Cade stopped to stroke the black’s velvet nose.  “Your home is invaded Mammoth.”

Dirk’s black brows rose.  “Mammoth?  That huge monster is Mammoth?”

Cade nodded and ran his hands down the stallion’s neck.

Dirk laughed.  “I remember when you picked the horse Cade.  It was born sickly and small.  His mother refused him suck.  It was a great joke when you named him Mammoth.  I can not believe that sickly colt grew into this monster.”

Cade shrugged.  “He is trained well.  And in battle his height and breadth will benefit.”

Though no war was fought in over 2000 years, the Wardex carried on the tradition of training horses to be deadly in battle.  It was their birthright to protect the human race from the dark races should the need ever arise.   A reliable war horse was an effective weapon.

Dirk laughed again and started toward the back of the stable.

Cade followed and stopped beside his friend at the last stall on the right.  A sturdy brown mare with liquid brown eyes greeted them with a small whinny of recognition.

            “Here you go girl,” Dirk said removing a sack from beneath his cloak and pouring the contents into a small trough on the stall door.  The mare nudged his hand and lowered her head to eat.

            “It looks as though the stable master groomed her,” Cade said looking around for sign of the elderly Wardex.

            “Pray she doesn’t appeal too well or that great beast of yours might consider mounting her.”  Dirk laughed.  “I don’t think she’d live through it.”

            Cade smiled.

            Dirk sighed and stroked her head watching the brown ears twitch as she ate.  “I will not have you mocking her gender.  She bore me well.  She is to be my primary in battle.  I named her Sarsus.”

            “There will be a certain amount of jesting among the others,” Cade said.

            Dirk smiled.  “I am always happy to provide entertainment.”  Which was exactly how he lost the corner of his front right tooth.

            Cade soaked in the companionship.  He never regretted taking the road over family life.  But there were times when he wondered about his childhood friends.  They were rarely in the settlement at the same time.  Occasionally, he missed the camaraderie he took for granted in youth.

Cade studied his friend.  A thin white scar ran from Dirk’s left temple down to his chin, just narrowly missing the eye.  He remembered watching the phants long claw dig the furrow believing at that moment his life forfeit.  And afterward despite the pain and loss of blood, Dirk would not be left behind while the others climbed down to gut the phant.  Like Cade, he still wore his fur cape made from the carcass of the dead beast.

            Yes it was good to see him, good to laugh, good to belong again.

            Dirk propped a boot on the lowest rung of the stall gate, crossed his arms and watched the mare eat.  His face became pensive.  “Kane is in the Gray Mountains.  I have done my duty and given my reports.  I leave tomorrow.”

            Cade watched the man’s scarred profile.  “What of the Alai?”

            Dirk sighed.  “I will not wait for the counsel to decide my brother’s fate.  Our people in the Gray Mountains may be over run any day and the counsel sits here undecided.  Do you not worry for Loghan?”

            “I do.”  Cade said looking at the black mare in the stall next to Dirk’s.  “It is vexing.  I brought a shifter into camp thinking the Alai would not hold her counsel.  But they have not let her out of their sight for three days.”

            “I saw her,” Dirk’s eyes lingered on the beautiful black mare in the stall next to his.  “She listens to all their reports and debates.”  He looked at Cade.  “I do not understand the wisdom of that.”

            Cade shook his head.  “Nor do I.  Though she saved my life I can not come to trust her.  Razar would attack her did I not forbid it.”

            Dirk’s eyes lit up at the mention of the hound.  “Razar!  Where is he?”

            Cade scowled.  “He is with the shifter.  He will not leave her side.”

            Dirk smiled.  “He keeps his enemies close.”

            “It seems.” Cade said.  “I would the counsel make their decisions so I might accompany you to the Gray.  Loghan is young yet and I wish to be there.”

            “I knew as much,” Dirk said.  “Though in truth, I am unsure our steel will be enough.  It seems the world is becoming a shadow of our night as boys with the phant.”

            Cade’s shoulder muscles tensed reflexively.  It was the first time the incident was ever spoken aloud.  “Aye,” Cade said.    “But the phant could be killed.”

            “Twice,” Dirk said dryly cocking a black eyebrow.

            Cade nodded grimly.  “Aye, twice.”

            The men stood in silence and watched Sarsus take petite bites of the oats Dirk provided.

            “There is something else,” Dirk said glancing again at the black mare in the stall beside Sarsus.  “Something that nags at me yet was not specific enough to bring to the counsel’s attention.”

            “Speak it” Cade said knowing Dirk’s wardex sense was stronger than most.

            “There is an innuendo in the air.  Every time I attempted to find its source it was like grasping the wind.  Yet it persists, and that alone begs attention.”  Dirk rubbed his scar.  “Whispers on the wind, in the back room of dark hasmas, about the rebirth of the wizards.  And how they will be led by the Woetress herself born as one of them into their blood line.  How she seeks even now to escape her prison.  That the god child she is to be, is already conceived.”

            Cade clenched his jaw.

            “Have you not heard any of this in your travels?”  Dirk asked.

            “Aye,” Cade bit.  “Though before this past fortnight I would not give any credence to it.  Today I am of changed opinion.  Whatever is coming is bent on destroying or enslaving every human north of the Gray.”

            Dirk’s eyes widened.  “You dream this?”

            Cade gave a curt nod.  “I do.”

            “And what of a defense?  Do you dream of how to defeat this aggression?”  Dirk asked.

            Cade looked down at his clenched fists.  “I do not.”

            Dirk sighed.  “Then we are blind.  All the more reason I reach Kane swiftly.  He will not meet this enemy alone.”

            Cade nodded.  “Once the counsel orders a battle plan I will join you in the Gray.”

            “The counsel may have use for you elsewhere,” Dirk said softly once again looking at the beautiful black mare in the adjoining stall.

            Cade’s blue eyes narrowed.  “If they have use for me at all they will do well to remember I am brother to Loghan before head to their plans.  My father is not dead yet and still heads this clan.  He will be the point of any action taken.”

            Dirk stroked Sarsus.

            “You should not travel alone tomorrow,” Cade said.  “Creatures are making it across the Gray now.  Creatures our kind hasn’t seen in two thousand years.  Every Wardex is valuable.”  He smiled.  “We can’t afford to lose even one as weak as you.”

            Dirk laughed though his scar allowed only one side of his mouth to lift completely.  His large hand landed on Cade’s right shoulder in a crushing grip.  “It is good to see you again my friend.  Good to be among our people.  I must find my rest.  I depart early.”

            “Travel well Dirk Wardex,” Cade said and slapped his friend’s broad shoulders a little harder than necessary.

Dirk nodded and strode from the stable still smiling.

Cade watched until the stable door closed and let the smile slide from his face.