Shifters Alliance

by Shaun L Griffiths

  The murmur passing around the hall showed that Sonny hadn’t had time to prepare everyone with the news. Sonny’s mother managed to maintain perfect poise after Sam’s shock announcement.

  ‘I’m happy to accept your welcome,’ added Sam.

  ‘My husband returns tomorrow, and I am sure he’ll want to greet you himself. After your long journey, you must be tired and hungry. Please allow my son to take care of your needs until my husband returns.’

  ‘On behalf of us both, we’re happy to accept your hospitality,’ replied Sam.

  Sonny took them to a room which had quickly been prepared. A fire burned brightly in a hearth against one wall, and beds had been covered with many blankets to keep the visitors warm throughout the cold night.

  ‘Please relax and rest here this evening. I’ll bring food for you both, if you’d like to wash and prepare yourselves.’

  Sonny returned later with bread and warm soups for them. Eating their soup together, Sam said, ‘I don’t remember being so tired. It must be the mountain air.’

  ‘We’re only in the foothills,’ Kerri said.

  Sam smiled, ‘Even so, I think I’ll finish the soup later and get some rest. I’ll take the lower bunk,’ he said dragging himself to the bed.

  Sam fell into a deep sleep the moment his head touched the pillow. Kerri cleared away the food and climbed into the upper bunk, but she couldn’t sleep. Her mind was filled with images of Holly, Carter, and Lulu guarding the border, and wishing she could be there with them already.

  There was a light tapping on the door. Before they could answer, Sonny walked into the room to open the shutters. The sun streamed in through the open window, giving a beautiful view of the high peaks towering over the town.

  ‘Good morning,’ Sonny greeted them.

  Sam couldn’t believe it was morning already. It seemed like he’s only just laid down.

  ‘My father arrived at first light. He’s asked if you’ll join him for breakfast.’

  After Sam and Kerri had prepared themselves, Sonny took them to a house adjacent to the main hall. They entered the dining room, where a man of Sam’s height, with a broad chest and a full beard, sat at the head of a large table that had been laid with food and drinks for them. Sonny’s father stood as they approached. Sam noticed his long hair was mostly grey. He wore a waistcoat made of furs, and thick woollen trousers.

  ‘Welcome,’ his voice boomed out across the empty room, ‘I’m Duma, husband of Ella and father of Sonny. I’ve been told who you are, so please, Mr Southerland, Miss Carpenter, would you join me for something to eat?’ He indicated the empty seats.

  Sam and Kerri sat opposite him with Sonny seated at his father’s side. After their sleep, Sam and Kerri both had an overpowering appetite. They recognised bread and cheeses, and gladly drank a warm fruit juice that was offered to them. As they felt their hunger pass, Duma finally spoke.

  ‘My son has told me how you battled with two bears at the plateau, and how you let them live. You are a man of great contradictions to us.’

  Sam said nothing, understanding this was a man who wanted to talk, and to be listened to.

  ‘It seems you want to live in peace but fight like no one we’ve seen before. You’re attacked and then you let your aggressors go free, expecting them to keep a promise not to tell of your land.’

  ‘I’m a man of great hopes,’ said Sam.

  Unsure how to take this, Duma pushed on.

  ‘You’ve found how to use a gateway but you come as one man and not as an army. All your actions run contrary to anything we would do.’

  ‘I’m sure your people also want a quiet and peaceful life. I think no one really wants conflict,’ replied Sam, helping himself to more of the warm drink.

  ‘We are a people who value peace and stability, but if conflict knocks on our door, we deal with it,’ Duma pronounced. ‘And we deal with it decisively.’ he added.

  Sam recognised the arrogance.

  ‘Where’s my daughter?’ said Sam

  There was a long silence while Duma watched Sam, debating with himself how the conversation should proceed.

  Finally Duma said, ‘Your daughter Lulu is in the High Passes. She volunteered to guard them. We expect an assault very soon.’

  ‘Will you take me to her?’ Sam said.

  Once again Duma thought carefully on his reply.

  ‘She cannot leave yet,’ said Duma.

  Kerri noticed Sam stiffen slightly. She knew this was a bad sign, that he was angry, but it was so slight she doubted anyone else would have noticed a change in his outer coolness.

  ‘I didn’t come to discuss when she may leave. I’ve come to take her home,’ said Sam.

  ‘The children are needed here,’ said Duma.

  ‘The children are needed with their families.’

  ‘You’ve come here without any knowledge of the war going on in those mountains, of a war that will arrive on your border if we fail to stop it here. There’s an army waiting to attack through those passes,’ he said, pointing at the distant peaks. ‘And when they have overrun our land, they’ll look south.’

  ‘No one gave you the right to use our children to fight your war. This is not our battle. We didn’t ask you to defend us.’

  ‘This is a war that will affect us all. We must use anyone or anything available to us to win. When we explained to the children why they have been brought here, they agreed to help, they agreed to stay.’

  ‘If the children of your town announced to you they are going to our plains to fight for us, would you let them go?’

  ‘Your children are different. They have gifts that we don’t have. Your daughter Lulu is special amongst them all.’

  ‘And that’s why I’ve come to take them home,’ said Sam.

  ‘You don’t seem to understand,’ said Duma. ‘We cannot protect the passes until the snows are gone. The bears know this, and we believe they’ll use this weather to attack.

  ‘Your children have a gift they were unaware of until we showed them how to use it. As hounds, they can help to guard the passes throughout the snows. They’re unaffected by this extreme cold, whereas our people would freeze and die if we tried to guard the high mountains in this weather. We have no choice in this matter.’

  ‘And when next winter arrives, will you come and take more of our children? You act like they are apples you can pluck from a tree as you wish. They’re our family, our lives, and our future,’ said Sam.

  ‘I’m the elected leader of our people. They look to me for leadership in times of trouble, and guidance in times of need. I’ll do anything necessary to defend our land and protect my people.’

  ‘So why didn’t you come and ask us for our help? Why didn’t you show yourselves as men and make yourself known?’

  ‘Would you have given us your children?’

  ‘We would have given you our help,’ Sam said. ‘Will you take me to my daughter?’

  ‘No,’ Duma said finally. ‘I will not.’

  Slowly and calmly, Sam stood and walked from the room.

  Kerri sat looking at the two men. ‘Will you guide us?’ she said to Sonny.

  ‘Us? You mean to go? You’ll never survive that high.’

  ‘I will if you show me how.’

  ‘Young lady, the world of the high passes is not a place for you. Our men have trained for years to live and to fight in the cold and winds of the mountains,’ said Duma.

  ‘I was asking Sonny.’

  She watched the old man’s anger rise on his face.

  ‘My son will do as he’s told.’

  Kerri looked to Sonny, who sat with his head bowed, unable to look her in the eye.

  ‘You call yourself Mountain Lions, but you send our children to fight your war. I have kittens at home with more courage.’

  ‘Young lady, if you were a man, I would knock you down for saying such a thing.’

  ‘Don’t let my being female stop you from trying.’

  Duma’s ha
nds were shaking trying to hold on to his temper. He rose to his feet.

  ‘Sonny will show you the way back to the border.’

  He walked out of the room with long, loud strides.

  She sat looking at Sonny.

  ‘I needed him out of the room. You must show me how I can change, how I can become a hound ‘

  Sonny sat, lost and confused. ‘I cannot disobey him. He’s my father and also the head of my people.’

  ‘He didn’t say don’t show me how to change, he said take me to the border.’

  ‘You’re too old to make your first change. After eighteen years of age, the ability is lost if it hasn’t been used before.’

  ‘I’m not eighteen yet. I have six months to go.’

  ‘It’s late for you, it could be dangerous. Your heart may not be able to cope.’

  ‘I’m willing to try anything for Lulu.’

  ‘What good will it do you? You’ll never find her.’

  ‘I will find her,’ said Kerri, watching the indecision in his face. The anger was rising in her the longer he hesitated. ‘You treat this world as if you’re lords, to take anything you wish, but you know nothing. You say you’ve watched us, but you learnt nothing about us if you would kidnap Lulu and expect us to do nothing.

  ‘Lulu is special. She carries with her the blood of our greatest leaders, passed down through the generations. She has royal blood. She’s the daughter of Samuel, son of Willard, the King of the plains.

  ‘Grandfather has ruled for forty years. He’s old now, and not as strong as he once was. When his time comes, the line will pass to Sam, and then to Lulu. She is the first child and must return home,’ she said.

  Sonny dropped onto the nearest chair, shocked by what Kerri was saying.

  ‘If Lulu was seen by your father, it isn’t because she is special in the way that you thought. She will not save your people here,’ said Kerri.

  ‘So why was she seen in the visions? Why was she brought here?’ asked Sonny.

  ‘That’s for you to understand. Your father has made a terrible mistake. Nothing will stop Sam looking for Lulu. He’ll never allow the royal line to die out. It’ll take more than your people are prepared to give to stop him’ she said.

  Sonny sat wringing his hands, the confusion and indecision in him making Kerri even angrier.

  She took a deep breath to calm herself. ‘Will you help us?’ she asked quietly.

  ‘I need time to think,’ Sonny said, holding his head in his hands, hating having to make such a decision.

  Kerri rose and looked down at him. ‘A great leader is one who’s willing to admit to himself that he’s made a mistake, and is willing to learn from that mistake.’

  She turned and walked out to find Sam.

  Chapter 7

  Sonny continued to sit there, unable to think, unable to make a clear decision.

  I must talk to Father, I must tell him Lulu is from a royal family, he thought.

  He walked out of the room to find his father in the hallway, talking to his mother.

  ‘Father, I need to speak to you.’

  ‘You can talk now, there is nothing that your mother may not hear.’

  Sonny felt very uncomfortable. He didn’t want to have this conversation with anyone else around.

  ‘Well?’ said Duma

  Sonny took a deep breath, dreading having to continue. ‘Father, I think you’ve made a dreadful mistake, I think...’

  ‘The only mistake I made was sending you to the South Land with the Border Pride. I knew you were too young. I’ve been told of what happened. Did you help them?’ Duma asked.

  ‘I did what was needed to return home,’ said Sonny.

  ‘Did you show them how to open a gateway?’

  ‘Yes, it was the only way for me to leave.’

  ‘Did you show them the way here?’

  ‘They would’ve gotten lost, maybe even attacked, if I hadn’t.’

  ‘How many black stones do they have?’ his father asked.

  ‘Lulu is from the royal line in the South Land. She’ll be queen one day. They’ll do everything they can to take her back.’ Sonny rushed on, ‘Maybe there are other interpretations of the vision.’

  ‘And you want me to trust your interpretation?’ Duma said mockingly.

  ‘Lulu was seen, but does that mean she was to stay?’

  ‘You didn’t answer me, how many stones do they have?’

  Sonny felt defeated, he knew he was not going to be heard.

  He looked down and said, ‘I know they have a way to return.’

  ‘Did you show them which stones are needed?’

  Sonny could feel his father wanting to grind him down. Why? Because he’d helped them, because he’d not returned with the Pride, or because he was ashamed of him? The questions ran through Sonny’s thoughts.

  ‘I had to find a way home.’

  ‘Are there many stones to be found in the South Land?’ his father asked.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Sonny said, now starting to feel angry. He couldn’t think of anything else to say. He turned and walk down the hallway, closing the heavy oak door behind him, closing the door on his family.

  Sonny now understood what needed to be done, but he couldn’t understand how someone as young as Kerri could be old above her years, to know so much.

  He threw what supplies he could find into his sack and walked quickly to the guest room where Sam and Kerri were preparing to leave.

  Sonny entered their room, quietly closing the door behind him. ‘We must leave now,’ he said to them.

  ‘We are leaving,’ replied Sam.

  ‘No, I mean now! We must leave before my father returns... I’ll take you to Lulu,’ he said

  Sam and Kerri looked at each other. She nodded to Sonny. ‘We’re ready.’

  ‘We’ll leave through the rear door. It’ll take us to the end of the town and a path that leads west. We can change paths later, to go north, but for now we can’t be seen.’

  They hurried out behind him, staying close to the walls of the houses and cottages at the end of the town. They followed the path that led them steeply up through the farmed terraces that had been cut and cultivated over generations.

  They climbed higher to where the terraces gave way to bare rock and the first traces of ice between the stones and boulders. The trail led them to where the sun no longer warmed the mountains, to where the mists and clouds of the upper peaks touched them, covering them in shrouds, making them invisible and very cold.

  Sonny called for them to rest. He pulled fur cloaks from his sack to wrap themselves in, as well as gloves and hats, also made of fur.

  ‘I only have two. We’ll need to share what we have,’ Sonny said.

  ‘Thank you,’ Kerri said. ‘Thank you for everything.’ She smiled and took a hat, but left the gloves for the others.

  ‘We must climb now. We don’t have much time. The cloud will help hide us, but they’ll know where we are going. There’s a second path, much higher, which we need to take. It’ll take us around anyone who’s following.’

  They climbed through the mists, continuously looking back to see if anyone was behind them, but no one followed. Eventually they stopped looking, concentrating instead on the climb in front of them, which was getting harder as the air got thinner and colder.

  Sonny noticed Sam was getting further behind as they scrambled upwards, until they had to stop and wait for him.

  ‘There’s a cave a little further on. We can rest and eat there,’ he said.

  ‘We should push on. I need to find Lulu,’ Sam insisted.

  ‘It’s dangerous to keep climbing. You must let your body get used to the mountain. We also need to take hot drinks to keep us warm,’ Sonny said.

  When they entered the cave, a feeling of enormous relief came over them. They were able to escape from the worst of the cold at last, allowing them to catch their breath in the little shelter that the cave offered.

  Sonny looked at them
closely for the first time and saw how cold they really were. Sam’s lips were turning blue, and Kerri’s hands seemed to be burning with the cold.

  ‘We’re not going to make the High Pass like this. If the wind turns from the north, it’ll be the end of us,’ Sonny said. He lit a fire with wood that had been stored in the cave, kept there for anyone who was stuck out on the mountain.

  Kerri was holding her hands over the fire, desperately trying to get warmth back into her fingers.

  Sonny pulled her away. ‘No, you must be very careful or you’ll burn your hands. You can’t feel the heat because your hands are so cold, but it’ll burn you without you knowing, until it is too late. Here, put the gloves on,’ he said.

  She started to shiver now that she finally stopped to rest. The exertion of the climb had kept her going, but with the relief of the rest, she felt so very tired.

  ‘There’s a way for us to survive this,’ she said. ‘You must show me how to change. I’ll be protected and you can use the cloaks and hats for yourselves.’

  Sonny sat down and stared into the fire. ‘Is this what growing up is about, Sam?’ he asked. ‘Is it constantly having to make these impossible decisions?’

  Sam watched him, as he struggled with his uncertainties.

  ‘It’s about taking responsibility for your actions,’ said Sam. ‘If you decide to do something, do it for the right reasons, and remember that whatever the outcome, it was your decision that made it happen. Sometimes you can be proud, and sometimes you regret it. But life needs you to make that choice.’

  Sonny looked at Kerri and knew what he must do. He took a pot from his pack and, filling it with water, he placed it over the fire.

  ‘You must drink something hot,’ he said to her. ‘Take my cloak and wrap yourself well. You must be mentally very strong to go through this change, and you won’t be if you’re cold and shivering.’

  She pulled his second cloak tight around herself and lay beside the fire to wait for the water to warm.

  ‘Whatever happens, Sonny, I’ll not blame you, and I know Sam will tell Casey it wasn’t your fault. I know you’re doing this to save us, and to save Lulu.’