A Certain Strange Wolf Read online

  A Certain Strange Wolf

  Wesley Jade

  Copyright 2017 Wesley Jade

  Smashwords Edition

  Chapter 1

  Hunger gnawed at the pit of his stomach like a splinter rat filing its teeth. This part of the forest seemed intent on denying him anything to eat. Even a splinter rat would be preferable to this emptiness in his bowels, and water wasn’t enough to keep his strength going. The last time he’d seen his reflection had worried him. If another Bray Wolf were to find him now, he wouldn’t survive.

  It bothered him that he was unable to find a decent kill in the area. The bare months had long passed, and he’d long ago shed his warm outer coat. He especially enjoyed it when the cool wind would whisper through his fur on a hot day.

  Oh, he was so hungry!

  He could hear them. The laughter of the keki birds high above in the tree tops. And it felt like the wheat willows were teasing him when their long, golden leaves flitted over his back. Yes, this forest seemed hell bent on denying him much of anything.

  But he had no choice. This was the only place where he could be safe. Where he could be alone, unneeded.

  Unneeded. Unwanted.

  An old one wasn’t needed. An old one was an anomaly. An old one couldn’t be Alpha.

  Despite Konri still having his explosive power, the fact that he was an old one meant that there was something wrong with him. No other Bray Wolf had ever lived as long as he, not in living memory.

  Kahn, his Beta had risen up and deposed him with the wickedness of a murk shark. Striking from below and behind, concealed in a thin veil of loyalty.

  How could he not have seen it! Kona had warned him.

  Kona. The heart to his body. And now his heart was stolen. Ripped away by that stabber-of-backs, Kahn.

  And Kona no better for submitting.

  His once loyal and large pack had run him off the lands, treating him like a buck ready for the kill. But they’d forgotten. They had not called him Alpha for nothing. He had not dominated the pack for so long with mere growls, and a tail reaching for the sky.

  Kahn was the first to feel the pressure of Konri’s huge paw on his neck. He’d seen the fear in those treacherous yellow eyes. Smelt it soaking the earth beneath him. The betrayer would forever remember his deed. Every time he saw his face in the reflecting water would be a reminder.

  Satisfaction tingled along his spine as he thought of how the runt had begged for his life. Kahn was only alive because Kona had begged for mercy.

  He remembered, too, the last thing he had said to his once lover, as well as the shock in those eyes he used to think rivalled the sky’s.

  As the Goddess is my witness! I discard our history as if it had never happened. I discard our union. I discard you.

  Harsh words. However Konri had been feeling exceptionally harsh that day. He couldn’t find it in himself to feel remorse. Even now, as this confounded forest continued to undermine him.

  Perhaps if he were to venture closer to a mud man dwelling, he could sneak one of their goats away.

  He was so hungry.

  Yes, he’d do that. Discovery wasn’t a big deal, really. Most mud men fled at the sight of a Bray Wolf. The largest predator in the land. Its six-legged mass could overpower a man easily.

  We don’t bite, he thought to himself. Only smash your skull in, then feast on your flesh.

  Granted, they weren’t the fastest creatures to walk Orkanthus East. Wolves generally weren’t that fast, what with having an extra pair of legs and all. The better to bash you with.

  Yes, I think I’ll do that. He thought to himself with satisfaction.

  Let’s do a little terrorizing. Stalk the big ones, scare the little ones. Linger in the area. The smell of their fear was intoxicating. Maybe he could try one of them, instead of the goat.

  A deep growl sounded in his throat.

  He was so hungry.

  #

  The journey out of the forest took time. Often he would find himself walking in circles. But when he finally reached the end and crossed the mountain range going from north to south, he couldn’t be happier. He preferred the mountains anyway. It was more like his home, familiar territory, and already he could smell something about a mile away. It was big. A buck.

  How lucky for him. Perhaps he wouldn’t have to go to the mud men village after all.

  The scent grew stronger the closer he got. He couldn’t see the deer yet, not on all his legs. Rearing up onto his hind legs, he grasped a nearby tree for balance and turned his snout toward his prey.

  There, just a few leaps away.

  His mouth watered at the sight. Dropping to all six legs, he lowered himself closer to the ground and began his stalking, keeping his centre of gravity moving, barely making a sound as his large paws touched the soil.

  Closer and closer he crept, until he could clearly hear the strong heartbeat of the buck. He was so close now.

  Please Goddess, do not let my stomach growl.

  The moment arrived. His heartbeat stilled, his focus sharpened.

  The powerful muscles in his hind legs tensed, wound tight and ready.

  He was so hungry.

  The ground behind him exploded in dirt and dust as he leapt toward his meal. The buck barely had time to look up before Konri’s middle forelegs grasped its neck and squeezed.

  We don’t bite, Konri thought to himself. Only bash your head in.

  Lifting his two strongest legs, he curled his paws into fists and viciously struck the bucks head. Two strikes and the body went limp. For extra measure he twisted its head and broke the neck. The blood in his veins sang triumphantly and his stomach growled intensely.

  Thanking the Goddess for the meal, he took his first bite.

  Chapter 2

  Twice was he disturbed during his slumber.

  After his meal, which was hugely satisfying, Konri had settled under the shade of a lone Ako pine tree leaning precariously down over the mountainside.

  The first disturbance was caused by one of the blessed folk. Konri found them quite pitiful, hiding in their bowers south of the mountain range where few mud men dwelt. It was a young one, seemingly intent on getting as far away from the forest as Konri had been earlier. His feline ears had been concealed beneath some sort of head cover, while the long tail swung freely behind. The young thing was swift, aware that Konri was lying nearby, watching him.

  The Bray Wolf watched in amusement as the little thing scurried past. He could smell the magic on it, alive and strong. The source of it was as clear to Konri as the air he breathed. He would not attack this creature. They served one Goddess. Served a purpose of balance.

  “Loai rukogo,” the little one greeted, as he strode past.

  Great friend? Konri felt like laughing. To greet a Bray wolf and call it a great friend? This Sithindrin male was either brave, or completely moonstruck.

  But he let him pass. His stomach was full, and he was content for the moment.

  One thing remained though. The gaping loneliness that was once filled by the pack. Bray wolves were not meant to be solitary. Each member of the pack served to keep each other sane, among other things. Konri wondered how long it would take before he succumbed to insanity.

  The second disturbance came hours later. A distressed wail reached his ears from lower down the mountain. High pitched and urgent. A baby.

  What was a baby doing way out here?

  Bray wolf cubs were nurtured and protected to within an inch of their lives, so the thought that there was a man cub alone out in the forest worried Konri.

  Shaking the remaining sleep from his mind, Konri stood, stretched his stiff muscles and leapt from his spot under the tree. As far as he could tell there were n
o other beings nearby. So how did the child come to be here?

  The scenery sped past as he increased his pace, practically gripping the ground with his long-fingered paws and pulling himself along.

  He was full, and imbued with fresh energy. Heart rate pumping with curiosity and excitement. To be honest, he’d never seen a man cub before. These mud men kept them well away from any danger.

  The cries increased in volume, becoming a screech. It was hungry. Somehow he knew this.

  Goddess what do I do? He beseeched.

  Finally, he reached the spot where the aggrieved child lay. For a moment he thought he saw a glowing aura surround the child, before it disappeared.

  So this is a man cub, Konri thought.

  The thing had no fur, kept warm only by a large cloth covering it from head to foot. Clearly it didn’t get much sun either, because it was pale as the full moon on a mid-frost eve.

  The crying stopped the minute it laid its eyes on Konri, snicking and sticking its tiny hand into its mouth.

  Quite a disgusting thing really. What should he do? Leave it and move on? Put it out of its misery? No. This thing was innocent. Had no enemies. No friends.

  No one.

  Just like me. Konri thought.

  Did it feel lonely too?

  Konri lowered his head closer to the child and sniffed lightly, and sneezed when he smelled the scent of excrement.

  Dirty. Hungry. Lonely.

  I cannot leave it.

  He may have been a predator, but he wasn’t a heartless one. He should stay with it. Wait until its parent came back for it.

  But in the mean time there was still a dilemma. The thing stank! So much that it would impede his ability to detect other scents in the area. How does one clean a mud man cub? They don’t walk. And this one clearly doesn’t crawl yet.

  Argh! Raising Bray Wolf cubs were so much easier.

  Lifting his left primary paw, the one with the long fingers, he prodded the man cub and watched it squirm for a second, before scrunching up its face and starting that awful wailing again.

  Konri’s ears twitched in pain. He touched the child and shook it gently, trying to get it to quiet down. Another predator could probably hear it from miles away, and he wasn’t in the mood for a fight.

  The volume lessened but didn’t cease. He’d have to clean it. Lifting the child, he cradled it gently in his primary forearms and stalked off toward a stream he’d spied a while back.

  Reaching it a few minutes later, he stripped the niggling thing, and dipped it into the cool water. A surprised gasp came from the young thing, but it ceased its incessant crying and splashed in the shallow water while Konri tore off a piece of unsoiled cloth and washed it.

  Judging the child to be clean, he set it down on the dry grass beside him and kept one eye on it while washing the soiled cloth. The sun was at its zenith and the air warm, so the baby could stay nude while the cloth dried. A nearby bush provided some berries for the baby to suck on. Konri sat contemplatively next to it and wondered what he would do now.

  You’ve already made the decision to look after it, he thought to himself.

  But for how long? Surely the mud people would come look for it soon.

  Ah, well. He’d wait and see. Maybe he could scare them for leaving an infant unattended. That would be fun.

  When the cloth dried, Konri wrapped it around the child and the two of them settled under a tree, sticking close to the stream and berry bushes. There they remained for the rest of the day, Konri leaving only once to find a small animal to kill and eat.

  Chapter 3

  Dreams plagued Konri that night. Fuzzy and pleasant at first. Hunting with Kona. Chasing the cubs and teaching them to hunt. The wars they had with invading packs. Glorious times when their pack was strong, and every wolf’s stomach lacked emptiness. Times when he was happy and content.

  Then the dreams changed. Colour fading into shades of grey. Shadows deepening, hiding the treachery soon to be loosed upon him. He fought the battle with Kahn again, only this time it was the betrayer’s paw choking the life from him, while Kona looked on with a wide, toothy grin from over Kahn’s shoulder.

  The beating of his heart slowed down.

  One. Two. Three.

  One… Two… Three…

  One…

  Two…

  Three…

  His vision darkened around the edges. This was it. Perhaps it was for the best. Maybe he’d outlived his usefulness.

  A red flame ignited at the very edge of his vision. Far away. But he thought it felt warm.

  No. Not done.

  The darkness receded like the waves pulling away from the shore, and did not return. The flame grew brighter, coalescing into a form. A body, with flaming silver and red hair. A woman garbed in battle armour.

  No, not a woman.

  The Woman.

  If Konri could have felt his legs, he’d be prostrate right now, eyes turned away.

  He could not mistake this being in front of him for a mud woman.

  Yet his eyes remained fixed ahead. The Goddess drew closer, and he trembled in fear. Never before had he felt the like. Not even when his entire pack surrounded him, fangs bared.

  The lips on the Goddess’s face drew up into a gentle smile, and Konri heard the kind words placed into his mind.

  “Vaka kinlia, rushalati.”

  And Konri was calm, just as She commanded. Her left arm stretched outward and Konri followed its direction. At the end of her finger floated an orb. Blue with patches of green and brown.

  “Vithirin.”

  The homeland. The Goddess was showing him the world.

  Something started staining the orb. Red and sickly. A rotting. Konri’s heart sped up and dread slid icily through his veins as he watched it spread around the sphere. The blue disappearing until an arid brown remained, while the green turned darker and darker until it was the colour of death, russet and black.

  This was a surety. A prophecy.

  What was a lone and discarded Bray Wolf to do with this?

  The vision before him disappeared abruptly and the air sucked from Konri. He had time to glimpse the child lying next to his sleeping form before he heard Her voice one last time.

  “Retha ovisuru!”

  Wake up!

  #

  Konri awoke, the command still clear in his mind. He took a deep breath, knowing already what he would smell. The scent similar to that which lay beside him, but muskier, older, saturated with malice.

  Mud men. Bad ones.

  A second sniff revealed more. He was surrounded. But there was no indication that they were moving in on him and the child. He heard a shout from somewhere behind and focused on the voice, sharpening his hearing.

  “Find the child! Kill it. Leave no trace.”

  Konri supposed he’d asked for this. Maybe he should have left the child alone, then he wouldn’t be in the middle of this situation that had nothing to do with him.

  But he remembered the dream, and what he had seen. The Goddess had shown him something he couldn’t ignore, and this child was clearly involved. Was he supposed to protect this child? From what? From whom? These men now searching for it?

  The snap of a twig alerted him to the presence of a nearing man. The sound awoke the slumbering child and it began to cry.

  “Here!” one of the men called out.

  Konri grabbed the child quickly, turned and leapt over the stream, landing with a muffled grunt and sprinting to where there was the least amount of men.

  “Bray Wolf! A Bray Wolf has the child!”

  Konri lengthened his stride, but he couldn’t go faster only on four legs. He transferred the child to his mouth, gripping the cloth tightly between his teeth. A niggling feeling crept into his heart. One he couldn’t identify. It was urgent. Insistent. Especially when he thought about the child being seized by those shadow ridden mud men. There was something off about the leader, the one who’d given the command. The darkness was promi
nent in it. It smelled of death, madness.

  Rotten.

  He needed to protect this child.

  Perhaps this had all been within the Goddess’s purview.

  Ahead, he spotted an armoured man emerge onto his path. Quick as lighting, he leapt, lifting his right arm and ramming his fist into the man’s face. The impact flung the man out of the way, hitting a tree with a deadly crack.

  A second one appeared, a crossbow raised and aimed straight at Konri. Alone, he would have taken the bolt head on. However, something precious was between it and his body. Gripping the ground beneath, he wrenched himself to the side, just as the bolt flew past his head.

  A good aim, he thought to himself, however the mud men were sorely outmatched. Konri was formidable, even with his mouth full. He compensated for the unstable landing, pushed himself forward and took down the mud man.

  By now he could hear the others pursue him, but there were no more of them on his pathway. All that was left was to distance himself from them.

  Easy enough.

  Chapter 4

  The minute he could no longer detect them he stopped. His lungs continued to race, trying to get enough oxygen into his body. The powerful muscles that shaped his body vibrated from fatigue. They’d pursued him for a long time.

  Unusually determined, these mud men were.

  Why? What was so special about this mud child? It didn’t look very remarkable.

  The thing seemed to be asleep once more, and hunger asserted itself, too. He’d gone from slumber, to battle, to fleeing, and now his body was screaming for attention. If he didn’t satisfy himself soon, the child would be his next meal. And he was sure that was the one thing that wasn’t supposed to happen.

  He looked around and found a hollow tree, deposited the baby comfortably inside, then set about searching for something to eat. Nothing sprung out immediately, so he stalked away from the tree, making note of its location, and staked out the area.