‘Yes.’ Star Wolf rounded on his best friend. ‘Is that a problem?’
Stone, Ash, Sky and Elm portrayed no emotions, the epitome of obedient Wolf troops. River scanned the line, and Star took immense pleasure in watching the surly black Wolf grimace.
‘Not at all, I can’t wait.’ said River.
‘Excellent,’ said Bloodhound, ‘we leave in an hour. The longer we delay the more likely someone will betray us.’
‘Betray us?’ asked Star Wolf.
‘My sweet Wolf pup, you’ve a lot to learn. The galaxy is full of traitors; twenty years of fragile peace can’t undo thousands of years of warring. Make no mistake before this is done someone will betray you.’
Star Wolf let the foreboding words, pre-empting a dangerous mission, sink in without response.
TRUE TO HIS WORD BLOODHOUND got the small Wolf pack and The Seadog onto an ocean, off the coast of the main Tiger city Tigrefell. His spaceship’s cloaking device worked a treat and moved them through the atmosphere at a snail’s pace, in relative space travel terms, engines barely audible. Once fifty metres from the water surface he lowered The Seadog on a winch device, of his making if his claims were true, to gently place the hull into the water; again the stealth and quiet of the Bloodhound’s work was impressive.
‘Down you go then.’ Bloodhound passed Star Wolf a metallic cable.
‘What do you want me to do with this?’ questioned Star.
‘Here.’ Bloodhound wrapped the cable around Star Wolf’s hips, who couldn’t help but smell whisky on the Bloodhound’s breath. ‘And then look. Place it around the winch and then carry yourself down.’
‘And what if he slips?’ asked Sky, she almost shrieked, stood in the shadows of the open hatch, glaring down at the fifty-metre drop into near pitch-black waters. The cover of nightfall made the boat below near-invisible, which was great assuming they could reach it in the blustery conditions.
‘That’s what the cables for!’ exclaimed Bloodhound. ‘At least he’ll fall straight down and not into the sea. You don’t want to end up in those waters?’
‘And why not?’ asked River, another skulking in the shadows of the interior of Boneyard a surprisingly industrious spacecraft, still refusing to talk to Star in the capacity of friend.
‘Let’s just say the Tigers have brought some pets and turned their ocean into their very own fish tank.’ replied Bloodhound.
Star Wolf glanced to Ash who nodded once.
‘Very well,’ said Star Wolf leaping down to grasp the winch. Getting a firm grip the first half-a-dozen shuffles downwards proved difficult until he acquired a better technique. He opted to wrap his four limbs around the metal as tight as possible, releasing the grip in stages to plummet a few metres at a time. The first time he did it he heard Sky gasp above, shortly followed by laughter from River. River’s laughter ceased on account of a firm cuff around the muzzle from Ash.
Star Wolf eventually slammed down onto the deck.
After he detached the cable and stowed it away, as instructed by Bloodhound, he went to the railing to gaze out upon the eternal darkness of the choppy Blackrose, an ocean named as such for the death and blood spilt atop its waters over the years. This sea lay claim to one of the bloodiest battles in the history of the Apex Wars. The Lions and Tigers had fought long and hard in these waters. Star Wolf remembered the tales vividly, for an age it seemed the Lions would push the Tigers back and lay siege to Tigrefell, that is until a young Tiger attacked their rear.
A lone ship came from the Misty Ice, the northern tip of Tigris, an ocean believed by all, including the Lions, to be too treacherous to sail. One Tiger, however, born amidst snow and ice knew how to circumnavigate the rocky islands intersecting Blackrose and the Misty Ice. The Winter Tiger. His actions as a youth, younger than Star Wolf, turned the tide of that bloody battle atop the Blackrose and secured his status in Tiger legend.
A clunk behind Star Wolf averted his gaze from the endless black.
The Wolves had joined Star.
‘Where’s Bloodhound?’ asked Star.
‘Above still.’ replied Sky.
A howl, a cousin noise to the Wolf, of Dog echoed around the night sky. The Wolves spun, immediately in fighting stances.
‘What is he doing?’ said Ash, staring up aghast.
A duffle bag, covered in plastic, slammed down onto the deck. Closely followed by Bloodhound, naked, dive-bombing into the watery abyss. For an age the Wolves stood glaring over the railing, none of them sure whether to venture into the ice-cold water.
‘Is he?’ Sky shivered next to Star.
‘I d—’ started Star.
Bloodhound leapt out of the water, huge trout flapping in his jaws. The fish was nearly the size of the large Dog and yet he held his jaws vice like around the creature’s tail. After paddling to the side of The Seadog he crashed the fish repeatedly against the hull until it stopped moving.
‘A little help?’ he called up.
‘What the hell was that?’ demanded Star Wolf.
Before responding Bloodhound shook his wet furry coat, spraying the Wolves with icy drops of seawater. Elm growled, before settling himself. He’s looking for a fight. The giant Wolf, who Star decided for sure, must have Werewolf blood, was the silent brooding type. Hard to read but Ash had chosen him and that was good enough for Star, for now.
‘Dinner of course.’ Bloodhound opened the duffle bag to put on his uniform once more. ‘Apologies, Miss.’ He bowed in Sky’s direction, who in turn blushed before walking away.
‘What’s with the howling?’ Ash’s teeth bared a fraction.
‘Apologies,’ said Bloodhound, with a genuine look of embarrassment, ‘I get carried away sometimes. I’ve never headed out with others before. I must remember it’s not just my life at stake. I have six Wolves to keep safe now too.’
‘And the rest of the galaxy,’ said Star Wolf.
Bloodhound bowed his head lower, turning to head into The Seadog’s cabin without uttering another word.
‘WE’RE HERE,’ SAID BLOODHOUND, a solemn tone had replaced his bouncy, typical voice. He uttered what the Wolves already knew. The faint amber glows on the horizon had been getter bigger for the past two hours at sea. Their hypnotic glow made all the brighter for the sheer darkness on Tigris, the planets two orbiting moons hidden by a cloud-covered sky.
‘Good,’ said Elm, flexing his hands around the grips of his axe and laser cannon. The Wolf carried a laser three times the size of any of the other Wolves as if it were no more than a clump of fur. As the boat edged closer still, Bloodhound cut the engines, the tide began washing the boat to shore.
‘Now for the unpleasant part,’ said the Dog.
Six pairs of Wolf eyes turned to face their canine host.
‘Put these on,’ he said as he opened a trunk fastened to base of the cabin.
‘Sweet Lupus! What is that smell?’ asked River.
‘Tiger faeces,’ said Ash, with a knowing glance.
‘It’ll mask our scent.’ Star Wolf pieced together the puzzle.
‘Indeed. How do you think I made it around before without detection? These Tigers have noses to match even the fittest of my kind.’
With a few grumbles and grunts of disgust the Wolves put on the ponchos and climbed into the small rowboat stationed to the starboard. After two minutes or so of rowing Bloodhound clicked a button on one of his medals and Star Wolf watched The Seadog’s dark silhouette vanish.
‘Your boat has a cloaking device?’ asked Star, astounded that such a basic looking vessel, not dissimilar to fishing boats he’d seen in history books from Earth, could house such advanced technology.
‘I’ve got many tricks up my sleeve young-star,’ he said the nickname with an odd fondness and respect, ‘do not be deceived by the simplicity of an object, this is often where the most sophisticated potential resides.’
Star Wolf couldn’t help but smile, though it vanished when a freezing cold wave lapped over the edge of the rowboat.
&n
bsp; ‘Careful, you’re dripping sh—’ started River, before receiving another clip round the ear from Ash, the father figure of the group. Elm chuckled, a deep low sound from his gut. No wallop around the ear came his way.
‘Steady as she goes,’ encouraged Bloodhound, ‘five more minutes of rowing into that alcove over there,’ he pointed into the darkness, away from the five fires Star Wolf could see on the horizon. They rowed in silence as Bloodhound eased the wooden vehicle, barely big enough for the seven of them, into the shore. Up close the jagged rocks took on a façade of terrorising faces, with arms flailing around reaching out with razor-sharp points to ruin anything foolish enough to go near them.
Standing on dry, coarse sand didn’t improve the tension building within Star Wolf and the Wolves around him.
They stood, awaiting his order.
Over the repetitive crash of the waves on rock Star thought the night breeze carried agonised screams, he tilted his head for a better listen. They’re screams. The cries of pain came from the fires, which loomed larger than ever.
‘You hear them too?’ said Bloodhound.
‘What is it?’ asked Star Wolf.
‘I don’t know, this is as far as I’ve ventured before, up ahead there are underground tunnels.’ He turned his head to the sand. ‘I must confess I was too much of a coward to enter them alone.’
‘You’re no coward.’ Star Wolf turned the Dog’s head up with his paw. ‘Follow me.’
Star Wolf fell onto all fours, a mission of this kind required a more primal Wolf. Keeping his body low to the beach he edged up closer to the grass verge, at least they now had plant life tall enough to mask their frames. With sight and smell blocked to the Tigers, Star Wolf felt a surge of confidence, an excitement at pursuing the truth. He would go down in Wolf legend if he unearthed a secret Tiger plot.
With every padded claw Star Wolf feared he was in fact a coward; the iron stench of blood stung his nostrils despite the faeces top he wore over his coat. Even masking his nose with his thick woollen overcoat couldn’t mask the reek. Up ahead the anguished cries blared out, echoing from deep within the tunnels, each new call of pain brought about an involuntary shiver. The fur on Star’s neck stood to attention. By all on Lupus please grant me the strength to move on.
The metaphoric lead weighing down his stride dissipated, a little. Those behind seemed to sense his reluctance to move forward and what was an arrow formation became a flat line. Star Wolf had never been more grateful for an unspoken vote of support.
They had reached the first fire, which was in fact a vast pit, several Wolf lengths in circumference. Light flickered across the nearby underground entrance it sat beside. Still the tortured calls of creatures bellowed from the abyss. You have to go in.
Bloodhound’s information had been correct; spaceships guarded the underground tunnels. What the Dog, perhaps too obsessed with the sea, missed out was that this one, closest to the ocean was guarded by none other than Darkchurch. The idea and opportunity to capitalise was too much for Star Wolf. Before anyone could question his plan he bolted out into the open, flanking the imposing spacecraft utilising its vast shadow to keep a shred of cover. His heart pounded so fast and loud he was sure the beat alone would reveal his position, and yet the only sound across the eerie desert land was the crackling from the fires and the faint lapping of the waves. Planting a tiny tracking device on the underbelly proved easy enough and he was back to the group in under a minute.
Scowls greeted his return, but he didn’t have time for all of that, he had a mission to lead and he now also had a backup plan should he require one. It felt more than likely.
Star Wolf indicated two claws left, two to the right and two in the dirt before him. His final signal was a pat on his chest and then a single claw to the underground tunnel. All understood his intentions, though Sky and Ash both hesitated. They were the two to remain, Elm and River went left and Stone and Bloodhound went right.
Star breathed deep, his four paws stuck to the dusty, desert surface. Here goes nothing.
He moved out into the open, into the light.
One pace.
Two paces.
On the third pace...
Ash bolted past him, deafly quiet, the veteran Wolf covered the distance to the underground entrance in thirty silent bounds. Star Wolf glared out at the others, all aghast as they hid in the long grass circling the area.
And then Ash was gone, vanished into a tunnel of black.
Star Wolf retreated into the grass.
‘What the hell is he doing?’’ Star Wolf asked.
‘Protecting his leader,’ said Sky.
‘I didn’t ask him to.’
‘And that’s why he did it.’
‘It’s suicide.’
‘So why were you going down there?’ asked Sky.
Star Wolf’s ears pricked, the frustration he felt toward Ash was mirrored with equal relief at not having to enter the ominous underground tunnel; contradictions and doubts plagued him. He couldn’t answer the question. Instead, he lay further into the dirt, tucking himself as far into his overcoat as he could, he never envisaged the exotic Tiger planet being this cold. The night was harsh, perhaps even colder than Lupus and to his shame he craved the warmth of home. The crackling of the fire pit, the only sound in the desolate wasteland, the screams had stopped. Star Wolf thought he saw Stone mouth, from the right flank, what’s happening?
Still the crunching of burning wood filled the night sky, smoke drifted away with the wind. All the while the wafting odour of blood intensified, accompanied by a subtle scurrying from the tunnel. Three Hares, does, all bolted out of the entrance, the female’s fur coated in blood. From the way they sprinted off into the night the blood wasn’t theirs. Close behind them came a few young Gorillas, they limped, barely able to stand upright, instead opting for their primal setting hunched down. They were caked in dry blood.
A substantial creature from the hidden depths roared, a sound of defiance.
A rumble in the deep started to gather momentum.
Ash burst into the opening. ‘Run!’ the panic and fear etched on his face turned Star’s blood to ice.
‘To the boat!’ Star bellowed to everyone, the Wolves and Bloodhound converging together. At the point they were a unit again gunfire rattled out from the dark open plains. As they sprinted to the beach, they ran past the three does, now corpses, one twitched at an awkward angle.
Moving from the hard, crusty wasteland into the thick grass slowed their progress. Star Wolf dared a glance backward, at the precipice of the tunnel a huge, hulking creature emerged, a blur of thick grey skin, Star Wolf couldn’t tell what species the animal was and before it was able to enter the light bullets and laser blasts peppered the edge of the tunnel driving the creature back into the darkness. The animals firing the weapons moved into the light, herding the two young Gorillas back down the entrance. The Gorillas, clearly malnutrition, struggled to make a stand. Both were hit with the butt ends of guns, crumbling to their knees.
The Tigers had arrived.
Dozens of them, their golden armour plating twinkled in stark contrast to the dark leather they wore that absorbed all light around. The occasional pair of fiery eyes turned around, wilder than the fire pits. A Tiger began barking orders, which were carried out with military precision. Star Wolf realised he’d ducked down into the long grass, as had the rest of the group.
‘Why have we stopped?’ demanded River, ‘we need to go.’
‘The Tigers are busy,’ pointed out Bloodhound.
‘Let them come,’ said Elm, weapons primed. His cannon would do some serious damage, and his eager eyes toward Star told the enormous dark-brown Wolf was waiting for the order to attack. Thirty-plus Tigers versus their fellowship of seven; it was a scenario that would’ve only ended one way.
‘Wait,’ said Star, ‘Ash, what is down there? Can we, given our numbers, rescue prisoners,’ Star had processed that’s what they were, ‘without casualties on our
side?’ He already knew the answer, but he was honour and duty-bound to ask.
‘No,’ responded Ash, immediately. The hurt in him was obvious, but he wasn’t one to linger on a lost cause, not when it put Wolves at risk.
‘To the boat, now.’ said Star Wolf, turning away from the barbaric prison. He would ask Ash for the gruesome details once back on Boneyard, which was hours away. The sea voyage would be a tense one, especially if the Tigers pursued.
Elm’s laser cannon lit up the surrounding area, multiple shots, a metallic ping, flew out toward the beach where five Tigers awaited them. The cannon fire sent them reeling away, one of the Tigers suffered a savage burn wound across his left knee. The laser fire had pierced the gap in his gold-plated armour.
A second later Bloodhound had pulled a sword from a scabbard at his hip, swishing it in an oddly elegant yet haphazard way. All the Wolves drew weapons and forced a gap between the Tigers, allowing Star Wolf and Sky to burst through to the beach and begin pushing the boat out. The ice-cold waves smacked hard at Star’s ankles and knees as he dredged further into the water.
‘Come on!’ bellowed Star Wolf, firing his laser gun at the Tiger’s backs. More Tigers were joining the battle, and at an alarming rate. Elm Wolf’s neon greenish-blue laser bolts lit up the darkness, revealing sporadic flashes of the heightening skirmish. Ash had organised them and they were falling back to the boat in an arrow formation, Elm at the head of the arrow.
‘Hurry!’ pleaded Sky, also firing shots now she was in the boat. Hers and Star’s shots peppered the Tiger ranks, the only thing keeping them at bay, as their small band of intruders retreated.
‘Go!’ roared Elm as they reached the water’s edge.
Stone and River were the first to dive into the water and paddle the short distance to the rowboat, a few flashes of orange and red-light beams vaulting past their bodies. A shot nicked River, mangling his left ear. Ash and Bloodhound were next to follow, both evading the massing fire they were coming under.
Elm stood on the beach, alone, squaring off against a dozen Tigers.
Star Wolf: A Space Opera Fantasy (Songs of Star & Winter Book 1) Page 8
