Nigel nodded his head slowly. “I see.”
“No you don’t!” barked Hector. “You see nothing! Packs of dogs flock to his side as never before; they come from places in the forest that you men do not even know exist. This Master gathers a force of more than ten thousand fighting dogs — warriors, mind you, fierce fighters, well-trained and capable of massacre.”
Nigel’s eyes widened. He vainly tried to control his trembling knees. Even Vandor had not estimated such an army!
But Bela stayed cool. “Obviously this is quite distressing,” he said, “yet you have said that wolves do not fear them, that you would stand up to them.”
“If it were dogs alone,” replied Hector, “we would make a good fight of it, with or without you. But we are frightened because the Master has found an ally of his own.”
“But who would fight alongside dogs?” exclaimed Bela. “They are hated by all Dwellers.”
Now was the time, Hector knew. Now he must divulge the worst news of all, news that would make these scrawny men cringe. “Then know this,” he said, himself almost frightened to speak of it, “The wild dogs have joined forces with the most dreaded species of all: Night-Birds!”
Nigel shivered, Bela’s face noticeably paled. The wolf had called them Night-Birds, but actually they were not birds at all. Rather, they were a feared species of disease-carrying flying rodents: vampire bats! And their bite carried a poison so awful, so horrible, that victims suffered an indescribable, agonizing torment until, fortunately, they died. Many of the Haven’s physicians believed it was they who had brought Plague to the Valley, causing untold deaths. But fortunately they lived far from the Empire, in Deep-Forest itself, and rarely ventured this far from their homes. But if what Hector had said was true, and they had no reason not to believe him, they would come! Fly by the thousands to the Haven, and wreak havoc.
These bats were nocturnal, sleeping by day in their hidden caverns no one could find, and flying by night to seek the blood they craved from helpless victims. Some swore they dwelled in Hell itself, in the very bowels of the earth.
It took the men quite some time to regain composure, as Hector knew it would. And in truth, he had reacted in a very similar fashion when Dinjar had first told him.
Bela was the first to speak. “Are you — are you certain of this? There can be no mistake?”
Hector shook his head. “The very fact that I am here now should be proof enough.”
Nigel rested his head in his hands and looked woefully at the wolf. “So that’s why you sought us out.”
Hector drew a deep breath and nodded gravely. “This changes the complexion of the entire world,” he said in a hushed voice, “Together they will spread death and destruction to everything that lies before them. The Dwellers, all Dwellers, will cower and shake at their sight. They will plunder and ravage as no army has ever done before.
“And even man and wolf together will be hard pressed to stop them. But at least if our own forces are joined there may be a fighting chance. Dinjar is working on a plan, one that could be the only hope for any of us.”
“Our alliance must be sealed,” said Bela, his mind racing. “What are your terms?”
Hector bared his fangs, smiling in wolf fashion. “We ask little enough,” he said. “We ask that our Packs be allowed to seek refuge under the protection of the Haven and its soldiers. The wrath of the dogs will be terrible when they learn what we have done, and Dinjar fears for the safety of our females and cubs, as well as our old and infirm. For our Hunters we ask nothing, merely to fight, and die, if need be.”
“All you ask is agreed,” said Bela, looking first to Nigel for common approval. “What else?”
“If we are to dwell here, we must be allowed to hunt here. We seek freedom for our Hunters to prey on your game.”
Nigel leaned forward. “You will harm no bird?”
“No. We know they are your friends.”
“And our cattle and sheep will also stay unmolested? You have raided our corrals in the past.”
“I give my word,” said Hector, looking him straight in the eye.
Nigel smiled broadly. “Then it’s settled. We meet your terms.”
“Good, good,” said Hector, with a sigh. “Dinjar shall gather all our Packs and bring them to the Valley. We shall arrive in perhaps a quarter-moon’s time.”
“About a week,” said Bela, translating it into man’s concepts. He was just about to end the meeting when Nigel spoke.
“But the Haven has a term of its own,” he said.
The wolf shot him a suspicious glance. Bela stared bewildered. The Haven had required no terms at all, he knew. Elon had made that clear. What was Nigel up to?
“And what terms do men ask of us?” said Hector, warily.
“Only your aid,” replied Nigel. “The Haven is about to embark on an expedition into the forest.”
Hector picked up his ears. Men in the forest? This was strange, indeed.
“And we seek a path through it.”
Hector listened patiently and could not help but wonder if there was some trick behind such a request. “What path is it that you seek?” he asked.
“One that would show us the way beyond the wood, beyond the forest entirely, to whatever we might find. The mission is already set. I, among others, are ready to leave in three days’ time. We ask that one of your Hunters be sent to help guide us, help us find the way.”
“And what makes you think there is a way? The forest is vast.”
Bela caught the distrustful note in his voice. But Nigel had a good idea here, he knew. There was no telling how much further the expedition might be able to get if a Dweller, especially one as keen as a wolf, were to escort them. “We assure you that this will be a peaceful journey,” the young Counsel said. “We seek no quarrel with any of the Dwellers. Our goal is only to find new lands for peaceful settlement. Surely you can understand that?”
“We need you,” Nigel said honestly. “Will you help?”
Hector thought deeply. This was an unexpected element in the bargain. Still, it was not outrageous. And the alliance was based on trust; he would accept it as such. “No one knows of such a path,” he said at last. “No wolf has ever heard of one.”
Nigel felt his heart sink. Hector would refuse.
“But that does not mean that it cannot be done,” added Hector. “If Dinjar agrees I will personally accompany you on this quest. But be warned! The dangers of the wood, especially once you reach Deep-Forest, are many, even for wolves. You have picked no easy task.”
A look of joy splashed across Nigel’s face. What more could he have asked for!
Hector eyed them both. “Are there any other — terms?”
Nigel laughed aloud. The wolf had said it in a way that showed that he knew this was not a “term” at all.
“No others whatsoever,” said Bela, sharing the festive mood. “With Dinjar’s Hunters to fight beside us, and you to guide Lord Nigel on his mission, we are more than content. From this moment forward, wolf and man shall be known as friends and allies. May it last ten thousand years!”
Hector stood and bowed his shaggy head deeply. As if by instinct, the Hunter who had accompanied him sprang from the trees and stood in full view.
“We must return to Dinjar and report all that has happened,” the ambassador said. “The King will be pleased. But when I return to take you into the forest, where shall we meet?”
Nigel shrugged. “Right here. We’re going into the Northern Forest and this is as good a jump-off spot as any.”
Hector nodded. “Then until three days from now, farewell.”
“Farewell to you, friend.”
Hector turned and smiled. So these were men! They were as harmless as cubs.
And with that fond thought he dashed out of sight.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Deep within the Southern Forest was a large clearing. And at the top of the hill that overlooked the clearing, several dogs, warlords, peered down at the unruly
crowd gathered below.
Dog language is rough and guttural, not nearly as sophisticated as that of birds or even wolves. To men, in fact, it would seem to be little more than growls. No record of this meeting was ever made, for Forest-Dwellers have no written language. But the words spoken there that night have often been repeated and translated into many different tongues. This, then, is believed to be an accurate account of what was said.
“Where is the King?” they shouted. “When does Toland speak to us?” The mood of those who shouted was anger. Patiently they had waited, some for days. Now the full moon was high and they were restless. Had they been called on a whim, or were they at last to see the Dog who claimed the throne: the Master of All? Many of these dogs were Lords themselves and were not used to being treated in such a disrespectful manner.
One great brown dog rose his voice above the din. His eyes flashed and flickered red; his voice was deep and resonant. “I, Margraf of the West, have traveled for weeks to reach this place. Why am I not to be honored as my title befits?”
“And I,” growled another, “Matsui, conqueror of the Mountain Lands, I, too, have waited without being received.”
“We demand our rights!” barked a third. “Does the Master toy with us?”
A powerful black dog looked down at the crowd and snarled. “Hold your tongues!” he snapped viciously. His eyes glowered; his fangs dripped saliva. “The Master shall come.”
“How long must we wait?” cried Matsui. “My Packs grow restless. Where is the battle we were promised?”
The black dog, Lepidus, glared at them. “Toland will come,” he said. “Until then we must all wait.”
“It was we who placed the crown on his head!” someone called. “Is this our payment?”
“My warriors will not sit still for this!” shouted Margraf. “How long do you expect us to eat of bird and snake, while the enemy prepares for us?”
“Hold Margraf! Hold Matsui!”
The warlords stood back, trembling. At the top of the hill a fierce animal with dark blazing fur paced and wagged his tail in anger. It was Kindari, brother of Toland. He had just arrived and was appalled to see such arguing. He laid back his ears, crouched as if poised to strike. Steely eyes blazed.
The crowd hushed. Kindari held their respect — he was a fierce warrior in his own right. They would not dare to anger him.
“Great Lords and warriors,” he said in a soft tone. “Do not let your tempers cause friction among us now. Are we jackals howling at the moon? Let us stay calm, wait his arrival. My brother comes! I promise you. And then our anger can be loosed on our enemies.”
The crowd became sullen. Many took to grumbling quietly among themselves. Seconds later, though, a mighty cheer went up. Howls of excitement filled the damp air. The Master had come at last.
Toland peered down among his legions and waited for silence. He stared sharply with his round, piercing, slightly slanted eyes. Many wondered if a trace of wolf blood ran through his veins. His coat was trimmed, and glistened in the moonlight. Sharp fangs glinted from his jaws like spikes of ivory. The crowd became entranced.
“I am pleased to see so many of you here already,” he said, overlooking their display of bad manners. “Soon our army will be complete, and we will be ready to march.”
Some howled their approval, but were quickly hushed by their comrades lest the following words be missed.
Toland paced across the summit looking long and hard at his troops, searching their eager faces. “I wish to speak, for a few moments, of the cause we fight for,” he told them softly. He paused and let his stare drift to the moon, then across the dark sky. Rain clouds loomed on the horizon. “When I was but a pup,” he began, “my father and his warriors were set upon by a pack of man-soldiers. Badly wounded by those fiends, still he managed to slay most before retreating back into the wood, to the lair he ruled. But that very night, as my mother tended his wounds, he swore an oath: that his pups and his Pack would never rest until the enemy was wiped from the face of the earth.
“And at his instruction my brothers and I were well trained for the battles ahead. We knew it would not be easy; we knew that men were clever. But we never flinched. Proud of us as my father was, in his heart there was sorrow. For he knew that total victory could never come until all the dogs of all the forests united into a single army, a mailed fist of strength, and cleaned for once and for all the scourge of men.”
Mesmerized, the crown sat in stony silence. It seemed that even the wind held its breath.
“Our Pack dwelled in this very wood,” continued Toland, “and being of the Southern Forest, we had only aligned with other warlords of the South. When we fought against men, it was with warriors of this wood alone. And even though we attacked with hundreds against the Valley, it was not enough. All too often our brothers in the North and in the mountains organized their own armies and were defeated in the same way.
“We have won victories, to be sure, and even gained new territory. But the cost was high, and men somehow always managed to regroup and hold their lines.”
“The Master speaks truth!” someone shouted. “We have always been divided among ourselves!”
Toland bade the crowd be quiet. “It is true,” he said sadly, eyes downcast, “that we have been beaten because no warlord would come to the aid of another Lord in peril. Often the pettiest of jealousies have caused us to fight among ourselves. The warlords lacked foresight to realize what is good for one Pack is good for all dogs. A victory for one is a victory for all. Defeat for one is shared by everyone. When a handful of men are slain we call it a great victory. If the men are forced from a tiny parcel of land we behave as if the Haven itself were destroyed.”
The warlords hung their heads. Everything Toland had said was true, they knew. They had been interested only in their own victories, and not in the losses of others.
“So the task set for us was clear,” the Master continued, “that only through unity, total unity, could the decisive battle be won.” Here Toland smiled, “And now, for the first time, my father’s dream has come to pass. We are here, together, under a single banner, under a single command. Now we shall defeat men forever.”
Howls of approval rose from the ranks and Toland was pleased. But again he bade them be silent.
“When I first became a warlord I wondered many things: how were men so successful in holding us at bay? How could they learn of things that they could not see? The answer became clear; they had formed their alliance with birds. And together they managed to stop us. They saw what we never did. They understood the advantage of an ally.”
The dogs stared at him, unsure of what their King was trying to say.
“So have I concluded,” said Toland, “that we, too, need an ally.”
Many in the crowd stirred, displeased at this.
“We need no help!” one called. “Dog is ruler of the world!”
“We seek no alliance,” shouted another. “All Dwellers cower before us! We are invincible!”
“You are wrong,” Toland chided. ‘To be united was only our first task. This I have done. Yet it was also necessary for me to seek out another race, one who would strike dread in the hearts of men.”
Again the crowd hushed.
“Secretly I conferred with this potential ally and showed them the mutual benefit and profit.”
“Who?” they called. “Who is it that we need?”
“A creature that even we fear.”
“Impossible!” many screamed angrily. “Dogs fear nothing, not even death!”
Toland smiled wryly and said: “I wonder.” Then he raised both his head and his voice. “Then know this, my brothers: I have made an alliance with Night-Birds!”
Shock and disbelief crossed hundreds of faces. Gone were the jeers and the scrowls. Night-Birds were indeed feared by all, even dogs. But they dwelled far from the open wood, deep in their caverns, keeping their own counsel. Many never thought of them as true creatures of the fore
st. But the Master was right, they knew. The poison that spewed from their fangs would be a worthy addition to the dogs’ own forces.
Toland stood back for a few moments and allowed the shock to take hold, then slowly wear off. He spoke again.
“It was not an easy task,” he said. “I spent many weeks merely in search of their Lords. Their caves were well hidden, even from me. Then I was captured. I feared for my own life. But I persuaded them to at least hear me out. They soon saw that I could offer far more than my own blood. They were as eager for man-blood as we, the thought of helpless birds to feed upon was honey to their mouths. And they lusted for it.
“They also hate men. And they saw the advantages of our bargain. They had only to support us from the sky at night and, as is their custom, be permitted to return to their caves by day. To this they agreed.
“We all know well of the pain and suffering their bite can inflict. Men shall suffer an agony so indescribable that they will die by their own hands rather than endure it.
“Tell me, brothers, could there be a more worthy ally?”
The legions howled in glee. Who else but Toland, the Master of All, could have conceived such a plan? Who else would have risked his own life to carry it out?
But Toland still was not finished. Somber and thoughtful, he once more called for quiet. “I have other matters to speak with you,” he said with a growl. “I must also tell you of treachery and perfidy.”
The crowd stared at each other. Toland’s voice became shaky; his tail wagged furiously. “The wolves have broken the Treaty. At this moment, the worm called Dinjar gathers his forces and makes an alliance with the Haven!”
Had Wolves dared do such a thing? “Death to Dinjar!” they chanted, “Death to all wolves!”
“But do not despair.” Toland laughed wickedly. His eyes grew dark; his lips curled above his fangs. “When the walls of the Haven crumble before us, then shall we deal with our treacherous cousins! Night-Birds shall feast on their blood, and their corpses shall be thrown to the rodents!”
The crowd roared with approval.
“And this do I swear,” shouted Toland. “I shall have Dinjar’s head!”
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