Chapter 18: Chapter 18

The meeting was stagnant at the beginning, but the wolves knew the importance of the alliance between the two sides, and weren't going to be stupid enough to endanger a chance for their families to survive.

The wolves were trying to come up with a plan of attack for the lions. They weren't very experienced in battle, and few could even take on a lion alone. They knew that a quick and decisive battle was needed. A war of attrition was not a possibility.

The chieftain took out a map, roughly drawn on a piece of hide. He said.

"When I was young, my father took me to the lions tribe, which is located in the heart of the plain. It's surrounded by the vassal tribes, but even back then, those tribes showed signs of resistance towards the lions. Not many of the tribes could be said to truly be loyal, but they have a reason to keep the lions at the top. Although they are not loyal, they will still fight".

Arzhen understood the reason. The lions are very strong combatants compared to the regular tribes. Handing over some women and resources every so often, is a small price to pay to keep not only the status of the vassal tribe, but also the intimidating presence of the lions strength.

The vassal states under the lions are mostly gatherers. However even on the Plains, the lions still face contention. The rhinoceros and hippopotamus tribes are extremely powerful. They hold no fear of the lions, but their numbers aren't many, so they live in a delicate peace, but if the wolves can deal a devastating enough blow to the lions, then it may arouse the fighting spirit of these two monstrous tribes.

Looking at the map the chieftain laid out, even though it may have changed over the years, it could be seen that the arrogance of the lions has always been prevalent within their tribe. Instead of entrenching themselves in a geographically beneficial area, they have left themselves open to attack from any direction. The vassals are at most a hindrance with very little fighting capability, but their numbers should not be underestimated.

Arzhen spoke her reasoning, and the chieftain quickly agreed with her judgement.

"You're correct. The lions have always been a proud species. They have few rivals, and being at the top of their domain for so long, has long since bred the negative side of their power."

Arzhen had guessed from the attitude of the lions who attacked her, that they didn't put her in their eyes. However this was a useful weakness. Arrogance breeds complacency. Although they are strong, but with so few rivals, they haven't needed to fight for a long time. Standing at the top, they have long lost the fighting spirit their ancestors must have had. Realising it made Arzhen slightly relieved. She knew that the wolves were not the lions match, but those were lions that had faced battle, although the wolves hadn't fought any fierce battles in a long time, they have always been self sufficient. Rarely calling upon the few vassal tribes for resources, they have managed to maintain at least an experienced hunting nature. 

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After the wolves had heard what Arzhen thought, although they were still distrustful of the monster in front of them, they had to be surprised about her conjecture. The lions have been relying on their prestige, and the inherent fear of those vassal tribes to stop th from acting on any rebellious thoughts they might have, but they haven't heard of any large scale attacks by the lions for many years. A hunter that no longer needs to hunt, will slowly lose their instinct. 

The chieftain knew that he hadn't paid enough attention to these simple truths, he was always blinded by the strength of the lions that his father had told him about, and overlooked that not only has the wolf tribe diminished, but the other tribes may also have become weaker with time. 

Understanding Arzhen's words, the chieftain felt as if he had a new outlook on the upcoming battle. Perhaps it isn't as difficult as he thought. The lions are born with incredible strength, and precautions must be taken, but under the tacit understanding of his tribe, they may be able to blindside the lions. 

The chieftain laid out a plan. A surprise attack that would be performed in the night. The perfect time for the wolves, who were very experienced night hunters. They wouldn't need to kill the entire lion tribe, but they had to cause enough damage that it would cause the balance of the Plains to be unstable. 

"If this attack is to be successful, then the lions hierarchy has to be destroyed. The king of the lions is a very powerful man, although the lion tribe itself may have declined, the king himself is a very powerful warrior. His prestige alone, is enough to keep many tribes in line. Only with his death will the attack be successful". 

Although the chieftain didn't mention anyone specifically, the wolves knew that this was something only the monster could achieve. 

Arzhen didn't care if the chieftain was putting her in a dangerous situation. Ever since she had reached her late teenage years, her size and strength has become more unfathomable. She has always wanted to test the limits of her abilities, but unfortunately there has been no one yet, that could allow her to feel the need to use everything. Based on the chieftains words, this lion king may be the challenger she's been hoping for. Without needing any of them to glance towards her, she immediately accepted the task of killing the king. 

The plan was set. They would rest for the night, and in the early morning a large force would head towards the plains. They needed the element of surprise, so they would travel as far as they could undetected in their wolf forms, and bypass the vassal tribes in their human forms. Based on the chieftains map, there is a rather secluded area between two of the vassal tribes, however it is relatively small, but it's perfect for a small army of wolves to pass through. 

The wolves would do as much damage to the lions during the night to make time for Arzhen to attack the king, and before the lions could gather to make a counter-attack, they would already be retreating back to the wolf tribe without rest, where the fresh faced and well rested other half of the wolf warriors would be stationed to pick off the lions that chased. 

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