quite eradicated
It had been early on that they had recognized their growing closeness to the wolves. First the pack, Ichika, where his uncle led had settled in the north. While Myrika had been plain with her appraisal of them, Ezekiel did not forget (nor did he forgive) Dahlia de Mai for what they had done to his family. While his sister had stood by him on this, he was alone now with Sage…and Sage was far too friendly for his liking. He had chosen her because it was part of his game, but now his pawn had gotten all these ideas and ideals into her head and actually imagined they would see peace. It was a shallow thought. Life alone existed without peace. They lived in chaos, tossed and thrown about as those damned in the Inferno. Maybe his grandmother had known that even without knowing Dante.
His body was sore. Training Max had become more difficult now that he was almost fully grown. While wolfish in his body and face, the halfbreed’s sharp lines and grin were coyote in truth. The boy was a devoted apprentice, and he was learning quickly. Archery was difficult for him, but he was taking to the lupus combat like no other. Like it or not, his heritage was an advantage—Max was already heavier than Ezekiel and used that while they trained.
Still, he was glad that the boy had come. He was devoted. This was what Ezekiel needed, now more than anything else. Halo had come for him once, what would happen if an outside force saw such weakness? Inferni had to at least appear to be a solid, unified front. Especially now, when a pack of well-armed wolves had taken up residence in the south. They were far closer than Dahlia had ever been, and this worried him. Still, it did not surprise him when the call came, for the other packs had done this before. He debating taking his horse, but was halfway to the borders and on foot. It didn’t matter. If they were foolish enough to come armed, he would have the advantage—his bow had the distance and the strength behind it to kill.
What he found was a she-wolf and a hybrid. It was obvious from the way they stood, and the fact that it had been the woman who called, that she was the leader among the two. Ezekiel’s red feet carried him with ease along a worn trail. There was no doubt where Inferni’s borders began; besides the skulls, they had worn trails after years of patrols both on and off horseback. They smelled like the ocean, horses…and metal. “I take it you must be our new neighbors,” he said, smiling in a way that did not meet his eyes.
@import url(http://bloodandfire.sleepyglow.net/publ ... s/zeke.css);
</style>
[/html]