Hunters' Shadow (Book one of the Hunter Chronicles)

Chapter Four (Edited)

"They've always restricted themselves to small skirmishes in the past as well," Marcus reminded him. "Now look at them. It would explain why so many of them are carrying weapons all of a sudden - a poison would be too dangerous to use on their own claws, at least for the majority of them. I can't be sure but I think they're preparing for something major. They haven't been this organised since -"

"The rogue wars," Blake finished for him. Eight years ago, the werewolf world had faced one of the deadliest uprisings in its history: a rogue mutiny. The war had been short but brutal. Brought to a bloody close in a battle right on their doorstep, in Blake's own territory.

Marcus was right, the war had decimated rogue numbers. They tended to stick together in small groups on areas of no man's land. Some made up of thugs and trouble makers, others professional mercenary types... wolves for hire. But in the last few months attacks had been coming more frequently and in greater numbers, and Blake was beginning to suspect something was motivating them to work together.

Or someone.

"I'll mention it to my father," Blake decided. "I think he'll want to take steps soon. As long as they stuck to their in-fighting they weren't really all that important anymore, but this new policy of cooperation is another thing entirely."

"What about the girl?" Alex questioned, taking a swig of his beer, "Do you think she's involved? She could have been a deliberate distraction. Something to get us looking the other way, and running round in circles while they snuck in behind."

Blake was about to reply but Marcus was shaking his head vigorously.

"No, I've been thinking about that. If we hadn't found the girl, they'd have been in a much better position to attack from. Think about it," he pointed to the map. "we'd have continued to travel further out away from both the village and potential back up. Alex and his patrol were heading in the opposite direction away from the rogue's position - they only turned around because we did. If we hadn't, the rogues might even have made it all the way into the village... especially with their scent dulled."

Alex nodded slowly, a small frown forming. "That's the other thing though," he asked after a pause. "Their scent. How in the hell did we miss it? Rogues stink at the best of times, but I didn't catch a whiff until I was right on top of them!"

"I think the better question is, how did they hide it?" Blake sighed, sitting down beside Marcus and taking a look at his map. "I think I'd better give Ethan a call. He knows scents better than anyone, he might have answers."

They stayed like that for a while, pouring over the pencilled in lines marking their territory in an attempt to glean a pattern from the attacks.

Alex lay back down with his eyes closed offering the occasional suggestion here and there. His skills lay in action, not paperwork.

At some point they were joined by Blake's Aunt, Sarah - a formidable old lady who had scurried over to find them as soon as she'd calmed down her overwrought niece. Sky's babbling had taken some time to decipher, and even then, all she'd really gleaned from the girl's excited explanation was: Rogues. Human. Blood. Stench.

Not that she'd contributed much to their discussions. Preferring instead to alternate between lecturing Blake about the dangers of allowing his sister so far out past the safety of the village, and berating the other two for allowing undesirables to breach the pack borders. Her frequent glances towards the surgery's closed door suggested she wasn't just talking about the rogues.