Serpent Mound - 14. Balance of Power

It was nearing mid-afternoon the following day when the wolf guard entered the bears’ cabin.

“Rieka has ordered a feast in celebration of the return of the lost sacrifice, and the restoration of balance within The People. You three bears are to be the guests of honor.”

He noticed that Bill was untied from the bed and sitting with Marcus on the couch.

“Has this one been persuaded to join us?” the wolf asked Marcus.

“Yes,” Marcus replied, “He may still be a skeptic, but he will not try to escape. I used my sexual charms to sway his opinion of the village. Given the choice of eternity in my bed and the misery of the cave, he has chosen the former.”

“Excellent,” the wolf said. “And what of your injured friend?”

“The injured friend has recovered above and beyond the vitality of his life before the village,” Rodney said, emerging from the bedroom, “I was an empty vessel, and I have been filled with the essence of the bear-god.”

Bill and Marcus looked at each other with concern. Ever since waking from his injury, Rodney had been spouting that kind of nonsense. Either he was immersing himself in the role, or there was something terribly wrong with their friend.

“Praise be!” the wolf replied. “Another reason to celebrate! Follow me and we will join the rest of The People at the feast!”

The bears followed the wolf to the village center. A long table had been placed outdoors, covered with white linen, and decorated with fresh leaves and wildflowers. Sitting at the head of the table, was a female wolf-lycan with flaming red hair.

“That must be Rieka,” Bill whispered to Marcus.

The end of the table opposite Rieka had four empty seats, and to the surprise of Bill, Marcus and the wolf, Rodney moved to sit in the seat at the very end of the table, facing Rieka.

“We welcome our new bear brethren to the table of The People,” Rieka announced. “Our village remains in balance. With the traitorous actions of Karhu and the tragic deaths of two of our boar brethren, the equilibrium is maintained through the arrival of Marcus, Rodney, and Bill.

“Please enjoy the feast provided by the Tuath Dé in celebration!”

The table was filled with roasted venison and rabbit, root vegetables and leafy salads, freshly baked breads, and sweet cakes.

Bill and Marcus each took a small portion, to keep up appearances and be polite to their captors, but Rodney filled plate after plate, wolfing down food as if he were a newly-bred Cub again, feeding his body in preparation for a first change.

The other lycans began to notice after a short time that Rodney continued to eat gluttonously, even after all others in the village had their fill.

“My, my,” Rieka said, looking down the table at him, “I recall times when Karhu could put away the food, but this one takes the bear appetite to a new level!”

“Tell me woman,” Rodney said, dropping a half-eaten rabbit haunch back onto his plate, and wiping the grease from his mouth with the back of his hand, “How is it that you became the leader of The People?”

Rieka shot an icy stare down the table but kept her composure.

“My father was the leader from the time of the first worshippers of the Tuath Dé,” Rieka explained. “When he died, the blessing and responsibility was passed on to me. I have held this position for millennia now.”

“I see,” Rodney replied. “And tell me, have you uncovered the secret to advance the date of the sacrifice ritual earlier than the equinox? I know that has been your goal since retrieving the missing boy.”

“I have not,” Reika snapped, beginning to seethe, “The Tuath Dé will show me in their own good time when they are ready to receive the sacrifice.”

“The Tuath Dé are ready now, bitch!” Rodney yelled, standing up from his place at the table. “It is your failings that have put The People in peril!”

“Who are you to judge me, bear?” Rieka shrieked. “You aren’t even fully a part of The People yet, and at this rate, I doubt you ever will be!”

“Who am I to judge?” Rodney bellowed standing to his full height and puffing his chest, “I am the vessel of the bear-god! He spoke to me in my dreams and delivered me to his mound at the top of the mountain. He took me, penetrated me, and filled me with his essence!

“I am the voice of the Tuath Dé from this day forward. Listen to my words or be punished!”

“I think not,” Rieka growled, “Wights! To me! Apprehend this heretic and send him to your foulest Hell!”

All lycans around the table braced for the appearance of the mist to sweep in and absorb the body of the upstart bear. They waited, but the mist did not appear.

“I thought you would have understood, bitch,” Rodney said. “The Tuath Dé have lost their faith in you as their high priestess. They have chosen me as your replacement and have filled my body with the essence of the bear-god. I see that you will need a demonstration.”

“Wights!” Rodney called, “To me!”

At his command, the swirling cloud of white mist appeared above Rodney’s head.

“You will find,” he said to Rieka, “That I have a bit more creativity when it comes to utilizing the wights. They not only can control the sights and sounds within their dream-state, but they can manipulate time as well. I will demonstrate.

“Wights, I want you to take Rieka and put her in a formless void. No sights, no sounds, just pure whiteness. You may release her in a few seconds, but within your dream-world I would like two full days to pass. Go!”

The white mist flew across the length of the table at a screaming Rieka and consumed her. To the shock and dismay of The People, the mist had absorbed her into the dream-world as the bear had commanded. She was only gone for ten seconds at the most when she was unceremoniously spit out of the underside of the mist where she landed on the ground on her backside.

“What have you done to me?” Rieka shrieked, “How long was I gone?”

“How long?” Rodney asked in a mocking tone, strolling down the length of the table towards the woman who now appeared disheveled and exhausted, “You were gone mere seconds. How long do you think you were gone?”

“There was no way to measure time!” Rieka shrieked, “It lasted forever!”

“Not forever; for you it lasted exactly two days,” Rodney replied coolly, “A mere forty-eight hours. Are you ready now to relinquish yourself to your new master?”

“You can go to Hell,” Rieka muttered. “I have been the leader of The People for millennia, and I will continue to lead them long after your bones have turned to dust.”

“You are acting like a spoiled child who has been told that she’s no longer in charge,” Rodney replied. “I can see that you need another demonstration.”

“Wights!” Rodney called, “Put Rieka back in the void, but make it last two months this time.”

“No!” Rieka shrieked, but her voice trailed off as she was picked up into the mist.

She was gone a bit longer this time, perhaps twenty seconds, before once again being ejected from the mist onto the ground.

Rieka looked around at her surroundings and screamed. Rodney squatted beside her and gently patted her back shushing her until she fell silent.

“Tell me Rieka,” Rodney said. “How long were you left in the blank void this time?”

“It was an eternity!” Rieka sobbed.

“Who is the voice of the Tuath Dé, master of the wights and leader of The People?”

“You are,” Rieka cried with a shaky voice. “The village and The People are yours. Please don’t send me into the void again!”

“It was necessary for you to learn that lesson, child,” Rodney said. “Now you understand. I am the walking essence of the Tuath Dé and I am here to make their will known in this village.”

Rodney sat in the chair at the head of the table that had formerly been occupied by Rieka and gazed at the faces of The People, who all looked at him with awe and fear.

“As I said before we began Rieka’s lessons,” Rodney said in a calm voice, “The Tuath Dé are ready to rise and receive their sacrifices now. There is a way that we can perform the ritual tomorrow night rather than waiting months for the equinox. A way that Rieka was not able to perceive…

“It will require a fifth sacrifice. If we were to sacrifice an elder of The People… a former elder of The People… upon the mound of the Serpent, the other four spirits will rise to claim their new offerings.”

Rieka heard these words and began to scream again.

“Rieka, Rieka,” Rodney said in a soothing tone to the woman groveling on the ground next to his chair, “Fear not! You will continue to endure as the Elder of the wolves. You will not be sacrificed tomorrow, but rather you will be the one performing the sacrifice.

“No, the former elder who will be sacrificed to the Serpent tomorrow will be Karhu, our traitorous bear.”

Marcus and Bill looked at each other uncomfortably, but there was nothing they could do to stop Rodney in his mad takeover of the village.

Rodney turned now and spoke to the group of female wolves sitting together.

“I want you to go to the cave and remove Karhu from his confinement,” Rodney instructed. “He is quite weak, and he will not put up a fight. I wish him to be bathed and thoroughly cleaned. Cut his hair, trim his beard, and clean and file his nails. When he is refreshed, dress him in clothing of white linen, as befits a sacrifice, and give him a meal. He may eat all he wishes from the leftovers of our feast. When he is sated, put him in the cabin with the other four sacrifices where they will wait until sundown tomorrow.”

Rodney then turned to the male wolves.

“When your females have finished preparing the sacrifice and have delivered him to the cabin with the others, you six are to keep vigilant watch all night and all day. There shall be no escape attempts before the ritual at sundown.

“You all have your orders. Are they clear?”

“Yes sir,” all the lycans around the table replied.

“Then go, and set about your tasks!” he demanded, and all The People jumped up from the table to carry out their orders lest they be placed in the void like Rieka.

“I am not unsympathetic to the pain caused to you by that bear,” Rodney replied, looking down at the woman still groveling on the ground whose fire-red hair was now streaked with gray. “You will be the one to plunge the knife into Karhu’s chest and raise the Tuath Dé. That is my gift to you.”

“Thank you, Rodney,” Rieka said, not lifting her head or making eye contact.

Rodney placed his hand under her chin until she was looking up at him.

“Praise the Tuath Dé!” Rodney said with a grin, and he laughed at the pathetic woman at his feet.

****

The C-17 cruised south over the mountains, carrying a platoon of wolves, eight bears, ten Humvees, and one Mercedes-Benz 4x4.

Axel had given his mate Adam a cube of orpin roseroot shortly before takeoff, and now he sat passed out, strapped into his seat next to Siku the polar bear.

Now, as they cruised at 35,000 feet, Axel casually sat next to Apollo, who was reviewing a topographical map of the target area.

“So…” Axel said after he felt enough time had gone by without Apollo acknowledging his presence, “Susie, eh?”

Apollo looked up from his map, “Ah, Councilmember Axel. Good afternoon. Did you say something about Susie?”

“Well, General,” Axel said with a grin, “It’s just a surprise and all. You and Susie…”

“Yes, I suppose it is,” Apollo replied, “We hadn’t really advertised our mating earlier, and we didn’t really intend to do it during an emergency Council meeting.”

“That’s not what I mean, sneaky wolf,” Axel said, still grinning, “I mean that I never figured you… you know…”

“Never thought I’d settle down?” Apollo asked.

“I never knew you liked dick!” Axel whispered.

“If you’d known, would it have mattered?” Apollo asked.

“Well, you know,” Axel replied, still grinning, “I might have made a move sooner. The Cub and I have had our share of three-ways with wolves. It’s always been a pretty fucking good time.”

“So,” Apollo said, “Let me see if I’m understanding this correctly… Since I am mated to a fiercely strong and intelligent transgender female wolf-lycan, who makes me laugh and cry, feel happy and angry, who completes me in every way imaginable as a soulmate… That means that a three-way with you and Adam was somehow on the table?”

“Come on, Big Bad,” Axel said, “It’s all in good fun. You’ll never know what you’re missing till you’ve had a Kodiak cock balls-deep in your tailpipe.”

“Axel!” a loud female voice yelled from just behind the bear.

“Oh, shit!” Axel shouted, jumping and turning around, “Susie! Didn’t see you there!”

“Did I just hear you tell my Mate that he needed to try a bear dick in his ass?”

“I, I, I…” Axel stammered, backing away from the thin lean wolf with the daggers in her eyes, “I was just saying that If I’d known sooner that he liked dick, that…”

“Liked DICK?” Susie growled, “Listen here, lover-bear, my Mate loves me for my mind, my soul, and my take-no-shit personality. Unlike some people, he’s not obsessed with DICK!”

“Ah, okay, Susie,” Axel mumbled backing away, which did him no good, because the wolf continued to stalk him down the aisle of the plane. “I wish you and the General nothing but happiness and a long life together. May your mating be blessed by Zeus himself.”

“Why, thank you Councilmember!” Susie replied sweetly, suddenly gripping the big bear in a hug and planting a kiss on his cheek. “We’re registered at Tiffany’s and Williams-Sonoma, so I’m sure a big-shot like you will be sending a wonderful Mating gift!”

“Sure thing, Susie,” Axel replied breathing a sigh of relief.

“I’d suggest the heated ice cream scoop,” Susie said playfully, “It’s perfect for castrating overbearing shitheads who try to hit on my husband right before I shove their balls back up their own assholes. Got it?”

“Got it,” Axel said with a gulp. “Sorry Susie, I need to go check on the Cub. He doesn’t fly well, so I doped him up before takeoff. I’ll see you later.”

“Later sweetie!” Susie said, “Kiss, kiss!”

Susie strode back up the airplane aisle and sat next to Apollo.

“That was absolutely brilliant,” Apollo said, grabbing her arm and pulling her onto his lap before planting a big kiss on her lips and turning to whisper in her ear. “I’m going to give you the best blowjob of your life in our tent tonight.”

“I’m so lucky I found a Big, Bad Wolf who loves dick!” Susie whispered back with a giggle.

****

“Colonel Banshee, this is the flight deck,” the voice rang out over all the team leads’ walkies. “We’re not going to be able to make that landing at the Sossamon Field airstrip. We’re going to have to divert to Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge or Asheville.”

“The fuck you are!” Susie replied into her walkie, again transmitting to all the team’s walkies. “Gatlinburg and Asheville are too large and too conspicuous to go landing a C-17 without people asking too many questions. Sossamon Field is on private land, and we’ve already paid the owner off to look the other way.”

“Colonel,” the pilot said, “I have eyes on Sossamon Field from here. It’s too short, and the pavement is cracked in two hundred places. It would take a miracle for us to land there and end up in once piece.”

“Well then you better say your prayers and start the descent,” Susie snapped back, “Because we’re landing at Sossamon Field, and that’s an order!”

“Colonel, with all due respect…” the pilot began to say, but he never got a chance to finish.

“Hey flyboy,” Axel said into his walkie, “This is Councilmember Axel. I’m sure you know who I am. My reputation precedes me. You have two jobs. Fly this fucking plane, and follow fucking orders. Colonel Banshee has two thousand military and tactical considerations to make when commanding a fucking secret army of werewolves, and one of those considerations is where to land a big fucking plane without the ignorant human villagers coming after us with pitchforks and silver bullets! Now, if you are going to continually second-guess her decisions and would like to trade places, we can arrange that, but keep in mind that part of her job is taking the General’s giant wolf cock up her ass on a daily basis.

“So, if you’d like to keep your current position flying this plane, I suggest we prepare for descent, and you land us safely at Sossamon Field. Understood?”

There was silence for a full twenty seconds following Axel’s statement to the pilot. Dozens of soldiers sat looking at Axel with their jaws hanging open. Finally, the plane’s PA system crackled in preparation from an announcement from the Flight Deck.

“All passengers prepare for descent and landing. And… hang onto something. This is going to be a bumpy ride.”

The PA clicked off and Axel walked over to his seat next to Adam and strapped himself in.

“Papa, did he say it was going to be a bumpy ride?” Adam asked, coming out of his orpin rose stupor.

Axel reached into his pocket and popped another cube into his Cub’s mouth.

“Nevermind,” Adam replied throwing his hands in the air. “We’re going down! Whee!”

As the pilot predicted, it was a very bumpy landing on the cracked and broken pavement, and he had to brake so hard to prevent going off the end of the runway that any unsecured items in the cargo hold ended up in the front of the plane.

After landing, Axel and Siku were carrying a mostly unconscious Adam to load him into the back of the Benz, when Susie came stomping up.

“Axel!” Susie shouted.

“Ah shit,” Axel said to Siku, “I was really hoping to keep my balls on this trip.”

“Yes, Colonel?” Axel said turning to Susie.

“I just wanted to say,” Susie began, staring Axel directly in the eye, “Thanks for having my back up there. These pilots think they’re king of the world when you get them behind the stick of a big plane like this. Thanks for knocking him down a few pegs.”

“My pleasure, Colonel,” Axel replied, and Susie strode away to begin the unloading operations.

“Looks like your balls live to see another day,” Siku said.

“Siku,” Axel replied, “I never thought I’d say these words in my life, but… Damn that woman turns me on.”