Raven Wolf - 02 - The Oracle - Chapter 14 by Kurapika < Submission

Keywords male 1115026, female 1004792, wolf 182173, skunk 31746, coyote 11282, series 4427, cougar 4182, novel 1212, chapter 513, raven wolf 329

Chapter Fourteen

Shiya, Teddy and Kit are all gathered around one another, Teddy and Shiya growing tired with their constant fleeing and searching through Kit’s house.

Teddy looks back to Shiya it clear that they weren’t going to find what they were looking for. “I think it’s pretty clear that Kit’s parents were moved during the commotion.”

Kit groans to himself. “Well that’s just perfect! The most important time I need them and they’re nowhere!”

Shiya lifts his hand to the others to get them to quiet down. “Quiet. Something’s wrong.”

Teddy and Kit both fall silent, Shiya continuing to listen, everything completely quiet, there no sounds of footsteps running down the hall. “Where are the guards?”

A hopeful look fills Kit’s face. “Maybe we managed to lose them!”

Teddy does not look so sure about this, something else concerning both him and Shiya as well. The gunshots that had been heard before from Kitchi’s battle no longer sounding. “I’m not hearing any noise from Kitchi either... you don’t think something happened to him do you?”

Shiya looks the others over. “Perhaps he has just managed to disarm all of his opponents.”

A loud wave of gunfire from hundreds of weapons fills the air, the sound loud and terrifying, this of course not meaning that things were going well for their companion.

A horrified look fills Kits face it pretty clear that their friend was in danger. “If Kitchi is in trouble we have to go and help him!”

Shiya thinks the situation over, Kit’s parents where nowhere to be found in this house, and Kitchi was clearly in danger if not already hurt. The guards too that had been following them had stopped, meaning that someone more powerful had stepped in. “It’s the military.”

Teddy looks over to Shiya that defiantly would explain the amount of gunfire being heard. “If the military has been brought in then what are we supposed to do?”

Shiya looks back to Teddy. “You keep searching for Kit’s parents, I will go and help Kitchi.”

Teddy and Kit watch as Shiya quickly turns around, leaving the room and running as fast as possible, Kit calling out to him as he watched him go. “Wait! I wanna come to!! I can help you fight!”

A look of realization fills Teddy’s face, someone had to have called the military else it would still only be the guards they were up against, the security personal themselves did not have that power, someone much more influential had to have made the call. They possibly not having resorted to calling the military unless they had recognized that it was Raven Wolf that was here. “Your parents must still be on the property...” He looks to a window that leads to outside. “One of them must have seen Kitchi to know that it was Raven Wolf that was here. One of them must be outside.”

Kit seems excited. “Great! Then let’s follow Shiya!!”

He is about to chase after Shiya but is stopped when Teddy grabs onto his arm and holds him in place. “It’s too dangerous for you to be following Shiya, we need to go outside so we can see if one of your parents are out there, but we also have to keep out of the line of military fire!”

Kit looks back to Teddy. “Well how are we supposed to do that?”

*******

Kitchi hides behind a statue in the garden as bullets rain past on either side of him keeping him from trying to go elsewhere. “Why are all my missions turning out like this? Until I’m a true warrior my involvement is supposed to be minimal at best!”

The sound of the bullets ricocheting and chipping away at the solid state he hides behind comes to a stop, the gun fire now being directed at something else. Kitchi taking a moment to look back to see a huge group of soldiers go air born from one of Shiya’s attacks. “Chieftain!”

He is about to leave the shelter of the statue to help him but is stopped when a figure jumps down in front of him, swinging his arm at him and hitting him hard, Kitchi falling and tumbling to the ground.

Kitchi lets out a painful moan as he pushes himself back to his feet, staring up at the man that had attacked him, a coyote with well groomed fur in the uniform belonging to the military approaching him, he speaking in a very condescending tone of voice. “This is what the military dared drag me out of my bed for? A few filthy little wilds? I would be insulted if I had not already been itching to get out onto the field.”

Kitchi pushes himself back to his feet, readying his weapon and running forward to attack his new opponent, the coyote avoiding the blade as it is swung at him moving behind Kitchi and kicking him hard in the back bringing him to the ground once more. The coyote shaking his head as he watches Kitchi get back to his feet. “You don’t think before you act do you? Though I supposed that is to be expected, it’s so typical of you slow and stupid wolves.”

The coyote begins to laugh loudly when he sees Kitchi pull himself back to his feet once again. “You must be joking, what an exceptionally stupid wolf you are! I eat little pups like you for breakfast!” He leaps forward attacking Kitchi, Kitchi turns back to him and swinging the blade he held at him, the coyote catching onto it and prying it from his hands, taking the weapon from him and throwing it away so it could not be used anymore, he then grabbing to Kitchi’s arm and throwing him to the ground once more.

“And the dapple coated warrior is again bested!” He kneels down placing his right knee against Kitchi’s chest and pushing against him, keeping him down on the ground. “A word of advice from a much more intelligent species, it’s better if you don’t get up, you’ll only get yourself hurt.”

He reaches down, grabbing onto the skull that Kitchi wore upon his head, forcefully removing it and throwing it to the side, he now staring down at Kitchi, he unable to help but chuckle at what he saw. “Raven Wolf must be struggling if they are making pups as young as you into warriors.” He grabs onto Kitchi’s face as he begins looking him over with a disgusted sneer. “I’d almost forgotten how ugly you wolves are, maybe I should put the mask back on.”

He tightens his grip around Kitchi’s throat. “So then freckles what’s next? You going to give up in defeat and come quietly or are you going to fight back forcing me to kill you?”

The coyote’s ear twitches turning to the side, he reacting quickly as he bends forward, a bullet flying past where his head had been and hitting the ground, he angrily turning in the direction it had come from, spotting Teddy standing upon the roof of the Milford house, preparing the gun he carried to fire again.

The coyote stares at Teddy with a displeased look, not happy with the interruption. “How rude.”

Kitchi bares his fangs letting out a threatening growl, readying his claws as he swings his arm forward, swiping and cutting into his opponents face with his claws, even if his weapon had been taking from him he still had his own claws and teeth to defend himself with.

The coyote lets out a loud scream of pain, he jumping back from Kitchi and holding onto his face, blood running through his fingers as he stumbled back. “Why you!!”

Kitchi quickly gets back to his feet, running away from the coyote that was screaming both in pain and rage, he making his way over to Shiya as fast as he could, his chieftain looking to have the rest of the soldiers under control. He getting his attention and pointing towards Mr. Milford whose figure was steadily getting smaller as he distanced himself from them. “Shiya! Kit’s father is right over there!”

Shiya looks to where Kitchi is pointing, he quickly chasing after him to stop him from leaving. “Mr. Milford!”

Kit climbs into the roof next to Teddy, he looking through the yard that has right now been turned into a battleground and spotting the figure he was looking for, pointing down to his father. “There he is Teddy! My dad’s right there!” He runs to the edge of the roof in an attempt to get closer. “Dad!! Dad stop!!”

Mr. Milford stops in his tracks upon hearing the small voice, he turning back in the direction that it had come from, spotting the two figures on the roof of his house. “Kit?”

The two guards next to Mr. Milford react, drawing the weapons as Shiya approaches them, he coming to a stop in front of Kit’s father, the white wolf almost out of breath from the constant running and fighting he had been enduring most of the night. “Please Mr. Milford... I need to return your son to you.”

Mr. Milford stares at Shiya, he then looking from him and to the small figure that was yelling over to him from the roof of his house.

*******

The military soldiers all stand in wait outside of the Milford property, they having been ordered by the governor to leave his property and await further instructions.

One of the soldiers on the other side is in the middle of an overseas phone conversation with General Mort as he right now explained the situation to him. “The leader of Raven Wolf was there just like you said, we were on the verge of attacking when Kit Milford showed up. After that the Governor gave us the orders to leave his property to await further instructions. The situation doesn’t look good at all... in a matter of minutes the military’s involvement in the assassination of his son is soon to be learned by him, not only will we lose our funding but we’ll be lucky if we’re not thrown in jail.”

He looks back to the coyote that was still yelling out in anger, he giving a hard time to the medics that were trying to tend to the wound on his face. “There’s also an issue with the super soldier we brought with us. Alistair was the one most suited to go at the time, so we brought him. He was performing well, until he was wounded by one of the wilds during the battle, after that he completely lost his focus and it was quiet a task for the other soldiers to get him back under control and keep him that way. Even now he is proving to be difficult to handle. The wound is nothing life threatening at all, but unless he receives treatment immediately there’s a good chance that it’s going to scar over, and you know how Alistair is with things like that.”

Alistair lets out another long and angered yell, hitting one of the medics and driving him back from him. “Be more careful!!! If you don’t watch what you’re doing you’re going to take my eye out! And if that were to happen I would be inclined to take yours as compensation!!”

*******

Kit’s mother hugs Kit tightly refusing to let him go, tears of joy running down her face as she sobs, happy to have him back after having thought him to be dead.

Mr. Milford stares at Shiya the two sitting on the ground across from each other as one usually did when talking to Shiya, the white wolf having just finished explaining to him the situation as he knew it, of how it was the military that had attacked Kit with the intent to kill him and frame him and his tribe, and of how the military had been continuing to hunt him down after finding out that he had managed to survive the attack.

He looks over to his son, Kit never denying once that Shiya’s accusations were wrong or untrue. Mr. Milford then looks back to Shiya once more, the unfortunate situation not an easy realization. “If that is indeed the truth, then I must apologize for what has happened and I must thank you for returning my son to me safely. How can I pay you back?”

Kitchi speaks up while tending to a wound he had received during the fighting. “For one thing you could tell the military to back off.”

Shiya looks back to Kitchi shushing him, this conversation not one he should be inviting himself into. Kitchi sighing as he turns away giving his wound his full attention. “Mom is going to freak out when she sees this... she’s probably going to kill dad.”

Teddy looks at the wound on Kitchi’s arm, it being from a bullet having grazed past his skin. “I think you did pretty well considering what you were up against, as soon as I heard the military gunfire I was expecting to find you looking no more different then swish cheese.”

Shiya looks back to Mr. Milford, speaking to him once again. “I know you will not be able to completely stop me and my people from being targeted by the military, but anything that you can do in regards to that would be helpful.” He looks back to Teddy now motioning toward him. “Also, Teddy Conner has faced a lot of trouble in helping me out. He has lost his job, his home and his lively hood and is now a wanted criminal that is targeted by the military as well. If you would be able to lift the charges placed upon him I would be grateful.”

Mr. Milford looks back to Teddy. “So you’re Teddy Conner are you, I’ve heard a lot about you. First everyone thought you had been kidnapped, but then you ended up siding with the enemy and attacking the military.”

Teddy looks back to Mr. Milford as he nods his head yes, there no way he could deny his actions. “Yes... well... Iuana and Yula needed my help and protection... they asked for my help and I gave it to them. They only wanted to return home to their father.”

Mr. Milford lets out a heavy sigh. “And then after returning his children to him you helped Shiya once more and risked your life to return my son to me, to not lift these charges off your name after you have done all of that would make me no better than a devil. Your name is cleared, you need not worry about returning to your home or family anymore.”

Teddy looks shocked. “You will... and I can...?” He smiles things starting to look up. “That’s great! You have no idea how much this means to me! Thank you! Thank you very much!!”

Mr. Milford looks back to Shiya. “I will cut the funding I have given the military to fight against your tribe, and I will have the people responsible for this farce imprisoned immediately. The target I have placed upon you and your tribe will be lifted, and we will resume our difficult talks of peace.”

Shiya places his hands upon the ground, tilting his head forward and bowing to Mr. Milford. “Thank you so much Governor Milford.”

Kit turns back to Shiya, this indeed wonderful news. “Shiya this is great!! Maybe now the elders will not be sore about you. Oh! And Iuana is going to be so happy when she hears this too!!”

The excitement slowly begins to leaves Teddy’s face at the mention of Iuana’s name. He had been so happy about returning to everything that he had lost that he had almost forgotten about everything that he had gained, Iuana having been hoping very much that he would stay at the village with her and the rest of her people.

*******

Zack is sitting at a table in the small restaurant the village had, he silently poking at the food with his fork instead of eating it, Dolly staring at him as he did this, she having already finished her meal. “You ARE going to eventually eat that aren’t you?”

Zack looks up from his food and over to her. “Why do you want it? If you’re that hungry why don’t you just order some more for yourself?”

Dolly frowns while making a light growling in the back of her throat. “I’m done eating Zack. In fact I’ve been done eating for about an hour. I’m waiting on you!”

Zack looks back to his food continuing to poke at it. “I am eating. Just because I don’t wolf down food as fast as you do doesn’t mean I’m not.” He’s eyes move back up to Dolly. “See what I did there? Wolf down food, and you’re a wolf.”

Dolly does not look amused. “Yeah I caught onto it, it wasn’t that funny.”

Zack looks from her and back to his food, Dolly slamming the palm of her hand against the table. “Just eat it already!!”

Zack looks back to it. “I am eating it! Just hold on would you? How typical that the first partner I get is someone as impatient as you!” He picks up some of the food with his fork, holding it up and staring at it.

Dolly watches Zack stare at the food. “You do remember how to eat don’t you?” She groans when Zack doesn’t give her an answer. “What is wrong with you Magellan? I’ve never see you so spaced out before. What is this about!?”

Zack looks past his food and back to her. “What if I told you the military was on their way here to arrest me and put me in jail?”

Dolly seems confused. “Why would they do that? Even if they did find out you were hiding information from them you wouldn’t get jail time as punishment.”

Zack puts his food down as he looks back to Dolly. “Do you want to know where your brother was last night? He was in the city returning Kit to his parents.”

Dolly is shocked to hear this. “He was...?” She lowers his head, it did sound like something he would do, since he had done the same thing in concerns to Yula and Iuana. “He was in the city...?”

Zack nods his head yes. “Yes, and since I am the one that pulled the trigger I am the one that will be punished for this whole ordeal. They’re arresting me for the attempted murder of Kit Milford.”

Dolly argues back, there no reason for Zack to be punished like this when he was only following his orders. “Despite how horrible it was you were only doing what you had been told to do. The ones who gave you that order should be the ones that are punished! Just tell them who it was that gave you those orders!”

Zack looks over to her. “I can’t...”

“Why not?”

Zack begins to explain, the answer quiet obvious. “Better alive in jail than dead because I was unable to keep my mouth shut.” He looks back to Dolly. “I am an important military tool. I doubt I will be there very long. They’ll do everything in their power to get me back on the field.”

Several soldiers begin to enter the small restaurant. “Zack Magellan.”

Zack puts his food down as he pushes himself up from his chair, raising his arms behind his head to show them that he would be coming quietly, he looking back down to Dolly before taking his leave. “The thing that bothers me the most about this whole order is only the fact that I told Eleven that I would be back, but again just like the last time I told her those words, I’m not going to be able to make it back.” He begins walking forward following the soldiers out. “How ridicules is it for me to become upset over that? It just... makes no sense...”

Dolly watches him leave, she unsure of what to do or say. “This is wrong...” She sits back down in her seat, knowing that if she did anything she would become an enemy to the military, she unable to do such a thing as easily as her brother was to help someone. “This isn’t right...”

One of the soldiers walks up to Dolly getting her attention. “Miss. Conner, you are to return to base immediately.”

Dolly nods her head as she folds her hands in front of her. “Yes.” She stays seated for a moment longer, not yet leaving to head back.

*******

It has been days since Shiya and the others had taken their leave from the village.

Yula sits down on the ground as he unenthusiastically sorts through a pile of wood, he letting out an aggravated groan not wanting to do this. “Come on why do I have to do this? Isn’t there someone else that can do this?”

Achak look over to Yula, he not that far from him as he mixes several powders and other various things together. “Would you rather gather the wood?”

“No...”

“Prepare the food?”

“No...”

“Mix the paint, incense and powders?”

“You’re the only one that could do that.”

“Ah! Sew and clean the clothes then?”

“Most defiantly no!”

Achak looks back to Yula. “Well since you don’t want to do anything else you can sort the wood.” He looks back to his work, being very careful to get things just right and not mess up. “It is a very important day for Kitchi! When he returns from his quest successful he will be a full-fledged warrior! The ceremony for such an occasion is important, for Kitchi it is part of growing from a child to a man! For the tribe it marks the beginning of what will be many great accomplishments of his tribe and people! And when the spirits come down to gaze upon the one whom this ceremony is for they will judge him, and if they no longer see him as the young pup he once was and instead as the true great warrior he is and they will give the tribe the sign of approval, and then the chieftain will give Kitchi the makings of a warrior forever letting those around him know of the title he has earned.”

Achak looks back to Yula, it horrible if it were not to happen. “Everything must be ready for when he returns or else no ceremony can take place, and if no ceremony is to take place then the spirits will not come and see him for the warrior he is, if they do not see how much he has grown as a warrior they will not give the tribe the sign of their approval, if the sign of approval is not given then our Chieftain cannot give Kitchi the markings, if Kitchi does not receive the markings then he will not truly be a warrior! It would be terrible!”

Yula continues working despite his dislike for it. “Really...? Wow...” He looks back to Achak something else coming to his mind. “Teddy says that spirits aren’t real. He says that they only exist in people heads and that’s all.”

Achak frowns as he look up from what he is doing and over to Yula. “Teddy is an idiot.” Yula stops what he is doing as he looks back to Achak, the tribe’s medicine man just shrugging his shoulders. “What? I’m only saying what is true.”

Yula continues with his work once again. “Are you sure that they are coming back today?”

Achak nods his head. “Yes, Shiya sent a raven to me two days ago, it was carrying two small stones in it, which means he will be here in two days, today the day of the second in which is he to show.”

Yula looks over at him confused, Achak getting back to work. “Tahki and Eleven have already set out to meet them and bring them here. They should be back very soon.”

Yula holds up one of the dry branches he was holding. “So what are all these branches for? And why am I checking them to make sure there’s no bird poo on them?”

Achak lets out an annoyed sigh as he looks back to Yula. “You are looking for nests of insects and blood of animals too you know. Only clean wood must be used in the ceremony.”

That doesn’t answer Yula’s question. “Ok... so what are all these clean branches going to be used for?”

Achak look back to him that obvious to anyone that knew of the ceremony. “Why they are used for the sign of course.”

Iuana walks up to the two of them, she smiling at Yula as she now explains what it was Achak was trying to say, she having overheard most of the conversation. “If the spirits see and accept Kitchi they will give Shiya the sign of approval by setting the branches we have gathered ablaze!” He smiles back at Yula. “It’s really very wonderful, you used to love this ceremony when you where a child.”

Yula looks surprised. “Really?”

Iuana nods her head. “Yes. We both did. The way the fire lit up the night sky, how proud father always was to give the markings of a warrior to one that had earned them, the food and drink to honour the new warrior, how it brings such happiness to everyone in the village. Every part of it is wonderful.”

Yula wags his tail, it all sounding great, especially the part about the food. “I can’t wait!! Kitchi sure is lucky!!”

Iuana nods her head. “Yes...” She looks to the side. “I always wanted to have a warriors ceremony for myself... but I could never have one.”

Yula looks surprised to hear this. “Why not? I mean you’re really good at fighting.”

Iuana looks back to her brother. “Tahki does not see me as a warrior, neither did any of the other’s that have ever lead the warriors of our tribe. Unless I first get their approval I cannot even take the tests that lead up to this celebration.”

Excited voices begin to fill the air, Yula and Iuana turning toward the commotion, a wide smile filling Yula’s face as he drops what he had been doing and runs over to them. “That must be them! They’re back!!”

Iuana nods her head, it indeed seeming that way. She begins to follow Yula, nudging Achak on the back of the head to get his attention, he again having been so focused on his work that he had not noticed their arrival, this mistake common for him, his ears perking up as he looks in the direction of the commotion. “They’re back!” He is about to run forward but stops, he turning around and spinning in a circle as he looks around him, finding his staff and grabbing it in his mouth as he begins running on all fours to welcome Shiya and the others back to the village.

Eve is already standing next to Shiya as he spoke to her, an overjoyed look on her face as Shiya spoke. “-so Governor Milford has overlooked the incident with Yula, and you are allowed to return to you home whenever you see fit.”

Eve grabs onto Shiya hugging him tightly in her excitement, as shocked look on the chieftains face, he having been caught off guard. “Oh thank you!! You don’t know how much this means to me!! How can I ever repay you for this!?”

Iuana looks through the group that had arrived, a smile on her face she happy to have them all back, she calling out to the one she could not find among the crowds. “Teddy?”

Iuana is pushed to the side as Kitchi’s mother forces herself past her, he holding onto Kitchi’s arm as she drags him along after her, soon finding Hasson and promptly beginning to raise her voice to him. “What is this!? I specifically told you not to let him get a single scratch on him!”

Kitchi tries to pull away from his mother. “Mom come on it’s not his fault! He was way outside the city and there were about a hundred domestics all shooting at me!”

Hasson nods his head, there really nothing he could do about it. “I was completely absent from the battle! How could have done anything?”

Kitchi’s mother is still not pleased. “Look at this! He’ll have this scar for the rest of his life!”

Kitchi speaks up it not a big deal. “Mom it’s hardly noticeable at all!”

“Well I noticed it!”

Shiya pulls away from Eve as he looks back to Kitchi’s family, he approaching them and trying to calm Kitchi’s mother down. “It’s not a bad thing, battle scars are worn proudly by warriors, it’s a sign of survival in the most dangerous of circumstances. This is just one of many proud marks of battle he will be getting as a warrior.”

Kitchi’s mother does not seem pleased with this information. “Just one of many!?” She raises her voice to Shiya. “When I was a warrior I never had a single one! Why would Kitchi be getting many!?”

“Come on mom stop yelling at everyone!”

Iuana continues to search through everyone there, she calling out once more. “Teddy?” Again she is not met with a response, the smile leaving her face as she lowers her gaze to the ground. She had to admit that she had somewhat expected that this would happen. After all Teddy always looked so uncomfortable in the village, this made worse by the recent announcement that had been made about her soon to be found suitor.

She looks over to her father, getting his attention and pulling him away from Kitchi and his family. “Teddy didn’t come back... he’s staying with the domestics back in the city isn’t he?”

Shiya stares at her. “Teddy?” He shakes his head no, that not the situation at all. “No, no, he’s here somewhere. I think he is speaking to Tahki about becoming a warrior.” He points back from where they had come, Tahki’s figure at the entrance of the village.

Iuana looks over to Tahki, it indeed looking as if she was speaking to someone, her figure though in the way of whoever it was she spoke to. She leaves her father’s side beginning to approach Tahki, indeed when she got closer she could see the figure of the grey wolf still dressed in military uniform, the smile once again appearing on Iuana’s face as she runs up to him. “Teddy!”

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Raven Wolf - 02 - The Oracle - Chapter 14

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