“Then we will try to run away. But…” He looked on silverfurred. “I simply have no idea how.”

“You will find something.” Assured Maya. “As long I know you, you always have some idea. By the way…” she looked on Kaata too. “Who is she?”

“Best friend…” said January. “But also daughter of RAIA’s commander. I bet that some plot of her father put her into all that.” He bended down to see wound of her thing. He gently touched it with tongue. Kaata shivered from pain, still not regaining awareness. January narrowed his eyes. “Clean hit, the bullet came out… Yet, still it made a mess with muscles. There is no chance she could walk by herself in predictable future…”

“But you won’t leave her.” Said Maya, just noticing obvious fact.

“Sorry, Maya, but I can’t.”

“That doesn’t make us chances greater…” she murmured. “Anyway, you saved me so many times in last few days that you have God given right to focus on someone else now.” They were silent for a while, then she asked. “How you estimate our odds?”

“I prefer not to estimate.” He replied.

“And if you have to?”

“I’m born-optimist.” He said. “Fifty-fifty.”

“Not bad, after all.” She smiled.

“I mean – from that human.” Added malawolf. “We still don’t know, if your Talbourne friends are still there. One is down, but seven… Crap! We steeped in all that completely in vain!”

“I don’t regret anything.” Said Maya with sudden rally. She moved to January, putting her muzzle on his shoulder. It looked a bit weir, seen from side, because between them was still knocked down Kaata. “If not that, I how else I could meet you?”

“If Aarre attacks first, that would be done. If Tenu is faster, you could have only done it by assisting coroner.” Smiled malawolf. “Sorry by that, I’m tired of war too. Oh, by the way, have I told you, that my Aarre seems to strike me off the list. He just stood and watched, as we were attacked…”

“Peace…” whispered Maya. “Jan… I don’t expect you to accept any of my principles… but there still is a way to stop the war.”

“In next six hours?” smirked hybrid with irony. “We must be quick, before we’re dead.”

“You will lead my clan according to vision of your father.” Said wolfess with shivering voice.

“Oh, and how’s that?” asked amused hybrid. “I challenge you for leadership and became alpha after you?”

“Yes, that’s possible.” She said with quiet voice. “But there is always an alternative.”

“Yeah, of course…” laughed January. “We could…” then he stopped, looking on her with eyes wide opened. “Don’t tell me, you meant that.”

“I lov…”

“Stop!” gasped malawolf. “Don’t say a word. Just…”

“But I do!”

“Shut up!” shouted January, loosing his temper. “No, it all was to be not like this!” growled into dark room then fell silent. Took a few deeper breaths and understood that Maya was crying. “I’m sorry… I not angry on you… You should be angry on me… But it just won’t work.”

“I love you, Jan.” she sobbed. “And I thought that you…”

“Of course, I love you too. But it doesn’t matter, when…” he stopped, feeling he said few words too much.

“You… do?” asked Maya through her tears.

“Well… actually yes.” Admitted malawolf. “But it changes nothing!” added forcefully. “There is no way I could be with you in present political state… Or, wait… if you leave the clan… No! no!” stopped second after. “Don’t listen to me. It’s just impossible.”

“You said it, remember?” she licked his cheek. “You warned me from creatures who follow their ideas, being corrupted by unhappiness. Don’t let yourself become that way. Don’t fight your real, good and noble wants.”

“I’m almost happy, we won’t survive this.” Murmured January, but then she locked his lips with kiss.

He wanted to pull back, but he failed. Perhaps he was too tired, perhaps he didn’t want to stop. But it just happened. They were joined for long while and then carefully put their heads on each other’s shoulder. Maya was smiling – looked especially strange, because her beautiful muzzle was still covered with tear.

“You cast a spell on me.” Said hybrid. “It’s not fair.”

“Life's not fair, is it?” she noticed.

“So… what were are going to do now? I mean next few hours. There is no use to make any plans further than that.”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure it won’t be boring.” She kissed him once again.

“Thanks God we have a chaperone!” murmured January, looking on unconscious Kaata.

*

Cousins met at the Fighting Pillar. Not to fight, of course (“Right? For not to fight?” assured himself Tram), but to talk. It was a rocky column of over twenty yards of diameter and over thirty yards high, standing in Talbourne Gorge. Bluffs of gorge from both sides were almost exactly on altitude of Pillar’s plateau, so when duel was going on, watchers could follow it in two ledges. In old times that was the place where duels for leadership took place. In spite that custom was dropped since Nava’s reign, the place was still important and became a natural spot for all crucial events in clan. Alphas used to speak from pillar and announce their will, recall heroes of clan or acclaim war and peace. From that place Aleu and Saba were watching homages of subdued packs and from there they were listening for voice of clanmates.

That day it was to be just simple talk-spot. Tram insisted to pick it – it was transparent location and there was very hard to arrange any accident on Saba’s son. Tram was really scared, after he heard about Maya’s disappearance.

“So… why have you brought me here?” asked Sheik to cousin.

“Don’t tell me, you have no idea!” said Tram harshly. Presence of over ten his supporters, looking from nearby ledge cheered him up and gave necessary courage. “You tried to kill her!”

“What!?” yelled Sheik. “What are you talking about.”

“If you hurt Maya, you are good as dead.” Growled claimant. “Call off your sidekicks and I will let you live.”

“You are crazy!” snorted Sheik. “If you accuse me for attempt on Maya, you are really out of your mind. She is my cousin, and I…”

“She is your rival. As am I.” Interrupted him Tram. “I bet you got know that we are engaged.”

“You are what?” gasped Aleu’s son. Some amazed wolves on ledges gasped too. That was a surprise and also would be a little surprise for Maya herself, if she happened to hear it.

“You learned that and decided to kill us. She seemed to be weaker and…”

“Shut up!” called Sheik. “I didn’t even think about hurting Maya! You are lying! You use the situation, to accuse me. You can’t believe in it, because that’s impossible…” was calling Sheik, but in the same moment, he associated few facts. Rose, talking about his leadership. Disappearance of Black and his friends. His own words, encouraging Rose to <help him out>. “God!” he yelled in mind. “And what if I actually killed her?” He made a step back. Tram instantly steeped ahead.

“You will be charged in front of whole clan under charge of attempt of murdering Maya.” Sheik made another step back, closing to the edge. “And if we don’t save her… you will be sentenced as a murderer!”

“I didn’t do it!” yelled Aleu’s son.

“So who did in your behalf?” asked Tram and pressed ahead. Sheik found himself at the brink of plateau. “Tell us, for us to judge him according to the law of clan.”

“You don’t have any proof!” yelled the other claimant. “This is madness!” Tram pressed his cousin back.

“Madness? This… is… Talbou…”

Fida and Ama were quick. They overturned both wolves, pressing them to the ground, yet in safe distance from edge. In spite of tries, cousins were immobilised in steel grasps of warrioresses. They were just howling with anger and amazement. Tenu came about minute later.

Numerous wolves of clan were looking on hoaryfurred, small wolf entering plateau of pillar and coming closer to two cousins. He stopped, gave a sign to his body guards and two males were released. Yet Fida and Ama were ready to react, if anyone of them had any stupid idea.

“Wolves of Talbourne!” called Tenu. “You saw a troubling scene, yet it was unworthy of your attention. Two princes…” he looked on Sheik and Tram. “Are in extreme nervous state, after we heard that lady Maya is missing. Please, forgive them that burst of emotions.” He came closer to Tram. “Well, well, well.” He smiled, looking on shocked claimant. “Even few hours back I thought you are stupid, arrogant and irresponsible brat of no talents… But after seeing this show… and learning what are you up to… I still consider you as arrogant and irresponsible. Yet I can’t call you stupid anymore. But don’t mess with me. I’m better in this game. All right?” and he set off to path down the rock.

Sheik and Tram stayed there for some time, panting heavily and trying to rationalise own humiliation. Fida and Ama left them, assuming they wouldn’t kill each other then. They had right. Both claimants went down the pillar, saying no word.

*

Night was slowly coming, putting forests of Home Valley in deep shades. The gorge of river was still well illuminated by setting sun, but just after line of tree the kingdom of night was already present. That was a domain of spies, scouts and runaways. So if one happened to be all three of them at once, he or she felt there as in home.

Because the focus of most of wolves was pointed on Fighting Pillar, almost no one watched the Main Entrance. Flame asked Istana to find some pretext to call the sentries off for a while. She didn’t tell daughter what for, but bright scout had to suspect the reason. In spite of that she didn’t oppose. That was enough for plan to succeed.

Two wolves – older female and young, yet a bit hobbling male were running in shades of dense plants on Northern Slope. Flame was leading Ian there, far from heat of events. They became almost invisible in fading day, still going quickly and quietly. Scout believed that he got his talents by genies. From mother’s line.

They

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