Tales of the Wolf: Book 01 - The Coming of the Wolf

by A. E. McCullough

  Chapter 27

  On the eve of the Yuletide Festival, all was peaceful.

  A gentle breeze was blowing from the north, but the snow had stopped, for now. The heavy clouds that had blanketed the sky for the last several days had parted to reveal the crescent moon. With the exception of those on guard duty, the whole village had turned out for the wedding.

  A small group of Dwarves led by Midach Bonecrusher had arrived earlier that day. Balder, Alder and twenty other dwarves had accompanied him to the union of the Highland Nation’s greatest heroes, Kamots Hawkeye the Wolflord and Tatianna Amarth the Red Eagle.

  The ceremony was held in the mouth of the Cave of Luna. Standing in the opening, bathed in the light of the crescent moon, Anasazi almost looked godlike. His long silver hair hung loose and seemed to blend with the white robes he wore.

  As was the custom, Hawkeye was seated at his side cross-legged and dressed in his finest battle array with his weapons laid to the side but within easy reach. The Wolflord looked very regal. He alternated between singing a love ballad in his native tongue or playing a lilting melody on an intricately carved flute. Hawkeye’s voice was deep and strong, while the flute’s sounds were soft and gentle, with a slight lilting or whistling tone. Both imparted the love Hawkeye felt for Tatianna. It had taken Hawkeye over a month to carve the traditional love flute out of ash wood. It was over a foot long and had intricate carvings of a running wolf chasing an eagle in front of the crescent moon along the body of the flute. Attached to one end were three tail feathers from a red-tailed hawk and some white wolf hair.

  Just as the sun’s last light crested the peaks of the mountains surrounding Itasca, everyone heard a loud voice answering Hawkeye’s song. It was Tatianna’s. Her voice cut through the cold evening air like a warm breeze carrying the hint of spring on its tones. She sang in her native tongue of Elvish, which no one understood except Anasazi. Even though those gathered couldn’t understand the words she sang, they could understand the love that her song held.

  The gathering of Highlanders parted way as she approached the path to the Cave of Luna and the man she loved. Since neither her own father, nor Red Crow her adopted father, were here to escort her she had asked Midach Bonecrusher to accompany her ascent to the cave. Towering over the massive dwarf, they made an interesting pair as they made their way through the crowd.

  Reaching the top, he placed her hand on Hawkeye’s waiting arm. Smiling at the young couple, Midach whispered. “May Bromios also bless your union.” With that simple blessing, he turned and joined his companions.

  Kneeling, the lovers lowered their heads. Lifting his face to the heavens, Anasazi raised his voice. “Luna! Goddess of the Moon and Protector of the Highland Nation please hear my words!”

  Pausing, Anasazi cried out again. “Aurora! The gracious Lady of the Morning and Mistress of the Elves, please hear my words! We humble mortals stand before you and ask for your blessing on this holiest of unions between Kamots Hawkeye of the Highland Nation and Tatianna Amarth of the Elves. They have declared their love for each other to me and now they will declare it to you and the world.” Placing his hand on Hawkeye’s shoulder, Anasazi nodded.

  Hawkeye lifted his face toward the heavens. “Luna, Aurora, and even Hecate, the Lady of Darkness, we have met once before and on that occasion I declared my love for Tatianna to the three of you. Nothing has changed except one thing.” Pausing, he looked into Tatianna’s beautiful sky blue eyes. “I love her more today than yesterday. And so it will be greater still tomorrow.” He looked back to the heavens. “I ask for your blessing on our marriage.”

  As he finished, Hawkeye glanced back at Tatianna. She was crying. He was about to say something, when Anasazi interrupted. “Tatianna, it is your turn.”

  Flashing a quick smile and a wink at Hawkeye, she turned her face to the heavens. “Aurora my goddess, please hear my call. I have served you since birth. It gives me great pride in knowing you and your sisters chose me to bear your son, the one foretold in the ancient prophecies. I humbly ask for your blessing on my wedding to the man you chose to be his protector. For I love Kamots Hawkeye without reservation. He is the most honorable, most caring, the most loving man I have ever known. Please, grant us your blessing.”

  Taking out a small ceremonial dagger, Anasazi held it out towards the couple. One at a time, the two lovers slit their right thumbs on the dagger’s sharp edge. Placing their thumbs together, Anasazi bound their thumbs together with a leather cord. Speaking loudly, Anasazi’s voice was full of pride and happiness. “Just as your blood is now one, so shall you two be as one. Live now and forever, as one flesh.”

  Hawkeye leaned over and gently kissed Tatianna. A great cheer went up from the gathered Highlanders. Turning toward the gathering, Tatianna and Hawkeye raised their bound hands high in the air. The crowd howled and screamed in happiness.

  Suddenly, a shrill note echoed loudly over the cheering crowd and everyone fell silent. They knew what that simple note meant. They had dreaded hearing it but at the same time, they were slightly relieved to hear it. It meant their wait was over, Blackfang and his army had arrived.

  The Highland Nation was going to war.

  Everyone reacted quickly to the alarm, running to his or her assigned tasks. Within moments the newlyweds were alone with Anasazi.

  Hawkeye and Tatianna knelt down as the old shaman placed his hands on each of their foreheads. Lifting his face skyward, he spoke in a clear voice. “May Luna’s blessed light always shine on you two. The Gods have blessed your union. Go and confront your destiny as one.”

  Lowering his hands, Anasazi turned his back on the lovers and walked deeper into the cave.

  Hawkeye unwrapped the cord which bound their thumbs together and spoke first. “I love you.”

  Tatianna flashed him a crooked smile. “I love you too.” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him close. “Just be careful, I don’t want to become a wife and a widow on the same day.”

  “Don’t worry my love. It is not my destiny to die today.”

  Tatianna raised her left eyebrow. “And how do you know that?”

  “Because I know how I’m going to die!”

  She threw her arms up in frustration. “What a calming reassurance that is! You know how you’re going to die? And how do you know that?”

  Hawkeye shrugged his shoulders. “Luna has shown me.”

  “Would you mind letting your wife in on the secret?”

  “Maybe, at another time and another place.” Kissing her quickly Hawkeye said, “I must go. My brother is waiting.”

  “Okay! Go! Just come back to me in one piece.”

  “I will.”

  Hawkeye gathered his weapons and sprinted to the Lodge of the Moon where his war council would be gathered. Striding in, everyone fell silent. Odovacar, Nilrem, Chewda and Midach were studying a rough map of the area, Hawkeye noticed a young brave of the Raven tribe standing nearby.

  Realizing Hawkeye’s unspoken question, Odovacar pointing at the young brave. “This is Dark Arrow, Corax’s son. It was he who first spotted the army coming from the south.”

  Turning to study the young man, Hawkeye noticed the family resemblance to his father in his face and confident stance. “I’m sorry about the loss of your father. He was a great warrior and he will be sorely missed.”

  Dark Arrow nodded his head. “Thank you Wolflord.”

  Turning back to the business at hand, Hawkeye pointed at the deerskin map. “Now, what did you see?”

  Pointing at the hills about twenty miles south of the village, Dark Arrow explained. “A large army consisting mostly of gnomes and cyclops are moving north slowly. I would estimate the total attacking force to be three thousand strong.”

  The red bearded dwarf Midach interrupted. “How many of those are one-eyes?”

  “Probably five hundred; I would guess about fifteen hundred goblins, the rest a combination of gnomes, dark elves and highlanders.”

  Noddin
g his head, Hawkeye rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Any trolls?”

  Dark Arrow shook his head. “Not that I saw.”

  “Have they sent out any flanking troops?”

  “None that I could see, however we have more scouts out right now but none have returned.”

  “At their present speed, how long before they reach the village?”

  “I would guess midnight or maybe a few hours past.”

  Hawkeye slapped the young brave on his shoulder. “Thank you Dark Arrow. You’ve done a great job. Now get some rest. We will need your strength all too soon.”

  “Thank you Wolflord.”

  Nilrem spoke up. “What do you think?”

  Hawkeye began to pace. Rubbing his chin slightly, he muttered to himself. “What would Blackfang do? That is the question. He knew we would have flyers in the air. He knew we would spot him, giving us ample time to prepare. What is he up to?’

  Nilrem interrupted his thoughts. “Wolflord? Excuse me, Hawkeye what do you think Blackfang will do?”

  Hawkeye looked up. “That’s a very good question, my friend.”

  Moving over to the deerskin map, he pointed at the forest just south of the village. “My guess is that Blackfang knew we would discover him and see any complicated plans he might try with his troops. My best guess is that he plans just to plow right through the forest and right over us, a straight frontal attack.”

  Midach Bonecrusher spoke up. “He wouldn’t do that! It would be too costly to his troops!”

  Hawkeye flashed the diminutive, yet deadly dwarf a grim smile. “That’s exactly what he’s planning to do. Don’t forget, he doesn’t care about the lives of his troops. They are like badly constructed arrows to him, something to be used and then discarded.”

  Nodding his head, Hawkeye continued. “Yes, he’ll go for a frontal attack; probably tonight, when it’s dark. That way his gnome and shadow elf troops can get the best use of their night vision.”

  Odovacar asked, “How do you want us deployed? At last count, there were only about a thousand warriors in Itasca.”

  Looking at his friend, Hawkeye could tell that the young Boar Warlord was scared. They all were.

  Hawkeye slapped Odovacar on the shoulder. “Three to one odds. It just doesn’t seem fair.”

  He could see that the other warlords were thinking along the same lines by the tightness around their eyes and their grim expressions. “Do you think we ought to give them a chance to surrender?”

  This got a laugh from everyone and he could feel the tension in the lodge lessen slightly at his joke. Looking around at those gathered he saw the combined looks of hope, fear, excitement and dread on each of the faces around him. He knew very few of them had ever been in a war before; most had only fought in small battles, those with twenty or fifty combatants. The sheer size of the army confronting them is what scared them the most.

  Raising his voice, Hawkeye said in a loud and clear voice. “Everyone, listen up! I know we stand against an army at least three times our size. I also know that sheer numbers can play a big part in battle but we are the mighty Highland Nation; chosen by Luna herself, to guard and raise the child foretold. He must live to grow strong enough to combat the ancient evil that once more roams across our land.”

  Pausing in his speech, Hawkeye began to walk amongst those gathered placing a hand on a shoulder here or a pat on the back there.

  “We cannot fail. For if we do, then all of Terreth will fall under the cloak of darkness and never again will our children be allowed to run through the wild forests or fly through their unbroken skies. They will become slaves to the great darkness that lurks in the remote corners of the world.”

  The gathered warlords were beginning to feel the optimism that Hawkeye was projecting. Warriors were grinning at the thought of destroying the evil that was threatening their land.

  Moving back to the center of the room, Hawkeye raised his voice until he was almost screaming. “We will not fail! We cannot fail! We are fighting for our lives, our children, our freedom, our land and our goddess! Fight with all of your heart and all of your skill! And if you do that, then I promise…”

  Hawkeye paused and glanced around the room once more making eye contact with as many warriors as possible.

  “I promise, we will be victorious!”

  The Lodge of the Moon erupted in a roar that was deafening. As the cheering continued, Nilrem leaned down and whispered into Hawkeye’s ear. “Good speech. Now, how do you plan on handling Blackfang?”

  Nodding his head, Hawkeye pointed at the map. The cheering quickly stopped so they could hear their leader talk. He pointed at the forest. “Chewda, take all of the wolverine and fox tribes into the forest and ambush them as they come through. Make them pay for every foot they travel but don’t over expose yourselves. Your job is to delay and to harass, nothing more.”

  Nodding his head, the diminutive warlord rubbed his hands together as a broad smile broke across his face. “It will be done, Wolflord.”

  Hawkeye continued. Pointing at the ridge above the village, he looked at the warlord of the puma tribe. “Golden Wind, you will take the puma and lynx tribes and move them here. Your job will be to attack the enemy’s flanks as they chase the wolverine and fox tribes back to the village. Make sure you don’t overextend your own flanks.”

  Golden Wind silently nodded his head in agreement. “Those of the owl and raven tribes who are not acting as scouts will also join you on the heights. They should be able to guard your flanks.”

  With a brief nod, Golden Wind spoke quietly, “Very good.”

  He looked into the eyes of his friend Odovacar. “You and the boar tribe are to guard the back gate and act as our reserve. It is imperative that the back gate remains open, if it isn’t then we’re doomed.”

  Odovacar said, “Don’t worry Wolflord, it will remain open and free.”

  Turning to the large bear warlord Nilrem, Hawkeye clapped his friend on the back. “Well, my friend it seems that you and I are to be the bait in the trap that will hopefully catch a black wolf.”

  Nilrem clapped his hands together and grinned. “It’s about damn time! I’m tired of all this waiting and talking. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of those little Dark Alliance cowards. I’ll teach them a lesson!”

  “I know you will.”

  Midach Bonecrusher spoke up. “It would be an honor if you let my kinsman and myself stand by your side.”

  Bowing his head, Hawkeye smiled. “It will be our honor to have you and your kinsman to join us in battle. I would consider it a great personal honor for you to stand at the vanguard with us.”

  Midach nodded his head before moving over to stand next to Nilrem.

  Hawkeye raised his voice one last time. “All of you remember, Luna has blessed our venture and she is watching. Let’s not disappoint her.”

  The lodge erupted in another cheer as the War Council broke up, each going to their assigned tasks. Hawkeye couldn’t help but wonder at how many were not going to live to see the next moonrise?

  Chapter 28

  As Hawkeye gazed at their makeshift fortifications and the warriors that manned them, he wondered if he had judged his brother right. He knew that Blackfang with his superior numbers would probably go for a frontal assault. Blackfang didn’t care if his troops lived or died. To him they were disposable. He would herd his troops towards his enemy, hoping to crush the defenders with sheer numbers, while at the same time not exposing himself or the members of his pack to the actual fighting.

  Hawkeye on the other hand, cared for his troops and they had come to care for him. And with the overwhelming odds facing them, Hawkeye couldn’t spare a single warrior’s life on foolish or reckless tactics. He knew he must rely on trickery, stealth and cunning if the Highland Nation was to survive.

  To that end, Hawkeye knew that this would be a long war and he planned on using Itasca as the site of their first battle. The Highlanders had spent the last month working hard
to make the village one large deathtrap. Some of the lodges had been filled with dry tinder and vats of tar. And he realized that when Blackfang attacked Itasca, it would be at the main entrance. The back entrance, the one he and Tatianna had arrived at the many months ago, was too easily defended.

  The main entrance to Itasca had traditionally been the weakest point of any planned defense of the crater city. One section of the southwest wall had crumbled during an earthquake a century ago, leaving a large gap in the defense.

  However, the Highlanders had built a new wall across the gap. Then, a large trench had been dug right in front of the wall giving the defenders much of the dirt needed for the fortifications. Afterwards, they had filled the bottom of the trench with tar and had lit torches placed all over the village for two reasons. Anyone could grab a nearby torch and light the trench or the lodges, turning the village into one large bonfire. Secondly, it also had the effect of making the village brightly lit, which in turn would hinder the gnomes’ and shadow elves’ night vision; hopefully stealing one of Blackfang’s advantages. Hawkeye figured that Blackfang would use the hulking cyclops to tear down the walls of the village, while the goblins would try to overrun it with their overwhelming numbers, followed by the hardy gnomes, which would leave the shadow elves and highlanders as his reserves.

  Hawkeye had planned on this and in fact was counting on it. They had arranged many traps in the surrounding forest and numerous hidey-holes for the ambushing parties. They were as prepared as they could be, given the circumstances.

  Tatianna and Anasazi had even sent magical requests for assistance to the leaders of the elves of Elfholm, the centaurs of the Great Forest and the dwarves of Darkmoor. They didn’t expect any help but it never hurt to ask.

  Shortly before midnight, the aerial scouts began returning with reports from the front which told him that Blackfang was behaving just as Hawkeye had predicted, coming in straight and hard. It was obvious that he planned on crushing them with his superior numbers. He couldn’t help but grin at his brother’s arrogance. Looking around the busy lodge, he spied a messenger.