alpha asked with fear in his voice. “What? What you…”

“Good shot.” Said commander. “All right, I will secure your sweet Maya on the lead… I was afraid that you would appoint your son, or that dandy, your nephew…”

“Sheik is a good wolf...” Said Shadow quietly. “But he can’t be the leader. Simply, not everyone would accept him and a tension among us would start. Tram? No, he’s not a material for a leader too. I’m sorry, but only Maya is proper on this place. You will have to guide her, but remember…”

“If I wanted the power for me, I would have taken it already.” Said Tenu straight. “I would have kill you here and now, then say you let the regency on me. And later… I would found some way to secure it.” But then smiled again. “Don’t worry, I will clean the mess you’re leaving.”

“Wait!” gasped Shadow, then burst in coughs. After over minute of fit, he breathed deeply and continue. “Sheik is my son! Tram is my nephew! I forbid you to hurt them…”

”Oh, you could have died already!” Sighed Tenu. “You perfectly know that I will do anything that is necessary. I would have slaughter your kins with smile on my face if that would help us to win. Fortunately, it won’t so I don’t have to be violent. However…”

“Please…” whispered alpha.

“The war soon will be over. Maya soon will be in charge.” Said general. “I could promise you only those two things.”

“Just… take care about her.” Panted Shadow with resigned voice. “She is so pure… so innocent.”

“Uncle?” sounded shivering voice from corridor.

“Lupus in fabula.” Smiled Tenu and stood up. “I will leave you, old wolf. Have a nice agony.” He turned to doorstep of chamber.

To alpha’s lair was going Maya. Young, brownfurred wolfess, who just came to the age to consider herself as mature female, was canine-shaped goddess of beauty. She inherited almost pure wolfish appearance of mother, yet small dose of doggish blood made her paws and muzzle a little thinner and seemingly more fragile. She seemed to be made of gently snow of that winter, yet from her muzzle radiated warm wave of emotions. She ran to her carer and sat down just next to alpha. With carefulness she licked Shadow’s forehead.

“I’m so sorry, uncle!” she sobbed. “I returned to Home Cave as soon as I heard…”

“With your permission I shall leave.” Said Tenu and bowed his head. Alpha was too tired to look carefully, but he expected that nod of general was just a courtesy mask on severe muzzle. Mercenary exited the chamber.

“Hush, my dear.” Sighed Shadow. “It’s good you are here.”

“They say… they say…” started Maya, but then she burst with tears.

“It’s true, my dear. I won’t last long.” Admitted alpha. “But Maya, you must listen me carefully.” He again coughed loudly.

“Don’t die, uncle… please…”

“For everything there is a season.” Replied Shadow with weary voice. “And everyone’s time must come. Soon I will join your aunt… also your mother and father. That’s a natural way of things. Do not oppose the glacier – just learn his route.”

“I love you, uncle…”

“I know, my dear. But the tears are useless now. However I need you to listen to me and promise me something.”

“Whatever you wish, uncle.” Sobbed wolfess.

“Maya, Sheik won’t the next alpha.” Said dying leader. Seeing surprise on niece’s muzzle, he added. “I love him, he is my son. And I know, you love him too. He is like a brother to you. But I can’t make him a chief. I wish you to take a lead.”

“But… but…”

“Hush, let me finish.” Said Shadow. “There are reasons I made this decision. I still haven’t told it Sheik, but soon I will. Yet, I doubt if he accept it.”

“Uncle…”

“You have to use any possible means to fulfil my last will and take a lead in our clan. Just… get the support of elders of clan, gain fondness of our wolves. I know that rivalry in family is bad thing, but you have to.”

“But… why?” whispered wolfess.

“Only you are able to keep our clan in unity.” Said Shadow slowly. “I hate to say, but both Sheik and Tram are too egocentric to be good and devoted leaders. You have to be my heir. Please, now swear that you won’t our clan to split. We are the followers of Aniu and Mother of Wolfkind is hoping for our clan to fulfil her dreams of unity. You must not fail!”

“Yes, uncle.” Said Maya with tears freely flowing from her eyes.

“Right…” smiled Shadow, but then burst in coughs once again. “Now it’s easier to leave… Please, call Sheik here. I must say goodbye also to him. And ask Tram too. I must…” His eyes narrowed and he breathed very heavily. “Quick! I have no strength…”

Maya ran out from chamber to almost his her cousin in doorstep. She looked on Sheik with scared stare and called.

“Quick. Go to him!”

Shadow’s son entered chamber and kneeled next to father, while crying wolfess exited the cave to meet crowd of her kins outside. They were waiting and Maya with terror noticed that on some muzzles that waiting was mixed with hope. “God! They wish uncle is dead already!” she sobbed silently. Her eyes turned to Tram, whose grieving appearance was clearly shallow as summer pool. Just next waited Rose – redfurred mate of Sheik with their pups, Max, Cher and Nina. Wolfess was barely repressing smile of pride, as if she already thought about herself as mate of new alpha. Maya turned her stare down with disgust and walked to the brink of forest. Tram caught her there.

“Maya, wait…” said Saba’s son. Wolfess stopped.

“It just…” started greyfurred wolf. “I understand what you are feeling… but let me help you.” He came closer. “I love uncle the same as you do.” Continued, putting much emotions in his words. In eyes of Maya old, cynical Tram disappeared. She heard real pain in his ask. “Just remember that I’m always here… We should stick together in times like this and…”

“He is dying, Tram.” Sobbed Maya and needled to cousin’s side.

“I know… but we must be strong.” Replied greyfurred.

And because she couldn’t see it then, he allow himself for a smile. In normal conditions, he had no chances for succession – group of his supporters was smaller than Sheik’s one and most of his allies was very passing lot. So only way for him to became an alpha… was to became a mate of alpha. “She is my cousin.” He thought. “Yet still… this is not so bad as was with mom and dad…” he added silently and smiled even wider. The future was laying at his paws.

Meanwhile in alpha’s chamber Sheik was crying. Last words of Shadow were melting his son’s heart with unspeakable grief. Wolf was barely responding to what he was hearing.

“I love you, my son.” Continued alpha. “And I know you love me. That’s why I have to ask you for something hard, but necessary.”

“Whatever you wish.” Answered his son. To his cry came a sweet awareness what was about to happen. Sheik was really crying over passing of his father, but the view of soon succession made those tears less burning.

“Sheik… I’m so sorry for asking you for that… but please, let Maya take my place.”

“Of course, father… FATHER!?” yelled shocked wolf. His expectation had been completely opposite.

“I’m sorry.” Said alpha and coughed again.

“But why… dad… I’m your oldest son and I was always loyal to you!”

“Please, Sheik, promise you won’t take a lead instead…”

“Dad, no! You are wrong!” said younger wolf with tensed voice. Suddenly he understood that grieving over deceased father is much easier than grieving over lost patrimony. “I will be your perfect successor…”

“Promise…” uttered Shadow, but that word was his last. Heart of old leader stopped.

“Dad… Dad!” called Sheik, both crying from sorrow and confusion. “No one heard it.” He though, nestling his muzzle in lifeless side of father’s body. “No one will know. I will say, I’m the new leader.”

But someone knew. Teele sent Istana just in case, but it happened to be quite a case. After Lightning’s death, old scout took a intelligence unit under her supervision and tried to continue her predecessor’s job – to watch over the clan. She send her best agent, subordinate most gifted in eavesdropping, young wolfess called Istana. However she didn’t know that Istana was not just her most trusted soldier, but also very good friend of Tram. And a secret that was meant to be known only by intelligence commander, could quickly became known widely.

Talbourne clan was at the peak of its power, yet never in its history it was also so close to fall.

 

II. Of Puppets and Puppeteers

 

January completed his combat-pack and set off on next morning. Well – for most residences of Haven it wasn’t morning anymore, but sun had just raised. In mid December day started late, almost as late as future alpha used to wake up. But no one was hurrying him – it was a simple mission, in waiting for presentation.

Kaata was going too, what was heavily worrying January. First – presence of beautiful female was definitely spoiling the battle spirit of unit, or boost it, but in least valuable way – encouraging to stupid bravado, instead of rational acting. And of course there was also the second reason – whatever feelings wolfess had towards future alpha, she was still Varjo’s daughter. Not that January didn’t trust his intelligence commander, but he thought that if you allow your specops to search freely, they will get know everything.

On the contrary, wolfdog’s pack was enjoying Kaata’s company. Eleven soldiers of private January’s unit was marching along with wolfess flooding her with usual small-talk that young males flood young females in winter. But Kaata was more concerned about hybrid’s silence.

“Hey, alpha-gamma, what’s up?” she asked, nudging side of malawolf. “What kind of victorious campaign are you planning now?”

“Nearest talk with my mother.” Replied January.

Day was again quite sunny, yet frosty. Fierce frosts of December started last night – sky was cloudless and during dark hours temperature dropped to minus

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