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Here we go again! Now with Chapter 4.
We start into a fresh day and for the first time have a little breather for ourselves!
As always PDF ist the best way to go for reading!
Edit: A lot of spelling and grammar fixes!
Without further ado, here we go.
<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>
____________________________________
It was cozy. I smelled my brother, his fur brushing gently against me as he breathed. He was warm, comforting, family. In this moment, there was nothing else – no Hunter, no Guild, no danger. We were safe. I wanted nothing else but to stay right here forever. However, a very human need forced me to get up. Still dreaming, Raik reached for me, sluggish and slow – his claws barely touching my leg. As the sun rose, its soft, golden rays filtered through the mist, giving everything a warm, dreamy glow. Everything looked as if covered in a delicate blanket of orange and yellow. The mist carried the scent of damp earth and the faint hint of fresh morning dew. The river below murmured in the ravine.
I stretched, careful not to wake Raik fully. My joints popped as I rose, stiff from another night of sleeping on hard ground. Despite the discomfort, I found myself smiling at the beauty surrounding us. These peaceful moments were rare treasures.
“Going somewhere?” Raik's voice was thick with sleep, one eye cracked open to watch me.
“Nature calls," I whispered. "Go back to sleep.”
He grunted, already drifting off again. I picked my way carefully down to the riverbank, staying low and alert – wary of loose gravel or sudden drops. The ravine provided good cover, but experience had taught us that safety was always temporary. The water was cold against my fingers as I splashed my face, washing away the grime of our journey.
My reflection stared back at me – too thin, too tired, too human. Not for the first time, I wondered how different things might have been if I'd been born like Raik. Would Father have trained me the same way? I shook my head, trying to dismiss these old doubts. Raik was waiting, and we had a lot to discuss – Would we dare to follow the Hunter’s lead, or would we risk losing the faint hope and trade it for uncertain security?
Raik was already wide awake and waiting for me when I climbed back into the cave.
“You look fresh.” His smile was a bit too mischievous. “All bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! Are you the wolf, or am I?”
I laughed. “I just needed a good night’s rest. Nearly two days without sleep – that’s nothing to laugh at. Especially when my idiot brother decides to turn himself into a pincushion!”
Raik smiled and sat up. “Well, at least we werewolves heal fast – lucky for you, I’m not human. Close to nothing left, I’d wager. Your butchering skills couldn’t quite kill me yet. So what’s the plan now?”
I sighed. “Well, one of two options: Either we follow the Hunter’s lead – it could very well be a trap. Or we ignore the lead, go elsewhere, and possibly abandon the one pack that might be willing to take us in. What would you say?”
I saw it in his eyes – the longing glow at the mention of a pack. But he hid it quickly, unwilling to show how much he desired companionship in addition to me. He didn’t trust his voice to hide his desire, so he remained silent. I saw it, and I could only imagine how he must have felt.
“I know what you’re thinking.” I reached for his shoulder, feeling the fur, his tense muscles. “It’s okay that you want a pack beyond me, you know.”
Raik tensed up, his fur slightly standing on end. “No, you’re my brother Will. Why would I ever need more? You’re all the pack I need.”
He meant it as comfort, but I heard the lie beneath it. We both knew werewolves were social creatures by nature. Our father had Mother and us. And before that, he was living in a pack of his own. Raik was raised in our little family pack, but he lost that – we both did. Having only me for company these past years had been hard on him in ways I could never truly understand.
“Listen, Raik. We will look for the pack. We will go to the mountains. But we will not go blindly. It would be stupid to make a beeline toward them. We will keep our eyes peeled, scout ahead, make sure we miss nothing. That way, we’ll stay alert, avoid the trap – and reach our goal.”
Raik nodded, his ears perking up. “So we proceed with caution. I can live with that.”
I watched as he stretched, his powerful muscles rippling beneath his fur. Even injured, he moved with the kind of grace I could never match. The morning light caught in his dark fur, highlighting the silver streaks that had appeared after our parents died. Sometimes I wondered if grief had marked him physically in ways it hadn't marked me.
“We should head out soon. The hunt may be over for now. But I don’t believe for a second that the Guild gives up on us.”
Raik laughed. “They’d rather give up on a city in flames than let us escape. Or any other creature for that matter!”
We packed quickly, falling into the familiar rhythm we'd developed over the years on the run. Raik took point as we left our temporary shelter, his nose twitching as he sampled the air currents. I watched his movements, scanning his gait for signs of his wound – there were none. Relief washed over me. Werewolves healed fast, but a bolt to the thigh could still leave irreparable damage. I followed my brother closely, scanning our surroundings with human eyes that, while less keen than my brother's, were still sharp from necessity.
We stayed in the ravine beside the river – the rocky ground made it harder to track us, and the water was a welcome companion. I still wondered whether we were doing the right thing or if we just walked straight into a catastrophe. But we were cautious. Maybe we were too careful sometimes – but better that than careless. Raik stopped when a strange smell wafted in our direction. I could smell it too. It was a sickly-sweet fragrance. It almost felt as if it glued itself onto my skin. Raiks fur bristled – the smell hit him harder than it ever could me.
“What is it?” I kept my eyes on Raik as he tensed, ears flicking.
“I don’t… know. Maybe nothing.” He spoke quietly, keeping his voice down just in case.
The scent led us on – sharp and clinging. I had to follow Raik’s nose, my own would have been of little use – although with a scent this strong, I might’ve found it as well. It took a moment for us to discover the source. In a crack, between two large boulders, grew a small but brightly colored flower – its bell-like petals reaching for the sunlight streaming over the ravine’s edge. I picked it and dared to inhale the scent directly – a mistake. I gagged and coughed, hurling the vile thing away. The smell was so strong that it lodged itself into my nostrils like tar – refusing to leave even with the flower long gone. Raik laughed wholeheartedly.
“You think this is funny?” I wheezed, still trying to clear my nose of that foul smell.
“You should have seen your face!” Raik continued laughing, his fangs gleaming in the sunlight. “Even I know better than to stick my nose directly into strange plants. And I'm supposed to be the impulsive one!”
I wiped my watering eyes. “Well, at least now we know what to avoid. That thing is foul.”
Raik's laughter subsided as he studied the discarded flower. “Father mentioned these once. Witch's Bell, I think. Supposed to ward off evil spirits.”
“Or just ward off anyone with a functioning nose,” I muttered.
“Maybe not everyone,” Raik's humor faded entirely. He lowered his voice. “Something's been gathering these. Look.”
He pointed with a clawed finger to where several stems had been cleanly cut, not torn or bitten – cut with a blade. My stomach tightened at the thought.
“Recent?” I asked.
Raik nodded, sniffing carefully at the ground nearby. “Very. And there's something else…” He trailed off, moving in a slow circle, nose to the earth. “Will, we're not alone in this ravine.”
I scanned our surroundings with renewed vigilance. The high walls suddenly seemed less like protection and more like a trap. “Guild?”
“No,” Raik whispered. “This smells like smoke, but… strange.”
“Strange, how?”
“Like there was a fire strong enough to level the ravine, but…” He saw it at the same time as I: A patch of molten rock, cold and hard again, but the signs of it liquifying were obvious to all with eyes.
“A dragon,” I muttered.
“A flower-picking dragon? Get real, Will.”
“When I was hunting yesterday, I found a burnt boar in the forest. Didn’t think much of it – but these things keep adding up.”
“Alright, maybe the flowers and the dragon are not correlated, or whoever picked those flowers is now dragon fodder. Whatever. Let’s move on and get out of here.”
I nodded and prepared to move along when I felt a cold shiver run along my spine. A shadow had fallen over us, blocking the warming rays of the sun. But when I looked up, there was only a stray cloud passing by. I almost jumped out of my skin when Raik hit me on my back. I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
“Jumpy today, Will?” He laughed. “Come on. If the dragon were still here, that stone wouldn’t be cold.” He gestured to the rugged patch of formerly molten rock.
I shrugged it off and followed. Soon we were back to our usual shenanigans, mocking each other while maintaining constant vigilance. We walked next to each other, bickering about the hare I had hunted. Raik scoffed at it, calling it meager. I insisted it was perfectly decent.
“A snack, no more!” Raik laughed at my playful pouting.
“With this kind of snack, you’ll be fat sooner than you know!”
“Hey! Who’re you calling fat here?”
“You, of course! You’re one bite away from being a slob!”
Raik retaliated, not with words, but with a shove. I stumbled, struggled, and fell. The river was as cold as the mountain glaciers that fed it. I submerged entirely, before regaining my foothold. Spitting water and gasping, I climbed back onto the riverbank. I cursed profusely, already shivering. Raik grinned at me, and after a moment, I grinned back.
“Freaking animal.”
“Come here, you hairless ape.” He pulled me close and blanketed me in his fur. A mere moment later, the cold was gone.
My clothes were still soaked, but I removed my shirt and slung it over my shoulder, where it could dry. Raik mustered me a little.
“Well, look at you, not a trace of fat on you, I’ll give you that.” I sobered up.
“I hope to change that once we have at least some peace.”
“Oh no, brother, you’re not putting on fat while I’m still around!”
I laughed. “You cruel beast! You’re gonna starve me to death before the hunters get us!”
We carried on like that. Soon, the ravine rose up to meet the forest on top again, giving way to rising hills blanketed with trees. The sun was setting, and we were deeper in uncharted land than ever before. We had never been so close to the mountains. Raik carefully scouted ahead, while I scoured for food. It didn’t take long until I had a fresh stash of berries and roots, and my werewolf brother had sniffed out a small, but protected clearing. It was nestled in the side of a steep hill that at some point had been washed out by heavy rain, leaving the soil exposed in a small cliff.
“I’ll be off for a while, hunting for real game, not some snack fit for a hollow tooth.” Raik was gone before I could reply.
Grunting, I continued preparing our camp. I knew he was trying to keep me from brooding over our situation, over the hunters, over the pack – but I just couldn’t help it. Hope was a dangerous thing, treacherous. If we reached the conclusion that the hunter had lied all along, we could be devastated – without even fighting yet. The day slowly passed into the golden hour. The sun was setting, bathing the clearing in its auburn rays. A faint scent of pine and damp earth filled the air. The evening birds sang their final songs, their melodies blending with the rustling leaves and soft sigh of the wind. I collected some dry branches and started a small fire, the flickering flame soon casting dancing shadows onto the overhang.
I stared into the fire, pondering our future. But before the sky could darken another shade, Raik returned and dragged a whole deer into the developing circle of light that pushed against the encroaching darkness. I smiled at the prize, it was certainly more than I brought.
“I didn’t know we were expecting guests! Who’ll be eating all of that?”
Raik scoffed. “I’m not some meager human, and healing takes a lot of energy! Worry more about what’ll be left for you, little hunter. Hope you like scraps and bones!”
He proceeded with gutting the deer while I coaxed the flames a little higher, so we could roast the meat. Despite his banter, I knew he’d never let me go hungry – not if he could help it. Jabs like this were a well-worn ritual between us – a tradition shaped in the quiet glow of many such evenings.
It didn’t take long – soon the meat was quietly sizzling over the flames. The scent of the deer's fat, mingled with herbs and spices, was mouth-watering and inviting. Each drop hissed as it hit the burning branches. The anticipation of a hearty meal made my stomach tighten eagerly. The fire’s heat warmed my skin, and I could feel the occasional pop of a burning branch sending small embers flying. Raik let out a content growl as he settled, less alert than usual, his stance relaxed.
I stared into the flames. “What do you think – if there’s a pack, will they take us in?”
He cracked open an eye. “Why wouldn’t they? We’re kin.”
“You may be. I’m human – or at least half-human. Less wolf. They may take you in and reject me.”
“If they do, they’re not a real pack. Then we move on.”
“You know that they’d be protecting themselves. They wouldn’t know us – have no reason to trust us. For all they know, I could be a hunter. And you… my pet werewolf, tamed to trick them.”
He snarled – a low sound. “No werewolf could ever be a pet.”
“You know what I mean. I might have enslaved you, bewitched you, blackmailed you. Whatever.”
“I hear you, Will. But if they really are tricked by a… pet werewolf…” He spat the words out as if they tasted foul. “…then they wouldn’t have survived this long. Then they wouldn’t deserve the trust a pack is built on, Will.” His words remained calm, collected.
I nodded. “You’re right. Still… I can’t shake the feeling that we’re overlooking something.”
He pulled me closer without a word. Not rough – but I stumbled anyway, falling face-first into his fur.
“No matter what awaits us, we’ll brave it together. As we always have.” He growled softly. “You got your wits, and I have my claws and teeth. What’s there to fear?”
I didn’t reply. I just let myself sink into his warm pelt, closing my eyes for a bit. In this moment, nothing else mattered, only us two. He smiled – I could feel it through the way his chest moved – and continued.
“You remember when Dad warned us? When he told us to always stay together? The stories about the Guild seemed like bedtime tales meant to scare us.”
“Yeah, Dad always made it sound like the Hunters were some scary monsters lurking in every and all shadows.”
“They’re not?” Raik feigned surprise and I shoved him.
“Dumb beast… In the stories, it always seemed as if one look would be enough to recognize them. As if they wore their hatred like you wear your fur. But they are humans like all others.”
Raik glanced at me. “I don't know Will… They don’t seem like ordinary humans to me. Ordinary humans don’t walk around burning people at the stake and shooting at every shadow that moves.”
“Obviously not. But… I wonder if we – or anyone – could do something about their hate.”
“Here you go again…” Raik grumbled. “Wondering if you could miraculously save even the people who want us dead!”
I sighed. “I just want to understand them. What drives them? What makes them so certain that everyone not human is a threat? Is it fear? Ignorance? Or something else entirely?”
“Does it matter?” Raik’s eyes reflected the firelight, glowing with an intensity that reminded me of our father’s. “Understanding them won’t stop their bolts or their blades.”
“True, but still. If there’s more behind their actions than plain fanaticism – we might change something. And just maybe that could stop their blades for good.”
“Will… maybe the sky is green and up is down. It’s no use pondering this when they shoot on sight.”
I reached for a piece of deer meat, testing it with my fingertips. Perfect. I handed it to Raik and took another piece.
“Of course. Still, where does the hatred really come from? Is it really just fear?”
Raik remained silent for a moment, chewing slowly. When he glanced at me, I knew he was pondering the question.
“For most of them, it probably is. For some… they use the fear to gain power. They will hunt us to be the heroes.”
I took a bite of my meat. It was tender and juicy, with a hint of gamey flavor. It was cooked to perfection, with the spices and herbs I’d picked along the way. I knew Raik was right. I sank into my thoughts, searching for a way to change our situation for the better, but as usual, nothing came to mind. We simply had to hope that there was a pack in the mountains. That they would take us in. That they were safe. And, of course, we reached them alive. We fell into a thoughtful silence – my brother lost in thought just as much.
“We should get some rest.” Raik finally broke the silence. “You can sleep, and I’ll wake you when I get tired so you can take over.”
I nodded, already worn out. I leaned against him and closed my eyes. Raik just smiled and pulled me a little closer. I let myself sink into his warmth, my thoughts already beginning to slow.
Then his body tensed. His claws flexed, nearly drawing blood. All thoughts of sleep were forgotten, as Raik’s low growl rolled over me – like distant thunder. He stared into the surrounding forest beyond our camp. The atmosphere was threatening, menacing even. I sat up. My breathing quickened. Shallow gasps, preparing for the worst.
“What is it?” My voice was barely a murmur.
Raik didn’t answer. He kept his eyes fixed on the black night. Every muscle was coiled, all senses alert. I followed his gaze, straining my inferior human vision against the darkness. The fire was barely able to fight the night, barely casting enough light to turn the forest into a maze of shifting shadows.
"Someone's out there," Raik whispered, his words barely audible – even to me. "They're trying to surround us."
My heart hammered against my ribs as I carefully reached for my knife. "Guild?"
“Probably. They’re masking their scent somehow, difficult to tell.”
A twig snapped to our left. Raik's head whipped toward the sound, a snarl building in his throat. I raised my knife. Its blade caught the glow of the crackling fire.
“You think we can still run?” My voice was coarse with worry.
“No. They know where we are and want to surround us. We don’t know where they are. Running would be stupid.”
“Better than waiting for them.”
Raik growled – low and tense. He was just as worried. The whole situation reminded us both of the attack on our family. I could almost smell the smoke of our burning home. I turned to Raik and nudged—
A bolt sliced through the air between us, slamming into the earthen wall at the edge of our camp. A lone figure stepped into the dim light – crossbow still raised. His face was twisted in a strange expression: half smug smile, half angry scowl.
“I’d hoped to catch you. My Guild friend claimed he wounded the beast – should’ve known a werewolf doesn’t die this easily. And accompanied by a human traitor no less.” His voice was slick, evoking images of slime and mucus. “I’m glad I get to claim two monsters’ lives today!”
____________________________________
<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>
We start into a fresh day and for the first time have a little breather for ourselves!
As always PDF ist the best way to go for reading!
Edit: A lot of spelling and grammar fixes!
Without further ado, here we go.
<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>
____________________________________
Somewhere we Belong
Over Hill, Dale, and Thorn
It was cozy. I smelled my brother, his fur brushing gently against me as he breathed. He was warm, comforting, family. In this moment, there was nothing else – no Hunter, no Guild, no danger. We were safe. I wanted nothing else but to stay right here forever. However, a very human need forced me to get up. Still dreaming, Raik reached for me, sluggish and slow – his claws barely touching my leg. As the sun rose, its soft, golden rays filtered through the mist, giving everything a warm, dreamy glow. Everything looked as if covered in a delicate blanket of orange and yellow. The mist carried the scent of damp earth and the faint hint of fresh morning dew. The river below murmured in the ravine.
I stretched, careful not to wake Raik fully. My joints popped as I rose, stiff from another night of sleeping on hard ground. Despite the discomfort, I found myself smiling at the beauty surrounding us. These peaceful moments were rare treasures.
“Going somewhere?” Raik's voice was thick with sleep, one eye cracked open to watch me.
“Nature calls," I whispered. "Go back to sleep.”
He grunted, already drifting off again. I picked my way carefully down to the riverbank, staying low and alert – wary of loose gravel or sudden drops. The ravine provided good cover, but experience had taught us that safety was always temporary. The water was cold against my fingers as I splashed my face, washing away the grime of our journey.
My reflection stared back at me – too thin, too tired, too human. Not for the first time, I wondered how different things might have been if I'd been born like Raik. Would Father have trained me the same way? I shook my head, trying to dismiss these old doubts. Raik was waiting, and we had a lot to discuss – Would we dare to follow the Hunter’s lead, or would we risk losing the faint hope and trade it for uncertain security?
Raik was already wide awake and waiting for me when I climbed back into the cave.
“You look fresh.” His smile was a bit too mischievous. “All bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! Are you the wolf, or am I?”
I laughed. “I just needed a good night’s rest. Nearly two days without sleep – that’s nothing to laugh at. Especially when my idiot brother decides to turn himself into a pincushion!”
Raik smiled and sat up. “Well, at least we werewolves heal fast – lucky for you, I’m not human. Close to nothing left, I’d wager. Your butchering skills couldn’t quite kill me yet. So what’s the plan now?”
I sighed. “Well, one of two options: Either we follow the Hunter’s lead – it could very well be a trap. Or we ignore the lead, go elsewhere, and possibly abandon the one pack that might be willing to take us in. What would you say?”
I saw it in his eyes – the longing glow at the mention of a pack. But he hid it quickly, unwilling to show how much he desired companionship in addition to me. He didn’t trust his voice to hide his desire, so he remained silent. I saw it, and I could only imagine how he must have felt.
“I know what you’re thinking.” I reached for his shoulder, feeling the fur, his tense muscles. “It’s okay that you want a pack beyond me, you know.”
Raik tensed up, his fur slightly standing on end. “No, you’re my brother Will. Why would I ever need more? You’re all the pack I need.”
He meant it as comfort, but I heard the lie beneath it. We both knew werewolves were social creatures by nature. Our father had Mother and us. And before that, he was living in a pack of his own. Raik was raised in our little family pack, but he lost that – we both did. Having only me for company these past years had been hard on him in ways I could never truly understand.
“Listen, Raik. We will look for the pack. We will go to the mountains. But we will not go blindly. It would be stupid to make a beeline toward them. We will keep our eyes peeled, scout ahead, make sure we miss nothing. That way, we’ll stay alert, avoid the trap – and reach our goal.”
Raik nodded, his ears perking up. “So we proceed with caution. I can live with that.”
I watched as he stretched, his powerful muscles rippling beneath his fur. Even injured, he moved with the kind of grace I could never match. The morning light caught in his dark fur, highlighting the silver streaks that had appeared after our parents died. Sometimes I wondered if grief had marked him physically in ways it hadn't marked me.
“We should head out soon. The hunt may be over for now. But I don’t believe for a second that the Guild gives up on us.”
Raik laughed. “They’d rather give up on a city in flames than let us escape. Or any other creature for that matter!”
We packed quickly, falling into the familiar rhythm we'd developed over the years on the run. Raik took point as we left our temporary shelter, his nose twitching as he sampled the air currents. I watched his movements, scanning his gait for signs of his wound – there were none. Relief washed over me. Werewolves healed fast, but a bolt to the thigh could still leave irreparable damage. I followed my brother closely, scanning our surroundings with human eyes that, while less keen than my brother's, were still sharp from necessity.
We stayed in the ravine beside the river – the rocky ground made it harder to track us, and the water was a welcome companion. I still wondered whether we were doing the right thing or if we just walked straight into a catastrophe. But we were cautious. Maybe we were too careful sometimes – but better that than careless. Raik stopped when a strange smell wafted in our direction. I could smell it too. It was a sickly-sweet fragrance. It almost felt as if it glued itself onto my skin. Raiks fur bristled – the smell hit him harder than it ever could me.
“What is it?” I kept my eyes on Raik as he tensed, ears flicking.
“I don’t… know. Maybe nothing.” He spoke quietly, keeping his voice down just in case.
The scent led us on – sharp and clinging. I had to follow Raik’s nose, my own would have been of little use – although with a scent this strong, I might’ve found it as well. It took a moment for us to discover the source. In a crack, between two large boulders, grew a small but brightly colored flower – its bell-like petals reaching for the sunlight streaming over the ravine’s edge. I picked it and dared to inhale the scent directly – a mistake. I gagged and coughed, hurling the vile thing away. The smell was so strong that it lodged itself into my nostrils like tar – refusing to leave even with the flower long gone. Raik laughed wholeheartedly.
“You think this is funny?” I wheezed, still trying to clear my nose of that foul smell.
“You should have seen your face!” Raik continued laughing, his fangs gleaming in the sunlight. “Even I know better than to stick my nose directly into strange plants. And I'm supposed to be the impulsive one!”
I wiped my watering eyes. “Well, at least now we know what to avoid. That thing is foul.”
Raik's laughter subsided as he studied the discarded flower. “Father mentioned these once. Witch's Bell, I think. Supposed to ward off evil spirits.”
“Or just ward off anyone with a functioning nose,” I muttered.
“Maybe not everyone,” Raik's humor faded entirely. He lowered his voice. “Something's been gathering these. Look.”
He pointed with a clawed finger to where several stems had been cleanly cut, not torn or bitten – cut with a blade. My stomach tightened at the thought.
“Recent?” I asked.
Raik nodded, sniffing carefully at the ground nearby. “Very. And there's something else…” He trailed off, moving in a slow circle, nose to the earth. “Will, we're not alone in this ravine.”
I scanned our surroundings with renewed vigilance. The high walls suddenly seemed less like protection and more like a trap. “Guild?”
“No,” Raik whispered. “This smells like smoke, but… strange.”
“Strange, how?”
“Like there was a fire strong enough to level the ravine, but…” He saw it at the same time as I: A patch of molten rock, cold and hard again, but the signs of it liquifying were obvious to all with eyes.
“A dragon,” I muttered.
“A flower-picking dragon? Get real, Will.”
“When I was hunting yesterday, I found a burnt boar in the forest. Didn’t think much of it – but these things keep adding up.”
“Alright, maybe the flowers and the dragon are not correlated, or whoever picked those flowers is now dragon fodder. Whatever. Let’s move on and get out of here.”
I nodded and prepared to move along when I felt a cold shiver run along my spine. A shadow had fallen over us, blocking the warming rays of the sun. But when I looked up, there was only a stray cloud passing by. I almost jumped out of my skin when Raik hit me on my back. I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
“Jumpy today, Will?” He laughed. “Come on. If the dragon were still here, that stone wouldn’t be cold.” He gestured to the rugged patch of formerly molten rock.
I shrugged it off and followed. Soon we were back to our usual shenanigans, mocking each other while maintaining constant vigilance. We walked next to each other, bickering about the hare I had hunted. Raik scoffed at it, calling it meager. I insisted it was perfectly decent.
“A snack, no more!” Raik laughed at my playful pouting.
“With this kind of snack, you’ll be fat sooner than you know!”
“Hey! Who’re you calling fat here?”
“You, of course! You’re one bite away from being a slob!”
Raik retaliated, not with words, but with a shove. I stumbled, struggled, and fell. The river was as cold as the mountain glaciers that fed it. I submerged entirely, before regaining my foothold. Spitting water and gasping, I climbed back onto the riverbank. I cursed profusely, already shivering. Raik grinned at me, and after a moment, I grinned back.
“Freaking animal.”
“Come here, you hairless ape.” He pulled me close and blanketed me in his fur. A mere moment later, the cold was gone.
My clothes were still soaked, but I removed my shirt and slung it over my shoulder, where it could dry. Raik mustered me a little.
“Well, look at you, not a trace of fat on you, I’ll give you that.” I sobered up.
“I hope to change that once we have at least some peace.”
“Oh no, brother, you’re not putting on fat while I’m still around!”
I laughed. “You cruel beast! You’re gonna starve me to death before the hunters get us!”
We carried on like that. Soon, the ravine rose up to meet the forest on top again, giving way to rising hills blanketed with trees. The sun was setting, and we were deeper in uncharted land than ever before. We had never been so close to the mountains. Raik carefully scouted ahead, while I scoured for food. It didn’t take long until I had a fresh stash of berries and roots, and my werewolf brother had sniffed out a small, but protected clearing. It was nestled in the side of a steep hill that at some point had been washed out by heavy rain, leaving the soil exposed in a small cliff.
“I’ll be off for a while, hunting for real game, not some snack fit for a hollow tooth.” Raik was gone before I could reply.
Grunting, I continued preparing our camp. I knew he was trying to keep me from brooding over our situation, over the hunters, over the pack – but I just couldn’t help it. Hope was a dangerous thing, treacherous. If we reached the conclusion that the hunter had lied all along, we could be devastated – without even fighting yet. The day slowly passed into the golden hour. The sun was setting, bathing the clearing in its auburn rays. A faint scent of pine and damp earth filled the air. The evening birds sang their final songs, their melodies blending with the rustling leaves and soft sigh of the wind. I collected some dry branches and started a small fire, the flickering flame soon casting dancing shadows onto the overhang.
I stared into the fire, pondering our future. But before the sky could darken another shade, Raik returned and dragged a whole deer into the developing circle of light that pushed against the encroaching darkness. I smiled at the prize, it was certainly more than I brought.
“I didn’t know we were expecting guests! Who’ll be eating all of that?”
Raik scoffed. “I’m not some meager human, and healing takes a lot of energy! Worry more about what’ll be left for you, little hunter. Hope you like scraps and bones!”
He proceeded with gutting the deer while I coaxed the flames a little higher, so we could roast the meat. Despite his banter, I knew he’d never let me go hungry – not if he could help it. Jabs like this were a well-worn ritual between us – a tradition shaped in the quiet glow of many such evenings.
It didn’t take long – soon the meat was quietly sizzling over the flames. The scent of the deer's fat, mingled with herbs and spices, was mouth-watering and inviting. Each drop hissed as it hit the burning branches. The anticipation of a hearty meal made my stomach tighten eagerly. The fire’s heat warmed my skin, and I could feel the occasional pop of a burning branch sending small embers flying. Raik let out a content growl as he settled, less alert than usual, his stance relaxed.
I stared into the flames. “What do you think – if there’s a pack, will they take us in?”
He cracked open an eye. “Why wouldn’t they? We’re kin.”
“You may be. I’m human – or at least half-human. Less wolf. They may take you in and reject me.”
“If they do, they’re not a real pack. Then we move on.”
“You know that they’d be protecting themselves. They wouldn’t know us – have no reason to trust us. For all they know, I could be a hunter. And you… my pet werewolf, tamed to trick them.”
He snarled – a low sound. “No werewolf could ever be a pet.”
“You know what I mean. I might have enslaved you, bewitched you, blackmailed you. Whatever.”
“I hear you, Will. But if they really are tricked by a… pet werewolf…” He spat the words out as if they tasted foul. “…then they wouldn’t have survived this long. Then they wouldn’t deserve the trust a pack is built on, Will.” His words remained calm, collected.
I nodded. “You’re right. Still… I can’t shake the feeling that we’re overlooking something.”
He pulled me closer without a word. Not rough – but I stumbled anyway, falling face-first into his fur.
“No matter what awaits us, we’ll brave it together. As we always have.” He growled softly. “You got your wits, and I have my claws and teeth. What’s there to fear?”
I didn’t reply. I just let myself sink into his warm pelt, closing my eyes for a bit. In this moment, nothing else mattered, only us two. He smiled – I could feel it through the way his chest moved – and continued.
“You remember when Dad warned us? When he told us to always stay together? The stories about the Guild seemed like bedtime tales meant to scare us.”
“Yeah, Dad always made it sound like the Hunters were some scary monsters lurking in every and all shadows.”
“They’re not?” Raik feigned surprise and I shoved him.
“Dumb beast… In the stories, it always seemed as if one look would be enough to recognize them. As if they wore their hatred like you wear your fur. But they are humans like all others.”
Raik glanced at me. “I don't know Will… They don’t seem like ordinary humans to me. Ordinary humans don’t walk around burning people at the stake and shooting at every shadow that moves.”
“Obviously not. But… I wonder if we – or anyone – could do something about their hate.”
“Here you go again…” Raik grumbled. “Wondering if you could miraculously save even the people who want us dead!”
I sighed. “I just want to understand them. What drives them? What makes them so certain that everyone not human is a threat? Is it fear? Ignorance? Or something else entirely?”
“Does it matter?” Raik’s eyes reflected the firelight, glowing with an intensity that reminded me of our father’s. “Understanding them won’t stop their bolts or their blades.”
“True, but still. If there’s more behind their actions than plain fanaticism – we might change something. And just maybe that could stop their blades for good.”
“Will… maybe the sky is green and up is down. It’s no use pondering this when they shoot on sight.”
I reached for a piece of deer meat, testing it with my fingertips. Perfect. I handed it to Raik and took another piece.
“Of course. Still, where does the hatred really come from? Is it really just fear?”
Raik remained silent for a moment, chewing slowly. When he glanced at me, I knew he was pondering the question.
“For most of them, it probably is. For some… they use the fear to gain power. They will hunt us to be the heroes.”
I took a bite of my meat. It was tender and juicy, with a hint of gamey flavor. It was cooked to perfection, with the spices and herbs I’d picked along the way. I knew Raik was right. I sank into my thoughts, searching for a way to change our situation for the better, but as usual, nothing came to mind. We simply had to hope that there was a pack in the mountains. That they would take us in. That they were safe. And, of course, we reached them alive. We fell into a thoughtful silence – my brother lost in thought just as much.
“We should get some rest.” Raik finally broke the silence. “You can sleep, and I’ll wake you when I get tired so you can take over.”
I nodded, already worn out. I leaned against him and closed my eyes. Raik just smiled and pulled me a little closer. I let myself sink into his warmth, my thoughts already beginning to slow.
Then his body tensed. His claws flexed, nearly drawing blood. All thoughts of sleep were forgotten, as Raik’s low growl rolled over me – like distant thunder. He stared into the surrounding forest beyond our camp. The atmosphere was threatening, menacing even. I sat up. My breathing quickened. Shallow gasps, preparing for the worst.
“What is it?” My voice was barely a murmur.
Raik didn’t answer. He kept his eyes fixed on the black night. Every muscle was coiled, all senses alert. I followed his gaze, straining my inferior human vision against the darkness. The fire was barely able to fight the night, barely casting enough light to turn the forest into a maze of shifting shadows.
"Someone's out there," Raik whispered, his words barely audible – even to me. "They're trying to surround us."
My heart hammered against my ribs as I carefully reached for my knife. "Guild?"
“Probably. They’re masking their scent somehow, difficult to tell.”
A twig snapped to our left. Raik's head whipped toward the sound, a snarl building in his throat. I raised my knife. Its blade caught the glow of the crackling fire.
“You think we can still run?” My voice was coarse with worry.
“No. They know where we are and want to surround us. We don’t know where they are. Running would be stupid.”
“Better than waiting for them.”
Raik growled – low and tense. He was just as worried. The whole situation reminded us both of the attack on our family. I could almost smell the smoke of our burning home. I turned to Raik and nudged—
A bolt sliced through the air between us, slamming into the earthen wall at the edge of our camp. A lone figure stepped into the dim light – crossbow still raised. His face was twisted in a strange expression: half smug smile, half angry scowl.
“I’d hoped to catch you. My Guild friend claimed he wounded the beast – should’ve known a werewolf doesn’t die this easily. And accompanied by a human traitor no less.” His voice was slick, evoking images of slime and mucus. “I’m glad I get to claim two monsters’ lives today!”
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