Soulmates Across Borders

Chapter 35

Solí found the coyote tribe's village with only a little trouble. She approached the village look-out and waved her hand to remove the mist makutu. Pango flicked his tail and appeared beside her. She knelt and waved her hand to remove the mist makutu from Aer'ehk. The gray wolf looked up at her with sad eyes. He gave a wary look around with his ears back, and she wished she could explain why they were here, but she would only confuse him. Best to allow him to mature slowly and get to know her language with time.

"Who goes there?" a coyote summoner shouted from where he stood on watch duty just outside of the village. The summoner's coyote stood nearby.

"The wolf queen, Solí Tangaroa. I come bearing tragic news. Take me to your queen."

After a long pause, the summoner waved her over. "Did you say wolf queen?"

"I'll explain everything to queen Pokiah."

He nodded.

"You have two wolves?"

She nodded silently, and the summoner gave her an impressed nod. It wasn't unheard of for someone to summon an animal and perform the soulbond Makutu, and then find a soulmate later who turned out to be another animal. But for that second soulmate to be an animal that matched her tribe was highly unlikely. It may prove to be hard to convince people of the lie in how Solí met her second wolf. She would certainly need to be careful when telling the tale to people.

The summoner finally let her into their village, which resembled Itaone before the beastmen destroyed it. They even had a high teneti in the center of the circle of teneti that made up their village.

The summoner took her straight up to the high teneti. "Solí Tangaroa, the wolf queen, is here to see you, my queen," he said.

"Come in." The fox queen had a strong sultry voice.

Solí ducked her head and entered the teneti, followed by Pango and Aer'ehk. She sat on her knees in front of Pokiah and inclined her head slightly, because now that she was a queen, she didn't need to bow to anyone. Her two wolves sat down on either side of her.

"Solí Tangaroa. The wolf queen. What has happened?" Pokiah asked. She had red hair, blue eyes, a medium complexion, high cheekbones, and a lithe figure. No wonder Tokah liked her so much, Solí thought. She was breathtaking.

Solí hoped with all her might that this fox queen mirrored Tokah's lustful feelings. She must, Solí told herself, or why else had she requested Tokah's presence at all those war councils? She had a feeling her betrothed had been having an affair with the fox queen since shortly after her husband the coyote king died two years ago. Now it was finally time to find out.

Solí swallowed and took a breath, determined to make it through this bad news without bursting into tears. "Beastmen attacked my village twice. The wolf king died. The wolf prince died. Your daughter's betrothed is dead." Her voice went high with a hitch at the end, and she cleared her throat and swallowed.

"That is very tragic news. I'm sorry for your losses. You're the wolf queen now, then," Pokiah said, and Solí nodded. "And with two wolves, no less. You have shown yourself to be a powerful ally I would seek to form a new pact with. High Wolf queen. Thank you for coming here personally to explain what happened."

She looked down at her hands. "I would like to uphold the treaty between our villages somehow."

"Rest assured, the coyote tribe's village will answer your calls for aid should the need arise in the future."

"That's all good and well ..." Solí took a breath and just blurted it out. "I'm betrothed to marry Tokah Mahuta of the bear tribe, but if I can strengthen the treaty with the coyote clan by marrying a coyote prince, I will."