Hammers in the Shadows

Part One: Shadows and Ice - Chapter Six

The next three weeks were a distinct challenge as Anna and I began to get a handle on the true scope of our new jobs, and the challenges that the Pride faced. If anything, the situation with the surrounding packs was even worse than I'd been lead to believe and I already was seeing signs that both Ice Lake Pack and Midnight Forest Pack were eager to take the territory that we had from us.

"Anna this isn't looking like it is a fight that we can win." I told her as we stood in the security room looking at the table in the middle of the room. It wasn't anything like the holo-map that I'd seen at Wild Valley, but those were almost a million a pop by themselves and way out of the budget range of a Pride like ours.

"Mark, if we can delay them for a little while that should be enough time to let our allies get here." She replied, though I knew that she really wasn't one for looking at military solutions to problems. Her weakest courses at the Academy had been where I'd been strongest, I'd made a point of studying military history and strategy. "Besides, this is what you're good at Mark, we both can agree on that." She commented.

"I just don't like having to rely on alliances and friends to help us survive." I replied growling slightly at the map. "At least with our sensors and the ravens we should have a pretty good idea of when they decide to strike, though I can tell that it won't be too far into the future."

"Mark, that's rather pessimistic, isn't it?" She asked with her head cocked slightly.

"Anna, it may be but it is, by in large, the truth." I replied as I looked at the map on the table and tried to figure out how in the world we were going to manage to keep our opponents at bay. "Even if we do hold out until our allies get here both of the packs that oppose us can simply fort up and wait until our allies need to return home."

Anna shook her head and then left the room, strategy and battlefield tactics had been her weakest subjects, though she was a competent, capable fighter, and a superb leader.

My father, who was also in the room looked down at the map and growled. "I hate this Mark, we only just joined the pride nine years ago, and had our cubs three years ago."'

"Dad you don't think that I'm not aware of that fact?" I asked him, feeling his anger and disgust at the situation. "I feel about the same way as you do, only since I have more information and I can see the whole picture I have an even less optimistic outlook on the whole situation."

Dad nodded grimly. "I guess you will have to inform the council of the true situation soon." He commented.

"Yes, there's that dad, but the meeting tomorrow is probably going to have a lot more going on than informing them of the true nature of the threat that we face." I informed dad, "Hell, that may even get lost in shuffle because I feel that is when the bonds will be adjusted and Anna and I will be taking over the leadership."

"Mark, as Pride leader you need to bring this information the eyes of the council, they need to know what we are facing." Dad insisted vehemently.

I growled turning to face him, "Dad I well aware of that fact, but trying to do all these things at the same time Anna and I are getting used to the shift in bonds won't be easy." I informed him as I turned and headed for my office. "I have some work to do dad, I will see you later this evening... if I can get away.

Dad gave a brief nod of his own before he headed for a different sent of stairs to travel to our House where I knew that there probably was some work that he'd have to take care of on his desk.

The next morning when I woke up with Anna beside me I smiled slightly at her and asked, "You ready Anna?"

She rolled slightly to glance at me, "Mark, I'm not sure how you can ask that, since we are talking about becoming the final decision makers in the Pride, but yes I am ready as I will ever be." She answered placing a hand on my cheek. "How about you love? Are you ready to become a leader of the Pride?" She asked softly leaning in to gently kiss the tip of my nose.