Somehow, he doubted that would be the case.
Many creatures, more talented and better at fighting than Star, had tried and failed to end the Tigers reign. Star held slim hopes for his chances, but he’d come too far to turn back. The overwhelming sense of pride and duty weighed him down again, perhaps it would be his and the Band of Breeds downfall.
‘I too look forward to seeing that,’ said Star Wolf, indicating for Kodiak to exit the great hall first, which allowed him to turn and raise his eyebrows to the other creatures laying a potential claim on murdering the Winter Tiger. The balancing act of leading was a tentative and exhausting one, Star was beginning to understand why his father looked so haggard.
‘Let’s eat.’ Shadowfang smacked the Night Badger on the back who merely grunted. His sullen mood had heightened since leaving Pardus, worsening as they drew closer to Lupus. Star knew to the Night Badger the Wolves were the lesser of two evils, a means to an end if he wanted to tackle some Tigers with a chance of winning, but his laziness was moving into insubordinate now.
The Badger was another Star decided need monitoring closely.
‘Something smells good,’ concurred Bloodhound who dragged the distracted March Hare, who was twitching all the time. He was an odd creature that never stopped moving, another who’d beg for the chance to remain close and kill the Winter Tiger. Eventually everyone shuffled through into the dining hall, a long, narrow room with thick wooden tables, straddled by benches, running nearly the entire length of the room. Save for the top table, turned sideways to the ends of the benches, creating a u-shape of the tables.
Star took his seat beside his father, who was flanked by Ash on the other side, though the two didn’t speak. Sky and River were way off toward the back of the dining hall by the time everyone was seated, they weren’t welcome, well not by Sun Wolf, at the head table.
As the evening progressed Star spent his time mulling over the individuals in his Band of Breeds, trying to assess strengths and weaknesses. The candle before him was no more than a pool of wax by the time he realised they’d been eating and drinking, well most had, for hours.
‘Cheer up,’ Ash whispered in Star’s ear. He’d swapped places with Sun Wolf who was talking to the Head of his House Guard, Moss. Another old and haggard Wolf, whose white muzzle and skinny framed perhaps showed he was no longer fit for duty. ‘We’ve got a good group of animals together, near-complete I’d say, and we won’t have to worry about your father getting in the way. He’ll preoccupy himself with matters on Lupus, your outburst and getting us banished from The Council of Worlds was a masterstroke.’ Ash hiccupped. ‘I’m sure you planned it just to keep your father busy sourcing supplies for us.’
Ash smiled, putting Star in a half-hearted headlock, he’d been drinking. The stench of beer was on him, not that he misbehaved or anything so unseemly, it just meant he spoke a little freer.
‘Nearly complete, you think we need more?’ said Star Wolf, counting their mini band at four Wolves and five varying species. Nine felt like a solid number, good fighters and youthful energy and small enough to search out the Winter Tiger in stealth mode.
‘I have a creature in mind,’ said Ash Wolf, a wicked grin on his face, ‘a Lion friend of mine.’
Star shot around to regard Ash.
‘No one talks to the Lions. They haven’t attended a Council meeting once. Their world is shut off. No one goes in or out. No one has seen a Lion since the Apex Wars.’
‘Well that’s not strictly true,’ said Ash standing up. He scraped his chair on the stone floor, ‘anyways for another time. Enjoy yourself, duty calls.’ he finished as he wandered off to the blistering cold outside. As he opened an immense door, to side of the head table, the hollowing wind snuck in. Multiple groans from within accompanied the opening.
BY THE TIME STAR HAD personally escorted, as was expected of him, each member of the Band of Breeds to their private quarters it was early morning. The moon was enormous in the sky, closer than Star had ever recall seeing Lunalupus. Pale silvery-white light crept into the slit windows down the stone corridors as Star paced them, too wired to sleep. He toyed with the idea of a hunt but given his last venture out into the wilderness on Lupus nearly saw him devoured by the twin Tigers, Steelclaw and Oakenclaw, he opted against the trek. He still, to his shame, had nightmares thinking about the shrill sounds the metal of Steelclaw’s hand made, a Tiger he didn’t want to see again. However, the Winter Tiger was another Tiger who plagued his every thought, but it wasn’t fear or rage he felt, as he did to all Tigers, no his thoughts lingered on curiosity.
The Winter Tiger was like no other creature he’d encountered.
The walls around Star rattled, paintings of prodigious Wolves, vibrating on the stone. He spun scanning for the source, again a rumble throughout the castle. He took padded steps, down on all fours, hanging low sniffing the air all the while. All the scents he picked up were familiar, unusual in their difference but that was to be expected with so many creatures sleeping in close proximity but importantly he recognised each of them. As he edged around a corner the source of the noise became apparent.
Kodiak was not a shy creature.
The door to where he slept was wide open, his vast hulking frame sprawled across a bed of straw – at his insistence – heaved up and down as he snored. Star crept into the room placed a few blankets by the base of the door and shut it for good measure. Once back out of the room the noise had diminished to an acceptable level, no other creature slept down the corridor, which was probably for the best.
It was an incident that exposed a weakness in the Great Bear, arrogance.
Star would have to watch Kodiak carefully, though he wasn’t sure what he’d do if the Bear ever disobeyed an order. A problem for another time, he’d face bigger and more complex ones soon. The biggest one was where to begin the search. All the trackers had long been destroyed and Tigris would be on high alert. Star envisaged many a Tiger meeting and the fierce wrath of the infamous Elder Three at allowing foreign creatures onto their world. The only creatures, not of the Tiger, they wanted on Tigris were slave animals.
Star continued to pace, analysing the planets recently destroyed, was there a pattern? Was there a next target for the Tigers? All the Winter Tiger spoke of was ruling the galaxy but where would he begin – go after the strongest and crush them or plunder and destroy the weak, amassing strength as they went. The Winter Tiger spoke of his desire to be challenged by Star, which would indicate he’d leave the Wolf alone for a time. He wants me to improve before we meet again.
Tiger was on his mind, and now Tiger was in his nostrils.
The fur on his neck rose, a whiff of Tiger sweeping down the corridor – it wasn’t the Winter Tiger or the twins. Star didn’t recognise this scent.
It emanated from his father’s quarters.
As he edged closer, he could hear hushed voices just audible over the crackling fire.
‘It’s good to see you, I wasn’t sure it would be you,’ said Sun Wolf, a muffled voice through the door, which was slightly ajar, a trickle of candlelight sneaking out and down the bluish-grey stone corridor.
‘You know why I am here don’t you? I wish it didn’t have to be this way, and that it wasn’t me, but I’ve lost too much already.’ said a voice Star didn’t recognise, a gravelly, harsh sound. Each word a sharp growl almost, bitter, though the words seemed without malice, if anything the stranger sounded sad. The creature was the Tiger Star could smell and though he knew he should charge in, laser gun at the ready, he stood eavesdropping as if he were a five-year-old boy once more.
‘I understand, don’t worry. I’m glad it’s you.’ said Sun Wolf in a calm melancholic tone, his lack of panic kept Star pinned outside the door.
‘Don’t say that, you know I don’t want it to be this way, but what choice do I have. He would hunt me down and after that death would be the kindest, quickest thing he did but that’d be years later. You have no idea what he, or the Elders are ca
pable of. I thought I wanted power, and for a time I was good at it but what they’ve built, what they’ve become is too much to stand in the way of. It’s either follow or die, and they offer kinder deaths to their enemies than they do their own.’
‘You don’t need to explain yourself; I know what they are, and more importantly I know who you are Blackfire.’
The second his father finished the name Star burst into the room.
But he was too late.
Blackfire stood, blade in hand and at Sun Wolf’s throat. The pair was embraced in a hug of all things but when Star ran in Sun Wolf spun and Blackfire readied the blade.
‘Father?’ asked Star, ‘what are you doing?’
Star pointed his gun at Blackfire, the near-black Tiger an eerie sight to behold in the dim candlelight and open fire.
‘I’m sorry,’ said Blackfire as he opened Sun Wolf’s throat, as he did he ducked down dodging the initial volley of laser fire. From behind Sun Wolf’s collapsing body Blackfire launched the blade from his hand, the steel slamming into Star’s laser gun and knocking him backward.
Star fell onto his tail and before he got back up Blackfire had leapt out the window and by the time Star was at the window there was nothing but an empty pitch-black forest.
‘Star?’ Sun Wolf said, spluttering through choking up blood.
Star collapsed to his father’s side, cradling his dying body.
‘Good luck,’ were the last words Sun Wolf ever uttered before leaving Lupus for good.
18. The Band Of Breeds
The first night after his father died Star went out into the forests and ran until he was tens of miles away, at which point he howled until his lungs burned. Raw, physical pain did nothing to dull the aching of his heart. His father’s death, at the hands of the Tigers, was his fault.
And yet that wasn’t true.
‘He expected it, he expected Blackfire, but why?’ Star shouted the question to the moon, in a field at the edge of a secluded lake. Not a single ripple touched the surface, the peculiar calm and silver light created a tranquil setting, one that Star was ruining with his roars of displeasure. Once his lungs were too tired and hoarse he moved onto slashing at tree trunks until his sword was blunt and ruined. After that he moved onto firing laser bolts across the water, skimming the surface and scorching the reeds on the other side. Even his laser gun had an expiration date and by the time the sun was beginning to rise Star Wolf was beyond exhausted and out of weapons.
For a time he opted to sit in silence, tears streaming from his wearied eyes, allowing the serenity to return to his natural and beautiful part of Lupus. So many worlds were like this in the majority, species only ever taking over a fraction of the land. Each race at most a million strong. The creatures across the galaxy weren’t like the viruses that had lived on Earth. Humans multiplied beyond count and were blinded by their own delusions of grandeur.
‘Pride will be your downfall,’ Star uttered the words he’d heard from a few of the Band of Breeds.
The thought of the Winter Tiger and the Tiger race handing out the pain Star felt to millions of creatures across the galaxy hurt Star even more, no creature should have to cradle a loved one after watching them be murdered. I need to put a stop to this once and for all. The galaxy must understand the truth.
And with that he ran all the way back to the castle.
Upon his arrival he waved off all the concerned, and by some, annoyed, questions and told them his next move.
‘We’re going to The Council of Worlds.’
‘But we’re banished.’ replied a grey, plain-faced Wolf.
‘Let’s see them try and stop me.’
THE SHORT LEAP ACROSS the galaxy to The Council of Worlds planet had taken place in silence, well on the flight deck anyway. Anyone who ventured onto the deck steered clear of Star, in the Captain’s chair in the centre of the room, avoiding eye contact at all costs. He knew his face was forged from fire, his teeth grinding all the while, on occasions drawing blood but it was all he could do to keep the burning rage at bay. A conversation, with any creature, wouldn’t have diffused his mood either. There was only one thing that would quell the anger eating him away from the inside out.
Killing the Winter Tiger.
Thinking on the idea dulled his senses a little, he was on a ship housing multiple warriors. They were all more experienced or skilled or both than Star Wolf and wanted the exact same thing. The knowledge provided a small pool of solace internally; something Star tried to cling to desperately, turning to fury was a path that ended only in the destruction of one’s self. Unrelenting anger only leads to your demise little one, eventually someone smarter or stronger will best you, and for what your ego and rage. Another sage piece of advice from his late father, who thinking about brought Star back around to searing anger, so hot and raw he could feel it bristling through his dark-grey fur.
And that was the emotional loop Star travelled on repeat until they arrived at The Council of Worlds.
Upon their arrival an envoy of Goats accompanied by dozens of heavily armed Bears, distant cousins to Kodiak and the Brown Bears, demanding to know the meaning of Lupenroad arriving packed full with hundreds of Wolves, who were banished from the Council no less. It was the Night Badger, followed by the March Hare, Bloodhound, Kodiak and Shadowfang that convinced the Goats to let them pass.
Star suspected even thirty-odd armed Bears would struggle to tackle the five famous warriors. A morbid part of him, one that he couldn’t squash, craved to watch such a battle, from a far, with a chance to revel in the spectacle of it all, to witness songs in the making. That day wasn’t going to be today, though he suspected such scrapes were becoming more likely with each passing day.
Today was his final card to play with The Council of Worlds.
At best he hoped for recognition of his claims and more seasoned warriors, and numbers, to join his cause. At worst he feared having his head removed, though a rare outcome these days, something that was a distinct possibility given the alleged crimes he’d racked up versus the last creature to be beheaded twenty odd years ago.
‘Let me through,’ order Star, currently in the rage part of his emotional cycle.
The Goats and Bears nodded and cleared a pathway, though at least half of the Bears kept their trigger claw pressed tight to their clunky laser guns. Such guns would cause serious damage, they were more like small cannons, Star would’ve almost required two hands to heft one but not the Bears, their strength couldn’t be matched, and still Kodiak strutted past them without a care in the world.
In the expansive, open-plan, waiting area to the coliseum Star and his Band of Breeds willingly disarmed themselves, as was customary and expected. The Night Badger had insisted the Bears guarding the Goat and coliseum do likewise and in unison, to avoid any unnecessary trouble was the diplomatic way the Badger put the request.
The Bears agreed and before long Star was marching into the coliseum to address The Council of Worlds, not a full house but craning his neck showed him at least seventy percent of the rings of marble had creatures seated on them. There wasn’t a Tiger in sight, which struck him as odd. In the past five years he’d accompanied his late father to these meetings he’d always remembered the Winter Tiger, and an ambush of Tigers. Why isn’t he here?
‘What is the meaning of this?’ demanded the Goat Master, glaring at Star. From his seat, near the podium, he waved a dismissive hand at a small Beaver who was halfway through some conversation about drainage and water supplies. Clearly the Goats outside hadn’t communicated Star’s arrival on the planet, Council meetings weren’t to be disturbed after all, a silly rule and one that Star realised made anyone in attendance highly vulnerable to unannounced guests or attacks.
A couple of the Goats who greeted Star at the landing bay went to rush forward and speak but stopped in their tracks when Star growled and barred his teeth. Their path blocked by the Band of Breeds.
‘The meaning of this is a final attempt
to make the meek and weak members of this Council see sense and take action against the Tigers, before it’s too late.’ said Star, striding to the podium to ensure every creature could see and hear him.
‘Not this again,’ said the Goat Master.
‘Silence,’ boomed Kodiak, the affect absolute. All murmurs ceased and the Goat Master near fell off his chair. ‘Let Star Wolf speak and know this. The next creature who speaks up before he finishes will become my lunch right here in this hall. Don’t make me break the oath of peace held together for the past two decades in these halls.’
With the threat ordered Star was free to continue without interruption.
‘The Tigers are going to take over the galaxy if we do not stop them. The Apex Wars merely paused for them, a chance to replenish and let the rest of us grow weak, it’s all been a lie.’
A few murmurs erupted before Kodiak growled, turning the room to silence once more.
‘The Tigers destroyed those five planets, the Space Kraken was another deception, and before you question it let’s ask those that saw the creature.’ Star continued and then ushered the Night Badger to step forward.
‘The lad speaks true, oh aye it was a Space Kraken alright, but it’d been dead a while, far longer than fit with the timeline the Tigers gave. That Space Kraken had been dead long before those planets were destroyed, and what does that tell you? The Tigers are strong enough to kill a Space Kraken, a creature fabled for consuming planets, they are stronger than we’ve even dared to imagine; they may be too strong for the entire galaxy combined.’
‘Excuse me,’ a faint whisper of a voice, was followed by a slender orange faced creature standing up. ‘May I, Star?’ The Scarlett Fox indicating he wanted to walk down to the podium.
Star nodded.
‘Kodiak, the March Hare and myself accompanied the Night Badger to inspect the creature, we can all agree on that?’ Murmurs of agreement echoed around the open marble room. ‘I’m curious, Marchy and Kodi? Do you concur with the Night Badger?’
Star Wolf: A Space Opera Fantasy (Songs of Star & Winter Book 1) Page 16
