Wolves of War

Walk in the Garden

“Why not keep my company today? I can show you our gardens. They are the pride of Vole.”

“Hmmm… I don’t know” I murmured, pretending to be unsure about his offer.

“I promise to return you to your rooms before dinner”. The King offered his arm to me.

“Okay. Take me to your garden. I’m a witch of the earth. I should pay my respects to your land,” I said.

The king beamed brightly. “I’m flattered. Please take my hand, I’ll escort you”

“You are dismissed for the day, ladies. I’ll keep the Mustella King company the rest of the day. We will meet back at the rooms for dinner.”

Thea and Galga bowed low. The twinkle in their eyes let me know that they understood the assignment. I approached the King and took his arm.

“This way, my lady”. He smiled

I was led to a large water garden. Fountains, statues, and waterfalls were major elements of this garden. Brightly colored fish dart in and out of rock-lined pools and ponds, swimming around content with their daily lives. The plants are healthy and thriving. The water is so clean and clear you can see all the going on's of the denizens of the water garden. Just standing at the center of the garden, I can feel how balanced the aquatic ecosystem is. Someone here have a very high affinity for water and it shows.

The flow of energy is converging at the center of the garden where a gazebo stood. Slowly I walked towards it. An even steady flow of energy is originating from underneath the structure. That is where the shrine must be. But there is something strange about the power source. Opening my energy channels, I can feel that there is a slight source of life. So, there is a trapped spirit here. However, judging by the health of the garden, the spiritual being trapped here is not insidious.

“Your deity is a water goddess?” I asked, walking up to the well.

The weasel king shook his head. “According to an ancient text, Hale Kapu is the name of this garden. This oasis was already here when Vole was founded. We built our city with the help of our deity.”

“What’s the name of your deity?” I asked.

“We do not know her true name. But the founders of the city called her Zaida goddess of fortune and prosperity.”

With this spirit/goddess in their possession, the Kingdom of Vole would have gone another several generations without anyone discovering it. How did the Bear discover this kingdom? It’s possible that the Bear Prince originally just wanted to take over the field in order to be near the Akkadian boarder. His goal was too strong for the cloaking attribute to influence. He discovered the kingdom by accident. The Kodiac probably knows nothing about the power that lives here.

The King of Vole seems to be a very decent person and would want nothing but peace for his people. Thanks to this war, these peaceful shifters now have to face harsh realities that they were once protected from.

Vole doesn’t have any allies, which means that once the Ursa found them, it was over. If this is a hostile take over, that would mean that there are Ursa soldiers mixed in with the Vole. Bears that look like rodents? What would a creature like that look like? I scanned my memory of the faces of the Rodent kind until I found what I was looking for. The Badgers and the Wolverine shifters. I sent a quick thank you to my 6th grade science teacher for teaching us about the animal kingdom. The wolverines and the badgers look like they could belong to the Mustella, but they are in fact more related to bears. I got to hand it to the zodiac. The man is smart.

The King chuckled “Do you know why we are the only race without a human form?”

I shook my head. “I apologize for my ignorance.”

The king shrugged his shoulders. “We are an invisible nation. It is not surprising there isn't any record of us.”

I didn't say anything. Instead, I found a step by the pergola and sat down giving the king my undivided attention. The king's eyes brightened at my eagerness. This must be the first time that he will be telling Vole's story to someone on the outside. Teaching even just a little would allow the story of the Mustella to spread. The secret nation of rodents will no longer be a secret.

“This was during the time of the war with the children of the night.” The king began. “We were a small nation of humans then and were able to keep ourselves hidden and out of conflict. We were afraid of being discovered. That’s when a child blessed with great magical potential made us into these creatures.”

I nodded my head, not in the least bit surprised that a witch turned one of the last strong human holds into a nation of rodents.

The king took my hand and pulled me to my feet and helped me up the pergola steps. The structure is covered in sweet roses and water lilies. The air is heavy with it and so strong that I'm sure it kept the bears away.

I looked down at the pattern before me relieved. It’s not heaven's eye nor is it a wishing well. The amount of energy it's drawing in, however, is immense. I'm surprised that Queen Minth hadn't found this place earlier. Or maybe is concealing its magical energy part of its ability?

The Shield of the Rose Maiden... is a living shield. It does mimic the effects of the Heavens eye but on a much smaller scale. The name of the shield is self-explanatory. The shield of the Rose Maiden is a massive shield in the shape of a rose. The special abilities are dictated by the purpose that the shield was created for.

“We were a weak nation. We weren’t strong like the bears or fast like the wolves. We were good at hiding. That’s about it.” The King said, softly, as he petted the shield.

“The child, still very much a child, saw our struggle and turned herself into a living shield. We’ve been living in peace ever since.”

A child? I looked down at the Shield in awe. A child made this?!

“It’s getting late my lady, may I escort you back to your rooms?” The King asked.

“One moment please.” I said as I kneeled down in front of the pergola.

There is a small channel where tiny fish dart in and out of the foliage. I scooped up a small amount of water and washed my face with it. I scooped up another handful and drank.

“You’ve done well” I said, before standing and walking towards the King.

“What did you want to talk to me about?” I asked the king as he escorted me back to my rooms.

“We are having dinner tonight to formally welcome the prince. My mate is also throwing a dinner party in her quarters.”

“I see I will extend the invitation to the others. Thank you."

The Mustella King's smile faltered just a little, a flash of guilt dancing across his eyes. Without another word, the king bowed, then walked away.

What was that about? I wondered.