A Game of Chi Book I: A Crown of Blood

Chapter 21: Worriz IV

WORRIZ

Luckily for the wolves, no snowstorm hit them on their way to the Ice Tower. "It's getting closer and closer," said Windra. Worriz nodded, his grip on his Speedor tightening. "I can almost smell the bears," growled Wilhurt. "They're going to pay for what they did to Wakz."

"Remember, take prisoners. Don't kill unnecessarily."

"Why? Would they have offered us that same mercy?"

"It doesn't matter, Wiz. Besides, if we're going to find out where their village is, we'll need some alive." About one hundred metres from the Ice Tower, the wolves dismounted their Speedorz and drew their weapons. "Wilhurt, take half of our force and go around the Ice Tower. I'll draw them this way, then you hit them from behind." The black wolf nodded and ran off to the other side of the tower. Six wolves followed him, including Windra. Worriz turned to his group, which included Skinnet, Wrothgar and Wiz. "You heard the plan," he said. "Kill who you have to. No one else. Especially if they surrender." Skinnet and the wolves nodded. "Now, Skinnet. Do you have your bombs?" The skunk grinned and pulled out a glass ampoule from his pack. "I've got half a dozen more," Alpha Wolf," he replied. "Good. We'll have to get a little closer before using those." Worriz took nose plugs out of his own pack. "Put these on, now." The other wolves did the same. "Now let's move!"

The wolves walked as stealthily as they could towards the Ice Tower, using the nearby forest's trees as cover. A group of bears had gathered around a fire, roasting what looked like some kind of bird. Wrothgar pointed to the group, and Worriz nodded. I hate attacking them like this, he thought. But they did the same to us. He looked at Skinnet, and the skunk hurled his ampoule towards them. It had been designed to shatter easily, so even making contact with the packing snow broke it apart. Even with his nose plugs on and being so far away, Worriz could smell the faintest odour of Skinnet's stench. He didn't want to think about how bad the bears had it. "What the hell is that?" one demanded, reeling. Another put snow on his snout, and a third covered his nose. "Now!" Before the bears could react, the wolves descended on them. Skinnet stabbed one in the stomach with his spear, and Wrothgar finished the job with his scythe. Worriz and Wiz took another one down, while the other wolves in the group killed the third. Worriz quickly kicked snow onto the fire and moved up. The others in his group followed. They still haven't seen us, Worriz thought, looking up at the Ice Tower. It was a tall grey-and-white structure, cylindrical in its design. It had several windows around it, but no bears were posted there. At the top was a platform with battlements, where Worriz could see smoke rising. He pointed towards the door of the Ice Tower, and when Skinnet and the others nodded, he moved forward. That's the problem with the bears, Worriz mused. They have no discipline. All they had when they attacked us was the element of surprise—now, we have that. Worriz was a few feet from the door when someone called out from the top of the tower. "Wolves!" Damn it. Wilhurt's group must have been spotted. "They know we're here!" bellowed Worriz. "Attack!"

Wiz and Wrothgar broke down the door to the Ice Tower with ease; it had already been broken into by the bears, but the first wolf through was someone Worriz didn't recognize. The wolf's howl was cut short when a black blade broke through his back. Worriz recognized the boar's head with the red mohawk instantly. ShadoWind. Worriz twirled his twin Derimous and howled, and as more bears poured out of the Ice Tower, Wiz and Wrothgar fell back to defend him. "I told you we'd meet again," said ShadoWind. "And I told you you'd pay for what you did," Worriz reminded him. The Masked Raider shrugged. "You're too young to understand these things," he said, circling the wolf. Worriz quickly gauged his surroundings; Skinnet, Wiz and Wrothgar weren't close enough to help him. The last time we fought, I just got lucky, he thought. Maybe it'll happen again. "I'm old enough to understand that you're wrong. If you want to get through the Barrier, why not just sit down and discuss things with us?"