Wolf Among Sheep: Awakening (Part 2)

Part 2

         Iturri followed Aner to the stable, and Iturri huffed in response. "Don't bother with those beasts, we can get there in half the time on foot!"
         Aner just avoided his gaze. "I cannot just turn wolf and run across the kingdom."
         Iturri just groaned. "Do your people still not know you are a wolf? How do you manage to take time to change without them noticing?" Aner refused to look at him and Iturri felt his blood boil. "Two years and you still have yet to change?! Do you still reject your own heritage so much?"
         Aner glared at him. "I don't have the same freedom you have! I must ensure my people are cared for, and trying to protect our 'heritage' has not helped. As much as I would like to indulge that side of myself I cannot ignore my duties. Besides...I do not even get the urges anymore."
         Iturri's face softened. "You don't feel the need to change, this is serious...if you are not careful you may lose your ability to change altogether."
         Aner sighed. "I have begun to fear that myself, but we will discuss this matter later. Right now we have trouble to deal with, surely if they are wolf you can talk to them." Iturri nodded and Aner mounted his horse as Iturri took wolf form. Iturri matched the horses speed with ease as they rode to the village.
         When they arrived at the village Iturri took human form and walked right inside without a second thought. "We won't tell you again, give us all your coin or we will have to get our claws out." He could hear someone say as Iturri narrowed his eye.
         Aner quickly ran up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Surely you don't mean to just confront them without thinking."
         "These fools put all my kin in danger! They will get in line or suffer the same fate as the rest who defy us." Iturri growled at him. Aner didn't even have to ask what that meant as he stormed over to the source of the voice. Iturri spotted five men in front of a shop with swords on their belts. He growled as he stormed over and grabbed the nearest man. "You are wolves?"
         They turned to him, and the one leading them smirked. "Looks like we got ourselves a hero! Yeah we are wolves, what is it to a runt like you?"
         Iturri crossed his arms and sneered. "Never knew a wolf to use swords, can never keep ahold of the bloody things."
         "Oh I assure you, we are quite skilled with our swords." He goaded.
         Iturri spat at his feet. "Then prove it, show me the swordsmanship of a wolf!"
         Aner ran up and cried out. "Are you crazy? They outnumber you five to one!"
         "Well then I guess I don't need to hold back then." Iturri spat out as he held his fists for a fight as the men drew their swords. They formed a circle around him, and the first person to lunge at him was shocked when Iturri step around his strike and grabbed his arm. With a jerk he pulled the man in and Iturri brought his elbow down on the man's arm with a sickening crack. The man cried out as he fell to the ground nursing his arm. Iturri smirked as he beckoned them forward. "Come then, show me the strength of your pack."
         "Your dead meat now punk, kill this bastard!" The leader yelled as the three other grunts charged him. Iturri saw them coming and just stood there. One of them attacked, but his blade hit empty air before he felt a fist in his gut. The second never even got a chance to swing before Iturri grabbed his arm and his belt and flipped him to the ground. The last man froze as Iturri turned his gaze to him, he dropped his sword and screamed as he took off running.
         Iturri turned to the leader and started to move towards him. "Seems your as poor with swords as I guessed, maybe you are wolves. But let's stop playing around and fight it out like nature intended." Iturri turned into his wolf form before the man's eyes and glared down at him with malice in his eyes.
         "Stay back...get away from me!" He yelled as he swung his sword. Iturri caught it in his teeth and ripped it from his hand and tossed it aside. The man screamed and tried to turn and run but Iturri was on him in a second and pinned him under one of his massive paws. "No please...I am sorry for pretending to be a wolf I swear!" Iturri opened his maw, ready to bring his teeth down on the bandit.
         "Iturri stop, you have made your point!" Aner cried out. Iturri looked at him and dismissed him before trying to kill the man again. "You spent all this time proving you and your kin are not monsters, do not act like one!"
         Iturri snarled and turned to Aner. "This man smears mud on the name of my kin, and I am supposed to just let him run free?!"
         "Let him face justice, he will be tried for his crimes and punished. You don't have to dirty your claws to protect your kin." Aner explained.
         Iturri groaned. "Very well, but he does not go without my punishment." Before Aner could object Iturri lifted his paw and brought it down on the bandit's arm causing it to snap under his force. The man cried out in pain as Iturri stepped off him and reverted to normal form. "There, now do with him as you wish."
         Aner grabbed his arm in rage. "You cannot just administer your own judgement on people! This is exactly what I mean, you don't make your kin easy to protect when you approach things so viciously!"
         Iturri scoffed at him. "Viciously? Our people were hunted down for two decades, now we finally begin to put our lives together and filth like this tries to sully our name. Even if you discredit this fool there will be those who look down on us for their crimes!"
         "Iturri, I know you are trying to protect your people, but lashing out at your aggressors will only make others rise to their aide. Before you know it you will have the whole world against you." Aner tried to tell him. He saw Iturri sigh in frustration. "Being a leader means thinking about how your actions affects those you lead."
         "I never asked to be the leader, I just wanted my people to stand up for themselves." Iturri told his brother.
         Aner laughed. "Everyone thinks it's easy until they have everyone's eyes on them."
         Iturri couldn't help but laugh. "I guess you're right, if I am going to be seen as the leader of my kin I should think about my actions more carefully."
         "I will send my guards to pick up this trash so we can focus on the task at hand." Aner got back on his horse. "Walk with me and I will explain why I called you here." Iturri nodded and followed him in wolf form as they rode leisurely towards the castle. "You see, since I declared peace with the wolves many of them have seen this land as a safe haven. They flock here all the time, uprooting their lives to venture here and start a new life."
         Iturri raised a brow. "I am surprised you didn't send them my way."
         "Believe me I tried, but many of them are like us, raised in the time of hatred towards wolves. Aner explained. "All they know is how to be human, sure many of them run and hunt, but at the end of the day they come home and sleep in their beds and work the jobs they were taught. They don't know how to be true wolves."
         Iturri sighed. "I know what you mean, I try to be open minded to new comers but some cannot forget the years they lived in fear. They lie awake at night waiting to wake up back under the oppressive heel. I have tried to make our home welcoming to both those of the wilds and village born, but I cannot replace the life they have within city walls."
         "Give them time, soon they will find their way to the wilds again." Aner assured him, but then he sighed. "While I am happy the wolves can come here and live without persecution we have had some problems."
         "Hopefully not like the ones we just dealt with." Iturri hoped.
         "No not like that, at least not exactly like that. You understand what it is like to live in a world that hates you, well these people had to do many things they regret to get by. They have stolen to get food for their families, had to kill to keep secrets safe. We both know people do not forget so easily." He explained with a heavy heart.
         Iturri heaved a long sigh. "I doubt that is the worst of it."
         "I wish it was. Not only are bounty hunters banging on our gates, but fur traders come seeking wolves to skin. With the wolf hunt going on it seems to have found its way into trade, and since we do no longer trade wolf skins with others...they come here looking for it." Aner told him, Iturri couldn't hold back a growl, but Aner quickly spoke up. "We have chased away our fair share of them, but the lords of our neighbors are starting to take it personal. They think that we are denying product then hording it for ourselves."
         "Then they are mad!" Iturri yelled in rage.
         "That is why I called the neighboring lord here to speak with him, but negotiation isn't going well. He keeps thinking he can bribe me to allow his men to hunt wolves." Aner told him.
         "So you figured if you brought in a wolf you could trust you could make the case to have peace, not only between your kingdoms but with the wolves as well?" Iturri asked.
         Aner nodded his head. "That is my hope, I don't expect you to present yourself as anything more then you are, but I feel if you can at least talk to him you might convince him of your kin's good nature."
         Iturri thought it over and rolled his eyes. "It won't be easy, but it is better than allowing this to go on. What will you do if negotiations fail?"
         Aner held his head with a sigh. "We may have to go to war with them."
         "Well know you have our support if it comes to that. You are my brother after all." Iturri said reassuringly. Aner looked at him and smiled as they picked up their pace and made it back to the palace.

         They arrived at the castle near nightfall and they were greeted by Orell. "Lord Aner thank goodness you have returned, your guest is getting rather impatient." She saw Iturri standing behind him and forced a smile. "Oh Iturri, I didn't expect you to be here as well."
         Iturri huffed and crossed his arms. "I'm sorry to be such a bother."
         "She didn't mean it that way Iturri. Orell if you could please show Iturri to one of our spare rooms, I will speak to our guest personally." Aner said as he left them alone.
         Orell just smiled at Iturri with unease. "If you could please follow me I will show you to your room." Iturri said nothing as he followed her up the stairs and down the hall to the back of the castle. She opened the door and let him into one of the spare bedrooms and then stepped in behind him and closed the door. "What do you plan to do here, surely you don't mean to cause Aner anymore trouble."
         Iturri felt his temper rising but he held it back. "He invited me here to speak on behalf of my kin. Does my presence bother you that much?"
         Orell avoided looking at him. "Aner has done nothing but suffer since he started guarding your kin. Having to take the abuse of the other kingdoms and having to protect their criminals from persecution."
         Iturri grit his teeth. "My people are not criminals, you of all people should know that. And if you have forgotten he is as much a wolf as I am, we share the same blood."
         Orell shook her head. "He is not like you, he is kind and peaceful soul, not some savage beast!"
         "You care for him don't you?" Iturri asked which made Orell freeze in place. "Having watched over him for so long you can't imagine him being like the beasts the Lord made you fear for so long." Orell stared at the floor. "Yes we are beasts, but we feel just like you and we protect ourselves and those we care for with everything we have. If you truly think so little of wolves for doing what any being would do when backed into a corner then I pity you."
         Orell looked at him as he sat on the bed. "I didn't mean...I just..."
         Iturri raised his hand to silence her. "Aner is a wise and just ruler, but that doesn't make him any less of a wolf, and while I am here I am determined to make him acknowledge that. Hopefully you will as well." He took off his cloak and lay across the bed. "Now if you could leave me I wish to mentally prepare myself for the accusation that will surely be placed upon me." Orell said nothing as she left the room, Iturri was not the beast she had expected, but could she really let go of her fear she was taught to have.
         
         Aner walked to the main hall where Wicard, his guest, was waiting for him. Seeing Aner walk up Wicard huffed. "Come to delay our meeting again Lord Aner?"
         Aner forced a smile as he greeted Wicard. "No, in fact I came here to tell you that our meeting will be taking place tomorrow afternoon. If you can tolerate our hospitality just a bit longer I am sure we can finally come to an agreement."
         Wicard held his head with a groan. "Three days you have had me here and we have yet to discuss a single matter, why should I believe that you have finally grown a spine?"
         "Because the person I want you to meet has finally arrived." Aner told him.
         "Who is this person, where is he?" He asked.
         "You will see him tomorrow. He is surely tired from his journey and wishes to rest, but I assure you there will be no more delays." Aner assured him. "Please ask my chiefs to prepare you any dish you wish while you wait."
         Wicard ran a hand through his hair and groaned. "Very well, but this is it Aner, I will not be dismissed again." They both gave a bow and went their separate ways. Wicard went out to the walls where his men were waiting in their tents. "Is everything ready?"
         The captain of his guard bowed to him. "Yes sir, we are ready at your command, but forgive me for asking why do we wait this long?"
         "Because I wish to avoid confrontation unless the situation calls for it. We will see how the meeting goes tomorrow and if things do not go our way we will move on with our plan." Wicard instructed them. "The meeting will be tomorrow, make sure everything is ready by then."
         "Of course sir." The captain said before returning to his men.