Page 16 of Father of the Wolf

It was time.

Athair, Rath, and Dàn sat together in the center. All three were tense and nervous, but tried to look relaxed despite knowing what was to come. Dàn thought he might have been wrong to warn them of the coming attack. He’d only done so because he worried that Rath would be killed trying to protect him or Athair. He had been able to see that Athair would live. But not Rath, who was at times unpredictable. Rath had been his closest friend for centuries and Dàn wished he could do more to ensure his safety.

The shaman began the ceremony by calling others from the shadows to bear witness to this test of faith. Dàn saw several people gathering along the edge of the clearing, circling in line with the trunks of the great trees. Some looked familiar, and he thought he recognized both Alpha leaders and Maura.

In a flash of light, the shaman lit all three fires, sending them flaring high for several minutes before they settled into small, steady flames.

Then his chanting began. The chant wasn’t soothing, like most of the ones with which Dàn was familiar. It was filled with sharp painful cries, that when they came together, rang with discord. The shaman’s chant continued in this way, and those watching added to the chant. They only supported certain words and phrases that seemed to flow equally from the people as from the wind, the trees, and even the crackling flames.

That portion of the chant called to Dàn. It felt familiar, as if he had heard it often, probably as others might remember a favorite lullaby.

If he could just hear past the shaman’s chant, he thought he might be able to get the spirits to give him the answer they needed. The answer to a question they would not get the chance to ask.

Perhaps the ceremonial drink had begun to work.

Dàn looked over at the others. Rath sat with his eyes closed. He was tense but seemed all right otherwise. Athair looked uncomfortable. He was pale and had a sheen of sweat on his brow. His open eyes glowed fiercely.

Dàn tried to speak to him silently, “Athair?”

There was no response. It was as if Athair couldn’t hear him or didn’t want to acknowledge him.

Dàn pushed hard with his powers to see into Athair’s mind. What he found blazed red with pain and rage. There was nothing of Athair in that touch. Nothing of the gentle, loving man who had raised him. The touch didn’t even feel human.

Now Dàn could clearly see how the traitor’s plan could succeed. They would claim that Athair couldn’t control the animal within. That he had to be destroyed. How absurd that they had chosen the calmest of their clan to turn violent. Dàn suddenly wondered what Sgrios would have done in this position. But then, Sgrios would never let himself become so vulnerable.

Athair began to tremble and growl.

Rath watched him for a moment, and then glanced at Dàn with a worried expression. Rath started to lean toward Athair, as if to touch him.

Dàn stopped him with a silent, “Wait. You cannot help him. He will not even recognize you.”

“What can we do?”

“Nothing, yet. But be ready to aid in his escape. And ours.”

“Just say when.”

Athair growled loudly. Dàn found it amazing that he had held his human form this long. But not for much longer. Already there were tiny sparks flying from his skin, a sure sign that Athair was losing his battle for control.

The shaman noticed Athair’s growling and came to stand behind him, chanting in a loud voice. Dàn realized that the shaman was indeed calling spirits, very unfriendly spirits. The other chanters called on helpful spirits. Hence the difference in their chants.

And the spirits were answering their calls. Dàn clearly saw several, which seemed threatening. At the shaman’s command, they neared Athair.

Another spirit approached Dàn. She was lovely and seemed to want to tell him something. Something he very much wanted to hear.

But Athair shifted to wolf form, and Dàn was yanked back to his true surroundings. He shot to his feet. Athair circled Rath and Dàn warily, glaring past the fires at the shaman who stood just out of reach.

Dàn silently warned Rath not to make any moves that would draw Athair’s attention.

The shaman worked a protection spell that would contain them within the circle of fires.

Dàn figured he could probably break the spell, but it suited his purpose for the time being. Athair would need time to gain control if he could possibly do so.

Dàn watched with interest as the shaman skirted them and began arguing with the leaders, claiming that Athair had failed to complete the ceremony and could not be trusted.

Dàn felt a brush against his shoulder and slowly turned in that direction. The friendly spirit from earlier was at his side. She reached out her ethereal hand and traced a finger along his jaw, leaving a warm tingle in its path. He sensed she was offering to help him.

He was in no position to turn down help, regardless of the insubstantial source. He attempted to project to her that Athair needed calming. He did not know if she could help or not.

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