Book Three of the Moonlit Memories saga is out today!!!
"I, Sejou Dragonclaw, chief of the Kikitsutai Werefox Skulk, call together this meeting of the Council of the Wise." Sejou lit the ritual incense and rang the small ceremonial bell once, maintaining silence until the reverberation ceased. He eyed his advisors, ten of the most trusted leaders of the clan, and wondered who would be stabbed in the back this time. Probably not literally; physical challenges were rare these days and typically more honest than the plotting and arranging of strategies. "What concerns do you find among our people?" He asked as the room was determined to be ceremonially clean, as judged by the silence of the bell and the smoke of the incense.
For a moment, no one spoke. But he watched who exchanged looks and signaled to each other. Immediately, he knew where his first challenge would come from. Not that he was surprised. Akihiko and Hanzo. Neither represented the oldest or strongest of families. Nor were they from the youngest or least important families. They had been fleas on his back since the beginning. From the time he became chief almost two decades ago, he could only think of one decision he had made that those two had completely supported.
As was typical, Akihiko broke the silence first. "Chief Dragonclaw, while you have no doubt spent much time considering the implications," his scent suggested that he felt the opposite, "we are concerned about the ramifications of your daughter's... sudden," he clearly meant 'foolish', "wedding."
"What ramifications are you concerned about?" Not to mention, what would Akihiko have him do about it now, two weeks after the fact. They were even back from their honeymoon by now.
"Not all the clan is comfortable with an outsider, a human, even, brought in so suddenly. I have heard rumors that our allies are... upset, that they are finding out after the fact instead of in time to send representatives. Some say that there have been complaints from at least three of our trusted allies." It was eight, so far. Sejou expected at least two more in time. "And then there are those who feel forced to accept these changes without warning," replied Hanzo.
Sejou merely raised an eyebrow and waited. He could smell the embarrassment as the kitsune suddenly remembered that Sejou had basically done the same exact thing with his wedding to Anne, Sakaki's mother.
"It doesn't exactly speak well for her training," Hanae, one of the few women on the council, hedged. "I've heard several whispers of gossips speculating that she is already... bringing about the next generation." She sat up, hands folded primly. "Not that I noticed any sign of anything of the like on her when I spoke to her yesterday."
"Sakaki is not pregnant, nor is she planning to become so for some time yet." Sejou waved dismissively. He was pretty sure that was her plan at any rate. "When the time does come for her to have children, some more genetic diversity will be welcomed by the skulk, I have no doubt." They hadn't quite come to the point of danger because of limited genetics yet, but they were closer than several liked. It seemed the biggest threat so far was the tendency towards degenerative vision disorders. Fortunately, Werefoxes never considered vision their dominant sense. It was still feared and dreaded by most. "As for her training, Ryoko, you have worked with the girl the most, what have you to say about it?"
Ryoko, his uncle and the biggest supporter he had on the council, gave enough of a look to show that he was not pleased to be put on the spot like this, but covered well. "I do not deny that this past year has been an issue. But I have seen no reason why she cannot continue her work as Luna Liska. After all, despite being subjected to the strongest stresses, she has continued to do her job as necessary, and eliminated at least two major threats to our world, safeguarding the precious secret."
"But, what stresses?" Akihiko asked. "While we have been told there were issues, we have not been told what those issues were. Except for what we could determine with our own senses, of course."
No, they hadn't been told the details. Sejou strongly suspected that he hadn't been told everything himself. That was the problem with running a group of ninjas, everyone had the training to keep secrets and the strong desire to uncover everyone else's secrets.
Nor could he simply declare everything classified, as the Council of the Wise was typically exempt from all but the highest levels of secrecy. Nor was there a real justified reason to use those levels of secrecy. Not that Sejou planned to tell them the truth.
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