Hammers in the Shadows

Part One: Shadows and Ice - Chapter Nine

"With her dead, I take it that you're responsible for your younger sister, since you haven't mentioned your father to me." I said softly, I suspected that his father had probably suffered a similar fate.

Jerome nodded and I could see that he was holding on by a thread so I gently hugged him. "Ivan used him as a living sparring dummy, he didn't have a chance. My father was a Third Ranked Craftsman, he was a jeweler, not a trained protector but when he refused to work on that piece of steel that Ivan carries around..." He broke off, no longer able to continue and began crying brokenly in my arms, finally able to release the pent-up grief that he'd not been able to safely release until now.

"From everything that I've seen today, and from what I've heard here, I don't think we really have much choice in one particular matter on Vladimir and his status among the greater Were community." I said before I reached out and contacted Anna, *Anna if you are anywhere near the office can I get you to check in our records and see if your parents ever made a Rogue report concerning Vladimir and those cats that he's leading.*

After a few minutes, Anna replied. *Yes, Mark, I am at the office and I'm taking a look, but I don't think it should take me that long since we've both learned how my parent's cataloged their information... Ah here it is, there's a full report here on what happened eleven years ago, though they never did submit it. I don't think that they wanted to hurt those innocents that went with Vladimir.*

I nodded and I could understand why Shanna and Olaf hadn't logged the report, though Vladimir and his followers probably did deserve the title of Rogue, there were probably a goodly number of innocent cat's who'd be caught up in the middle. They were people who, through no fault of their own had gotten caught up in Vladimir's politics and would get tagged with his title of Rogue as well.

*I've done it Mark, the notice has been posted and I've also made sure to add Fedor, Ivan, Rolf to the list of Rogues, though I've also made a note that Ivan has been dealt with.* She told me as the phone at my hip dinged at the reception of the Rogue warning.

*Thank you love. I'd like for you to convene an emergency meeting of the council tomorrow morning, we need to solve this situation, and get our other issues sorted out as well.* I told her as Jerome began to calm down in my arms.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon the next morning when I walked into the council chamber and took my seat at the head of the table beside Anna before she slammed the round stone that we used as a gavel onto the hollow wooden base.

"I will have order!" She shouted, her voice, both vocal and mental compelled obedience from all that were assembled. "Two days ago, all of you insisted on wasting time and doing a whole lot of nothing while our enemies prepared for what happened yesterday. So, now you will listen while my mate tells us of the truth of our situation." She nodded to me, I bowed my head slightly to her, and I stood up, looking over the table and the assembled members of the Council.

"Now I think you all understand the gravity of the situation that we face. I was wanting to mention this two days ago, during the Full Moon Council but this council was so enamoured of making speeches and praising the outgoing administration that they didn't give any time for real business." I said before walking over the large TV that was mounted to the wall of the room where everyone could see it. I turned it on and plugged in my phone to control it before I began running through the current situation.

"Pride Lord," One of the Elders who'd remained with the Pride after the split said, "You bring this information to our knowledge to what end?"

"Elder Varnistov, our options are rather limited in the face of what I've shown you. Though I can tell you that the most promising is already being investigated." I replied to the Elder as I made my way back to my seat. "The biggest problem that we face is that our current position isn't sustainable under current circumstances. The only reason that any member of this council is still breathing is because of the efforts of our allies, and even then, we can't ask them to stay here and fight a war for us."