Ryder and the Wolf: The End Begins. (Book 1 Completed)

Chapter 4

Hope you're enjoying it so far. Just a fun fact about the author (yours truly), my birthday is July 21st! Anyway, comment, fan, follow, and keep a look out for chapter 5. I won't be updating further than that until next week, so keep checking back!

Chapter 4:

A Second Encounter.

Over the next few days; I returned to the caves several times, hoping to come face to face with the beast again. I would thank it for the bite, and ask it to teach me how to avoid being discovered by humans—Especially the Witch hunters. No such beast was there to greet me -- Perhaps I dreamed it? No; I couldn’t have, otherwise there would be no scars. Once back in my bedroom in the cottage; I checked my back and shoulder in the mirror, and strangely enough the scars had disappeared completely. It was the weirdest thing -- like when you fall and hit solid ground; only to find you’re on your feet, without so much as a scratch and can’t even remember standing up. It was then my mother asked me to run into the village on a few errands; I obeyed without a word, and hurried to it as things were getting stranger by the minute.

First on the list; was to take jam to old John, for his help with moving things into the cottage.

        “Give your mother my regards, will you Ryder?” he said gratefully.

        “I most certainly will, John.” I replied in kind, “and please, call me Red.” He said nothing; but nodded an acknowledgement, and bustled back into his own cottage with his jars of jam. Onward then to Mrs. Figg’s; the apothecary, for grandmother’s medicine. I passed the town’s well on the way; out of which pounced none other than Marmalade, The local stray. He had been sleeping in the bucket; he hissed at me, and bared his ivory fangs in disgust at my new wolf-like scent.

        “It would appear that cat doesn’t like you much.” I turned to find myself face to face with Steven Gray—the town’s bully; Now as far as bullies go, Steven was rather attractive. I might have actually liked him; were he not such an ass, as it were, he was quite obviously about the most aggravating person anyone could ever run into. “When are you going out with me then?” He smiled.

        “Let me just check my schedule.” I replied; pretending to look at a notebook, “It looks like I have an opening for lunch, say half-past never.” I retorted; and pushed him aside, heading for the apothecary. As I left him there; I heard him calling out, frustrated at my reply.

        “You’ll be back on your knees; begging to go out with me, Peterson. And then I’ll be the one making the rejection.” I ignored him; and smiled to myself as I arrived at Mrs. Figg’s apothecary, to collect the medicine grandmother needed.

After that I Went to the local Pub to ask Rosie; the barmaid, if her uncle would mind dropping by to help Pete; to shift the splintered pieces from the stable out behind grandmother’s cottage, and erect a few new posts to reinforce its collapsing roof. Rosie merely shouted for her uncle and said;

        “I’ll bet those poor horses of your grandmother’s are scared out of their wits. It’ll be nice to hear that my uncle’s managed to actually help out for once. The old fart needs a more constructive outlet.” A sudden gunshot; could be heard, from somewhere in the back room, “Oh, I don’t believe—Uncle Jack! Honestly, if you kill one more of your Piggin’ bloodhounds I’ll give you a right old rollicking for it! You are one gunshot away from getting another letter from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals!” Rosie shouted at her uncle, as he came shuffling through the doorway.

“Hush, Rosie! Children should be seen and not heard.” The grey haired, old man grumbled at his bossy young niece.

        “I’m nineteen years old you old goat! And don’t you forget it. Now; Miss Peterson here, was just asking for you to go and help her brother with their stables. It appears the roof’s caving in again; you need a more constructive outlet, than using our dogs for target practice.” Rosie told him sternly; at which he grimaced, and shuffled round the bar toward me and said.

        “Alright, what needs doing?” I gestured him to follow me; and told him I’d show him, when we got back to the cottage. He followed; and soon we were outside the stables, where peter stood bemoaning the work he had done so far.

“I’ve just made it worse.” He moaned at me when I approached the stable, and stood next to him. The three of us stood gazing at the god forsaken stable; and watched as a few shingles slid off the collapsing roof, with a loud scrape and a clatter.

        “It does look a bit like shite.” I replied; traces of pity, present in my expression. “Well, Jack can help you out today. Right Jack?”

        “Humph.” Jack nodded; so I gave peter a reassuring pat on the back, and went to take grandmother her medicine. After which; I decided to head for the caves at Hound’s tor, to look for the Wolf again. It emerged from its resting place as I approached; and bounded toward me growling, I was unafraid this time and stood still, staring back into its beautiful mahogany eyes. It stopped; a few feet from me, and stood perfectly still and silent.

“I know what you are. My grandmother told me about you.” I said; I could hear its voice in my head, smooth and beautiful, like a reflection of his eyes.

        “Name me.” He said bluntly.

        “I don’t know your name, but I know you’re human like me.” I replied him, “Tell me who you are. Tell me your name.”

        “Bade, is my name. Alick Bade; If you ever call out that word, I will find you. You have the scent of a she wolf.” He said approaching, me and sniffing me gently. “What are you called, girl?” he asked.

        “Ryder Peterson, but my friends call me Red.” I told him; suddenly feeling drawn to him, “Will I see you again?”

        “Perhaps. In my human form I think I will meet you next.” He said; looking me directly in the eyes, his mahogany orbs sparkled, entrancing me to reach out and touch him. His dark; black and brown fur was warm and soft, and his musk drew me in.

        “How will I know who you are when I see you?” I asked; to which he replied simply,

“I will be watching over you Red. The next time the town bully causes you any trouble, I’ll give him a decking. But just so that you can be sure, perhaps a favor; some trinket I could carry with me, to return to you when next we meet.” I chose to give him the locket my father had given me before he passed away and told him.

        “This locket is dear to me, Bade. Please be careful with it.”

        “I will keep it safe my dear Ryder. You should return home, it’s getting late. Tomorrow I will find you.” He whispered; sweetly in my head, as I clasped the locket around his neck.

He left me alone; beside the tor then, and the Harvest moon suddenly seemed less bright for some odd reason. I returned home; and suddenly realized it was nearly midnight, time had flown while I spoke with the wolf, and all were in bed. I tried to creep quietly past my grandmother; who I had thought was sleeping, until she suddenly said.

        “Been with that wolf again Ryder?”

        “I—I um,” I tried to find the words, “I lost track of the time grandmother.” She merely smiled, and told me to remember to wash before I get some sleep. I did as she instructed, and went to bed. laying there in the cotton sheets; my mind wandered back to those warm mahogany eyes, that seemed to watch me through the night into the morning. I had a warm feeling inside me; a safe feeling of having a guardian angel watching over me, I could sense that the wolf would never let any harm come to me. He was secure and warm; I couldn’t seem to focus on much else, but I didn’t care as long as I was still asleep, and with him there at the tor. I even began to pray that it was reality; and that there was nothing else, for nothing else was as important to me as my peculiar new friend.