked.

  "Have we not already answered your question?"

  "No. Why are you...here?" Jack emphasized. "Talking with us."

  "I came to see the one who spared Snow Dancer," the wolf explained, regarding Braedan curiously. "And to ask Great Lion why he asks the packs to ignore Red Slayer's summons? He promises us the whole earth for our range. You only promise not to hunt us if we keep to ourselves."

  "The same reason most likely you ignored the summons," Jack countered. "So Snow Dancer can live without being hunted by Tree Shadows and your cubs can grow to fullness free from fear. Red Slayer promises you only death in battle a
nd something which is not his to give."

  "Fair sounding words," Long Tooth admitted. "But if you should lose Great Lion? What then? If the packs do not come to Red Slayer's call, his wrath will be great. I was leading my pack as far away from these lands as we could travel. If we live only another generation, it would be better than dying for the One who Sleeps.”

  "Then we will just have to make sure I don't lose," Jack replied, an idea suddenly taking shape.

  "We?" the wolf asked.

  "Together we can defeat Red Slayer," Jack said.

  "Together? The packs and the two-legs have been enemies for generations beyond counting. All save the man beasts under Red Slayer’s sway. And even they hate us."

  "I do not think it was always so," Jack replied slowly. "I think in the beginning, all the Great Maker's creatures lived together in harmony. Join me and we can make it so again."

  The gray wolf studied Jack thoughtfully, conflicting emotions battling for mastery behind his intelligent blue eyes. "For the packs to live without fear of being hunted would be a great boon, but I cannot speak for others on this matter. I no longer even speak for the wolves of Green Valley. I must confer with my brothers," he said, rising to all fours.

  "It is all I ask Long Tooth," Jack nodded. "Tell the packs Great Lion wishes to live in peace with all creatures. But if there is to be peace, it will only come with the defeat of Red Slayer. And to do this he will need their help."

  "I will call a pack circle with those who have yet to answer his Summoning," the wolf informed him. "I will present your offer. More I cannot promise."

  "When will I know your decision?" Jack asked.

  "Before the sun sets again you will have our reply," Long Tooth said, and without warning, the wolf simply disappeared, leaving Jack and Ailicia alone in the Land of Dreams.

  "Come cousin," Ailicia said, moving quickly to Jack's side and taking his arm. "It is time to be going."

  "But we haven't learned how Graith is calling the packs," he argued.

  "We have learned enough for one night," the princess replied.

  "Could you feel him?" Jack asked, reluctant to break contact with the wolf dream. "His mind was as strong as, perhaps stronger than Eaudreuil's."