Sons of Ironstorm - Book 4: Griffon's Stand

Royal Cats

To say the twenty odd muraan monarchs that found themselves seated uneasily at Kem'gast's conference table in the heart of his palace were stunned by the events of the past turn of the glass majora would've been a massive understatement. Some were so overcome with astonishment they could only stare, wide-eyed, at the human standing at the head of the table. The human with a staff of black wood with the fire of Ri'im himself captured in a crystal at its top. A staff that could make holes in space that allowed one to step through walls and across hundreds of leagues in a single stride.

Others, however, were somewhat more composed.

<So,> the silver-furred muraan female in a dark green and grey tunic and male pants, almost growled from where she sat at the table, her white mane pulled back into a severe tail that hung between her shoulder blades. <You've brought us to Kem'gast's riverside palace for a purpose, human. I suggest you be about telling us what it is, before we begin getting upset.>

His eyebrow lifting slightly at Vazh'hebadin, the Matriarch of the kingdom of Na'kern's tart tone of voice, Lawrence let a thin smile touch his lips as he prepared his response, a carefully worded prelude to a proposal of alliance that Koros had suggested. Before he could speak, however, Kem'gast stood from where he had been sitting at the head of the table and leaned forward, fists braced against the table top.

<Not to overstate the obvious, Vazh'hebadin, but war is upon us,> he rumbled. Looking over at the powerful muraan monarch, Lawrence felt his eyebrow climb with interested surprise. What was this now? Kem'gast speaking out of turn? No doubt trying to prove that he wasn't under the human Wielder's thumb, despite the alliance they had agreed on. Letting his eyebrow drop, the big human settled back to watch how Kem'gast's attempt to show independence would play out.

<Yes, yes, we all know of Dani'cheris' supposed army,> the greying Matriarch said in reply to the Ru'un monarch's bold statement with a dismissive gesture.

Letting his whiskers twitch with amusement, Kem'gast stood back straight and folded his muscular arms across his barrel-like chest.

<You weren't so dismissive a few Watches ago, Matriarch, when you were preparing for that army to invade Na'kern.>

As Vazh'hebadin's eyebrow slowly rose in response, the big muraan war king pressed on, turning to address the other kings and queens around the massive conference table.

<My fellow monarchs, as dangerous as Dani'cheris' army was, it was only a shadow of a greater force that will soon attack us,> he reported. <It is that impending war to which I refer.>

<Another force invading muraan territory?> asked a squat, rotund tan and black striped muraan, his clothing rumpled. <Surely you mean the elves, raiding out of the north as is their habit in the autumn moons.>

Kem'gast's muzzle rippled in negation.

<Not elves, for once, Ha'tanak,> he replied. <No, these creatures are far more powerful and far more sinister.> A gesture found two Silver Lions opening a side door to allow four more of their number, all females, to step in, dragging something by a heavy chain. The four female Silver Lions, looking grim with braces of daggers and short spears belted to their chainmail-protected bodies, swiftly moved close to the table and stepped back to reveal what they dragged by the heavy chain.

It was a tjor'riin. Lawrence's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the shadow soldier. It was battered and bedraggled but the shadow elf seemed unbowed as it glared at the curious and alarmed faces that now looked down on it from around the table. Only when it glanced at the female Silver Lions, did the tjor'riin flinch at the hard looks the veteran soldiers were throwing at it.