Drell sat on his back haunches his face set in a stoney gaze, betraying not a single drop of emotion. He watched as the massive skeleton of Imok's limbs move under her thinning grey fur as she paced before him. Her snout set in a snarl.
She glanced towards the assembled Elders who all stood frozen before the doors of the spirit chamber in their lion forms. All five heads of the Clans dared not utter a word.
Imok’s decision to march over the land to take the book sent ripples throughout the Felren camps. A wave of bloodlust swelled throughout the Night and Blood spirit clans overnight, sending them into a violent fury. However, as those same words reached the ears of the other clans, only fear and sadness swelled in their hearts.
Imok wanted to push the entire Felren nation into a war that they had no business in fighting in.
Drell watched as Imok continued to pace. She was clearly irritated by the lack of movement from the other clans. After a time, a brown furred Felren bounded into the procession and bowed low before the matriarch.
“Your excellency,” the young Felren bowed low.
“And?” she said with a snarl.
He looked up about to speak, but even Drell could see that the young hopeless scout had nothing but bad news to tell. It was written all over his face.
Imok quivered with rage as she loomed over the scout. Her lips curled to reveal long, jagged teeth. Instantly, her maw opened as she snatched the scout’s powerless form between her massive jaws.
“The scouts have come back empty-handed your Excellence,” sputtered the scout through gasps. Imok’s massive teeth sunk into his fur, cutting into his neck. The scout shook furiously with panic flashing in his eyes.
The messenger quiver once more before Imok dropped him lifeless, to the floor. His dusty brown coat exposed the poor youth to be part of the Earthen clan.
"Where’s my fucking son?!" bellowed Imok.
The unnaturally large Felren began to pace again.
"I swear if he is found harmed, I'll tear the one responsible to pieces!" She spun to a stone-faced Felren. "Drell, where’s your daughter? She was the last one seen with him."
He dropped his gaze downwards in a salute. Drell’s mind raced, searching for a tactic that would allow him to leave the meeting with his head still attached.
"Daughter? I have none,” he said cautiously. Shock rippled through the Elders as his meaning couldn’t have been clearer. “The one you speak of… The one who was whitened has gone, your Excellency. She vanished in the night, like a coward."
Imok studied his face. A blue light glimmered behind her massive eyes, forcing a vision to flicker in his thoughts.
Pain registered in his mind as a diminutive female figure hobbled away out of sight into a dense forest covered in lime scars on her fur. Imok smirked as the memory faded in her eyes. As for Drell, he felt a tingle of faint energy that flushed green as he forced himself not to react.
Drell knew that the shadowed figure hidden from view watching with yellow eyes had just saved them all. Fighting against his urge to smirk, he continued to watch the monarch as she sneered at his supposed daughter's fate.
By law, whitened Felren were no longer a part of their clan or race and calling one by name is strictly forbidden.
Imok snickered. "Coward indeed. I can see where she gets it from.”
The white Felren beside Drell shifted uncomfortably as they sat in silence. Drell bowed his head, careful not to betray his anger. The matriarch would love nothing more than to replace him as the Elder of his diminished clan.
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"All of us here cherish you and your line and would protect you to the end. We are paltry in comparison," Drell said, forcing out the words.
Imok roared. It was the first sign of pleasure she had shown so far that night. "If I find out any of you have anything to do with my son’s disappearance, I’ll have every one of your runts cut down."
Drell took a step backwards, keeping his face lowered to the ground.
“I would never,” Drell said fervently.
"Imok, my queen," said a tall dark Felren who took a step forward.
Drell fought against the urge to snarl as he heard his deep voice.
“Elder Yurven?” Imok said. Finally, a smile dawned on her face.
He took a step forward. "My Clan and I would all agree. Anyone who dares touch the rightful heir should see their life and their entire clan as a forfeit."
Drell eyed the male with pure hatred. His coat was as dark as charcoal, with long slender limbs and a face made for deception.
“Yes, I have always counted the Night clan to be true Felren,” Imok said. “Unlike some.”
Drell could feel the vibrations in the floor as the other Elders suppressed snarls. Their sudden burst of emotion not lost on Imok who stared down at the smaller frames of the Elders with a smirk.
“Our clan, for your will,” Yurven spoke with reverence.
When Drell was but a cub, the Night clan had been by far the most numerous of the clans. Their numbers had been twice the size of the rest of the clans combined, yet they never aspired to rule. Even when their numbers made up for three quarters of the entire Felren armed forces.
But all of that changed in one night. Occasional nightmares reminded Drell of the horrors wrought by the bloody struggle. Yurven, with the help of the Blood Spirit clan, had killed the previous Night clan elders' entire lineage. The clans were thrown into chaos and many Felren died. The inner clan war was brutal and took place over the course of a single week.
Not one of the highborn families from the Felren Night clan were spared. Every woman and child were cut down as fast as their sires. This very risky coup was orchestrated by Imok and it gained her the power of the night Felren troops.
"The loyalty of you and your clan will never be in question, Yurven," She bowed to the slender Felren. The faces of the other Elders remained impassive.
"I’m humbled as always, my Queen," Yurven responded, bowing even lower. "But may I ask the awkward question?"
"The great enemy?" Imok suggested.
"Yes." Yurven looked up, his face serious. "What will be done?"
Imok's long grey tail swayed from side to side. "We’ve work to do. Are your troops ready?"
"At any time, my Elder," he said, smirking.
"Elder Imok." Drell interjected. "Do you think the night Felren would have the power? I mean from the stories..."
"The night Felren are enough!" Yurven snarled. "What have you? Sun Felren. Bah!" He let out a low growl and raised his shoulders. "Your clan is small, weak and-"
"Yes, we are small, but we are tacticians." Drell interrupted. "Yurven elder. This is no mere group of humans. This is the great enemy! The White Dragon."
Imok roared. “Don’t say the beast's name!”
A deep brown female moved forwards. "Elder Drell’s right! You’ve all heard the power of the great enemy! "
"When I want to hear superstitions, I’ll ask for it Shirveese!" Yurven growled.
"Enough!" shouted Imok. "Both Drell and Shirveese are correct. Though it pains me to say this coming from the likes of you, filth." She spat on the ground in revulsion. "We cannot take this threat lightly. Even more so from what this runt's former daughter has seen."
"Do you believe her, then?" Asked Yurven.
Imok's face screwed up as if about to swallow something sour. "I can't afford not to."
Drell swallowed his pride and glanced back to the ground fearful that his anger would show. It was neither the time nor the place.
"So, who else shall you send other than my loyal clan?" Yurven crooked his head, scanning the rest of the clans' elders, looking unimpressed.
Imok nodded towards the white female beside Yurven, then chuckled to herself. "Elder Frouhn, your clan shall accompany the Sun clan." She sneered. "Both of your clans will travel with my Chargers and the Night clan. As such, you’ll be delighted to know that your clans will be the first to attack the great enemy."
Drell's teeth clenched.
“Before the chargers?” asked Elder Frouhn. “But the Chargers are always the first to attack in battle.”
Imok grinned with long, pointed teeth. “It shall be an honour.”
Drell knew the command was diplomatic suicide.
The Blood Spirit clan's Chargers would act as a vice grip, attacking both friend and foe in their blood frenzy, trapping both the Sun clan and the Snow Drift clan between two enemy lines.
"It would be my honour, Elder Imok." Elder Frouhn bowed as she showed no emotion.
"And mine too." Drell followed suit.
Imok smirked.
Elder Shirveese stepped forward her brown fur rippling as she prowled. "My Queen. What of my clan?"
"The Earthen clan shall accompany me and hold the Felren capital."
Drell froze and peeked up at Frouhn and then at Shirveese. Drell’s mind raced. Fate may just have delivered them a very unexpected gamble.
"The combined forces of the Night clan, and the might of the Blood Spirit Clan will destroy the great enemy! And then the capital." Elder Imok roared. "We move out in three days!"