“And even the pups in my pack are more than a match for your pet dog.”

As if by signal, the pack came out of the cave and surrounded them.  “Perhaps, Scar,” suggested Kodan as I came out of hiding and stood next to him, “You should learn to count better before you say that.”

“Now,” announced Papa, “I am sure you realize that under the Code of the Wolf, I have as good a right to both of your heads as any wolf ever had against another.”

There were growls of assent from the pack.  I couldn’t tell under the fur, but from the expression on his face I guessed that Kava was probably turning pale.  Scar, on the other hand, stared back at us all in defiance.  “Try it if you dare.  You will soon pay when my pack finds out.”

Papa narrowed his eyes.  “I wasn’t finished,” he continued.  “I will deal mercifully with you for now.  Kava, you will remain here as our prisoner.  Scar, you will be allowed to go free, with a message to your pack.  The Bear Rock pack hereby declares war on the Black Claw pack for spying and attempted usurping.  Since I know you keep secrets even from your own people, any who had no knowledge of your scheming and do not wish to be involved in the fight will be given the chance to before the battle, and they shall go free.  You and all who stand with you will pay for your intrusion.  Those are the terms.”

Scar considered.  “Alright,” he said, “I accept your terms.  Kava is yours to do with as you will.”

“Father, don’t leave me!” protested Kava.  But he was met with a stony gaze from Scar.

“No failure like you is any blood of mine.  You are no longer my son or a member of the Black Claw pack.”  And with that, he trotted away through the gap that was made for him in the circle.  Beast though he was, I felt sorry for Kava.

At the edge of the woods Scar turned back.  “You can’t win, Sequoia.  One day your pack and all your territory will be mine.”  And he disappeared into the trees.

“He will prepare his pack for an assault,” Sequoia predicted as he turned to the rest of our pack.  “We meet the Black Claw Pack tomorrow at dawn!”  Then he focused an angry gaze on Kava.  “I should kill you now for trying to meddle with my daughter, but I will honor the agreement with your father.”  He rattled off the names of five or six wolves and ordered, “Keep this excuse for a wolf confined until further notice.  Make sure he is uncomfortable.”

Part 6: Kodan 

Kava was imprisoned in a small cave, which was then barricaded with large branches weighed down with rocks.  There were gaps big enough for air and food, and snow was pushed through to provide him with water, but no space was big enough to escape.  Just in case, a watch was posted on the cave day and night.  We tried to question him but got no answers.

Sequoia explained everything that was going on to the members of the pack, since some of them didn’t know yet and Taro had only given them a brief explanation when he woke them moments ago.  I was a bit embarrassed when Sequoia told them of my part in exposing the plot, overstating my work considerably.  ‘If he’s this good about someone just being in the right place at the right time, I wonder how much fanfare there would be if I’d actually done something,’ I thought.

“Aniu’s the real hero,” I protested, and proceeded to describe how she had endured Kava’s affections in order to keep him distracted.  I knew all the details, having watched every minute of it from the bushes all week.

The next morning we rallied for the attack.  The Red Sun and White River packs had arrived, and Sequoia coordinated the battle plans with their leaders.  I asked to be put in the front lines, as did Aniu.  But Sequoia shook his head.  “You, Aniu, will not be in this battle.  Neither will you, Kodan.”

“What?” we asked in unison.

“I object!” I burst out, forgetting for the moment that I was addressing an alpha.

“So do I!” put in Aniu.

Sequoia looked at her.  “Wars are ugly business when females are sent to fight, especially young ones.”

Aniu looked flabbergasted.  “I’m not a pup anymore, and I’m not afraid!  I can fight, and I should!”

“A pup you may not be, but you are still young.  And I never said you were afraid.  But it is best when the males go to war.  Such is our custom.  Besides, you’re my eldest child, my heir.  I can’t put you at risk.  If I fall, you must still be around to lead the pack.”

“Mama is in the fight!” protested Aniu.  I thought about pointing out to her that using words like “Mama” wasn’t the best way to win this kind of argument, but I decided to let it drop.

“Your mother wishes to fight beside me, and as my co-ruler she has that right.  You, on the other hand, are still under our authority, and she and I have agreed that you will not fight.”  Looking at me he added, “As for you, Kodan, I don’t doubt that you would fight with honor.  But you must also stay out of the battle.  You are a guest, and I cannot ask you to fight our war.”

“Then make me a member of the pack so I can fight!” I insisted.

Sequoia considered.  “Very well,” he agreed.  “I will give you a part.”

“Anything, sir!” I barked eagerly.

“Wait a minute…” protested Aniu.

“I haven’t finished,” Sequoia said.  “Kodan, it will be your job to make certain that Aniu stays out of danger.  As a member of the pack, you are now under my direct orders to stay out and to make sure she does likewise.”

I felt like an idiot.  ‘Should have seen that one coming,’ I thought.  But I had agreed to do whatever he told me, and I could certainly think of worse jobs than guarding Aniu.  It certainly hadn’t been boring so far.

“And Aniu,” Sequoia added, “As the oldest of my children, it will be your job to lead the pack if I fall in the battle.  Then it will be your time to fight if you must.”  He looked deep into her eyes.  “I am giving you a great responsibility.  Don’t waste it.”

Aniu bowed her head.  “Yes, Papa.”

He nodded.  “Good.  Now, get to a safe place.  You may watch the battle, but you must not get involved.  Stay out of the fighting at any cost!”

“Come on, Aniu,” I said.  “He’s in charge, and he is your father.  Let’s head to that hill, where we can at least see what happens.”

She nodded, but I could see from the look on her face that if any harm came to her parents, I would be risking my life if I tried to stop her from entering the fight.

‘So be it,’ I decided.  I would never forgive myself if she were harmed, even if preventing it would mean that she might never forgive me.

The Black Claw Pack came charging over the hills like a wave of fur, ready to attack.  As Aniu and I watched, I could literally feel the vibrations from her growling despite the one-foot gap between us.  “Relax,” I told her.  “They’ll be all right.”

“You don’t understand,” she said.  “You don’t understand what it’s like to face losing everyone you have.”

I shook my head.  “Aniu, I already did.”

Scar let out a howl of fury as he charged, with his entire pack behind him.  I couldn’t count them because they were moving too quickly, but the numbers didn’t look good.

Scar pulled his pack to a halt.  “Sequoia!” he shouted.  “You have kidnapped my son!  Now I have come to avenge your insult!”

Sequoia stood at the top of the hill flanked on either side by wolves from our pack.  “Scar, you sent your son to spy on us, and to steal my daughter.  When we caught him in his treachery you surrendered him entirely to us.  Today, you will pay the price for your intrusion.  I promised that anyone with you who was unaware of your treachery would be spared.  I repeat that promise now, where your pack can hear it directly.  Anyone who surrenders now will go free unharmed.  If you do not, I swear by the sun above us that before it sets, you will all die.”

Even from my distance, I could see the whites of Scar’s eyes as their lids shot upward.  “It’s a trick!” he shouted.  “If you go, he’ll pick you off like caribou separated from the herd!”

“Give up in peace, or die.”

“Any deserter will be instantly killed!” threatened Scar.  “Don’t listen to him!”

Apparently most of his pack knew him well enough to guess the true trickster.  A third of the wolves broke off and fled to the hills on one side or the trees on the other.  “Get them!” screamed Scar.  Several more wolves sprinted after the deserters, unaware that we had wolves of our own planted in both places.  As long as the runaways reached a place out of sight from the main Black Claw pack, they would be fine.  Their pursuers would not be so fortunate.

As we had hoped, Scar interpreted the yelps of terror and pain he heard as coming from the deserters.  “Who else wants to run off?” he asked.  Nobody answered.  “Attack!” he shouted, running forward.

“Forward for honor!” howled Sequoia, as his small army charged too.

The sight of the clash was hideous.  Teeth and claws flashed, and the air was filled with more cries of pain and fear than I want to think about counting.  I watched, keeping an eye out to either side.

At first it looked as though the Black Claw pack would win.  But then as they began to press back our side, I saw two waves of powerful, furry bodies coming out of the places where the deserters from Scar’s pack had fled to.  The reinforcements were coming and, to my surprise, so were some of the deserters.  “Aniu, look!” I said.  “We have some new members!  The deserters are on our side now!”

But Aniu