Fleas - Songs of the Gnolls I

THE GREAT WALL 5.5

The two tribes stared at each other. Kkelea held Éwik's hand tightly. She remembered the words of Fizkwik the Scream, the night she had warned her of her mother's plans: "Soon the other tribe will join ours. In it travel exiles, alien to our rules. It is the perfect time for change, and Kkrya knows it. We must not fear her, she must fear us." She had also charged her son, now more than ever. Kkelea would not let him go for anything in the world.

Zanarah stepped forward. From her posture and the way she wagged her tail, she looked tense. On the other side, a hyaenid of similar build but with a strange smile and a huge broken sword stood ready to greet her. Kkelea didn't hear what they said, but they seemed to know each other. It must be her sister, Helirah. She understood that in her mind there was only war. She could see it in her face, in her posture, in the way she tensed and stretched her fingers.

"Who is the leader, the invincible?" Ewik asked him.

"I don't know. The matriarchs left a while ago, maybe they met with him. Let's get closer, I want to hear what they say."

Kkelea took a step, but Éwik stood up.

"Don't be afraid, if you're with me, everything will be all right," she smiled. Éwik nodded and followed her.

"Your lack of respect surprises me, little sister," Helirah spat provocatively. "You should greet properly, as tradition dictates."

"Tradition has no respect for exiled, dishonorable hyaenid. I say this as the daughter of a matriarch and a possible successor. But as a family..."

In a quick, unexpected move, Zanarah embraced her. Her sister's eyes widened in surprise and she dropped her weapon. She did not return the gesture, but neither did she push her away.

"Your heart is softer than mother's, huh?"

"Not so my muscles. I'll prove it to you later if you want."

Zanarah's sister looked at them, then turned to her.

"And these cubs?"

"Oh, she is Kkelea, the daughter of Kkrya. And the other one is Fizkwik's. They are the newest members of the Iron Claws."

She looked at him, surprised. Then back at Zanarah.

"And mother agrees?"

"She doesn't, but I do. Let's just say Kkelea can be very persuasive."

The hyaenid came over with that crooked smile and scratched her head a little too hard. It hurt Kkelea.

"Hey, when you get tired of your mother and her rules, you're always welcome to join my tribe. It's much more fun."

She retreated before Kkelea could reply. Both tribes spent a long time greeting old acquaintances and introducing new ones. The other creatures were also introduced. Avian, who smelled very appetizing. Orcs, but they had been slaves and seemed a bit more expresive. And gnomes, small and weak.

The meeting passed with unexpected peace, until a rumor spread that would change everything. The powerful rebel leader, undefeated in a thousand battles, would accept a challenge from anyone who wanted the title of Emperor of this strange amalgam of species called the Empire of the Red Moon. On the border between the green vegetation of the spring and the yellow of the savannah, he waited, imposing. His stature could be seen even from a distance. Naturally, a circle of onlookers formed around him. Kkelea slipped with Éwik between the legs of the big ones until they reached the first row. The first to challenge him was Helirah, Zanarah's sister. A male hyaenid from the other tribe took their weapons and warned that only fists would be used. If the taurid fell and could not get up, Helirah should stop, for she would have won. If he was the winner, he would accept the next challenger. And so on, until someone beat him or no one else challenged his authority. Kkelea didn't know what had led him to this decision, but he must have had a lot of self-confidence to risk everything like that.