ade

ur demands. This was the last minute-ditch effort to end things peacefully but their forces and mine were already in position for battle. We

far from Monaweard, the first pack to have raised the alarm about this whole mess, but far enough not to put

human society's sprawl is considerable and it has to be taken in consideration, unless you want to trigger the human warning bells and find yourself facing a government's military might, or find yourself locked in a facility of which you'll never escape.

ational enough to know how problematic this could become, but also that making this conflict fought in a more risqué setting could l

ity to fight us head on, without land advantages, surprise on their side, or gu

careful abo

they had a few groups they controlled on the payroll, like the one that attacked Ghealach. It was mostly what the facility was

e used by a certain person, some at a specific confluence of planets, others may have widely different result depending on who

el and were not as strongly protected. Or so that was the information I had on them. I could be wrong and the

old either because they found no use for it, or were too strapped for cash, or in one case, the artifact at

hoods were whipped by branches and brush. It was a trail seldom travelled and it was narrower as we went

y the most difficult piece of exercise someone can perform, and everyone needed to save their str

e trackway, or readjust our driving to the rugged terrain. But we had cal

or medical supplies. We had food and water too. I've faced battles before that has lasted days. Though, those were generally more a series of small attacks over a period of time than

ne of the best to

ntually we had to continue on foot. So we set up camps with t

ile others piled on their

ngle. Mariqueen and her husband were at the head of the smaller pack and allies. David stayed at camp, and with a team, was getting aerial visuals an

ld be our eyes and ears and woul

repared for multiple directions assault. Ideally we could surround and o

most faithful men. Ylva was with me on this te

I kept a good eye on him. But so far, he had failed to b

maller now that the other teams, which wer

y?" asked me Sam i

stion. It took me a few seconds to

iming. But I stopped for a few seconds and gave Sam a signal to wait. He

ied to assess the situation. I moved my attention from

I slowin

reason, so I shook my head at Sam and moved my attent

the area himself, trying to ca

ried to feel the air around me, but

e for them to be vigilant and to sen

uld have triggered my i

ly everyone here, it could have been that my brain picked a smell that was worrisome, but not strong en

as keeping an eye on me. No matter how strong I was, or any of my men for that matter, the rule was you never leave anyone in a disadva

iced there was a faint undertone in the scents. So

ked a little further, barely able to notice the difference. It's only when I reached a lit

as now beating

hales, I needed to b

and not from this realm, the flavours tingling in my mouth. It had been the most tastefu

my spine, and the hair on my arms stood on ends. My instincts were sc

s were he

nd my