Life is beautiful. Life comes in all shapes and sizes and no one knows this better than the Kin of the Great Creator. For the Kin, differences are things to be celebrated and the unexpected arrival of the strange and dangerous Snakeman was an event truly worth celebrating.

Days passed. The sun rises and the sun sets. The twin moons chased each other across the night sky in a dance since time immemorial and during one of these dances, the Kin gathered in the Great Kar Forest. The Foxkin took charge of the celebration and the site selected was the Unicorn Grove, the home of the Unicorns. The mutants of the Red Creator were mesmerized by the serenity of the Grove and the Kin took full advantage of it by having a celebration of a lifetime. Food and fruit juices were plentiful, laughter was abundant, and there was even music. A few of the Satyrs had taken up music as a hobby and the Speaker was surprised at how good they were. She quickly understood that the Satyrs had a natural talent for music and wondered if the Goatmen was generally excellent in the arts. She remembered the Bunny mother talking about a Satyr named Ormus who was a painter and woodcrafter, and with the music she was hearing now, the Speaker wondered if the arts was the gift given to the Satyrs from the Creator. If it was, then it was another example of the greatness of their Creator.

Most the other Kin may think little of the arts but the Speaker was a former human and she understand the need for it. With the arts comes culture and if the Kin was to strive as a people, they need to develop their own distinct culture. One that was different from the humans. Even the Speaker hadn’t thought about this till now but the Creator obviously did. Smiling at the foresight of the Creator, she looked over at her cubs playing with the other children. The Speaker made sure there would be no distinction between Beastkin and Beastmen as she wanted all the children to play together. She need not have worry. She wasn’t the only mother who thought of this. Whatever misgivings their adults had about each other, no one wanted to pass down these doubts to the next generation.

As the children of the various races were playing together, the adults were mingling around the Grove. Werewolf, Ratlings, Monkeyman, Foxkin, Centaur; everyone was mixing together. What race you were from did not matter as much as how fun you were. Everyone was determined to have a good time. Considering what the Kin were planning, the Speaker did not think that was a bad idea. This was after all the calm before the storm. She looked back at her cubs and spoke softly to the werewolf sitting beside her.

“Everyone seem to be having fun.”

“They should. Things are about to get hairy soon.”

The Speaker chuckled. “Hairy? Is that a joke, my big strong Alpha?”

“No. You know I don’t joke.” The deadpanned delivery of the line crack the Speaker up. The Alpha ignored her chuckle and continued, “Besides, what I said is true. Let them have fun while they can. The tears will start soon enough.”

That sobered up the Speaker. “The plan is sound.” She insisted to the Alpha. “We can take the city. We have the knowledge, the manpower, and even the element of surprise. Yachium won’t know what hit it.”

“A thousand things can go wrong in battle. We would be fighting in a strange city most of the Kin had never being in and that is if we can get inside.”

“You worry about the mutants? You’ve spend more time with them than me. What’s your view of them?”

“Strange but that’s to be expected. They are not Demons but at the same time they are not humans. No one really knows how to act around them. They are also very eager to prove their worth.”

“That’s…a bad thing?”

“By itself; no but they are untested. Hellmight keep them as reserves, not wanting the humans to know the Creators could create Demons that look like humans. That’s why they are so eager for this mission and on the mission, they were be joined by another untested mutant.”

“I thought you liked Arnel? Also, he is hardly untested. He is a veteran Guardsman after all.”

“He is untested as a mutant. He only just came into his power recently and his control isn’t quite second nature yet. I rather he has more time.”

“You worry too much. I admit you have a point but I don’t think it’s that much of a problem. Arnel knows the city, he is loyal to the Kin, and he has experience leading men before. He would be fine.”

“His loyalty is the problem.” Her mate noticed the Speaker’s look of surprise and continued. “Oh, he is loyal to us but he also has loyalty to the humans of Yachium. He is a Guardsman. The safety of the people in the city is, or was, his priority. He hasn’t been a mutant long enough for him to forget all about that. He needs more time.”

“You think we need a delay?”

“Ha! As if that’s an option. It’s too late for that. The mutants are already here and the Demon reinforcements are on their way. We just need to hope for the best.”

“So you admit you are worrying about nothing? The great Alpha of the Werewolves admitting he’s a worrywart? Will wonders never ceased?”

Her mate replied a playful growl and a forceful hug. “You’ve been very naughty recently. Don’t think I had forgotten about you did with the Fox Mother behind my back!”

“Well…the cubs are busy playing right now. What do you say we go into the woods and you can show me what you’re going to do about it?”

The Alpha didn’t respond in words but in action! He stood up, lifting the Speaker up in his arms before throwing her over his shoulder. He comically run towards the woods howling at the twin moons. Several werewolves playfully howled in reply. The Speaker laughed. Many of the Kin laughed. Then the Speaker heard five small voices shouting in reply.

“YUCKS!”

There’s no pleasing kids sometimes.

END OF BOOK 1