A Biography of a Human

Chapter Sixteen:

“Lycoctonum"

Early Fall, 7^th month of the Wolven Lunar Calendar. Year 3072 After the Anarchy.

It was fast approaching the little wolf Prince Ulric's birthday and it was quickly showing in the changes in the East Palace. Going from a steady humdrum to feverish activity in preparation of the grand occasion as the days rolled on.

Gazing lazily towards the open gateway as I reclined in the sunlit courtyard of the Residence of the Imperial Tutor, I found enjoyment from watching whoever might pass on the major walkways throughout the palace complex.

Over the past few days I saw more and more activity pass through the gate. Human slaves, chimera servants or the odd wolf official, most likely the underlings of the Beta Lambda from the Bureau of Ceremonies and Rites and obviously here for the planning of the ceremony.

Servants of all creeds and breeds passed by, all with a place to go, a person to meet or a duty to perform. Ursine's carried heavy crates and jars, dogs held papers and folders while humans might bear rolls of luscious, heavenly fabrics; our lack of fur being a great advantage in dealing with and creating of such products, and it was the same with food. It was a sign of great status for the imperial clan to have a fully trained army of human cooking staff.

They all passed me in a bizarre and hectic parade. Some shouting out curses when one of them slipped with what they carried, others barked orders to hurry up.

Good master Gernan was planning a feast to be held tonight in the audience hall of the of the compound, it was a low-key gathering of his fellow friends in the court to celebrate Gernan's career achievements and discuss affairs, as well to celebrate the upcoming Crown Prince's birthday.

So for the past few days, things were getting ready for that as well, with Pantaleon coming and going, bringing servants from the manor to help with getting ready for the night's feast. It was nothing much, just tables and chairs brought into the now cleared hall for the guest, as well as food to be cooked in the small kitchens in the rear of the structures here.

Looking back to the open hall, I saw that all was ready. The tables and chairs were all there arranged in an open c-shaped pattern with the opening facing the door and open at the center was the table set up for the host. In a few hours I would be standing by his side attending to him.

The scent of burning pine was a further sign of it getting close. I could see cloudy, white smoke bellowing from behind the structures of this little palace.

“Looks like they are starting to heat up the ovens and pits," I thought as I pictured the vixen Iahal in her zone, wearing those long lamb-skin gloves, her face and fur smeared with lard, both precautions done to make sure no fur fell into the meals. From all the nights of her hovering over alcoves of fire, boiling pots, and sheering charcoal grills, I got the feeling she must smell of rancid fat.

It was good to see Iahal again, even though it was a brief exchange and of course Elyk towed along and to be honest, I was glad to see him!

“Elyk! It's so good to see you! I've missed you!" I pulled the teenage fox into a friendly hug. “How is it going back at the manor?" I asked, curious about the others back home.

He shrugged.

“Eh, slow. Very slow and boring! But things are fine though," he talked like he was quite bored with things back at the manor.

“Sounds like you miss me?" this caught the young tod off guard and looked like it really embarrassed him as his fur puffed up like it does when he was caught by surprise. I gave a sly smile at all of this, enjoying my move.

“N-No! I just said it was slow and quiet!" folding my arms, I gave a clear look of disbelief. “Fine! You're right! I do miss you! You are so lucky you get to stay here with master!" I was very pleased with myself at managing to drag this out of him.

“Well, you are here now! Right?" the afterword being a realization of who I was taking about, being how he is prone to go off at random.

“Sure! I am here! And staying!"

The two of us walked in and were chatting for a bit when the fox then froze and uttered out, “The vixen!" and then bolted out as I chased him out very much confused.

“What happened!? Where are you going?!" I yelled as I nearly tripped over the door-frame and ran into the early noon sunlight.

“I TOLD A VIXEN I WAS GOING TO MEET HER!" he yelled back to me.

“But you said you were free!" I shouted back to him.

“SORRY! I FORGOT!"

And thus I was left alone in the middle of the sun-kissed courtyard and very miffed about this.

“Damn you, Elyk!" I cursed, a little winded from having to run like that on short notice and rolling my eyes.

The sun was now bearing down on me and I was getting warm in its light, so I retired back inside to the shade and took a seat in one of the chairs for the guests tonight, resting my head on my folded arms.

I took a small nap and very nice one at that too! But it did not last long. My dream world that I was living in started to shake like an earthquake and I heard a voice from above.

“XAN! XAN!" the clouds of my mind parted and I was greeted by the blurry face of a short, blue-eyed wolf.

“Oh...it's you, little wolf!" my voice cracked with a slight weariness.

“Wake up, sleepy head!" Ulric whined, still pushing me, making my world spin like a top.

“I'm up! I'm up!" I cried out with a bit of shock, my eyes adjusting to the world around me. Seeing the sun was still out and bright told me that I did not rest for very long and it must be mid-afternoon.

“Good! You're awake! Finally!" he spoke out in a childish tone. I rubbed my eyes and stretched out my arms as I pushed my chair from the table, giving a slight yawn. “You need to come with me!"

No sooner after this was said by the pup, I was wrenched off my seat, my tired legs stumbling at the dramatic shock of having their support taken from them.

“Wait! What! Why!?" was all I managed to get out as I again almost tripped over the door frame.

“Mommy is here! And I want you to meet her!" now in the open courtyard, I looked up and around and saw no one.

“Ulric there is no one here!"

“Not here silly!" I said nothing as I was still quite groggy. “She is at my palace!" he finished as I was dragged into the causeways of the palace.

He led me for a while, passing by others who were doing their business and would bow as we passed them, occasionally some of saying, “Your highness," or, “My crown prince." It did not matter to me though, as it all went by in a flash and even though I was more awake now, I was sill gobsmacked by everything.

“Your Highness! There you are!" I saw a bear, Dillan, I was sure of it. “I have been looking everywhere for you! You just vanished!" the bear continued and as though it was an afterthought, he addressed me, “Iskander? Is that you?"

“Yes it is! Good to see you too" I said back sarcastically as the wolf pup continued on his path. We started to pass by him and he began following behind.

“You mother has arrived and is waiting for you!"

“I know! I know! I wanted my friend Xan to meet her!" I could have stopped the small wolf and demanded a pause, but it was not worth the fight or the struggle at the moment and felt it would just be best to go with him, so I did.

I was finally awake when we turned into a gateway that passed into a space with a large building within it. It was quite grand in its exterior but I did not get a chance to look much due to the excited Prince and my mind desperately trying to recall the correct protocol to use with such a person like the Prince's Mother.

The pup finally let go of my raw hand as we entered the foyer of the palace, which was the living quarters of the Crown Prince. The wolf child soon rushed forward through a pair of open double-doors that lead into a small pillared aisle at the end of which sat a throne that rested atop a dais, which was being occupied by a feminine figure who I knew well already.

“Ulric! There you are my sweet! I have been waiting for you!" the wolf, Nu, spoke in a genuine tone of motherly affectation, far different from the fake courtly manners that I saw her display in the garden, as her pup jumped into her arms.

I walked forward, eyes downcast and my hands clasped at my waist. I took a brief moment to give myself a look over to make sure I did not look like a slob.

Walking ahead towards the dais, I passed by a few simple chairs on both the right and left of myself. I assumed these were for guests to sit in for informal meetings. The whole room was magnificent, in-between the rows of dark, vermillion pillars hung brilliant decorative draperies and leading up to the throne was a richly woven carpet whose hues complemented the red of the pillars and the dark wood flooring.

Reaching the base of the dais, I knelt as the very light scent of exotic sandalwood from the far east filled my senses, giving forth images of fairy tale realms beyond reach and far above the mundane world of here and now.

“This lowly human gives you greetings, noble lady. Peace upon you," I said aloud in a solemn tone of deference, all the while grateful that I listened to Gernan when he told me about protocol that one time!

“Ah! This dweller of the Alpha's Harem bid you ease and to drop the formalities!" she spoke in signature formal third-person terms used by the court. All around her were attendants, female wolf and dog ones. I could tell some were dogs due to their styled long fur, they were definitely not like the feral working and hunting dogs I remember from when I was a child. These figures orbited around her like a stellar body or a queen bee.

“Yes noble lady!" I stood up and was able to now look upon her visage without worry. She was very elegant in both bearings and looks, slender all around from her figure draped in a splendid teal and green brocade, to her face with a slender, tapered muzzle ending in a shiny, smooth snout. She had a kindly, maternal face, but it felt superficial when she looked at me, like a mask that was was hiding a coolness akin to her icy blue eyes that seemed to be so far removed from little Ulric's warm blues.

“So, you are the human my cub speaks about so fondly?" I nodded my head.

“Yes, my lady" I answered back. I noticed in the room another Ursine, who was clearly not Dillian judging from the fact he was much taller and he just stood there adjacent to the throne, almost like a statue.

“Please be at ease! We are informal here!" she spoke with grace as she gently set the prince aside on the throne. “Please, take a seat."

One of her wolven attendants then came in with a small stool for human use, setting it behind me. A compromise for the no humans in chairs rule.

Sitting down as she asked, there was a brief moment of awkward silence in the room that was interrupted by Dillian setting a lidded cup on the small end table by my left that was higher than me and was adjacent to the set of chairs, before walking ahead and giving Consort Nu one as well.

“Here have some cha. It's a prized tribute from the Southern Dog Kingdoms," I nervously picked up the wide, bowl-like cup and lifted up the lid by the nob on it's top, exposing a hot brew of leaves floating freely around the colored water. I sat there unsure of how to drink it, being that the leaves were floating about and must have looked quite odd siting there staring at my cup like this.

The elegant voice of the Consort broke me from by confusion, “Child, you must have never used a lidded cha cup before."

“Well to be honest I have never had this “cha" in first place," I looked up at her, embarrassed at my actions already.

“I am not surprised! Its quite uncommon outside the court"

“You see, this little cup is a way to drink it, you just have to use the lid to sweep the leaves back and drink the clear liquid!" she said as she did a small demonstration, which I followed and finally managed to take a sip of this drink. It is difficult to describe in words, but it was very clean and fresh, almost grassy but nonetheless very pleasant. The fatigue I had from Ulric waking me seemed to drift away.

“I am quite impressed with you knowing how to properly greet me," Nu spoke to me as I took dainty sips from the cup I held. I noticed that Nu was gently lapping up her drink rather than sipping it. Since the cup was quite wide it could accommodate her muzzle quite well.

“Thank you, Lady," as I sat there I noticed upon the wolfess's claws sparkled bejeweled claw stalls on each finger of her paw and were formed from gold mesh-work done in delicate motifs that I could not quite discern the exact pattern due to my distance from her, but they were quite elaborate and stunning.

“You are quite handsome! I must say, you would make a wonderful concubine in the West Harem! Of course, when you are a tad older though." I nearly choked on the hot “cha" when I heard this and started on a fit of uncontrollable coughs.

“Oh! Are you okay?" the richly dressed wolf asked as though she did not know that what she said caused my fit, but I got the feeling that she did.

“Oh, yes! Yes, I am fine!" I got up and wanted to get out of here, this place had an air to it now that was not very comfortable. “My Consort, my master is having a feast tonight and I feel I should get going now."

“Oh, of course! My brother Titus told me about that!" I heard Ulric start to whine a bit about me leaving which was stopped by the Consort. “Now, Uric! Don't you start, you will have plenty of time to visit with him again! Plus, you are going to be six years old in a few weeks, you are getting too old to act like this."

I bid my farewell to the Consort and the Prince, and left the building. The moment I left the structure into the courtyard I gave a great sigh of relief, as though I survived the abode of a dragon or more proper for Nu, an ice Queen.

Everything was just so awkward and almost sinister in a way. I couldn't place my finger on why. The way she looked at me was just odd and it gave me the creeps, like a feeling of I was being looked as if I was a thing, something that she had an interest in but otherwise didn't think of me as a living being. It wasn't quite like being stopped and harassed by the guards, nor was it like the hostility I got from Titus, it was...I don't know! I was just happy to get out of there!

Leaving the gateway out into the causeways, I looked down both paths and found that I was at a complete loss of how to get back home.

“Need help?" taken by complete surprise by a voice, I yelped in shock. I was relieved to see that it was the young ursine Dillan and not that other ursine that looked a bit scary.

“Oh its you! And yes, please!" I felt very fortunate that he came out and was going to help me as I had no idea where to start on trying to head back.

“Come, follow me!" he walked ahead and started leading me.

For the most part we walked in silence, but after a few minutes I ventured out with some small talk.

“So, that was the Consort?" I said, quickly regretting how awkward what I said was and how dumb my question was.

“Yes," he said keeping on his path without even flinching at my query from out of the blue. Feeling a bit emboldened, I ventured out with a risky question.

“Is she always that…you know?" this caught his attention and though he didn't stop walking, he did turn his head towards me slightly.

“It seems you have a perceptive mind!" he said, slightly surprised at what I said and continued on.

“The imperial palace is sometimes a battlefield and lets just say everyone is looking for a potential weapon against their rivals"

“I don't understand," he paused and stopped.

“I think it would be best if you did not know. But I will just say this: be careful here…" he started back up walking and for a little moment I was too shocked to follow, but I quickly snapped out of it and jogged forward to catch up with him.

I was about to question him further when he stopped.

“Ah here we are, Gernan's hall!" he gestured his paw into the gateway.

“I should be going now! It was nice meeting with you again," and thus he left me confused about everything he said and what had happened. I decided to put it out of my head for now and focus on the feast that was going to soon start.

Well I tried too at least.

My mind kept on going back to what happened even as the sun went down and the guests started to arrive. I stood there spaced out and blank as the wolf statesmen rolled on in while being greeted by my master.

They talked for a bit and started taking their seats at the tables that were now covered with rich red table cloth and adorned with empty porcelain plates, bowls and cups. The room was filled with the noise of murmuring voices and among the crowd I was not happy to see that awful wolf Titus. I made accidental eye contact once with that tailless wolf and he gave a sour look.

“Looks like he still hates my guts," I did not put it past him, he was such a proud wolf and would never forget anything done wrong done to him, especially those committed by those he perceived as lesser than him.

Now that the feast was really getting started now, I found myself getting distracted from what happened earlier and soon forgot about it for the most part.

Master took his seat at his table, sitting at the head of the whole dinner with me and Panta beside him. As I was a little weary from the day, I took a seat on the steps of the platform behind me, where Gernan's desk had always been in this hall.

Soon a train of dishes of all kinds came out and were placed on the tables, mostly meats, some cooked with rich spices while others were raw and served with bold, flavorful vegetables like fried mushrooms to add some taste to bland flavor of the raw flesh. I watched as the canine servants delivered trays of dishes to each table. Each individual tray contained samples of same foods as the rest of the trays that were delivered to the tables and their hungry wolf occupants, a sort of small buffet for each person. I just stared watching, my head cradled in my hands in slight boredom.

Soon, the dog servants left and then returned, bearing goose-neck spouted sliver pitchers, one for each guest's table. Gernan stood up and spoke in a jovial voice.

“AHH! What we've all been waiting for: the drinks!" this was followed by masculine laughter and hoots as Gernan poured himself a drink into one of the tiny ceramic cups and slurping it down to the low cheers of the wolves.

Afterwards, all the wolves, my master included, took lap-like sips from the small cups, savoring its flavor which came a long way to get here.

The clear water-like beverage was made from fermented rice, a rare import from the Dog Kingdoms in the east and was served warm, having been heated before serving. For a human it wouldn't be much and would take a few cups to even get the slightest bit tipsy, but for wolves, they seemed to have not quite the same level of tolerance, with some even seeming to get drunk with just one shot. I wondered what would happened if I were a wolf and tried some of the really hard stuff I saw back home made by those men with those odd kegs with the funny spiral tubes which my grandpa would usher me a way from when I grew curious.

Before I wondered if this all would have been too quieter and wondered if music might be needed to liven things up, but the talking was so loud that I think any form of music would not be necessary.

Occasionally, I would stand up and ask Panta who some of the guests were. I asked him if Chu He'ge was here and the fox nodded his head before pointing to one of the tables where I saw a rather gaunt- looking wolf was sitting.

“So, that's Chu! The one who thought a human couldn't write nicely?" I thought, reveling in the bet I helped my master win.

After a while, Gernan got up and began to speak.

“It's great that that all of you could make it to this little warm-up to the Prince's birthday celebrations! It's hard to believe he is going to be six years old!" the crowd gave a response of shouts and cries of praise which, upon dying down, one portly wolf stood up.

“My Prime Beta, perhaps we should start planning for his marriage?" this was followed by a wave of murmurs of discussion.

“Marriage?! Haha! And to who!?"

“My niece, Gao'ao would make a wonderful candidate!"

“Galba! Your niece is fifteen years old! That would be like an older sister to the Prince!"

“True! True! But it would be the best choice, plus he will have others in his harem when he grows up!"

“Ah, so you are purposing a marriage to cement out security in the court?"

“Yes of course! It would be a really good move! And she will be still quite young when the Prince become an adult!" Gernan rubbed his muzzle in thought.

“Hmm...it's something to consider but I am not the one to decide such a thing. It would have to be approved by his Mother first."

“Oh, poor little wolf! I hope this does not get through! Him married to a teenager at his age!" I thought to myself, not knowing whether the idea of him marrying someone so much older was amusing or depressing! It would be something that would be very hard to keep from him the next time we met.

By this time, my attention to the goings-on at this banquet was rapidly decreasing and the longer and longer it went on, the less and less I paid heed to what was being said or what was going on. It was getting late and I was starting to get sleepy.

Getting up, I put my hand on Gernan's shoulder, getting his attention as he made eye contact with those amber orbs of his.

“Master? I'm getting really sleepy, can I excuse myself?"

“Oh, of course! You must be really tired!" he gave me a pat of reassurance to my upper arm and without delaying, proceeded to make my way outside, passing by the still lively feast and exited into the cool autumn night, walking to the wings of sleeping chambers for the servants.

Flopping myself onto the small cot, I just about passed out from the tiring day. I hoped things would go back to where they were before the riot! I now really hated being here in this palace.

There I was, standing by my master at the birthday banquet of the Crown Prince. It was early evening, an evening will stay with me forever.

“The Vestibule of a Myriad Youthful Elations," was the name of the building, a spacious hall used for banquets and festive occasions like the one now.

The large, pillared hall was decked out in full splendor. Red fliers hung from the pillars and various large lanterns. A multitude of tables were arranged in neat rows at both sides of the hall, leaving the center of the space vacant for the performers and dancers who would make the vibrant crimson and gold carpets their stage.

At the end of the room was a lofty platform for the large table of the Crown Prince that would have had central position up there, if it were not for the fact that the Alpha was up there, sharing the space with his own table.

The whole area was like a battlefield, a war between the voices of the guests and the live orchestra.

Looking around at all the wolves here attending this party, some with their human who were like I was with my master, a close attendant and helping their master's either with getting a portion of a dish or pouring a cup of drink; I thought about how Nu was not here due to the rule about her being a harem member and how having non-family members and those deemed unworthy to look upon the face of a consort of the Alpha was a bit of a taboo. It was a bit sad that Ulric's mother could not attend this and I wondered if there would be a private party for him in the harem later on at another day. Since my mind was idle, being nothing was quite happening so far yet, I took my mind off the world around me and focused on the clothes my master was donning, letting my mind ponder over its design.

Master was wearing the semi-formal court robe of his rank and so were the other male wolves who were apart of the imperial wolf court. It was clearly easier to wear than the highly ceremonial robes of high court functions, consisting of a full length gown of deep tyrian purple, reserved for the highest ranking wolves in the court and council. The front of the gown was fastened closed through small, discreet beads strategically placed vertically to the waist, stopping at where the belt was wrapped around the waist.

I could have made small talk with master or Panta, but it was even hard enough to talk to oneself in such a loud, festive environment, let alone talk with someone else. I could hardly hear my master despite the fact that I was standing next to him and had to lean into him to hear him speak.

This whole event was an overload of all of my senses, especially when the food came in!

A parade of food carried by humans, mountains of it! Some like I had never seen before! Everything from fowl to alien things from the deep, dark blue! Some raw, some cooked; some spiced and some not!

Then, something truly unworldly came in along with the train of dishes. On a gilt platter that was so large it was carried by two humans, each holding one end, was a sky-blue tinted dome! At first glance, I thought it was a glass dome, but on a a closer look it jiggled and swayed with the movement of its bearers. It was some kind of food, an opulent dish that I had never dreamed could exist! A fitting dish for such an extravagant party in the opulent wolven court!

And to add to the scene, the steps of the servers bringing in the cuisine were almost coordinated to the beats of the stately music being played. I wondered to myself how much this event must have been rehearsed by the staff of the palace.

The arrival of the food caused the voices to die down a bit and let the music take hold, but soon that too stopped. The reason was soon clear though, when a group of male humans dressed as does and stag's came in, dressed in loin cloths and skin painted to mimic the patterns of deer while some wore head pieces with antlers on them. They were followed by a troupe of female wolven dancers dressed in masculine hunting costumes of sapphire and gold silk thread while wearing black velvet caps topped with colorful feathers. Lastly, these “hunters" held richly decorative string-less bows.

The group amassed in the vacant center and waited for a while. Only when the Alpha stood up and clapped did the music start up, low at first and matched by the moves of the “deer" who pranced about delicately, with the does circling the kingly stag, who twirled and stepped with regal grace as his harem of does danced in rotations around synchronously, raising their hands up and down in waves to the peaceful, but grand tone of the strings and flutes.

Then the mood changed! Drums signaled the change of the course of both the music and the dance as the tune became martial and aggressive as the strings died out and were overcome by booming drums and horns.

The hunters stormed in! They mimed their arms like they were shooting their bows as the hunter's attendants circumnavigated the space, waving their banners and flags.

The does and stags began to fall, others scrambling chaotically as they were shot at. Some escaped, some did not. Soon, the king stag was all that was left, but he was on his knees clearly wounded, the dancer showing his wounds by pulling blood-colored ribbons that were hidden under his antler head-piece.

Finally, the star hunter wolfess, who was the only one that did not have a hunting cap, approached the downed, kingly stag and, to my great astonishment, lifted up the human dancer and held him high above her head, with plenty of space between his body and tips of her pointed ears.

She held him aloft in triumphant victory, arms and legs limply hanging over her like a canopy.

And with that, the music concluded as the performers left by the open-aired entrance, as the whole hall burst into the muffled sounds of claps, the sound being different and a little duller sounding from the sharp sounds of human hands.

The Alpha got up, which cause the whole commotion to drop like a rock and he spoke.

“Excellent! Excellent! A most wonderful performance!" the Alpha spoke with jubilation. “Such talent! And what a perfectly performed dance for my dear pup's sixth birthday!" he gestured to the small wolf sitting at his own table besides him.

“One million years to the Alpha! Ten thousand years to the crown prince!" the crowed shouted in praise.

The mass of commotion and noise died down as the guests returned to their food and drink. I felt a nudge at my side and saw it was Pantaleon, who was also here to attend to our master.

“I hope the Alpha does not think about having those two star dancers enter his harem!" the fox chuckled slightly as he whispered to me.

“Oh Canis, there would be war in the harem for sure!" I imaged how much conflict that would cause and it didn't help that the harem was already in a cold war between the two bright stars of the harem.

I was about to say something else when I was poked on the back by another. Turning around, I saw it was the bear, Dillan.

“Oh it's you!"

“The Prince wants you to be with him at his table," he said to me in a courtly tone.

“What!?" I exclaimed, nearly shouting out loud.

“Yes, he is lonely and wants your company," agreeing to this, I nodded my head and leaned into the ear of Gernan, my nose almost being tickled by the fur in his ear.

He nodded his head and gave me a small wave as I was lead by the bear down the pathway between the rows of tables and climbing onto the platform via a side ramp, rather than the open front ramp.

Making my way towards the wolf pup's table, I saw that he was already looking at he and that his tail, which was sticking out from one of the holes in the chair he was sitting on, was wagging quite happily.

“This lowly human gives greetings, Crown Prince, ten thousand years to you!" I chanted out as I kneeled and caught sight that the wolf was not tall enough for his seat, as his legs were dangling over the chair.

“Oh come on! Stop it!" I heard above me as I felt a playful slap on my shoulder.

“Sorry little wolf, but I have to play it safe, your father, the Alpha is here!" I whispered to him after having payed my respects.

I chatted with the Prince, telling jokes and short stories to keep him from getting bored, but soon the Alpha caught my attention.

The wolf seemed a bit panicked and I saw him shiver a bit. His ursine companion leaned in to find out what was wrong. Since the Alpha was quite shaken, he spoke in a loud whisper which I could clearly overhear bits and pieces of.

“MY-! Can't feel-!" I managed to pick out from the cluttered mumbling as I also noticed that he was frantically pointing to his arm that was dangling limply at his side.

Soon enough, he was helped up by the large ursine and hobbled away, somehow unnoticed by most except for us on the platform, as most of the guests were preoccupied by watching another dance act that was being performed.

“Poor daddy!" a voice rang out from below me as I looked back down at the wolf prince, swinging his little legs high atop his chair.

“What's wrong with him?" I asked, quite perplexed at what had just occurred.

“I don't know! Mommy just says his nerves cut out, what ever that means," the pup said as he took a sip of his beverage, which was half empty already. A drink made from pressed pears and pomegranates that were in season and served from a pitcher just for the Prince. The scent of the pomegranates in it was quite strong.

“Nerves cut out? That sounds quite serious!"

I shrugged it off for now and started again to converse with the Prince, telling him about being dumped by Eylk.

As we were talking, I was interrupted by a low grumbling sound from the pup's abdomen and was followed by a little grunt from the wolf.

“Are you okay?" I asked, concern evident in my voice before Dillan piped in, answering my question.

“It's probably indigestion, here, drink something, Prince!" the bear soon grabbed the now empty cup, refilled it and handed it to the Prince and for a while it was better. But then I was tugged on my arm by the Prince.

“Xan, I don't feel so well!" I knelt down as he spoke and noticed he looked very weary and his lips looked limp.

“Little wolf, you don't look too good!" I spoke, starting to get every worried. “Maybe you're tired?" I asked, hoping for an assurance to my growing fears.

He was about to speak. but then jerked forward, convulsing violently and choked up, coughing and wheezing into my arms and soon the feeling of warm liquid on my hands came to my senses.

A chill ran down my spine as I looked down, it was red! Looking up, I saw blood was dribbling down the wolf pup's chin, dripping down his nose and staining his robe as he fell backwards, slumping into his seat almost slipping off it entirely.

“OH, CANIS!" I screamed so loud that the whole room went silent and hundreds of amber eyes fell on me.

“CROWN PRINCE!" Dillan screamed behind me as he rushed forward and hoisted the Prince's limp body out of my arms before shouting out again.

“POISON! POISON!" the ursine shouted out, repeating it again and again like a mantra as the room continued to be silent in shock.

“GET THE IMPERIAL DOCTOR! NOW!" was shouted out, but by who I can not say for sure as I was rushing behind, holding the wolf cubs paw as he was being carried by his young ursine eunuch.

“OUT OF MY WAY!" the bear roared out ferociously, causing anyone in his path to jump away in fear.

Following behind, still holding onto the little one's paw, my sole view was of his face as it was laying limp over the Bear's shoulder, a bulking figure left into the autumn night.

The world became dark and the air cold on my nose, making it numb as the world around me rushed by. The walls of the palace roads speeding by as trains of figures rushed with us, the lanterns of some becoming balls of light in the sides of my eyes.

I was struggling to keep pace with the youthful bear and he was almost dragging me at times, but my grasp to the Prince's had was iron tight, like a chain being dragged from behind when I lost my footing in the cold, dark evening.

Glancing back, looking in through the portal into the hall that was once filled with such joyful celebrations, I caught a fleeting glace of master. He had stood up with such abruptness that his dinner table was overturned, the dishes shattering on the ground the food within cascading like a landslide. His face was full of horror, his eyes now filled with doubt and fear as he shouted out words I could not hear as Pantaleon tried to help him in vain.

Cries and calls rang out in dream like fog around my form. “Get the Alpha!" “Get Consort Nu!" were some of the things that were screamed out in the night.

Running, running, running; the wind on my face, the faces of others going by, the walls flashing by like on a speeding horse! It felt like forever and that this was going to go on for eternity. Was this purgatory!?

Had I passed from this world and was now being purged of my sins? Would this go on? Would I forever be dragged like this down these palace corridors? Would this go on for a thousand years or more!?

Doubt filled my mind, clouding all my sense. Was I even alive!? Then memories flooded back, I began hearing the sermons of the preacher back home, things I thought I had forgotten. Memories about retribution and divine punishment.

Was this my hell for being a traitor to my race!? Was I being punished to be forever in a state perpetual rush with no end because I jumped into the arms of those fur-covered beasts!?

Not only that, but did I forsaken my god? The god of mankind?! I thought about the times I invoked not the god of man but Canis, god of the canines and wondered, had I done wrong?

I wanted to let go of my beloved prince and pray to the heavens for forgiveness, but I feared for that sweet pup, Prince Ulric! I thought of my master who showed me kindness when he had every right to be cruel to me.

My anguish grew and grew the longer I was in this state of flight, I feared my head would split from it all!

The sound of a door being kicked in snapped me out of the delirious state I was in and I saw we were in room, the Prince's bed room. Full of opulence that one would imagine such a person would have in his room. But I did not care about that, my only focus was him! The little wolf cub whose face was being held over the robed shoulder of the castrated ursine.

Having not let go of the Prince's paw the whole time, our connection was briefly broken as the ursine rested him down on the bed.

“WHERE IS THE DOCTOR!" Dillan shouted as the room soon fell into chaos and after awhile, a wolf carrying a wooden box rushed into view as he leaned in to examine the Prince, placing his ear next to his muzzle.

“He is still breathing, but he is in dire straights!" I heard behind me.

I kept a constant watch on him. Every breath he took, I feared was his last. When he took longer than usual inhaling, I feared the worst! It was an up and down mentally. Every inhale an elation of joy, every exhale an uncertain fear.

“It looks like grape poisoning or something like that!" the wolf doctor spoke with dread in his voice. “We need to evacuate his stomach immediately if there's any chance of survival!"

A large, bronze pan was brought in as the doctor lifted the young wolf's limp body, leaning it over the pan as he pried open his muzzle. He inserted a rod deep into his maw and with a thrusting motion, started to agitate his throat repeatedly, each time the weakened Prince would weakly gurgle or heave.

I felt like I could not breathe! I wanted to get up and scream out to the unconscious puppy, “Throw up! Throw up" It was like I was not going to breathe until he did so, but soon I was able to again as he gave forward and discharged his stomach into the pan.

This one action alone dramatically sliced off the dire fear that permeated the entire environment around us as a light sense of hope filled the room.

A fragile and brittle hope that could easily be shattered like porcelain upon the cold, unforgiving ground.

“Quickly, take this to the table and don't dump it!" the canine servant who held the dish nodded and rapidly withdrew as the doctor poured a small bottle of liquid, followed by a canister of black powered down the maw of the wolf that was now covered with bits of his ejected dinner.

“What is that!?"

“A relaxant and a dose of charcoal to absorb any remaining toxins! If the Prince is in a lot of pain, that might kill him before the poison does!"

“Thats it!? Can't you give a cure!? Some kind of antidote!"

“It does not work like that, you dumb bear! With something like this the only thing you can do it take out the toxic substance as soon as you can and just hope you got it out in time!"

“Are you saying we have to wait and hope!?"

“Am I speaking Tigris here!? Yes!" just as these two voices were about to start a fight, another feminine voice chimed in.

“ULRIC!" the hysterical voice cried out and turning back, I saw it was Consort Nu.

“MY PUPPPY!" she rushed forward, but was soon overcome and fainted, falling down in a heap of cascading silks as her coronet toppled off her head, clattering against the stone floor and dislodging a few of the precious stones and pearls from their settings, which an opportunistic dog or bear would no doubt help themselves to. Luckily, Nu was caught by her servants and did not hit the ground with too much force.

I turned back to the Prince, laying there in limbo between life and death, and felt so hopeless. I put my hand on my chest and felt my necklace, the amber eye Maria gave me to give me luck and to watch over me.

I unclasped it and took it off as I leaned forward over the unmoving body of the wolf Prince and wrapped the charm around his neck in one quick motion before returning to my knees by his side as I whispered lowly in sheer desperation.

“Little wolf! You must live! Live for me! Please! You must pull through!"

I grabbed his paw and held it tight, and when I felt as though all was lost I felt the little furry paw give a very light squeeze back, a ray of hope for me in a storm of despair.

“Little wolf, you must live!"

“You must!"

“Please!"

“You are going to be a great Alpha someday!"