The Exiles

by Sven Grams

  ‘They’re not that bad,’ insisted Trex. Though he often complained about his school friends back in the hills, Trex would not tolerate a strong word said against them.

  Brekiz took another sip of his tea.

  The two young lion males were sitting at a small iron table outside one of their favourite cafes, watching as a few Anthros walked up and down the boulevard. Brekiz put his cup back down next to his empty plate before beginning to talk again.

  ‘They waste their time with such old superstitions when there are scarier things happening all around us in the real world.’

  Trex rolled his eyes as he prepared for his friend to start talking about his favourite subject again.

  ‘Conspiracy theories again?’ asked Trex dismissively, taking a sip of his own tea, now that he had finished eating.

  ‘There’s nothing, theory, about it,’ Brekiz said, his voice becoming serious. ‘There are organizations and societies all throughout the Lion Government. They’re up there with their agendas and plans, not caring about what happens to us poor lions in the real world.’

  Trex smiled at his companion. Considering the misery Brekiz’s parents had suffered the last few years, it was not surprising the curly haired lion was a little paranoid about the imperial government. Trex didn’t mind the conspiracy talks that much, as it was actually sometimes interesting for once, though Trex thought that Brekiz overdid it quite often.

  ‘I just can’t see it myself,’ said Trex, stretching his back while sitting in his chair. ‘We are a republic after all. The government is accountable to the people.’

  ‘Republi’sh rubbish,’ countered Brekiz in a huff. ‘It’s just a system, and any system can be manipulated. Listen,’ said Brekiz, his voice suddenly lowering to a whisper. ‘I got something to tell you, let’s head back to the palace.’

  ‘hmmm hummm,’ replied Trex, sure that it was going to be another wild theory. Trex continued to drink his tea. Leaning forward onto the small cast iron table, he recognized two pretty lionesses about his age walking along the riverbank. They were dressed in typical short skirts and lose short tops.

  Noticing that his friend’s attention was caught elsewhere, Brekiz turned to see what Trex was looking at. Behind Brekiz, his tail began to twitch back and forth.

  ‘Hey, Lindy!’ Brekiz suddenly shouted out at the two lionesses.

  Trex froze, not expecting his friend to call out.

  The two lionesses turned to see who was calling. One of them, a dangerous, seductive looking blond lioness with her long hair tied back into a ponytail, smirked towards Brekiz, narrowing her eyes.

  ‘What do you want Brekiz?’ Lindy asked, one hand on hip.

  ‘What are you girls up to tonight?’ asked Brekiz, his voice almost purring.

  Trex gave a displeased side glance to his suggestive companion before going back to look at the friend of the blond lioness, she had chocolate brown wavy hair falling just past her shoulders. Trex caught the attention of her large, shy eyes for a second.

  ‘Just out for a quiet night stroll,’ the blond Lindy replied. Turning to her friend she continued. ‘Looks like we’ll have to move on if we want to find any quiet then.’

  Though Lindy’s voice was condescending, it came across as more of a challenge then a rebuff. Throwing Brekiz a quick sly smile, Lindy moved on.

  The other lioness hesitated for a second, having mostly maintained eye contact with Trex while her friend had been talking.

  ‘Hey Kaja’ said Trex in a kind greeting. Kaja smiled in reply, her ears drooping slightly and her tail began to wag before she was able to stop herself. Quickly she turned to follow her friend. The two lion males watched the lionesses as they moved on.

  ‘Smooth, Trex,’ teased Brekiz, unimpressed with his friend’s subtle efforts.

  ‘And yours was that much better?’ replied Trex challengingly.

  ‘At least she said something to me,’ said Brekiz. Leaning back, he ran his hands through his curly hair, happy with his efforts.

  A smirk appeared on Trex’s face as a thought occurred to him.

  ‘She could be a spy you know,’ said Trex cunningly. Brekiz stopped what he was doing to look at Trex.

  ‘For one of your conspiracies… you know, can’t trust anyone.’ Trex continued.

  Brekiz smiled at his younger friend.

  ‘If Lindy’s a spy’ said Brekiz happily, ‘then I surrender,’

  Soon afterwards, the two found themselves back at the palace, the two female guards from before were still on duty and simply nodded at the two boys as they made their way through.

  Walking alone in one of the many upper residence corridors, Trex thought it safe to talk about more important matters.

  ‘So, have you heard anything more about the robbery?’ Trex asked his friend.

  Though Trex would occasional sneak into the odd council meeting, it was Brekiz that was the natural spy of the two. Brekiz had originally shown Trex all of the ways to sneak around the inner city. Living in the palace, and with little else to do, Brekiz knew every corridor and rooftop, every guard’s routine and all the good places to pick up on the latest information.

  Brekiz stopped for a second, his round ears scanning for any fellow residents or patrolling guards, the large furry lobes just making it out of the top of his mess of curly blond hair. He replied in a hushed voice.

  ‘Well it looks like it was done by wolves,’ Brekiz whispered. ‘They found some wolf fur near the crime scene, and it’s not like wolfs are common in the inner city.’

  ‘I didn’t see that on the notice board.’

  ‘Only the higher officers and some of the council know. They’re keeping it under wraps for now, so as not to cause trouble.’

  Trex nodded, though the occupation was stable at the moment, it wouldn’t take much for this to cause trouble, particularly if lions like Councillor Herrol got hold of the information.

  ‘They also know that the thieves came in by boat from the sea, on the southern coast.’

  ‘In the fog, I thought that was impossible at the best of times?’ asked Trex, honestly astounded. He always thought that the southern coast at the base of the city walls was nothing but sharp rocks.

  ‘The sea was calm that night apparently. They used a series of small markers and submerged ropes to guide themselves in.’

  ‘Wow. That’s a lot of preparation just for a robbery.’

  Trex suddenly wondered what Sara was really doing inside the inner city, maybe she was one of the robbers, perhaps Captain Felx had let her go to soon. Somehow though, Trex simply couldn’t imagine Sara actually robbing anyone, but then again, he hadn’t seen her in over four years.

  ‘Are they sure it was meant to be a robbery, and not something more?’ Trex asked.

  ‘They don’t really know. The wolves were spotted just after they got into my grandparent’s place, they made a break for it straight away, who knows what they would have done if they had more time.’

  Trex and Brekiz had made it to the taller lion’s apartment within the palace. Opening the door, the two entered. The room was about the same size as Trex’s room back home on the border, but was a much more basic set-up, consisting of just two adjoining rooms. The apartment’s draw card was the balcony that looked over the administration gardens to the east. Taking the seat from Brekiz’s desk, Trex turned it around to sit on it back to front, making himself comfortable. Meanwhile Brekiz plonked himself down on his bed which was against the opposite wall before he continued.

  ‘They must have only just got back over the wall in time. Soldiers were scouring the coast and the city, but it was Lieutenant Millan who found where they had come ashore. By that time it was too late, they had too much of a head start and could have landed almost anywhere up or down the coast again to get away,’ Brekiz said.

  ‘Surely someone must have noticed the boat setting up the rope. Or be able to find out which boat it was,’ said Trex.

  ‘You know how many boats there are off th
e shores? Those wolves dive for muscles and crustaceans all the time, also there are tons of ropes and buoys out there for the crustacean cages. Still though, it was a damn gutsy move.’ Brekiz lay back on his bed, casually looking up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. ‘Captain Felx has already been down to the fishing docks, not too many of the wolves are talking, but he does know that there were some strange wolves in the area over the last month or so, in a boat not normally seen around here.’

  ‘Do they think some of the local wolves helped?’ asked Trex.

  ‘Doubtful, you know that the local wolves don’t want any trouble. But then you never know. That local wolf you had a run in with could have been there for some other reason then just to have a look around. Poor sod,’ Brekiz said, chuckling slightly at the wolf’s misfortune.

  Trex leaned his chin on his hands, thinking about the whole thing and its possible connection to Sara. Though Trex had told of his fight with Sara later that same day to Brekiz during classes, he had not mentioned her name. That was something no-one needed to know.

  ‘Oh well. There is something more interesting afoot anyway,’ Brekiz said, suddenly sitting up.

  ‘Hmmm’

  ‘Someone tampered with one of the messenger hawks a few nights ago, the night of the robbery,’ he said enthusiastically. ‘I only heard about it yesterday, but apparently there was all sorts of noises and commotion, and when the guards went up to investigate, the door was open.’

  ‘Isn’t there normally a clerk on duty?’ asked Trex.

  ‘Not that early in the morning, they lock-up at eleven at night and reopen the aviary at six in the morning to see what came across overnight.’

  ‘It could have been the wolves,’ suggested Trex.

  ‘Highly unlikely, the aviary is almost inaccessible from outside, and you would have to know your way around pretty well to get up there at all, let alone unseen. It had to be someone on the inside.’

  ‘It wasn’t you, was it?’ asked Trex suddenly, the thought of his sneaky friend intercepting information not being too much of a leap of imagination.

  ‘Nooo,’ said Brekiz dismissively. ‘I wouldn’t have been caught-out leaving the door open,’ he added with a cheeky smile.

  Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

  Opening the door fully, Brekiz was face to face with his grandfather, Katan. The kind old lion, with his long grey beard and scruffy grey hair, was instantly able to see Trex still sitting on the chair.

  The young lion waved at him.

  ‘Oh, hello Trex,’ greeted Katan in a kind gruff voice.

  ‘Hello professor Katan,’ replied Trex.

  ‘We’ve put out a little something for dinner…I know it’s a bit late,’ said Katan, turning back to his grandson.

  ‘You are more then welcome to come if you like,’ he added addressing Trex.

  ‘Thanks but-’ Trex began.

  ‘We’ll be right over,’ interrupted Brekiz, who was always hungry.

  ‘Ok, see you over there,’ said Katan with a smile.

  Trex could well have been nervous. Being invited to eat with the head councillor and most senior Shaman in RefugeCross was not something most Anthros did. Looking at it from another way, however, they were only Brekiz’s grandparents, and in private the two didn’t really live up to their official titles. Trex also usually ate at their apartment each time he stayed over at RefugeCross. He had gotten quite used to the older couple.

  After exchanging pleasantries, the four sat down to eat. Lions eating habits were different from wolves in that they had multiple smaller meals during the day. What was eaten at each meal was really a matter of taste and practicality. In this case it being flat bread with various vegetables and dried meat.

  Trex told the two older lions of his plans and why he was in town. Tasch interrupted her meal to go and write out a quick pass for Trex before she forgot. Upon her return the discussion moved on from Trex’s little planned excursion.

  ‘I assume that Brekiz has told you something of the robbery here,’ said Katan suddenly.

  Trex’s eyes flicked over to Brekiz, it had not been made public knowledge whose residence it was that had been robed.

  Brekiz simply nodded, unconcerned.

  ‘Naturally we would appreciate if you would not pass on the information to just anyone,’ continued Katan.

  ‘Naturally,’ replied Trex. Taking another bite he chewed through the delicious wrap. ‘If you don’t mind me asking… What was taken?’ he asked, attempting to be as genuine as possible.

  Tasch and Katan exchanged a quick look, somehow communicating in a secret language only understood between older couples.

  ‘Personal effects,’ said Tasch. ‘Some letters, a personal seal and some flowers.’

  Considering that Trex had already promised not to pass on the information, neither of the older lions felt it important any more to keep the rest of the information from the boy.

  ‘Flowers? Were any of the things important?’ Trex asked. He was a little bewildered considering the effort the robbers had gone to.

  ‘The flowers were potentially the most valuable,’ said Brekiz, between mouthfuls.

  ‘They were fresh wispdews,’ said Katan, ‘from up near the ancient ruins in the mountains.’

  Trex tried to remember what he had learnt about the flowers in herbology classes. If he remembered correctly, they were not too common and grew up in the higher hills, closer to the tree line. Whispdews were nice enough to look at and could be used for all kinds of things, including amongst others, to make a poison.

  ‘Wispdews? Surely wolves could get their own. I mean they grow up in the mountains this time of year?’ he said.

  ‘True,’ said Tasch. She was mildly impressed that Trex knew of the flower, and unconcerned that he knew it was wolves that had broken in. ‘But we can’t get them so easily down here, and it may be important.’

  ‘I thought the flower only really made a type of poison?’ asked Trex automatically.

  ‘It makes a poison amongst other things,’ said Katan in a measured response. ‘It also makes the antidote.’

  Trex thought about this for a second; that could well be important.

  ‘There are no other Whispdews in the city?’ he asked.

  ‘Not fresh,’ replied Katan, not particularly concerned it seemed. ‘But don’t worry, we will have some more in about a week, we know someone up in the hills.’

  Trex thought about who the contact could be for a second, he knew of no lion that lived north of the border zone within the Wolf Kingdom.

  ‘How did they find it in your apartment?’ Trex asked, just wondering where someone would keep such a valuable plant.

  ‘It was just sitting on the table,’ stated Brekiz offhand, taking a drink.

  Trex looked somewhat shocked at the answer, considering what the plant did.

  ‘It’s a good looking flower,’ said the elderly Tasch defensively.

  Trex watched as a small smile spread across Katan’s face. Looking back at Tasch, Trex realized this had probably been brought up before.

  ‘As I was saying,’ said Katan. ‘I would appreciate if this was not passed on.’ Looking specifically at his grandson he added, ‘To anyone.’

  Brekiz glanced back at his Grandfather.

  ‘I had to tell someone,’ he said in honest defiance. ‘Anyway you know you can trust Trex.’

  Katan shrugged his shoulders in light-hearted defeat.

  Trex was not about to tell anyone in any case. As harmless as the two older lions in front of him seemed, when fully equipped with potions and tools they were walking siege weapons, more powerful then any machine so far developed by wolf or lion. Trex had seen professor Katan once give a demonstration during a festival. With the old Shaman’s understanding and control of specific chemicals he could hurl large fireballs great distances, or freeze things to the spot, even creating lightning out of thin air. These were not lions to be messed with.

  After finis
hing dinner and bidding Katan and Tasch goodnight, the two young lions had gone up to see the aviary. Trex had been most impressed by the winged messenger station with its falcons and hawks, but also by the aviary’s location itself. The birds were kept within the massive bulbous onion shaped roof of the wide cylindrical palace tower. The bird’s perches themselves were only a small part of the massive open roof cavity. Within this cavernous roof centre were large gears and leavers, heavy counterweights and complex pulleys, all the mechanics that were needed to keep the palace running. In the middle of all this was a monstrous water tank which took up half of the available space, it being used for the palace’s plumbing system.

  To Trex’s surprise, Brekiz knew the pretty adult lioness clerk on duty and also seemed to know his way around the birds in general.

  The two lion youths had fed the winged messengers and done a little snooping around amongst the many access hatches into the large mechanical room. The pretty clerk had said that with the robbery of the head councillor’s apartment on the same night, the guards had not had time to investigate the break-in at the aviary fully. One of the lion guards had even suggested to her that she had simply left the door unlocked, considering nothing appeared to have been taken.

  Trex and Brekiz had taken their time, but found nothing. The numerous access hatches all seemed to be securely fastened.

  It was only just before they left that they accidentally hit upon something. Brekiz had gone back to the perches to wish his favourite feathered friend goodnight. The bird had been too nervous to approach when they had first entered, like many of the others. It was only after he got closer that he saw why the large falcon-like bird’s feathers where ruffled. The bird had some orange fur stuck in one of his talons. It was obvious it had attacked a lion only recently.

  Messenger falcons and hawks had long been bred by lions, and would normally never attack a lion unless they were mistreated, or saw one of their kind being mistreated or attacked.

  Brekiz hypothesised that a messenger bird had been killed in the aviary and its message confiscated, so explaining the stressed condition of the remaining birds. This was a very serious crime in itself, but didn’t really point to anyone. Once told, the female clerk stated that it was common enough for inexperienced soldiers to treat the messenger birds a little roughly out in the field, and received a little love-scratch, for their troubles. Brekiz, however, smelt a trail.