The night had not come yet but the aging Baraza's mind was already burdened. News had come by bird that the remains of Mintaka had been located at last. The trinity had finally come to an end. As soon as the moon rose into the sky and the pack came alive, she would have to share the news with her equal; Alnitak. They were the only two Baraza left but the trinity had to be restored. Alnitak was chosen by the people, Alnilam ruled by blood-right, but Mintaka had been chosen by the other two. Now they must choose another, a feat much easier said than actually done.
The winds of change were upon the Nyota-Wasomaji's Baraza and soon the entire pack would feel the effects of these changes. For better or for worse, Alnilam worried of her children during these times. Something deep in her gut told her that this would not be a peaceful transition in adding a new Baraza to their council.
Nungal hurried along with Karoma trotting along beside her. The maned wolf's long legs helped her keep stride, plus she wasn't much smaller than any of the wild dogs around her. "I wonder what Baraza Alnilam wanted to see us about." She mused out loud.
The lanky canine rolled her eyes. "It's obviously nothing important if you're coming with me." Never had Karoma been fond of the outsider, but with the Baraza's blessing, Nungal had been allowed to join the pack so there was a level of tolerance between the two of them. "Still, it seemed urgent if she sent a bird for us both." Though there was something eating at the back of her head about the fact that Endymion and Dyanna were nowhere to be seen.
In fact, the sun was still on the horizon so much of the pack was still asleep or waiting for the sun to finally set and the stars to come out. What was the Baraza's reason for such an urgent summon?
White legs paced High Moon Point as Alnilam waited with only a single Colossus at the base of the cuesta. It had been almost thirty minutes since the two falcons had been sent out. Birds were a rarity in the pack, so only a best were even allowed to stay in the starlands. Where were they? Something caught her attention. One ear turned and quickly so did the rest of her head.
There was no smile to greet the pair as Nungal and Karoma approached the Point. It was...odd. There was a seriousness, almost dread in the air that the two could definitely feel. The steely blue female's fur began to stand on edge as the Baraza's dark eyes stared down at her. She watched those eyes move between Karoma and herself before watching Alnilam nod to the single Colossus that had been...standing guard? Since when did the Baraza use guards?
"Baraza Alnilam," Karoma's voice broke the strange silence after watching the Colossus leave, making sure they were well out of range before speaking. "The falcon you sent to me made my presence here sound urgently needed."
The starry female simply watched the two for a moment before turning and returning to the top of High Moon Point. She sat at the top, her back facing the other wild dog and canine friend of her daughter. Her shoulder dropped slightly as did her head. Both of the Baraza's ears went back, her tail curling up beside her as she just sat silently. Now that the two were here, the emotions came flooding in. Her normally cold exterior dropped and for once she was vulnerable.
This behavior was...odd to say the least. Karoma had never seen her like this before and that worried her. Slowly, the long-legged canine approached the council member. "Baraza...?" She asked, her voice cautious with her words just as her paws were with each step closer to the starry wild dog. What in the world had happened to cause her to break in such a way? Not even the leaving of Alnilam's pups for the pilgrimage had caused her such grief. In fact, the event had made the Baraza nothing but proud as far as Karoma had seen.
"Mintaka." There was a pause after the name. "He's dead."
That was a name that Nungal had only heard through whispers. She knew he was a Nova that had been missing and that he was supposed to become the third Baraza when he was found. It seemed like he would never fullfill that role in the pack. Following Karoma's initiative, she also began her way up towards the peak of the hill, making sure to keep her ears back and her tail low as she did. The normally peppy female was currently wary, almost afraid.
"He's dead." Alnilam repeated, her voice much firmer than the first time those two words fell from her mouth. "A bird arrived this afternoon with the news that his body had been found by some Colossus on patrol. I've asked for the news of his death to kept a secret for now, but as you know, news will travel, someone will talk and soon everyone will know. You two are the first besides the Colossus and I to know."
"The guard from earlier..." The other wild dog asked, finally saying something.
The Baraza nodded. "That was him."
Karoma quickly took a step forward, her fur spiking upward as her brain began to put the pieces together of why the two of them were here. "Wait, you say we're the first two to know. Not even Baraza Alnitak knows?"
"No, she doesn't. She'll learn about it soon enough, but for now she's still asleep." This news would warrant waking her, but the last thing Alnilam wanted to deal with was a tired and angry Alnitak. "I called you two here because I worry about what may happen in the days to come. With the Baraza council broken and no apparent replacement for the position, the council may very well fall apart." Truthfully, Alnilam worried for a civil war, just as the one in the pack's history, but such a worry was not something said lightly. "I want you two to watch over Endymion and Dyanna. If anything were to happen to me they-"
"No." Karoma snapped, her lips raising at the Baraza's words. "Nothing is going to happen to you!" Her voice lifted as well, her frustration about the situation etched into every word that left her mouth. "There is no reas-"
"Karoma shush." The reply from Alnilam was tense, cold but with a hint of annoyance in it.
"There...there is no reason to guard them. Things will be fine. The pack will mourn and we'll mov-" Before she could finish the sentence, Alnilam reacted.
"Enough!" Was the reply Karoma got in the form of a snarl the ripped out of Alnilam's throat as she lunged at the maned wolf, grabbing the canine by the back of her neck and throwing her to the ground. Standing over the fallen friend of her daughter's, she continued to growl down at Karoma. "I want none of your backtalk. You have no idea what is at stake."
The young wild dog simply stared, her body lowering itself towards the ground as she watched the Baraza act more like the alpha she was the equivalent of. Never had she seen Alnilam snap or even act with this amount of aggression towards a member of the pack. It was terrifying, but somehow she knew that Karoma was in no real danger, the maned wolf just needed to know when to hold her tongue, especially in a time that the entire pack should be mourning.
"Baraza Alnilam..."
The tuft of Alnilam's head fell over one of her eyes as her head snapped up, her dark eyes staring Nungal down. "What?!"
"You were saying that we should watch over them?"
"I..." Her head turned back down to look at the ghostly looking female under her that just cowered between her paws. "In case anything were to happen to me, they are the heirs of the pack. Espoir and Ku'síválte have not returned. They are not considered true members of the pack, not yet."
"True...heirs?"
"I...I am a descendant of the founders of the pack. Alnitak is not. If the Baraza fall, they have, by blood, the right to rule the pack. Which one would lead, I would leave to you two." Each word seemed to get harder and harder to speak. She was talking about the future, a maybe, a possible future but everything seemed like it could happen tomorrow. If the pack wanted, it could easily fight over which Baraza would become the 'alpha' as they were called in other packs. It was a scenario that Alnilam did not want to come to pass.
While replying to Nungal's question, Karoma took the opprotunity to slip out from between the Bazara's paws. She knew the history of Alnilam's bloodline and part of her knew that was the reason she had been paired with Dyanna, the most adventurous of the four pups.
"I don't understand..."
"You don't need to. All you need to know is that you are to protect Endymion and you Karoma, are to protect Dyanna, from any harm and anyone that may try to harm them." Alnilam's words were snappy, tense and almost angry, but the two could understand why. "That is my request."
Those four words caught the pair off-guard though. It wasn't an order. The Baraza before them was vulnerable and scared and she was asking them for help in securing the future of the pack. There was nothing to think about .How could either of them say no?
Both Karoma and Nungal nodded.
A smile crept onto Alnilam's face as she watched both of them agree. "Good. You two are dismissed. I would suggest some sleep before night falls and the pack begins to hear of his death." Spirit-touched paws walked her back over to the peak of the cuesta. Sitting down, she watched the sky as the sun set over the horizon and the last flicker of light left with it. Only the burnt hues in the sky remained.
The two watched the back of the starry Baraza in silence before turning to leave themselves. There was much to think on.
[word count: 1735]