Inside the Scorch Wolf Clan's tribal hall, the wolf-like Beast God's Favored, Tata, sat at the center of a long bench like a king. He looked at his younger brother, the werewolf Tagwa, at Sist White Wolf, a Beastman from the White Wolf Clan who had come from the Royal Court, and at a young human with his eyes closed—the incarnation of the Fox Clan's Legend, Sulus.
"Chief Tata, over the past few months, you've always thought the Royal Court was against you and that the local humans were your allies,
"but the Royal Court never intended to shut down your mines or take your human slaves. Yet that so-called elven bandit gang is actually a detachment of Landen Gallop's forces, and they've already drained most of your strength."
Sulus immediately got to the point, laying out the stakes.
"We're all part of the Dog Clan, so I know what you want: to consolidate your rule, build ties with the Royal Court, and stand against the Forest Cats in the Basin. But Chief Tata, have you achieved even one of those goals?"
The Fox Clan's Legend had clearly laid out every concern of the Scorch Wolf Favored. Tata now turned over in his mind the gains and losses of the various factions over the past few months.
The Beastmen Royal Court seemed to have lost face in the Basin, but aside from the Lizardman mercenaries, its actual strength had barely suffered. It had only lost the taxes it had hoped to collect; the Favored and soldiers who had come from the plateau were still intact.
The Forest Cat Clan had fared even better. With Archmage Rosef on their side, the only losses they had suffered were their leader, Zhuxi Forest Cat, sustaining minor injuries in a fight with Landen himself,