across the clearing with satisfaction. A few more of them had also died and their bodies were scattered across the clearing, but the live ones were huddled
against a large boulder with Darque and Sylph surrounding them in case any of them tried to resist.
Jingo thrust himself forward and studied each terrified wolf unsympathetically, carelessly shoving Darque aside. Red pelts, perhaps
black along with young age. Those were the qualities he was looking for. Yet in his desperate search, he had to enjoy their fear when he advanced upon them, studying
them.
Darque hestantly approached him, head lowered and Jingo already knew he had nothing good to report. "Pack Leader, none of these wolves fit the
description. They aren't here."
Jingo growled with frustration and felt like taking it out on the filthy prisoners, but restrained himself with a deep breath. "Go get Keera. Bring her to
me now. I believe she has something she would like to tell me."
He obeyed the order and disappeared in the nursery. Jingo heard him order a gruff command and he reappeared with Keera following behind him.
She had dignity that was for sure. Jingo could tell by the way she walked with her head held high like her life or the wolves of her pack were at stake. He
respected that, but he knew ways of crushing it, and this time he would not be as patient as he was with Russet. Where the accursed traitor was, he still didn't
know.
Jingo leaped up on a bank of snow to look down on Keera, after all that is how it should be, he thought. "Welcome to our little meeting, Keera. As you
can see I did myself the pleasure of visiting. Not a bad place to hide all these moons, eh? Well, by now I have lost my patience, and we are more than capable to
take what we want." His chest swelled with pride when the wolves of his pack howled their approval, and the ones cornered glared at him with seething hatrid.
"Destroying innocent lives is no way to get what you want," Keera snarled with defiance. "I have already told you what you want to hear."
His silver eyes glittered with amusement. "Just tell me what I want to hear and I will leave. I have other ways to make you talk."
If a single stare could make someone fall dead in front of you, Keera gave Jingo one of those stares that made he himself quiver. "They are dead. All of
them died when they were young."
"So you've said," he said coolly. "Interesting how that story keeps coming up. What is even more interesting is that I don't believe it. You are saying they
all died. Every last one of them. You are trying my patience. Perhaps you just need some persuation. Shall I go fetch your new litter. They could always serve as
wholesome replacements, correct?"
Keera had never felt more hatrid to another wolf in her life. If she could, she would kill the murderer right now and live her whole life without feeling
any regrets. He had killed her mate, and kept his most trusted friend and deputy as a prisoner, and he was responsible for the lives taken in this senseless
skirmish, and now he was threatening to harm her litter, a delightful experience she would never experience again. What more could Jingo take from her? Keera
didn't need any more reasons to hate him. Too many wolves had died at his paws, and as much as she hated it she would not put her pups at stake to stick to her
lie that both she and Jingo knew wasn't true.
"No, you are right. They did not all die. I had four of them. Three of them died soon after birth, but one survived," Keera said, eyes downcast as she choked
the words out.
Jingo leaned forward with interest. "Yes? And where is she? I asume she looks like you?"
"Her name is Ruby, and yes. She is black like me, but you will never find her." Keera was glad to spoil this news. "She is long gone by now."
"How?" Jingo demanded, his voice growing louder with disbelief.
Keera waited a moment, enjoying Jingo's seething rage before continuing. "Russet beat you here. He warned her before you came, and she is gone."
This time Jingo did leap down from the rock. "Where? Tell me. Where is that traitor? I will tear him apart."
"Gone. They are both gone."
Jingo wanted more than anything to kill her, but she had just provided him with vital information, even if it wasn't what he wanted to hear. He took a
deep breath and said, "Very well. You have been a very good little prisoner. We're moving out! Darque, you are in charge while I am away."
Sylph leaped to her feet with protest, but Jingo wrapped his tail around her shoulders comfortingly. "You and I are going after this Ruby. I can't go
alone."
With that Darque and the wolves of his pack vanished, and Jingo and Sylph set off to find thetarget they have been seraching almost six moons for.
