gave him a look.
''What is your problem Chester?'' she whispered, not wanting to be heard by the others.
Chester just shook his head and gazed up at the wolves gathered on the shelves. He repressed a shiver.
Lance was amazed at the sheer size of the cave, as well as the bright crystals that lit up the entire area.
''This is just amazing! Where did you find this place?'' he asked.
''We found it a few months ago, when we came back across the great water in search of food. The caribou ran out and we had to leave our last shelter'' Aleu replied.
''So, you've been here all this time and you didn't try to contact us?" Balto asked, feeling a pang of hurt. Aleu sighed.
''I really wanted to Papa, but you know how the humans react to wolves. I couldn't risk it. But, it doesn't matter now. Your here!'' she smiled. Balto nuzzled her as they continued walking.
“So, how many wolves are there in the clan Aleu?'' Jenna asked.
''About three hundred, give or take" Sirius answered. Dingo whistled.
''Wow! That must be hard work, keeping them all in check!'' he chuckled.
''Not exactly. With a leader like Aleu, it's not hard keeping order" Sirius said.
''Yeah. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side! I know that from past experience!'' Dingo smirked.
Sirius just nodded. The group continued through the cave until they came to another rock wall where several shelves jutted out. Aleu stopped and turned to the group with a sly smile.
''I hope you can climb!'' she said, as she began to climb up the shelves. Chester's jaw dropped slightly.
"You must be joking!'' he exclaimed. Stacy just sighed.
"Oh stop complaining and get a hold of Max!'' she gestured to the little white pup asleep on her back. Chester sighed, then picked up the little pup in his mouth and padded toward the wall.
After a few moments, everyone had managed to climb up to twelfth shelf where a large alcove was cut into the rock wall. Sirius gestured to Chester and Stacy.
"You can sleep in here. It's quite spacious, and it's close to the nursery should you need it" he looked at the little pups on Chester’s back.
''Thank you very much'' Stacy smiled, before slipping inside the alcove. Chester regarded it briefly, before following her inside. Sirius turned to Balto.
''I get the impression that your friend is uncomfortable with all of this''
Balto smiled ''Just give him some time; he'll come round eventually. Let him get over the shock''
Sirius nodded, then gestured up to the other shelves above ''The rest of you can sleep up there. I'll show you around. Aleu, shouldn't you be assembling the council? We need to discuss the.... you know what''
Aleu nodded ''Okay. I'll see you all later'' she smiled at the group, and then padded down the shelves and down a different passage.
Sirius led the rest of the group up another six shelves to the very top, where several alcoves were cut into the rock.
''Take your pick. They're all quite comfortable'' Sirius said, before padding up to a gray wolf stood on guard. They spoke briefly just out of earshot, then the other wolf padded away.
Dingo glanced inside one of the alcoves ''Looks nice. Okay, who's bunking in with me?'' he grinned. After a pause, Saba took a step forward.
''I will, though I'll probably regret it'' she smirked, before padding inside. Dingo chuckled.
''I have to warn you. I'm known to snore'' he smirked before padding in after her. Lance felt a pang of anger at another wasted opportunity.
''Not again!'' he thought, furious with himself.
Balto noticed him staring at the floor ''Lance, you okay?''
Lance looked up ''Hmm? Oh...yeah I'm fine'' he smiled as he padded up to the alcove adjacent to Saba and Dingo's.
''I'll take this one if no one minds'' he said before padding inside. Balto smiled at Jenna.
''Well, looks like it's just you and me then'' he chuckled. Jenna smiled.
''I think I can handle that. As long as it's not a permanent arrangement'' she nuzzled him before padding inside. Balto was about to follow her when Sirius stepped in front of him.
''Balto, I need you to accompany me to the council meeting'' from his expression, Balto could tell that it was a serious matter.
''Well, can't it wait?'' he asked. Sirius shook his head.
''I'm afraid not. It's the reason why you were brought here''
Balto realized that Sirius wasn't going to back down, and reluctantly followed the black wolf down the shelves and down a dark passageway. When the narrow passageway ended, Balto found himself inside a large circular room lit up by several crystals on a raised podium in the very center of the room. Two wolves guarded the entrance. Sirius padded up to them.
''He has authority. Allow him to pass'' he directed to the wolves.
''Yes sir'' one of them said, before both stepped aside and allowed them to pass through.
Balto saw ten other wolves seated around the chamber, their faces somber and their gaze as hard as flint.
''Something serious must be going on'' he thought, as Sirius escorted him to a place right in front of the podium.
''You can sit here. You'll be able to hear everything that is said. Then we'll talk''
Balto just nodded, as Sirius padded up onto the podium. The chamber fell as silent as a grave as he let out a howl, then turned to each wolf in turn.
''Brothers and sisters, this is as you all know a delicate time for all of us. It is my somber duty to report the deaths of twenty-five of our security force''
The wolves gathered all bowed their heads, and Balto felt obligated to do the same. Sirius gestured to a brown wolf with white paws sat close to Balto.
''Jaxx, as head of our security I want you to tell all assembled what happened''
The brown wolf, Jaxx, stood up and walked onto the podium.
''This...tragedy, happened in the early hours of yesterday morning. We have only just in the last hour compiled the exact number of dead. We were attacked, unprovoked and without warning, whilst we were on patrol. We didn't stand a chance''
''There were thirty of us when we left the cave, and by the end of the attack there were just five of us left alive, myself included. The attack must have lasted less than a minute''
This comment was met by an outburst of whispering by the other wolves assembled.
''How is that possible?'' one of the wolves yelled above the noise.
''I believe that we are dealing with a pack of raiders, judging by the fighting skills I witnessed''
''Raiders?'' another wolf commented. ''How is that possible? There are no raiders in this region!''
Jaxx huffed ''Well obviously we were wrong in assuming that!'' he scowled, silencing the other wolf.
Sirius cleared his throat ''Do you think that this raider party have any connection with the Zaniks Jaxx?''
Jaxx nodded ''It's a possibility. I didn't have time to make out the scent, but it was familiar''
Sirius sighed ''Then we're dealing with an enemy that resorts to raider parties?''
''It seems likely Sirius'' Jaxx responded.
''What about the injured? Are they still able to fight?''
''I'm not sure. I will have to check on them later, but I doubt it'' Jaxx said.
Sirius nodded ''Thank you Jaxx''
Jaxx bowed, then padded off the podium and sat back down. Sirius turned to the council.
''It is now obvious that we cannot discuss peace terms. I had hoped to avoid this, but it is clear the Zaniks have shown hostile intentions to our clan, and therefore we must act''
One of the older looking wolves stood up ''Has it really come to that Sirius? A war? We have only been settled here but a few months, and you are talking about open warfare with the Zanik clan? We do not even know if this raider party is involved with the Zaniks!''
Sirius frowned ''We have tried to discuss peace Tanner! But we have been met by silence from the Zaniks! Do not forget that they killed the two messengers we sent! That was clearly open hostility, and yet we did nothing. We cannot afford to make the same mistake twice!''
Tanner sighed, and then sat back down defeated.
''I understand your reluctance Tanner. But we cannot afford to jeopardize the safety of this clan. We are not alone in this''
Jaxx looked up ''You are referring to the attacks in the town Sirius?''
Sirius nodded ''I am. I believe that the attacks are linked to the Zaniks in some way, and if this is true then we risk the threat of human intervention''
Sirius went silent as Aleu stood on the podium.
''I've heard what has been said, and I regret to say that I agree with Sirius. The Zanik clan has shown open hostility to us, and this latest attack proves it. We need to get a new team assembled, and other fighters''
Sirius nodded ''That is the decision of the Alpha. We will meet again to discuss further at another time. Dismissed''
The other wolves in the room made their way somberly out of the chamber. Sirius padded over to Balto, his face ashen.
''I suppose you now know why you were brought here?''
Balto shook his head ''I still don't understand what all this has to do with me''
''Balto, we want you to lead the new security team''
''What?'' Balto asked.
''Come, I have something else to show you''
Reluctantly, Balto followed Sirius out of the chamber.
-------------------------------------------------------
Saba had never seen anything like it in her life.
She had been exploring the cave when she had come across an unguarded chamber. Intrigued, she had decided to look around, and had been met by an awful sight of suffering.
Inside the chamber was the horrific aftermath of the raider attack. There were at least five wolves all of them
5882 visits
Report this fanfic 
But
I still like this fanfic; write on Balto 123!
