She had insisted on leaving Van and Cal behind, believing that it would be to the benefit of all for her to speak to her grandfather – and leader of the pack – alone, and then to bring them in once everyone had calmed after hearing the horrible news.

She had insisted, but they hadn’t listened.

And now… there were only two of her pack present on the open field outside the cave system they called home: Ragar and Riruna, her grandfather and the pack shaman, respectively.

They don’t look happy…

She fidgeted, her ears flattening on her head in anxiety, wondering how to introduce the two strangers. Before she could open her mouth, however, Riruna sank down into a deep bow, her head almost flat on the ground and her tail kept loose, looking every bit a supplicant before a king. Ragar followed her example.

What?

Laurelia felt her whole body go rigid in shock, though her ears managed to find their way to an upright position.

“My lady,” came the reverent voice of Riruna, “You honor us with your presence.”

Cal dismounted and, with her usual abandon, spread her arms wide, a smile appearing on her face. “Oh, don’t be silly,” she said cheerfully, stepping forward and – Laurelia felt her mouth drop open in shock – sliding a hand under each of their chests to help them up to their feet. “I abhor decorum and formalities.” She paused for a moment, and then said questioningly, “You recognize me?”

“We recognize you as a force for good,” came Riruna’s soft response, her voice, as usual, pleasant sounding to Laurelia’s ear.

“Ah. Diplomacy. I abhor that as well.”

Her grandfather spoke finally, his voice sounding rougher than usual in comparison with Riruna and Cal. “Then, I must assume, you prefer blunt speech.” His gaze on Cal was intent, and he had as yet not so much as even looked at Laurelia, so far as she could tell. “What are you doing here?”

Cal’s smile widened into a grin, causing Ragar to instinctively raise his hackles. “I am here, to tell you not to be!”

“There’s an army coming!” Laurelia ejaculated, feeling that more information would be helpful.

Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut, though…

Ragar and Riruna both glared at her, ears back and expressions serious. No words were necessary, she knew she had overstepped her place as one of the lowest ranking adult members of the pack, having only recently come of age with her twenty-first birthday, two years previous.

Cal started speaking as though she hadn’t been paying any attention to what was going on since last she spoke. “The villagers you’ve been robbing have brought in an army to wipe you out. It’s time to pack up and go.” She waved toward the cave while saying in a tone one would use to coax young cubs, “Go on, go go, you really don’t have all that much time, and I have places to be.”

Laurelia felt her ears flattening against her head again, in embarrassment.

I’ve brought home a lunatic, and the pack elders are listening to her!

:She has that effect.:

???

She spun around, trying to figure out where the voice had come from.

Who’s there?

No answer was forthcoming, but she did notice that Ragar was looking at her again. As soon as her eyes met his, he turned and headed into the cave. She trotted after him into the darkness.

As they reached the back of the first cave, which appeared to be a simple dead end, she thought nothing of it when she entered into the hidden passage leading into the cave system’s true entrance—an enormous cavern aglow in the dim blue light of a bioluminescent cave fungus.

Behind her, she heard Calmeren sigh, quietly, “It’s beautiful. How long did this take?”

She hadn’t realized the human woman had followed them into the cave, becoming the first outsider to see their home that she knew of.

How long? It’s always been like this.

“Several generations, my lady,” came Riruna’s response. “The mushrooms were found in the deepest cavern.” She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, a sad smile appearing on her face. “It took our people nearly a century to convince them to grow in the rest.” She sighed, the smile disappearing. “And now, I suppose, they are going to be destroyed when that army brings fire where fire does not belong.”

“I am sorry, Riruna,” Calmeren whispered with sorrow in her voice, “I cannot take lives when alternatives exist.” She added her own sigh, looking truly upset. “I do not believe your enemy to be evil, just as I do not believe you to be evil. Should you flee, they will not follow.”