Painted Flowers

Chapter 18 - Muambe's Wrath

"After all this time...they've lost their trust in me. Because of where I've come from. Because of you."

"You're acting as if they're wrong for believing so."

"Are they right, though? Is that why Mama and I have Dreamwalkers? Because Dark cursed our ancestors and we are still being punished for it?"

"...Took you long enough to start asking questions."

"I have never, ever learned that part of the story....have the Meadow elders been conveniently omitting it? Just how many more Meadow dogs bear the curse? How many more of us live our lives hiding and pretending?"

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The raw mixture of emotions left the cave of the royals absolutely stifling. Unease, tension, fear--and pure, unfiltered rage from Kwasi.

"I KNEW IT!" The prince bellowed, pacing the stone walls while his siblings and parents watched nervously from the sidelines. "An outsider like her with such a vague history...we don't know a damn thing about her!"

It had been confirmed that, indeed, Kichea had run straight to the royals to explain what had taken place on the hilltop at the northern border. She told them of how Layali had struck first, dragging Feoria to the ground and attacking her. She told them how Layali had lied; she was not a wanderer, but was in fact a member of a foreign pack that was implied to be what was known as a "Dark pack". Each royal had taken the news of this discovery differently, equally upset but expressing their feelings in various manners. Kwasi wanted nothing more than to race to the scene and confront Layali himself. Kichea had trotted after him, desperate to keep things civil despite her concern, but everything had ultimately been interrupted when the earthquake struck.

"You know it isn't our way to turn away dogs in peril," Amare reminded their brother in a much calmer tone. "Layali needed our help and she has long since proven her loyalty."

By the time the royals had reached the border, dawn had risen. Feoria was bruised and bleeding while Layali was completely unconscious. Zahra and Zain had sat with them until the quake subsided and Kwasi and Amare appeared, and together they all helped bring Layali to a guarded section of camp where she could be supervised until a decision on her fate could be made.

"But this..." Kwasi continued his path back and forth, shaking his head. "You know this entire situation has turned everything around! How dare she, a cursed Meadow dog, enter our pack! And on top of everything, lie about it, and injure our sister!"

"But we don't know if she's cursed!" Amare argued. "Just think about-"

"Children!" Barke interrupted.

The king, the oldest dog in the pack, donning an extravagant necklace woven with bird skulls and lion fangs, still held authority in his rusty old voice. "We mustn't judge an outsider by where they come from, or what pack they're from," he mumbled. "All three of you know this. This situation is no different. And for now...we have far more pressing matters to attend to."

Xenia straightened herself up regally. It was not often that she would disagree with her mate, but Feoria could tell that she was tentative at the discovery of Layali's true upbringing. Being formerly of a Dark pack may be seen as trivial to Barke's welcoming nature, but Xenia, being a healer and the most spiritual dog Feoria knew, should have known just how influential the spirit world was to the physical earth.

"Whether you like it or not, we made a commitment to Layali," Xenia reminded her children sternly. "We have welcomed her and accepted her among our ranks. What we need to worry about now, at this very moment, are the dangers of Muambe."