Castle in the Forest

Chapter 2 in which Deliah has dinner

Delilah and her sibling raced home to their cave in their part of the forest. They laughed and shouted to one another happily. Their cave was in between an partly exposed rock bed and an ancient oak tree. Already there was the smell of  a rabbit stew cooking the smell was delicious and made Delilah's mouth water with a new hunger.
They ducked into the cave the entrance hole wasn't very tall and even at seven the children were almost to big to enter while standing. Once the children got past the entrance and a few paces in the cave opened up quite a bit. So now the children could stand comfortably and even the adults could stand without too much complaint. Sitting on the floor of the open space was their mother a cheery beautiful women of slender frame. She was currently stirring a pot of rabbit stew. She gave them a cheery smile as they joined her on the floor sitting cross legged.
"Mama, mama we went into the meadow today," pipped Colton.
"Did You now?" Their mother said as she stirred the stew.
"Yeah and guess what I won four rounds," he exclaimed holding up four fingers.
"No you didn't I won four rounds you only won three," cried Winnie angrily holding up three fingers. The two of them bantered back and forth. Delilah listened to them curiously. They always seemed to be at it.
"Did you have fun Delilah," Mama asked as she continued to stir the stew.
"Yeah except I didn't win any round," Delilah said rather glumly.
"I'm sure you'll win one day dear," Mama said cheerily. "But it's okay because either way your my baby and I love you." With that she places a kiss on Delilah's forehead.
"You mean it," Delilah asked all seriousness dripped from her tone. Her tiny brow scrunched.
"Of course I mean it dear. Oh come here," said mama pulling Delilah into a hug. Delilah closed her eyes and a silent tear slid down her face. "Don't cry dear it's okay."
"I know....I just will miss this. Because it will be another month before...." Delilah is cut of by Mama.
"A mother's love is shown in many different ways. Never forget this even when tomorrow comes okay. I'll still be here and we'll all be here."
" I know but I'll still miss hugs," Delilah blubbered on. Mama slowly rocked her stew forgotten.
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The children's father came home just shortly after Delilah had been quieted and her brother and sister had ceased their argument.  When their father came home they stopped their wild chattering and pounced on their father. He greeted them with open arms and smiled as they tackled him.
Winnie and Colton started chattering about their day in the meadow while Delilah snuck onto her beloved papa's lap and listened to them chatter. Soon mama was surving rabbit stew and everyone had sobered quite a bit. The air from out side the cave donned the coolness of the evening and already the family was quiet.
Delilah gripped her bowl as she smelled the familiar scent of night. It only made her stomach more anxious than it already was. Outside she could hear the other people begin to howl.
"Delilah we love you so much. Your our precious daughter and I know this month is going to be hard but we're still here just in our other guise. We'll take care of you all the same," Papa said gently setting the little girl back on the floor and away from his lap. Delilah sighed but watched all the same. Soon the howling that could be heard outside invaded the cave and Delilah heard her family howl along with the others.
Even though this should have been normal to Delilah by now she always found herself trying to shy away from her family or close her eyes.
However Delilah was now seven and she refused to look away or shy away from her family. She watched as they kneeled on the ground and gripped the earth. She watched has thick grissly hair sprouted from every pour and then their human bones realigned to that of a wolf's. Delilah was now looking at A very large mossy brown wolf (her papa), a beautiful wooden brown colored wolf (her mama) and two small wolf cubs that were a nice mix between the two other wolf's colors (her sister and brother). Their eyes were all beautiful gold color.
Instinctively Delilah ran to the wolves and with her tiny arms reached out towards them. They were not gone just different and that was okay. Her papa bent his head to let Delilah pet his fur. Mama nuzzled Delilah tenderly. The cubs nipped at her heels playfully she smiled.