them field in diplomacy! Our recent doctrine of not acknowledging existence of Talbourne as organization…”

“…is right.” Interrupted Kova. “But at this moment unfortunately impossible to carry on. If you want Ian back, we must talk with them.”

“Bastards…” whispered Tulo.

“If that is the only way to get him back…” said January. He looked on Kaata and she nodded. “Right, so what mother said?”

“She allowed on negotiations, but under few conditions.” Said silverfurred. “She want it to be dealt on the highest possible level. I mean we will talk with alpha or someone in temporally charge of alpha.”

“They have a problem with that.” Noticed Apu.

“So we will accept any children of Aleu, Dash or Saba that is appointed by their HQ. But we can’t aim lower. We must talk with some real authority.”

“Right.” Nodded January. “But I guess if they put their big-heads into case, they also could expect us to send someone important. Haven’t my mother thought about that?”

“She want you to do it.” Explained silverfurred

“Wow.” Smiled January. “I feel flattered and flooded with trust.”

“I guess when you are negotiating you are not fighting.” Noticed Kaata. “That was probably one of main reasons for lady Ea.”

It was, but not only. Kaata was an intelligent wolfess, used to fast and large political thinking. She knew that if January entered the diplomacy pacting with enemy it would be meaningful for both sides. For four years of war – in times of Steele and after his death – the Pack refused to have any negotiations with Talbourne clan. Simply – it never admitted that Talbourne was one organization. Steele created the Pack as defenders of Old Order, the institutions of pack and family. Malamute used to say that Talbourne didn’t exist – it was not being, but a crack of being – pure gathering of absurd and impossibility. He simply denied Talbourne and considered it as ill even in most basic, ontological sense. That had a serious consequences – no diplomacy dealings between sides of conflict. Also it caused that almost never prisoners were taken. There was simply no way to trade with them. Those unfortunate soldiers who were caught, were killed or quickly retaken by their companions before execution.

But changing that meant much.  Somehow the Pack was softening its course – talks with enemy was indirect admitting that the other side had a right to existence. But there was other, perhaps even greater consequence of that, in the Pack itself. January was to became de iure head of his clan. He was about to speak in name of whole Pack, what was unthinkable earlier. Steele’s principle of denying any form of wolf-state was seriously twisted. And Kaata knew something more – Ea never fully shared dreams of her mate. She preferred to see her son as a head of clan-like empire over whole Alaska, as of the Pack became simply the new and better Talbourne. Making January – even temporally – officially political (not only military) head of coalition in fact was making her desires closer to come true.

“Dad wouldn’t do it.” Murmured January. He wasn’t aware of all consequences of own decision, however he sensed some dangers. “But still, we have to save Ian. Right, I will carry out those negotiations. So, pack! Let’s go!”

“Wait!” yelled Kova. “You said that you…”

“I will talk with them.” Interrupted malawolf. “My mother forbade me to search for Ian, but she ordered me to organize a prisoner-trade. So I’m doing it now.”

“But where…”

“How many POW we have in stock?” asked January smiling. “I must collect few in order to have any stake to gamble. Mom said she doesn’t agree on trek to Home Cave. But I’m sure she has nothing against a small foray.” Then son of Steele turned back and set off to prepare his pack.

Officers and Kaata were looking after him for some time, then alpha-gamma Wiker waged to scouts to go to sleeping quarters. On peak of hill soon stayed only Kova and Kaata. They were looking on January as he was preparing his wolves to march out.

“We aren’t prepared for that.” Noticed Kaata. “Father hadn’t given me any forced to watch over him and…”
”Kaata, my child.” Interrupted her Kova. “He is warrior himself. He doesn’t need a pupsitting anymore. He will be fine.”

“I hope…” murmured silvefurred with uncertainness in her voice. “But except of that problem all else is going unexpectedly smoothly. Exactly as lady Ea and my father have predicted.” She smiled with pride, but after several seconds her merry expression died. She was well aware what that meant for her.

*

Maya was walking thought square in front of Main Cave, passing countless wolves waiting there. Tram was at her side, as for the most time in last few days. Her cousin stayed always close to her, giving her at least some partial comfort and self-confidence. But she also was hearing strange voices and strange sentences, always told with whisper and often cut in half.

“That degenerate… inbreed.” Was whispering crowd, discretely looking on Tram. Of course when Saba’s son turned his stare on it, whisper stopped, but soon after it sounded again. “And he want to take his cousin as a mate, to carry on that wicked habit of his parents.”

But in nameless gathering of wolves she also heard another utters, about Sheik and that he was rejected by father. It was partially true, because Shadow didn’t wanted his son to take a lead after him. But in core that was a lie, because old alpha died, assuring his child he loved him. Maya was sick of those mistaken rumours and couldn’t understand that Tram smiled many times, hearing about Sheik’s argument with father.

“Just ignore it.” Said to Maya, although he was listening himself carefully. “They always talk like that.” It was early afternoon after strange alarm in Valley, when ones said that guardians caught a spy in Home Region.

That “spy” was still guarded in side chamber of Main Cave. Teele was yet unable to take him over, so she just sent there four intelligence wolves to guard over him. Tenu got known about strange guest and announced he would interrogate himself. No one was happy about that, but mercenary’s will couldn’t be ignored. But for a while Ian was still unconscious, lying in cave. Just next to him was waiting Flame.

First sign of awareness prisoner gave just before the dusk. He moaned heavily, most likely after pressing damaged joint. It wasn’t any actual fracture, but fall to river wasn’t the best caress for brownfurred. He hit in one of boulders in creek’s bed with front-right paw, that damaged one. It held, but knee-joint was swollen. That pleased Cayce, because then POW had no strength to escape.

When Flame heard her son’s moan she raised he head and gently licked his ear. Wolf was slowly awaking and finally whispered with dreamy voice. “Mother…” then he opened his eyes.

“Ian, my dear…” uttered wolfess with voice shivering with emotions.

“Mother…” said scout, slowly coming back to senses. Then he seemed to recall what had happened. “I… I…” he muttered and recoiled back from mother’s hug. „Mother...” said with rigid, official voice. “I’m a prisoner.”

“Son… I… can’t believe I’m seeing you.” She said, looking on his surprised. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

“I am, mother…” said POW with voice that was suggesting something opposite. “But I’m a Pack’s soldier.”

“You are my son…” said Flame.

“Sorry, mother.” Replied scout. “Your son died that day in Team’s Qualifications.”

Flame closed her eyes, then two tears escaped from under her eyelids. She crawled closed to Ian and in spite he stayed tensed, he she hugged him again. She started to whisper with shivering voice.

“I’m so sorry, my dear… We thought you were dead. If we had a slightest idea that you may have survived we would looked for you day and night. But it was miracle. Miracle that you survived and returned to us.”

“Mother…” said Ian with embarrassed tone. “You don’t understand… I’m a Pack’s soldier. I was captured while I was on mission here. I’m… the enemy.”

“But how?” she exclaimed. “How did you survived… and why haven’t you return earlier?”

“Mother…” started Ian. “You must understand that… that your son is dead. He died three years ago. I’m from the Pack.”

“But… what are talking about… You are my son!” she cried.

“I’m sergeant Ian of scout unit, serving in RAIA under sir Varjo. That’s all I’m allowed to tell you.” Said scout, trying to stand up. But his wounded paw kept him down. However he again backed from his mother’s embrace.

“How it happened?” sobbed Flame, and even she wasn’t sure if she asked how Ian survived or how he had changed on that way.

“I’m terribly sorry, mother.” He replied. “I can’t tell you. The Pack is at the state of war with Talbourne. You are Talbourne.”

“Am I enemy? Your enemy?” she asked with breaking voice.

“Well… no.” replied Ian with hesitation. “Yet still you are Talbourne. I’ve made my oaths to keep any information that Talbourne could use against us in secret.”

Cayce was listening to that conversation form doorstep of chamber, so he missed some details, but heard main part. He came to wolfess and prisoner and looked on them. He had no idea what to say, but started anyway.

“Ian… that’s your mother here.”

“I know that, sir. Yet she still should remember I’m from Pack.”

“You are Talbourne!” cried Flame.

“Why can’t you tell her, what she is asking about?”

“She could forward it to some militarywolves. Like you, sir.” Noticed Ian. Then seeing uncertainness on muzzle of sergeant, he asked. “But if you could promise me you won’t use my mother in interrogation… and you, mother, promise you keep this knowledge to you… of course, I will speak freely.”

“Cayce, please…” whispered Flame.

“I don’t know if I could…” started whitefurred, but seeing quivering lips of wolfess he added. “Right, I’ll be in next chamber. I won’t force your mother to tell anything.” He

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