Ander - Part 1: Subchapter 6
6
"Stop this at once!" someone bellowed so harshly that, for just a second, Ander thought it was the thunder itself speaking to them.
A single drop fell on Ander's forehead, deliciously cool, then another and another. He opened his eyes and saw the hated rock, so close he could smell the blood on it mixing with the scent of rain in the air.
Banno released his chokehold and quickly dropped the bloody stone to the ground, then turned to face the one who had spoken: Kadai, Chieftain of the Wolves.
"What are you doing, Banno?" he asked, deathly calm, despite the fact that Banno was almost two heads taller than he was, and thirty years younger.
Banno snorted, as if the answer should have been obvious. "Me and Ander here were just playing, that's all." He brushed the dust from Ander's vest and clapped him on the injured shoulder, hard, making him wince.
"Is this true, Ander?"
Banno increased the pressure on Ander's shoulder, the grin on his face daring him to say otherwise.
"Yes," Ander said, keeping his face perfectly clear despite the growing pain in his shoulder. "It was just a small disagreement. Nothing serious."
Kadai looked to the crowd. They were smiling, elbowing each other, murmuring excitedly. Some were even blatantly shaking their heads to convey just how far from a "small disagreement" their altercation really was. Not that any of that mattered. What mattered was how Ander would conduct himself in this situation. Would he act like a proud Wolf, or a lowly rat?
"Are you sure?" Kadai asked, looking Ander up and down with his shrewd eyes, searching for any signs of weakness.
"Yes, I am sure," Ander responded. Then, after a moment's hesitation, added, "Father."
Kadai nodded, satisfied, then spotted Hezzi. "Get up. Now."
Hezzi jumped to his feet so fast it looked like the earth itself gave him a kick in the rear.
"And stop holding your nose like that!" Kadai thundered. "If it bleeds, let it bleed! Show your wound like a proud Wolf!"
"Yes, Father," Hezzi said, his voice slightly garbled, and lowered his paws.
"That's better." Kadai said and turned his attention to the cause of all the ruckus: the Fox in the cage.
Ander said a silent prayer that she wouldn't do anything foolish. His father's decision would ultimately decide whether she lived or died this day.
As Kadai approached the cage, another searing bolt of lightning zigzagged between the clouds, and thunder came crashing down with barely a pause in-between. Raindrops the size of beads randomly dropped down, making tiny explosions of dust in the dry ground, slow for now, but picking up speed.
Kadai stepped right up to the bars and peered inside, his eyes narrowed. The Fox tried to press herself even farther into the corner than she already was, but there simply wasn't enough room. Her eyes darted to one of the rocks littering the floor of her cage, and Ander's heart did a somersault in his chest. Thankfully, she thought better of it and sat perfectly still, waiting for whatever would happen next.
"Wardo," Kadai said. "Come here."
An older Wolf with dirty, matted fur pushed his way through the crowd and came to stand by Kadai's side, his head lowered out of respect. "Yes, Chieftain?"
"It was one of your biter traps that did that, correct?" Kadai said and pointed at the girl's wound.
"Yes, Chieftain. It was."
"Tell me what happened. Everything."
"Of course, Chieftain..."
Attention, all faithful readers (yes, all two or three of you). I'm going on a little trip to visit with my sisters, so there will be no Wednesday update. But not to worry! I shall update twice on Friday to make up for it. ;)
This has been the sixth subchapter in my serial novel, "Ander". If you enjoyed it, please help keep my face un-mauled by irritable ostriches by dropping me a donation. Thank you! ^_^
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