The Lead Crown, Chapter 2-6: Malcom
Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown Ch 2-6, Malcom
Malcom's stay with the Jungle Tribe was, as usual, a very high-profile affair. Considering he was the chieftain's son's favorite consort, the wolf was always well-received by the leopards whenever he came to visit. Despite being entitled to his own guest yurt the Prince spent more than his fair share of time in Ja'ir's. The teenager was not naturally outgoing with most people and his father considered it good for the young leopard to have such a positive friend. Malcom also knew the chieftain of the Jungle Tribe to be relatively shrewd in the way of politics; the fact that the wolf was a Prince was obviously not overlooked by him.
While Ja'ir often sought intimate companionship from Malcom, it wasn't the only thing that the leopard desired. Seeking that in fact, was second to looking for guidance. Ja'ir had few people he could look to for direction or orders, and it was something that the Prince had come to understand about the young man; he liked being told what to do and how to do it... Ja'ir was always eager to please but didn't have anyone worth doing for. As it turned out, Malcom was able to put that aspect of the chieftain's son to good use for the benefit of his kingdom as well as the tribe.
Within a day of the wolf's arrival, the Jungle Tribe traders were organized and dispatched to Newport. While the leopards were well-known among the marketplace of the city for their hunting prowess, they were only rarely willing to part with the hides from their trapping endeavors. Thanks to the Prince's influence, the traders left the village carrying countless supplies for the relief efforts, including the leather, which would be invaluable for clothing, shelter, and manufacture. It would turn out to be a very lucrative trip for the Jungle Tribe as well.
As anticipated, Newport was lacking in many important supplies. Aside from the meat and fur, merchants at the marketplace also bought as many textiles as the leopards had, along with all of the fresh fruits and vegetables that brought. The traders returned to the tribe weighed down by all the Rock Tribe goods as they could carry, including some of the usually unattainable wares such as forged weapons, which were illegal to sell to the tribesmen. It was proof enough to Malcom just how desperate many of the townsfolk had become. Of course, as far as information, that was only to start.
According to several of the traders, Noriene had not been doing much to oversee the reconstruction of the damaged city. While Malcom was not surprised to hear that she did not elect to take direct control of the repairs, he was not foolish enough to think that she was being inactive. Far from it, the Prince knew that his sister was doubtlessly hard at work attempting to uncover the cause behind the explosion which, he had learned, came from a University experiment gone wrong. He had little doubt that she would succeed, and then, woe to he who was responsible.
Although Malcom was far from Newport, he still felt responsible for the welfare of the people. Were he to show his face and make a display of it there was little doubt in his mind that Noriene would not take kindly to his interference in her 'backyard', thus he did the next best thing he could think of: he decided to involve his older brother. Yes, he had to admit, it felt a little juvenile pitting his brother against their sister, but he also knew that it would have the desired effect: the people would be cared for.
Malcom knew based on his discussions with Thaddius that the Prince-Reagent was focused on the issue between Ilyse and Wyra and there was nobody else in his mind who was more qualified. It was a small matter of providing his brother an update on the goings-on in Newport; Thaddius had always been interested in the lives of his subjects and there was a lot happening that the middle-aged wolf never would have found about otherwise. If there was one downfall in Malcom's mind with the arrangement of the Church caring for his brother it was their tendency to censor information before supplying it.
Despite the two Princes' eagerness to meet, the Church also took a very stalwart position in keeping them apart, much to Malcom's chagrin. It took two days of trial and error before the two had a messaging system in place and, in the end, it was due to the foresight they'd had to get a messenger pigeon suitably trained. Malcom had managed to finally get a letter to him and had received a response... but was waiting to receive confirmation that his second missive reached Thaddius.
He reread the letter sent by his brother as he awaited the arrival of the guides that would escort him to the Yew Tribe. A part of Malcom regetted being so caught up in the events of Newport that he wasn't able to fully utilize his time among the leopards of the Jungle Tribe, but he also knew that the duty he had to his people would always take precedence; regardless of whether his brother or sister ended up on the throne, the youngest of the three heirs would always be needed by Lehsunia.
"I wish you didn't have to go, Wild Wolf." Ja'ir noted quietly, seated beside him. Goodbyes were never easy when Malcom left the Jungle Tribe, but the cheiftain's son always sought to spend as much time with him as possible, "Will it really be four weeks before I see you again?" the leopard made no attempt to hide how morose he was.
"Perhaps less." Malcom replied calmly, "or perhaps more." he turned to offer a reassuring smile to his young lover, "I cannot say what plans the world has for us, Ja'ir... but, if all goes well, then yes... four weeks."
"It will be a long four weeks." the leopard announced.
The wolf placed a paw on the teen's shoulder, "Then put it to good use." He smiled when Ja'ir's green, slitted-pupil eyes met his gaze, "Ask your father."
Ja'ir shook his head, "He would never allow it."
Malcom's smile became a good-natured grin, "You don't know that until you ask."
The leopard slowly reached forward and gently caressed the stone hanging from the Prince's neck, "I could never claim an Uto Vahn..." the wolf didn't miss the fact that his companion used the tribesman word for the Bonding Stone he wore. Ja'ir slowly drew his paw back, still looking at the amulet, "You are amazing, Wild-Wolf... in all ways I can think of to use the word, you are amazing."
"Buttering me up won't--" Malcom paused at the confused expression the leopard wore. Being one of the few tribesmen who were interested in learning the Lehsunian tongue, Ja'ir had done an excellent job, and often preferred to communicate that way rather than his native one, but he did have trouble with expressions. In the end he settled for one used by the tribesmen. "Feed me all you want, I won't nap."
Ja'ir nodded and sighed, "Perhaps I could go with you?"
Malcom gave the leopard's shoulder a light squeeze before letting it go, "You are needed here, Ja'ir-hamah." and he gave his companion a light pat, "Besides... if you come with me then you won't have a chance to ask your father about--"
"Oani, Wenya!" came a general call from the east, which could mean only one thing.
"Oani!" the leopard scouts at the edge of the village responded in kind, moving to meet the three representatives from the Yew Tribe that had come to collect Malcom. The leopards and the deer clasped wrists, and all eyes turned to where the wolf sat with his companion.
Ja'ir sighed next to him, and slowly stood, "Spirits lend you speed, Wild Wolf."
"Talk to your father." Malcom responded. He knew it wasn't the meaningful, emotional goodbye the leopard had wanted, but he knew that the teen would obey... and that would be for the best. They exchanged glances once more, and then the chieftain's son headed off to the duties of the day. When the wolf looked back to the approaching honor guard from the Yew Tribe they were already within hailing distance.
"Hello, Wild-Wolf." the eldest of the three deer greeted him. Her name was Morning-Mist, and to Malcom, it suited her. Of all the people of the Yew Tribe, she was the one most often sent to collect him as she was well received by all the Tribes. Despite the fact that she was nearly as old as his brother, she was possessed of an unearthly, nigh-immortal aesthetic that only seemed to make her more beautiful with each passing season.
"Oani, Aesha Humn." he responded to her, naming her in her own tongue, bowing in the fashion of the tribesmen, resting his closed fist on his chest and lowering his head. She was worthy of the respect... not just because she was a Shaman, but because almost everything he knew of the mystical ways he had leanred from her.
Aesha Humn was also joined by Tiger-Stalker, one of the Yew Tribe's best up-and-coming warriors. The buck nodded to the Prince and provided a bow similar to the one Malcom had just supplied the Shaman, "Oani, Malcom-hamah." The wolf smiled and held out a paw; the warrior clasped wrists with him and returned the smile, formality complete. When the Prince had first spent time among the deer people he and Tiger-Stalker had often trained side-by-side; Malcom was stronger, but he could never match the buck's agility. They had always been an excellent team.
"Oani." the third member of the Yew Tribe party greeted him as well; Malcom recognized the young buck who had delivered a message to him several days prior when he had been among the Valley Tribe. The messenger quickly bowed in the way of his people.
"You have met Ulit Amih before, yes?" Aesha Humn asked Malcom.
"Yes." the wolf responded, "Runs-on-Air visited me when I was with the Valley Tribe." he answered simply, using the translation of the messenger's name.
"He was there again not long ago." the Shaman spoke, heading back the way from which the deer had come. Everyone else stepped into line and the Jungle Tribe scouts returned to their lookout, essentially ignoring their departing guest; it was the way of the tribesmen to not dwell on goodbyes, "Keiara of the Valley asked of him to tell you that her father returned safely... and that she looks forward to your next visit."
Malcom nodded, "I am glad to hear--"
Aesha Humn continued speaking, "...and that her father brought with him several men from the Rock Tribe."
The Prince couldn't keep his ears from raising at that. He glanced to the young messenger, who looked back immediately at him, speaking in the tongue of the tribesmen, "And our scouts have also done as you asked... they have tracking the Men of the Symbol, and those they follow."
"There's time for that later." Tiger-Stalker announced, interrupting the young buck, "He can hear it from the scouts themselves when we return to the village."
Ulit Amih fell silent, and looked slightly let-down that he couldn't tell Malcom what the wolf had asked about, but the Prince chose to pick the young buck's brain on another matter, "Tell me about the Stone Tribe that visited the Valley Tribe." he requested.
The messenger began explaining everything that Keiara had told him. They were five in number: one an antelope, a white-furred weasel, a human, a fox, and, much to Malcom's surprise, a dragon. By the rough description given, the wolf had assumed that they had been scholars from the University, but with the inclusion of the dragon their purpose in the tribe lands was beyond his grasp. What Ulit Amih said next, however, put an even stranger spin on things, "Enarork of the Valley said they had met the Undesirable in the forest."
"Did they now?" the prince inquired, stroking his muzzle in thought.
"Aye, boy..." announced a gruff voice with a strong Wyrenese accent from the undergrowth beside the pathway. A dirty, mud-covered human emerged from the brush, waving away an errant fly that appeared to be dive bombing something unpleasant-looking smeared on his cheek, "...figured I'd come tell ya mahself."
The three deer with the Prince quickly gave the man space, turning up their noses as they backed away; Aesha Humn made a warning gesture with one of her hands. Although the Yew Tribe did not have the extreme dislike of cannibals common among most other tribes they certainly had no love for them, and preferred, if given the option, to treat then with as much ambivalence as the rest of the tribesmen.
Malcom paused, turning to regard the vagabond, providing the deer the courtesy of several feet of distance "Well then, Mr. Evans... I suppose you had best report."