Interlude: Howl for Night Skies

AnwnThe RealmsFirstday, 4th week of the 7th month, Godless Age 597SunsetOutside the Starchaser Village, Mistvale Highlands

Anwn glared at the three young idiots in front of her. "You have less subtlety than a Rockspine. What possessed you to attack a fellow Starchaser and the Council's guest on the most-traveled trail from the village? Consequences. You have not faced enough of them in your life, Neifion. I will fix that for you." She paced back and forth in front of them. A nervous habit, but was also an expression of frustration, so she allowed it to herself. "I can forgive the motive behind your actions, but not the thoughtlessness of acting in the way you have. You prove yourself no better than the beasts humans think us to be by attacking without thought for the consequences. Rabid dogs must be put down; your jobs are to convince me that you are merely poorly-trained, not rabid. You will do so by following my orders to the letter without complaint."

"But Councillor—"

"Without complaint!" Anwn snarled. Tension coiled up within her like a mistscale viper, and her pack reacted. Her brothers and sisters growled and bared their teeth at their captives. "Do you want to be exiled? I can arrange it if you would prefer that punishment. That is what your idiocy should have resulted in; law and tradition are both clear on guest-right. I am doing you a favor. I do not expect gratitude, but I do expect obedience." Anwn felt her lips starting to curl back and forced herself to calm down. "Now. Neifion, you were the one to come up with this plot, so you will patrol the southern border for the next six months. When you return, I want a detailed record of every interaction you had with humans. I will be asking your teammates as well, and if your report lacks any detail compared to theirs, your punishment will continue. Cadwaladr, Brys, your assignments are different. You will patrol the east and west borders, where humans are rare. Instead, you will give me an essay on the difference in leadership styles and motivational techniques between your squad leaders and Neifion. Just like with him, if the quality of your answers dissatisfies me, I will extend your punishment. Are we clear?"

Cadwaladr and Brys gave affirmative, if weak, replies. Neifion, however, held his head high and attempted to stare Anwn down. She whistled; Fur-Dappled-Like-Sunlight and Fangs-Gleaming-In-Darkness lunged forward, latching onto Neifion's forelegs and forcing him to kneel. They growled at him and tightened their jaws when he tried to rise again. Anwn stalked towards him until she was close enough that she had to bend down to keep her eyes on his. "You will learn to think beyond your wants, Neifion, or you will no longer be a member of this tribe. Those are the options before you. The second is easier for me than the first, so please, if you prefer it, let me know."

It took several seconds, but the colt lowered his head and ground out through clenched teeth, "I understand, Councillor."

Anwn took a step back and snorted. "I am not convinced that you do, but I will take your word for it—for now." She gave her brother and sister a hand gesture, and the two wolves released Neifion. "Return to the village and do not leave again without my permission. I will assign you to squads tomorrow; I have dealt with enough of your foolishness for tonight." Neifion glared at her, then whirled and leaped into a gallop. His lackeys left at a more sedate pace. Once they were out of sight, Anwn rubbed her forehead. "Why did I ever let them talk me into this?"

Paws-Soft-As-Snow butted his head against Anwn's flank and nipped at her knee. She laughed and tapped his nose, then ruffled the fur on his neck. "None of that, you rascal. Not now." She spent another minute petting him, then pushed him away. The pack was restless; too much time spent within shouting distance of the village. They formed up around Anwn as she set off towards their home, eager to leave the trappings of civilization behind. Together with her brothers and sisters, Anwn raced through the brush, swift and silent. With every passing moment, she felt the tension drain from her. Anwn was back in her element now; compared to the complex, layered rules shaping interactions with the tribe, the wolves' rules were direct and intuitive. Defend the pack and provide for your family, that was the heart and soul of it.

As Anwn entered the canyon that housed her home, a howl from above brought a smile to her lips. She recognized Sings-The-Stars'-Songs's voice and cupped her hands around her mouth, raising her voice to acknowledge her sister's greeting. All around her, both on the ground and up on the heights, her family welcomed each other. It was raucous and even with her Beast Tongue Skill and years of experience, Anwn could hardly follow all the individual messages, but this was home. Here she was free of expectations and worry about her place in society. This was her family, and she knew how to act around them.

The rest of the pack split off from her in ones and twos as she trotted up the path towards the cave they used as a den. Some left to bathe, others to hunt, and others still to spend time with their friends or mates. By the time she slowed to a walk and entered her home, only Snowy was still at Anwn's side, with Starsong running to join them. Glowing-Eyes-Of-Gold and Always-Up-To-Mischief looked up as the trio walked in. "Good evening, Goldeneyes, Mischief," Anwn greeted her adopted mother and father. The Patriarch flicked his ear in acknowledgment but settled back down to rest. He was ancient for a wolf, nearing twenty years old, and rarely left the den these days. His mate, Mischief, was a few years younger and more active.

Anwn poked her head into the larder. "Ah! Well done!" The pack had been busy while she was out doing Starchaser business; the majority of a caribou carcass was strewn about the floor. Anwn set about butchering the kill, dividing it into portions and storing the meat in specially-enchanted cubbyholes that would preserve it until one of the pack retrieved it to eat. Once she finished, she bundled the bones and hide together and stored them in a separate cubby; these she would take back to the village with her. Work done, Anwn fetched a caribou steak a little larger than she would be able to eat by herself and headed off to the kitchen.

Snowy and Starsong were already waiting for her, the latter more patiently than the former. Paws-Soft-As-Snow bounded up to Anwn, barking and crouching, his tail wagging energetically. "Yes, yes," Anwn laughed, "you can have some of my food, and then we can play. Settle down now, I have not eaten since last night, and if you want anything from me later, you will need to let me eat." He barked at her again, rubbed his head against her abdomen, then rushed off. "I love you too, even if you do have too much energy!" She smiled to herself and shook her head. The whole pack was her family, but some were closer to her than others.