Wolf of the Emperor

Chapter 4

Seth waited for the other two Warblers to approach and sit down before he started speaking.  “We have a problem.”  He called up the radar map.  “This is a weather map of the area.  If you look you will see the storm system leaving, the one that just went through.  Now following the curve of the valley and along the edge of the mountains notice there are at least two more storm fronts.  From what the computer is showing these storms will last a week or longer.  Also based on the reports I have from the pod before it started shutting systems down we are approaching the rainy season.”

He was pausing as he talked so what he was saying could be relayed through Marthag.  After he got a tentative agreement back he continued.  “We simply cannot out wait the storms.  Here is a view of outside at the moment.”  He called up another view and the low ground outside the pod was several inches under water.  “Pod records show that at the worst the water can get to a foot or so above the lower lip of the external door.  We simply can’t out wait the storms and we have to move now.”

Seth changed the view back to the topographical view.  “I have talked with Mendasol and we plan on following as best possible the edge of the forest.  About here depending on the terrain we will cut north towards the rim of the valley.  Hopefully when we reach there we will find some sort of shelter that we can either stay in or use as a base to look for a better location.  I was estimating two days to get to the cliff’s but after all the rain I simply don’t know.  Chances are good we are going to be hit with one more storm before we find or make some shelter.  Any questions?”

The three looked at each other and discussed what each saw as options.  Leosafr didn’t really say much while the other two discussed options.  Mendasol finally spoke.  “No choice, need move.”  He looked at the two females.  “Help Seth pack equipment.  I check inventory as packed.”  Frankly he was starting to feel the ache in his bones from sleeping on the hard floor for a couple days not to mention the excitement before that.

Seth pulled out the packs with the heavy weather gear since he didn’t know how cold it might get.  The packs also had poncho’s that would easily fit the Warblers since they were designed for a Wolf in full armor.  He did the packing for Kletharl and showed Marthag how to do it for Cleasal.  “Comfort more important them.” 

Packing everything up took about an hour.  Before they actually left Seth pulled on his full armor and made sure he had plenty of ammo for the two rifles and the pistols.  One rifle went to Marthag and the second pistol to Mendasol.  Leosafr simply shook her head and stepped back.  Once everyone was packed he opened the door and sighed since the water had risen several more inches and was close to the lip of the door.

“Out, that direction.”  He pointed the way he wanted to go.  Once everyone was out he closed and sealed the door.  A number of commands were sent as well to turn off any system not needed for the security of the pod or to keep in communication with Seth.  That would provide him with a number of capabilities such as scanning the weather. 

Seth pulled his rifle off his shoulder and moved to take point.  “Call if see anything.  Better safe than…”  He whipped around and sent an explosive round at a V wake in the water.  There was a gout of mud and blood following the explosion.  Something that looked like a crocodile with way to many teeth for its own health floated to the surface.  “God Damn it why does everything have so damn many teeth?  That is a mouth only an orthodontist could love.”

Everyone jumped and quickly moved away from the edge of the lake that was forming.  Seth didn’t like the idea of being so close to the edge of the jungle but he also didn’t like being so close to the lake either.  He set his sensors on his helmet to active scans every couple of minutes.  Since the pod was so close they could use the scans from that short term.  That would allow them to identify potential predators at a distance and the active scan for close up.