Raven Wolf - 02 - The Oracle - Chapter 12 by Kurapika < Submission

Keywords male 1116432, female 1005963, cat 199612, wolf 182391, feline 139263, skunk 31793, lynx 13114, leopard 11144, jackal 11013, panther 7670, series 4427, cougar 4185, novel 1211, chapter 513, raven wolf 329

Chapter Twelve

Vaan Berights stands in front of general Mort’s desk as he watches him open a file he had placed down upon it. “I managed to get the exact location of where the call was being transmitted to, even found the woman whose voice was on the recording, but you’re not going to like it.”

The air around General Mort is sweltering hot, the heat uncomfortable to what he was used to, his jacket removed and draped over his arm as he stands upon a curved driveway that leads up to a walkway leading to a large mansion, he staring at the building before making a hateful frown and moving toward it, the door opening to great him as he neared it, a large well dressed panther the other side welcoming him into the building.

The large Panther’s name was Professor Bernard Kyri, and though he was now in retirement when he was working he was known for making land marking discoveries in energy research that earned him more money than one could possible know what to do with.

Because of his found love of science he was one of the men that provided funding for the large scale domestic military laboratories, his contributions in fact the largest the military laboratories would get, it impossible for them to be up and running without his services. “Mr. Mort, good to see you. How are things back home for you?”

General Mort fixes his collar, the heat not the only thing getting to him. “Things are well, I’m defiantly in no shortage of work.” He looks back to Bernard. “How can you stand the heat here?”

Bernard gives a laugh. “Today is a cool day compared what you usually get in Old Africa.” He holds his hands out to the building they were in. “So what do you think? My home in Old Africa, when it’s not the rainy season anyway.” He looks back to General Mort. “My wife is the one who convinced me to come here. Not only is this the country that she grew up in but she is found of the warm weather. I have since getting married to her gotten used to it.”

General Mort nods his head. “About your wife.”

Bernard nods his head. “Of course General, right this way.” He begins to lead him through the house. “I was surprised to hear that you wished to talk to my wife, though her trade has been known for catching the interest of many organizations and groups worldwide, her work has never grabbed the attention of the military and their scientists until now.”

General Mort gives a shakes of his head as he mumbles under his breath. “How could it? She’s a sculptor...”

Bernard stops in front of one of the rooms in his house. “She’s waiting for you.” He leaves General Mort’s side not wanting to intrude upon their conversation.

Mort opens the door to the room entering, sculptures of all kinds both large and small, in both realistic and abstract art styles filling the room. At the rooms center is a large ebony desk, which at the moment sits a beautiful leopard, her tail moving slowly from side to side as she waits for her guest to arrive. Her dark yellow eyes looking toward him once he enters the room, she grinning as him as she begin to speak, her voice carrying a heavy African accent. “General Mort.”

She sits back in her chair as she speaks with him, a slightly harsh and sarcastic tone to her voice. “I’ve heard so much about you, it is an honour to finally met you in person. Tell me, what reason have you decided to grace me with your presence?”

General Mort walks up to the desk the woman is sitting at, throwing down the folder that he was holding onto for her to take. “I’ll get right to the point Shanira, a recording of you in a conversation with a man we are currently targeting was found.”

Shanira gives a smug smile, her mod not becoming worried or even changing. “You must be mistaken.” She looks down at the folder not bothering to open it as she pushes it back across the desk for General Mort to take. “What business would I have contacting criminals? You must have me confused for someone else.”

The general continues to question her in regards to the situation. “Why are you helping Raven Wolf’s leader? And how do you possibly know so much about top secret military projects?”

Shanira lips part as she gives him a wide grin, her sharp pointed teeth giving her a somewhat menacing look. “A sculptor like me know about military projects? Honestly, if my husband is unable to find out what kind of top secret projects the military is using his invested money for how could I possibly find out? You’re giving me too much credit I’m afraid.” She laughs as she turns back to General Mort with a shrug of her shoulder. “You know I’m a wild, and we wilds are hopeless when it comes to technology, unlike you intelligent domestics.”

“You’re lying!”

Shanira lets out a laugh, her claws lightly tapping against the folder that had been placed upon her desk. “And if I was lying, what could you do about it?” Her smile grows wider as she stares at him. “Nothing. Because I am on good terms with my husband, and if you were to do such a thing as accuse me of being a criminal he would cut the funding to your research indefinitely. Your operations are already tightly balanced as it is even with the recent support you have gotten. Anger my husband though and that funding will end, a hundred of the governor’s children would have to be ‘unfortunately killed by wilds’ to make up the money you lost, and from what I hear, Governor Milford does not have that many.”

She sits back up in her chair, her tail still slowly moving from side to side, it quite clear that her point had been made. “Clearly, it is in your best interest not to implicate me in these issues.” She waves to the folder on her desk wanting it removed. “Now, take that folder from my desk, it’s full of top secret information no doubt, and I don’t want to be mixed up in such complicated things as that.”

General Mort takes the folder off of Shanira’s desk, clearly she was not going to cooperate with him, and she was also correct in the assumption that there was nothing that he could do about it. Even if he did have a recording to implicate her doing so would certainly cut the funding her husband gave them, abruptly ending not just the project that he was on, but every military project from casual to top secret would come to an end as well.

Obviously Shanira was not only crafty but extremely intelligent, add that with the insurance and protection that came with being married to someone like the retired Professor Bernard and you ended up with an extremely powerful figure. One that the military would not lay a finger on, at least if they knew what was best for them.

Shanira makes an angered frown once General Mort leaves and closes the door behind him, pushing her chair back from her desk and uncrossing her legs as she gets to her feet making her way across the room. “I suppose it was only a matter of time before the military came to my doorstep. It looks like I’m going to have to send my messages to my dear brother more carefully.”

She makes her way through her sculptures, coming to a stop before a large statue depicting two animals fighting one another, one of the figures a large raven with the head of the wolf, the other figure the opposite, having a wolf’s body and a raven’s head. “Shiya... it is bad enough you have gotten yourself cursed, but I am afraid your foolishness is now beginning to trap you. Very soon you will have no way out, even if you do bare your fangs.”

The patter of small feet can be heard running down the halls, the door to the room opening as two young girls run inside, laughing all the while as they play with the stuffed animals that they are holding, one of the girls a panther like Bernard while the other was a young lynx.

Shanira turns to the two of them. “Elizabeth, Ophelia, this is not a room to play in.”

Elizabeth lets out an annoyed groan as she rolls her eyes. “Yes Shanira.” She looks back to the girl she was playing with silently moving her mouth to illustrate some words to describe what she thought of that. Ophelia laughing at her comments while following the other girl out of the room.

Ophelia stands in the doorway looking back to Shanira for a moment before continuing to follow the other girl out. “Sorry, you house is so big with so many rooms! I didn’t realize this room was your office.”

Shanira watches the two of them leave, Ophelia shutting the door once more behind her, the sound of their laughter echoing through the large halls, Shanira turning from them as she makes her way over to the window. The domestic military had somehow discovered the involvement with Ophelia’s family in concerns to Shiya several days ago, Shanira having to act quickly to have them moved and brought somewhere safe before the military could reach them, they now taking up residence well out of the country and in her own home for the time being.

*******

It is the dead of night, the guards posted at the entrances of the wall that right now surrounded the domestic city vigilant as they usually were, especially after the recent incident that had happened in the city only a few weeks ago. Everything quiet as it usually was at this time of the night.

After several days of travel Teddy and the few members of Raven Wolf that had journeyed back to the domestic city look over the guards and wall, they taking into account their situation and what would need to be done to get past these obstacles and enter the city.

Teddy looks back to Shiya and the others. “There are twice and many guards as there usually are, most likely because of the ruckus that was caused when we escaped the city.” His eyes move along the towering cement wall that surrounded the city, cameras all along it to catch anyone that my try to cross, his eyes stopping upon a camera with a lens lightly clouded with dust, he pointing it out to the others. “Camera thirty, it’s old and the thing is always going down, an order for a replacement was sent out but it doesn’t look like it has come in yet, and from the looks of it, it hasn’t been fixed since the last time it broke either. That’s our open window.”

Shiya looks the wall over, it a very big wall that one would not be able to get over alone, he looking back to Hasson who was the largest and the strongest of the group. “Get the rest of us over that wall and then wait here for us to return.”

Kitchi raises the voice a little concerned. “If we need dad to help us enter the city, how are we supposed to get back without him?”

“We’ll play by ear.” Shiya and the others begin rushing forward toward the wall, Hasson picking up Kit and carrying him along with him so that he would not make noise while running to alert the guards.

Kitchi too following him as the group silently made their way silently across the field toward the wall. “Play by ear? What do ears have to do with this? And what good would that do!?”

The group reaches the wall Teddy looking back to Kitchi. “It’s just a figure of speech, it means that we’re going to improvise.”

Hasson places Kit on the ground for a moment as he hosts Shiya into the air, forcefully throwing him up and atop the wall.

Shiya takes a moment to look in both the direction of the guards to see if they had noticed them as well as the other side of the wall for anything that would cause them trouble, he looking back to Hasson and motioning for him to continue when he sees that it is clear. Hasson grabbing onto Kit and hoisting him up, Shiya taking hold of his outreached hand and pulling him up alongside him. Grabbing onto Kitchi’s hand next and pulling him up followed by Teddy

Shiya silently jumps down to the other side of the wall, Kitchi and Teddy following him shortly, Shiya looking back up to the wall and holding his arms open, catching Kit when he jumps down and then placing him down on the ground.

Shiya walks up to the wall speaking to his companion on the other side. “Take care not to be seen, we’ll be back as soon as possible.”

Hasson turns away from the wall running back across the grass and towards the trees the group had before been hiding in as he waits for them to return.

Kit tries to hold in an excited laugh as he whispers to the small group he was in. “This is so cool! It’s like we’re spies or ninja’s or something!!”

Teddy looks back to Shiya and the others as he begins to explain their next course of action. “Governor Milford’s estate is still a long way off from where we are right now, we’re going to have to make our way through the city and we’re going to have to do it fast. As soon as the sun rises the city is going to be swarming with people, which of course does not go well for anyone trying to make their way without being seen.”

“The shortest path would of course be straight, but it’s not a good idea, not everyone in the city will be sleeping, especially those in the downtown and city centers.”

Shiya makes a smile while letting out a light laugh. “Ah-ha the city night life, always a treat to run into, you see some of the most oddest and interesting people out at night in the city.”

Kitchi speaks up questioning Teddy on their situation further. “What about the military?”

Teddy turns toward him as he begins to explain. “They’re heaviest around the entrances to and from the city, the two city laboratories and of course the military base. Other than a few hot spots here and there they’ll be very lightly scattered throughout the city, but they’ll stand out and are easily spotted, making them simple enough for us to avoid.”

Kit seems impressed. “I never realized that there were so many military members around the city.”

Teddy looks back to Kit. “It’s because of the base and the two military labs. They’ve got a lot to look after.”

He continues explaining things not ending at that. “Getting through the city should be simple enough, but as soon as we get to Kit’s estate there’s going to be a lot of security. I’m not sure how we’re going to enter his property and reach his house without being spotted.”

Kitchi interrupts him. “We may not know how to get in right now, but we can think about it on the way. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover so the sooner we start moving the better.”

Shiya looks back to Teddy, the group now depending on him to lead them safely to the city to Kits home. “Well then Teddy, lead the way.”

Teddy nods his head as he begins moving forward, the group following after him closely as they began making their way through the city, Kit grinning through the entire ordeal. “Just wait till I tell everyone at school about this!”

Shiya hushes Kit, the group coming to a stop and ducking down out of sight in the alley they were in when a car slowly drives through the street on the road ahead of them, the four once again on the move when everything is clear once more, making their way through the city as quickly and carefully as they could.

*******

Zack and Dolly are once again in the frozen forest that protected the Raven Wolf village, the members of the military that had gathered into the town having stayed for several days looking for answers as to where the Eliot family had disappeared to, they not completely leaving until late in the evening. This right now the first chance the two had gotten to return to the ice filled forest.

Dolly looks around her at the frozen surroundings. “How do you think they do this? I mean it can’t be natural can it?”

Zack looks back to her a sarcastic tone in his voice. “Maybe the spirits do it.”

Dolly frowns back at him. “Do you really have to do that all the time?”

“Do what?”

“Mock my culture like that, you know I’m trying very hard to make things work between us as partners.”

Zack sighs as he looks back at her. “Well I didn’t intentionally do it. Though I guess I said it without really thinking it through, seems I have a natural talent for it or something.”

A low howl fills the air catching their attention, Dolly returning to search the area around her. “So, do you think that was an animal or one of the wild’s we’re looking for?”

Zack smirks and is about to make a remark but stops, he thinking it over for a moment and realizing it best not to bring it up as Dolly would probably not find it as amusing as he did.

Dolly nudges Zack to get his attention, pointing something out for him. “Right there.”

Zack looks in the direction Dolly is bringing to his attention, past the trees is a figure whose dark black fur stands out well against the snow, the Raven’s skull upon her head masking her features, her body crouched low to the ground as she keeps her eyes on the two visitors.

Zack nods his head, though her face could not be seen it was clear that this was the woman whom had caught his attention by sharing the same features of him the last time he had come here. “Eleven...”

He begins to make his way toward her, it clear that she had seen the two of them from that distance. Eleven holding her ground as she watches both him and Dolly approach, standing upright and reaching back and placing her hand upon her weapon should she choose to need it.

Zack lifts his hands to show that he had no intention of drawing his weapon upon her. “We’re not here to fight.”

Eleven speaks to them in a warning tone. “You should leave.”

Dolly walks in front of Zack. “We just want to talk that’s all. I need to speak to my brother, he was one of the ones that entered your village recently. You should know who I’m talking about, he looks similar to me.”

Eleven looks back to Dolly. “Your brother is not here.”

Dolly seems confused. “Not here? Where could he have possibly gone?”

“I will not answer that question.”

Zack frowns, that meaning that the Raven Wolf tribe was up to something. Though getting answers to what that was not going to be a possibility when it was Eleven they were speaking to. “Alright then, we won’t ask about it. Just tell me, what are you doing within Raven Wolf?”

Eleven holds her ground her eyes now fixing upon Zack. “I think it more proper for me to ask you what you are doing within the domestic military. It cannot be much different than what the True Bloods put us through, for you to go back to that is not comprehendible.”

Dolly looks over to Zack, she not sure of what it was she was talking about. “What’s a True Blood?”

Zack glances back at her. “Nothing for you to become concerned over.” He looks back to Eleven speaking with her once more. “The domestic military is not exactly kind, but they are a far cry from what the True Bloods where when it came to how we were treated.”

Eleven responds to this, it still not a desirable situation. “You live your life locked away, only allowed out to see the light of day when you can be of use, being given the missions that no one else wants because it would pull too much upon their conscience and cause them to lose sleep. Just how many horrible things have you carried out just so that another member of the military could get a few more hours rest?”

Dolly looks back to Zack, her partner of course looking bothered by this accusation, but at the same time not denying it, Zack pausing for a moment to think over what Eleven had said before answering. “What choice do I have? There is no other way for someone like me to live, I was trained to fight my enemies and kill without hesitation nor remorse. Even you though on an opposing side cannot live in any other way, else you would not be a warrior of the Raven Wolf tribe like you are.”

Eleven frowns at him. “That is true enough for now, but not for much longer... I am learning how to live the way I was meant to and not exist only as a weapon.”

Zack argues back that not making sense at all. “A weapon can be nothing more than a weapon, it’s what it was intended to be when being crafted and it is the only roll it can possibly carry out.”

Eleven looks the two that had approached her over, refusing to continue with the conversation. “I will tell you a second time. Your brother is not here, so it is best you leave. If you do not then I will see your persistence as hostile and be forced to attack.”

Zack stares at her for a moment longer, he not ready to give up just yet. “I’ll be back.”

Zack and Dolly look toward one another, it clear that for now they should listen if they wanted to avoid getting attacked by her, they having to try again another time when Teddy was present, the two turning away from Eleven and heading back in the direction they had come from, Zack grumbling under his breath. “Well that was pointless.”

Dolly speaks up as they make their way back, something having clicked when hearing these two speak. “Forgive me if I sound foolish for asking such an odd question, but you’re a super soldier, aren’t you Magellan?”

Zack looks away from her, having figured that a question of that sort would have popped up eventually. “Where did you hear something like that?”

Dolly begins to explain. “There are rumours among the military personnel about them, soldiers created in laboratories that are stronger and more skilled then one could think to get. Though I’ve never thought them to be anything more than just a silly rumour until now, the things you two spoke of made me recall and rethink the significance of these whispers...”

Zack doesn’t respond denying her an answer, the two continuing their walk back to the town in silence.

*******

Teddy and the group continue to make their way through the city, running through the dimly lit streets without being seen.

Shiya comes to a stop in front of one of the shop buildings they had passed, he looking the name of it over as he read it. “Well that is in bad taste.”

Kitchi looks back, calling out to and motioning for Shiya to keep following them. “What are you doing?”

Shiya looks away from the sign on the store as he resumes following after his comrades, the three of them having been traveling through the city for several hours now, it not long before the sun would begin to rise.

The group comes to a stop, Kit excitedly pointing ahead of them to a large gate and fence that circled a huge estate. “There it is!! My house! We made it!!”

Shiya looks the new obstacle over. “Another wall.”

Kitchi looks back to Shiya. “This one is not as tall as the one around the city, it should be easier to get over.”

Kit speaks up giving them a warning. “Be careful, once you get on the other side the guard dogs might spot you.”

Teddy looks back to Kit. “Just how many guards does your house have?”

Kit looks back to Teddy. “Not guards, though we have a lot of those too, I mean real guard dogs! Big mean ones too. Mom doesn’t like me going near them because she doesn’t trust them not to bite me, even though dad says they’re trained to only attack intruders.”

This information is of course not good, guard dogs were not quiet once they found a target, the rest of the guards would quickly be on them as soon as they started barking. Teddy looks back to Shiya wondering if it was really necessary to go inside. “The guards should recognize Kit right? He could probably just walk up to the gate on his own and they’ll let him in.”

Shiya nods his head, though that was possible he didn’t want to risk handing Kit over to just anyone. “Kit’s assassination was a military plot, I do not know who is on the military’s side and who isn’t. I will only return Kit to his parents.” He looks back to Kit. “Besides, I must also explain the situation to them, they must know that it was not my people that intended to do harm upon their son, if I don’t then the military will crush us.”

Kitchi looks to Kit. “Will the dogs recognize you like the guards?”

Kit shakes his head no. “I don’t think so.”

Teddy thinks the situation over. “Maybe we don’t have to break in at all. We just have to get the Milford’s attention.”

Shiya nods his head agreeing with that. “That sounds great, but how do we get their attention without getting the attention of the guards?”

Teddy places his hand upon his chin as he thought the situation over, it impossible to get the sleeping Milford’s attention before the alert guards. “We couldn’t. We would have to do something that would get their attention, but not alert the guards into becoming offensive. Something loud enough to wake sleeping parents, yet harmless enough not to make the guards draw their weapons.”

Kit speaks up inputting an idea. “What about a streakier!?”

Shiya frowns at the suggestion. “Granted I will fight the military and face certain death to keep you safe Kit, but I am not streaking for you.”

Kitchi’s whispered voice interrupts them. “What is streaking?”

Teddy shakes his head no. “That’s a very... creative suggestion Kit, but I think we’re going to put that idea to the side and keep thinking until we come up with something a little less... flashy...”

Shiya smirks as he covers his muzzle with his hand to keep from laughing, Kitchi just as confused as ever. “I don’t get it what’s so funny...?”

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Raven Wolf - 02 - The Oracle - Chapter 12

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