“The dragons are ferocious beasts thirty times our size. They wish to tear us limb from limb and devour our flesh. Are we afraid?” the Imperial says, his deep voice booming among the warriors gathered.

“No!” the twenty Were shout in emphatic agreement.

“Are we going to turn tail and run?”

“No!” I add my voice to the growling cats.

“Are we going to leave our woman and children and families defenseless against these beasts?”

“NO!” The thundering voices shake the earth we stand on, Barry’s voice cracking from beside me as he yells with the rest of us.

I smile down at him with pride in my eyes, and he looks up at me with one of his teeth almost completely grown back. He doesn’t have a gap-toothed smile any longer.

He’s fitted with enough furs and leather to keep him warm, and the berserk he’ll be going on is the swiftest of them all, the same one Morgana and Heather arrived here on.

I explained the journey to him, and now… I must trust he indeed knows what he wants. And hope I didn’t make the wrong decision to bring him along.

“Let’s show the dragons who rule here.” The Imperial nods with a satisfied, proud gaze. He might not smile, but with how he looks on those gathered, he has no need to. His pride in his people says it all.

The cheers are great as the Were thump the ground and slap their thighs.

A thunder of horse hooves comes up a path leading into the woods bordering the mountain paths.

“Imperia!” A young Were, can’t be past fifteen full seasons, races from the edge of the woods on the back of a sweating and exhausted mountain pony.

She pulls the pony up short, its loud snorts sounding like bellows on the now silent plain. She hops down, stumbling on exhausted feet as she reaches the crowd. The Were clear a path for her straight to the Imperium.

“S-Sir, the dragon has taken them!” she pants as a few tears make paths down her dusty face.

A shoulder slams into mine as I make my way toward the front, and Jeryld grins at me when I straighten, throwing me a mock bow. He's been nothing but trouble since he learned who I am and tried to attack me when I first came to this village, and I'm afraid I haven't seen the end of him. He and his friends laugh, even as the Were around us throw them disgruntled glances for laughter at such a time as this.

I ignore them and continue forward as if nothing happened. I've had plenty experience dealing with idiots.

Hey! Cynic says, and I have to bite my tongue to keep from smirking.

I pop from the crowd with Barry beside me, his hand clenching my tunic. Flash nods a greeting I return as we watch the Imperial and the girl.

The Imperial grasps the girl's shoulders, holding her up and lending his strength. “Who, Bridget? Who have they taken?” he asks.

“My family. The guards—everyone. Me and me brothers were visiting the pass when they attacked the blockade. He slaughtered the Berserks and took all the rest in his jaws and claws. I can still hear them screaming.” Her black hair and eyes stand out from her slender, pale face. The bravery leaking from every pore makes my respect for her climb as she pulls her shoulders back and fights back tears.

“Bridget, were they still alive?” the Imperial asks gently.

A few more tears leak out of this courageous girl. “Yes. I don’t know how or why.”

I walk over and gently grasp her arm. She looks up at me with red-rimmed eyes and a clenched jaw. “We will do everything in our power to get them back. I promise,” I say, meeting her determined gaze with one of my own.

Many "ayes" and "yesses" surround us.

The Imperium looks on with intensity. “That we will, shufur. Shefa, please escort Bridget to my home and show her to Martha.”

“Of course—“

“I’m going with you,” Bridget interrupts Shefa Bridge.

“But you’d be safer here,” Shefa Bridge says, gently grasping the girl's shoulder. Her bird in her nest hair peeks its head out, cheeping in agreement before shivering and ducking back inside its warm nest.

Young Bridget shakes her head decisively, pulling both her shoulders back as flashing eyes meet first the Imperial and then Shefa Bridge. “No. They’re my family. I’m going; with or without you.”

I almost smile despite the situation. She reminds me too much of myself.

"But—" the Imperial begins.

“Sir, with all due respect, she’d probably follow us. Better with us than behind,” I speak up, believing she’ll be safer where we can keep an eye on her.

He quietly huffs a disgruntled breath. “Fine. Flash, she’s your responsibility.”

Flash glances up quickly, surprise flashing in the blue depths of his eyes. “Why not the mutt?” he asks, the normal slur word tinged with amusement and good humor. I shake my head at the cat; humor, despite the situation, slightly curving my lips.

“He’s likely to do something foolhardy and stupid yet somehow come out alive.” The Imperial softens his next words with a glance of humor at me in his burly face. “She’s better off staying with anyone else.”

A round of light laughter goes through the gathering. I shrug sheepishly. He’s right.

“We’d best go as panthers. Or Wolf.” The Chieftain casts another humored glance my way. A few good natured snickers come as Flash nudges me in the ribs. I hide the pain, but can’t help a grunt. Flash glances at me quizzically, but I just shrug it off.

They don’t know I haven’t entirely healed and I’d like to keep it that way.

“Kino, what about me?” Barry asks from beside me, pulling on my sleeve. His eyes search the clearing and then my face for answers about what’s coming.

I bend down. “Little kinko…”

He looks over at Zephora, then at little Essie beside her. Both are unpacking their bags and supplying warriors what they need to leave. They are preparing… to stay.

Barry turns his eyes back to me, the blue depths twinkling with wisdom far beyond his age. “Go. But ff you don't come back, I'll never forgive you.”

I bend down and pull him into a hug, being careful not to squeeze too hard in my love for the little man. His heart beats fast against my own.

I hold him at arm's length and look him dead in the eye. “I will do everything I can to make it back to you and the rest of our family.” With a tiny grin, I ruffle his hair. “And put in a good word to the Allfather for me, deal?”

He nods, putting his fist in a sloppy salute against his chest like he’s seen of the Werecats. “With all my heart, kino.”

I put my forehead against his, breathing in his scent, then step back. He scurries to Zephora and Essie.

Zephora meets my gaze and gives me a grave nod. She’ll protect him while I’m gone. I bow back, grateful.

“Shift!” the Imperial commands.