Wolf Camp (Bear Naked 2)

Chapter 6 part 3

The next morning Amanda and Connor were dismissed from wolf camp right after breakfast. Marshall assured them that the challenges for that day were individual and their absence would not count against their pack. They hiked up to the elder's lodge.

When they arrived, they were led to a small room on one side of the main hall. Aaron and Karen were there. So were several of the elders and Arthur Sage.

"I really must protest their involvement," Arthur said as they came in. "Your son is still a minor."

"His pack has already faced combat with the Sons of Garm," Aaron answered. "They have a stake in this, minors or not. And Amanda is the target of their hunt. Or are we going to leave that part out? Are we going to discuss my hunt alone, as though I am the aggressor here?"

Arthur looked like he was going to reply but he bit it back.

"We have already been through this," one of the elders said. "We agreed, they have a place."

The meeting was civil for the most part, even though it was clear that both Aaron and Arthur were frequently biting their tongues.

"We are at such a delicate place in our negotiations," Arthur said. "This could easily jeopardize the work of almost two years."

"Maybe instead of worrying about what they will make of our behavior, we should be thinking about what this indicates of theirs," Aaron answered.

"Amanda is my alpha mate," Connor said. "If they come to hunt her, it will be over my dead body."

"It just might be, if you aren't careful," Arthur muttered.

"What did you say to my son?" Karen growled.

"I merely meant that he must be careful," Arthur amended. "These wolves are tough. They should not be taken lightly. Besides, we are not here to discuss their hunt, if they are on one."

"Of course they are!" Karen said. "We have heard this with our own ears. Now you would deny it?"

"We have only the word of a man- a shifter, but not Wolf Clan," Arthur said. "Are we sure we can trust him?"

"That's my uncle," Amanda said.

"And we have witnessed this hunt ourselves," Connor added, "and fought them off."

"Stop!" Jameson commanded. He turned to Karen and Amanda. "Arthur has his facts, if not his attitude, correct. We are not here to discuss their hunt. As far as we are concerned, you have the right to protect your own as you see fit. If Loki or his pack stray one inch inside your territory, you may treat them as you like. The tribe will support you in this, I assure you. It is your hunt against them that is in question. We can not make peace with one hand if another hand is seeking to destroy them."

"But they can, apparently," Karen muttered.

"I respect that," Aaron answered. "I do. I understand your desire for peace. I would even support it except-" He broke off and looked away.

Karen reached into her bag and slid out a laptop. She opened it and pulled up a file. "Except for this," she said. She handed the laptop over. As she did so, Amanda caught a glimpse of Sheryl's picture. It was an article about her death. The elder's faces darkened as they read the grisly details of her murder. When they were done they handed the computer over to Arthur. He held it gingerly, not used to technology. He too read it and handed it back.

"It does not change our situation, I am afraid," he said.

Karen gave him a cold look.

"I am not so sure," one of the elders said. "I begin to see Aaron's view more plainly. I can not in good conscience tell him not to hunt such a beast."

"I know this is hard to say," another elder said, "but we must think of the bigger picture. An alliance of all the wolves in the Midwest. We could put our trouble with the Fleischers or the Grimweir to rest, for good. We must not forget that."

"Subjecting ourselves to the Sons of Garm could well be trading one set of trouble for another," Aaron replied.

"Indeed," Jameson said. He looked up at the wall. "It is nearly lunch. Take a break and let us talk in private."

Aaron and Arthur both nodded and they all left the room. Karen had packed lunch for all of them. Amanda wasn't hungry and merely picked at her sandwich. Karen paced as they waited. Amanda leaned against Connor's shoulder and watched her. After what seemed like forever, the elders ushered them back into the room.

"We wish to offer a compromise," Jameson said. He looked hard into both Aaron and Arthur's eyes. They both nodded. To Aaron he said. "You hunt a wolf named Stanley. One wolf. Not a pack, not a tribe. Lay down your vendetta against the others. Catch this one, on neutral territory, away from his pack if possible. If his pack tries to help him -" Jameson shrugged. "But it must be carried out on neutral territory."

He turned to Arthur, "and you will tell your friends this, Loki is not to go near Dubuque. He is to lay down his hunt of this girl." Arthur opened his mouth to speak but Jameson shushed him. "If he seeks to hunt on our territory, he will have broken truce with us."

They were dismissed and once again they sat on the grass outside the hall and waited. Amanda wasn't sure what they were waiting for and wasn't sure how to ask. Before long Jameson came up with Arthur in tow. Arthur knelt on one knee beside Aaron and said, "Lukas agreed, much to my surprise. He said only this. The same rules apply to you. They will not enter your territory to hunt the bear cub or her uncle, but if they find either on neutral territory, all bets are off. As to your hunt, if you pursue them onto friendly territory, the Leidulf's will have broken truce."

"So be it," Aaron said.

On the way back to the wolf camp that afternoon Amanda asked, "so what exactly was decided? I mean, I guess I understand, they say they won't come into your territory, but about the whole neutral territory, I don't get that."

"Neutral territory," Connor said, "is the no man's land between each tribe. If Dad can catch Stanley in neutral territory, whatever happens, happens and neither tribe will consider it an act of war."

"Whatever happens?"

"Yeah, whether they kill Stanley or his pack kills one of ours, it won't change anything between the tribes," Connor said.

Amanda shuddered. "What if they do? Kill one of yours, I mean. This is dangerous, Connor. I don't want one of your parents or uncles getting killed over me."

"It's not just over you anymore," Connor replied. "You know what that bastard did. He must pay."

"What if the cops catch him?" Amanda asked.

"You have seen his record," Connor replied. "They won't. And if they do, it will be a slap on the wrist."

"No, it won't. After what he did, they will put him away for life."

"Then there is nothing to worry about. If he's in jail, we'll let him rot there. But until he's in jail, Dad will hunt," Connor said.