The large Grey Lupus Kobold glared at Sun-Chaser, his gaze speaking of his hatred for their new leader.

Sun-Chaser returned the gaze calmly, her fingers twirling behind her back as mana flowed through her.

“Traitor!” The kobold growled his words. “You turned against the true alpha, to have us twisted unnaturally. Look at us! They are supposed to be followers, little more than wolves. You take the power rightfully given to the alphas and give it to runts, who should live and die at the words of their alpha.”

Leaf-Watcher stepped forward, but Sun-Chaser flicked her tail at the large wolf, stopping her in her tracks.

“You are as shortsighted as ever.” Sun-Chaser said. Behind her back, her fingers continued to move in a pattern, calling her magic forward. “Tell me, Dusk-Stealer, do you think I am unfit to lead?”

“You are a traitor to all Kobolds.”

Sun-Chaser lifted her chin, challenging the kobold. “Then take my right from me! Fight me!”

The Grey Kobold dashed at her, but Sun-Chaser was ready. She jumped back, holding her hands in front of her.

Fire and Ice twisted together, forming a spear that struck the kobold through the throat and pinned him to the ground.

Sun-Chaser’s breath caught at the sight of the dying kobold. Her heart raced, and her eyes widened at the sight, but she forced herself to hide the reaction. She’d never fought a challenge against one her people, instead trusting and guiding the brute that was Earth-Shaker to fight where she could not. Even the orcs she had killed had been from a distance.

But now he was dead, and she had to be strong where she was weak.

Leaf-Watcher stepped forward, her white fur bright in the darkness. “Does anyone else want to speak?”

Sun-Chaser felt herself cowed by the White Kobold’s words, despite the fact that they weren’t directed at her. Some part of her recognized the stronger alpha, and wanted to surrender to it. But she held strong. Leaf-Watcher followed her, like she had since she was a pup, and although Sun-Chaser hoped to pass the mantle of leadership onto her soon, today was not that day.

The effect of the wolf’s words were even stronger against the ones she directed them towards. There were few who dared to stand against the natural alpha that was Leaf-Watcher.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Still, lines were drawn as a few of the former Alphas growled, wolves that shared the beliefs and thoughts of Earth-Shaker.

But those closest to her intercepted the challenges that came. Sun-Chaser had proven herself against the first challenge and didn’t need to prove herself against more. Instead, she had to watch with baited breath as the kobolds who stood with her fought and defeated those who stood against her.

Not every challenge ended in death, but no one came out unscathed.

It was the second and last night of challenges. Sun-Chaser hoped that it would end here, exhaustion filling her from the constant battles.

These were the consequences of her choices, and she’d have to live with that. The rewards, however, were beyond her imagination. Pups that she thought would live and die as mindless followers stepped forwards with their own voices, their own thoughts. The full results of the changes were yet to be seen, but already, she knew that she would make the same decisions again and again to see her people like this.

***

Elder Kulos and Elder Oltak sat across from each other in Elder Oltak’s tent.

A young goblin put a bowl of soup in front of both of them, then quickly exited the tent.

The two goblins were quiet except for their slurping as they picked up their bowls of soup and drank directly from it.

Elder Kulos’s bowl hit the table with a sharp sound. “You aren’t going to change my mind.”

Elder Oltak set his bowl down gently and watched the other goblin for a long moment. “You want to protect our people from dying in the wars against the orcs.”

Elder Kulos leaned forward, towards the other Elder. “Tell me, Elder Oltak, when does it end? When will we decide that enough death is enough?”

“Look already at what the Grand Mother has done. Goblins, Kobolds, Spiders, Orcs, we are living as one, with full bellies, injuries that are quickly healed and freedom that we have never even glimpsed before. Why must it stop here? Why should we be the only ones to experience these blessings?” Elder Oltak laid his arms on the table. Long, poorly healed scars decorated his arms like a tapestry. “You asked where the end is. The end I see is one where every goblin knows what it’s like to live free of an overseer. Where every goblin is free of torture and abuse.”

“We all have scars, Oltak.” Elder Kulos’s voice had lost some of the fury it had started with. “The Grand Mother did the impossible once. I would not ask her to do it again.”

“You heard her, Kulos. She will fight alone, if she has to. You would abandon her to that fight?”

“No!” The word was loud in the small tent. Elder Kulos glared at the other Elder for the insinuation. “I would not. But she is young, and foolish. Her ability to so easily forgive our torturers is proof of that.”

“She has a fierce and kind heart. And it is that heart that got us this far. Don’t you want to see how far that heart can take us?”

Elder Kulos looked up to the ceiling of the tent, then back down to Elder Oltak. “I will think on it.”

“Of course.” Elder Oltak stood up with the other Elder and walked him to the flap of the tent. “We all have scars Kulos, but think of the young goblins who would never have to experience those scars if we succeed.”

Elder Kulos looked at the other Elder, but didn’t respond as he exited the tent.

Elder Oltak stepped out of the tent to watch the retreating back of the other Elder. His hand tightened around the tent flap, then loosened.

Elder Oltak returned to his tent, his back hunching under the weight of his decisions.