Ghost

Challenges

Elwyn's P.O.V.

"Kaede, who or what exactly are we up against? We can't possibly be fighting lone rogues, you know?" I said, looking at him, trying to read his expression.

"If I wanted you lot to know, I'd have told you," he replied.

I watched as the corner of his left eyebrow twitched. If I had blinked, I would have missed it. There was barely any movement, but it had been enough.

"Or... you don't know. Even you don't know," I pushed, and his expression confirmed it.

"Why are they hiding crucial information? If we know who they are, we could attempt negotiation! We've done it before, I don't see how this is different!" Shea stressed.

"We're here to help them as much as we can, whether or not they release sensitive information to us. Remember, we're two separate packs; they're not obliged to tell us everything," Kaede sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Of course, having such information would be useful. Still, considering the fact that Nolen didn't tell me who they're fighting, the only option left is for the two sides to fight each other. Again, this means he's already decided to fight, negotiations be damned. It's his decision, and we aren't quite in the position to make him or force him to change his mind."

I frowned a little. Something wasn't quite adding up, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Kaede's words seemed... scripted? I would have described them as pre-prepared sentences to feed us should we ever ask.

"That's still not it, is it?" Cailin questioned, her eyes narrowing just slightly.

Her eyes were glowing slightly purple, indicating that she sensed something wasn't right either. Intuition was a side-effect of sorts to Cailin's powers, and it came in handy in times like these.

"Okay, fine! Nolen doesn't know either, okay? The opponent is simply so secretive that we can't confirm their identity. They're not like the other packs we've been up against either. You know how the other packs are always so arrogant and they always leave signs of who they are? This pack doesn't make the same mistake. They've probably already counted all the steps they need to take to make the Lumiere Pack step off the cliff and into ruin. Not knowing them means we can't determine their weakness, strengths, numbers or positions. It puts us at a great disadvantage, but I have no desire for this to be the first loss we have."

Well, shit. This may very well be our first failure. Cailin's vision had proved it quite right the last time. I looked over to Cailin, who was slightly pale.

"Don't tell me... We will lose the war? And it's due to a snitch in our pack? The one who betrays and walks away? The one who... already knows the opponent?" Cailin's voice trembled.

"Let's not jump to conclusions. None of my theories are very pleasant either, but the future is something we ourselves cannot change, as our previous experiences have all proven. I think... it's time to make a trip into the underground cellars. It's time for some answers," I declared.

************************************************************

Nolen agreed to guide us through the underground cellars to where the rogues we were looking for were held. There were a few of them, each held in separate cells. The bars were made of wolfsbane coated silver, and the rogues were chained to the wall.

"Hello, you look comfortable," Kaede said.

The rogue's head snapped up and he snarled in Kaede's face. He was shaking rather violently, like he was trying to shift but something was preventing him from doing so.

"Release me!" he growled, spit flying out of his mouth.

"We'll consider it, provided you answer our questions," Kaede replied nonchalantly.