LERRIN

"The melding is ancient, it hasn't been used in generations. Who knows if it even works anymore?

" The old male, Rhegyn, spoke clearly, but his voice wavered and cracked.

He was one of the elders who could no longer fight and track silently, but whose experience was respected within the tribe. He'd been at the encampment. If his resistance had shifted from the idea, to the method by which they would make it real, Lerrin knew he was winning. It was an effort not to howl in excitement.

But, clenching his jaw to keep himself in check, he nodded and opened his hand towards the male.

"I understand the concern, but we have lost none of our skill or strength in the generations that have passed. I am certain not only that it will work, but that it will usher us into a new era of unity such as we have not seen in living memory. There is a reason the melding was creating. We are a people given to conflict. This allows us to choose our goal and walk toward it in step.

"

Lerrin paused, giving them all a moment to consider it.

"Who would lead the melding?

"

Lerrin sighed with relief. They were coming. As he explained his own role—that he would, with Reth's permission, lead the people in this to guarantee unity—his heart began to sing. They were coming.

Here and there he could see pockets of frowning, of angry or fearful murmurs. But that was the point of the melding. Those who agreed in principle would come despite their misgivings. And those who didn't come… everyone would know who they were.

Every wolf would be accountable.

"Are we agreed?

" Lerrin asked, his voice sharp with anticipation. But as the wolves looked at each other, as he could feel them softening in the bond, a voice rose from behind him.

"How do we know this isn't a trick?

"

Reth whirled, his brows pinching down over his nose at the voice that came from the Anima of the tree city. He opened his mouth, but Lerrin rushed in.

"We will show you. We will take the melding here, before you—and you will see. No Lupine can take the melding then act in contradiction to it—their intention will be open to all, and all will know their transgression. And you would see it, also,

" he said calmly, then turned to the side so he looked back and forth at both groups.

"This is your warning, Lupine. The melding will occur. Those of you who cannot give yourselves to it, you will be identified—and named before all of Anima.

"

Voices on both sides of the clearing rose in discussion again. Lerrin waited.

Reth looked at him sharply and stepped closer. He spoke in a hush below the level of those talking around them.

"You can identify any dissenters?

"

Lerrin nodded.

"Their absence will be noted. They won't be able to… join the rest of us. Any of us could identify them—or rather, their absence. Like scanning a crowd and seeing that they are not there.

"

Reth nodded thoughtful, then glanced at the Lupines.

Lerrin leaned in.

"Do we give them an amnesty? The chance to leave peacefully? Or will you take them?

"

Reth looked over his shoulder and raised his chin. A moment later Behryn had left the council and come to join them, leaning in so they could speak quietly.

"The wolves that won't join the greater group,

" Reth whispered to him.

"I'm considering allowing them to leave. Do you have thoughts?

"

Berhyn snorted.

"I have many thoughts, but they are not all helpful.

"

"What risks do you see in allowing them to leave independently?

"

Behryn glanced at Lerrin. He could scent the suspicion on the Equine, but he raised an eyebrow and presented his bound hands as proof that he was submitted.

Behryn's lips thinned, but he didn't nod.

"It depends how many of them there are,

" he said quietly, looking back and forth between Reth and Lerrin.

"If there is only a handful, they are weakened by being seen to be in such minority. They may cause petty issues, but we'll know them and they will be easy to find. However, if you have whole packs, fists… if their numbers are over twenty, while they may not be a threat of war, they could take many lives before we eradicated them if they chose to truly try.

"

Reth turned to Lerrin.

"Do you have any idea?

"

Lerrin scanned his people. He could feel the resistance in the bond, the hearts that balked, wanted to pull away from this plan. But without speaking with each wolf individually, without the melding, there was no way in the greater pack link to identify them quickly or easily.

But they were not loud.

"I don't think we have too many. Twenty? Possibly. But not more than that.

"

"You can't tell?

" Behryn asked sharply.

Lerrin swallowed a growl.

"The melding would give us a much greater awareness of each individual within. The only way to identify them without it would be to speak with each individually. It would take far too long.

"

"Then how do you propose to do this?

" Reth said, eyeing Behryn and the wolves behind him.

"I propose that we offer the melding. As it completes, we will become aware of any of the wolves that have remained, but have not joined with us. We can identify them then, though I doubt they will still be among us at that point. That's why I asked. Do I offer them a chance to separate in peace? To simply leave? Some may have already slunk away once they realized the way this was going. But those that remain now…

"

"Those are our infection,

" Reth finished for him.

Lerrin nodded.

"I can give the signal,

" Behryn said quietly, eyeing Reth.

Lerrin's ears perked. Signal for what?

The two stared at each other for a long moment. If he hadn't known better, Lerrin would have thought they could mind link just like the wolves, for all the information that seemed to pass in that gaze.

Then he scented the predatory intent on Reth and a growl began to roll in his throat.

"What are you up to, Reth?

"

******

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