Steel Wolf

Departure

Miles from Pathwood keep, eleven wolves loped through the forest, leaping over streams and small ditches. Few people saw them, but those who did were struck by the variance in coloring. The blazing red one stood out, Benton Nix being red-haired, but the immense blue-eyed blonde wolf topped them all.

The smell of woodcutting, freshly tilled soil, or cattle filled their nostrils at times, the pack altering course around the farms. On open plains, when there was no going around, they sprinted across the fields, the occasional dog giving chase for a short distance, turning back once the wolves were gone.

A feminine shriek far off to the left. Tanaya jerked her head in that direction, Gaspar Delgado, and Agrim Thunderhand angling off to scout the matter, the others never breaking stride. A few minutes later, a yip was heard, Tanaya responding in kind. They were joined soon after by Gaspar and Agrim, as the pair had dealt with the problem.

-o0o-

Ten-year-old Susie Mosley was gathering mushrooms from the peat bog near her home. She had to be extremely careful which ones she picked because some would cause madness or even death. Mama would be mad if that happened.

She spied movement in the trees, looking in that direction. A reddish-brown fox was approaching her. It wasn't running, and it certainly wasn't afraid of her. As it got closer, she saw a whitish foamy substance around its mouth. Her blood froze. It was rabid.

Involuntarily, she screamed. She picked up a stick and began beating the fox on the snout. It was snarling, trying to get close enough to bite her. She could hear her Daddy calling her name; could hear his footsteps crashing through the underbrush. She shouted out what was happening.

A light brown wolf blurred past her shoulder, so close she could smell it. The wolf seized the fox by the spine, right behind its head. Growling, the wolf twisted its own head fiercely, the fox's neck snapping. Just as her daddy picked her up, the wolf looked directly at them both, winked, and ran away with another wolf by its side.

Imagine the tale Daddy would tell at the pub.

-o0o-

Next to a stream, several gutted fish roasted on a spit as the eleven humans sat around the fire, eagerly discussing the day's travels. Night was falling. They had come almost forty miles from Pathwood Keep. Not bad for a day's run.

"...so smartass Agrim looks at this wee-little girl in her daddy's arms and winks at them. We legged it before they could move."

The small campsite was awash in laughter.

Giselle, the healer was closely inspecting Agrim for any signs of skin puncture. Even the tiniest pinhole caused by the rabid fox would admit infection. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she took him behind a tree and made him strip completely, using a light spell to see by.

"Oy!" yelled Ekko Siari from the campfire. "Check him for ticks, too! Bet he's got one under his winkie!"

"She's got the hands of a goddess!" Arim yelled back. He let out a yelp as the healer unleashed a very mild freezing spell.

"I want to see six inches of daylight between you two!" hollered Tanaya.

"Won't do any good, Tanaya!" Giselle spoke up, completing her examination. "He's packing eight inches!"

Raucous laughter all around.

"All right, folks, time to get serious," Tanaya said, pitching a fish bone into the fire. "How's everyone feeling? I need to know how your Shifting is going. Are you having trouble maintaining wolf form for so long? Giselle, is it easier to stay human?"