Free Lupus Rex by John Carter Cash Page A

offer that I may not demand?” he said, blood beginning to dry on his beak.
    Cotur Ada looked to Incanta for some support. She granted none but kept her silence.
    “What I offer you is a season’s eggs in exchange for the lives of these chicks and the elder. Not only that, but I offer you my blood also.”
    Banka’s eyes grew wide, a new hunger mingling with bloodlust. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, I do believe we can make this trade.”
    From their hiding place in the brush, Ysil and Monroth heard these words. They heard, and the vast fear that had been clouding their breath consumed them even more.
    They listened as Cotur Ada told Banka where to find the eggs, the hidden precious nests. But his words were vague, and Banka, so sure of himself, did not question. Ysil wondered if the crow could find the nests even if Cotur Ada told him the exact location. And so it was that Banka did prove his ignorance, for this time of year, there were no eggs in the nests at all.
    The cawing sounds of battle continued to dissipate. Then, from far away, he heard the cawing crows on approach. Ysil knew that voice. The General was returning.
     
     
    H IGH ABOVE THE field, a vee of geese soared. The leader had flown this particular route all his life and was nearing his turn to move back to the rear of the vee. He knew it would be dark before his turn would come again at lead, and surely he would also begin the next morning behind. He was looking for a place to land and take rest and find food before his turn was past, as he knew that the next in line was young and might choose a lesser option. Geese do not follow any but the leader, and, likewise, the leader of any vee would change many times during the day. None behind ever questioned the leader. He knew they were nearing a field where a murder of crows resided and many animals about it. He also knew that the man who farmed the field would have likely reaped by now and that there should be grain for the taking. He saw the field below and began to descend.
    As it came closer into sight, the bird gasped and honked. Scattered about the field were many dead forms of sizable black birds. There had been a great battle here. He counted some nine dead and a good few writhing in pain. The geese flew low enough to smell the blood of battle, so even though they also smelled fresh grain, they veered away from the field and took off in pursuit of the heights. And as they flew upward, a small dove flew to the leader of the flock and came close to his ear. The dove whispered of much that had befallen the field and those who dwelled within it. Then the dove banked away, staying high above the chaos below.
    The leader goose decided that resting in this particular area was ill-thought. They would fly as far away to the south as they could while the time in lead was his.
    The geese soared higher, passing the news from one to another. Three dark birds passed far beneath, flying just above the treetops.
     
     
    F RAGIT LANDED IN the field at a high speed, barely slowing when he touched ground and continuing his run straight to the side of Nascus and Ophrei. Fragit’s third in command, a huge bird with dark and vicious eyes and a long cut across his chest, landed as Fragit did and approached the bequeathed and the rook. Fragit was covered in blood from tip of beak to filthy feet.
    “Many of the traitors turned and faced our attack when we were scarce out of earshot. If not for the strength of my band, I surely would have been overtaken.” Much of the blood on Fragit was from the traitor crows, but not all. “Some six of the traitors are yet to be accounted for, as I see four dead on this field. We killed four within the forest, but oh, ours is the greater loss! Five of my guard lay dead within the woods and five dead here. Only the three of us remain. But shame! Banka is not accounted for at all! I was hoping to see him here.” He turned to Nascus. “Prince, these are dire times. You and your own must now