Trial of Fates

Epilogue

They end up on a farm owned by a relative of Thomas, on the other side of the country. Long outside of Rigaldo's reach. There's enough land to establish homes for each member of their new pack, on the caveat that they help out with the farm work; taking care of livestock, planting and harvesting crops, and repairing the odd bits of machinery. None of them mind, though the smell takes a while to get used to. The wolves were used to vast wilderness, not livestock and cornfields, but there's varied enough work that they all find a place for themselves.

Sara is overjoyed at the change, her once small garden has now become acres of land to tend along with Sam. Carson goes to a local university to learn about the various machinery, then eagerly trains Branson and Thomas with what he has learned.

Kelly and Anna work on the administrative side of things, ensuring none of their supplies run out, and giving a hand wherever they can.

Olivia and Grace take an unexpected interest in the animals, eventually purchasing their own horses and goats to tend to. It doesn't take the animals long to get used to the presence of the wolves.

Damien spends most of his time in wolf form, acting as a livestock guardian against the various coyotes, weasels and other predators. His twisted paw isn't really a problem against the smaller predators.

It's not quite as isolated as they were used to, but there's mountains and fields to roam undisturbed. The pack gets together at least once a month to run and hunt together, ensuring the bonds among them remain strong.

Gretchen puts her IT degree to work, improving the programming on the various robots on the farm, when she's not trying to teach herself witchcraft.

"Imagine how cool it would be if I could just ... make it rain during a drought, or snap my fingers and finish the harvest."

"I don't think witches specialize in that kind of magic," Natania points out, trying not to show her discomfort with the magic. The kind of power she would need to alter the weather, or transport objects would require massive amounts of pain and suffering, and Gretchen refuses to harm another creature to power herself. Which is the only reason the wolves tolerate her presence among them.

Gretchen sighs. "It would still be cool." So far, she's only taught herself how to light candles and flip the pages of her books.

"I'm sure it would be," Natania replies hesitantly. She still hasn't found her place in this life. Instead, she jumps from task to task, working with whoever has fallen the most behind, losing herself in the mountains when there's nothing pressing to be done.

Nightmares still plague her nights, visions replaying of the fears the witch exploited, waking up sweaty and trembling, often to Gretchen stroking her back and murmuring sweet nothings until she steadies.

Some nights the visions are worse, terrible manifestations of her losing control, of not being able to stop herself from killing everyone and everything in her path. Those nights she wakes up with yellow flickering in her eyes and a ravenous hunger that urges her out into the mountains, hunting until there's nothing left to hunt. Often returning bloodstained and breathless.

They don't speak of those nights. Neither of them ready to face what it means, to acknowledge that the time they have together is limited.

But they make the best of it, always making time for each other. Making memories, having new experiences. They cram a lifetime of experiences into the first year alone, ice skating, water skiing, snowmobiling, and when Gretchen tells her they're going hang gliding, Natania just laughs and packs her bag.

Life is too short to be afraid.

The End.