Lion Head Mesa the mosquitoes were almost unbearable

when merrick awoke he knew that he was not home within bearclaw, or king upon silvertip. he knew that he had traded the cool shadows for the strangely warm sand of a vastly different place.
merrick rolled to his paws and backed from the mesa until he could see the mountains in a distant line of teeth. 
his single eye locked to where he felt the canyon must be.

There were many new scents on the mesa and word had traveled that a band of wolves had entered the realm of Akashingo with purpose. Crowfeather had remained in the shade, gathering herbs that naturally grew on the flatland, creating stores that could be used by Satsu and himself. Quietly, he had prayed that there would be no need for the medicines. Each time he gazed out on the surrounding land, the mountains to the east, Crowfeather felt impending doom.

An unfamiliar figure seemed to be peering pensively into the distance. The shadow approached him with a nervous wave of his tail. Crowfeather kept his head low, the narrow length of his snout was pointed toward the rough red stone beneath him. When he allowed his gaze to rise, he saw a horrifying empty socket where the stranger’s eye should have been.

I- you- Gods, he could not stop from staring. Were you injured in the attack? Do you need herbs?

The wound looked old, but he could never be certain.

the flash of black fur caught merrick's attention at once. it hooked to his heart a deep and dismal anguish that soon turned to frustration that this boy should not be her.
"i need nothing," the bearwolf growled, setting his eye upon the horizon again. "and soon i will leave."
soon i will kill.
merrick no longer wished to live.

The grow that emerged from the one-eyed wolf cowered Crowfeather. The length of his dark legs shrunk in size, and he did what he could to put space between them, fearing that he would suffer the same loss as the stranger – missing an eye, a limb, the breath from his lungs – and he regretted having approached.

Germanicus’ words flitted through his mind. They were to act on the defensive, and this wolf stated that he would be leaving soon. Crowfeather wondered if it meant he did not belong there to begin with. Was this a spy? Was it another wolf seeking the pleasures of the Akashingo wolves? No, he could tell just by looking at the ruddy male that he was a savage stranger who was pulled to fraying.

Leaving? You- forgive me, are you fighting the war with the Saints? Crowfeather’s voice quavered.

the boy was still there.
merrick had almost forgotten him.
"kynareth and nyra killed my wife. ursus chose a new place for itself. but still they followed. and now they have insulted the bear for the last time."
his voice was stalwart, almost melodic. "the pharaoh and his woman know i have come with my wolves. but i will not wait forever for their scheming. i am called to leave each minute. each hour."
a breath that trembled and splintered. merrick did not look away from the sunspire. "she gave four children and her life for our god. i must avenge her."

Crowfeather had almost anticipated that he would be left without an answer. The man’s voice surprised him, the anger that licked at every word. The Saints had killed his wife.

The seer’s dark ears toppled to his head, flattening there. The width of his eyes stretched, worry striking his mouth into a thin-lipped frown. Fear aside, the shadow felt the echoing sadness of the one-eyed wolf. The weight of his words sat heavily in Crowfeather’s belly, filling him with the ache of hopelessness. Standing beside the stranger, the shadow shrunk.

I- I am sorry. The man’s words hung in his mind, swirling with the things Germanicus had said.

Crowfeather knew that Germanicus must hear that this wolf would not wait. He and his brood would march on the Saints regardless of Akashingo or their plans.

They are planning the best c- course of action. I am sure you could lead the charge in- in honor of your wife. The dark wolf itched to leave.

"the best course of action is not to only stand here."
the savage orb tore at the boy beside him, shrinking to a pile of darkened ash. merrick was disgusted. "i do not need you. i wait out of courtesy for whatever strife is between you and nyra."
but the writings, the speaking; the bearwolf was beyond it all. "to whom am i speaking?" he demanded.

Shake as he did, Crowfeather did not entirely disagree with the wild-eyed man. He did not like the idea of sitting and waiting for their enemy to attack, to surprise them when they were least expectant of it. Common sense told him that Germanicus would not allow them to be taken by surprise, but he could not help but to fixate on the violence of the Saints. They could show up in any moment.

I- I agree, the shadow stated pathetically. We are working on a better plan, than to wait for them to attack. We- we are preparing. Crowfeather clapped his teeth shut to keep himself from telling the stranger more.

The wolf demanded his name.

Cr- Crowfeather. I am the temporary physician to Akashingo.

crowfeather, temporary physician. "there is no need to prepare. i already know what must be done."
merrick pointed with his muzzle to the sunspire. "they live in a canyon of red sand. that is all you must know."
the bearwolf fell silent, his dismissal clear as the single eye dipped beneath a veneer of madness, and the black wolf ceased to exist.

A canyon of red sand, a canyon of red sand, Ursus would not wait…

Crowfeather burst with this information, unable to look away from the gaping hole in the man’s face – the socket where his eye should have been. The image of his mad gaze would hold fast to the yearling’s mind for some time, but he knew that he had more important matters to attend to. Germanicus must know what the one-eyed wolf had said!

Th- thank you, he sputtered foolishly before turning from the frightening figure and stalking away, heart racing. Crowfeather could not settle his heart until he had put a great deal of distance between himself at the stranger.

The shadow sought Germanicus.

merrick said nothing.
tears ran in silent anger along the scars of his face.
inexorable. the bear fixed himself to the sunspire once more and dreamed on beneath the sun.