A lupen child had been killed, and while any child’s death was a tragedy, both brothers knew this meant disaster. They talked as they rushed out of the house and into the city centre.
“I think you should have stayed.” Audrey said to Everett. “Your words would have prevented death.”
“I don’t think we hold that much power. With our own people, sure, but with them? A child has been killed, and I don’t think even Cato could’ve prevented a blood bath if that happened in his time.”
“Blood will be spilt, yes, but it could have been only for those who deserved it.”
Shockingly, most of the people were unaware of the events that had already transpired. They were going on with their normal lives, buying water and tools for the tough summer ahead. All that saw the two brother’s bow as they walked past.
“Seems the lupens have been blocked off for now.” Audrey said, seeing how calm everything was. “How were things when you left?”
“With the lupens? They were grieving. Rage hadn’t hit them yet, and I think it still hasn’t.” They would have heard something by now, after all.
“Me too. But why?”
“I have no idea.”
They soon found out why.
“They’re holed up in their cabin, my Lords.” The Head of the Protector’s Guild gave a slight bow. Being a Circle member, he didn’t need to bow like others did, but he did nevertheless. “They haven’t emerged yet.”
“Any casualties?” Everett asked.
“None…par the cub.”
“Who is responsible for this?” Audrey asked.
“They wore hoods, but my men are chasing them as we speak.”
“They? How many?”
“Three.”
“Alright. When you get them, send one in. We’ll send a sign to send another.”
“Very well.”
The cabin was one of the largest buildings in the entire city. Bigger than the brother’s home, it was capable of housing 9 lupens, which was the prior number of the pack. Tens of humans could’ve fit into it, and the only building around that dwarfed it in size was the fortress.
The two entered, finding no one in the two living rooms adjacent from one another.
“They’ll probably be in the cub’s bedroom.”
They made their way up to the first, then the second, floor before they ran into the company.
“You took your time.” A calm but menacing voice came from behind them. Given the situation, a calm voice was more threatening than an angry one.
“I could say the same to you, actually.” Everett shot a look at his brother, but Audrey gave a reassuring look. “I was sure you would have at least killed those responsible by now.”
“At least?” The lupen said with a darker tone. Their pupils expanded and their canine jaw gave off a slight growl. “You think us common murderers, like your kind?”
“Several of you, yes. Why haven’t you gone out?” Audrey held his eyes towards the lupen’s naturally red ones. While they looked wolfish, it was more accurate to say a wolf had lupen eyes.
After a few seconds of silence, the lupen answered. “Mother is distraught, yet she wished to talk to you first.”
“You don’t understand why, do you?”
He huffed and grunted. “No words can undo what has been done…consider yourself lucky a lupen is willing to talk at a time like this.”
“Indeed. Lupens have no need for words, do they?”
They watched as the brothers walked up the next set of stairs into a corridor full of lupens. Each of them looked at the two, offering no words, but also no intentions of violence towards them.
“Let me talk to her first.” Everett said.
“I doubt she will want your sympathy, Everett.”
“I know, but it might help.”
“...fine.”
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Completely surrounded by the towering race, one of them opened the door, granting them passage into the very sizable bedroom. It could fit a total of 9 king size beds, though no beds could be seen in the room, as the brother’s entered. All they could see was the figure of an 8 and a half foot lupen hunched over, her bloodied tail covering her cub. A veil covered her face, and for a reason no one knew, she was already wearing black clothing.
Very rarely did a lupen ever wear black, and it was extremely unlikely she had changed since the death.
“Something must have happened before.” Audrey thought, sharing a look at Everett.
“Pack Mother...” Everett paused, giving her a chance to speak. Few knew her actual name, as was customary with the old breed of lupens. Only two broke that custom. “...I’ve been told those who are responsible are being chased at this moment. We’ll bring them to you upon their capture.”
Again, no response.
“Is there anything we-”
“Killed him in his sleep, they did. Even monsters face their prey head on.” She said in non-discernable tone.
“I know. They will be punished, I promise.”
“Yes…they must be. You will not have a chance of saving Kavar if you do not.” She slowly got up, revealing her true height. Both the brothers were 4”5, which was quite tall for humans, but she easily loomed over the two of them combined. Her tail still completely covered what she held in her arms. “I would help, but I fear I and my children would only lash out now. That…and Kavar is no longer safe for our kind.”
“If one man’s death caused all this, was it ever?” Audrey said.
“You would talk about your own family like that?”
“I am saying nothing about Cato; he accomplished something great. I am talking more about this country as a whole.”
“I…see, yes. It is a shame Kavar did not hold the same ideals as your family. They just merely followed them.”
While they talked, Everett was still caught up on what she had said. He interrupted them, wanting a clear answer. “Despite everything…you still would’ve wanted to help us?”
“Yes. I know a few of my children are already gleaming at the prospect of war, which is the same attitude those back home hold, but I never wished for all this bloodshed.”
“It’ll be them we’ll have a hard time with.” Audrey said.
“Yes, I wish you luck. But saying all that-”
“Lord Pulcha’s! We’ve got them!” A shout come from the bottom of the house.”
“...with my words said, it does not mean I will not avenge him.”
Neither of the brothers tried to stop the Mother as she went downstairs. Mere minutes passed before she returned. None of them, even the lupens with their superior hearing, had heard anything. No begging, no fear, not even the sound of a body hitting the ground.
“...I will return to Illvac. I think I will be able to get an audience with Ylfa, and I will try to circumnavigate the war talks.”
“No, don’t talk to Ylfa. It’ll be impossible for you to convince her. Talk to Link, her daughter. You will be able to speak to her easily.” Audrey said. She nodded. “Personally though, I think war is coming now.”
“I would not want it too, and shouldn’t the voice of the Mother who’s son’s death led to that war have a sway in things?”
“I’m afraid this isn’t a matter of your child’s death. It’s the fact a child of Ylfa was killed by a human. Start and end of it.”
“How do you know this?” A lupen grunted out.
“Alista. She talked a lot about her kind to all of us.”
“I trust her words more than anyone else’s.” The Mother said.
“Even Ylfa’s?” Audrey said, quickly hating himself for saying such stupidity. Even if wearing a veil, it was clear she was angry. Both the brother’s wondered why she wasn’t as angry about her child’s death as they expected her to be. Perhaps she was still grieving, and perhaps it even helped that she killed the true monsters.
Regardless, he apologised for the question.
“I will go speak to Link then. As a word of warning, there will be those here in Kavar who believe in an eye for an eye. You understand?”
“We understand. Slaughter will lead to outrage which will lead to war.” Audrey sighed. “All over again.”
“Yet I know you will show mercy if the opportunity arises. ‘Tis just how your family is.” Both the brothers thought it an odd response, but you’d expect that from a lupen.
She went to leave for the doorway again, having to bow slightly down to avoid bumping her ears.
“I hope to meet your family again someday. Perhaps your grandchildren?”
“We may meet again, if we’re lucky.” Everett hoped.
Audrey however, saw the reality of the situation. “We’ll all be lucky if she meets our children. No such luck for us.”
“Well, know that I will hear of your deeds.”
“Is that a threat?” Everett joked.
“No, just hope.” That would be the last words the pack Mother would say to the brothers, or even the Pulcha’s -for a very long time-, but the last words they had heard was her barking a suggestion to her children. Most of the followed here, with one exception.
It was that lupen who came into the same room. For lupen standards, they were small, but even the smallest stood toe-to-toe to the tallest humans. For lupen standards, even the weakest lupen could take down several humans with ease.
“We can assume you’re not leaving.”
“Leaving, yes. Just not Kavar.”
“What do you hope to achieve?”
“To help. My brothers and sisters will invade this place; perhaps I can talk them out of it.”
“Not to sound bigheaded, but if we can’t, I doubt you can.” Audrey spoke. His words held quite a bit of truth.
“Well, we’ll still be happy to have you here. The situation could change where you will be of help.” Everett said.
“True enough.” Audrey agreed with a sigh. “I guess we’re going to need men who know how to take down a lupen.”