The Howling Throne

By A A Hamilton

"Sparkling like an aged emerald, the wolf’s eyes glistened under the moonlight. He stared down the mountain into the snowy depths of the valley before him.
'What does it mean?' His snout raised to the broken clouds, 'What does it mean?'"

Hidden from man. Ruled by wolves. Watched by gods. This is the Kingdom of Vaal.

Short of food and with the weather closing in, the Silver Manes must decide whether or not to leave their home and hunt farther afield - But, starvation is not the only thing that threatens them...

Discover the truth, the treachery and the dark secrets behind the legend of The Howling Throne.

The journey begins...

• Language: English
• Publisher: A A Hamilton
• Release date: Nov 17, 2013
• ISBN: 9780957241817

Book preview

The

HOWLING THRONE

by

A.A.HAMILTON

Published by Lowood Press

Text copyright © 2013 A.A.Hamilton

Smashwords Edition

Thank you, Grandpa.

Sometimes you have to fall down

To realise you were running the wrong way

Chapter 1

‘A Sign from the Sky’

This story takes place in a lost land; a land that welcomes courage, wisdom and virtue. A land watched by gods.

In the Kingdom of Vaal the land lies untouched by mankind. It is left to grow and flourish without restriction, like an unpruned rose bush at the bottom of a forgotten garden.

Its wide plains are home to a grand array of creatures that live side by side feeding off the land and sometimes each other.

In the far edges, south of the kingdom, stands a tall and mystical forest, filled with strange myths and stranger truths. To the north of this forest and across the plain, a narrow valley forms as an entrance to the mountains that rest there. These great mountains rise up like broken and jagged staircases. They stretch out and hug the edge of the plain, keeping the Kingdom of Vaal secluded and hidden.

Storms rise up over these Herculean steps of rock and crash down below, bringing abrupt season change and capricious conditions.

The Kingdom of Vaal is not ruled by a man, nor is it ruled by any other being that can stand upon two legs. It is the domain of the wolves, and it is the wolves who have always written the law of the land.

This story begins upon a cliff’s edge, far above the shadows of clouds dancing across the flat plains below.

Sparkling like an aged emerald, the wolf’s eyes glistened under the moonlight. He stared down the mountain into the snowy depths of the valley before him.

'What does it mean?' His snout raised to the broken clouds, 'What does it mean?'

Thunder had long been the king of the Silver Manes, a pack of wolves that had lived winter after winter in the valley below the mountain pass. His fur was an old and matted scrunch of grey and white, his face a mass of scars. Each paw had seen its share of violence and been marred as a reminder to the old wolf. There, across his back, blowing in the soft blizzard, a bolt of white fur zigzagged down onto his tail.

'Thunder?' a faint voice whispered along the wind.

'Yes, Moonshadow?'

'How did you know it was me?' said the female wolf as she gently pranced to the edge of the ridge.

'I can smell all the pack. You each have your own distinct odour.’

The two wolves stared out at the almighty view that graced their eyes as stars twinkled above and winds blew below.

'Why are you here?'

'I was asking the gods for a sign of guidance,' Thunder’s voice rang with the depth of old wisdom.

'Did you get one?'

The old wolf did not turn his head to reply, instead, he watched as a sudden shooting star blazed down from the heavens. Moonshadow twisted her head to observe the sparkling fireball. The star drew a fading line of fiery light across the black night sky. Like a firework, it shot by for seconds of amazement, before wavering into the darkness and disappearing altogether behind the forest.

'There is always a sign; you need not to worry about that.' Thunder turned, giving the forest beyond one last glance, 'It's understanding the signs we’re given that makes things difficult.'

As the sun rose and the falling snow subsided, the pack of wolves awoke.

Moonshadow opened her eyes and stretched her legs. She had a beautiful coat that could stop any wolf in its tracks for a moment of admiration. Its thick, snow-white crispness blanketed two sapphire eyes, which together made her by far the most attractive wolf of the pack. Her duties were of the same ilk as Starglow’s, who, with a slightly older coat and a slightly wiser head, had taken the role of the pack’s mother.

Starglow had adopted several of the wolves and raised them as her own when their mothers had unfortunately starved or been killed in conflict. She was an old wolf, not as old as Thunder but older than the others. Despite her age, her coat was still soft and cuddly and the cubs enjoyed snuggling under her large bushy tail. Sometimes, in the middle of the winter months, the cubs would play hide and seek underneath this mighty tail, staying quiet when called in an attempt to savour her scrumptious warmth.

She stood, and three little ones ran out from under her protection; they chased each other’s tails and growled with a high pitched and humorous ferocity.

'Careful now, little ones, don't hurt yourselves.'

'Or anybody else with those teeth,' Moonshadow laughed, watching the tiny cubs claw at each other’s soft little bodies with clawless paws.

Streak opened his eyes to the racket that erupted from inside the cave. It was just the little wolf cubs dancing and laughing. He grunted, and proceeded to rouse the others.

Streak was an ill-tempered and grumpy wolf. His dark coat was striped with black streaks and his paws were like black boots. His yellow eyes were bold against the black stripe over his face that was worn like a mask.

Streak had been adopted into the pack when he was very young. Thunder had found him roaming the mountainside on his own, and far too small to hunt by himself. It was Thunder and Starglow’s kind turn of heart that had brought him into the Silver Manes.

As a complete outsider, Streak would often have to throw his weight around to avoid being bullied and picked on by the other young wolves. The years of hostility had made him stubborn, bitter and fierce.

'Thor, Chaser, Felix, get up!' He dragged his stripy wolf coat along the snowy embankment in search of Thunder.

Thor stumbled out of the snow, spitting and hissing in a panic.

'There's snow in my mouth, I think I swallowed some!' he said.

'Perhaps your insides will freeze up then,' said Streak, his searching eyes looking for the old pack leader.

'Really? Oh no!' screamed Thor, boxing himself in the snout with his grey socks.

'Relax Thor, he's winding you up, it’s just water,' yawned Chaser.

Thor’s panicked sense of alertness was no change from the usual routine.

'Now, where's Felix?'

'You mean I'm going to live?' Thor tilted his head like a confused puppy, then jumped around with the excitement of a younger cub, 'I’m going to live!'

'Unfortunately,' Streak sighed.

None of the wolves understood what had made Thor as ‘ditzy’ as he was; they just accepted that he was a lesser wolf. He was the omega of the pack, an easy target for bullying and teasing. This was because of his credulous nature and fearful appearance. His eyes were both different colours, one blue and one green; and to make his face even more unsymmetrical, he was always seen with his tongue hanging from the side of his mouth like a hungry hyena.

'Felix? Thunder?' Chaser joined Streak at the edge of the cave looking out at the snowy hills below them.

'Perhaps they went to hunt.'

'Alone?' Chaser yawned once again. His thoughts were of sweet dreams cut short. Thor had tossed and turned and kicked and scratched, 'I shan't be sleeping next to him again.'

'There.' Streak narrowed his eyes.

Thunder and Felix walked down the hill and approached the cave.

'Everything alright?' shouted Streak.

'A star crashed beyond the forest, we went higher to see if we could see it,' Felix explained.

'It is too far though,' sighed the pack’s leader.

'Stars are falling?' Thor shrieked, and silenced his worries with a loud gulp.

'We need to hunt, the pack grows hungry,' ordered Streak.

'Calm your sense of urgency, Streak. We must first decide whether to leave the mountain pass or hunt further in.'

'Another blizzard could block off this cave!' Felix expounded.

Streak grunted in reply.

'There’s more food in the valley,' added Chaser.

'The little ones won’t take a storm if it comes,' shouted Starglow, from inside the cave. Moonshadow nodded in agreement as her tongue groomed the playing cubs.

'I think we were meant to follow that star, and as it fell beyond the valley and across the plains, that is where I believe we must go.' Thunder looked out across the valley.

'We could separate,' Streak suggested.

'No, the pack goes together, always.'

'Then may I add that we should leave at once? Before the winds pick up and nightfall returns.' Felix stood to attention and smiled at the old wolf.

'Yes, Felix. Remember we are a small pack and we must stay close together, always.' Thunder lowered his head, wisdom resonating from his warm voice.

With drowsy expressions, the wolf pack marched from the mountain side and out into the valley, like roused soldiers falling into line. As their wet paws trotted through snow and ice, they soon were blessed with a gentle gust and a heavenly sunrise, which massaged warmth into their hungry bodies.

Thunder led the way in solitude, his ever watchful eyes staring out for dangers. Behind him by a couple of yards trekked Thor and Streak with their noses poised in the air searching for traces of food. Further back, Felix walked alongside Moonshadow and Starglow, minding the cubs as they travelled.

Felix always tried to seem helpful in the eyes of Moonshadow. Some said it was because he was a soft wolf at heart; others, that she had softened his heart.

At the rear, Chaser crawled slowly after the fading tracks in the falling snow. He was the fastest of the Silver Mane wolves; with legs that fired like exploding cannons there was not an animal in the kingdom that could match his pace. He would often watch over the rear of the pack. In the event of danger, he could run to the front and warn everyone along the way. He stalked the horizon with his amber eyes.

'I think Thunder is unwell,' Felix rasped under his breath.

'We are all tired and hungry, Felix. He thinks this is best.'

'No, I mean really quite sick,' he whispered, looking ahead and judging the old wolf’s movements to guess whether he could be heard or not.

'Why do you say these things?' Moonshadow questioned uneasily.

'He has not been sleeping at all; spending long nights talking to the gods. You can see it in his face, a lost look.'

'Well maybe he is lost, that’s why he looks lost.'

'What?'

'I’ve seen him talking to the gods. They sent him a sign and now he follows that sign.' Moonshadow smiled, but even with a full face of belief, she could not convert Felix's troubled thoughts: 'He doesn’t know what the sign means for us, only that he must follow it. You could say his face is that of a lost wolf, yes; but he’s soon to find his place, and with it, ours.'

Felix sighed.

'You are just like him you know: talking in riddles, making no sense.'

'And you worry too much!' Moonshadow laughed, biting gently at Felix's neck.

'That's sweet!' Thor spied the star-crossed pair behind him, and chuckled.

'Shut up!' snapped Streak.

Then their eyes fell to follow their ears.

Loud slapping sounds arose from the rear and a small snow storm darted past Streak and Thor. It was Chaser.

'Thunder!' Chaser shouted.

'I smell it too!' Thunder turned to face the panting wolf, 'east, perhaps a mile or maybe two.'

His old leathery nose was a sophisticated mapping system that could pick up smells miles away and translate them into points to follow. His old torn ears toggled to tune into the ambience of the valley and the plain before it. There, he could hear the marching of a herd; that, and their smell, confirmed to him that it was elk.

'Elk!'

'Should we pursue?' Chaser looked back excited, wanting to tell the others, but reluctantly holding his nerve.

'Wait!'

Ever the philosopher and ponderer of all things, Thunder listened and sniffed the air. Something wasn't right and the scent led them away from his fallen star. However, they had not eaten in days and their grumbling bellies began to weigh heavy on their spirits, especially those of the cubs.

'Get Felix and Thor to circle around to the flank, you and Streak creep up the rear. I'll stay with the cubs and pick off any strays with Starglow. Now go!'

Thunder’s words all of a sudden reminded Chaser how he had earned his name. His voice was strong and authoritative: orders had been given.

Chapter 2

‘Borders’

Paws crushed through snow. The pack partnered up and separated. Led by hungry minds their pace increased. They flew across the plain at a phenomenal speed, slowing only when their noses told them to.

A herd of twenty to thirty elk walked across the plain towards the far lake. The snow had all but faded there, leaving flattened yellow grass and the odd oasis of sprouting green foliage.

Felix and Thor stalked the flank, their bodies parallel to the floor and hidden by the rising ground and grassy stalks. Chaser and Streak slowly crept up behind the herd, sealing the knot on a net of wolves that was moments from snapping shut.

'There, in the centre; one of them is limping,' Streak motioned with his jaw.

'I see,' said Chaser.

Felix stood by, eagerly waiting to charge into