Hammers in the Shadows

Part Two: Hammers in the Night - Chapter Thirteen

Zane gave a slight grunt and I could see that he was trying to dismiss the honour. "I did my job Mark, the one Adam sent me to do, though it did take a bit longer than either of us had expected and I picked up a damned wolf-pack for my troubles. Nothing more, and nothing less." He picked at the necklace on his neck, "Silly to get a necklace just for doing what I've been trained and ordered to do." He grouched quietly since the honour hadn't been just bestowed on him by Anna and myself, but rather by the entire council.

I squeezed his shoulder slightly. "Face it Zane, you've earned it this time." I told him quietly before I stepped back, "Guess you guys are looking forwards to going home?" I finished, "After all as nice as the quarters that we provided for you and any other wolf from Wild Valley are, they still aren't home, are they?"

Zane nodded and grumbled softly, "Yes even having two of my Juniors sent over along with my pups and their mother, I am so ready to get back. I need to get back and see what horrible changes Melody has made while I've been gone."

At that comment his Junior, Tessa in this case, growled at him. Though, I could see both the comment about Melody, and the growl in response, were both in fun since he did trust his Assistant completely. He had to trust her now more than ever now because of his increase in responsibilities.

"It is time to get back." He finally said, "I talked with Melody this morning and your son, Shawn, is doing well. From what she's said he's seemed to be a lot happier than when he first arrived three months ago. I know you talk to him on a weekly basis, but I figured he might not tell you everything, kids you know right? Some of the wolves still aren't quite sure about having him, a tiger, in the pack, but nobody, as far as Melody or I know, is giving him any crap." He gave a rough laugh, "I think that Brook has had a quiet talk with some of those who have objected more loudly than others."

At that I had to laugh, since after spending two years at Wild Valley I was well aware of how effective Brook was at maintaining discipline at that Pack. "We'll have your vehicle ready in the morning, I hope you don't mind joining us tonight for one more Moonlight Roar?" I asked him, and by extension those of his team that were currently staying with us.

Simone, who had just finished hugging Anna, snorted softly at me, "Only silly cats roar, we howl, and if you say it is why we are mad I will bite your tail."

They ended up howling at the moon as we roared out our power and strength as a Pride to all in the valley.

Anna looked across at me as the vehicle headed for the access road and I nodded. There was one person who hadn't been looking forwards to this day, Jasmine. She had told me, privately that she was going to miss her packmates since they offered her some grounding in the Pack. However, without them her Pack Bond was strained but she knew that she couldn't leave since Sergi was in not fit condition to leave his home now.

With our renovation of the Pride House we'd maintained the same general configuration as it had been before. In the Plaza, where there had been an oversized carved wooden statue of Vladimir Berekov, concealing a huge steel beam that ran from the floor to the very peak of the skylight, now there was an almost equally huge trunk of polished cedar that did the same job and looked much more elegant. The floor around the Plaza was of granite with brass insets of five pointed stars. On consideration and consultation with Pride Council we'd replaced the centerpiece of each star, which previously had been a red hammer and sickle of the Communist Soviet Union, with the image of the head of a tiger in mid roar enameled in white and black. Indeed, that symbology was scattered all over the Pride House and it was easier to modify it rather than completely excise it. Our new Pride Sigil was that of a white mountain on a blue background with the star in the middle and in the middle of that the roaring tiger's head.