Chapter 66
A Simple Life?
(A Month Later)
A calm cool breeze drifted its way through the now cultivated fields.
The winds felt good, crisp, as they mixed with the sweat beading down Frank’s body cooling him off instantly, while helping to replenish some of the aches in his body.
This was the first time in forever that the fields of the midlands had been plowed.
Surprisingly the fields seemed to welcome the tilling, as they seemed to easily adapt and change to Frank’s presence. While he could and would use his newly found earth manipulation to alter the fields as needed, he often found that this was not necessary.
Working with the land and soil, Frank realized that the earth loved life, that it all but radiated intent to help with life.
Even negatively charged earth planes loved life, they just supported it differently.
Positively charged soil would utilize an abundance of nutrients to grow certain types of plants. While negatively charged soil was great at decomposing wastes, and producing plants that thrived on decay and rot.
The entire process had been eye opening, freeing in a way.
Working directly with the land, Frank felt that his understanding and connection to the earth had increased by ten-fold.
Out here, life was simple. Well, that isn’t exactly true, for Frank was realizing that everywhere life had its challenges.
Rather, Frank was realizing that plains living might call to him.
“Taking a break already?” Ravena asked, her tone light as she came to check over how Frank and the other recently converted were doing.
“Just catching my breathe,” Frank said as he took a moment to inspect what he had done.
From a glance it was clear what had been done. Fields that would normally take months to till, plant, and cultivate were finished in weeks.
Looking back over the lands he had just aligned to grow, Frank saw the Major and the others being watched and guarded by Ravena’s pack members to disperse seeds on the land.
The entire process looked like the type of horror stories one would hear about during SERE training. Where you were captured, experimented on, and then forced to do manual labor while others watched.
That was exactly the case for the Major and others that had spent their lives and now their freedoms to track Frank down. But that wasn’t the end of it, in fact what he had just described could barely be considered a start of what had happened.
All the components were correct, the Major and his lackies were taken in, corrupted and then left to die. But the plains walkers were different.
While the vampires might corrupt people and leave them to fend on their own, with only minimal guidance and minimal orders. The plains walkers, the weres of the fields, took in strays and converted them.
Strays, that’s what the wildlings like the Major and crew were called.
Of course, strays could only stay in bonded pairs, meaning you either came in with a partner, or you found one. Those were the rules apparently, the idea being that having a mated pair made you more stable to the community as a whole.
As of now, Gunnery Sergeant Pi and Martial Sergeant Blue were considered a bonded pair. While it was slightly frowned upon to come in as a bonded pair, they still a pair, making them viable.
After that, it was the Major who had his choice of the still as yet, unbonded pack females. Though apparently, he only had eyes for one woman of the pack, the same woman that went out of her way to talk to Frank at every chance she got.
For his part, Frank understood the nuances of pack life. Especially after the village chieftain pointed out the rules of the pack to him directly.
That conversation was the one where the chieftain made not so subtle hints about the availability of certain overtures that Frank might otherwise not be fully aware of.
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CA-CAW!
A piercing cry of one of the aviary weres cried out as well.
That was the thing, for the moment there was a truce between the tribes of wolves and eagles, as both tribes looked to strengthen their stock with new converts.
“Another good day Frank?” The voice of Drava, the aviary chieftain’s daughter. Well one of his unpaired daughters who had taken it as a personal task to come over and help watch the unpaired weres.
“You could say that,” Frank answered a slight smile forming on his lips as he greeted and gave a slight head bow to Drava.
At the gesture, Frank saw Ravena’s body posture tighten just a fraction. It was clear that she took offense to the very sight of Drava on what she considered her pack territory. Had he not had the conversation with the chieftain, Frank would have assumed that the animosity lied with that alone, the fact that members of a different pack were now encroaching on her territory.
As was becoming more and more the custom there was a slight air of tension that seemed to permeate the air.
While that was indeed part of the issue, Frank also realized that part of the issue now was that Frank was apparently a piece of contention. He could see it, in subtle things, the way the two glared at each other when they both assumed Frank wasn’t paying attention. The way they both seemed to bicker and harp at differences in opinions, if only to find ways to argue.
For the first time in his life, Frank felt wanted.
No, more then that, Frank felt that he could for a moment take a break. That if he wanted to, he could stop here and now.
If he pushed, Frank could form a lasting bond between the two tribes of weres.
Both chieftains even hinted at a possible joint ceremony between Frank and members of both tribes, when it was clear that Frank himself couldn’t decide.
Not everything was perfect.
There were of course the lurking vipers within the ranks. For while many unbonded pairs tried their hand at luring Frank, just as many unbonded male counterparts seemed to take umbrage with the attention given to Frank.
Chief among the detractors was the Major himself, who always seemed to glower at Frank, as if waiting for a moment when Frank would drop his guard, only to be struck down.
While Frank was confident in both himself and his ability to take on the Major, particularly now that the Major’s core of power had been shattered and altered, there were still other issues that Frank would have to deal with.
Chief among his concerns were the fact that the Major was already powerful before the transformation, that strength of body was only further enhanced by the transformation into were society.
What the Major seemed to be losing in distance attack power, he was more than making up for in terms of a strengthened body. The longer the two waited, the more prominent the changes in the Major’s physical characteristics took place.
Also, there was the rage.
From what Frank could gather, rage was an integral part of any were, for the rage helped the body transition beyond its limits and was important for the first few changes. This was also where a pair bond was important, for the mated pair could help quell the rage if need be, or help alter a transformation to a more manageable state.
It was also said that weres who were bonded could eventually change without the need of rage or other intense emotions at all.
That was yet more reason why bonding as a pair was so important to were society.
The more Frank heard, the more he seemed to come to appreciate the simple, yet complex life of weres and their pack societies.
Even the different species of weres had their own customs and traditions that were similar but nuanced for very specific reasons.
The wolves favored strength and the ability to protect.
While the eagles favored vision and the ability to avoid direct danger at all costs, preferring to strike a weak spot or opening in the enemy defenses.
Both were equally effective, but they also showed the distinct and different natures between the two tribes.
For his part, Frank found the value of both sets of ideals, though he couldn’t tell you which one would be the best overall.
“You ready for tonight?” Drava asked.
The question was clearly directed at Frank, but was said in such a way that everyone of the newly indoctrinated members of were society could respond.
“What’s happening tonight?” Blue asked, her voice dry, as her body still seemed to be having a hard time adapting to all its recent changes.
“Tonight will mark your month long cycle since your arrival. Today your bodies will undergo the changes to whatever pack you will spend the rest of your life as a member of,” Ravena answered, while she spoke to Pi and Blue, her eyes flickered to Frank at the end of her explanation.
“This is where we find out if we become members of the wolf or the eagles?” Pi asked to confirm.
“Among others, as it is not uncommon for mutations to occur,” Drava answered, though her response only seemed to spark even more questions.
Seeing the look of confusion that came across everyone’s faces, Ravena held up her hand to stop any future questions.
“Before you ask, there is little chance of mutations occurring. Basically, what will happen is, you will be asked to choose from a possible mate candidate. Then that mate will begin the process of trying to convert you to their respective sect,” Ravena explained, then seeing both converts Blue and Pi looking confused, she elaborated. “For those who are already a bonded pair, you will be able to choose which sect you would prefer to join. Then a mentoring pair from that sect will be chosen to help your conversion process.”
“What exactly is part of this conversion process?” The Major asked.
With that, a slight hush fell over the fields as all the assigned watchers of the new set of four candidates watched on in muted silence. Their silence causing a palpable surge of energy to form as they all seemed ready to strike down any of the four who might choose this moment to run away.
Frank felt this, but did not quite understand the reason why his mind made this apparent correlation. Instead, all he could do was watch on and see what transpired.
“It is best that you see it for yourself tonight, when you are able to fully experience the process for yourself,” Ravena answered.
Her tone resonated with an edge of finality that seemed to indicate that nothing further would be spoken about for that subject at this time.
Seeing her resolve, and seeming to glance around at the sudden tension that was building within the air, the Major could only nod to himself, while answering, “understood.”
And like that the sudden tension that had been building between everyone suddenly dissipated.
Drum beats.
Off in the distance, the sounds of booming drums could be heard thrumming outward with an undeniable intensity.
“Looks like it is almost time for us all to begin,” Drava noted, going over and grabbing Frank’s arm before he could move on his own. Then as if trying to add extra energy to the moment, Drava tried to distract Ravena long enough for her to get her talons firmly hooked into Frank.
“Perhaps you should help the Major here find his way?” Drava asked Ravena.
Hearing that, Ravena’s eyes went wide for a moment, before rage seemed to take over her otherwise gentle features.
Fortunately before she could reply, one of the wolves who was on guard detail spoke up for Ravena, “that will not be necessary, for I will make sure the Major is prepared and ready for the ceremony.”
At that, Drava just gave a slight shrug and seemed to offer a what can you do attitude to that response, before responding, “very well.”
“We should get going,” Ravena said, then gestured for two more weres to take both Blue and Pi as well.
With that, everyone had at least one or more guards assigned to them, as they all prepared for the ritual of final transformation.
This would be the final process needed to fully awaken the transformative genes within everyone gathered. Genes that have now had over a month to take root and alter the very biological makeup of the four individuals.
“You ready?” Drava asked Frank, her mouth so close, that he could feel her breath on his ear, causing chills to run down his spine.
Not rising to the bait, Frank composed himself and responded resolutely, “yes.”
Though in his mind, he knew something was off about this whole situation.