We burnt the rest of him. We enjoyed the screams. It made us feel good that he suffered as did so many of our family members. All the werewolves gave Councilman Samuel a group hug."
"I am glad you were able to capture one of them." Councilman Samuel told them.
"As are we. Fifty members of our family died horribly because of this filth."
The werewolves bowed to the rest of the Councils. "Good day." They ran out.
Councilman Samuel took the other sack and dumped the ashes into a large vase then sealed it with an end butt of a log. He hammered a spike into the butt and spiked Barkley's head. That went into the Council chambers also.
Councilman Klaus turned to us once again. "I am sorry my friends, you will not be hunting this time. But we do want you to prepare for closing up the cave. We are going into hiding for awhile. Katey has already brought the sun down into the lower parts of the cave so that we will still have fresh food. Jules, Benjamin and Victoria May have been stocking up on animals to be our blood supply. It will be difficult at first be we will get through this."
During the next few nights we would carry up rocks from around the area. We will be using them to block the entrances. We walled up the entrance at the first snowfall. The Councils did not want to have any trails around the cave. It had to look like we abandoned the cave.
We spent the next fifty years in seclusion.
Fifty years later.
Councilman Klaus stood in front of the cave residents.
"My friends, we have spent these last fifty years in the cave for our protection. We believe," he indicated the rest of the Councils, "that enough time has gone by that most of the creature trackers have been lost. It is our hope anyway. I think it is time we take down our blockades."
We cheered.
"We feel the same way. Shaun once the walls are down send out as many patrols as you see fit."
"Yes Sir."
"All right tear down the walls."
It did not take us long to tear down the walls.
Shaun sent the shifters airborne first. The werewolves went into the forest. The vampires went down along the river towards the settlement.
Who ever was left stayed with the Councils. Everyone was outside enjoying the fresh air. Shaun's orders were that we could not be gone for more that an hour. "Go as far as you can but make sure to be back in an hour." He told us.
We did what he asked.
We gathered once again in the main square. "All right report." Shaun said.
"Sir," Paddy stepped forward. "Cory and I flew north along the river. There many settlements on both sides of the river."
"Sir," Gen stepped up next, "Mom and I followed the river South towards the main settlement from the air. The settlement has grown to quite a town. It looks like they are digging a large trench along a smaller river on the South side."
"Interesting." Councilman Klaus commented. "Next."
"Sir," Curtis stepped up. "Four of us went into the Manimals' keep. There is a few small villages there now. Your cabins have been destroyed Sir. I am sorry."
"Do not be sorry. We knew this would happen." He nodded. "Next."
"Sir," Hugo came forward, "The four I went with followed the ridge North. There are many small farms on both sides of the ridge." He nodded.
"Sir," Athos came to the front, "a group of us went to the settlement. It has spread to the base of the escapement."
"Good," He nodded. "Tomorrow, we will send a few small groups into town to gather information."
"Good work. Good night."
We returned to our quarters.
"It is like when we first arrived here. We have to trend lightly." Quinn said.
"Yes, Son. It is the safest way to do it."
"I understand so much has changed."
"Mortals love to build things." Cory said sitting down in our common room.
"We have to be very careful not to let any one find this cave or follow us to it." Shaun said.
It was easy with the cave walled up we only had to watch for intruders. Now anyone could walk in.
"I have all the entrances double guarded until we know the surroundings again." Shaun told us. "None of the entrances have any mortals living near them. Which is good for us."
"Perhaps Grandpa we can suggest building cabins near them so we may guard them ourselves." Brian suggested.
"It is a thought Brian."
For the next few weeks we made short trips into town. Some of us even took up lodgings in the boarding houses and worked on the Canal that they were digging.
The townspeople were calling their town 'Bytown' because of Lt. Colonel John By. Who was in charge of constructing the Canal.
The Councils had all of us put claims for the trees around the area. They also added their names.
Lt. Colonel By had to buy our timber for the Canal. We had claims registered for over a hundred miles in every direction. The Lt. Colonel was paying us twice, once for the timber, the second was for working for him.
The Councils were happy that we were bring in money for our future. When we were not working on the Canal we built cabins by the entrances. Most of us were living outside the cave.
The Lt. Colonel was quite pleased at the progress his labourers were making until winter came. With the long nights and the freezing temperatures. We could not keep the ground soft enough to dig.
We ended up burning more wood then using to shore up the walls. He sent everyone home until Spring.
During the winter months we harvested our crops from the cave, finished the cabins and returned to the human world.
Pearl and Amelia were the two who had the most to learn about human behaviour, being the last two born before we closed up the cave. They were extremely shy and nervous around mortals. Quinn, John and Arthur kept a close eye on their sisters.
As we became used to being around the mortals again. Many talked about a war that happened in 1812 and how we became known as Upper and Lower Canada. We had won the war against the United States of America.
The British were worried that the Americans might try to invade Montreal and block the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is why the Rideau Canal was important.
Lt. Colonel By welcomed all of us back in the Spring. He was promising any man a plot of land if we doubled the length of the Canal by next winter. It gave the men something to look forward too.
The men toiled hard for that plot of land by the following winter the Canal was four miles longer. They had doubled its length. The men wanted to see their plot of land. They rioted when the Lt. Colonel showed them their plot. It was not big enough to put a shanty on it. To soothe the men down all the barmaids walked into the rioting men and guided them to their bars. It was not long before the men were in a bar drinking.
Scott had setup a hospital along the Canal's path. Pearl and Amelia were two of his nurses. Rufus and Rachelle were also helping him. Rufus missed being around Military men. He had a fondness for Lt. Colonel By but he kept his distance.
