The Wolves of Wullferg Keep

Chapter XI - Many Things Are Wrong: Pt. 1

TW: Discussions of rape and abuse

Dray was trying to update his books on the wolfkin population in Wullferg forest when Caimdon burst into his office.

"Yes?" He didn't mind the interruption. As much as he usually enjoyed tracking family lines, this time he was only doing it to avoid Emily.

Caimdon held up a hand as he caught his breath. "There's a pack--on the Southern border."

Dray set down one of the logs. "Not one of ours?"

He shook his head. "No. Trivter is meeting them."

Dray started for the door, Caimdon trailing after him. "How many?"

"Fourteen maybe? Men, women, and pups. And"--he caught Dray's arm--"They're not in good shape."

Dread coiled in the pit of Dray's stomach. If it was sickness, if it was a plague... He hated himself for wishing they were refugees of a different kind. Rival packs, Karzac, Wraggoruls, even humans. At least he would be able to let them into the Keep.

☽

"Is anyone going to tell me what's going on?" Emily was standing over a giant cauldron she'd been scrubbing. The kitchen had been quiet since breakfast with only an occasional drifter. Then Caimdon had come in and disrupted everything. He and Rek were talking rapidly with several others listening in and having side conversations of their own. Of course, no one thought to speak in a language Emily could understand.

As soon as she spoke, all the conversation stopped dead.

"Oh." Rek frowned at her. "You might be an issue too."

"Excuse me?" She put down her scrub brush with more force than necessary.

"There's a pack of foriegn wolfkin about an hour away. Caimdon says they look pretty rough. There's a chance--well--" He pursed his lips, hunting for the right words.

Caimdon felt no need to word things delicately. "The last few times we had foriegn wolfkin show up was because they were running from humans and their close kin. They might hate you."

Emily's stomach twisted. Who knew humans were so universally hated. Much of Lower Halogaist viewed them the same way.

Rek pinched the bridge of his nose. "Thanks Caimdon." The dig went unnoticed. "Regardless of how they feel about humans, we need to pull together some rooms for them to stay in. If they're not carrying some deadly plague that will wipe out the entire forest."

"What do we do if they are?" Fisk asked, eyes wide with worry. He had been helping Emily clean up until Caimdon's arrival.

The room was silent for a moment, all eyes turning to Rek.

He shrugged, but didn't quite manage to make it look casual. "Depends on how bad of a sickness it is. But--" He raised his voice. "We don't have time to stand around and chat. You all know what to do. When we find out more, someone will let you know. Now get." He started shooing people towards the door.

Emily fought back her growing sense of unease. "Rek?"

"Yes?"

"I don't know what to do."

"Ah, right." He looked around at nothing, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "Whoever this pack is, they're probably coming from quite a distance. So, food? Anything is fine."

Something is very wrong. She lowered her voice, not wanting to be overheard. "Why are you so worried? Is there something else going on?"

Rek paused before he spoke. "I don't remember a single time we had an unexpected visit from a pack that wasn't caused by something horrible. Packs hardly ever migrate. And when they do, they usually send scouting parties out first."