The Keeper of Wolves

Chapter 20

The world had changed so much in three years.

***

"Mama...I think I need to stay. For a while. We have to make sure this never happens again."

"I understand, Kosa. I am so, so proud of you. You give everyone our love, and you make sure that ours are all safe."

"I will, Mama. I love you."

"We love you, too, Kosa. Try to visit, as often as you can."

"I will, Papa. Whenever I can. I have Soren and Solvecde with me all the time, so if we need to, they can stay and keep the woods safe for a day or two."

"As well they should. Did Tyr stay with you?"

"He's in Europe. He was born in Norway, and his mother born in France, so they both have lots of connections there. But they keep in touch. They're trying to come back, too. Europe is a little harder than the U.S. to get a grip on, though. It's lots of cities and lots of nothing."

"Indeed. What about your wolf-friends?"

"The Fell Pack stayed with me. They're my warriors now. And I couldn't have asked for better. They're so powerful, Papa! They're horse-sized when they shift!"

"Amazing. Truly amazing. They are good to you?"

"The best, Papa. Voldsa is like my older sister. She's wonderful."

"Good. Remember, Kosa, not everyone is as lucky as you. You have found good people, you have found success, and you have found yourself. Most go through life only achieving one or two."

"I know, Mama. Thank you."

***

Kosazana had woken up the next day and simply felt it in the air. It was...different. Quieter. More peaceful. More serene. Like the earth had been gasping and choking on smoke and fumes for so long, and suddenly found itself able to take a deep breath. The air felt cleaner, the breezes felt lighter, the sun felt warmer, the skies felt clearer. The world was quieter in some ways, but noisier in others. Instead of the rush of highway traffic and engines rumbling as they idled, now, they heard the scamper of wildlife through the undergrowth, the twitter of birds in the trees, and the rustle of the wind as it combed through the landscape. The crackle of electricity was absent too, and the hum of power lines were eerily silent. It was as it should be, Kosazana decided, and set about making sure that this newfound peace was protected.

***

It hadn't taken long to clear the city itself. Humanity had completely shattered overnight, and the mortals who were left had devolved into panic-stricken, half-feral beasts capable of not much more than their unique responses to their fight-or-flight reflexes. Most of them ran when they saw Kosazana coming, flanked by her two chosen warriors and followed by an entourage of horse-sized wolves, the pack of five milling about in loose formation snapping and snarling and leaping as adrenaline coursed through their veins as easily as their blood. Some stood, and made attempts at fighting. Most turned tail after exchanging only a few blows with her team, realizing how hopelessly outclassed they were, but others stood their ground and fought to the death. Kosazana felt, strangely, nothing as they fell. All she could think of were the immortals who had been killed in senseless slaughter only fort-eight hours prior. This was retaliatory, not baseless. And it was well-deserved.

They found not only human corpses in the crumbled buildings, but supernatural ones as well. Vampires who were little more than indistinct piles of ash when the sun had hit their lifeless bodies, callously abandoned once they had bled out. Werewolves in either form, some of them small wolves and others near Voldsa's size. Drow with their night-sky skin and silver hair, their glamours faded with the loss of their magic. Witches looking shockingly human, except for those who had been able to summon their magic before they died, showing its traces and patterns across their skin. Fae appearing as if out of storybooks, dashed on the stones when they fell from the pages of fantasy into the cruel world they had met their demise in. Kosazana asked those who were with her to collect these bodies and dispose of them peacefully and respectfully. The human corpses, she left for the crows.