A Wolf Story (15 page)

ten

S
trange days," Windgate whispered. "I would never have found you if the Lightmaker had not led me to this crevice. I have been waiting and watching for you to approach the mountain. I didn't think you would already be upon the ice."

"I came upon the ledge last night," the great wolf said quietly. "I know that I am close to the Abyss. I have been here before."

Windgate glanced over his shoulder at the narrow, icy ledge and wondered at the dauntless courage that had enabled the great wolf to hazard that treacherous trail, hampered by darkness. Yet Gianavel seemed to think nothing of the task, his stern visage despising the challenge of the ice and ledge and mountain together. His gray eyes gazed down, commanding and inspiring.

"And what do you know of my son?" Gianavel asked.

Even standing in the presence of this natural enemy, Windgate sensed no danger. Rather, he felt accepted and shielded by the power of the great wolf, embraced by the warmth of its spirit and strengthened by its majestic presence.

"He is a prisoner in the Abyss," Windgate said, his words spilling out rapidly, "but
I have found a secret entrance – a way that is unguarded! Still, Aramus would not leave without another who is being held there. He is Kaleel, the bear."

Gianavel nodded solemnly, as if confirming what he had long suspected.

"Aramus has befriended the bear," he said. "I perceived as much. I have followed their scent together since their first battle on the ridge. But how is my child? I know he fought with Incomel in the forest."

"His wounds are not great," said Windgate. "He will survive. But he says that Baalkor is to kill him when he returns.
As I said, I tried to get him to come with me but he wouldn't leave Kaleel. So he sent me to warn you. This is a trap. Corbis does not care about Aramus. Corbis wants you. All this has been a trick to lure you here. I overheard Corbis when he was talking with Incomel. The lion is supposed to hunt you down. They know you are going to come for Aramus. Incomel is hunting you even now."

Gianavel shook his head.

"Incomel will hunt for me only at night, hoping the darkness will give him the power he needs to overcome me. We have many hours of daylight remaining, so we don't have to worry about him until then. He will stay within the Abyss during the light."

Windgate scowled, considering.

"But he fought with Aramus in the light," he said.

"He was not afraid of Aramus," said Gianavel, simply. "Now tell me
; where are they keeping my son and where is the bear?"

"1 couldn't find the bear. But Aramus is not far from the throne of Corbis. There are guards everywhere. It is no easy thing to get close to him. But I know the way! We can go there now!"

Gianavel shook his head.

"No. Not now. Incomel remains within the Abyss. If we are discovered, with the lion inside the cave, we will not survive the fight. My pack is coming. Today, or tonight at the latest. Then we will have strength on our side. Did you say that Baalkor returns soon?"

"Yes. Perhaps tonight."

"Then we'll wait until tonight. And if Baalkor returns early, then we must attack early
even if we must attack without the pack."

Gianavel paused, seeming to debate within himself.

"I perceive that doom is upon the Dark Council. And I have sensed that the Lightmaker will destroy them before this fight is finished. But we must do all that flesh can do. We can't do anything about Corbis. He will not come out of the Abyss. And Baalkor isn't here, so we can't do anything about him. Incomel, alone, remains. If the lion is gone, then our chances of victory will be greater."

Gianavel gazed quie
tly at Windgate, as if measuring the hare's resolve.

"It seems that it's come down to the two of us," the old wolf said softly. "Will you stand beside me to destroy the beast?"

Windgate nodded fiercely.

"Your spirit is great," Gianavel smiled. "Saul would have been proud."

"You knew Saul?" Windgate asked, his voice sharp with surprise.

"I did," said Gianavel, eyes touched with memory. "I saw him battle Baalkor beside my son."

Windgate's dark eyes softened. "Saul was great."

Gianavel nodded.

"Saul was great, it's true. But so are you, my friend. And the Lightmaker will use your courage for a purpose. We will strike tonight when Incomel comes forth from the Abyss. If we succeed, the lion will be gone. Then only the power of Corbis and Baalkor will remain. And we'll deal with them when the moment arrives."

Windgate considered the old wolf's words.

"It will not be easy," the hare said. "I have seen the lion fight. He is strong and fast."

"I know," said Gianavel. "I have fought him before. But he is flesh, and he can be destroyed. Just as Corbis, despite his demonic power, is flesh. They will both fall. Only remember that when the battle becomes fierce we must not flinch from the fight. We must not allow fear to make us weak, or we will surely die. We will get no second chance against the lion. We must be perfect in
our cunning, perfect in our attack. We must move with courage and determination, and strike with skill. And after we have done all that flesh can do, the Lightmaker will do the rest."

"How will we destroy him?" Windgate asked, eyes flashing with excitement, charged for the fight.

Gianavel smiled at the dauntless hare, then turned, staring out the entrance of the cavern. And as the moments passed, Windgate sensed a devastating power awakening within the old wolf, an unearthly strength not stirred or conceived by mortal rage, but unleashed by the spirit within. Silent in a silence more terrible than any roar, Gianavel studied the ledge. And the gray eyes narrowed, measuring.

"We'll give him what he wants."

* * *

eleven

Concealed again beneath blackened ice, Windgate adamantly resisted the penetrating cold. He had lain all day until the wintry sun began to descend upon the distant hills, and now the gray evening was upon him. Not much longer, Windgate whispered to himself, shivering against the shadowy chill.

Sleepy, fighting off the urge to doze in the cradling snow, Windgate continued his silent vigil until dusky shadows shrouded the mountain, cloaking black granite and dark ice together with the conquering power of night. Steadfast and enduring, Windgate maintained his watch, waiting, waiting for the one he knew would come down the mountain trail, emerging with the darkness to hunt beneath the haunting moon. And it would be then that Windgate would make his desperate move.

A long time he waited, patient and alert, as the moments crept by in heavy silence. And slowly he began to fear that perhaps the lion had already come down the mountain and passed him unseen, concealed within its demonic power. Windgate shook his head, angry at the thought, and focused his keen eyes on the dim trail below him. The Lightmaker will provide a means of victory, he told himself, and concentrated on the shadows. And finally, after a time, a faint, ghostly outline moved in the night haze far up the trail, making no sound, gliding with supernatural grace over the shattered stone, descending.

Dark and massive, the lion came down the path, its gigantic frame even more terrifying in the aspect of night. And as the beast descended, the image of irresistible strength, Windgate stood silent and challenging upon the cliff edge.

Almost before Windgate had moved, the lion reacted, dropping into a crouch, a feral snarl exposing gaping fangs. The hare was struck by a wave of icy fear at the sight, and suddenly realized that this would be a true test of nerve. Quickly he asked for the strength, the will, to honor the Lightmaker with his life, or his death.

Income
l’s hateful eyes focused hard and Windgate felt an incarnate power sweep over him, as if the mountain lion had reached out and struck him with the heat of its infernal soul. But the hare did not move, remaining resolute and defiant, staring down at the beast with implacable eyes.

For a flashing instant Incomel's suspicious gaze scanned the rest of the darkened rim, almost as if he had been nervously prepared for an ambush, ready to meet some long-dreaded attack. A scowl turned the corners of Windgate's mouth as he considered the trap they had laid for the beast.

The lion had good reason to be afraid.

And yet the growl
that trembled the cliff face revealed no trace of terror. Undaunted, Windgate smiled down at the lion and cast his words with contempt.

"Doom is upon you, Incomel!" he shouted. "I am Windgate, king of the Colony near the Deep Woods, a servant of the Lightmaker
! I challenge you!"

Exploding in a sweeping rush up the mountainside, the lion closed the distance between them with blinding speed. And though Windgate had seen Incomel fight before, he had not anticipated such awesome, unnatural power and strength. The lion was halfway up the cliff before Windgate could even react,
its devastating roar ascending before it.

And then Windgate moved
- moved with a blinding spin and a rush along the plateau, leaping with all the strength of his powerful legs for the treacherous safety of the narrow ledge. But even as he rushed forward the lion roared over the cliff edge, having cleared the steep face in rapid bounds.

Overcome by the beast's surpassing speed, Windgate leapt frantically for the thin ledge. And as he neared his escape route, another thunderous roar shattered the ice of the plateau and Windgate felt the hot breath of the
lion upon him. Then the big hare recklessly threw himself upon the narrow edge of the icy ledge, spinning and grasping wildly as he slid toward the chasm. For a moment he swung along the very edge of the precipice, then struck a slice of ice and was looking down on a sea of white clouds. Windgate bellowed, wildly struck something unknown, and was spun back around to dig desperate claws into the black ice.

Breathing hard, unable to speak, unable to think, Windgate tried to recover his racing heart, balancing himself precariously on the unforgiving ice. And after an instant, when his throat had cleared to breathe, he looked wide-eyed at Incomel, smiling mockingly.

The lion stood at the edge of the plateau, fiery eyes seething with rage, frustrated by Windgate's narrow escape, but reluctant to pursue along the ledge. Even with its anchoring talons, the narrow course would be a dangerous and tedious task, testing balance and strength together with no surviving a mistake.

Windgate stared at the great dark form and sneered.

"Too slow, beast!" he taunted. "Even Baalkor gave me a better run!"

Windgate bounded forward even as the lion roared, tensing to leap. And he was desperately scampering out of range as the colossal form collided against the cliff, its deafening roar thundering along the wall. Windgate risked a quick glance backwards to see that the lion was moving slowly after him on the narrow ledge, talons grasping securely at the black ice. And the hare
bounded forward at the sight, defiantly determined to lure the beast to the hidden cave.

At the curve that hid the cleft, Windgate paused, turning, and saw that the lion was already upon him, hideous jaws gaping. The beast seemed to consider the big hare's curious maneuver as an act of surrender, and it smiled. But Windgate continued to retreat, drawing the beast carefully toward the cave.

The ledge was all but lost in the defeated light and Windgate backed cautiously around the curve, allowing the lion to move even closer to him. And in moments it stood barely short of the cavern entrance, its fierce pride imperiously cloaking the dark visage.

"You are a fool!" it snarled, breathing blasts of black frost into the night. "Why does your kind still try to resist the Dark Lord? Don't you realize that we are superior? You and your kind are lost in dreams and visions
! In fantasies that give you no power! You are weak! Your God is weak! That is why we shall destroy you from the Earth!"

Only a small step remained before Incomel stood in front of the cave but Windgate knew that nothing could be done until the beast made that final move. The hare stepped silently back, forcing the lion to move closer in order to strike its killing blow. And with the step Incomel also began to advance, then halted in midstride.

Incomel's feral eyes narrowed, suspicious, and Windgate realized that the lion, even though it could not yet see the cave, had somehow sensed a hidden threat. Motionless, unable to comprehend its sudden, disturbing fear, Incomel poised on the ledge. And Windgate knew he would have to move quickly or all would be lost.

Flesh shaking from the tension of the conflict, the hare searched for words that would cause the lion to complete its attack. Only moments remained, for even as they stood, Windgate could see Incomel considering a quick retreat.

"I saw you in the Abyss!" Windgate said scornfully. "I know you're afraid of the old wolf!"

A tension suddenly stiffened Incomel's powerful form.

"Ha!" Windgate spat. "You are the true weakling, Incomel! Your flesh is strong but you're afraid of a wolf! Ha! A wolf! Proud Incomel is afraid of a wolf!"

Within the lion's eyes a volcanic wrath emerged, and Windgate could see its caution swept aside by the demonic powers dominating its flesh.

"Kill me if you can!" Windgate screamed, striking wildly at the lion, startling the beast with his impetuous attack. Then the big hare desperately leapt back. But Incomel was lightning and pounced upon him, landing fully in front of the cave.

Even as the lion leapt, Gianavel exploded, roaring, from the cleft. And though the wolf moved with blinding speed, the lion was faster, whirling to meet the attack, lashing out with a powerful blow that struck Gianavel's shoulder. The old wolf staggered, but his momentum carried his headlong rush, and he collided with the lion on the edge of the precipice in an
avalanche of ice and snow that blasted Windgate wildly along the ledge.

Fangs struck fangs as the two massive shapes clinched and closed in a thunderous embrace, roaring and slashing with killing grace. Windgate smashed into the icy wall and rebounded toward the chasm, clawing desperately for a grip. Screaming, even as he slid over the edge, Windgate finally caught hold, hanging tenaciously onto the ledge. He looked up frantically to see Gianavel fighting with his back to the wall, and Incomel slashing fiercely for balance on the narrow ice.

Struggling with volcanic strength, Incomel’s giant shoulders strained to throw Gianavel from the tactical advantage. And Windgate watched, spellbound, as Gianavel locked against the lion with savage resistance, countering its wrath with an equal brand of titanic strength. Slowly, frozen in that dark majesty of might, they rocked forward and back on the edge of the precipice; demonic power incarnate straining violently against a holy force forged long ago from spirit and flesh.

Incomel's rear talons slashed deep grooves in the ice, digging desperately for leverage. But Windgate thought he perceived, even in the slow rocking of the embrace, a slight slipping of the monster's grip. And the lion's eyes widened, as if it sensed, finally, a terrible deliverance to some inescapable judgment, long dreaded and long delayed.

Roaring, Gianavel's fangs tore free from Incomel's black coat, and the old wolfs eyes blazed with his words.

"Die as you've lived!" Gianavel snarled.

With a powerful effort, the old wolf twisted violently, and Incomel's talons snapped sharply off the edge, the dark form thrown sidelong across the ledge. A long foreleg lashed out, striking the ice with shattering force, but the lion's great weight had already descended beneath the rim. Face flaming in fear, the beast had time for one terrifying, high-pitched scream, as talons tore futile furrows in the ice, before it was gone.

♦    ♦    ♦

Silently, Windgate stood beside Gianavel, staring , down into the chasm that had claimed the beast. But the darkness and the misting clouds concealed the true depth of the ravine.

The hare had listened carefully for the sound of Incomel's death at the base of the cliff, but no noise, however distant, had returned to the cavern entrance where they still stood.

Impulsively, Windgate kicked a chunk of ice from the ledge and scowled over the edge.

"I hope it was painful," he said.

Gianavel looked down at him, the gray eyes glazed with pain. Suddenly concerned, Windgate saw that the old wolfs shoulder was torn from a deep slash, with other cuts bleeding in the ragged mane.
Then Windgate studied Gianavel's stern face and saw iron control wrestling to subdue the agony of those ravaging wounds, and the hare wondered how much longer the old wolfs strength could endure.

"What will we do now?" he asked.

"We can't wait any longer for the pack," Gianavel replied, and sighed. "We'll have to go in and find Aramus and his friend. And then we can try to escape into the forest. Perhaps if we can get into the woods, we'll meet the pack halfway."

The old wolf raised his head, gazing into the dark' ness, as if searching, before he spoke again.

"But it's night and Baalkor is returning if he hasn't already. So we have to go, and trust that the Lightmaker will make our way clear."

Windgate nodded.

"We will see what God will do," he said quietly.

* * *