Chapter 60: Your Father Was Stupid

"Welcome, Lions." The voice was calm and collected, bringing a warmth that was quite contrasting to their cold environment.

Out of the cave came a man, slightly over six feet. He had a head full of white hair along with two white pointy ears on his head. Behind him, a fluffy white tail swished about, carrying with it a cold air that froze the ground beneath him.

This man was naked, like Kael, seemingly not aware of the concept of nakedness. This exposed his fair skin and rippling muscles.

Compared to Kael, this white-haired man was leaner. His hair was well kept and his mannerism was full of dignity.

His icy blue eyes lingered on N’bayé and Kael, taking note of their powerful aura which translated to them being the same level as he was.

"Are you Bibi III?" Kael asked with curiosity in his eyes. This wolf man had frozen the ground all around him, painting a peculiar picture.

This was a passive show of power, a way to tell the visitors that he was no pushover.

Kael didn’t put too much mind on it, he needed everyone to feel secure about themselves.

"Yes, I am." Bibi III answered telepathically, "Why have you visited us?"

Kael chuckled and stepped forward, causing the surrounding wolves to flinch. However, Bibi’s nod signaled them to relax.

Kael, seemingly ’unaware’ of the discomfort his presence was causing, sat on the ground with his legs crossed, "I came to talk about us working together." He said to Bibi III.

Bibi’s pointy ears twitched as he asked, "What could lions and wolves possibly work together for?"

"The mountain," Kael answered immediately. A look of interest finally flashed in Bibi’s eyes but he quickly hid it.

As if coming to an understanding, he walked and sat in front of Kael.

The world seemed to be split into two realms as white frost covered everything around and behind Bibi, but the frost could not get near Kael.

No matter how cold it was, everything behind Kael remained warm and green.

The lionesses drew closer to Kael and the numerous wolves surrounded them, keeping a certain distance out of respect for their leader.

"How should I address you?" Bibi asked. Not only did Kael have more body mass than Bibi, but Kael also had a small beards whereas Bibi just had a smooth face.

"My name’s Kael, leader of the Ol-mytee lion pride."

"Have you perhaps, come to us for help?" Bibi suddenly asked.

N’bayé narrowed her eyes at Bibi, but she didn’t say anything, instead, she and Kael had a separate private conversation.

Kael chuckled, "You are mistaken Bibi, I came for a simple alliance. I want us to work together to take over the mountain."

"No, you want my help. Admit it." Bibi said with a sly grin.

Kael wore a smile that wasn’t exactly a smile. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go in his head.

Kael shook his head, "Bibi III, your Bibi clan used to be the strongest wolf clan in the forest.

You guys had the largest numbers of awakened wolves and you were just a few moments away from becoming as powerful as your father.

All was well until your father, Bibi II, felt that the mountain should be the perfect base for the Bibi clan.

Unfortunately for him, there were a couple of powerful entities living in that mountain who didn’t take likely to your father’s actions.

And as the saying goes, there cannot be two kings in one kingdom. You’re father fought well, but he was stupid, his outcome was exactly how it was supposed to go…death."

Kael’s was like magic, instantly making the grin on Bibi’s face disappear. His smile turned upside down as his blue eyes increased their radiance.

"Do you insult me and my clan, lion?" Bibi asked in a chilling tone.

"No, I’m simply retelling the tale of the day Bibi II brought shame to the whole Bibi clan. Leaving you to look for a way to wipe that shame off." Kael said, it was his turn to have a sly grin on his face.

"You thought the inhabitants of this forest forgot? They didn’t. The shame is still there, like blood on white.

And now, I come, offering an alliance, hoping that you would be willing to wipe your clan’s shame and restore your reputation.

But how do you respond? You begin playing negotiation tricks on us like it’s going to matter if we actually succeed in taking the mountain.

What if I am indeed seeking help? Does it change the fact that you would also benefit from this?" Kael folded his arms, feigning anger as his aura became more oppressive

A thoughtful look appeared on Bibi’s face as he pondered on Kael’s words. He might be an ice wolf but there was still an innate hotheaded inside of him.

They spent minutes looking at each other with different expressions. Kael inwardly felt uncomfortable being stared at by a naked man like this but he had to remind himself that these guys were wild animals deep within.

Finally, after minutes of the staring contest. Bibi spoke, "Do you have a plan?" He asked.

The smile on Kael’s face widened as he nodded his head. N’bayé spoke more words to him privately before he began to talk again.

"You and I are individually at the same level your father had been when he was killed at the mountain. He was one fighting against many, even with the number of wolves who followed him on his conquest, it would have not been enough.

What we need is a combination of both quality and quantity. You have the quantity, I have the quality.

But that is also not enough, we’re going to be strategic about this if we are to proceed. We may even have to consume the mountain one small bite after the other, or we may take it over in one fell swoop."

"It seems you have thought about this well," Bibi said with some thoughts.

"Yes,"

"You could have also made plans for me," Bibi said again.

Kael paused for a bit before shaking his head, "Indeed, I made plans for you, but that’s just in case you betray me.

To be honest, N’bayé suggested we go to the other clans since they may have better-quality wolves in their hands.

If you refuse, I’ll have to burden myself with looking for them for…what did you call it?...Help."

If Kael was talking to any wolf other than a veggie wolf or an Ice wolf, he would’ve never uttered these sentences.

"Hmm," Bibi glanced at N’bayé who lay by Kael’s side leisurely, as if she wasn’t part of this discussion.

"I doubt your plan is as simple as that but let’s just say we succeed. How do we share the mountain?

You said it yourself, two kings cannot exist in one kingdom. What guarantee is there that I won’t be forced to fight for a spot on the mountain?" Bibi asked the main question.

"I know what I said, and it’s true. But who says we have to share one kingdom?

Think of it like two kingdoms coming together for an alliance so that they can share amongst themselves.

We’ll simply divide the mountain into two. You take the part facing where the sun rises, and I take the part facing where the sun sets."

Bibi sank into thought again, his inner ponders unknown.

Kael then spoke out to bring Bibi out of his train of thought, "Do we have a deal?"

Bibi shook his head, "I still have some time to think about it."

Kael didn’t seem disturbed by this, he shrugged his shoulders and said. "That is normal. Here’s what we are going to do.

I plan on taking action as soon as tomorrow. It may sound absurd but I don’t want to waste time on this mountain acquisition.

I’ll give you till tomorrow before the sun fully rises. If you did not come by then, I’ll assume you refused our offer and I’ll move on to the next wolf clan.

And if no wolves are willing to work with me, then I’ll have to meet the spiders."

Bibi III was very calm until he heard the last sentences. Instantly, his blue eyes glowed brighter and the frost on the floor thickened.

The wolves were the only ones affected as the lionesses had warmth coming from Kael as his body had fainted flickers of flame here and there.

Before Bibi could react, Kael stood up, followed by his lionesses, before he walked out of the premises.

His and N’bayé’s aura made it hard for any wolves to summon the courage to stand in front of them.

Bibi watched their backs with a strange expression on his face.

"My lord, do you trust them?" The green wolf from before stepped up at this time to talk to Bibi.

A lazy expression covered Bibi’s face as he answered, "Of course not, I’m just thinking of how I can maximize the use of these lions.

They were never to be trusted."

"So, does that mean we aren’t going to work with them?" The green wolf asked.

Bibi sighed, feeling annoyed by the questioning from an inferior. "I’m still thinking about it."

After saying that Bibi walked into his cave, and soon after, a few female wolves followed after him.