The half-breed (working title)

The wolf and the lambs:

It had been days since Diana had left the cottage; Valentina had manged to feed the babies but in a very pessimistic and two-year-old way had given up on nappies. The wood was getting low, the water was nearly gone, and she had maybe enough milk to give one more feed; a human child would have been worried or scared but as a werewolf cross hunter Valentina was slightly more advanced. She settled the twins down for a nap and tried to open the door, when that failed, she tried the windows she couldn't open them and slowly realised if no one came they would all slowly starve. Feeling tired and defeated she curled up with boys and held them close to her, listening for the sound of anyone coming towards the house.

The old man Siegfried had known when Alvar had asked for loan of the cottage that all wasn't well with the pack; he gave his blessing and had left his home with food and bedding prepared for guests, Alvar had told him it would be a few days at least, nearly a week later he was glad to be heading home. The sight of smoke coming from the chimney was unexpected and he ran down the path worried at what he would find. The key was in the door and as he unlocked and opened the door a terrible smell hit him; it was enough to make him gag. In front of the fire were three tiny children, the biggest was trying to give a bottle of what looked like blood, milk and water to each of the tiny infants; blood was still pouring down her arms and she looked pale and hopeless "please Hern, please Lyall you have to drink, just a bit; someone will come today I promise...and then you can have nice food" she sobbed as the boys slowly drank.

Siegfried was "Girl where is your mother? How long have been alone"? Valentina looked at him with relief and hope, "a long time, mamma said she would be back in a few days, but it's been sooo long. I couldn't change the nappies and the milk was getting low and smelt bad and there was no food left" her sobs overtook her small body and she laid the bottles down "please help us, I don't know what else to do" Siegfried took a half a second before he scooped all three into his lap, "don't fear little ones I shall look after you". He cleaned up Valentina's arms, stitching the small openings she'd made, he then bathed and put nappies on the boys noticing they smelt very different to other werewolf cubs he'd met in the past. When the house and children were clean Siegfried looked at them closely, "you look like your parents, we'll give them a bit longer to come back, what are your names"? Valentina yawned and rubbed her eyes before replying "I'm Valentina – Tina for short, and they are Hern and Lyall. Hern has black hair and green eyes, Lyall has blond hair and blue eyes. I named them" she said proudly. He patted her on the head and tucked her up in bed "Well Tina, in a few days if no one has come I will go to the village. Then we will decide what do to". After three more days no one had come, "Tina! I will back by morning, the door is shut but not locked, if I do not return by tomorrow night, you must take the boys to the village; you must not stay here! Understand"? Valentina nodded and again her eyes flashed amber, but this time Siegfried saw and drew in a breath "when I return, I will need to check a few things out" he said talking to himself.

There was nothing left of the village it was destroyed, even the ruins had been removed; it was an empty burnt field, but it was the oak tree that caught Siegfried's attention. He could feel the pain and hurt coming from the tree, the grass around it slowly dying as if the pain from the tree was infecting everything around it. The closer he got the worse the smell became, then he heard a groan from under the tree, "Finn"?!? Siegfried couldn't hide the horror and shock from his face, he'd never seen anyone still alive after this torture, "Siegfried, help me, please. End this pain, find my children. Let me die". With a moment of doubt Siegfried held a blade to his heart "I have your children; your daughter and sons are safe. I don't know where your mate is" Finn nodded slowly "the hunters have her; our souls are bound I can't die while she lives; and I feel everything they do to her; she can't take much more! She will break, this fate awaits our cubs; help us"! Siegfried pushed the blade in Finn's heart silencing him and Diana forever "goodbye great-grandson" he whispered; knowing he was unable to bury the body Siegfried cast a spell, marking the tree and village for all time.