Page 23 of Smoke and Flame

“Is it perhaps that the tigers have too much territory to manage?The magistrate can designate some to another.”Aodh leaned back in his chair and waited.

Hugo glanced down at his notes.“Asia’s PM did not voice a concern with the tiger’s handling of their territory.What they shared was that the forest has become dense.So overgrown that they have left it relatively untouched and rarely enter it.Until now, it has stood as the perfect boundary to the human region.A red-crowned crane shifter was on patrol.Like us, they have been allowed to patrol other territory borders with their continental treaty during their quarterly magistrate meeting and exchanges.The humans were spotted not only hauling trees along an old dry river path.”Hugo looked around the table, and finally, his gaze met Aodh’s.“Upon the crane’s further investigation, the patrolman noticed the humans had cut down several acres of trees along the outside of their wall.”

“What are they doing with it?”Admani was a female Drahk who handled the livestock, a position she had claimed from her mother, Doryu.

“Building,” Aodh surmised out loud.

“Correct,” Hugo confirmed.“What?No one knows yet since the human area is a no-fly zone.”

“They have broken the treaty.What should it matter if the Asian PM did the same?”Liekki growled as the lines of his markings glowed the same tangerine color as the flames in his eyes.

“No.”Aodh slashed a hand through the air.“It’s not done that way.Mutual violation leads to war.”Aodh shot his brother a look first, then the others present.With the humans in charge, there had been enough wars and destruction.

Edjer leaned back in his seat and folded his thick arms over his chest.

Liekki arched a single brow high but remained silent.

“What are they requesting, Hugo?”

“No show of force right now.The Asian PM will meet with the human leaders first on the issue.However, they want the IPM to gather within the month for a radio conference.”Hugo paused.“If the APM cannot get the humans to stand down, they want to discuss all options before it becomes a global, pervasive situation.There is no reason to believe that humans are not communicating, too.”

“Of course, they are.We haven’t seen any harvesting of natural resources starting on this continent, but there have been unauthorized humans on the other side of the wall,” Edjer kept his gaze focused on the maps under the glass.

However, Aodh felt all the others’ gazes on him.

He knew that comment pertained to Kai and Morlie.

Before Aodh could say anything, his brother smiled and said, “So, how is your little human adjusting, Aodh?”

Chapter Six

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The smoke that shotout of Aodh’s nostrils before he could halt it was thick, white, and cloying.Around a human, it would have ignited a coughing fit, but with dragon-shifters, it didn’t faze them.It was part of their physiology.

Driving a hand through his hair, Aodh momentarily ignored his brother’s taunting and spoke to Hugo.“Keep me posted on any changes.The magistrates meet soon, and I’ll present the topic.”Aodh continued and addressed his security leader, “Edjer, I saw you submitted a report on the border.I have not had time to get into it.Why don’t you brief everyone while we are here.”

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