Paley threw his hands up exasperatedly, "This court and you, chief, already found that part of these proceedings closed, how can I defend myself when I am being asked to answer for the same charges again and again?"

"You will be held responsible for whatever I ask, whenever I ask it, Paley. Don't attempt to use our laws against me, I know them far better than you ever will," Yrsa said with cold finality. Paley shrugged his shoulders.

Hysminai rose up and shifted into his werewolf form. He spoke in the language of the shapeshifters, he knew that Yrsa wouldn't understand, but he held her eyes with his until he was done speaking.

Keva stood up next to Hysminai, "Yrsa, Hysminai says that Erato and he were litter mates. They grew up together, and because they were reborn under different moons, they were allowed to be in the same pack together. He feels her loss as something physical, like a 'wound that will not heal, no matter how much or how little he licks it.' Chief Yrsa, I am these shapeshifter's Alpha. No one feels Erato's loss more than Hysminai, except maybe myself. I am responsible for them and their welfare, and I failed. Please don't let my failure become an even bigger wound by not meeting out justice. I will do almost anything to see some justice done for Erato's murder."

Yrsa replied solemnly, "And what justice would you have done? What would ease your heart of the pain of this heinous crime done against your people?"

"Eye for an eye, a life for a life."

Yrsa gazed into the fire and spoke her judgement, "Keva, since you speak for your people, it is you who will meet out justice for your people. Paley you will defend yourself against her. May the Gods grant victory to the righteous. To the judgement circle."

With that, Yrsa swept down the steps in front of her throne and strode down the center of the lodge, around the bon fire pit and out the main doors. The two groups raised themselves from their places and followed the clan chieftainess outside.

The sun was not shining this day, and the dark heavy clouds overhead had already started shedding rain, which was freezing their noses and cheeks. The temperature was dropping and Javier hoped that the rain would become snow, or stop altogether, but the weather in this forsaken frozen north never seemed to do anything that he and his pack actually wished for.

Keva strode at the head of her pack. Her shoulders were back, her head held high and she walked stride for stride, with Paley. Yrsa led them, Keva, and Paley walked to either side of her a few steps behind. The two groups of family and pack walked behind them, and the rest of the village swarmed behind them. Javier glanced to the rear and was shocked to see just how many people had gathered and were following them to the fighting circle, and how quickly they had gathered. Did the entire village have some kind of telepathic communication he wasn't aware of?

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Yrsa stopped at the edge of the combat circle, Keva and Paley didn't stop till both of them had come to the center of the circle and faced each other.

Javier glanced over at Huan Li who had stayed uncharacteristically silent during this whole affair. The elder watched the scene with a quiet dignity that Javier couldn't hope to penetrate what her was thinking. Huan Li was usually the voice of reason during times like this. Javier looked at Keva and wondered if Huan Li was allowing Keva to be Alpha, to make her own mistakes? Her own decisions, for better or worse? This had been her decision; she had lost a pack member. Maybe Huan Li knew that she had to process and deal with this as she saw fit? What Javier couldn't understand and didn't dare speculate on was whether or not Huan agreed with this current course of action or not?

Keva, didn't feel the cold, she didn't feel the increasing freezing rain that had started to soak her clothes. The darkness was deepening around them, promising a harsher storm ahead. Her green eyes bored into Paley's clear blue ones. Yrsa made a small gesture with her hand, there was no words spoken, but both in the circle flew at each other with inhuman speeds.

Keva didn't shift into her werewolf form, instead charging recklessly at Paley. The tall man threw his fists out wide in a windmill style haymaker. Keva's agility allowed her to bend her body to the side, easily side stepping the wild punch and step into his frame and throwing her fist up in a directed uppercut that connected squarely with his jaw.

Paley didn't act as if he felt anything and dipping his shoulder, shoved into the woman, throwing her off her feet, to land on her back in the snow. Paley moved to press his advantage and came down with a knee, which might have broken Keva's neck if she hadn't rolled out of the way at the last second.

Keva kicked herself off the snow and shifted into her werewolf form. She threw herself at Paley, Paley showed no signs of slowing down.

The two combatants moved like white water over rocks in a river. There was no grace to this dance, they clashed with feet, claws, fists, and jaws. Paley sustained many deep cuts and gashes, while Keva was suffering from deep blows, to her chest and legs. Javier could tell she was either getting tired, or her wounds were starting to bother her.

The rest of the village watched with bated breath. There were no cheers, there were no gasps when a blow landed on either combatant. The storm worsened and the two in the circle fought.

Keva felt rage and fire through her body. Small geysers of pain erupted when Paley connected with her body, but she ignored them. After a few moments those sharp pains of impact, became just another dull sense of being alive as she fought. She would not lose this fight; her pack was counting on her.

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