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Chapter 3, The price to be paid

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It was well past noon when the coyotes finally reached their own dens and Walker saw where they lived for the first time. Unlike the clan holds of the wolves these dogs lived in small caves or burrows dug into the side of the hills they inhabited. Aside from the various holes marking where a burrow began there was actually very little about the coyote village that looked like it had been constructed. After thinking about what tools the dogs had it made sense to Walker that their homes would be so primitive.

Part of Walker wanted to feel sorry for the rough underfed hounds that stared vacantly at him and Swift as they were led through the hills. The wolves were like giants among the coyote, many in the Scruff-Tuft clan had not seen a wolf in their entire lives. Their guide had told them that the clan was forbidden by ancient tradition from straying into the gray wolf lands. It wasn't until recently that the tradition had been broken.

Even Walker felt big compared to the coyotes; they were about half his size and a little less muscular than an adult wolf. When the two wolves reached the top of the largest den hill a strong and powerful female walked out of a large cave situated at the top of the hill. She was followed by a few young coyote and two almost noble looking dogs. Walker thought they were probably her consorts judging from how they carried themselves. "We have guests in our lands... wolf guests," she said in a low, but friendly, voice. "Spot-Ear, Scruff-Back, go fetch that eelem we killed last week. Our guests are probably hungry."

The two dogs growled as they left their female, but they did her bidding regardless. The bitch turned and beckoned for the two wolves to follow her into the den she had emerged from. Walker complied and Swift stayed close behind him as they were led through the small coyote village and towards the only real 'den' not dug into the hillside. "I am called Rain-Singer by my clan," the she-dog said as she sat down on a bed of fresh pine scented leaves and gestured for the wolves to sit before her. "I am pleased to see that you decided to join us... I hope my sons were not too rough in their request to bring you here. We are not as savage or unrefined as those Shadow Clan brutes to the south of the gray-wolf lands."

"Why shouldn't we just kill you here and be done with your foolish games?" Swift asked gruffly with an angry growl that made the she-dog give him a curious look.

"You're an aggressive one aren't you?" She asked and laughed at her own strange joke. "If you killed me one my daughters would just take my place. You would also be inviting open war with my clan... I don't think you want to fight a war on two fronts, now do you?"

"No," Walker said quickly. "We just want to return to our pack, so please tell us what you desire from us and we will leave your lands."

"My request is simple," the coyote mother said and smiled slyly at the two young wolves. "We want to forge an alliance in blood with the timber-wolf clan. I ask only for the chance to mate with a single timber-wolf of your clan's choosing. The resulting half-breed will become our clan's high-alpha, and his blood will be joined with our own blood."

"You seek to create an abomination!" Swift said angrily and stood up quickly. "My father would never agree to this under any circumstances!"

"Your father?" The she-dog asked and looked at Swift who quickly realized he had made a terrible mistake. "So you are Dire-Fang's child? Perhaps even his first born judging from your age and size..."

"I am... but I am not a timber-wolf by blood anymore. I am the long-fang son of this gray-wolf," Swift quickly explained as if doing so would make him any less attractive.

"A union of gray-wolf and timber-wolf blood... you would be the perfect choice for a mate," Rain-Singer said and smiled to herself. "I will make you a deal young wolf," she said and stood up. "If you will mate with me once I will let you go free! You can scamper back to your clan and your pack without breathing a word out this arrangement to your... father. We will honor our old traditions and never step foot into wolf lands ever again... if you agree to this one little favor."

"Rain-Singer," Walker said respectfully, "I can't allow my pack mate to mate with you. We are forbidden from rearing children by our pack alpha who is also the gray wolf high-alpha. It would break our own clan laws to sire a cub."

"Oh, that's too bad then... I suppose I'll just have to keep you until you change your mind," she said and barked loudly. Before either wolf could do much more than stand up a host of coyote descended on them. There was a quick scuffle that ended when one of the coyotes ripped Walker's right earring out. After the short fight the two wolves were dragged tooth and claw through the dens and towards a large cave with strange runes carved on its entrance. As soon as they were inside the two long-fangs found themselves unable to change shape, and their impressive natural strength was greatly reduced by whatever foul magic the dogs had cast over this place. A great stone was pushed in front of the entrance and the two wolves were left alone in the dark of their new prison.

For the first time since coming to Wolf World Walker felt scared and in danger. Swift pulled the frightened young wolf into his wolf-arms and comforted the smaller male. "We did what we could Walker," he whispered softly as he licked the blood from Walker's new wound. "At least we are alive... that matters more than the number of dogs we could have killed before they took us down."

"I know," Walker said sadly and whined as Swift nursed his bloody ear. "Steel is going to be angry with us... he's going to be very angry..."

...

Steel wasn't quite angry at that moment, but as he stood on top of the timber-wolf clan hold he couldn't help but pace back and forth. Two nervous packs watched him with concern heavy in their eyes. "I'm sure they are just... taking their time brother," Dire-Fang said in a calm and carefully controlled voice.

Steel whipped his head up to look at the other high-alpha and Dire-Fang actually tucked his tail under just a bit when he saw the wild and angry look in Steel's eyes. "They better be," Steel said in a low snarl. The rest of the wolves were too frightened to say anything to the powerful alpha. Most of them were hiding behind Dire-Fang at the moment. For about an hour nobody dared mention the two missing cubs. Dire-Fang felt awful about the whole thing by now, and he was partially regretting sending the cubs out alone. He had woken that morning with a sick feeling in his gut, and at this point in the early night the wolf was beginning to wonder where his son and Steel's mate could have run off to.

Almost as soon as the sun went down an alarm howl went up from the south. Steel went rigid along with the rest of the two packs on top of the clan hold. It was Brown-Snout and his mate, White-Ear, who had sounded the alarm. Like lightning Steel and Dire-Fang were racing down the clan hold and towards the approaching pair of wolves. They met the two just before they were about to reach the clan hold. "Steel! Dire-Fang!" Brown-Snout shouted. "Black Furred Coyotes were spotted patrolling our boarders! We attacked them and they dropped this," Brown-Snout said and White-Ear dropped the small metal ring he had been holding in his mouth.

As soon as the ring hit the ground Steel stepped forward and quickly shifted to his massive long-fang form. He carefully reached down to pick up the metal object, growling the whole time. The look of raw rage and hatred on Steel's face made every wolf around him cringe in fear. The sound he made next was more like a thundering roar than a true howl. The monstrous sound was heard for miles, and even the Coyotes fleeing to the east felt the cold chill that settled over the forest at the sound of Steel's roaring call. "Shadow clan!" Steel said savagely in a voice Dire-Fang had never heard him speak in before.

"Steel we don't even know if they took him or not! We should send out scouts and try to track the cubs down. They couldn't have wondered too far from the clan hold in a single night, not without a guide!" Dire-Fang pleaded with the huge and terrifyingly angry monster standing before him.

"No!" Steel snarled as he clutched the tiny ring in his hands. "This war ends now! If the Shadow-Can harmed a single hair on his head my fury is going to be the least of their concerns!" Steel growled as he reached up and snapped the ring into his own right ear. If it hurt at all Steel didn't show it, he turned to his pack and the four gray-wolves nodded to their leader.

"We're with you Steel!" Silver-Fang said and the other gray wolves nodded as they felt their alpha's rage flowing into their hearts.

Steel looked at Dire-Fang and growled. Steel didn't seem angry at Dire-Fang, but the look on his face was far colder than his usual stern glare. "My pack and clan are with you brother," Dire-Fang said and turned to White-Ear. "Gather a war band and follow behind us as soon as you can. We will bring death and war to the Shadow Clan this night!"

White-Ear growled savagely and turned to his mate. "Let's go Brown-Snout," he snarled.

Even Brown-Snout seemed to bristle with rage as the elder wolf raced after his mate and sounded a war howl the likes of which an alpha would be proud of. As the sound of the answering howls went up a cold and angry rage settled over the timber wolf lands. The haunting call to war was something most wolves spent their whole lives without hearing. Only the youngest cubs and the youngest of the warriors would be left behind to guard the clan hold. When a war howl was sung the clan was hunting for blood.

No hunter or scout was left behind this time. No warrior old enough to fight with his fangs and claws dared remain behind. The cubs were taken by Blue-Brook to the under-warren where they sealed themselves in with only a few of the youngest warriors to guard them. Steel and Dire-Fang led their packs through the cover of the night leaving a clear trail for their army of wolves to follow them by. There had been fights between the two clans of wolves and coyotes, but tonight there would be true bloody war. Wolves never went to war unless they meant to kill every one of their enemies down to the females and cubs.

While he ran to the edge of the shadow clan lands Dire-Fang kept hoping and praying to Luna that they would find the two cubs unharmed. Not only was his own son missing, but he didn't know what would happen if Steel didn't find his mate soon. The gray wolf looked positively feral as he ran ahead of the two packs. If it was blood the wolf was after he would find plenty of it at the hands of the shadow clan.

** Learning to Fight**

** The War Begins**

A sound woke Walker from his troubled sleep. It had been a day and a night since their imprisonment at the paws of the Scruff-Tuft coyote, but now that night had fallen again the coyotes had come for Swift-Paw. "Come with us or we will kill the little one," they had said. Swift had reluctantly obeyed.

It had been nearly three hours since the coyote had dragged Swift away from Walker, but before midnight that night the coyote opened the cave and dragged Swift back into the prison, leaving him alone with walker. Even in the near pitch black of the cave Walker could see the strange markings carved into Swift's flesh. They were dark and evil symbols that the young wolf didn't understand. A strong musky smell came from the young long-fang, and when Walker asked him what happened he only growled softly in response.

Walker slept against his bloody and beaten pack mate for the rest of the night. When the sun finally rose on their second day in Scruff-Tuft prison Walker woke before Swift. After gently licking the other wolf's face for a while Swift opened his eyes and growled low at Walker. He was instantly on his paws and acting like he hadn't seen Walker in his whole life before. "S... Swift-Paw," Walker said in fear and backed away from his pack mate. "What's wrong with you?"

Swift-Paw growled and growled at Walker as he slowly circled the younger wolf. At long last he stepped forward and sniffed Walker's backside. The smell of his own seed still lingered there and perhaps for that reason the wolf backed down just a bit. He kept his distance from Walker though, and seemed very confused by his surroundings.

"Swift-Paw," Walker whispered to the other wolf. "What's wrong? What happened to you? Why won't you talk to me?" Walker asked desperately in a high pitched whine.

Swift snarled in pain and held his head like it was hurting him. Walker had never heard of wolves having migraines before, so this sort of behavior was highly unusual. "Wal... ker," Swift growled in a strange voice. "Walk-grrrr," he said again with less trouble but still not pronouncing the name right.

"You remember me?" Walker asked and slowly made his way up to the other wolf. "Please tell me what's wrong Swift. Maybe I can help you?"

"Hurrrrt" Swift growled and rubbed his head. "Head hurrrrt."

It took a while to calm the other wolf down enough to get him back to almost normal. Swift didn't say anything else though, and most of his communication was through the natural body language wolves used when they didn't have words for each other. If Walker didn't know better it was almost like the coyote had done something to Swift's mind. It was like they had broken him with some sort of dark magic. "Those damned monsters," Walker growled as Swift curled around him in the dark of the cave. "They did this to you didn't they?" he asked and looked into Swift's eyes. The wolf seemed to understand what he said, but there was no response from him. "They'll get what they deserve when Steel saves us," Walker said before falling asleep against Swift's chest.

There was very little to do in the days that followed Swift's return to the cave. Occasionally the coyote would drag a carcass into the cave so the two wolves could eat. It was always almost spoiled, and while Swift-Paw didn't seem to mind the sour meat it didn't sit well with young Walker. After a few days of going hungry Swift had gotten concerned with Walker's declining health.

"Walker eat," Swift said gruffly and pushed the latest decaying heap of bones the coyote had brought them towards his pack mate.

"I can't Swift," Walker said sadly and turned away from the unrecognizable animal remains. "I just can't eat that sort of food!"

Swift seemed sad at first, but then he approached Walker and pulled the other male into his lap. It wasn't the sort of hug the two wolves would exchange on cold nights either. Swift-Paw's wolf hood rose into the air in front of Walker bringing with it a strong musky smell. "I feed Walker," Swift grunted. "Swift-Paw can feed Walker."

It was better than rotten meat, but not by much. The smell was welcoming though, and Swift had huge round balls that were practically bursting with thick ropes of protein. It wasn't long before Walker was licking the red slab of wolf meat which was nearly as thick and long as one of his own legs. The pre slicked cock tasted so good, and Swift-Paw didn't seem to mind the attention at all. It didn't take too long for Walker to extract a jet of pre from the other wolf who seemed surprised at the sensation. It did dawn on Walker that Swift had never fucked as a long-fang, so he might not be used to the combination of human and wolf characteristics he now possessed.

Before too long the young wolf was growling in pleasure as the time between the jets of pre lessened and his seed began to thicken as it flowed through his cock and into Walker's hungry mouth. To Walker it was like getting the best sort of meal he could have ever wished for. Not only did Swift's cock taste amazing, but his cum was rich and creamy. The young wolf couldn't lick it down fast enough! When Swift finally did cum into Walker's mouth a long feral howl was the only sound he made. Walker drank every last drop of the thick seed. Even after the last drop of cum had been sucked from Swift's cock the young wolf continued to lick the cock as it pulled back into Swift's sheath. "Did I... feed Walker good?"

"Hmm, yea," Walker moaned as he sleepily curled up in Swift's arms.

It was hard to keep track of time during their stay in that cave. Walker feared they would die in that place before Steel ever found them. What was taking his alpha so long? Where was he? For the first time in his life as a wolf Walker began to secretly yearn for Steel. In his sleep Walker would dream of the huge wolf's thick gray fur wrapping around him and shutting out all the danger and fear Walker felt inside. The wolf would wake to find himself in Swift's arms, and while it was hard not to be thankful for the company of his pack mate, poor Swift wasn't getting any better. In fact, Walker feared he was getting worse. If a wolf was treated like an animal long enough could they actually become one? Walker didn't know, but he prayed to whatever gods listened to prayers on this world that Swift wouldn't turn feral or anything like that. Walker needed the young wolf right now almost as much as Swift needed him.

It was actually on the twelfth day of their imprisonment that something finally happened and the fates of the two young wolves were decided. Early in the morning, while the wolves slept together, a strange creature Walker had never seen or smelled before came into the cave. "How beautiful! Wild wolves!" the strange smelling thing said in a language that Walker understood but didn't recognize. More of the strange bipedal creatures entered the cave with their leader. "Tie them up boys, I want them in the magical shackles before we put them in the cages!"

...

In the early days of their intrusion into the Shadow-clan lands the army of wolves met little real resistance. Steel was aware that the clan mother of the Shadow-clan coyotes did not support open warfare against the two wolf packs, but so far as both clans knew she had done nothing to stop her sons from attacking the gray wolves or even from invading gray-wolf lands. Both Steel and Dire-Fang were interested in hearing her reasons for allowing this bloodshed to continue unabated.

A few dozen scouts returned to the main war band and reported in to Dire-Fang and Steel. "High-Alpha's," the alpha scout said and nodded respectfully to the two powerful wolves. In times of war most of the traditional greetings were ignored and the soldier class wolves were allowed to approach the elders without pause. "Our pack spotted two small bands of coyotes to the east of our war band. One group was clearly the Shadow-Singers, but we didn't recognize the smaller group."

"Perhaps they were Black-Claw scouts?" Silver-Fang suggested as he looked to Steel and Dire-Fang for support.

"No," The scout alpha said and shook his head. "We know the Black-Claws just like we knew the Bone-Diggers before we destroyed them in battle. If it had been Black-Claws we would have been forced to fight... these coyotes fled as soon as they saw us. Black-Claws never flee."

"They are Dusk-Watchers," Steel said and surprised the scout and Silver-Fang both. The two wolves looked up at Steel with confusion in their eyes, but it was Dire-Fang who offered an explanation.

"We all know of the three elder brothers of the Shadow-Clan offensive." Dire-Fang began as he stood and began to speak to all the wolves gathered around him. "When we fought in the gray-wolf lands we fought the Bone-Diggers and their leader Bone-Gnawer, but there are still two more groups of Shadow-Clan warriors who oppose us. The Shadow-Singers are the masters of the shadow arts that the other coyote warriors used to fight us. Their leader, Black-Howl, is a half-wolf monster who believes he is worthy of supplementing the gray-wolves and ruling their lands. Delusional..." Dire-Fang growls at the thought of a half-breed wolf coyote and continues to speak. "The Black-Claws and that beast Scar-Hide, who leads them, have fought us in the past. They focused their fury on us timber-wolves and routinely killed our hunters and warriors after the destruction of the gray-wolf clan-hold." Steel and the other gray-wolves growled as Dire-Fang spoke of their clan's destruction at the hands of the humbaba. "That only leaves the Dusk-Watchers, or the coyote noble class which is loyal only to the clan mother. They are fiercely loyal to her and her alone. If they perceive us to be a threat to her safety they will join with the other coyote and destroy us, but if they sense that we are no threat they will avoid confrontation."

"Are we a threat to the clan mother?" Silver-Fang asked, but he looked to Steel not Dire-Fang for an answer.

Steel thought for a moment before he replied. "No," He said in a low growl, "but I won't spare her if she had a paw in this devious plan... cub-napping my mate and an important timber-wolf warrior." Steel couldn't help but to pause and snarl as he remembered the reason they were out here in the first place. "If, however, this is just another ploy of her bastard son's we don't have any reason to destroy her and her clan."

The other wolves looked satisfied with Steel's answer. Nobody wanted to kill females and cubs if they didn't have to. "Should we pursue the Shadow-Singers?" The scout asked and waited for orders.

"I suppose it's our best chance at discovering the whereabouts of our missing cubs," Dire-Fang said with a sigh. He knew going south after the Shadow-Singers would take them away from the Shadow-Clan den, but he also knew they would meet more resistance if they attacked the den head on.

The scouts all nodded and raced to howl out the high-alpha's new orders. Steel and Dire-Fang directed the war band south and away from the threat of the clan mother and her Dusk-Watchers. Neither male wanted to talk much, so the conversation was left to the pack members behind them.

"So," Black-Fang said as he looked over to Red-Tooth and Black-Paw. "I heard from Silver-Fang that you two are from different clans than Snow and Moon." Black said softly and a little nervously. He hadn't had a chance to really get to know any of the timber-wolf elders, but he was curious about why Red-Tooth and Black-Paw looked so different from the other timber-wolves.

"We are," Red-Tooth said softly and smiled in a friendly manner at Black-Fang. "We are both from the southern wolf clans." He explains. "I am the son of a timber-wolf warrior and the clan-mother of my red-wolf brothers." Red-Tooth gestures to Black-Paw with his snout and continues. "Black-Paw here is actually Dire-Fang's half-brother. According to legend the previous high-alpha of the timber-wolves found the fabled black-wolf clan hidden deep in these very lands." Red-Tooth smiled at Black-Paw who remained as silent as always. "They say the old high-alpha bred with the black-wolf clan mother and brought back the only cub born from their union."

Black-Paw looked at Black-Fang and shook his head. "You are a black-wolf," he said as he looked at Black-Fang. "We are smaller than other wolves, faster, with more powerful magic too."

The other wolves could only agree with that, but Black-Fang was speechless. He was a gray-wolf... how could he be a black-wolf too? It didn't make any sense to him. Black-Paw seemed to sense that the other black-furred wolf was confused so he nuzzled him gently to reassure him.

"We know you were born on another world Black-Fang," Red-Tooth says softly and looks to Silver-Fang who nodded sternly to the other warrior. "But we feel at times that you and Walker were always meant to be wolves like us... perhaps your pack is not the first to visit other worlds. Do you know who your father is?"

Black-Fang stopped suddenly and looked shocked. "I... I don't know..." He says in a shaky voice. "My mother is a powerful witch, but she keeps her secrets guarded well. I learned most of my magic from watching my sisters and from stealing tomes from the coven." Black-Fang felt his mate's presence behind him as he spoke, and the big muscular silver wolf was concerned for his smaller mate. The two packs stopped to let Black-Paw recover from his shock. "What if my father was a wolf... maybe a black-wolf long-fang?"

Steel growled as he spoke up. "I smelled that you were special the moment I stepped into your prison Black-Fang..." He said gruffly. "I wouldn't be surprised if you had a wolf father... I often wonder the same of Walker, but there is no way we could ever know for sure."

The two packs traveled in silence for the rest of the day. Reports of Shadow-clan coyotes watching the movements of the war-band came in every hour or so, but there were no attempts by the coyotes to engage the army of wolves in their lands. It wasn't until the wolves stopped to rest for the night that they noticed something unsettling about their surroundings. As usual it was Moon-Song and her sister Snow-Song who noticed the presence of the unsettling aura that had settled over the forest.

"Dire-Fang," Snow-Song said in her musical and regal voice. She was accompanied by her sister and the two young twin gray-wolves. The females had been teaching the twins to hunt and use magic as they accompanied the war band. In truth the twins were too young for a war band, but as gray-wolves they had a small size advantage and thus had been allowed to come along. "The twins, Moon, and I have all noticed a powerful aura surrounding the war band." She said with a soft whine of worry creeping into her usually commanding voice. "We believe the band is being led astray by the scouts."

"What makes you believe this?" Dire-Fang asked with a tired growl to his voice. The high-alpha was weary from coordinating his war band and from keeping up a punishing pace of travel for the third day in a row.

It was a surprise when one of the twins stepped forward to speak. It was hard to tell which one it was, but it looked like Ruff-Tusk. "High-Alpha," he said with respect to the powerful elder wolves before him. "We have been tracking a rogue coyote with the help of Snow and Moon... he's using magic to cover his tracks, but this won't work to hide him from us."

"Impressive young warrior," Dire-Fang said and looked at Snow who nodded as the high-alpha stood and approached the young warrior. "Why do you believe this rogue coyote is important to us? He could be spying or perhaps attempting to mislead you with his magic."

Ruff-Tusk looked nervous as he stood before Dire-Fang, but he kept his tail from lowering and stood his ground bravely. His ears did lay back though, but no wolf was perfect at hiding their emotions. "I... I don't believe so Dire-Fang. I suspect the coyote's motives are to be noticed by us nobles but to avoid our scouts. Otherwise he would not use magic to cover his trail..."

Dire-Fang looked like he was enjoying this little test of resolve on Ruff-Tusk's part. The young warrior was trying his best to be brave, which was impressive for a cub so young. "What do you suggest we do then, young warrior?"

It was obvious that Ruff-Tusk wanted to look back at Snow-Song for support, but he wisely held his ground. "I... We should find this coyote and force him to answer our questions. He could have valuable information about traversing these lands and finding our missing pack mates." Ruff even ended his statement with a soft growl that made Dire-Fang smile.

Speaking to Dire-Fang had been nerve wracking, but when Steel joined the conversation poor Ruff-Tusk couldn't hold his ground anymore. He wilted at the sight of the elder gray-wolf and slowly lowered himself to the ground and tucked his tail. A nip from behind him, delivered by Snow-Song, caused the wolf to yip and stand again, but his tail remained tucked in fear and his ears were laid flat against his head. "Lead us to these tracks you have found Ruff-Tusk," Steel growled. To the surprise of the other wolves the gray-wolf alpha leaned over the young warrior and nuzzled him in a very fatherly way. "And don't address a high alpha with your tail tucked."

Steel licked Ruff-Tusk on his nose much to the embracement of the young warrior, but Ruff managed to uncurl his tail and regain a proper warrior's stance. Ruff-Tusk nodded as he looked at his brother who woofed and joined him bravely. The two young wolves shot off and led the two packs deeper into the black misty forest. The mists around the noble packs seemed to almost churn and twist as they left the war band. They couldn't have known that they were being watched by more than one shadow coyote at that moment.

...

Ruff and Tuff were proving to be incredibly adept hunters for such young wolves, but having two high-alpha's on your tail could inspire any wolf to perform well. As the twins tracked the rogue coyote Steel turned to Dire-Fang and spoke softly. "Look at them," He said softly and gestured with his nose towards the twins. "They move like seasoned warriors and they track better than experienced scouts..."

Dire-Fang nodded and gave the twins a long discerning look. "They are about as big as Swift was when he left..." Dire-Fang stopped and looked at Steel whose eyes had grown hard again. "We will find them Steel..." Dire-Fang growled quickly. "Look at the twins­-how they fight and struggle to win your praise-I could only pray to Luna for cubs that grow so strong so swiftly..."

Steel surprised Dire-Fang when he laughed at those words. "Have you seen Swift?" Steel asked. "He trains like mad to gain your praise brother... he's obsessed with being as strong as you are... perhaps he will be some day, but only if he lives through whatever trials Luna has set before him..."

It was Dire-Fang's turn to growl and look away from Steel. "I... I pushed him too hard. I..." Dire-Fang looked at Steel and it was shocking to see tears in the wolf's eyes. "I never told him I loved him Steel!" The high-alpha said angrily. "He's my first born son! Luna help me! What kind of monster sends his son away to become a long-fang without even giving him his love?"

"You are a good father Dire-Fang!" Steel said in an angry woof. "Don't let doubt cloud your mind brother, you have only ever done what is best for Swift-Paw. I am the one who has coddled Walker and held him back. You treat Swift like what he is... a warrior! I've kept Walker a cub... I've done nothing to help him grow stronger, and now he needs the strength I denied him..."

There was nothing Dire-Fang could say to Steel. He knew what the other wolf said was true, but how did you say such a thing without insulting someone you love and respect? "He's stronger than you think brother," Dire-Fang finally said and shook his head. He was at a loss for words, and the rest of their hunt was spent in silence.

Ruff and Tuff finally stopped in an empty grassy clearing. The mists here were dense and hard to see through, but the eyes of the two wolves were sparkling with magical enhancement. "He's here," Tuff said with a low feral growl to his voice, "and he's alone too."

"Show yourself Coyote!" Steel roared angrily. "Where have you taken our cubs?!"

Out of the misty shadows a small lithe form materialized. "My lords," The coyote said with surprising grace and poise to his voice and stance. He bowed low and submitted to the superior race of canines before him. "I come bringing an offering of peace from the clan mother and her Dusk-Watchers." The coyote said as he continued to bow before Dire-Fang and Steel-Fur.

Steel snarled with an unnatural seething anger as he stepped swiftly towards the supine coyote. "Tell me why I shouldn't rip your throat out right here? I came for my cubs, not for peace with your kind! If you hold them in captivity your peace is forfeit, if you don't I have no further use for you or your matriarch!"

The coyote held his ground and looked up at Steel with surprising bravery. "The Shadow Mother holds no wolf cubs or wolves against their will, but the Shadow-Singers and their Black-Claw allies do... I was sent to guide you through the mists and to ensure your safe travel through these lands."

"We have come for war, cousin, Dire-Fang says angrily as he joins Steel over the coyote. "If you submit to us you must take a blood oath to serve your new masters to the death. If you will not we will kill you right here!"

A blood oath was a convenient way for the wolves to ensure the coyote Dusk-Watcher was not lying. Steel didn't like the idea of having a coyote serving his pack, but Dire-Fang desperately wanted to avoid war with the larger body of coyote warriors. Both high-alphas knew they couldn't afford to fight three powerful factions of coyotes at once, but if they made peace with the Dusk-Watchers and gained the support of the clan matriarch they just might get out of this war without losing many of their own precious warriors.

"I accept," The coyote said and offered his Paw to Steel as he rolled over and stood before him. "I offer my blood in indentured servitude to your pack and clan, lord Steel-Fur. Draw my blood, here and now, so I might serve as your unwavering vassal." The words were as much for ceremony as they were part of an ancient kind of magic that had once bound all of Wolf World in the ancient days.

Steel reached out and raked his claws across the coyote's paws. He spoke and continued the blood rite. "Speak your name so your pledge can hold true." Steel growled angrily.

"I am Night-Runner, son of Moon-Shadow and her consort Fire-Eye. I swear by the light of Luna herself that I will serve you, lord of the gray-wolves, until the light of life leaves my eyes and my paws can no longer carry me to do your will." The oath was spoken and that made this Night-Runner as much a part of Steel's clan as his own pack mates were.

Steel hated the idea of having a coyote serving him. "I command you to show us the way back to our war band, and then you will lead us to the Shadow-Singers so we can destroy them once and for all!" Steel commanded.

"This way, my lord" Night said softly as he stood and led the nobles through the misty forest. As Steel and the others followed the coyote the gray-wolf alpha motioned for Ruff and Tuff to come over to him. The eager young warriors were beside their alpha in seconds. "What do you need Steel?" Ruff asked in an excited woof.

"Ruff-Tusk, Tuff-Tusk, I want you two to watch our new 'vassal' and ensure that he does not attempt to betray our pack. If he makes one move against our people you have my permission to kill him. Do this for me and when we have saved Swift-Paw and Paw-Walker I will reward you both with marks of honor."

The twins nodded and snarled as they hurried to catch up with Night-Runner. The Coyote looked surprised when two muscular young wolves appeared at his flanks. Steel listened to the exchange between the three canines. "We've been given the honor of ensuring your loyalty," Tuff growled at Night.

"I... I am humbled to see that High-Alpha Steel has entrusted my fate in your worthy paws." There was just enough of a pause in the coyote's voice to betray his own surprise and fear.

Ruff and Tuff were just a little bigger than Night-Runner, and Steel had no doubt that the twins could kill him without hesitation. He decided to turn his attention back to Dire-Fang. "Brother," Steel woofed as he let the elder high-alpha catch up with him. "We have avoided full scale war with the coyotes, but this will not be an easy fight to win..."

"I understand," Dire-Fang growled, "but we must press on and discover the truth behind this terrible war... I only hope our cubs are safe... Luna guide us."

Steel nodded and nuzzled his fellow high-alpha gently. "We'll find them Dire-Fang... somehow... we'll find them."