First rays of the morning sun sliced through the retreating darkness when Aranea returned to the camp, reporting to the wolf hag of the Martyshkina pack, accompanied by Roch's men. Both warlords had decided to station their forces inside the raided settlements, indirectly protecting its citizens, and the place teemed with renewed vigor.

Scouts set out to collect refugees and bring them here. Medics, engineers, mechanics, and logistics officers serving the packs joined in the restoration efforts, directing the working teams of Wolfkin males, the weakest warriors, and the locals. Private artisans serving the warlords had performed miracles, expanding on Sly's efforts and restoring light to vital areas of the city. However, as Aranea headed to the field hospital, she heard their muffled curses and complaints about the outdated infrastructure. Guttural songs flowed over the buildings' roofs as the shamans sent the deceased on their final journey.

Aranea didn't expect to see anarchists and state medics working together to treat the injured around the city. She asked the warrior accompanying her about the caravanners and learned that they were being treated in a building that had been requisitioned for a clinic.

"Their lives are in no danger, but two will require prosthetic arms, three will need to have their stomachs and lungs replaced, and one more is at risk of losing her spine. I've been told that the Reclamation Army will pay for their full recovery," said the familiar not-Iternian, stepping out of the doors. A warrior standing guard reached out and pulled his anti-heat cowl over the man's head. "Enough already. After me," he told Aranea, leading her through the corridor. "Here, go into the room on the left. I'll call your people. They hate it when I treat your kind without them present. Also, you've grown. Will need to update your file."

"You have access to my… Never mind. Why are you here?" Aranea asked, placing Sonya on the large bed.

"Why not?" The doctor shrugged. "Apparently, war is inevitable. If I stay with the front-line troops, I'll have an opportunity to save more people. As the old-timer said, it's safer here." He shook Aranea's paw and reached for her mouth, lifting the lips with the gloved fingers. "Not a single missing fang. Sure you are not a Troll?"

"Not that lucky," she said.

"I am Marco. Me and several of my fellows will tag along with your packs for a while. Find us if you need help." He exited the room to find the doctors assigned to the Tribe.

"Damn it," came a moan from the bed. Sonya had woken up and tried to stand, staining the white sheets red with blood seeping from her scratches. "You… are Aranea, correct? Cubs sure grow fast these days. What were you consuming, pure steroids?" The former wolf hag mumbled, astonished, surveying her ward.

"No rash movements." Aranea knelt, placing a paw on her chest. "I broke your arm and leg. And probably cracked your skull."

"Not hard enough, since I'm still here," Sonya wheezed, one of her eyes filled with blood. "What the Abyss… Wolf Hag," she forced out the words, almost tasting them and licking her lips. "You felt it. Don't deny it. You should have used me as an offering to placate and honor the Blessed Mother."

"What mother would want their cubs to be sacrificed? There was no one divine there. No gods, just fellow humans. And I refuse to kill humans for fun," Aranea said, avoiding explaining the night's events. "Rest up and recuperate. We need to implement changes in my pack and I require your expertise, but that can wait."

"Tent it is for me then," Sonya wheezed, dropping her head onto a pillow and falling asleep.

"Don't count yourself out yet. That, too, is something I intend to change." Aranea patted Sonya on the healthy shoulder.

"Barbarians!" The wolf hag jumped to her feet, stepping aside as three doctors barged inside. "Cretinous idiots and their retarded traditions!" The chief surgeon of the Martyshkina Pack, a gray-haired man, stopped spewing a stream of vitriol, opened Aranea's mouth, counted her fangs, and nodded to Marco, who was typing at the terminal. "Malnourished and exhausted, but no visible external and no noticeable internal damage. Eat up, rest, and I'll wait for you tomorrow at ten. Wheel the patient to the operating room!"

The warlords and shamans had ordered the Wolf Tribe to ignore any remarks from the unenlightened, and their allies took full advantage of this privilege, berating the wounded and mocking the traditions without rest. Aranea liked these blunt men and women who wore exosuits over their white coats. It was beneficial to her sanity to find understanding among people who hated duels and dominations for their stupidity and weren't afraid to voice their opinions. Most Wolfkins hated them. Not for mocking, back-and-forth banter served as a never-ending source of amusement. However, being locked in a hospital room was the worst fate imaginable for any member of the Tribe.

Aranea asked a nurse outside for spare clothes, and the man directed her toward a storage room. The quartermaster had been busy, and her former clothes would no longer fit either way, not without sewing and stitching, so she picked up spacious, dusty cargo pants and a tattered brown shirt donated by an officer. Once she had dressed, Aranea stumbled into Kostya in the corridor. He had just returned from checkups, his burns and cuts bandaged.

"Sorry, I… Aranea? That is you, right?" Kostya smiled, catching the familiar scent, and bowed, exposing his neck. "No, it is Wolf Hag Aranea now. Congratulations. Does it mean that Sonya?" Concern appeared in his voice.

"Alive, bitter, and angry, itching to return to the field. The medics are tending to her. Expected anything less of me?" Aranea asked, and Kostya raised his eyebrows. She sensed he had more questions, but the old soldier gave her a wide berth, intending to ask them later and let her rest. She caught him by the arm. "Answer for an answer, Kostya. What in the Abyss was your performance? In my unit, we don't throw our lives away. Why were you so hellbent on staying on the front line?"

"I…" Kostya paused. "The shamans informed me months ago. I'm expected to visit the tent in a couple of months. I am scared," he forced himself to admit. "To fall in combat is one thing. I never shied away from giving up my life for my friends or for my cubs. That's fate worth looking for. But being butchered is degrading." He clenched his fists, dropping his shoulders. "I don't want to go to the tent."

"You won't. Kostya, you're still an able soldier. You can…"

"That's the problem, I can't!" He interrupted with desperation. "Remember our sortie against the insectoids? I acted too late to protect Sly. Today I was also slower than usual. Kate is right; I'm falling apart…"

"Ignore her." Aranea snapped. "I'll reprimand her to make her fall in line."

"Why? She speaks true and never hurts me. Spirits, she bailed me out of trouble several times! The truth is…" He glanced at his paws. "I'm getting old; we all know it. But just the mere thought of me entering that place, knowing what awaits me inside…." He stopped, breathing hard, horrified. "I just want to die a proper death, like my brothers and sisters! To sacrifice myself for my comrades and be an example to inspire the future generations! And not to be s… not like a cusack."

"Listen, we can always talk to the warlord or Lying One. They'll approve your leaving the Wolf Tribe with no problem." Aranea took him by the shoulders. "You won't be killed by the shamans, I promise."

"Where will I go?" he asked. "I don't know anything except fighting, so I won't fit in the Core Lands. I can't join the Free World since I'm not a medic, and I'd be a burden. The Oathtakers? They steal your soul. Pearl? You heard about the horrors they permitted in the Arena. I don't hear much about Iterna, but they probably have no use for an old Wolfkin, and the way they treated New Breed students was disgusting. It's either the Culling or starving in the Wastes for me. Both options are terrifying, so I push myself to…"

"You will not starve, nor will you end up in the tent. Kostya, have I ever lied to you?" He shook his head, and Aranea met his gaze. "Trust me. I'll come up with an idea. Calm down and carry on without exposing yourself to danger. Don't you dare give up." She waited for him to nod, then let go of him. Just one more thing for her to solve. "Can you point me to Kaleb's whereabouts?"

Much to her relief, Kaleb was not in the operating room and had behaved himself during the procedure. He had been assigned a small room in the partially collapsed wing of the building. Noises of working drills, welding equipment, and hammers accompanied Aranea when she went to check up on him. Inside, a doctor was emptying a syringe into the back of Kate, who was sitting on the chair while she rolled the prayer beads in her paw. Kaleb lay on the bed with a metallic brace on his arm and stitches on the corners of his mouth.

"Sister, mind leaving us alone? The den is reserved for the Sonya Pack here. We are currently mourning the loss of our leader." Kate glanced at the door and returned her attention to the beads.

"Don't talk like this; she might come back yet," Kaleb said weakly, propping himself up.

"That dumbass would've returned if she'd had the brains to use her power. She's tied up with me. What chance does she have against Sonya?" Kate growled, tapping on the chair. "Do you think she would've been thrilled about flowers on her grave? I still have tokens left over from the procedures. We can order some."

"Well, you are wrong as usual." Aranea smiled and stomped her foot, spreading her arms wide. Kate raised her head and frowned in confusion. Then she sniffed, recognized the familiar, albeit distorted, features, and smirked widely.

"You actually did it, you mad…" She regained her composure. "I meant, congratulations on your promotion, honored and mighty Wolf Hag Aranea." Kate finished, keeping a tiny smile, and tried to stand. The doctor loudly slapped her on the back of her head. Kate bristled but submitted to the unspoken order, letting the woman keep treating her back.

"Wolf Hag, I submit to your leadership." Kaleb swung his legs off the bed and tried to appear official to Aranea's joyous laughter.

"At ease. How's your arm doing?" Aranea inquired.

"This idiot did it this time," Kate hissed. "His arm is broken in more places than I care to count. The doctors said he needs at least a week to recuperate before they'll even consider letting him participate in training, let alone actual combat. He and the rest of the wounded bums are on official leave, barred from lifting anything heavier than a spoon, by the warlords' orders. No doubt Kaleb will spend the next week sleeping here like a cub, and I'll have to do both his and my duties again."

"My bad." Kaleb scratched his head. "I can assist with checking the suits and with sorting out inventory."

"Oh, don't you worry right now. Rest, relax. You'll be sorry later, when I force you to run courses repeatedly until I finally beat it into your piss pot to be more careful," Kate said, grinding her fangs. "You thought the last time was difficult? No, that was a prelude. Prepare to be bathed in the agony of weariness that will shape you into a proper soldier, you useless, stupid sack…" She fell silent as the shadow covered her.

How often did I warn Kate? Aranea's head throbbed, threatening to split itself in two. They killed people and lost comrades tonight! She ended a person and felt nothing! Ravager rummaged through her head, violating her will, and there was an urgent need to think about how to keep Sonya and Kostya safe from the tent. And Kate dared to add another burden to the growing list of worries? Who does she think she is? I am in charge. I lead the pack! My way, my rules!

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Fear, anger, and frustration merged together, exploding in the rainbow of pure rage in Aranea's mind. Why couldn't anything have worked out as she wanted to? Why won't any of her kin even try to behave as a decent human being, fit to be a model citizen of the ideal they sacrificed for? She tried to reason with the scout without resorting to violence. But Kate dared to threaten Kaleb regardless. Fine then. She will drill the lesson through Kate's stubbornness with a method the bitch could understand.

"No more." Aranea pointed the right paw at Kate, her nostrils flaring and the fangs bared. Her exhale came out in a white, heated steam and a spittle that splattered on another woman's snout. A claw shot out from the finger, touching the skin below the scout's right shoulder. "I commanded you to behave."

The claw pierced the skin, biting deep. Aranea's mouth watered, her instincts lusting and calling for a bite to enforce her authority. She dragged the claw to the left, hearing it scrape the bones and subdermal armor. Kate sat without twitching, displaying no panic; only a tic in her eye indicated pain. The lack of fear further infuriated the wolf hag.

"You forced my paw. If you won't listen to reason, we'll play your game. Rule number one: you will never insult Kaleb or anyone else without my permission." She searched for anything that might've broken the scout's determination and noticed that Kate had closed her hand around the beads. Aranea snatched them from her grip with ease.

"Aranea, please don't break them." Kate pleaded, her voice breaking. Her round eyes focused on the praying beads, and she ignored the claw digging deeper into her chest as she tried to stand up and leap to retrieve it. The wolf hag smirked. Fear at last. The doctor stepped away, pressing buttons on her terminal. "Aranea, I beg you, without them I…" The paw closed, reducing the beads to dust that poured between her fingers to Kate's horror.

"Rule number two: you will never hurt Kaleb or anyone in my pack ever again. Am I understood?" She twisted the claw, tearing through more flesh to stop the scout from speaking. "We are in the middle of a schooling session, so shut your dirty mouth and listen to the teacher. Am I understood?" Kate quickly nodded to Aranea's smile. That superiority… It was ecstatic, sublime, almost divine. "Rule number three: you will always speak to me in a respectful tone. I am no longer a scout. I am your master. Now, apologize for your vile behavior, you defective trash." Aranea moved the claw along the wet laceration's edge, stabbing in a little deeper under the bones.

"Aranea! Stop…" Kaleb stood up and paused when Kate glanced at him.

"Stay back, you idi… Kaleb." Kate whispered when the claw twisted, widening the torn line, and blood streamed down her chest. "I beg forgiveness for my unworthy behavior, Wolf Hag." The scout raised her head, and Aranea's jaws snapped, nearing the vulnerable throat on their own.

The pain and fear emanating from the smaller woman were tantalizing. They invited, demanding the bite to secure her authority. Where words had failed, force will secure obedience. No more joking around; she'll force Kate to grow up. Aranea opened her mouth. This will leave an unforgettable mark. In the back of her mind, someone chuckled in anticipation.

"Wolf Hag! Aranea, please! Kate rescued me today! She always saves me!" Kaleb shouted, coming closer.

You are a disgrace. I can see that a punishment is required… Sonya's verdict surfaced from the memories. We differ from the Ice Fangs. Ravager's statement sent a jolt through her body, and she almost jumped back in panic, staying still with the sheer force of will. Aranea pulled out the claw, trying her best not to touch the hanging meat. What was she doing just now? She promised herself not to end up a monster, to lead justly, so Dad and Mom could be proud, to be worthy of being called a soldier of the Dynast, and to heal her soul. Her paw shuddered. What example am I setting? What future am I building?!

"I…" She licked her lips, disgusted and unsure of what to say. She had never gone so far before. She desired to change the Tribe, not to fall in line, and the trickles of blood coming from Kate's wound stunned her. "There will be no further punishment. Kate, how much did these beads cost you?" Aranea moved to stop the bleeding and noticed the scout's wary look. She sees me as a monster. But then, what else can I call myself? Mom, Dad, what have I done? How to fix that? Panic and revulsion gripped her thoughts. Aranea clenched her fist, causing Kate to lean back slowly, worried about a potential punch.

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all. They were just pretty playthings to calm my nerves; that's all," Kate stammered, touching the destroyed beads with her shaking fingers. Ignoring her wounds, she held the ruined items in her paw and released a scent of fear that made Aranea feel sick. Kate had never shown such fear, not even during their fiercest clashes. She had simply shrugged off any loss in the past, asking questions rather than pouting. "I'll find some pebbles to play with. Don't concern yourself with the matter, wolf hag, I assure you…"

"What in blazes is going on here?" Marco demanded, storming inside. He looked at the doctor, then at Kate's chest, and frowned.

"I overstepped my bounds, insulted a fellow soldier, and paid the price," Kate fired out the explanation. "It was my fault alone. If that is all, I need to visit the shamans immediately."

Marco gestured for her to stop, standing undaunted in the way of the trying-to-escape Wolfkin. Kate let herself be seated back on the chair, and Marco accepted instruments from the doctor, beginning to clean the injury. The scout kept clutching the ruined items closer to herself.

"And this 'little scratch' is what put you in such a shock?" Marco asked, eyeing Aranea with suspicion. "Planet knows, we accept cultural traditions and often engage in friendly banter ourselves. But no superiors dare set foot here and hurt our patients. You scratched one to the bone. I don't care what she did, but you will not abuse patients in a hospital. Am I clear, Wolf Hag Aranea?"

"I already said, I was at fault…"

"Crystal, sir," Aranea interrupted Kate, feeling like shit. She prided herself on never giving in to her temper. What changed? She wondered. No matter how much she wished it, it was impossible to return to the past and correct the grievous mistakes. She had to ensure she would never snap ever again. "I apologize for overstepping my bounds. Scout Kate, I expect the information about the cost of your ruined property and where I can purchase a satisfactory replacement." Aranea never expected to witness a Wolfkin paling in a mixture of horror and another emotion she had not figured out, but there was a first time for everything.

Even hurting a friend.

"You don't owe me anything, Wolf Hag," Kate said, hysterically, in a high-pitched voice, shaking. "It's… not a thing you can purchase, so don't bother. Nor is it something others should know about. Marco, I'll return to treat this cut later. I need to visit the shamans; I really must go!"

"You will stay here until the end of the treatment," Marco said. "I am also curious about the source of your fear. I believe it's best for you to stay here for tonight to keep you two apart."

"What? No! It isn't that, you don't understand; I must go! If I don't…" Kate's round eyes were wild with despair. "Terrible things will happen," she said. "Trust me, just let me go; it won't be long."

"I'll pick them up from the shamans," Kaleb said, shrugging off the glance. "Don't worry. My arm won't fall off. If they ask, I'll spin them a story."

"Idiot… Kaleb." Kate corrected. "No. Don't you dare. You need proper rest."

"I'll be fine, mom," Kaleb joked, trying to pull on his pants. "The shamans set up their den nearby. A couple of minutes there and back, not even a trip."

"Kaleb. What is this all about? What are you going to pick up, exactly?" Aranea asked, and a pleading expression passed through Kate's snout.

"Nothing. A regular dummy, nothingburger, that sort of thing," Kaleb answered, accepting Aranea's assistance to get himself dressed.

"Wouldn't mind a burger," Marco grumbled.

"We have several in the fridge. Want me to heat them up?" the doctor suggested.

"Skip it. My palate had enough of lizard meat and shrooms for the rest of my days."

"Then you're in luck. We have cusack steaks, unspoiled bread, and cheese." The woman smiled. "Perks of being officially employed."

"Wow. Ten. Anyone else is willing…"

"Then I will stretch my feet with you if that's really that insignificant thing. Don't worry, Kate, I'll keep our soldier out of trouble." Aranea noticed a combination of fear and relief on the scout's face. The relief stemmed from her leaving—that's a given. But why the fear?

She accompanied Kaleb, opening the heavy hospital doors for him and letting him step into the overheated outside. Not that it was that much colder inside, but the soldier scowled, holding his arm when a gust of wind slammed into him, sneaking through a gap between buildings. After descending the stairs, he took a quick breath.

"You should probably be on your way, Wolf Hag," Kaleb apologized. "Not yet used to walking with that thing on my arm."

"No, I'm better off playing chaperone. Kaleb, speak freely; you have my permission. Use any words you want; I won't get angry," Aranea said, waiting for him to collect himself.

"Well…" Kaleb took another breath. "I am happy that you and Sonya came back in one piece. But did you really need to screw up the situation? I just got Kate to speak up with me, and now everything's gone to shit."

"Kaleb. You are a nice kid. Loyal and reliable soldier. But stop trying to befriend everyone. Kate has been bullying you every day since you've been assigned to my pack. I overstepped myself, true, but don't pretend that she had not had it coming for a long while with her disgusting behavior."

"Hm. You only think so because you are lucky." Kaleb looked at the shocked Aranea and continued stubbornly. "Sorry, but it is true!" He and she walked together. "I know what the ice freaks did to your family. Everyone does! And I am so sorry that it happened to you. But…" He gulped. "The worst shit can happen to others." He showed his small paw, more comparable to a Normie's than a Wolfkin's. "I don't really know my parents. The shaman said I was brought in one day and thrown into the pits. A single boy in an entire pack of girls." He chuckled, looking aside.

"But…" Aranea frowned. "It's an impossible situation. You would've never survived." Young male cubs were often suppressed in the Wolf Tribe. Not purely out of malice, Aranea felt the similar inclination in her childhood, and to avoid the worst, the shamans spread them through the various pits, ensuring a proper balance in the scrambles for food meant to teach the little one the value of teaming up to overcome conflicts and secure their share of food. The females were meant to lead and the males to follow. A single boy... It was inconceivable that such a situation could occur.

I need to talk to Janine about it.

"I am aware, but it was how it had happened. All day long trying to get to milk and meat and…" He sighed. "Didn't work out. There was, however, a girl with me. The bitch in charge called her a cursed child, barely paying attention to her. We were not Branded, I know this much, yet our parents never once visited either of us, and the cubs took after the teacher, treating us harshly. This girl protected me and shared her food. If only you could have seen her back then, covered in bites and bleeding, yet still shoving food into my mouth and furiously telling me not to die. For months, we had no one but each other to talk to as the rest ignored us."

His eyes flashed. "Until one day they crashed the party. Janine, Impatient One, and that shaman with an artificial eye. I've never even known the shamans to argue among themselves, yet Impatient One verbally dismantled the bitch apart, and Janine broke her arms while the other shaman took over. You should've seen it. The warlord extended her paw and closed it. The resulting snap was amazing!"

Yep, that's our warlord all right. Aranea felt a pang of pride. One day she'll be just as brave.

"The rest of our growing up was uneventful. Our new teacher actually taught us and fostered bonds. Janine often visited to check up on the group and read us stories," Kaleb said. "You had three years of happiness and never spent a day in the pits. You have no idea how that affects a person. Don't judge our relationships by your standards."

"It was horrible what happened to you," Aranea said, clenching her paws. One day, she'll put an end to these miserable traditions. Cubs should go to school, not be forced to fight. "But whatever past you share, Kate has no right to mistreat you. You have done nothing to deserve it."

"Once again, you judge." Kaleb said, cracking his neck in agitation. It surprised Aranea. He never was the one to seek a brawl and tried to resolve accidents peacefully, earning himself friends. "Kate took from me a promise that I'll never reveal it, but fuck it." Kaleb stomped on the ground, growling from the pain in his broken arm. He ignored Aranea's offer to lean on her and kept marching on. "She never hurt any male intentionally. Kate has been affected by our past. She gives these delusions about rank and male-female position too much attention, worrying sick that I or the rest of the boys will get hurt if anyone notices her cordiality. So we played these scenes, even before our friends, faking that the initiative never came from the males, that we merely took her up on the offer. Was I hurt during the training? Yes, because I thought I knew better! Kate patiently explained to me what I did wrong in detail, showed me how to avoid it, and helped us improve. I wanted to repay her. Even if just once. When Kate is her regular self, she's filled with resentment and bitterness. I wanted to help her let go of it. You're right, the past is over, and I want her to move on. So I talk with her when a chance comes."

"Well, you're doing her a favor right now, aren't you? She relies on you. That's progress. I think." Aranea placed both arms behind her head, pondering about the situation. There was so much she still did not grasp. "What is it she needs so much, by the way? If I were her, I wouldn't want anything to do with the faith or the shamans."

"Don't fish for information, Aranea. You can beat me up to a pulp, but I won't betray her trust." Kaleb came to a halt and faced Aranea. "I swore to Kate that I would never utter a word of it, and this is one oath I will uphold, no matter what."

"I won't hurt you, Kaleb." Aranea responded softly, saddened by the doubt in his eyes. She felt betrayed by his distrust, but she calmed herself, intending to earn his loyalty again. She had proven her boasts false, and now she needed to remedy the chasm that occurred. "Challenges aside, physical violence is not my method of leadership. My aggression is reserved for our foes." The wolf hag smirked, and Kaleb relaxed a little, resuming his walk. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about what I did."

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