Kova with bloodthirsty tone in her voice. But in fact she was shivering inside. She had to forward news to lady Ea.

*

Kimby halted his soldiers over dead Lake’s body. He sighed with relief, seeing that was not Maya, but then yelled with amaze, recognising wolf of Talbourne. He dug the body out and noticed icicle in neck of victim. He looked on his soldiers.

“Ladies and gentlemen… we screw it!” she said with grave voice.

“Boss… does that mean lady Maya is…”

“Prepare the strike!” called lieutenant.

“Wait!” they heard a voice from the other side. From clouds of falling snow emerged Viiv. “I heard you… and I believe that isn’t your fault… At least you didn’t know…”

“That’s Packer!” called one of soldier. “Get him!”

“No, wait!” ordered Kimby. “Let him speak.” He looked on enemy. “So, you claim you have nothing to do with that?” Viin nodded his head. “How could we believe you?”

“If you don’t, there will be a battle, where no one would win, but we will hurt ourselves surely… By the way – my commander thinks you killed January. She wants the fight.”

“And she will get it!” growled one of Talbourne, but Kimby hushed him with wag of his tail.

“Well… let’s assume that is not your deed… and not your for sure. So where the heck they went?”

“I don’t know.” Replied Viin. “But if we send teams… you take your bank, we will search here…”

“You want to weaken our defence here?” asked Kimby suspiciously.

“Six jaws each.” Said Viin and Talbourne nodded his head. “But promise me… if You encounter January on your side… Let him go! You promised his safety.”

“All right… I’ll give you my word, as the follower of Aniu. I will not attack January, except of self defence. I hope for the same with lady Maya.”

“Be sure we don’t want her dead.” Assured Viin. “So, let’s go. My wolves are ready.”

“Mine…” Kimby looked on his units.

But in the same moment on the ice entered Tan and his division. He was running at full speed in Packers direction, baring his teeth and growling. Hopefully Kimby stopped his rage.

“Where is she!” howled orangefurred.

“No, sir, wait!” he cried. Then looked on Viin. “We will soon explain that misunderstanding. Then – most likely - lieutenant Ten will lead the searching team.”

*

News struck down like a lighting. Ea, Kaata and Varjo exchanged no word, but it was obvious whet they would say. Their plan failed and it was possible that cost life of January. They set off north with all available force that Aarre could prepare in such short time.

Ea was going on lead, just next to beta-alpha of her army. She was crying. Aarre made no questions, knowing that she was unable to answer, but also he already understood some of what happened.

“My lady, that is not your fault.” He assured.

“God… Aarre… that is my fault! I sent my son to die!”

“You didn’t and you still don’t know what happened. If he is alive, we will find him!” assured and stepped closer to whitefurred. They didn’t slowed down, but in march she nestled to his side. Beta-alpha turned his stare down, to cover his smile. He was terribly sorry about January’s missing and worried about Ea’s grief. But he admitted honestly that death of Steele’s son would open completely new perspectives for him.

Kaata was marching at side of her father, sobbing still. Varjo had no good words to comfort her, mainly because he was aware that they all were guilty. It was Ea’s plan, but they helped her to carry it on. Kaata wasn’t an exception.

“I was so stupid!” she cried. “I’ve never wanted it… I should have stopped you! Tell him, about…”

“Now I regret you haven’t.” admitted RAIA’s commander. “But it’s already done…”

“Dad… I could have… God! It all could be on my way, but I failed it!” she cried.

 

VII. Melting the Ice

 

Tenu was a weak wolf. That meant his body was weak, because his mind transgressed almost every barrier it approached. One of those barriers was the distance – mercenary created perfectly working system of communications via howling, that soon became a common procedure in Talbourne. But general and his trusted soldiers had additional codes and procedures that allowed Tenu to communicate safely even from Teele’s wolves.

Mercenary got known the events on Reindeer Creek just several hours after those happened. With limited information he had, he had to think and plan carefully. After few minutes of consideration and about twenty minutes of his pacing he decided to go there, leaving Home Cave alone in its arguments. The real problem was about to be settled where were Maya and that mysterious Pack prince. Tenu called Heik and Alam.

They were two of his most trusted companions, even from times before Talbourne. They came there with him and were with him for good and bad. Giving his orders Tenu hoped that for good. When two officers stood before him in Third Cave, he said.

“I’m going there to find Maya. Heik, you will have an eye on the mess here.”

“Just one, but it’ll be enough.” Replied greyfurred wolf.

He had just one eye, while the second he lost in puphood. He never told about that accident, but Tenu established that it happened in quarrel with siblings, perhaps in hierarchy-match among them. The existing eye of Heik was also impaired – wolf generally saw not too much, being almost blind in night time, yet mercenary knew that in fact his sergeant could see much more than others. It was the sharp mind that observed the word carefully.

Second of his subordinates was blackfurred male of small built, but if one took lightly his abilities, could quickly regret it. Alam was master on mêlée combat and teacher of Fida and Ama. Of course not always was that. When Tenu found and took him to his pack, darkfurred was weak and scared pup, maybe rejected by his pack. The mastery in martial arts came later, but was unavoidable process. Only those hurt and envying strength of others have real strength to master themselves and Tenu knew it well.

“Alam, you are going now to creek, I will join you when I manage.” Wolf saluted with lowering his ears. “Gather your team, small enough to travel quickly, but strong enough to match with twelve front soldiers. Understood?”

“And the mission is…” said Alam, who had a strange manner of never using question marks in his questions.

“To find Maya, of course.” Said general. “And that January… with him, the completely new options open for our cause…”

“He and Maya?” asked Heik. Tenu nodded his head. Brownfurred looked with his barely reading eyen on dark friend. “So, you have to be nice for that Packer.”

“Just… judge him yourself.” Added Tenu. “If he is appropriate for our plans, encourage him.”

“But if he’s not…” started Alam.

“Kill him, of course.” Finished general.

Then turned back to Fida and Ama to exit the cave. Two officers stayed in place for a while, looking after the commander. When he vanished behind the corner, Alam turned to Heik and said.

“I sense… that’s it! Our fight is nearly finished.”

“Well… if I were boss, I would take out that bitch who wants kill Maya first…” started half-blind wolf, but then continued. “However I’m not boss and I guess he knows better. But yes – I’m so glad we are so close. The time of revenge will come!”

*

Guardians simply get used to presence of Flame. As mother of three soldiers and mate of one, she was respected in the clan and had relatively a few duties. She hunted three times a week, two times a week had a service in orphanage, but nothing more than that. So almost all free moment she spent in prison, next to her son.

Teele had nothing against it, even was glad – after all the persuasion of mother increased the probability of defection for prisoner. But Flame wasn’t thinking like that and had no ambitions to recruit a double-agent. She had much more ambitious quest – to regain her child.

Ian was still kept in Main Cave Complex. The try of escape at the first day made all be convinced that he was able to do such a bold thing, so his freedom was strictly limited to inner cave and two walks in wood daily (with accompanying unit of four sentries). Teele (sometimes with Istana) visited prisoner usually once a day, trying to talk about subject at least close to military matters, but when Ian heard anything about that he replied with his usual “I’m sergeant Ian of scout unit, serving in RAIA under sir Varjo. That’s all I’m allowed to tell you.” For the rest of day he was with mother.

Flame persuaded guards that she could participate in walk of prisoner. So they were walking in Home Cave vicinity, as mother and her young pup. Paw of Ian was still aching, still recovering after injure, so wolf needed guidance and his mother was helping him. They were walking to gorge of Talbourne Creek, to Training Plant, Star Clearing and all those places where Flame used to guide her pups four years earlier.

“Do you remember?” asked wolfess. “You used to play here with Viin.” They reached the Star Clearing.

“Yes, I remember.” Replied POW. “But mom…” he said. “I don’t have the best memories from here…” admitted honestly.

“You mean, you scorn everything before Pack?” she asked with sad voice.

“No, of course not…” Ian shook his head. “But here… I’m just remember as Viin used to beat me up and win in every competition and you, praising him…”

“For beating you?” gasped surprised Flame.

“Not directly.” Said prisoner. “For being better.”

“I… I see, I wasn’t good mother for you.” Said Flame after a while of silence.

“No, that’s not a point.” Replied Ian. “I wasn’t good pup enough. I couldn’t be…”

“Ian…” said Flame, nestling to side of son. “You have a great grudge in your heart. Grudge on us… Please, tell me, how we could fix it.”

“Mother… that’s past… there is nothing to fix…” said aloud and then added quieter. “Some thing are unfixable. You did leave me to die. The death is not to reverse.”

She was silent

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