Alba Lupus (The White Wolf)

The Child

The leader of the watchman, Grimsby, makes his way through the village. The sun has just risen in the sky, bathing the land in its warm light. The rain has ceased, and the birds are singing.

Grimsby and the other watchman rush through the village. Men and women come out of their small makeshift homes to watch as the men move through the village with haste.

They reach the Chiefs main hut.

"Master Chief, are you awake sir?" Grimsby says outside the Chiefs door.

A dull response is heard from inside.
"Yes, but it does not mean I'm happy about it. Come in Grimsby."

Grimsby signals the other men to go back to their homes. He enters the hut still carrying the baby.

The Chief has his back turned to Grimsby as he seems to be carving something on a table made out of strong sturdy wood, just like almost everything in the village. The chief was almost 90 years old. He was an old man, but could still defeat any man who faced him in a fight. He had long silver and white hair, braided in the back. He wore the furs of many animals, unlike the rest of the tribe, who mostly wore leather. One of his favorite hobbies was always to carve little trinkets for the children in the village.

"Grimsby, I heard you led a group of men out last night into the forest, without any permission. What is your reasoning for this? "

"With all do respect sir, when you put me in charge of the watchman, I thought that was all the permission I needed."

"You are a smart man Grimsby. A very smart one indeed. Yes, you make the decisions, and you carry out orders, but sending our people into the Dark Forest at the witching hour? That is something that I must question. "

Grimsby looks at the child, then back to the Chief, who still is facing away.

"Last night we heard a scream. A woman scream. We sent out multiple men, to go find her. And sir it was-"

He is cut off by the baby who makes a slight gurgling sound. The Chief stops what he was doing, and turns around. He sees the Child in Grimsby's hands.

"Grimsby..."

Chief slowly stands up with a worried glance.

Grimsby holds the baby close.

"Sir it was Angelica..."

"What?! That is impossible! "

"We all saw her, with our own eyes. I saw her sir... And she left this child.."

The Chiefs eyes widen with the sight of the child, an innocent infant, yet it has such a dark past already.

"Then this is a son of the Windigo..."

The Chief murmurs a prayer under his breath. He shakes his head.

"I think you may be right..."

The chief shakes his head.

"We cannot keep this child here. "

"It is only an infant sir! "

" it is too dangerous! We would put the whole village in jeopardy! This child alone could become what the Great Beast is, or worse. We cannot deal with two of them, let alone one.  "

"Sir, it is a child. We do not know what he is capable of, if he even has capability to do anything. But it is a child, a child of a woman who is family."

The chief sighs and moves toward Grimsby. He looks at the child, then at Grimsby.

"I'm sorry we had to send her there Grimsby. I know you loved her, but we had no other choice. You know that. "

Grimsby says nothing.

"The child will stay." The chief turns and goes to his desk.

"You are to take care of the child, wash him, feed him, clothe him, as if he were your own. The village is to know nothing of his origin. That is to remain between us. "

Grimsby smiles, and nods.

"Thank you sir."

"Now go, you have a lot to take care of."

Grimsby leaves the tent.

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                         17 years later.