Betrayal: Book 3 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 5.3 Warpath

A/N

Please listen to Ingred Michaelson Warpath that I linked. I think it will increase your enjoyment of the chapter.

*****

The next morning again found Razz writing furiously. Gabe was awake and sitting at the small table in the room.

Rile was awake but refused to leave the bed until Alex did. Cale slept on as well, head nestled on the back of Alex's knees.

She finally stirred, pushed her tangled hair away from her face, and rubbed the sand out of her eyes.

As always, she scanned the room for danger. Only the presence and reassuring leathery scent of the others kept her from her usual awakening panic.

"What are you writing, Razz?" Alex asked.

"My speech."

"Speech for what? When? Where?"

"We are holding a public forum outside the Council building. I will speak of your return and of the plans to one day emancipate all the Anolis males."

Alex sat bolt upright, causing Zilik to struggle to a sit, and Rile to stand up with a sigh. Cale's head, dislodged from the back of Alex's knees, bounced on the crude mattress from the force.

"Razz! That's crazy talk for the public! That's for us to plan in private."

"This is an excellent way to draw Cla out."

"It's an excellent way to have an arrow shot in your chest," Gabe said and both his brothers nodded.

Razz waved that away. "Alex can prevent that. She kept the Council President from a crossbow bolt in his chest."

"My brothers and I took out three Anolis females with crossbows," Gabe said.

"Alex saved the Council President from the Anolis female you missed," Razz replied.

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty," Alex said. "Let's not fight. Razz, can't you hold a press conference in the Council chambers?"

"What is a 'press conference'?"

Alex sighed so hard that her loose hair blew out of her face.

Zilik gently tapped Alex with a claw. "This is how we announce our news. There are representatives from almost every species living here, and then they will send notice to their respective governments."

"That's it, I want wine," Alex declared. "I can't process this without panic unless I have one glass of wine. It's 5pm somewhere in all of creation."

Zilik smiled. "I ordered that fruit be left overnight in a decanter of wine. I thought that it could replace your mimosas."

"Aren't you clever?" Alex said warmly. "How do you feel? Any, uh, strange dreams?"

Zilik considered her, tapping a claw on his muzzle. "Again you ask. But my answer is the same: the ice that was building up during the day, receded again, this time to a greater degree. Cale, did you dream of your family once more?"

"I did. This time I remembered my fourteenth dry season celebration, when Father gifted me a sword and an adult bow with quiver of arrows."

"I remember that," Gabe said. "You shot truer than any other that year in the annual competition."

"And you allowed me to tag along for your inaugural mountain goat hunt," Rile said.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

"Don't be so humble. You know most sons want their inaugural hunt to be with them and their father alone."

"That's so sweet," Alex hugged Cale, who smiled shyly.