Chapter 18

As soon as they make their way up between two peaks and come over a rise, Wolf Valley opens up before them. It is beautiful in its harshness, and pristine as the white snow glitters and glistens in the fading light.

"We'll make camp here. There is a little cave inlet here, and in there is firewood so we can start a fire and signal to the two tribes that they have friendly visitors."

It turns out the Bolo Shades have been causing havoc amongst the two tribes, getting them to fight amongst each other, so when the welcoming party finally arrives in the middle of the night they are less than cordial. That is until they notice it is the great knight Roy Bane who has come calling, and he has always treated them fairly.

In the fading fire the human mountaineers slowly appear out of the darkness. Since Roy is holding Avril close and tight in the cold climate, he whispers into her ear, "We have company." He then takes his right arm that he was holding her tight with and shakes her the rest of the way awake.

From out of the night come four men with long brown hair and full dark beards. They all are wearing bear pelts for pants and coats, and their hats are made out of the head of the bear. All the men now standing before them tower over Roy, who is six foot.

"Who calls upon us? Who lights the Beacon of Friendship?" asks a giant of a man in a tone of voice of suspicion.

"Hello, Braun." says Roy, stepping out of the little cave and around the campfire that is just in front of the opening.

"Sir knight Roy, you honor us with your presence."

"Thank you, my old friend." Just then Avril comes around the campfire to stand next to Roy. "Braun, this is Princess Avril of Azure. Avril, this is King Braun of the Gray Wolf Tribe."

"Greetings, milady, what can we do for such honored guests?"

"Hi," says Avril, smiling at the werewolves in human form.

"We need to pass through your valley."

"You know the first day of ascension is but four days away?"

"Yes."

"And your need is that dire?"

"All our needs are that dire. The Scepter of Power has been stolen by the Bolo Shades, and they are hiding it in these mountains. We have retrieved the Amulet of Direction from the City of Wizards and The Council, and it says they have come this way."

"The Bolo Shades, you say! I bet it is them who have been causing the two tribes to bicker and fight. Now that we know, we will unite and help you as much as we can, but during the ascension we will not be able to tell friend from foe."

"We understand, and accept any help you can give us." It is Avril speaking.

"Please, right this way." Braun says, as he leads them into the growing day.

As the skies are just beginning to lighten, and as they are making their way down into the valley, Avril turns to Roy and whispers, "I'm freezing my tushy off." She says it while rubbing her hands on her tush to warm herself.

"Hang on a second, guys."

Avril looks at Roy curiously. Roy reaches into his pack and pulls out another thicker pair of leggings that he got from Queen Ann for just this occasion.

"What are those?"

"Another gift from Queen Ann and myself. I figured they would come in handy. Here, put these dark brown pair on over the ones you already have on."

"God, I love you." Avril says, taking them gratefully. Then she thinks about what she just said and says, "I mean..."

"It's okay, babygirl. I know what you mean, and I love you, too." Then he turns to the clan members. "Gentlemen, if you would give the Princess a moment of privacy."

Roy then sits down in the snow with a crunch. He pulls Avril into his lap. For an instant her hair goes blonde with a few more pink streaks, but almost immediately her hair goes back to brunette as they get back to the business at hand.

Together they wrestle her boots off and slip on the thicker pair of leggings. Before she can pull them all the way up they stop and get her boots back on. Then Avril, with her thighs bound by the extra pair of leggings, starts struggling to stand up so she can pull them the rest of the way up. Roy puts his hand on her bottom and pushes her into a standing position. As Avril is straightening out her skirt, Roy stands and starts to wipe the snow from his rear. He can't tell if he got it all, so Avril comes over and gets the rest for him.

As Avril looks Roy over and Roy looks Avril over to makes sure all things are good to go, Roy asks Avril, "Ready, Princess?"

"Yes, and it is Avril, remember?"

Roy puts his arm around her shoulders and kisses her hair and then says, "Alright gentlemen, we are ready."

Once they reach the village of the Gray Wolf Tribe, the sun is well into the morning sky.

"So how can we help?"

Roy nods to Avril and Avril pulls out the Amulet of Direction and gets a new reading. The amulet is now pointing towards the west. "It looks like they are heading towards their homeland. As you know, Braun, the Bolo Shades can move near as quick as the wind, so as we pursue them into the west, if the clan members will spread out in a line behind us so they will not be able to double back and get away."

"We still have the Wand of Inspiration given to us by Cliff, the King of Montgomery. That will give us the ability to hold off and bind the Bolo Shades until you get here."

"Excellent, my old friend."

"Roy?"

"Yes, Braun?"

"The Path of Kaylar has caved in. You will have to go over the mountains."

"Oh no!"

"What?" Avril asks concerned.

"It will take us four days at least to make it over the mountains."

"And ... that means they will become werewolves before we can get out of their range."

"Exactly, sweetheart."

"Come on, Roy, let us leave now." Avril starts pulling Roy away, but then she remembers something and whispers it to Roy.

Roy turns back to the werewolves in their human form and asks, "What of your Gem?"

"A dragon flew in and got it a week ago."

"Okay, thank you." and then Roy turns to Avril and says, "We make one hell of a team, little lady, with you being my memory and all."

Avril sends Roy a beaming smile and says, "Come on! Even though it might be interesting to see a werewolf, we really have more important things to get to."

As Roy is nodding his head to Avril, and as they are double timing it, Roy yells back over his shoulder, "Braun, use the wand to contact us if you catch the Bolo Shades and or the Scepter of Power. Also the Shimmerings are about, so I'm sure they will help."

"Of course, brother."

As they are crunching through the snow Avril is looking behind them, but Roy is looking in the skies. "What are you looking at?"

"I was hoping to see Briar, but I told him to wait just inside the Realm of Shadow and Light Spirits just in case they make a run for their home."

"We should be okay, shouldn't we? We have the werewolves making sure the Bolo Shades don't double back on us, and we have Briar in front of us waiting for the enemy to return home. It seems to me that we have all the bases covered, and with four days until ascension and it taking us four days to get over these particular peaks we should be fine. Right?" Avril says hopefully.

"Actually, Av, last night was included in that, so there is only three more days, or technically nights, until the ascension."

"Oh!"

"Fear not, my precious girl, we are together and we are strong."

For the next three days they push on almost day and night with very few rests. At last they can barely make out the tip of the peaks through the perpetual mist that hangs up this high, and what has been enshrouding them for the last several hours. Exhausted and weary they force themselves to rest.