Fear Begets Stupidity|Malagard, Khelek

[Kender Bard]

One of the things that Khelek's people were often proud of was their stolidness. They were a grim, dour people but unshakable in the face of a crisis.

This was not always true, however. Though the Ices were not, by and large, a passionate people like some of the other elements and lands, they were still human and subject to human virtues... and vices. Not the least of which was fear.

And stubbornness. Some people braved the city and outside the walls, scoffing at the notion that wolves would be any greater of a problem than they had ever been. But as a few such foolhardy individuals met the fate they had dismissed so casually, people began to cast an eye to the sky with fear. As night drew close, people hurried home for the safety of the hearth. Even the city guards were jittery, making rounds in groups, heavily armed, jumping as sudden howls that seemed to cry for blood went up at night. Howls that chilled the blood like no Khelek winter ever had.

People endured the ever present threat outside their city walls with the same grim sternness that they always had, but one night was different from others. The guards at the gates had been too slow in spotting the wolves, did not close the gates quickly enough, and several slipped into the city. They left a bloody swath until the guards were able to finally corner them and kill them all. The death count was not high, but it was enough to shake the Ices.

The next day brought an unusual sight to Khelek--a mob. The object of their anger and hate was obscured by the ranks. Whoever or whatever it was, it was at the center of the throng.

[Darastrix]

Nagi had been making rounds outside, accompanied by Farfarello. It was early enough in the day that the wolves shouldn't be a threat, and speaking with the city guard and making sure the outer walls were being kept in good repair was a good distraction. His children were due any time now, and without something else to focus on, he'd be going crazy. And he and Lucifer both had the thought that if he could be seen taking an active interest without acting irrationally fearful, it might help the guard's morale as well.

He frowned when he caught sight of the mob, and with a nod to Farfarello and a "come here" gesture to a pair of guards he saw nearby, he began making his way over. He wished he had a Wind's abilities, or at least a Wind nearby to amplify his voice, but well, he'd just have to make do with himself.

He stopped a few feet from the back of the mob and touched his signs to create a curved, invisible barrier on the opposite side for his voice to rebound off of. "Would someone be kind enough to inform me as to the meaning of this?" he called.

His cheeks heated a bit as he realised how loudly he'd actually spoken, but that was the point. At least the weather had gotten cool enough that being pink-cheeked wasn't unusual outside.

[Kender Bard]

The mob began to quiet a bit and glance back. Seeing the crown prince took some of the anger out of their sails and not a one of them wanted to be the one to speak up. They jostled one another lightly until one poor fool got nudged in front.

Glancing back at the others, he cleared his throat and addressed Nagi, "M'lord, we 'ere folks were jus' puttin' an en' to the wolf problem, see. We went an' founded the wench which who been callin' them." A few men muttered agreement with that and he relaxed a touch with the support, at least verbally, of his fellows. "We won't 'ave no wolves in the city again now."

[Darastrix]

Nagi raised a brow at that, the expression vaguely remniscient of Crawford. He'd thought it was fairly clear that the wolves weren't being called. Did everyone think that crops and livestock were the only things that would have been flourishing this year?

They're scared, he reminded himself. So I need to be calm.

"Why do you think the winter wolves are being called?" he asked. "What proof have you?"

[Kender Bard]

"This lad," the man began and glanced back. "Sommun' bring 'im up 'ere."

There was some shuffling and a young boy was pushed forward. He bowed to Nagi and kept his eyes down.

"This lad," the man started again, "done saw 'er talkin' to some wolves an' things."

From within the mob came a sudden raised voice, deep and throaty but feminine and outraged. "I'm a FUCKING BEAST IS WHY!"

"Beasts can call animals," the boy mumbled, almost too quiet to hear. "An' she was talkin' to some afore, earlier in the day. Afore the attack last night."

The mob milled, their voices making an almost unified growl of their own. "She called them! She's a traitor! Bringing wolves down on us!"

[Darastrix]

"Beasts can call animals," Nagi repeated, thankful that he enjoyed study and lots of it, "but only if the animal is already close enough to hear them. And the winter wolves are becoming a problem all over. Malagard, Gwellon, Cruuelka, and Amastar have all seen more activity."

"Look at this year's harvest," he went on. "Look at the number of livestock. Look at how many children are being born. We've had a bounty this year, and that doesn't stop at our cities' walls. Talk to the trappers and hunters; there's more of everything, and that's going to include winter wolves. The packs need to be thinned out; looking for a scapegoat isn't going to help."

[Kender Bard]

"But she brought them into the city," the man mumbled, seeming a tad at a loss.

From within the mob there came some sudden, rather violent pushing. Caught off guard, the people were pushed aside and the scapegoat stepped forth.

She was clearly a Beast, with long wolf-ears, yellow eyes, and slightly pointier teeth. When she moved, a subtle slit within her skirt flashed a quick glimpse of the Beast sign on her left knee. That aside, however, she looked like a normal Khelekian woman (though dark of skin, which was unusual for the area), even sporting an Ice sign on her chin. She seemed considerably harassed with a couple visible bruises forming and her garments were stained by rotten food that'd been tossed at her. Her hands were still tied behind her back and she looked as infuriated as she had sounded earlier.

"I was only trying to discern if there was some way to keep them away from Malagard!" she protested. "They would not listen to me. I'm lucky I didn't anger them. They are all very agitated, fighting as much with each other as with us humans."

[Darastrix]

Nagi's jaw tensed in anger when he saw how they'd treated the woman, and he gestured for Farfarello to cut her bonds. The scarred man stepped forward to do so, baring his teeth at anyone who seemed of a mind to stop him.

"There's plenty of food," Nagi said, "but not enough space for them all, is that it?"

~Farf, can you try to see if she's telling the truth? I believe her, but the crowd....~

~I can try. No guarantee; there's a lot of anger here.~

[Kender Bard]

"Yes," the woman agreed, bringing her hands around to rub at her wrists. She glanced over her shoulder at the crowd and bared her teeth in a silent snarl. Several men stepped back. She had been a lot less frightening tied up and dragged.

Looking back at Nagi, the woman repeated, "Yes, that is precisely it. The winter wolves are not only competing with each other but with the normal wolves as well for territory. Then there are other predators to contend with. The prey is thick but they still try to cluster into certain spots that have always been popular. Now many of the hunting animals are quarreling with one another in these places, driving each other out. They come here out of desperation, not hatred. This was their land once and they want it back now."

[Darastrix]

Nagi nodded; it made perfect sense to him. He might not have been any sort of ranger or trapper, but a person didn't need to be for that sort of matter. It was just simple math.

"Think," he said, turning back to the crowd. "Take a moment and think about the road you nearly started on. You--all of you!--just turned on one of your own people. On one of our people! What would you have done days from now when it became clear that she's had nothing to do with the wolves? Find someone else to blame? And someone else?"

"The winter wolves have become a serious problem all across Khelek, and this--" Nagi waved a hand at the mob. "--is just going to make things worse. There's not a person to blame for it. You cannot let fear and desire for a quick solution blind you to what may be an invaluable resource. This could have cost all of us dearly."

[Kender Bard]

If it was possible for a mob to collectively look shamefaced, the group managed it. None of them felt proud and many looked away, either with an inward anger or just plain shame.

"Thank you, your Highness," Riva responded.

"Well what do you suggest we do then?" one man asked angrily. "Are we supposed to just twiddle our thumbs and let the wolves come after us? My neighbor died last night! It could have been me! I say we go and wipe them all out."

"What?!" Riva gasped. "No! It's not their fault!"

[Darastrix]

Nagi resisted the urge to smack himself in the forehead. Thuoth, give me patience.

"And then we'll have the same problem with the herds of their prey that are also in greater numbers than before," Nagi pointed out. "I don't believe any of us care to have the reindeer pushing our livestock out of their feeding grounds or helping themselves to our crops. Not to mention, there are people whose very livelihoods depend on being able to hunt those wolves for their furs."

"I'm not suggesting nothing be done. As I said, the packs need to be thinned. But wiping them out entirely would just do more harm to Khelek."

[Kender Bard]

Someone not part of the mob but who had clung to its edges to try and see what was going on spoke up now. "Maybe someone should form hunting parties then or perhaps a bounty could be put on their hides."

"Who's gonna organize that?" someone else asked with scorn. "The guards are jumping more than crickets on a frying pan."

Riva's ears flattened slightly. "While I won't hunt winter wolves, I am a hunter. With your Highness's permission, I'd be willing to lead men to thin some of the other predators farther out that have been giving the wolves competition. That would relieve some of the pressure and allow them to go back to their normal hunting grounds."

[Darastrix]

Nagi considered the suggestion for a moment, and then nodded. "Granted. But while I won't ask you, personally, to kill wolves, I would have your continued advice on the matter. The hunters and trappers have a better understanding of things than those of us who live in the cities, and any Beasts in those trades even more so."

[Kender Bard]

Riva flashed Nagi a small little grin and her eyes revealed deep satisfaction. "I would be deeply honored to give what advice I can to you, Highness." She bowed to him.

At this point, people began to disperse, though a few folk lingered in case anything else worth seeing happened.

With a conspiratorial wink, Riva added, "I think a few folk might find my fine pelts and skins temporarily more expensive, however, heh heh. Now if you'll pardon me, I need to go assure my companion that I'm not going to be tossed onto a pyre or anything such thing." She bowed again. "Khelek is lucky to have a prince who cares for his people as you do."

~Nagi~ Filly suddenly intruded, her mental voice a little anxious and distracted. ~I think you may want to return to the palace now. It's about that time.~