Terrant stopped in the middle of the room looking up at the older wolf and smiled, not a happy smile but a cold, masked, smile. "Ah! Here you all are!" Terrant said, glancing at the wolves next to the elder wolf.
"Alpha Terrant." A chubby wolf, to the right of the dais, said with a touch of irritation. "We were not sure if you would be able to make it to the meeting. Please forgive us. We started without you."
Terrant waved his hand dismissively and smiled again. "No. It's fine." He turned in a slow circle, looking at each of the dark robed individuals, until some started fidgeting uncomfortably.
Chuckling softly he said, "I'm glad to see every single one of the council members are here." He stopped at the elderly male on the dais and smirked. "Even the head of the council." He then tilted his head slightly with a confused expression on his face. "But not the Alpha.... Interesting." He smiled again glancing around again. "It was almost as though you didn't want me here." The chubby council member opened his mouth which was immediately shushed by Terrant putting up a finger. "As though you were having a secret meeting ....without the Alpha."
Chris heard audible gasps around the amphitheater looking up to the top seats there seemed to be other pack members watching the council meeting. A few immediately got up and left the room.
"Alpha Terrant," said the black clad female wolf on the other side of the dais. "Forgive the impertinence, but the meeting was called as an emergency."
"Oh yes." Terrant said nodding and looking concerned. "I assumed as much. Considering how I was not the one who called the meeting and all council meetings must be called by me per our very sacred law." Terrant sounded cynical, almost as though that exact line was said to him numerous times.
"A lapse in judgement, Alpha Terrant. There were things that needed to be discussed." The chubby wolf said nodding and smiling to the rest of the council; who followed suit nodding and murmuring in consent.
'What a piggy weasel.' Chris's wolf thought, which made Chris smirk. 'What a weird way to handle a council.' Her wolf said to her. 'He should have forced them into silence by now, and what is wrong with the guy on the throne? Why does he stare at him like that?' Chris had noticed it too. The Head Council member was still sitting there completely still watching everything play before him with a completely blank expression, almost as though he was waiting for his moment to act ...to strike.
"Interesting." Terrant said with a smile on his face. "I think a lap in judgement is choosing this sentencing chamber as a place for your council meeting, instead of your regular chambers." He looked up beyond the council members to the other pack members sitting in the top rows, who seemed to have grown in numbers. Terrant chuckled again. "Almost like you were trying to hide from me." The room grew deadly quiet and Terrant's face moved from a cold smile to a serious, dark look which he trained on the Head Councilmember.
A brave robed individual to the right started, "Alpha Terrant we-".
Terrants dark looked trained on the unsuspecting council member and the rest of the sentence died in his throat. "You have already given your excuses. Now tell me why we are all here in this uncomfortable situation?"
No one spoke. Chris glanced around watching the council's expressions. It was obvious that no one wanted to be the recipient of the intense coldness coming from Terrant.
"Roland!" Terrant turned to the chubby wolf, who inadvertently jumped with his name being called. "Since you have been so talkative already why don't you start?"
Roland glanced at the Head Councilmember, who did not move to acknowledge him, and grunted. "To be honest, Alpha Terrant, we have some concerns about this whole... war thing."
Chris crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrows. Ashlynn shuffled her files, and Ian shifted from one foot to the other nervously. Everyone was expecting something to blow. Instead Terrant examined Roland with finite intensity, then he nodded slowly. "War... thing... you say.... Do tell."
Chris couldn't handle it. The ridiculousness of what the fat wolf said and how tense the situation was with Terrant's reaction; she completely broke out in laughter. Everyone seemed to jump except for Terrant as she slapped her knee. Chris was fully aware of how bad this looked and could care less. She was finally able to compose herself and glanced, apologetically, at Terrant; who was smiling back at her. It was with that one look that she started to understand... This is what he wanted her to see.
Chris shook her head in disbelief and waved at Terrant. "Please forgive me. Carry on."
"Alpha Terrant you obviously need to get a handle on your new staff and teach them proper council etiquette." Said the woman next to the dais; looking disapprovingly at Chris who was now wiping her eyes.
"My staff is none of your business Fay." The female's face was visibly affronted as Terrant continued. "Please explain what you mean by war thing, Roland."
Roland grunted again, looking annoyingly down at Chris. "Well we feel that the information provided does not substantiate a response such as a war council."
"Ian." Ian immediately sprang into action stepping forward to stand next to Alpha Terrant. "Did all the council members receive the evidence I collected from our informers; along with the new information that was provided by the war council?" Terrant asked without taking his eyes off of Roland.
"Everything was distributed and received as you instructed, Alpha Terrant." Ian advised, stepping back.
Terrant nodded. "Did anyone have trouble understanding the overwhelming evidence?" The council members looked at each other uncomfortably. Terrant smiled coldly. "I'm sorry but this is a council meeting. I am not asking rhetorical questions and I am not talking to myself. I am looking for someone to respond."
Fay, the severe looking woman, answered. "Alpha Terrant this is just such a big decision to join a war council. Also some of the evidence provided does not seem to be from credible sources."
"As Alpha it is my right to request a war council, if I determine there is a threat against our pack." Terrant responded stiffly. Shifting the intensity of his gaze to Fay.
"But for such a big decision it would be best to present it to the council for proper review." Roland said, glancing down the row at Fay and then at the Head Councilmember before continuing. "Having the full support of the Council will show unity and harmony within our pack."
"Okay, okay, okay." Terrant said holding up his hand and smirking slightly. "From what I understand. You are upset that you didn't have a say in a decision that is my right as Alpha to make."
Another council member jumped into the conversation. "It is not that simple, Alpha-"
"Then simplify it for me Beck." Terrant interrupted with no trace of a smile, just cold anger.
"Terrant." The Head Council member said in a deep warning voice.
Terrant smirked coldly and said, "He speaks." Terrant stood staring into the Head council members cold black eyes and that is when Chris realized Terrant looked like him. Only slightly in the way he was built and maybe his nose, definitely his hair. Could Terrant be...related to him? Chris was brought back from her own thoughts by her name.
"Alpha Winters resources are vast. If he thought that this was such a threat why did he only decide to act now. It doesn't make sense." Fay said looking through a folder of documents. Everyone in Terrants office party looked at Chris, who frankly, was not exactly sure what was being discussed. "Alpha Winters could be taking advantage of our pack and resources."
Terrant looked back at Chris who shrugged slightly, agreeing to follow his lead.
"Also this Trawley character." Roland said looking through his own folder. "We can't verify if he is a threat to our pack or not."
Chris chuckled loudly which brought the attention back to her. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that was a joke."
Terrant smirked and turned back to Roland. "You have my analysis of Trawley, his previous actions, and other evidence; which have concluded that he is a dangerous psychopath. Do you really want to put your faith and the pack's safety in the hands of a psycho?"
"From what I see he has never made a move against our pack. Nine years ago he appears to have some sort of guff with other smaller packs but he has never entered our pack land or threatened our pack members." Roland glanced at the Head Councilmember and continued. "If he is not after us... then why should we care if other packs go to war."
*Thanks for reading! Please vote and comment! I love constructive criticism, however, if it becomes mean I will take you down.*
-LostArrow-
Edited by munbunny and ChelsieNielson