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Chapter 106: Cookies and Challenges

Nathanial sat at the island in the kitchen and helped Micah decorate some sugar cookies. Micah made some rather...interesting shapes when he was putting them on the tray to bake, so Nathanial made a dozen extra with a more orthodox shape. He'd asked Micah not to make such phallic-looking cookies, but his brother claimed the knot at the base of them was the cap on his mushrooms. Some of them -- almost two dozen -- actually did look mushroom-like, and Micah was a big Super Mario fan, so maybe it was just accidental, or maybe Nathanial was just thinking about knots because he was going to spend time with Geoff as soon as the cookies were decorated. Regardless, the phallic ones wouldn't be making an appearance around company.

Micah hummed merrily as he made a '1-UP' mushroom by adding green spots to the cap of one of the more mushroomy mushrooms, so Nathanial took the opportunity to scan around the house to ensure things were staying calm. Downstairs in Nathanial's room Liam was half-sitting/half-lying on Faelen while he kissed his boyfriend tenderly as they waited for the Wolf's knot to deflate. In the gym Geoff and Nicholas were taking turns pummelling a heavy bag; right now Nick was practising his circle kicks and Geoff held the bag steady. Upstairs, in the 'man-cave,' the atmosphere was a lot frostier. All five adults were watching the game (Nathanial wasn't sure if it was the same one from earlier or not) but it was almost perfectly silent and everyone looked pretty tense. Dad sat a seat away from the Spirits, with Dirk being the closest one to him. Going by the expressions, Nathanial would wager that Conor had tried to patch things up and had been rebuffed; Dirk was too impassive, Conor looked a little hurt and guilty, Den looked very guilty, and the alpha scowled fiercely. Garret sat stiffly and had a very wooden expression.

Nathanial let it be; adults should know how to smooth things over and they were all mature enough to realize that what happened was beyond anyone's control. It just may take a bit of time, like Den had said, for hearts to catch up to minds.

He 'returned' to the kitchen and saw Micah writing 'Bite Me' on one of the phallic cookies. "Micah! What are you doing? That's horribly rude!"

His baby brother looked up at him innocently. "What? I'm making Wonderland mushrooms. You know, the ones in Alice In Wonderland that made you grow big when you ate them?"

Nathanial went to rub his temples but stopped before he touched his head so he wouldn't have to wash his paws again. It didn't really matter what Micah wrote on them since no one would see them anyway. "The cake was what made her grow, and it said 'Eat Me,' not 'Bite Me.' The mushroom didn't have anything written on it, and half of it made her shrink; the other half made her grow." He pointed at the offending shapes. "Those ones won't be served to company; you can let someone else eat them later. Don't forget you're on a diet until you recover from today's events."

Micah's gold eyes grew huge in his white mask as he stared in horror at his big brother. "Wh-What? No mushroom cookies? Not even one? I'll spend a, um, an hour in the gym doing stuff like kung fu practice! Please?"

Nathanial hesitated as he considered his brother's request. The harm caused by eating too many calories -- even just the amount normal for Micah -- was the risk of....what? A kilogram of fat, at worst? At least that's what he got out of Liam's instructions. Micah would burn that off in no time or just grow into it when his first growth spurt hit. Then again, Nathanial didn't want to set a precedent, but if Micah spent more time exercising, time he'd normally spend playing video games, that made up for it, right? He looked back down at Micah's face -- at those big, gold eyes -- and felt himself caving in. He just couldn't say no.

"Oh, all right." His brother jumped and clapped his paws together as he squealed. Nathanial raised his paw to silence the pup. "One. We'll serve these after the soccer game, and you can have one then. Are you and Nick going to watch the game with us?"

Micah shrugged. "Dunno. I don't really want to, but Nick'll probably want to ogle the Wolves, especially Alpha Shi..." He trailed off under Nathanial's glare before asking, "Can I stay home anyway?"

Nathanial very briefly debated with himself before deciding against it. It'd only be two hours at the most, and Micah had spent longer than that by himself in the neighbourhood, but Nathanial wasn't ready to leave him alone in the house, yet. He thought about it for a moment and decided that Michah could when he turned twelve. "No." He went back to his initial point. "Liam said you might get tired easily, so if you want the cookie you need to spend a half-hour exercising before the game and another half-hour after. Don't go overboard, but make sure it's enough to raise your heart rate."

Micah nodded, and they went back to decorating the cookies.

---

Liam sat in the front row of the bleachers behind the Dalhousie Ravens' bench between Den and Nathanial. There was some debate on the way down as to where they wished to sit; while the view of the field was better from higher seats and it would not be obscured by the backs of the team, it would also prevent any conversation with those participating in the match when off-field. Liam just hoped the Spirits would not make a scene or argue with Garret when he inevitably pulled Geoff off the field to 'rest;' in truth, it was to allow someone else to have a chance at playing. Liam had heard of Alpha McDougal's wager, and he knew Geoff -- who Faelen had said normally held back so as to not dominate the weaker Nova Scotian players utterly -- would be playing at full strength. Perhaps this wager was to ensure that Alpha McDougal would be able to see his grandson crush all opposition that dared oppose the Dark Spirit...if one wished to state it so melodramatically.

A hush fell upon the crowd when a notable couple began taking a shortcut across the field, amongst a few other people; it was Principal Davis and her husband. The Cougar was moving far better and appeared much more alert than she had earlier. She walked arm-in-arm with Mr. Davis, a Border Collie, as they went to their customary spot behind her school's team, and sat beside Micah. She turned to the small Akita and said with a smile, "You must be Micah, Nathanial's brother?"

Micah's face lit up in delight. "Yup! Are you one of his teachers? He talks about me?" Liam was uncertain as to what delighted the pup more, that he was recognised and greeted warmly or that his big brother spoke about him to others.

Principal Davis shook her head and extended her paw, which Micah shook. "No, I'm his principal, Jordan Davis. He's mentioned his brothers--" She glanced at Nicholas and then turned her attention back to Micah. "--both of you, but we've never had much opportunity to talk. I read about you in his file." The Cougar extended her paw to the middle Marks pup. "You're Nicholas?"

He shook her paw gravely. "Yes, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, Nicholas. I received the application from your father to enrol you in my school for next year; I look forward to seeing you on orientation day. Your grades are on par with Nathanial's, so you'll be in 10-A, like he currently is."

Liam was beginning to see why she was so popular; she had certainly impressed the younger Markses by knowing their names -- along with some personal details -- and her friendly demeanour. Perhaps equally important was how she spoke to them as intelligent people and did not speak patronizingly as many adults do to those younger than them. That was a habit that particularly irked Liam.

The Cougar leaned in to whisper conspiratorially to Micah, "Are those two Wolves related to Geoff or Faelen? I know Conor McDougal and Dirk O'Conall, and I can see the family resemblances between them and the other two. Is the large Wolf Conor's brother? And the other one Dirk's brother?"

Micah whispered back. "They're related, but not brothers. They're Geoff's and Faelen's granddads. The big one is Geoff's grandfather."

Principal Davis's eyes widened, and she choked back an exclamation. She whispered hoarsely, "Grandfathers? I couldn't believe Dirk was old enough to be the father of a sixteen year-old -- he looks like he should be in university -- but the, ah, elder Mr. McDougal... I can see him being a father, a young father, for Geoff, but not his grandfather." It was fortunate that Principal Davis had been brought into the Monks, as the youthfulness of the Spirits was almost impossible to explain otherwise.

Faelen was sitting on the bench in front of them, next to Geoff, and Liam noticed his ears twitch. His love heard the quiet exchange as well; his hearing was most remarkable, much like Ciar's, which had proved invaluable when eavesdropping on Knights at the various balls he'd taken his son to. Ostensensibly, Lowell had brought Ciaran to London to help with the business and search for a bride, but his ability to tune out extraneous noise and home in on the quietest of conversations was truly a blessing of the gods. Faelen seemed to have the same gift.

Micah's grin threatened to split his face. "Yup, he's a granddad. Do you want me to introduce you?"

Nicholas shook his head. "I'll do it, Sprite. I was going to go see if they wanted me to grab something from the canteen for them, anyway." Nicholas's tail was wagging as he looked over to Alpha McDougal with a hopeful expression on his face.

Micah sat back down. "Okay." His paw slipped into the pocket of his coat and he began fiddling with his acorns while he watched Nicholas lead Mrs. Davis over. The Changeling's countenance was most dark.

Nathanial leaned over to his brother and whispered quietly, "Calm down, Micah. I don't like it any more than you do, but Conor talked to his father, so hopefully it won't happen again. I'll talk to Nick, too."

Micah nodded and took his paw out of his pocket before whispering back, "I need the bathroom. Where is it?"

Nathanial smiled crookedly. "Yeah, I better go too, so I don't miss anything. It's this way." They rose and went toward the facilities. Liam wondered if Nathanial accompanied his brother to ensure the pup did not attempt to seduce anyone.

Mr. Davis stood up approached Liam; a cautious, if not outright suspicious-looking, expression marking his face. He extended his paw to the Rottweiler warily. "You...are Sensei Smith? I'm Reginald Davis, Jordan's husband."

Liam stood, bowed his head, and shook the proffered paw. "I am Smith-sensei, yes. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Davis. How may I be of service?"

The Border Collie looked down at what appeared to be a very young Rottweiler in disbelief. His tone was pitched low so as to not carry. "You are the one in charge of my wife's treatments? Some real-life Doogie Howser?"

Yet another of those pop culture references, no doubt. Liam could not blame the man for his disbelief, yet that did not make it less irksome. He took care not to betray his annoyance, however. "I do not know the reference, but, yes, I lead the team that is treating your wife. This is not the venue to discuss such things; I value the confidentiality of my patients, and a soccer pitch is not a private location. I would also require Principal Davis's permission to speak of her treatments and condition as well."

Mr. Davis stared at him in utter befuddlement while his wife walked along the front of the stands, shaking paws and exchanging brief small-talk with everyone in the first two rows along the way. It was almost as if she were a politician on a campaign trail, or -- Liam smiled fondly -- a villager walking back to her home from the market and speaking to her neighbours as she went. The number of times he had seen such community in action was...actually far less than one might expect. His life as Lowell was a notable exception; otherwise, he had rarely stayed in one location long, unless it was in a monastery, and they behaved far differently than a village. Lorena O'Conall had often stopped to exchange such pleasantries with others of the Cork Clan when they went on walks, as had he. He actually quite enjoyed the sight of her walking along the lane to stop by the gates of a Spirit's home so she might chat with them as they sat upon their porches. The summer evenings were often filled with such community; people walking in the evening cool, or sitting on chairs upon porches as they escaped the heat of indoors and calling out greetings to those walking by.

He was roused from his memories by Mr. Davis clearing his throat, just as the flash of a camera went off -- Ahjeet Jhansi slithering along the edge of the pitch taking photos of the crowds for his paper. Mr. Davis glared at Liam. "I don't know what your intentions are, Smith, but I don't like the way you're looking at my wife."

Faelen's ears flattened back and Liam could feel a surge of anger coming from his love, but it quickly abated when Faelen felt Liam's amusement. Den also appeared angry, but remained silent so Liam may speak. "She reminded me of someone I hold very dear, Mr. Davis. I have no 'intentions' pertaining to your wife, other than my desire to ensure she recovers quickly and completely. I am gay and desire no woman, whether that be Principal Davis or any other female."

The look of complete shock on the Dog's face was priceless. He spluttered for a moment before saying, "Oh. Uh, well, I...guess..." He hung his head. "Sorry."

Principal Davis hurried back to them, her tail twitching behind her. "Smith? Reginald? Is there a problem?"

Her husband turned to her, placing his paw on her elbow as if to steady her in case she became dizzy or fatigued. Liam knew how caring for an ill family member could be very stressful and draining, likely causing Mr. Davis's temper and far-fetched suspicions. How else could one explain levering such an accusation against a 14 year-old "pup"? Mr. Davis went to lead his wife to her seat, but she remained where she was. "No, dear, there isn't a problem. I was just introducing myself to Mr. Smith, um, Smith-sensei."

Principal Davis smiled deprecatingly. "Sorry, Reg, I should have introduced you before going to meet Geoff's and Faelen's families." She gestured to Liam. "This is Liam Smith. Smith, this is my husband Reginald Davis." They shook paws.

Liam nodded briefly to Mrs. Davis. "Indeed, there is no trouble, just a minor misunderstanding." He addressed the tall Border Collie, meeting the deep brown eyes evenly. "I care not in what manner you address me, as long as it is not overly familiar and the manner is at least somewhat respectful. Smith, Mr. Smith, Smith-sensei, or any other variant in any language is acceptable."

On the pitch the official blew her whistle to signal the pre-game announcements. Mr. Davis and Mrs. Davis took their seats and the crowd fell silent as the Broadcasting Club began their spiel, identifying the teams and other necessities.

---

Nathanial fell into pensive thought while he walked through the darkness toward the back door of his house with the other teens (and one pre-teen) while the adults went in the front door. The game went very well for Geoff; he scored eight goals out of his team's ten, and he was ecstatic -- if very sweaty and dirty, which was why Nathanial insisted he go through the back rather than tracking dirt through the house. Alpha McDougal was really happy too, and had praised Geoff while mocking the feebleness of the other team the entire walk home.

Speaking of the alpha, Nick had been constantly trying to get his attention the whole game, driving almost everyone crazy until Garret turned away from the players' bench and told him to sit down and stay quiet. The subservience Nick showed was really out of character and was nearly as upsetting as the almost cruel indifference the alpha treated him with, but at least Nathanial understood the alpha's position. The Wolf valued strength, and this toadying was exactly the opposite of what he respected; that, and he'd been told notto play with Nick at all, so he was probably trying to discourage the teen. He couldn't just tell him off because Nick might take that as their twisted idea of flirting (or whatever it was), and being nice would be a different type of encouragement. That didn't leave a whole lot of options.

Nathanial shook his head, then turned back to look at Nick. "I need to talk to you." He opened the door to the basement and tipped his muzzle toward the showers as he met Geoff's anxious eyes. "I'll just be a minute." Geoff nodded and trotted off, while Micah, Liam, and Faelen went into the common area. Nathanial sighed and rubbed his neck. "Nick, I know you're really attracted to Alpha McDougal, but..."

Nick interrupted him, surprising Nathanial into silence. "Shut up, Nathanial! Don't tell me to stop; he's exactly what I need! He's big, strong, rough, and dominating! He likes all the things I need to feel complete and he's not afraid to hurt me like Faelen is. I just need to get him to realize what I can do for him -- how I can make him feel powerful and completely in charge -- and he'll understand I'm what he's looking for!"

Nathanial arched an eyebrow. "You think he's...insecure? About his authority and power? From what I understand the only person that's challenging him is Rolph, and Rolph wouldn't stand a chance against him in a fight. Both of them know that. They also know Conor wouldn't let Rolph have a chance to challenge their father."

Nick snorted and leaned against the doorframe. "Yeah, right. From what I've seen, it's Conor who's the bigger threat. Conor is constantly criticising the alpha, yelling at him to shut up, to behave, and everything. You guys were saying that it's Conor who goes to all the meetings, who talks to all the other alphas, and who runs the finances. It doesn't matter who holds the title; it's who signs the cheques." His lip curled up into a snarl. "He's also the father of the Dark Elemental and controls what Geoff does and where he goes. Conor holds all the cards, Nats: money, influence, and the ultimate trump -- Geoff. "

Nathanial considered that, surprised. Nick was right, and Nathanial had seen that power struggle yesterday evening when they were walking to his house. Conor and the alpha got into an argument, and Conor just threatened to take his family and leave the clan. The alpha seemed like he was forced to back down right away. Then, if he considered what Faelen said about Spirits' growth, Conor may very well rival -- or surpass -- his father in a few years if he got some sort of 'growth spurt.' If an argument came up, say over Geoff dating a Mage, and Alpha McDougal felt forced to do something that'd hurt Geoff, would Conor sit idly by? Would he play hardball politics and force the alpha and council to back down? Nathanial was pretty sure the answer to the first question was 'no' and the second was 'yes.' He'd seen that Conor became pretty scary when it came to Geoff's wellbeing.

Still, did that have anything to do with Nick? The alpha admitted he wasn't getting much sex, or not as much as he'd like, and he sounded like he felt emasculated by his wife turning him down so much. He'd also sounded almost jealous of Geoff and how he was getting so much sex, too. Would Nick be helping him deal with the mutiny of both of his sons, the repeated rejections from his wife, and his frustrated sexual needs? Or was it merely Nick looking to justify his actions over how he was almost 'submissively' forcing himself on an unwilling straight guy?

Either way, this had to stop. "Nick, whether or not you can both fill a need in the other person doesn't really matter right now. What you're doing is upsetting everyone around you, particularly Micah and me. Dad was furious with Alpha McDougal for doing anything with you, and he wouldn't let anything happen. I wouldn't fight him over it, either. I almost lost it watching the alpha--" Nathanial felt his own lip curl into a snarl. "--'play' with you." Nick opened his mouth to argue but stopped when Nathanial lifted his paw and sharply said,"No. I can accept, grudgingly, a bit of roughness, like you get from Faelen or Liam, but the way he talked to you was too much." He mollified his tone. "But what I was going to say was, sex-play is one thing, constant behaviour is another. Alpha McDougal values only one thing: strength. Whether it's physical, magical, or even personality, strength is the one thing he respects. I know this for a fact because he's been testing and pushing me all week, trying to judge me, to see if I'm strong enough to stand up to both him and the clan over Geoff. If you want him to so much as give you the time of day, you have to stop trying to suck up to him. He seemed to really like your genuine appreciation of his physique, but when you kept laying it on it quickly went from feeling flattered to turned off. "

Nick was still glowering, but he seemed to be listening. The idea of his big brother getting 'tested' just to have a chance to date Geoff actually made Nick's hackles rise. "And? What did he do to you? What did he decide?"

Nathanial sighed. "Um, well, he hasn't decided. Not definitely. He's letting us still date, mostly because Conor said we can, but I'm not entirely sure what he's thinking. Most of the time he almost seems to like me, but he gets really disappointed whenever I get scared...like when I went upstairs to Lil--" He cut himself off. He didn't want Nick to find out about the bloodstains in the office; it might upset him. Micah would listen and stay out, but he wasn't sure if Nick would, not anymore. Nick seemed to be getting a little rebellious lately. He shook his head, ignoring Nick's worried and curious expression. "Tests? Well, he grilled me a bit, dropping hints he knew Geoff and I were dating before we knew that he knew, or that he had guessed. He seemed to hate me and was mean from the beginning, but he was just trying to force me to fight for Geoff. He started to warm up, uh, kinda, when I attacked Rolph for getting after Conor. Not getting incinerated seemed to earn me some brownie points."

Nick shook his head. "So fighting, duels, and stuff prove your strength? Do Spirits do that sort of thing a lot?" Nick sounded incredulous; Nathanial had always stressed that magic should only be used on another person in self-defence. "It sounds dangerous."

Nathanial grimaced. "It's stupid. Most Spirits can regenerate when they manifest around their trigger, so it isn't as bad as Mages duelling, but it strikes me as rather thuggish. Spirits seem to pride themselves on being 'warriors,' like Klingons in Star Trek." Nathanial could see that Geoff was getting impatient in the showers, so he smiled at his brother. "That's all I wanted to say, Nick. Stop sucking up -- it annoys the alpha -- and Dad and I have both made it clear to both of you that you're off-limits." He turned around and walked off to the showers, ignoring the fierce glare that followed him; Nick would come around once Alpha McDougal was back in Ireland and out of sight for a while.

Around nine o'clock, Nathanial led his friends and brothers up to the third floor entertainment room -- what he couldn't help but think of it as a 'man-cave.' 'Pub' sounded better, though, less cheesy. Micah carried the plate of cookies, which had been cleared of all offending shapes so Nathanial didn't pay it much attention. He enjoyed his shower with Geoff, but he couldn't stop thinking about Nick and the alpha; it killed the mood enough that Geoff didn't get his eight 'scores.'

Micah and Nick gawked around the whole time they ascended. There's nothing like venturing into formerly forbidden territory for the first time to pique interest. Nick in particular found the pub to be interesting and looked around curiously when they walked in. Micah just brought the plate of cookies over to Dad after a quick glance. Fortunately the mood was a lot less frosty, as everyone seemed focused on a hockey game. It looked like it was Boston playing against Carolina.

Micah thrust the plate forward. "Here, Dad! I made cookies! Want to try one?"

Garret smiled and took one, even if he peeked around Micah when the volume of the crowd increased. He rubbed his son's ears. "Thanks, Sprite. They look delicious." Nick walked over to sit behind the alpha, while Micah wriggled happily and hopped over to Dirk.

The Wolf looked at the plate and picked up a mushroom-shaped one, one with red spots. "They do look good. Will this one make me grow twice my size so I can stomp evil monsters?"

Micah beamed and laughed. "I wish! I haven't learned any magic that can do that...yet."

Garret leaned forward and yelled, "Yes! Yes!" He threw himself back in the seat when the goalie stopped the shot. "Fuck!" He heard Nathanial clear his throat and ducked his head muttering, "Sorry." The adult Akita took a swig of his beer and then a bite of the cookie. "Not bad, Micah. Nathanial better be careful or you'll be doing the cooking before long." He leaned over and swiped another cookie. His attention was drawn back to the TV as soon as the puck dropped.

Micah ducked his head and scuffed the floor with his hindpaw, the unexpected praise obviously throwing him. He bounced back quickly and with a big grin. "Nah, Nats helped me lots, so they're his cookies, too. He was making big meals by my age, so I can't expect to compete."

Nathanial smiled, pleased by how happy Micah was, and sidled up to the snooker table with his friends. Geoff started explaining how to play as he racked the balls, while Faelen got the cues.

Dirk put his paw on Micah's back and gently moved the pup toward Conor so his boss could take a cookie. "Cooking isn't a competition, Sprite, it's community. It's an activity best done together as family."

The alpha was getting impatient while waiting for the cookies; Micah still had to serve Conor and Den, so he motioned over his shoulder to Nick. "Get me two, and fetch some ale. I want more of that local microbrew, Garrison's Irish Red."

Nick bounced out of his chair and trotted over to Micah, somehow missing the fierce glare he got from his baby brother, and then grabbed two cookies. He passed them to the alpha with an eager grin, but the alpha just took the cookies and tipped his muzzle toward the bar. Nick's tail slowed, but he trotted toward the bar without asking what anyone else wanted.

Micah presented the plate to Conor, who looked annoyed, though he smoothed out his features quickly. Conor picked up one of the cookies marked with 'Eat Me.' "I never eat anything that asks to be eaten, but I'll make an exception today. Why are they decorated like this?"

The pup stepped over and let Den take a cookie too, while he answered, "'Cause they're supposed to look like the cake in Alice In Wonderland, the one that made her grow really big."

Den laughed. "First growing mushrooms and now growing cake? Feeling a little small, are we? I remember how I felt at your age, pup, but don't worry, you'll be growing soon enough." He shook his head, still smiling. "As a da, I can assure you it'll happen far too quickly; as an adult, I can confidently say that there's no reason to rush -- enjoy your childhood while it lasts."

Conor and Dirk smiled too, probably remembering when Geoff and Faelen were younger. Dad just looked guilty, like he usually did when other fathers talked about their kids.

Geoff intercepted Nick as he carried a bottle of beer back. "Hey, Nick. Don't let Grandda order you around like that. Make him ask at the very least."

Faelen chuckled. "Come on, Geoff, you hop just as quickly when he barks at you and you don't have the hots for him."

Geoff scowled, but his slumped shoulders showed he conceded the point. "Yeah, well, I grew up with him. He's my grandda and my alpha, but he's just Nick's guest."

Liam smiled crookedly. "In one sense, yes. Nathanial is dating you and is potentially -- in a few years -- marrying you. That would make him a full member of the Cork Clan and, since his family is clanless, they would also become members of the clan."

The eyes of everyone around the snooker table widened. Geoff sounded shocked. "Really? How far out does that go? His grandparents? Aunts? Uncles?"

Liam shook his head. "No, just his parents and underage siblings, with the option for the clan to extend it to grandparents, older siblings, and nieces and nephews."

The alpha called back over his shoulder. "Boy! My ale!"

Nathanial heard himself growling and forced himself to stop. He sent a quick thought to his brother. *Strength, Nick, not subservience.*

Micah pulled one of those blasted phallic cookies out of his pocket. He glared at the alpha and, once he was sure the alpha saw the 'Bite Me' written on the shaft, he chomped down on the tip hard enough that Nathanial could hear it six metres away. The alpha's eyes widened, and he shifted his hips uncomfortably for a split second before glowering at the pup.

Geoff grabbed Nick's shoulder when the middle Marks started trotting back. "Don't put up with that, Nick. Get him to say 'please,' at least."

Garret looked to be steaming and debating whether he wanted to start another fight or not. The glances he threw back to Nathanial seemed to indicate he was worried about stressing his eldest son.

Nick's response took everyone by surprise. He shook Geoff's paw off and quickly ran over to the alpha with a determined expression. He didn't pass over the bottle, but instead demanded, "Is Geoff supposed to be one of the stronger Spirits in the clan? Is a Dark Elemental a worthy opponent for just about anyone to duel?"

The alpha grinned toothily. "Yes to both, boy. Why? You looking to fight him?"

Nick nodded and pronounced loudly, "Geoff, I challenge you to a duel!" He snarled at the alpha and then Nathanial. "I'll show all of you that I'm not some little pup who can't be trusted to make up his mind or to fight for what -- or who -- I want! Micah was allowed to go help rescue you, Nats, but not me! You never trust me to think for myself or to know what's dangerous or what I need! I'm not much younger than you; if you could take care of everything last year when you were my age, why can't I take care of myself!?" He turned his rage to the alpha, who sat there with a satisfied smile. "Stop smiling! This isn't some joke! I'll show you I'm just as good as your stupid Dark Elemental! I'm not a toy to be used and cast aside, and I'm not worthless baggage you have to accept just to get Nathanial! I can be useful to you in tons of ways and I won't turn on you like your sons have!"

That snapped Conor and Dirk out of their shock. They leapt to his hindpaws, furious, and Conor yelled, "Turn?! Me turn on Da?" The alpha still sat there with his smile unchanged, which only made Conor angrier. The Water Elemental chopped downward with his paw. "No! No duels!"

The alpha raised his paw and turned a now fixed smile to his son. His eyes glittered dangerously. "Yes, duels. We'll take this outside. The challenge was delivered and cannot be refused without Geoff losing prestige to Nicholas."

Conor's fur bristled and his lips curled up to show all of his teeth. "That only applies to clan members, not to Mages and the clanless."

Alpha McDougal chuckled mirthlessly. "You made him an honorary member of my clan, Conor, when you allowed Nathanial to court Geoff. As soon as the intent to marry was accepted, even before an official proposal was made, Nathanial and his family became honorary members. The law applies...unless you want me to refuse Nathanial's intentions and forbid them from dating."

Nathanial shook himself out of his daze. "Liam? Is that true?" Everyone looked back at the Rottweiler.

Liam shrugged. "Yes. I specified full member earlier, for you are already an honorary -- if potentially temporary -- member, though that is hardly something to spread around. Why do you doubt the alpha? It is his job to know the laws and customs of his clan and those of the region. The law originated nearly a thousand years ago -- actually that law and another, if less immediately relevant, custom -- when a Spirit from the London Clan courted Elise O'Conall from the Cork Clan. He sought--"

Garret interrupted Liam. "Not now, Sensei!" He glared at Nick. "What the fuck are you doing? I won't let you get in some stupid schoolyard brawl. Go to your room; you're grounded for a week."

Alpha McDougal hauled himself up. "No. This is now a clan matter, Garret. I can't stop the duel, nor can Conor or you. You can't even force Nicholas to withdraw the challenge; only the two of them can end it. I don't know what all the noise is about, though; it's not like this is a duel to the death. I want to see what these boys can do, anyway. Nathanial was full of surprises, the little bit I got to see, and I hope his brother does even half as well." His perpetual scowl reappeared along with his abrasive tone.

Garret's voice seethed with barely controlled anger. "Luke, I don't give a shit about your damned Spirit honour. In case you forgot, I'm a Mage, and you're talking about my Mage pup, in a Mage's house. I can call Agent Ella at any point and have your ass hauled off to wherever they put you guys when you step out of line."

Alpha McDougal's voice was silky smooth, which warred with his fierce countenance. "Sure, start an international incident, Demon Mage, and tell everyone what you and your Mage pup are. Not just the demonic little bitch-boy, but Nathanial, too. You can't call in the authorities or you'll have to explain why Nick's an honourary member of my clan -- and if you threaten Geoff then you can be damned sure I'll drag you down to Tartarus with me when the world burns in a second magic war."

Garret choked down a retort; being confronted with his tainted nature so openly, along with knowing Alpha McDougal was right about the potential repurcussions, knocked him off balance.

The giant Wolf glowered down at Nick. "No Demon stuff, pup, or you forfeit right away. Anything else is allowed, as long as you follow the rules you both agree to, and try to make sure it isn't lethal or maiming."

Micah squeaked in alarm and turned his large, fearful eyes to Nicholas. Nick shook his head. "No, Mike, I won't stop. I'm tired of being pushed aside, ignored, and patronized! If the only way to be taken seriously is to fight Geoff, then I will."

Nathanial turned to Liam, panicked, while Garret began arguing quietly but intently with the alpha. "Liam, there has to be a way to stop this!"

Liam frowned; he actually seemed almost...angry at the idea of stopping the duel. "There is not, Nathanial, and it is most unseemly to even suggest such a thing. It is within any clan member's right to request a duel and -- unless there is a dire reason to refuse, such as pre-existing injury or illness -- it must be accepted. To challenge one you know is weaker than you is to lose standing, to challenge and then back down costs more prestige than losing the duel, and to lose but fight honourably and well is to gain prestige. Nicholas is of lower status than Geoff; if he does well he will gain standing." Liam smiled slightly. "Worry not; Nicholas issued the challenge, so Geoff can demand some restrictions. Were I in his position, I would set some terms to ensure neither side was placed at great risk while still permitting an equitable duel."

Geoff turned to Liam, fear in his eyes. "Like what? He's not Tainted_,_ so he can't Taintme, right? As long as he doesn't use Demon magic?" The fear ebbed when Liam nodded. "I could set the terms to be a billiards game, that's a duel, or a shootout. Ten kicks against Faelen in the goal; the highest score wins."

Alpha McDougal snorted derisively and turned away from Garret. "Don't insult Nicholas like that, Geoff, or the McDougal name. You're the Dark Elemental; start acting like it. Everyone, get your bloody arses outside. The duel is going on; it's out of everyone's paws. Some laws and traditions are beyond any one person's authority to suspend, even an alpha, and this tradition is honoured by every Spirit clan in the world. If I refused this duel and word got out, the entire Cork Clan could end up being blacklisted."

Garret growled quietly, almost under his breath, "Fucking Spirits and their twisted ideas of honour." The dark look he gave Nick spoke volumes, and Nathanial wasn't sure if he would step in to pull his brother's ass out of the fire.