Hammers in the Shadows

Part One: Shadows and Ice - Chapter Nine

One of the other councillors stood with a growl. "This is our home, we aren't going to give it up without a damned fight. You see what we did to those who tried to take it from us."

"Yes, we did damned well yesterday, but without the intervention of our allies it would have been for nought as they would have broken through the front doors and slaughtered every single cat in this house." I stated, looking over at him. "Oh, sure you and the other cats would have made them pay for it dearly, but in the end, they would have won." I took a long hard look around the table, letting each cat know, with my eyes that I meant every single word that I said.

When nobody said anything, I used the remote connection on my phone to change the image on the TV to the satellite image of Shadow Valley. "As you all know, eleven years ago, Vladimir Berekov split the Pride and took 66 cats with him to an unknown location. Just recently Anna and I have declared him, and several of those close to him as Rogues."

"What does this have to do with our current situation?" Yet another councillor asked loudly, "You just told us that we're in an impossible position so how in the hell can we even thing about that... that... traitor?"

I looked at the councillor before I replied slowly, "Because though our situation is not in the least bit stable there is one way that we can get out of it, and that is there." I pointed to the picture on the TV before I pressed a control and the huge cross shape appeared, this wasn't a false colour image, but rather a rough guess of how the Pride House there looked. "The people that surrendered to us and asked to join the Pride told us a great deal of things about this place and the surrounding defenses."

"You're thinking of attacking that Rogue Pride when we are in danger of being buried in wolves?" Elder Varnistov growled, "Have you lost your mind?"

"The reason I am thinking of attacking them is because they are weak and they posses a territory that is much superior to our current location. They have three times as much land, and they only have one Wolf Pack anywhere near them." I answered, "Furthermore, Anna and I have already opened a dialog with Alpha Conrad of Dome Creek Pack, the pack the is closest to Shadow Valley, and he would welcome us up there instead of it's current tenants."

"But with our current allies we could squash the three Packs that attacked us!" One of the other members suggested.

"Yes, we probably could, but how many more needless deaths would there be before that came about? You've felt the Pride Bonds recently, you can feel how each death impacts us all." I stated, giving him a second before I continued, "Do you really enjoy inflicting that kind of pain on others? Oh, sure they attacked us, but the simple fact is either we move due to the neighbouring Packs, or we get squeezed in this territories as the human presence increases."

"Pride Lord, what you are talking about is moving from a territory that we've controlled for over a hundred years, that shouldn't even be something we should think about." The Elder persisted, "We've toiled and laboured over this place for the past century this land has become ours through our blood, sweat and tears."

"Elder Varnistov, I know what we'd be giving up by leaving this place more than most, considering I helped build this Pride House eight years ago. But what we would be gaining would be something even greater, peace of mind." I said, turning slightly and giving my father the very slightest of nods. He responded by leaving the room for a few minutes before he returned with my twin siblings. "The reason that we are considering a move is because that peace of mind and security isn't just for us, it's for our future." I finished turning slightly in my chair to catch my younger brother and pull him into my lap.

"You think we can't hold this territory? Especially now, with these allies that you've gathered for us? As I stated before, "With these allies we can end the threat to our territory once and for all."