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Loyal Dogs The Traitor By Evan Drake © 2019, Evan Drake, All Rights Reserved

Chapter 5: Taking a Breath

Thern supposed he should feel happy they had raided the bandits hideout and shut down their operations, but it didn't feel that way.

Despite how late it was, Gaius ordered everyone to move out. The grey-furred coyote, the one responsible for all this, was still loose, but without leads, the trail had gone cold. Thern wanted a chance to catch up with Reylin, but with the mayor dead and the Kingsglaive investigating, things were going to get very complicated very fast.

Or at least Gaius planned to leave Morken early. After a heated debate with Cecili, he "decided" to delay their departure for a day so everyone could get some much needed sleep. It was clear the rest was more for their leader's benefit as Gaius had slept for nearly two days now. No one complained. It gave them a chance to rest and they all had noticed the fox was pushing himself to the limit.

Thern quietly opened the door to Gaius' room to make sure their leader hadn't died in his sleep. The fox remained in the same position Thern had left him before, laying spread eagled in bed and snoring loudly. His fur was still just as unkempt as the day they got back and a small puddle of drool had accumulated around his muzzle. It surely wasn't the position one should find their superior in, but Thern had seen much worse during his mercenary days. At least Gaius didn't sleep in the nude.

Cecili sat in a chair next to the bed, sewing what Thern assumed was one of Gaius' tunics. She looked different without her armor and weapons. Wearing a simple blouse and trousers, her brown fur neatly brushed, she seemed almost approachable, but her straight posture and the firm parental look in her eyes still gave Thern pause. He had assumed she always looked that way at him, but as she hadn't acknowledged his intrusion, it seemed it was her natural expression.

Thern was about to leave the room when Cecili said, "What do you want?"

It was no secret Cecili didn't care much for him, so Thern preferred to avoid speaking to her unless absolutely necessary. But he knew ignoring her would cost him dearly later. With a quiet sigh, he stepped into the room and closed the door. "I just wanted to check on him. He's been sleeping for a while."

Cecili didn't snort or roll her eyes as she usually did. Her expression softened which Thern found surprising. "He pushes himself far too hard sometimes. It's like he forgets he's not immortal."

Thern chuckled and leaned against the wall. "Yeah, he's definitely dedicated to the cause." His smile fell as he added, "A lot like you. He'll be fine if you leave his side for a few hours, y'know."

"I don't expect you to understand, but we have plenty of enemies. And that coyote is still at large. Until he's dealt with, I refuse to consider this over. If you're going to travel with us, you need to learn to consider the consequences of your actions."

A low growl escaped Thern before he could stop himself. "You don't know the first damn thing about me."

Cecili snorted and resumed sewing the tunic. "I know you were arrested for treason. That's all I need to know."

Thern walked out of the room, his hackles rising and his tail stiff behind him. It would only lead to a fight if he stayed and then Gaius would be woken up and likely in a very bad mood. He didn't calm down and feel his fur relax until he was back downstairs in the common room of the inn.

What he didn't understand was why it bothered him so much. Cecili's statement wasn't any more harsh than what the guards had said to him before. At least she didn't make death threats every time she saw him.

He supposed it didn't matter. Becoming a "traitor" was his choice. He knew exactly what choosing to undergo that mission would entail and that no one could ever learn the truth. The consequences would haunt him for the rest of his days. He dropped into the nearest empty stool then summoned the barkeep and asked for a large cup of beer so he could drink and forget his troubles.

A large paw fell heavily on his shoulders and spun him around. He was surprised to see Firion standing before him. "Hey, Thern! The pup and I were just talking about ya! Come join us!" The smell of alcohol was heavy on hi breath.

Before Thern could say no, he was pulled out of his seat and half-dragged toward a table in the far corner of the room. Phen and Bayli already sat at the table. Thern noticed Bayli didn't look very happy to be with them, a feeling he sympathized with. Not that he didn't want to spend time with his companions, but he wanted some time alone with his thoughts.

Firion placed Thern in the empty seat next to Phen then sat in the other seat, sandwiching Thern between the two of them. "There we are," Firion said. He gave a hearty laugh and held his flagon in the air. "Now we can truly celebrate our victory!"

"But Gaius and Cecili aren't here," Phen replied matter-of-factly.

"And we have nothing to celebrate," Bayli said with exasperated huff.

Firion's smile faded. "Feeling sorry for yourself won't do you any favors, Bayli. What happened wasn't your fault."

Bayli frowned. "My lack of information could've gotten one of us killed. Not to mention all the females we failed to save."

"But it didn't," Firion countered.

"But it could've. Life is a game played to the highest stakes. Mistakes cannot be tolerated." She stood and stormed off before anyone could respond.

Firion sighed and upended his mug. Thern decided to change the subject. "It seems you are the only one who's not wound so tight," Thern said.

Firion laughed and slapped Thern on the back. "That's true! Though I'm sure you helped Bayli to unwind plenty the night you first met." Thern folded his ears downward to hide the blush though he did feel grateful knowing he hadn't broken some unknown rule. Firion stood and patted his large stomach. "Walk with me, Thern. I want to see as much of this town as I can before we leave."

Thern left the rest of his drink untouched and followed Firion outside. The sun didn't bother Thern's eyes as much, but he wished he had a hood of some kind to wear over his head. A heavy blanket of sorrow had fallen over the town. Most of the canids out and about had their heads down like beasts beaten into subservience. The ones who didn't still wore masks of grief and were silent. It had been that way since the news of the fate of the missing females had spread.

"No wonder Bayli's in such a foul mood," Thern mumbled.

"What kind of talk is that?" Firion scolded. "We dispelled this town's fear and brought them peace. I would consider that a win."

Thern stopped walking and glared at the hound. "Peace? Look at them! They look peaceful to you?"

Firion stopped and blinked, one ear raised, the other lax. "Well, no...but--"

"They were suffering in torment and fear. Hiding from and held prisoner to an unknown fate," Phen's said from behind them. Thern started at the sound of the pup's voice. He didn't remember getting up to follow them, but he also hadn't paid much attention at the time. "Thanks to us, they know the fate of their loved ones and can begin mourning. Better still, they no longer have to fear losing anyone else. So, yes, it as Firion said. We should count this as a win."

"But--" Thern began.

"Our job isn't to save them. It's to protect them and bring them peace," Firion said. Thern snapped his muzzle closed and tilted his head as he turned to the hound.

"Thern, do you remember that Afflicted the mayor kept in her house?" Phen asked. Thern shuddered and nodded. That was a memory he wouldn't soon forget. She hadn't been nearly as badly mutated as the rat, but it was still a horrific sight to see her that way. The fox pup continued. "You do understand there was no healing her? The mayor was clinging to a false hope and letting grief blind her and expose herself to more pain. She was putting herself at greater risk than she knew."

"You mean there's a greater risk than being torn apart by someone you love?"

"Good point, but that's not what we mean," Firion said. "When we die, the aether in our bodies is released. Normally, it's nothing to worry about, but Afflicted are filled with corrupted aether, so when they die, that aether is released."

"And anyone who lingers around the body will eventually become one of them," Phen added. "That's why we purge them. To protect the canids still alive and bring peace to the ones who are gone." His tail curled slightly before it straightened and he held against his back. "It's still uncertain if an Afflicted retains any sense of who they once were. What we do know is any attempts to communicate with them have failed, and there's no cure."

There was no mistaking the tenseness in Phen's voice. "Is that why you joined the Paladins?" Thern asked.

Phen nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yes. My parents were murdered by a wandering traveler--no, we thought he was a traveler. He was Afflicted, but we didn't know it. By the time we...we realized...it was already..." For the first time since Thern had met him, the fox pup looked his age, young, confused, and hurt.

"I'm sorry, Phen," Thern said sincerely. He knew what it was like to grow up orphaned and abandoned. That Phen was able to escape that life was something Thern was glad for.

"The Paladins don't usually recruit so young," Firion said. "But Phen was a special case."

"Why don't you tell Thern about why you joined, Firion?" Phen offered. It was obvious the pup was trying to change the subject. As curious as Thern was, he chose to let the matter drop.

The large hound grinned. "Not much to tell about my story. I'm from Lupra. Grew up in one of the New Moon Districts. Joined the Paladins when I turned 20 and have been with them ever since."

Thern's ears rose. It wasn't like Firion to be so vague. He was the under the impression the hound was bad at keeping secrets. It also surprised him to hear Firion was from Lupra. Thern knew little about the small country as he hadn't visited it much. The nobles there didn't hire many outside contractors. What little Thern had heard about Lupra made him wonder if Firion truly had a say in leaving home.

"So why did the two of you join the Paladins?" Thern asked. "You haven't actually said yet."

"I joined to spare others my fate," Phen said with a small note of pride. "Though, sadly, I find many have joined because they hoped to avoid a worse fate. Much like yourself I would imagine."

Thern opened his mouth to speak, but Firion raised a large paw. "It's no secret you were facing a life sentence in prison," Firion said. "And no one here thinks little of you for it."

Thern nodded and decided to remain silent and not mention Cecili's attitude toward him. It still bothered him Phen had joined a group such as this at so young an age. He could understand wanting to make a difference, but there were plenty of other ways that didn't require such a large sacrifice. That one had to give up any claims to land, fortune, or titles still made Thern believe there was something they weren't telling him.

"I'm not seeing any signs of Bayli," Phen said.

"Uh, me neither," Thern quickly chimed in. He had been so engrossed in their conversation, he wasn't even looking, but he preferred not to let the others know that.

"Damn. I was worried about this," Firion said. "We might to need to split up and find her."

"Is there a problem?" Thern asked.

"When Bayli gets upset, she tries to prove her worth," Phen explained. He sighed heavily, his tail flicking behind him. "No matter how many times we tell her its unnecessary, she never listens. She judges herself far too harshly for her failures."

"Yep, just like a certain pup I know," Firion added slyly.

Thern remembered how she treated the coyote in the warehouse and immediately understood. Knowing her, she was likely looking for another lead. He shuddered at the thought of what she would do if the wrong canid tried to stop her.

"Well, we're gonna need to track down the little vixen before she hurts someone," Firion said. "The boss doesn't need to have to deal with this on top of everything else. I'll check the east gate."

"I'll search the area by the inn," Phen said. "Hopefully, she only took a short walk to clear her head."

"If she's looking for information, she most likely went to the market, so I'll check there," Thern said.

They each broke off in separate directions. Thern wasted no time going straight to the market. He understood quite well Bayli's resolve. That she volunteered to sleep him, putting herself in such a vulnerable position, just to learn what kind of canid he was spoke volumes of her dedication to the group.

The market wasn't very busy as Thern expected. Many were likely home mourning their loved ones. The thin crowds made it easy to search for Bayli. Thern decided to search himself and not ask the locals if they had seen the vixen. It was mainly to avoid letting anyone know he was looking for someone, a habit from his younger years scouting nobles to rob. Thieves who asked too many questions were easy to trace. Just like wandering around with his head on a swivel would draw too much attention, so he searched with his eyes and moved his neck as little as possible. When he needed to get a better look at someone, he pretended to check out some the merchants wares.

After scanning the entire market, there were no signs of Bayli. Thern considered going to check another area when someone bumped into him from behind. Immediately, he felt the intruder's paw pat his side. To anyone else, it would likely be taken as a side-effect of being bumped into, but Thern knew someone was checking for a coin purse. He whirled around and grabbed the would be thief, a young wolf pup, even younger than Phen, with dirty brown fur. The pup struggled in his grip.

"Don't scream or make a scene," Thern said threateningly, his paw grabbing the hilt of his sword. He had no intention of harming the pup, but making the pup believe otherwise would make him easier to control. A scene was the last thing either of them wanted. The pup's eyes widened, and he stopped struggling. "Good. Now I won't hurt you or turn you in, but in return you have to tell me who hired you."

"Y-You know?" the pup asked, his frightened voice just shy of a squeak.

Thern nodded. Any thief with half an ounce of skill knew how to size up a potential mark. He knew with the current state of his clothes, he didn't look like he carried much coin and that anyone who tried to take what little bit of money he did have wouldn't live to regret the attempt. That meant the pup either hadn't honed his technique yet or someone hired him as a distraction. Given recent events, Thern wasn't taking chances.

The pup began trembling. "P-Please, ser! I didn't mean nothing by it! The wolf told me I was to try to rob you."

"What wolf?"

"H-He said if you asked, to point you to that a-alley o-over there." The pup pointed in the direction of what Thern knew to be an ambush.

Thern let the pup go. "Get out of here, and find a better way to live. Trust me, the life of a thief will only get you killed."

The pup couldn't run away fast enough. Almost no one took notice of the scared wolf weaving through crowd. Thern was too occupied with the current situation to reflect on their flaws. Someone clearly wanted to ambush him, but it was also a very sloppy attempt. He decided whomever was responsible wanted something other than his life. Growing up around professional thieves and bandits taught him if someone really wanted to ambush him, he wouldn't see it coming.

Thern still kept a grip on his sword and strained his ears for any sounds as he made his way down the alley. At first, it seemed to lead straight to the next street, but a narrower, shorter passage on the left led to an open door.

Thern took a deep breath, reminded himself it wasn't a true ambush, and walked inside the building. The inside was far cozier than he expected. He had expected an abandoned building that reeked of piss, not a fully furnished house that was clearly well taken care of and smelled of scented candles.

The door closed behind him and he immediately spun around, drawing his sword at the same time. His friend Reylin stood by the door. The wolf smiled at him and said, "I'm pretty sure you won't need that."

Thern quickly sheathed his weapon and rushed over to pull his puphood friend into a tight embrace. Reylin didn't resist and returned the hug. The body was real. "I wasn't dreaming," Thern said.

"I was thinking the same thing when I saw you."

Thern broke the embrace to looking his friend in the eye. "Reylin, what...? How...? I saw the guards chasing you, and no one knew where you were. We spent months searching and nothing."

Reylin's ears fell, and he motioned for Thern to follow him to a pair of cozy-looking armchairs in the center of the room. "It's a long story, and I'm afraid there's no time to explain it," Reylin said. "The Kingsglaive don't like the Paladins much, so we can't risk being seen together. You have no idea the grief I caught just for admitting I know you."

Thern wanted to ask about that, but there was something more pressing on his mind. "Reylin, if I had known--"

"You would've gotten yourself killed trying to save me," Reylin finished. He smiled warmly. "Besides, I chose to sacrifice myself so you could get away. I had no regrets." The smile faded. "But that's for another time. Sarl and Veerus could return any moment, and they will not like to find you here." His gaze hardened and he said in a serious tone, "You need to leave the Paladins. They're responsible for the kidnappings."

Thern's mouth fell open. It was the last thing he expected to hear Reylin say.

Reylin sighed and looked at the floor. "You don't believe me."

"I want to, but even though I haven't been with them very long, I can't believe they would do that."

"Neither do I. But you should know, Morken isn't the only town that's been hit by these 'bandits'. Canids all over the country have been going missing, and we've been trying to track them for months." He squeezed his paws together and a low growl emanated from him. "Every time we get close, we run into a group of Paladins, and the trail goes cold. That can't be a coincidence. The only reason we haven't attacked them yet is because we lack the proof, but I feel that's going to change soon. As your friend, I couldn't let you take the blame for what they're doing."

Thern still couldn't believe it. He knew the others had no idea what was going on. Even if other Paladins were involved, Gaius and the others weren't a part of it. He would stake his life on that.

"I don't know what they're threatening you with, but I promise I can protect you," Reylin said. "It make take some convincing, but I'm sure Sarl will take you in if you leave the Paladins."

"I'm sorry, I...I can't do that," Thern said. He stared at the floor, unable to look his friend in the eye, the weight of what he was going to say next pressing down on him. "They saved my life a few times now. I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for them. I can't turn my back on them now. Especially knowing they're innocent."

"Innocent?!" Thern didn't need to look up to know his friend was standing. He felt Reylin's fierce gaze burning into the back of his skull. "I promise you, they are anything but innocent! They're little better than murderers claiming to be followers of some extinct fool's religion." He placed a paw on Thern's shoulder and knelt down. Thern averted his gaze. "Thern, please. If you stay with them, I'll have no choice but to hunt you down when we receive the order to eliminate the Paladins. We are finally reunited. Don't do this."

Thern slowly shook his head and stood up. Without looking at Reylin, he left the house the way he came in. There was no further discussion. As he hurried back to the inn, his paw gripped his shoulder where Reylin's paw once was. He still felt the pressure of his friend's touch. "Fate must truly be cruel," he mumbled to no one. His hackles rose the closer he got to the inn. There was no one to be angry with, no one to take out his rage on. The feeling of helplessness was beyond frustrating.

He couldn't walk away from the others and live with himself without proof. But after all they had done for him, they couldn't be involved. He was there with them as they searched for the bandits and found nothing. If they were truly involved, it would make more sense to distance themselves.

The others weren't waiting outside the inn when he arrived. Rather than look for them, he went to his room. The others needed to be warned, but there was little point unless they were all gathered. Also, Thern wanted a chance to calm down so he could explain things rationally. He slammed the room door closed and pounded his fist against it, snarling loudly.

"Stressful day?" Bayli asked behind him.

Thern spun around to see the vixen sitting on the edge of his bed. At first he thought she was tying to entice him, but he quickly noticed she was fully clothed. Her fur was a mess as if she hadn't brushed it a while, much messier than how she looked this morning. Instead of wondering why she was in his room, he decided to get straight to the point. "You know the others are looking for you? Where have you been?"

"Out," Bayli replied curtly. "Where have you been?"

"Out."

"Cute. I figured you were out visiting your friend."

Thern fought to keep his composure. He hoped Bayli wasn't planning to use him as an outlet for her frustration. Now was not a good time. "So what if I was? Why are you in my room?"

Bayli's tail flicked. Whether it was a simple habit or an unconscious reaction, Thern didn't know. "I needed to confirm something," she said simply. "There were a lot of coincidences surrounding you, and I needed to be certain you weren't involved."

"I thought you already decided I could be trusted," Thern said, holding back a growl.

Bayli's expression remained neutral. "I did. But you could've been an unknowing pawn much like those bandits. But I learned you're not involved, so you can rest easy knowing Cecili won't think less of you."

He wanted to know how she learned that exactly, but it seemed doubtful he would get a straight answer. "I'm sure that's not even possible."

Bayli stood up and approached Thern. "She cares more than you think. She's just not good with her emotions."

Thern stepped to the side to allow Bayli to leave. As she left, he added, "Can you round up the others and meet me in Gaius' room? There's something important I need to say to everyone."

He had expected Bayli to bombard him with questions, but she simply nodded and left. Thern went straight to Gaius' room to wait for everyone to arrive. Gaius was awake and unsurprisingly back to work, pouring over the map again. Cecili was still there as well. She shot an annoyed look in Thern's direction and said nothing. Their fox leader took almost notice of Thern's arrival. It wasn't until Bayli, Phen, and Firion arrived that Giaus finally tore away from the map.

Thern wasted no time explaining the conversation he had with Reylin. Although the others allowed him to speak without interruption, he noticed their fur had risen at the news.

When Thern finished, Gaius spoke first. "That is very disturbing news. I never thought the Kingsglaive would be looking for an opportunity to attack us. I will also need to contact the order at once and tell them we may have traitors among us."

"Guess that means we're changing the plan then?" Firion asked. " If this is happening all over the country, we're not dealing with bandits."

"We have little choice," Phen said. "If the Kingsglaive start hunting us, we won't be able to travel as we please."

"This does not change the plan unless we hear otherwise," Gaius said. When Phen opened his mouth, he quickly added, "There's little we can do for those missing canids. If we fail or abandon our task, we'll put more lives at risk."

The fox pup slowly closed his muzzle, the look on his face showing he clearly didn't like the idea.

"What exactly is our plan?" Thern asked.

Gaius motioned for Thern to come closer and pointed to a place on the map "There's an ancient abandoned fortress far to the northeast. Places like this are often a breeding ground for Afflicted. We heard that several canids who ventured into the area had gone missing, so we were chosen to investigate."

"Hopefully, it's just because the place is dangerous or some bandits took it over," Firion said. "I'd rather not have to clear out an Afflicted nest. Plus, I'm not so sure the little guy and cleanse that many."

"It's still our job to make sure," Cecili said. "If all the canids who went missing have become Afflicted, the Paladins are the only ones who can cleanse them. I just hope none of them have become a Blight."

"A what?" Thern asked.

"Remember when we said Paladins were protectors of the balance?" Phen said. "Well, Blight seek to disrupt that balance. They are our counterparts if you want to think of it that way. They travel the lands, corrupting and perverting life, spreading darkness like an infectious disease, hence their name. They are the evil we're sworn to protect this world from."

"Almost all Blight are mages," Firion added, his hackles rising. "They're Afflicted who haven't lost their minds and they use corrupted aether as their source of power. It's damn nasty stuff and very dangerous." He sighed and his fur relaxed, though the anger never left his eyes. "Sorry, Thern, we hoped to break you in a little slower. Blight are really dangerous, but your first mission may involve fighting a few."

Thern's imagination ran wild again. In all his years as a mercenary, he had never heard of these Blight, but he had come across strange occurrences over the years. Missing canids who were never found, bodies found torn apart and disfigured, things that could be simply explained. They usually just wrote it off as strange happenstance or an attack by wild beasts. Were the Blight behind it this whole time? He wondered.How long have I been ignoring these monsters?

Phen's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Remember, Thern, all Blight have white fur and pale eyes. It's a side effect of taking corrupted aether into their bodies. Those who have not been fully corrupted will have pastel coats, but those are Afflicted; Blight hopefuls."

"If we're lucky, the aether will kill them before they become Blight," Bayli said bitterly.

Thern's ears fell. He knew someone like that in his mercenary group. A hound named Larian; he had a strangely pale coat which the others often made fun of claiming he didn't spend enough time in the sun as a pup. The Dog always seemed to enjoy violence a bit too much and used strange magic that made Thern feel uneasy. Since Thern's knowledge of magic wouldn't fill a thimble, he never thought much of it. Now that he thought on it, eventually the whole group started looking rather pale. And they began acting weird, becoming very selective in the jobs they took even when they needed the coin, and always talking about a sacred balance. It was then Thern began to butt heads with the leader and realized he would be better off elsewhere.

"Is something wrong?" Cecili asked.

"No, nothing," Thern replied quickly. The others couldn't find out about his past. Not when he believed he may have been working with Blight. It was years ago and he had no idea, but it was a risk he wasn't going to take.

"Everyone, gather your things and be outside within the hour," Gaius said. "We're leaving today, even if it means traveling in the dark."

---

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