A/n Heres the ruff as usuall! ill work on clean up tomorro, Enjoy!

---------------------

In the Lord Raijin's office.

---------------------------------

“Nox.”

As I sit here eating these pale yellow cookies with light cream I begin to feel absolutely lost in an almost nostalgic feeling, yet I know I’ve never tasted any treat this good before.

“Nooox...”

It’s like the strangest urge to acquire cow milk is overtaking my entire life in this moment.

“NOX!”

The lord Raijin is looking at me with what I assume to be an annoyed expression, it’s hard to tell with the whole reptile, dragon, whatever face.

He starts over, “Put down my damn cookie tray and actually listen to the answer when you ask a question.”

I eat one last one while he sighs out a window before I start the conversation over, “Shouldn’t we have done something about the dozens of charred bodies we left back there?”

He puts his maw on his massive claw like hands over his desk and explains once more, “Your mother should already have it taken care of by now.”

Right?! I mean, it only took us an eternity to make it up the damn spiral staircase in this cursed tower. Not helping was the fact that Asta jumped on my back and rode me the entire way while nibbling my ear and swatting my tail with her own, wagging one.

Even now she is laying face up on my lap, playing with my beard stubble.

At this moment the receptionist, lynx girl from the lobby walks in with a quick knock as she enters.

Handing some papers to the Raijin, “Headmaster Sir, some of the males have begun intruding on others studies looking for her.”

She points at Asta in my lap before turning back to face the desk, “There has been complains from some instructors.”

Lord Raijin bursts into laughter while I’m a bit lost, Asta is oblivious.

Mora sighs and turns to me, “I assume this means you were right, she must be in heat.”

The lynx girl asks, “Shall I fetch a sedative Sir?”

He nods to her, “Yes go ahead, make it a quick yet short one, my granddaughter still needs to attend court later or Instructor Hyndla will bite my head off clear from the den.”

The girl bows and quickly steps from the room, I can’t help but notice the way female cats tend to walk in a perfect line, accentuating their hips at all times.

Lord Raijin clears his throat, “While no doubt distracted by that kitty, I assume you have several more questions. Your mother told me to make sure we meet before you ran off to risk your neck in some silly war we shouldn’t have got involved in.”

Right, there are several things adding up every moment now, but before I can start the girl is already back with a blue vial.

So my first question is, “Hey how did you navigate those damn stairs so fast?”

She hands the vial to Mora who pours it rather forcefully into Asta’s mouth. Asta seems like she barely noticed only to be too late to react.

Lynx girl giggles and smiles at me, “Like this Young Lord.”

She begins to float in the air as if resting on rising water; this must be some form of magic.

The Raijin once more clears his throat, a bit of black cloud coming out this time.

She immediately lands, bows, and struts out. Once more I find myself staring till the moment she closes the double doors behind herself.

I hear the sound of a claw impatiently tapping a desk. Mora gently flicks my head from behind the couch.

Finally I start completely over from when I first sat down, before I spotted the cookie tray, “Did you just refer to Asta as your granddaughter?”

He smiles, “Yes, not by blood to her mind you, her mother was born to Hyndla’s first mate that died while she was pregnant. You on the other hand do have my blood, your father is in truth my pup despite whatever lies you may find in the books.”

I’m at a total loss, “What?”

He laughs the same boisterous chuckle that father has, “Hyndla was an instructor here for many years. I was her second mate after the first died, and we continued to see each other even after her family forced her to wed the previous king, her cousin. Of course it seems it’s historically been difficult for the royal line to have children, owing I suspect to their warg blood, hence why mostly inter family marriage has been tradition. I believe they’ve had better luck with fey races than the less magically inclined, regular wolf tribes.”

More ridiculous information, “Alright if I’m following, you are my actual grandfather, Grandmother had an affair, and I’m going to have breeding issues?”

He scratches his chin and stands up, “Close enough, I get the impression you have difficulty following instruction via dialog so here, come over to the reading table and I’ll show you something interesting.”

I follow him around the large solid black desk, no doubt made of the black pines like everything else wooden in this city.

As I approach another question strikes me first, “So you’re the headmaster? Why this tower for your office versus the lobby?”

He pulls a book from a case near the top of the shelf, “Noisy pups, and I like the view. Now, bite your finger, then place a palm on the page of this book.”

He sets it down on the table and opens to the first blank page, I do as told despite my feelings towards biting myself. He’s family I guess, it shouldn’t be anything bad.

Once the blood hits the thick paper of the book it immediately traces my hand in a reddish glow before spreading into red inked words of a language I don't recognize.

The Lord Raijin pulls the book towards him and begins to read as he explains, “This was found by a former instructor during the Great War on the body of some dark elven spell caster in service to the human side. It reads your blood and displays information about your magical affinities similar to the glowing rock your tribe keeps at the den.”

He calmly studies it for a moment before continuing, “Interesting, It seems the combination of mine and your mother's bloodline did indeed make possible the return of the Minor Goddess Freki's bloodline.”

I interrupt, “That's just a fancy way of saying what I already know, right?”

The Raijin smiles while not looking up from the book, “Just shut up,” He reads on for a moment before looking up at me from across the table, “In the physical sense, you are warg beyond a doubt. Unlike the various wolf tribes whose members you have seen throughout the city, you will grow taller, your ears more pointed, your fangs thinner and sharper, your tail thicker, you might notice you scar easily, your hair will be impossible to tame.”

I touch the chunk missing from my right ear.

He says all this while pointing out on myself the differences already becoming obvious, “Ability wise, just being warg means you have a much greater affinity for magic than the wolves, more so than even the cats whom, among the standard beast clans, have the highest affinity.”

This is new information to me, “So what about mother’s clan? The foxes, they all seem to like playing with fire.”

He grins, a child would likely wet themselves at the sight of the number of fangs he is showing, “The Inari is born into a particular tribe of the foxes whom have long been closer towards a fey race than beast, hence why she only needed one night with the Fenrir.”

He mutters something while placing a hand on the page of the book, the letters begin to shift into something I can actually read.

He slides it around for me, “Look here, you have several affinities in different types of magic, your strongest being in the category of sky magics from my clan which I’m surprised to find are quite similar to a barghest such as yourself. While the priority is different I too have my best strength with storms. You have a small measure of ability with fire as well, clearly the fox blood.”

It’s odd to see everything given numerical value on a page before me, “I can’t create flames myself like my sister, I’ve only ever been successful at snuffing them out or controlling the smoke.”

The Raijin scratches his neck, “Still, that's more than normal wolf clansmen, or other warg families even. Who knows maybe you’ll figure it out someday with practice.”

The values rate everything from my lightning ability to my nightmare curse, “Priority you say?”

He crosses his arms, “Of course, I can cover an entire mountainside in lightning strikes but I’ve never once tried to give shape to the clouds like your performance during the festival tournament.”

Hmm, “So my lightning is weaker than yours?”

The Raijin laughs, “Boy, you could give me your best spark and I doubt I’d feel more than a tingle.”

Mora walks up and points towards the book before looking at the Raijin, “May I?”

“Of course, here, just turn the page. I’d also like to see what sort of Valkyrie a dragon born makes.” he pushes the book over to her.

She takes a moment to look at my own page before blushing and turning the page. Did I miss something?

Lord Raijin laughs again, “I say boy you have some interesting affinities, you must have good luck when it comes to dealing with gods, or bad, time will tell.”

As Mora watches the letters form on her own page she asks, “You said before the science tower is more relevant to this city?”

He walks to the window and gazes out at the city, “Quite right, the Beast race uses magic instinctively, they are born with it, they grow with it, it’s no different to them than an arm or a leg. My tribe is similar, and so is most dragon kind. Even know you can look in my mane or the boy’s tail and see tufts of clouds, I’ve heard he gets sparky depending on his mood.”

I get what he’s saying, “You do it as well Mora, when we spar ice forms on your hands and along your tail and horns.”

She carefully studies the book while moving to allow the Raijin to read it as well, “Of course I noticed that, but I’ve also learned spells in the Bastion that require incantations or items.”

Lord Raijin takes the book and sits at his desk, “I assumed as much, ritualistic magic is common in the north and more so in other races who learn magic versus being born with it.”

He places the book down and closes it, looking at Mora, “You have tremendous ice ability, no doubt from your father, and the average storm magics taught to all Valkyries. Tell me, you have a minute soul magic ability annotated last, what did they teach you.”

She walks behind me and absently starts playing with my hair before speaking, “I was wondering that as well, I don't recall learning anything relating to souls. It could only be something to do with the rituals we undergo within the bastion. You’ll have to forgive me Lord Raijin I’m unable to describe them in any useful manner past my standing in a room whilst others sang in a language I could not understand.”

He waves his hand dismissively, “Don't worry about it child, I was merely curious if you would be able to read the other book that was obtained alongside this one.”

He points to the case on the shelf from which he took the first book.

It’s a black leather tome twice the size of a normal book, “It supposedly can give you the history of a person’s soul, but I cannot decipher any of the symbols in it nor can I figure out how to use it. Blood doesn’t work, neither does any kind of contact, I can only assume the subject must be near death when their soul is most unstable.”

I walk up to it and reach for it but just then the window bursts open as a black cloud rolls in.

Ulfa takes form and immediately walks over and stands between myself and the book shelf.

She looks to the Raijin, “My lord, the Mistress Freki politely requests you reign in your curiosity and not allow the pup access to such items. He has already pushed a line in this area dangerous to mortals.”

He leans forward on his desk and smiles at Ulfa, “As the goddess wishes, I can only assume this is in reference to his interestingly high dream magic affinity.”

Ulfa scowls at him, “Possibly, now if you’ll please excuse us, it is getting on in the afternoon and these pups must be in time for dinner.”

He stands and walks to his door to show us out, I dutifully scoop up the sleeping Asta as I head for the door.

As we exit the Lord Raijin gives me some parting words, “Boy as you are heading for the coast in a few days I suggest you get as much swimming practice in as you can, treading water with a weapon is annoyingly difficult.”

----------------------

As we march down the ridiculously long spiral staircase I say to Ulfa, “Nice to see you again, thanks for spoiling my lesson.”

Ulfa sighs, “Miss Mora here should have gleaned enough from this to aid in your growth for now. Feel free to visit your grandfather once you have done a bit more growing up. Sometimes it’s dangerous for young ones to experience too much power.”

Oh please, like I’d run out of control or something just because I read a book or two, “I hardly think that’s a real concern here.”

She stops and looks up at me, I can see anger in her eyes, “The traitor Grim, who doomed us black wargs to three centuries of discrimination and cruelty was only ten years old when he struck his deal with the humans.”

As we continue to walk Mora brings up a different point, “The black warg Grim isn't looked at in quite that way in the Bastion.”

This time both I and Ulfa stop to look at Mora behind us.

She gets a slightly nervous look then proceeds, “The way I see it, while his deeds were indeed atrocious, they were the primary motivation for the rising up of the Beast race. Without Grim, there would be no Yoden, and the world could easily still be engaged in the Great War lasting many hundreds of years. He was the tipping point that led to the new world.”

Ulfa turns and continues down the stairs, she calls back, “I dare you to inform Mistress Freki that her greatest shame was a necessary evil.”

Great, I bet Ulfa is in an even worse mood now.

“And another thing!” she’s raising her voice too loud now.

She looks back at me over her shoulder, please don’t fall down the stairs while ranting, “I saw men gathering up the bodies in a nearby ally and investigated. They told me your mother sent them to clean up. They found bottles of poison specifically brewed to dissipate into a mist on release.”

It can do that?

She continues, “I told you revealing too much of your abilities in public was a mistake, now look what has happened.”

Was it just me, “What about Akane and Walt this time?”

Ulfa shakes her head, “There was nothing going on at the castle when I got back. You are the only one that can freely come and go as you please. Partially because you’re escorted at all times. Also, I suspect, your Mother has been using you as bait to lure out the agents of the rebellion.”

I wouldn’t put it past her, “Well hopefully I don’t get killed without her getting results.”

Ulfa lets out a single laugh, “I bet she sees this as making sure you stay on your toes and worthy of claiming to be the child of the Great Lord Alpha Fenrir and the Living Goddess Inari.”

What a pain in the ass, “I didn’t ask for that, I certainly don’t walk around the countryside bragging. I don’t even want to rule this city run by a bunch of groveling ass kissers. I swear I’ll zap the next noble who tries to sell me his daughter.”

Mora speaks from behind me, “What do you want then? You’re supposed to serve as Freki’s champion. Did she not give you a mission?”

I sigh, “She wants me to create a new legend of the Barghest. Drive away any memories of Grim in the Great War. I’m all for ending years of black furred children being abandoned, but I don’t like the idea of being sent from battlefield to battlefield all my life.”

Ulfa calls back, “You left out the spreading of your bloodline to bring back the black tails.”

On purpose, I promise. I don’t need to turn around to know Mora is blushing at the thought of breeding.

I scratch my ear with the arm not holding Asta over my shoulder, “I want a small castle of my own, in my own land. A fresh start for my own family instead of trying to change centuries of stories used to scare pups. In the meantime, I like the idea of staying in the city and being a gladiator.”

Ulfa looks over her shoulder at me, “Not good enough, you won’t get anything done like that. Besides, the arena has rules against magic; it isn’t really suited for you. Walther, maybe, but not you.”

That brother of mine, “Nah, Walt is set on becoming the next great general of Yoden, I think, and presumably he’ll act as the next Fenrir.”

Ulfa disagrees, “That’s not the word floating around the god realm I heard this morning.”

Oh? So Ulfa gets the rumors of gods, “What did you hear? Do the gods really play that intrusive a role in the mortal realm?”

She stretches her arms, “Your sister is being groomed to be more than just the ruler of Yoden. Madam Hoji is making a push to return power to the East and reclaim the fox clan’s homeland. Yes, the gods would be bored out of their minds and fade into forgotten non-existence if they didn't play with the mortal realm.”

So even the gods can die.

I catch myself nearly tripping, “A boring way to go. So can I assume I’ll see the Far East one day?”

She shrugs, “It’s just rumors, but I wouldn’t discount the possibility. Either way, if your sister becomes the next ruler I predict a massive upheaval in world powers. The gods are getting excited for the possibility of another great war.”

Is that really something to be excited about?

Mora from the back, “It will happen eventually anyway.”

I glance at her, “What do you mean?”

She looks back up the endless seeming staircase to the faint glow of light from the open windows at the tower top, “So many races are gathered here in Yoden, all they talk about is the dream of someday returning to their homelands. If the balance of power in Yoden ever collapses, peace will end. A woman becoming the leader of the middle continent will be seen as weakness to the humans. The humans making a move will be seen as an opportunity by the demons. Once more the war will start.”

Well that’s just great, I’m sure they’ll put me right on the front line too. I need to leave this land before that happens, I’ll pass on being the agent of greed driven slaughter.

Mora continues, “You being in power wouldn’t be any better either, no one trusts a black tail.”

Ulfa glares at her but Mora keeps talking, “It’s true, ask any adult in this city what their mother taught them. Walther becoming the face of power in Yoden is the only safe choice to be made. It’s interesting, the particular talents compared to the colors of your litter’s fur.”

I see where she’s heading, “I am the shadow from the past that these people all fear, Akane is the flame that will create and spread chaos, Walt is the silver beacon of hope for a stable and prosperous future.”

Ulfa sighs, “The gods are placing their bets as we speak.”

--------------------

Back in the castle I enter mother’s tower to ask about today only to find her not there.

Instead I find Iris playing with Monty the carbuncle.

I walk up to the pair, “Hey what you two up to?”

Iris seems to be focused in a staring contest with the little guy.

She remains silent until she does blink at the sight of Monty wiggling his whiskers, “Awwwe!”

She collapses onto the ground on her back and Monty hops onto her chest and crosses his little arms in an almost victorious pose.

I can’t help but laugh a little, “Monty, let her up please.”

To my surprise the little fellow actually salutes me before hopping off and sitting to the side.

Iris sits up, “It’s your fault I lost Fuzzy!”

I look down at her with a bit of doubt, “Have you beaten him before?”

She stands up and places her hands at her hips, she gives me a mean look before looking away at the carbuncle, “No, not yet,” She looks back to me, “But I had him this time, I know it.”

I look over to Monty as he scratches his ear with his hind leg. He looks at me and does in fact blink before shrugging.

I guess it is possible for her to win.

I’ll give it a go, “Come on Monty, I’ll challenge you.”

He gives the ground an excited kick in response and hops over to me.

I squat down a bit; he’s normally about to my waist in height when he stands on his hind legs.

We lock eyes, and I now begin my epic battle against the toughest opponent of my life….

A moment passes and nothing, time to re strategize.

“Monty, you’re an overgrown rabbit.”

He actually grins and sticks his tongue out at me!

I can hear Iris giggling behind me.

Alright next, “I heard Akane say she’s going to sell you.”

His red jewel horn faintly glows, he smiles again and slightly shakes his head without breaking eye contact.

This isn’t going in my favor, “I expect you to guard Iris with your life when I have to leave in a few days until I return.”

Once more he salutes, but still, he doesn’t blink.

Behind me I hear Iris slightly moan, “Hey do you really have to leave?”

Dammit I surrender.

I raise my hands in defeat and plop my butt down on the nearest cushion.

Monty hops over and I scratch his head before looking to Iris.

She walks over and sits on the edge of the cushion in front of me, holding her knees and laying out her pink wings behind her.

She’s clearly not happy, “Why does Fuzzy always have to go off without me and Aka?”

What can I even say, I scratch my own head, “Because it's safer here and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Monty’s horn glows, he balls up his front paw and punches my knee softly.

Iris pouts, “Liar.”

Fine, “I don't want to go, I promise.”

She looks at Monty to see if I lied but he just nods and pats my knee this time.

She then looks back at me, “Then why?”

I pet Monty again, it’s definitely relaxing, “All the big adults tell me that I need to go. That it is important to make a name for myself and help the capitol. I don’t think I have any say in the matter, and I do think they’re right.”

Iris hops up, “Then how bout I go with you?!”

Monty shakes his head and Iris sits back down with a pout.

I try to explain, “Just like it will be good for me to go, you have to stay here and learn as much as you can and grow more. You don’t want me to marry some pint sized, dumb bird girl do you?”

Monty gives me a stern look but Iris hops up once more, “Of course not!”

She declares, “I am going to be the smartest and most beautiful girl with feathers in this entire city, no, this entire country!”

Monty thumps his foot on the ground.

Iris pounds her fist into her palm, “Oh, and tall, I’ll be the tallest girl with feathers as well.”

Monty looks at me and shrugs.

I stand up and pat her head, “Then I’ll look forward to meeting my beautiful, tall, smart, feathered wife to be when I return.”

She looks at me and narrows her eyes, “You do promise you’ll return right?”

I smile, “On my life.”

She looks to Monty who nods back.

She gives me a giant grin and grabs my hand, “Great, hey help me think of a new trick to teach Monty tonight!”

I’d honestly love to.

--------------------------------

It’s been a couple days since the incident near the academy and today the castle is quite busy.

All manner of nobles have been arriving since this morning, apparently there is to be a grand court in the throne room.

Or at least that’s what I thought, but once noon arrives Ulfa leads me out to the royal platform in the grand amphitheater.

Of the many levels of seats, only our seats, the nobles to our sides, and the bottom seats are filled.

It seems the city locals along with the city nobles and countryside landlords are present.

In the arena below are what seem to be over a hundred Turul tribesmen, bound in chains together.

Where do you even store that many chains?

Ulfa ushers me to my seat, it’s actually my chair from my room. Here in all it’s menacing, black wolf’s head glory. Whose idea was this?

Whatever.

Mora takes a position behind my seat, standing in full armor at attention. Ulfa steps back beside her.

I spot Walt and Akane seated on the opposite side of father from me, I guess they haven't had the chance to go throne shopping.

Mother is actually seated up front in the center between Father and Emese.

The Lord Fenrir stands at the edge and begins, “People of Yoden. Today is a dark mark during our normally joyous festival. You’ll notice the lack of foreign visitors in the grand amphitheater. Today’s business is our own. For months these malcontents have caused problems within the city and our farmlands. Today that comes to an end.”

The crowd below cheers while the nobles lightly clap, I can almost smell the fear from them.

Father continues, “Now they will stand trial before our beloved Inari, whose own children they have repeatedly attempted to kill.”

This time boos from the crowd are directed at the prisoners, some even throw various vegetables from the stands.

The Lord Alpha takes his seat, Mother stands and raises a hand for silence.

The whole of the city seems to fall mute, not even the distant prang of hammer on anvil or bird in the sky can be heard.

She speaks with intense pressure, “Miklos, stand!”

A man stands up from the kneeling line of bird men, I instantly recognize him as the one in the dream of the assassin I more or less tortured. If that is the case then they have in fact rounded up the entire rebellion in one swoop! But when... and how?

Mother points down at him, “You who have already been disowned by your tribe, stand accused of leading chaos within the city and nearby villages. You have also orchestrated robberies of visiting dignitaries and wealthy families, despite being a noble within your own tribe until today. You have also ordered attempts on the lives of my own children.”

He stares back without a word, face expressionless.

She yells, “Do you deny these claims?”

He shakes his head to the negative. The crowd roars in anger and yet he smirks at them.

Mother raises a hand towards Emese who takes it and stands at the front now.

The silence falls once more and she speaks softly, “Why have you embarrassed our City, our Clan, our Tribe, in such a way? Why put at risk the partnerships of our tribe that has lasted centuries?”

He looks at the queen and finally speaks, “My dear Emese, I’m sorry to say your brain is smaller than your tits if you did not see this coming as soon as it became public knowledge you were unsuccessful in bearing the Fenrir an heir.”

Really? Without the accusation anyone with eyes could already see her glorious breasts are physically bigger than her head. I’ve already made up my mind that most of the bird folk lack wit.

Emese scowls at the man, she places her hands at her hips as if to show off her chest, “Anyone can look in a book and find out the heir to the winter tribe has never been born to a Turul, what makes this any different?”

The man below seems at a loss for words... Hey, Hey! Is that really all you had?!....Fucking birds.

Mother retakes the center from a tired looking Emese, “You and your men Miklos, will all face punishment today. Your henchmen will work the land they pillaged under supervision. Your lieutenants will burn, and you will receive the edge of the Fenrir’s axe.”

Armed guards escort half of the bird men to the far side of the arena as Father jumps down into the pit.

Axe in hand, he approaches Miklos who kneels as commanded.

I can see father speak to him but I cannot hear him nor see Miklos’ response. They do both however glance at the thrones we sit on.

I swear that even as the axe severs his neck, Miklos still stares up at us.

-------------------------------

despite my attempts at hiding the plot deep in between the lines. (not so much hidden this chapter) guess im doing it right?

I'll try to use twitter more to discuss updates, the link is in the (seriously behind schedule) Q and A post. i'll try to work on that as well.

Also i know the website is changing soon but just like how i enjoy seeing comments and such, the reviewers like seeing people agree with their assessments so go ahead and toss them some thumbs up.