Wolf Who Rules

The war-painted male stepped forward, apparently speaking for the Elfhome-based tengu. "We don't have a full count. It has too dangerous to count, least the oni ever found out what we were doing."

"Which was?" Wolf asked.

"We hoped to be free here on Elfhome," Riki said. "So in the last twenty-eight years, all of the tengu of Earth and Onihida have come to Elfhome."

"All?" True Flame glanced over the ten living tengu. "Are we speaking hundreds? Thousands? Millions?"

"Several thousand." Riki glanced to Jin to see if he should be more specific and got a nod. "We believe around twenty thousand."

Which meant they greatly outnumbered the oni now trapped on Elfhome.

True Flame turned to Wolf. "How does your domi possibly think she could hold all of them?"

"Through me. I am Jin Wong. I am the heart and soul and voice of the tengu. I speak, and all will listen."

"I doubt this greatly." True Flame said.

Jin raised his hands and gave out a call. It resonated with magic, as if his voice alone triggered some spell. He turned to North and called. He faced the West and called. Even as he faced the South and called, a rustle of wings announced the arrival of a great flock of tengu. The sky went dark with the crow black feathers. Warriors all, faces painted, and feet sheathed in sharpened steel. They carried guns holstered to their hips. They settled silently on the bridge trusses, the tops of buildings, and street lights.

When the last tengu went still, Jin called again, magic pulsing out from him. It echoed off the buildings and the hillside across the river. He turned, gazing at them, as if he too was stunned by the massive numbers of them. "I am Jin Wong! I have returned to our people!"

And the tengu flock shouted back, "Jin! Jin! Jin!"

Jin raised his hands and the flock fell silent. "We are entering into an alliance with the elves. We are taking Tinker ze domi as our protector. Under her, I hope that first time our people will live in peace, security, and prosperity."

The flock roared in approval, a deafening sound that washed over them. Jin raised his hand, commanding silence, and receiving instant obedience.

"Jin offered his people," Wolf said in the silence. " Domi offered her protection. Such an agreement, once made, no other person could break that oath."

"This is true." True Flame said.

Earth Son had cast his shield, encompassing only him and his sekasha. "She can't hold them. This is preposterous."

"They fit the model of a household with Jin as the head," Wolf said.

"Only clan heads can hold that many people," Earth Son said. "And she is nothing but a -"

"She is my domi and we are the clan heads of the Westernlands," Wolf growled. "Forest Moss is right. You are a blind. Tinker has closed the Ghostlands." Wolf pointed to Malice's massive body. "She killed the dragon that four of us could not harm. She has made a peace with a force that we didn't even know existed. Do not assign her your limitations. We can hold the tengu."

"They are monsters!" Earth Son shouted.

Wolf shook his head. "They were once human, forced into their shape by cruel masters. They have fought beside my domi to kill the dragon. They have protected my youngest sekasha from harm."

"You are a traitor to your people," Earth Son spat the accusation and then looked to True Flame, as if challenging the prince to refute it.

True Flame said nothing, waiting to see the outcome of the debate.

Wolf directed his argument to the Wyvern and the Stone Clan sekasha as he knew that his Hands had already decided on the issue - or they wouldn't have defended the tengu. But their decision was based on their trust of him. The others would need convincing. "My people are those that offer me their loyalty, be they elfin, human, tengu, or half-blooded oni. It is my duty as domana to extend protection to those weaker than I am."

"It is our duty to keep our race pure," Earth Son said.

"That is our Skin Clan forefathers speaking. Kill the misbegotten children. Eliminate the unwanted genetic line. Ignore trust, obedience, loyalty, and love in the search for perfection. It was the Skin Clan, but it not our way."

"This is insanity. They breed like mice. All of them do. The oni and the humans. This is our world. If we don't eliminate them, they will overwhelm us."

"If they offer their loyalty and we give them our protection - do they not become one of us? They do not lessen us - they make us greater."

Earth Son worked his mouth for a minute, and then finally cried. "No! No, no, no! They are filthy lying creatures. I am Stone Clan head of the Westernlands, and I say that the Stone Clan will never accept this!"

"I do not care what the Stone Clan accepts." Wolf cocked his fingers, wondering if Earth Son would be as stupid as actually start a fight with all the tengu assembled. Since Earth Son was holding shields, he could strike quickly. "Know this - the tengu are Wind Clan now. I will protect them."