FicWad

-Togot watched from atop the wall as MourningKill, Kaitlin and BlackFire stepped through the gates and confronted the trespassers. Togot couldn't help but notice that everyone was acting a lot calmer than they should have been; it was as if they had been expecting these men.

-MourningKill walked up to the blonde haired giant while her charges stood behind and to either side of her. Despite the fact that the man was twice her size, MourningKill still looked at him as if he were nothing.

-"I am MourningKill of the Furies," she declared, "Why are you here?"

-"I am Vosh of the Blood fangs," the giant said in the same official tone as MourningKill, though his voice was much deeper, "I am here representing the Grizzly claws concerning a matter of honor."

-Unlike MourningKill and the other Furies, Vosh appeared to be disinterested in what he was doing. There was something about his demeanor that told Togot that Vosh wasn't as enthusiastic as his companions, almost as if he didn't want to be there.

-"Since when do the Blood fangs lower themselves to consort with bears?" Kaitlin asked with condescension.

-"Since you damned Furies began pushing into both of our territories, we decided to join together and put you women in your place," Vosh answered, "we came for the boy, let's get this over with."

-"How about we kill you bastards instead?" BlackFire snarled as she stepped forward, eager for a fight. MourningKill raised a hand and BlackFire backed down, but she still glared at the giant with rage in her eyes.

-Togot was surprised to learn that these men had come for him. He was even more surprised that BlackFire had stood up for him, though it was far more likely that she simply didn't like a man telling her what do to.

-"LoneWolf was well within his rights to kill the bear," Kaitlin said, "he was in our territory and attacking one of our pack mates. You have no claim to him."

-"Seeing as how our clan brother is dead, we have only your word for those events," one of Vosh's companions said. Vosh shot an annoyed glance over his shoulder; it was clear that he didn't see eye to eye with the others.

-"Are you calling us liars?" Kaitlin asked with narrowed eyes. It was as much a challenge as it was a question, but Vosh put up a hand to diffuse the tension.

-"Look," Vosh said "we are not questioning the honor of the Furies, but given the unique situation, some sort of penance must be paid for the cub's death to avoid an all out war. I'm sure none of us want that."

-"What did you have in mind?" MourningKill asked.

-"I see no reason to have blood for blood over this. From what I understand, the human killed the cub on his own. I think a simple contest for recognition of superiority will suffice."

-"LoneWolf is no longer human," Kaitlin said, correcting the large man.

-"So I've heard," Vosh said with an unimpressed smirk, "we know all about that little freak accident that made him...whatever he is. Personally, I don't believe it, but if it is true, than it should work to his advantage. He will fight any of the Grizzly claws here that challenge him to hand to hand combat."

-MourningKill looked over her shoulder to Kaitlin and then to BlackFire. They both gave her a subtle nod, and she looked back the Vosh. "There will be no transformations," she said, leaving no room for debate, "he has no experience fighting in any form other than human."

-"Not that twelve against one is fair," BlackFire added. MourningKill turned her back to Vosh and headed back into the compound with the other two Furies in tow. She shot a glance up to Togot, and he knew she wanted him to meet her inside.

-Togot turned and jumped down from his vantage point. It was a long drop, but Togot's new body was easily able to absorb the impact. Though he wasn't as graceful at such inhuman acts as the others were, he was quickly improving.

-He met up with MourningKill and the others as they talked amongst themselves. They all stopped speaking at once and looked at him as he approached. Togot could read the displeasure and concern on MourningKill and Kaitlin's faces, even BlackFire wasn't happy about what was going on. Togot heard someone running up behind him and instantly knew that it was Parmock.

-"I say we kill them all," BlackFire said.

-"If we don't do as they want, it will lead to a war," Kaitlin said, ignoring BlackFire.

-"It's obvious that they want a war," BlackFire continued, "We should kill this lot to lower their numbers and take the fight to them!"

-MourningKill raised a silencing hand and both of them shut their mouths. "That might have worked before the Blood fangs and the Grizzly claws joined together. With their new alliance, we wouldn't stand a chance, even if we did kill the handful of them at our doorstep." She looked at Togot with regret in her eyes, "I'm afraid you're going to have to fight them."

-"That bear I killed that attacked Parmock...that wasn't just a bear was it?" Togot asked, finally putting all the pieces together.

-"No," Kaitlin answered, "it was a werebear cub that had wandered into out territory. The werebears are lycanthropes similar to us, and the Blood fangs are a rival werewolf pack. The three of us have maintained a very unsteady truce, mostly due to the fact that if two of us fought, the third could take advantage. But it seems that things have changed."

-"I understand," Togot said calmly, resigned to what he had to do.

-"They'll kill him!" Parmock objected.

-"This isn't a fight to the death," BlackFire said, "but it wouldn't surprise me if they planned to have a little accident. They're going to underestimate him; they think he is still human and don't believe that he is one of us. He can use that against them."

-"Do what you can, but when you reach your limit, surrender. I don't want you killed." MourningKill said looking in Togot's direction, only to find that he was no longer standing there. "Where did he go?"

-The three women looked around, but there was no sign of him. MourningKill looked at Parmock and followed her gaze to the gates. Togot was walking out of the compound to face Vosh and the bears by himself. MourningKill and the others had been so busy talking that they hadn't noticed when he had walked away.

-Togot walked right up to Vosh and stood defiantly before him. "You want me well here I am."

-Vosh looked down at the smaller man and smiled, "You're a brave sacrificial lamb," he said, "You know the rules?"

-"What rules?" Togot asked, "I'm just going to beat the hell out of all of you. So...who's first?"