Fell Dragon
Greetings Readers
I hope all of you have had a wonderful weekend. I was busy this weekend as my partner and I took his father back home for a short visit. A lot of driving, and no time to work on a project that is meant to be completed later this week. So, I'm a little behind with everything.
At least Fell Dragon is ahead, so I don't need to worry about bringing a new chapter to all of you.
When we last left Saita, she had made a not so subtle threat to the Vulpine. Today we see where that leads her next.
It had taken most of the day to clear the compound of damages. Kiai had used this time to think of a plan as Saita spent a few hours resting. Kiai sat in Saita’s room listening to the song playing from the computer speakers. Saita was basically unconscious in the bunk bed above her. The soldiers that she had thought were dead had been seriously injured but would all make it. Had she known the creatures were just trying to scare them she would not have placed Saita in harm’s way.
Kiai looked up at the relaxed face of her cousin who cradled a pillow to her chest. She was fast asleep and would likely not wake screaming. She breathed a sigh of relief and lowered the volume at the time that Saita had asked her to. She then stood and shook Saita until she wearily opened her eyes. There was a grimace at first, a moan, and then Saita opened her eyes.
“It is time.”
“Hmm.” She sat up and slid from the bunk bed before placing the pillow back on the bed.
“Why do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Hug a pillow in your sleep?”
“It feels, right? It’s difficult to explain.”
“You looked like you rested well.”
“I remember nothing, but I feel stronger,” she flexed her arm. “This hurts. Hope his mouth aches too!”
“The sun will be setting soon. I managed to have the report to your father stalled for one day. Whatever you are going to do you will need to work it out tonight.”
“I will do my best.” Saita pulled her hoodie from the bottom of her bed and threw it on. “Let’s go.”
“Barik is not happy with this.”
“Sadly, for him, it is not my job to keep him happy. That is on you, Cousin.” Saita grinned. “Final count on humans?”
“None.”
“I will need two cattle, alive.”
“Why?”
“Peace offering.”
By the time night fell Saita, Kiai, several guards, who they could not stop, and two large cows were standing along the edge of the wood. Saita was arguing with the guards to go back but they stubbornly refused to move.
“Good thing we brought our own guards too,” came a deep voice from the forest.
The cattle started bellowing but they were tied to the trees, and they were not going to break their bonds with ease. Four wolves came to stand on the edge of the wood as Saita turned to face them. She wasn’t surprised by the size, but the Kiai gawked when the black beast stood up next to a squatting grey one. He seemed to be whispering something into its ear.
“My son tells me that you presented his cousin’s head to initiate a fight,” the big grey one said as his tongue lolled out of its mouth.
“I acted before I thought,” said Saita honestly.
“And the mate you killed?”
“Defending myself.”
The two guards with them yipped and barked softly then nodded their heads.
“Fair enough. My son calls you Metal-Meat, but I assume this is not the name you were born with.”
“S-AY-8-A,” she said with a hiss. “I do not know my birth name, but people mostly call me Saita.”
The grey wolf that had been squatting suddenly sat back and crossed his legs. “S-AY-8-A? What a strange name.”
“It is a serial number.”
“That is an alien word to me. I will go with the easier name. Saita. Tell me Saita, why are you here?”
“It was to bargain but,” Saita sighed. “Now it is to apologise.”
“Apologise?”
“I reacted before speaking, something that has caused the deaths of two of your...clan members?”
“Correct.” the wolf nodded his head. “Family too. But in all fairness, we have killed guards before.”
“I am led to believe that these cattle are actually yours.” she waved her hand to the cows.
“Not these cattle in particular but those on the other side of the woods were ours.”
“How many?”
“We have retrieved them. I am curious why you come to us with two more.”
“I bring two cattle to feed the mouths that are left behind,” she said without thinking.
The grey wolf raised an eyebrow and his yellow eyes glowed in the dark. “Son? You spoke of cubs outside of the clan?”
“No Father!”
Saita stepped closer and said. “I sometimes just know things. I don’t know how but I do.”
“Will your leader not speak for herself?” asked the grey wolf.
“I think Saita wanted to apologise first,” said Kiai softly.
“There is a voice in the Earth-Digger.” Said one guard with a laugh.
“Earth-Digger?” Kiai looked at Saita with confusion.
“Their clan names people according to what they do to them. Metal-Meat, because of my arm. Earth-Digger because of the underground compound.”
“And what would you call us?” Said the grey wolf.
“Broken-Jaw.” Said Saita as she pointed to the black wolf. “Or Black-Beast.”
“Son?”
“Black-Beast welcomes his name.” It said as its ears went flat against his head.
He seemed terrified of the large beast that sat next to him.
“I hope I have not offended. I don’t think I could stand to make many more mistakes on this planet.” Said Saita.
“He was bested. His clan name must be changed.”
“All names aside, please take the cattle as an apology for the crimes I have committed today.” Saita bowed, low enough to expose the back of her neck.
“The pups will survive a season.” He said as he directed his two guards to collect the cattle. “They are indebted to you.”
“No,” said Saita as she stood up. “If they go hungry and die, I become a murderer. I fight and defend the lives of those with me. I am not a murderer.”
“Well said.” the grey wolf stretched and brought a claw to Saita’s chest. “You now have said what you have wanted to say. I will speak to Earth-Digger now.”
Kiai paled a little but came to stand next to Saita as the guards moved to retrieve the cattle.
“Why do you tear the ground, Earth-Digger?”
Kiai explained the use of the planet and the grey wolf listened and even chuckled when she mentioned that she had not found life on the planet.
“We have taught ourselves to hide from invaders time and time again. You were the first to come here that we did not eat.”
Kiai lost more colour in her cheeks and the beast continued. “Tell me, why should I not devour all of you right now?”
Kiai simply pointed to Saita who was leaning against a tree.
“That is quite valid but what will you do against the other clans?”
“Other clans?”
The grey wolf chuckled and climbed to its four feet to pad over to Saita. “There are three clans, we are the smallest. What will you do Metal-Meat when the two clans descend upon your people?”
Saita looked into the yellow eyes and simply said. “What I did to the one that tried to claw at my cousin.”
It laughed and opened its mouth wide to set its upper and lower jaws over Saita’s head. Saita was well aware that this was a show of strength on his part and a show of guts on her part, but she knew she was stinking of fear. The teeth touched the top of her head and her jaw then bounced open as the creature laughed, jumped back, and stood on its back legs towering over those gathered.
“You, I like. Your debt to us is paid Metal-Meat, you have nothing to fear from us and we will not enter your domain again.” he turned to Kiai and said. “You need to be wary of the other clans. They are not as easygoing as us.”
“May I speak?” Asked Saita.
“Hmm?” the old wolf looked at her. “What do you wish to say?”
“How can we placate the other clans so that no more pups go hungry?”
The black wolf snarled a little and said. “You will die and be fed to them.”
The grey wolf looked at him once and the black wolf’s eats went flat against this skull, and he skulked off to stand with the guards. The older wolf shook his head. “You know, you are welcome to rename him Broken-Jaw if you wish, you did best him.”
“I think having one’s pride bruised once was enough. Living with a name like that is cruel.”
“It is our way. Send your guards home and let’s walk.”
Kiai quickly sent the guards back and joined Saita. “What shall we call you?”
“Moon-Streak.” said the old wolf as he dropped to his four paws. “Black-Beast come, let us talk to these females.”
Kiai showed no fear, but Saita had to take a moment to take a deep breath before continuing.
“We make you nervous?” Asked Moon-Streak.
“My cousin has a mate and a pup. The mate will kill me if anything happens to her.” Said Saita honestly.
“And you Metal-Meat? Do you have a mate that warms your bed? A pup or two that run below ground?”
Saita blushed heavily and shook her head. “No, I have nothing like that.”
Black-Beast chuckled and said sarcastically. “Alphas tend to wander for years before choosing someone or a strong Alpha force them to join.”
“Are you offering?” Saita turned on him.
Moon-Streak laughed and said. “The boy will be Alpha one day true, but he is reserved for one of the other clans when the time is right.”
“These other clans. How can I prevent them from attacking us?”
“Beat them as soundly as you did us.”
“I don’t want to kill.”
“But you did it so easily why stop now?”
Kiai stepped in at this point. “We are to do important work. We do not have time to fight every single clan that we have wronged.”
“You took the land, it needs to be fought for. We care not for humans healing here. We need space to run, to hunt, and mate.”
“You speak our language.” Said Saita.
“We speak a common language. It is not a human language.”
“Father…” Started the black wolf. “It will be dark soon. The pink things do not see well in the dark.”
“Humans.” Snapped Kiai.
“Perhaps you are but this,” Moon-Streak pushed a snout into Saita’s back. “This is something else. More? Less? Beast? Man? I am not sure.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Moon-Streak sat down and crossed his legs and Black-Beast followed suit. They beckoned the two humans to do the same. Kiai sat but Saita remained standing. She leaned against a tree nearby and crossed her arms.
“Do you know what the Challenge is?” Asked Moon-Streak.
“I know what a challenge is.” Said Saita as she looked through the leaves of the trees, sunset was almost over.
“When clans have disputes, they challenge one another. You took land that is not yours. A fight is coming.”
“How do we avoid it?” asked Kiai.
“You can’t, you need to act on the challenge.”
“How?” asked Saita.
“Saita,” warned Kiai.
“Choose a champion of your clan and have them fight the rival clans to earn the land you possess.” said the black wolf.
“Seems fair,” said Saita with a yawn.
“Champions must be decided by the Vulpine clans,” said Moon-Streak.
“And you decided to approach us. Wasn’t there an easier way around this subterfuge?”
Moon-Streak allowed his tongue to loll out of his mouth as he laughed. “You are not stupid are you Metal-Meat? Yes. We would like to invite you to be our champion since you have taken the bite from my son.”
“Me?” Saita seemed confused. “Why?”
Black-Beast opened his mouth and pointed to his broken teeth. “You broke my teeth.”
“You bit me,” said Saita sarcastically as she waved her arm in his face.
Moon-Streak half howled to stop the argument. Then he looked at Saita. “We were vying for more property when you took ours. We lost standing with the other clans. Members moved to other clans or were killed. We are seen as weak, and our best fighter now needs to wait a year before his teeth can be regrown.”
“Your teeth can regrow?”
“Given time.”
“Now hold on,” said Kiai. “We have our own war to deal with.”
“And you have landed in the middle of ours,” said Moon-Streak. “We dug through caverns to get into your unground living area. The other clans can easily do the same. If one of your kind is selected by one of our kind, there could be a truce.”
“Could be or will be?” asked Saita. “Your wording is too uncertain for me.”
Moon-Steak lowered one ear and raised the other. “The winner gets to choose what they want. If you want a mate, property, cattle, protection, it is yours should you ask for it.”
Saita snorted and said. “What you offer is not what I want.”
“Saita…” Kiai looked at her imploringly.
“Then what is it that you want Metal-Meat?” asked Black-Beast.
“Nothing.” Saita looked over to Kiai. “Can you hold Father off?”
“I can try.” Kiai looked up at Moon-Streak. “This planet is not mine; it is our king’s.”
“King?”
“Tribe leader would likely be the closest equivalent,” commented Saita.
“Then I will speak to him.”
Black-Beast looked to Saita as she shifted uncomfortably. “You are not meant to be here, are you?”
Moon-Streak looked at Saita who avoided his yellow eyes. “Ah, I see what is happening here.”
Both wolves got to their feet and the older one said. “There was a raid party against us tonight as well. We have five bodies. You have two. That is seven. Will that be enough to convince your king that the problem has been dealt with?”
Kiai got to her feet and nodded her head as she realised what the old wolf was trying to achieve. “It should.”
“Do we have your support Metal-Meat?” asked Moon-Streak. “We can avoid having your sire come to the planet by doing this.”
“He is not my sire but fine. You have whatever you need from me,” she grumbled.
The wolves looked at each other, and then at the humans before Black-Beast said. “I will return you to the wood’s edge. Send those that can collect the bodies in the morning. Do with them as you must but we ask that they be returned to the earth afterwards and not displayed.”
“You have my word,” said Kiai.
“This planet has two moons,” said Moon-Streak as he pointed up. “When they are full and high above the challenge will be issued. Metal-Meat will have to be present.”
“And I assume despite knowing my human name you are going to keep referring to me by this Metal-Meat name,” muttered Saita.
“If you fight with us, you bear our names,” said Moon-Streak. “Until we speak again.”
Then he padded off into the woods with a swish of his tail. It didn’t take long for Black-Beast to see them to the wood’s edge before he left them there. Kiai could feel the anger that Saita was radiating but she didn’t know what to say. They had been painted into a corner and she had just agreed to the ridiculous terms without considering Saita’s feelings.
As they reached where they had left their guards Saita said. “Find where they dug in. If their claws can dig through steel, we are in far more danger than just having a surprise attack.”
“Saita I…”
“I need to figure something out.” Saita left Kiai with her guards as she returned to the underground bunker.
“I’m sorry!” shouted Kiai.
Saita paused in her stride, sighed, and turned with a smile to say. “Hey, it’s what I was built for isn’t it.”
It was the fakest smile that Kiai had ever seen.
A big update for all of you as there was no way to really split this interaction. I hope you all enjoyed today's update! See you all on Friday!
For those of you just joining us, please note that this is the follow on book from Fell Dragon. Follow this link to read it
Fell Dragon Book 1
As the series continues, it will combine with another book series I wrote. To avoid confusion about what is happening, introductory chapters will be introduced separately so that you don't have to be lost. However, these chapters will contain spoilers. You can find these chapters here:
Races Explained
Banishment
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Haven't read the other parts yet? Follow these handy links:
Part 14>>You are Here>>Part 16