Once we used to think we were all the humans that ever existed -- my clan, neighboring clans. The rolling hills and glittering lakes spread out as far as eyes could see. We seemed so isolated -- faraway from life itself -- like we lay  in the middle of nowhere.

That sense of feeling had been banished with the appearance of the strange riders.

My people were a simple tribe, satisfied with the serenity and solitude our mountains provided. Though not me. To see the world beyond my clan -- to venture far...was always my buried thrill. Although I knew that day of my adventure was farther from me than I hoped. Yet, the presence of those strange men had dared wake the longing again...and with great disturbance.

  "Dorack!" One of the elders called and retrieved my senses back to the elders tent."You can not leave this mountain chasing over your own pleasure. You are a leader here in this clan." He spoke sternly.

"You think am going for the price? "I frowned.

"Of course. Your companions explained that she was a beauty piece." Another elder drove in suddenly. His demeanor no inferior to the first speaker.

"You would abandon your duty as the chief of our warriors and pursue after a woman....what pride lay in that?" Yet another elder spoke in suit.

"Have we not enough women here in Gezon? Why would you want to risk your life for a woman you know nothing about and her culture? You would rather cross rivers and climb mountains just to fight for her...is she that fair?" The reprove of another nearly tore me in two. 

Within the envelope of the tent, they sat round -- all ten of them -- Elders of our tribe, in their most resentful gazes. Rested upon the fuzzy mat weaved expertly from the hide of few grizzly bears, they sat straight in a show of power. The rare pelt indeed cost a prize. Such prize of a dead grizzly couldn't  be achieved without a worthy contest.

It was believed a bear skin was a souvenir from the forests gods in their crafty forge of great men. Men to whom the doom of a bear would come their hands were believed legends, of whom the gods had favored and to whom had drawn might from their sacred stream. A believe I refuted with logic.
 
Greatness of a man came through nothing but hard work, choices and chances...none of which a deity could influence.

That singular ideology of the rare pelt, had been what exactly had yet influenced such fur of expense to be deemed only for the heads of the clan.

Before the resentful gazing men I stood. My comrades had taken to seat as well, but I remained stood as a man before a panel. Yet this was worst than a panel -- a disciplinary ground would be a better portrayal.

But I was silent. I would let no word out. I wouldn't give them that satisfaction they desired.

"It is forbidden for a leader as yourself to marry a foreign woman," Another elder began. "This has been the very law that has guided us to strength for ages."
 
Strength. They believed our myopic ways had been our strength. The strength of our tribe had come from daring men as myself.
  
"I gathered you all here to speak about the imminent trouble that has come for us...yet you all rally to rebuke." I spat suddenly.
In their silence, I braced to continue.
 
"Foreign riders came up our mountain. They were clearly practice swords men and their iron coat even made them the more formidable. This was the fear we thought of for many years...alas it comes. And yet you think am going to risk my life for a woman am not even sure to love?" I growled.

One of them sought to speak, but I shut him down and pressed on.

  "I am going to Kedrone to announce our clan -- tell those bloody riders what we truly are. The moment they sense weakness on our path, they would marshal their troops at us. If ever a war came against such foes I fear what fate may be ours. And so my journey to Kedrone is to show might, and dissuade foes sure to bring calamity on us. They may have fancy amours and fine blades, but we have a heart, and we are brave, and we would not be intimidated by them as cowards" My eyes flashed with wrath.

  "Dorack," Ladeve called...my own favourite elder. "We know this be a good reason for wanting to go. But think about our clan. We would be vulnerable when you leave. Moreover think of yourself. You might get killed or worse. Of what use then would all your efforts be. You remain son of this soil and brother by ancestral blood...you are family and we care for you. Please forget this men. Forget this endeavour and let us continue to live as we have always."
He spoke with the most soothing style. Sadly my resolve would be unbroken.

"Ladeve, " I moved to him. "be strong for me, nothing ill would happen. And our warriors," I paused and looked at my comrades.  "Look at them all...men with vibrant spirits." 

  "Look," I began. "this one," My hand came upon Deco. "with me he has brought down a mountain lion. And so the rest with their great tale of valor." I breathed calmly with a brisk pause. 
"These and many more they've done, because they are Iron Wolves. Its not just a man that makes our clan strong, its each individual wolf. Together we are a mighty pack. So let not your heart be troubled for my singular absence." I broke to the end. 

I couldn't tell if the man was satisfied with the decision...merely because he acted upon instincts as a once guardian. Yet he knew me too well to waver in resolute.

"The decision of this council, is that you remain on this mountain." Suddenly, a new voice stilled the room. Chief Ramish. His countenance was dark and so was his tone.

"Going to Kedrone would be violating our tradition," he straightened himself. "What happens when you win then...would you now bring the foreign woman to our mountain as wife?"

I was stubborn when I needed be...but this man had his way of striking a terror in me.

"My chief..."

"Silence," he barked. I cowered. "You would do as I instruct and say no more. "His face was firm.

The elders nodded in concession. My comrades bowed their heads in fear. I was uneasy.

"I understand now I would have to break your instruction this time, my chief." I straightened my shoulders defiantly.

Everyone raised their heads in disbelieve. I wouldn't dare -- to dishonor the Chief in disobedience. They knew the repercussion. I knew too...but at this point, I didn't just care.

"I always liked you boy, but your arrogance have I spited." Chief Ramish frowned.

"Forgive me my Chief,"

"I always feared it would come to this. Your enthusiasm. I always knew it would tend our young men for doom...is this the day you would yet do it?" He growled heavily with finger pointed at me.
I remained silent.
 
"Making you chief of the warriors is indeed the greatest mistake our clan will suffer...it's sheer reward we are yet to reap in bitter measure. You are nothing like you predecessor. You always think like a boy." The grand elder sighed alas with his most true contempt.
 
I honored my chief in the best way a tribesman could. Not that I ultimately liked him. Some of his decision had been what had plagued our clan. Howbeit he was my Chief, my lord. Yet I would dishonor him this time.

   "You call me a mistake. You call me a boy. You say am an incompetent man. You stake up my flaws and judge me," I sighed sourly.
  "I might not be perfect, but I have served truly, and everyone here knows it." I ran a finger at them all.

  "In your eyes, I may not be as competent as my predecessor -- your son," he breathed uneasily.
"Still, the truth remains, that he died young fighting the battles your ill choices had crafted. I will take this turn now, against you desires, my chief."

"How dare you?" He breathed hard. The tent was frozen with terror.
"No subject of mine would speak to me this way."

The whole tent turned troubled. They knew what he was meaning.
"My chief! Please!" They chorused, genuflecting. Except me. I still stood defiant and watched.

"Get out of my lands, Dorack son of Dun."

My comrades sprang up at the mention of that vile decree.

Ramish's eyes flashed with surprise.
"You turn the heart of the warriors against me too?"

"Deco! Listen to your chief." I frowned at my friend.

"No," he stepped forward. "Our clan has grown stronger than we ever knew. Dorack did it all. He orchestrated the idea of palisades and he personally saw to it that the defensive barrier was set up. More than ever even, raids havr been favorable for us. He is more loyal to this ground than many of us." He told with contempt.

"Deco!" I barked at him. He breathed strongly, then went silent with a small bow.

  "I would leave for the city known as Kedrone in two days, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop me now." Alas came my final declaration. In this words, I turned and tended out of the tent. My comrades chased my shadow closely.

"You scoundrel! You are no more an Iron wolf. You will no more be a leader to her warriors...great fortune to your death wish, and when you go, never come back! Never come back!"
Chief Ramish's bark trailed behind me as I strode away.

                                   ∆∆∆
Laid on my fur mat, sleep seemed to be an abomination. My heart was plagued with several things.

I thought of the strange riders...their leaders words tormented me. His derisively confident smirk was different. The surge of anger I felt was fresh and un-taming.
I knew I needed to satisfy my ego by winning whatsoever game he proposed.

Yet behind the shadows lurked another reason for my unbroken resolve on the expedition to Kedrone.
 
The words of the elders weren't absolutely swayed from truth alas. Aside my desires to show off might and shame the strange riders,  I in fact wanted to see the leaders daughter; Keiya, once more.

In all my life I had never beheld such beauty. The young lady was true gem -- a price worth fighting for. I had indeed lied in the meeting with the elders! But that was life, and so was ambition ready to push one....to shift things and alter reality for self desires.

What would I be before my people and praise worshipers, if I'd told them that my true reason for wanting to journey the strange city was for the lust of a woman.
   Preposterous!

Time seemed not to be an ally as it crawled with bitter efforts. Its style was almost as a dissuasion to my resolve. Still, morning was sure to come in its triumphant glory.  
The whole day, as fated, would be for the preparation for my expedition.
    
The news of my journey had spread like wildfire and everyone of my clan had come to know this. They couldn't convince me otherwise and neither could they offer any meaningful suggestions for my journey.....but they were all still welcomed to try.

I took the hours of the day to make ready, and to prepare for a journey I knew was about to change my life completely.
 
The leader of the riders had told me how important my blade would be in Kedrone. Obviously, I wasn't going to Kedrone for a peaceful exhibition...I was going for battle!

   "Our journey tomorrow won't be an easy one."
  The voice of a man rang from behind, breaking through the darkness and my hazy thoughts. The figure emerged gradually until his shape and self entirely became defined -- Deco!
  
I smiled once beheld who truly it was. Even so, I was smiling more for his preposterous statement than his presence. It was a cheap way of inviting me to take him along. But he of all people ought to have known better, that I wasn't one known to appreciate cheap methods.

   "You would not follow me on my journey to Kedrone." I announced plainly.

   "And why? Why would I not accompany you tomorrow?" His troubled eyes met mine. His tone was gruff.

  "Kedrone is my journey to make. What comes next is also mine to handle. I would not put my responsibility on the shoulders of another man." I told sparing no sympathy.

  "Kedrone is not your responsibility. It is our responsibility." He frowned.

  "You know very well it is mine. I insisted to go to Kedrone." I perceived his angered countenance, but I wavered not in my decree yet.

  "Still," he tore in again. "you are not going to the strange city for your own desires. You are going for the sake our clan -- to uphold our name. In this way it is not your responsibility alone to handle."
This old friend was a debating man and he was striking a hard point...still, I could not  sway from my resolute.

   "You know what happens if any man joins me on my quest -- he would not be allowed to return to his home no matter what. It is pure banishment." I told truthfully.

"I don't care for home, I care for you Dorack." He barked.

  "And I care for my clan. If I go and you with me, what becomes then the fate of our clan once other clans hear that both of us are away from home?  It would only invite opposing tribes to our home, thus making the words of the Elders indeed true. You and I cannot leave Gezon together. You must remain and take responsibility as the new commander of her warriors." I prayed him deeply while holding unto firm discontent shoulders.

   But the man merely gave a bitter sigh.
"You have never been talked out of your will. I suppose I can not persuade you enough to bring me along." He exhaled depressingly.

"This would not be our last time together on this earth...I promise." My face was grim and I held up gaze into his eyes.

  "Stay safe my brother." He said embracing me tightly. His embrace yet was simply echoing one word -- goodbye!
 
As much I hated the prospect of this, I knew it wasn't far off the truth. It would take a while before I set eye on him again. Or perhaps,  if fate be that cruel, I may never even set eye on him again. So was my quest demanding. And even then, I wasn't ready to turn down from my earnest desires to reach Kedrone.

   "Farewell brother." I breathed the words, low almost as a whisper as I watched his fading frame from my presence.

  I willed myself from weeping. One final wave, one final hug, one final embrace and it was done. Begrudgingly my heart accepted my fate....I was alone henceforth!