He breached the forest and embraced the hot mid afternoon sun. He was in a crouch regaining his breath when he heard the horrible cackling off in the distance, followed by two voices berating each other.
"Half wit... I told you that was the wrong spot."
"Ye have little faith Chaunce. Right where I said he'd be."
Chaunce and Ix pushed through some branches and stepped into the light where Kamas could clearly see them. The two were dressed in leather clothes. Ix had his usual green cloak fastened neatly around his neck, which weaved down to his feet, the hood hung lazily behind his head.
Chaunce had many piercings spread across his wide set face. Several lined the back of his ear, while others dangled on the side of one nostril. He had an assortment of weapons attached to him, but the most distinctive were two swords sheathed in an X on his back with the hilts peaking above each shoulder.
He had dark brown fur with black dots dispersed across its surface. Most of his face was black till it reached his forehead. His kind were known as Hya, and were the most formidable front-line fighters Kamas had at his disposal. It was because of the Hya that packs seldom tested Kamas' forces in battle, but when the occasion did present itself they were the last thing that many would see before entering the endless sleep.
Ix preferred a more subtle approach to his weaponry. He had a strap fastened across his body that held four razor sharp knives intended to be thrown with deadly precision. Each forearm had another four of the same knives quietly sheathed. His waist belt held two larger daggers. The daggers were of a unique craftsmanship as their hilts portrayed the open maw of a dragon. Ix called them Dragon's Teeth.
Ix, on the other hand, had not been a part of any pack. His people did not form packs and mostly remained secluded from others. They were known for their fire-like fur and uncanny ability to track and hunt game. Ix was a beautiful mix of orange and red with a slight blonde hue toward the ends of his fur. The fur capping his head was grown out and pulled into a ponytail. When he ran it slithered like a flame. It was his pride and joy and he considered it a token of his people. His father had been a hunter and tracker in the Ascended Forest and taught Ix all he knew, which inevitably resulted in his position as a spy and assassin for Kamas.
Unlike Chaunce, Ix seldom saw the front lines, but because of Ix, Kamas rarely had a real battle to fight at all. Ix heard the murmurings in the woods when he was young. It wasn't till he was nearly sixteen that he started to see others leaving the forest and seeking out this stranger in the desert. Dozens would leave everyday to make the pilgrimage across the Red Sea to become a Wulfara under Kamas' banner.
The Wulfara were a vision for Kamas, an idea of a united people. For centuries canines of Ashenfeld had been separated, destined to roam about in their packs. Warring against one another, hatred and envy consuming their way of life. Ever since Kamas came to be known it seemed all that had changed. No one truly knew where he was from, and he never discussed his past or made mention of his people. He was a lone wanderer with a greater expectation for the canine races of Ashenfeld, and others quickly rallied behind him.
On the eve of his coming of age, Ix too decided to make the journey. He nearly died in the process, but Kamas found him stranded in the desert night, hungry and dying of thirst. Kamas spared his life and brought him to the camp that he had sought. After that, Ix pledged himself and answered Kamas' every beckon call. He, like all the Wulfara, considered Kamas to be a higher being. None such as he had ever been seen in their land. No one knew where he came from, but everyone knew where he was going. His sight was on Ashenfeld and he had no intention of sharing it with non Wulfara.
Kamas rose to his full height. The two took immediate notice of the large, rather ragged, looking figure before them. Chaunce had his blades partly out of his sheath before he realized who it was. Ix did nothing and continued on toward Kamas. When he reached Kamas, the two greeted each other and Ix handed Kamas a waterskin.
"You look... Different." Ix said, unsure of how Kamas would take it. Chaunce rounded out the statement with a harsh cackle, as his kind often did when excited, scared, or when they were about to kill. It was more of a tick than a true laugh, and outsiders knew to flee when they heard that wretched cackle. Kamas took a quick gulp of the water, and doused himself. Then shoved the waterskin back to Ix knocking him back slightly. His face had a look of slight amusement on it that faded as he spoke.
"Where is my camp?" Kamas asked.
"A days journey across that dune." Chaunce replied pointing into the desert beyond. Kamas said nothing more and instead turned and walked out into the cruel desert, with the others following close behind.
The three found a large rock protruding from the sand to make camp when the sun had nearly met its end for the day. Chaunce found some snaglewood and prepared a fire while Ix and Kamas spoke off in the distance.
"A Clansman?" Ix had asked. Shock permeated his voice.
"Indeed."
"Uncharacteristic for their kind. I've never seen one be so willing to take a life, let alone five."
"I can't say if the fifth died. He pulled the dagger and then left. I didn't stay long after that."
Kamas and Ix walked to the now blazing fire that Chaunce had made. Chaunce was already sitting whittling a piece of snaglewood when the two joined him.
"So. How goes our lad the Emperor?" Chaunce and Ix smiled between each other.
"I'm sure he's well Chaunce, he's the Emperor." The smiles left their mouths then as they realized Kamas wasn't going to indulge their jest.
"How goes our acquisition of the Latran?" The two didn't speak right away. Sneaking quick glances at each other trying to influence the other to speak up.
"Well?"
"Not good master. Their Alpha has been... difficult." Ix spoke up then fearing Kamas wouldn't accept any further silence.
"How so?" Kamas was deeply curious now. The Latran were the largest pack in all of Ashenfeld. Though they didn't possess the armaments, nor the intelligence that he saw in other packs, their numbers far made up for those short comings. He saw a unique opportunity to go from a mere thorn in the side of an empire to being a near match in numbers. That wasn't something he would take lightly.
"He has refused my invitations, and when I went to his camp he turned me away. He will only speak to you master."
"I told you I'd visit him Ix." Chaunce broke into the conversation with a bit of sarcasm as he stabbed a nearby scorpion and flicked it into his maw, chewing it as a cow would a parcel of grass. Ix shot him a sharp look and growled lightly.
"Silence Chaunce. You'd cause more problems then your worth." Chaunce frowned slightly which invited a snide grin from Ix.
"I will go visit Alpha Ulfuron, but before I do I must visit my camp. Rest up. We leave at first light." Kamas rolled onto his side and turned away from the others as he quickly fell asleep. The other two followed shortly after as the fire sputtered and fizzled till only radiant specs of ember were left.
The sun hadn't yet peaked its head over the horizon when the three awoke. Chaunce yawned and stretched his arms outward. Ix was sinching his footings while Kamas cleaned his teeth with one of Ix's throwing knives. Their weariness could be seen through their eyes as they squinted through the morning fire's light. Kamas spat, then turned to Ix who had his eyes shut completely and his chin sunk into his chest.
"Ix." Kamas said. Ix' eyes opened and found Kamas looking to him.
"Take me to my people." Ix nodded and rose from his seat. Chaunce quickly doused the fire with sand, and the three made haste on all fours into the expanding dunes ahead.
***
When they crossed the final dune revealing camp Wulfara, Kamas stopped and the other two as well. His face was stone, but a slight grin formed at the edge of his mouth. It had been as he had remembered all those months ago before he was captured.
Smoke rose from between the tents as fires blazed, pups ran about striking at each other with wooden sticks, mothers sat about the fires with large pots hanging above preparing the afternoon mess. The men's hoots and hollers could be heard as tables were set around the tents meant for gambling. Kamas breathed in deeply adoring the ambiance below. He then began to walk down the dune and into the camp.
As he came closer, other Wulfara took notice and rose to greet him. He held put up a hand and shook his head ordering them to continue what they were doing. He wanted it to be as if he had never left. He continued through the camp and made his way directly to a large tent in the middle of the camp.
It was a black tent that reached up twice as high as the others and was round instead of square. The tent's entrance was closed and it seemed somewhat abandoned as no one was gathered around it unlike the rest. He walked to the flap of the tent, and moved it aside. The inside of the tent was furnished with fine pieces from every pack he had brought into the Wulfara. Council chairs made of bones from the Hya. Lynx pelts were laid on his bed, gifts from the Coyote. The walls sported mighty deer heads with racks that spidered out above their heads, offerings from Ix and his kind, which Kamas had opted to calling, The Unnamed.
He went and sat in the largest of the bone-chairs. Rubbing against the back of it he made himself comfortable. He winked at Ix and let out a groan indicating he found his sweet spot. Then the entrance opened abruptly and Chaunce strode in.
"Master, you better come quick."
"Bah, what is it now, I just got comfortable?" There was no hiding his annoyance.
"The Coyote are leaving Master, they've already broke their tents." Kamas said nothing and sprang from his seat in a long stride. The others followed him through camp and out to where the Coyote were already starting to march out of camp. There was a group of Coyote standing at the edge of camp watching the remainder of their people pack and move into the caravan.
"Ydryn, what do you think you're doing?" Kamas called out to the male in the front of the group. He looked similar to Ix, but without the fire-like coat. His fur was short and splotched with bald spots. He wore an eye patch and had deep scars on his long nose.
No answer came from the Coyote group, so Kamas inquired once more.
"Kamas, you promised me riches, you said I'd be a king. We all would. Now look at you... You're in rags, and look no more royal than a goat herder. We're better off going back to what we know." Ydryn had a voice that prickled the back of peoples neck. He wasn't the type to make pleasantries and be good company. He surrounded himself with loose women from his pack and often times took other Coyote's mates to bed with him because he could. He was widely hated by other packs for his lack of respect and most of all manners.
"Ydryn, what's the meaning of this?" The two were face to face now. Kamas was easily two feet taller than Ydryn. His lack of physicality hardly influenced his demeanor though.
"We've waited long enough Kamas. You're no closer than you were a year ago. In fact probably less now since you were taken by the Empire. If I didn't have a better head on me I would have killed these mutts, taken your precious gifts and been on my way months ago. We're done here." He gave a signal to the others around him to move out, but as he started to turn away from Kamas, Kamas grabbed Ydryn's vest and pulled him close so that as he spoke, he did so directly into his ear. It caught the group and Ydryn off guard, one of the men in his group began to pull his sword from its sheath, but before he could get it halfway a black knife sank into his forehead. He fell dead next to the others. They looked at Ix who had his hands hidden inside of his cloak and was angled as if he were ready to throw more. They refrained from making any further movements.
Kamas still held onto Ydryn and whispered, "Once you leave my banner, you don't come back. You will have no sanctuary in this land where you can escape me. Do you understand?" He let Ydryn go. Ydryn swatted across his clothing and pulled his vest down trying to smooth out the wrinkles.
"I hope the Emperor keeps you alive while he guts you." With that he and his men turned away from Kamas and joined the rest of the caravan.
Kamas, Chaunce and Ix watched as the last of the Coyote disappeared between the dunes.
"Ix, you recall where the Latran made camp last, no?"
"Aye."
"Good. They will make up for the loss of our dear friends." Chaunce let out an uncontrolled cackle.
"What's our move Master?" He asked Kamas.
"When we're through, the Coyote will be a mere whisper in the stories for our grandchildren."
The three turned away and walked back into the bustling Wulfara camp as the sun began to sink low on the Red Sea.
It was a black tent that reached up twice as high as the others and was round instead of square. The tent's entrance was closed and it seemed somewhat abandoned as no one was gathered around it unlike the rest. He walked to the flap of the tent, and moved it aside. The inside of the tent was furnished with fine pieces from every pack he had brought into the Wulfara. Council chairs made of bones from the Hya. Lynx pelts were laid on his bed, gifts from the Coyote. The walls sported mighty deer heads with racks that spidered out above their heads, offerings from Ix and his kind, which Kamas had opted to calling, The Unnamed.
He went and sat in the largest of the bone-chairs. Rubbing against the back of it he made himself comfortable. He winked at Ix and let out a groan indicating he found his sweet spot. Then the entrance opened abruptly and Chaunce strode in.
"Master, you better come quick."
"Bah, what is it now, I just got comfortable?" There was no hiding his annoyance.
"The Coyote are leaving Master, they've already broke their tents." Kamas said nothing and sprang from his seat in a long stride. The others followed him through camp and out to where the Coyote were already starting to march out of camp. There was a group of Coyote standing at the edge of camp watching the remainder of their people pack and move into the caravan.
"Ydryn, what do you think you're doing?" Kamas called out to the male in the front of the group. He looked similar to Ix, but without the fire-like coat. His fur was short and splotched with bald spots. He wore an eye patch and had deep scars on his long nose.
No answer came from the Coyote group, so Kamas inquired once more.
"Kamas, you promised me riches, you said I'd be a king. We all would. Now look at you... You're in rags, and look no more royal than a goat herder. We're better off going back to what we know." Ydryn had a voice that prickled the back of peoples neck. He wasn't the type to make pleasantries and be good company. He surrounded himself with loose women from his pack and often times took other Coyote's mates to bed with him because he could. He was widely hated by other packs for his lack of respect and most of all manners.
"Ydryn, what's the meaning of this?" The two were face to face now. Kamas was easily two feet taller than Ydryn. His lack of physicality hardly influenced his demeanor though.
"We've waited long enough Kamas. You're no closer than you were a year ago. In fact probably less now since you were taken by the Empire. If I didn't have a better head on me I would have killed these mutts, taken your precious gifts and been on my way months ago. We're done here." He gave a signal to the others around him to move out, but as he started to turn away from Kamas, Kamas grabbed Ydryn's vest and pulled him close so that as he spoke, he did so directly into his ear. It caught the group and Ydryn off guard, one of the men in his group began to pull his sword from its sheath, but before he could get it halfway a black knife sank into his forehead. He fell dead next to the others. They looked at Ix who had his hands hidden inside of his cloak and was angled as if he were ready to throw more. They refrained from making any further movements.
Kamas still held onto Ydryn and whispered, "Once you leave my banner, you don't come back. You will have no sanctuary in this land where you can escape me. Do you understand?" He let Ydryn go. Ydryn swatted across his clothing and pulled his vest down trying to smooth out the wrinkles.
"I hope the Emperor keeps you alive while he guts you." With that he and his men turned away from Kamas and joined the rest of the caravan.
Kamas, Chaunce and Ix watched as the last of the Coyote disappeared between the dunes.
"Ix, you recall where the Latran made camp last, no?"
"Aye."
"Good. They will make up for the loss of our dear friends." Chaunce let out an uncontrolled cackle.
"What's our move Master?" He asked Kamas.
"When we're through, the Coyote will be a mere whisper in the stories for our grandchildren."
The three turned away and walked back into the bustling Wulfara camp as the sun began to sink low on the Red Sea.
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