Strayed

Bloodlust

'If he could, he would definitely flow rivers of blood in this valley, I give you that. But Zalar is stronger than that. And smarter.'

Normac, the Pack Adviser, a skinny, slippery newt was lying on a round rock. Silbin, the snow-owl, head of the Owl Delegate visiting the valley, perched on a spear-liked jagged edge of another rock beside him. A relatively quiet stream ran by them.

'How can you be so sure, Normac? I mean, we at our parliament, know what crazy looks like. Killing the only heir to your pack... Ooh, that is downright crazy,' Silbin talked faster than was necessary.

'He won't hear you here. Stop murmuring,' Normac rolled his eyes.

'You don't know that,' Silbin continued. 'Yours is a very powerful leader. You should hear all of them talking about him.'

'Still,' Normac chuckled, and stretched. 'Zalar may be vicious on many accounts, but, as I said, you can report back to your feathery overlords that he is a great leader to have the deal.'

'Hmm... The deal is solid, I know. Something that nocturnal birds like us really need. And what better to have negotiations with than stray dog packs of these icy terrains; their knowledge about the food availability here can mutually benefit us all. It is a solid deal,' Silbin went on and on about business he and his delegate had with the dogs of the terrains.

'In the official meeting, you wouldn't say things like this,' Normac noticed. 'It's just ass-licking and favor-grabbing there... Why exclusively tell me here of all the places? What, do you owls think I will be a traitor to the dogs?' He gave a wry laugh at the end.

'Really? You think this is exclusive?' Silbin raised eyebrows, smiling at Normac's deductions.

'No... I happen to know that your owl overlords did have a meeting with other packs across the terrain, before finally realizing that the powerful of all the packs is the Acker Pack,' Normac said, making a face. 'Please don't do the courtesy of asking me how I know this.'

'Seems like being a Pack Adviser to the "most powerful pack of the terrains", to quote you, must have its benefits,' Silbin said. 'Nonetheless, that doesn't annoy me, if that's what you wanted.' Normac gave his wry smile again. 'We are like any other intelligent community. We want our interests to be invested in the right place, at the right time.'

'Well, the time is right, then,' Normac straightened up, waving his little webbed hands. 'You guys need food as soon as the winter is here, and I am well aware of how it can affect the new ones in the terrain. You need the deal more than we do... Say, Silbin, why again did you owls leave those rocky mountains on the northern side?'

'Something unpredictable and terrible had gotten hold of affairs there, 'Silbin replied after a moment. 'You don't want to get into that, trust me. But if we have friends like you here, who'd be anxious?'

They both smiled.

'Let's take a walk. I have started to like you now, more than ever,' Normac teased.

'Control yourself, Normac, the newt. It might be this time your Leader hears us,' Silbin teased back, fleeting to the stream edge and taking up a casual stroll. Normac was a little slow to catch up.

'What, our interests are the same! We are somewhat at the exact same position in our own worlds; that makes something common between us! Is it such a wrong thing to display you're enjoying the company of someone?'

'No. Not that... To be honest, my delegation and I are a bit afraid the deal might go to dumps, given the reputation your Leader holds,' Silbin steered the topic back to his insecurities with the Acker Pack.

'Annnnd, I have started to like you less now,' Normac said annoyingly.

'No, Normac, think about it,' Silbin started whispering again. 'I have personally heard terrible tales of how Zalar had butchered countless dogs, leaders of dog packs, even wolves to attain total control. I have heard he has even taken a grudge against Humans. And I know, he is bold enough to try wiping them out too.'