[18+] Werewolves? Surely they don’t exist! But when Igor hears rumours of the beasts threatening a faraway fox clan, the creature-hunting vulpine sets out to investigate.
Tonight’s story is the first of two parts of “Beyond the Forest” by Ziegenbock, a goat who wields both pen and sword (though rarely at the same time). He was the winner of the 2021 Sofurry Short Story Contest, and his work has been published by Thurston Howl Publications and Fenris Publishing. You can find more of his stories on Sofurry and Furaffinity.
Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.
thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.
https://thevoice.dog/episode/18-beyond-the-forest-by-ziegenbock-part-1-of-2
Today's
Speaker:story
Speaker:concerns
Speaker:adult
Speaker:subject
Speaker:matter
Speaker:for
Speaker:mature
Speaker:listeners.
Speaker:If
Speaker:that's
Speaker:not
Speaker:your
Speaker:cup
Speaker:of
Speaker:tea,
Speaker:or
Speaker:there
Speaker:are
Speaker:youngsters
Speaker:listening,
Speaker:please
Speaker:skip
Speaker:this
Speaker:one
Speaker:and
Speaker:come
Speaker:back
Speaker:for
Speaker:another
Speaker:story
Speaker:another
Speaker:time.
You’re
listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Ghost
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog
Speaker:on
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
Speaker:This
Speaker:is
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:your
Speaker:fellow
Speaker:traveler,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Tonight’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:is
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:of
Speaker:two
Speaker:parts
Speaker:of “Beyond
Speaker:the Forest”
Speaker:by Ziegenbock,
Speaker:a
Speaker:goat
Speaker:who
Speaker:wields
Speaker:both
Speaker:pen
Speaker:and
Speaker:sword (though
Speaker:rarely
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:same
Speaker:time).
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:winner of the 2021 Sofurry Short Story
Speaker:Contest,
Speaker:and
Speaker:his
Speaker:work
Speaker:has
Speaker:been
Speaker:published
Speaker:by
Speaker:Thurston
Speaker:Howl
Speaker:Publications
Speaker:and
Speaker:Fenris
Speaker:Publishing.
Speaker:You
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:more
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:stories
Speaker:on
Speaker:Sofurry
Speaker:and Furaffinity.
Observant listeners may have noticed a trend, a pattern, a
not-so-inadvertant theme,
Speaker:among
Speaker:the
Speaker:stories
Speaker:we’ve
Speaker:presented
Speaker:this
Speaker:year.
Speaker:Yes,
Speaker:tonight’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:deals with
Speaker:adult
Speaker:subject
Speaker:matter
Speaker:for mature
Speaker:listeners.
Speaker:And
Speaker:yes,
Speaker:the
Speaker:same
Speaker:has
Speaker:been
Speaker:true
Speaker:of
Speaker:more
Speaker:of
Speaker:this
Speaker:year’s
Speaker:stories
Speaker:than
Speaker:any
Speaker:previous
Speaker:Ghost
Speaker:of Dog.
Speaker:As
Speaker:to
Speaker:what
Speaker:we
Speaker:think
Speaker:we
Speaker:mean
Speaker:by
Speaker:this,
Speaker:we
Speaker:shall
Speaker:say
Speaker:only
Speaker:that
Speaker:this
Speaker:year,
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:any
Speaker:other,
Speaker:we
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:Fireside
Speaker:have
Speaker:been
Speaker:made
Speaker:to
Speaker:live
Speaker:in
Speaker:fear,
Speaker:not
Speaker:of
Speaker:ghosts or
Speaker:spirits,
Speaker:but
Speaker:of
Speaker:political
Speaker:violence and
Speaker:the
Speaker:loss
Speaker:of
Speaker:our
Speaker:rights.
Speaker:So
Speaker:it
Speaker:is
Speaker:perhaps
Speaker:well
Speaker:to
Speaker:remind
Speaker:the
Speaker:world
Speaker:that
Speaker:it
Speaker:is
Speaker:more
Speaker:afraid
Speaker:of
Speaker:us,
Speaker:than
Speaker:we
Speaker:are
Speaker:of
Speaker:it.
Speaker:Any
Speaker:further
Speaker:message
Speaker:than
Speaker:this
Speaker:is
Speaker:for
Speaker:you,
Speaker:Observant
Speaker:Listener,
Speaker:to
Speaker:interpret.
And to
Please
Speaker:enjoy
“Beyond
the
Speaker:Forest”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Ziegenbock, Part 1 of 2
It
was
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:my
Speaker:more
Speaker:intriguing
Speaker:assignments.
A
clan
Speaker:of
Speaker:foxes
Speaker:had
Speaker:invited
Speaker:me
Speaker:to
Speaker:settle
Speaker:a
Speaker:dispute
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:local
Speaker:wolf
Speaker:tribe.
Speaker:Now,
Speaker:while
Speaker:I
Speaker:will
Speaker:gladly
Speaker:support
Speaker:my
Speaker:fellow
Speaker:vulpine,
Speaker:I
Speaker:am
Speaker:a
Speaker:creature
Speaker:hunter
Speaker:and
Speaker:not
Speaker:a
Speaker:diplomat.
Speaker:But
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:single
Speaker:word
Speaker:in
Speaker:their
Speaker:letter
Speaker:which
Speaker:caught
Speaker:my
attention:‘lycanthropes’.
Of
course,
attention:we are
attention:all
attention:familiar
attention:with
attention:the
attention:curse
attention:of
attention:the
attention:werewolf.
attention:An
attention:affliction
attention:which
attention:allegedly
attention:affects
attention:our
attention:lupine
attention:cousins
attention:when
attention:the
attention:full
attention:moon
attention:is
attention:high.
attention:Not
attention:all
attention:wolves,
attention:of
attention:course.
attention:And
attention:as
attention:wolves
attention:become
attention:more
attention:integrated
attention:with
attention:the
attention:modern
attention:world,
attention:animals
attention:are
attention:starting
attention:to
attention:see
attention:the
attention:lunacy
attention:of
attention:the
attention:stereotype.
attention:But,
attention:there
attention:are
attention:still
attention:outposts
attention:of
attention:isolated
attention:packs
attention:who
attention:enjoy
attention:the
attention:wild
attention:ways.
attention:Ample
attention:breeding
attention:grounds
attention:for
attention:myths
attention:and
attention:rumours
attention:to
attention:endure.
I
did
attention:wonder
attention:if
attention:anything
attention:untoward
attention:was
attention:going
attention:on.
attention:Wolves
attention:are
attention:still
attention:viewed
attention:with
attention:some
attention:suspicion,
attention:seeing
attention:as
attention:how
attention:they
attention:prefer
attention:to
attention:keep
attention:to
attention:themselves, or to
attention:their
attention:own
attention:kind.
attention:So,
attention:a
attention:lupine
attention:enthralled
attention:by
attention:the
attention:hunt
attention:could have
attention:easily
attention:sparked
attention:the
attention:overactive
attention:imagination
attention:of
attention:a
attention:young
attention:fox.
attention:And
attention:while
attention:it
attention:wasn’t
attention:the
attention:most
attention:lucrative
attention:job
attention:around,
attention:the
attention:foxes
attention:had
attention:offered
attention:a
attention:respectable
attention:reward,
attention:and
attention:they
attention:were
attention:providing
attention:me
attention:with
attention:food
attention:and
attention:lodgings.
attention:Plus, it
attention:had
attention:been
attention:a
attention:while
attention:since
attention:I’d
attention:visited a
attention:fox
attention:clan.
attention:I
attention:did
attention:fancy
attention:seeing
attention:how
attention:the
attention:wild
attention:vulpines
attention:still
attention:live.
The
rail
attention:station
attention:was
attention:little
attention:more
attention:than
attention:a
attention:halt.
attention:It
attention:consisted
attention:of
attention:a
attention:platform,
attention:raised
attention:half
attention:a metre
attention:above
attention:the
attention:ground,
attention:with
attention:a
attention:rudimentary
attention:waiting
attention:building
attention:to
attention:offer
attention:shelter.
attention:I
attention:had
attention:to
attention:request
attention:that the
attention:train
attention:stop
attention:there,
attention:and at
attention:first
attention:the
attention:guard
attention:had
attention:grumbled.
attention:Oh,
attention:they
attention:could
attention:slow
attention:the
attention:train,
attention:certainly (and
attention:presumably
attention:I’d
attention:have
attention:to
attention:take
attention:a
attention:flying
attention:leap).
attention:But
attention:to
attention:stop
attention:the
attention:train for
attention:just
attention:one
attention:passenger,
attention:then to build up
attention:another
attention:head
attention:of
attention:steam,
attention:would
attention:have
attention:been
attention:far
attention:too
attention:much
attention:trouble.
attention:Of
attention:course
attention:it
attention:would
attention:have.
attention:However,
attention:a
attention:polite
attention:word
attention:with
attention:the
attention:guard,
attention:and
attention:a
attention:show
attention:of
attention:gratitude
attention:for
attention:his
attention:thankless
attention:work,
attention:and
attention:the
attention:gruff-whiskered
attention:mutt
attention:did
attention:agree
attention:to
attention:stop the
attention:train.
attention:If only I’d had time to
attention:knot
attention:him.
attention:Still,
attention:no
attention:surprises
attention:that
attention:he
attention:was
attention:all
attention:smiles
attention:as
attention:I
attention:dismounted.
Another
fox
attention:was
attention:waiting
attention:for
attention:me
attention:under
attention:the
attention:porch
attention:of
attention:the
attention:building.
attention:I
attention:went
attention:over
attention:to
attention:him
attention:and
attention:we
attention:embraced,
attention:twitching our
attention:whiskers
attention:together.
“You
must
attention:be
attention:Senja,"
attention:I
attention:ventured.
“I
am.
attention:Pleased
attention:to
attention:meet
attention:you
attention:in
attention:the
attention:fur,
attention:Igor.”
In
his
attention:follow-up
attention:letter,
attention:Senja
attention:had
attention:suggested
attention:that
attention:I
attention:take
attention:the
attention:mid-morning
attention:train,
attention:because
attention:it
attention:was
attention:a
attention:long
attention:hike,
attention:and
attention:we
attention:didn’t
attention:want
attention:to
attention:be
attention:ambushed
attention:in
attention:the
attention:dark.
attention:Indeed,
attention:a
attention:few
attention:times
attention:when
attention:we
attention:passed
attention:a
attention:shaded
attention:copse,
attention:I
attention:heard
attention:a
attention:rustle
attention:of
attention:leaves
attention:or a
attention:crack
attention:of
attention:branch
attention:that
attention:sounded
attention:just
attention:too
attention:heavy
attention:to
attention:be
attention:a
attention:feral
attention:forest
attention:creature.
A
few
attention:hours
attention:later,
attention:after
attention:trudging
attention:through
attention:fields,
attention:along
attention:rivers,
attention:and
attention:along
attention:barely
attention:defined
attention:forest
attention:paths,
attention:there
attention:was
attention:still
attention:no
attention:sign
attention:of
attention:our
attention:destination.
attention:Thankfully,
attention:Senja
attention:was
attention:in
attention:good
attention:spirits—he had
attention:even
attention:brought
attention:along
attention:some
attention:smoked
attention:mice.
attention:We
attention:talked
attention:at
attention:length,
attention:me
attention:about
attention:city
attention:life,
attention:he
attention:about
attention:clan
attention:life.
attention:Their
attention:existence
attention:was
attention:tough,
attention:I learned,
attention:but
attention:they
attention:were
attention:proud
attention:to
attention:be
attention:clan
attention:foxes.
attention:I asked if they
attention:thought
attention:of moving
attention:nearer
attention:the
attention:railroad,
attention:maybe to
attention:trade
attention:with
attention:the
attention:passing
attention:animals.
“Oh
no,
attention:we
attention:couldn’t
attention:leave our
attention:home.
attention:We
attention:have
attention:lived
attention:on
attention:our
attention:hunting
attention:grounds
attention:for
attention:centuries.
attention:Besides,
attention:we
attention:know
attention:what
attention:happens
attention:when
attention:clans
attention:cluster
attention:around
attention:the
attention:railroad.
attention:They
attention:become
attention:feckless,
attention:hawking
attention:tat
attention:to
attention:passing
attention:travellers, or outright begging. Even if the money is better, money isn’t everything. We have our
attention:dignity.
attention:Plus,
attention:the
attention:way
attention:we
attention:have it
attention:right
attention:now,
attention:it’s the
attention:best
attention:of
attention:both
attention:worlds.
attention:The
attention:cultus
attention:ferox
attention:lives
attention:on,
attention:and
attention:if
attention:we
attention:do
attention:want
attention:to
attention:visit
attention:the
attention:outside
attention:world,
attention:it’s
attention:just
attention:about
attention:reachable.”
It was
hard
attention:to
attention:fault
attention:his
attention:logic.
After
we
attention:walked
attention:a
attention:little
attention:further,
attention:I
attention:caught
attention:the
attention:first
attention:scent
attention:of
attention:wood-smoke.
attention:Senja
attention:must
attention:have
attention:noticed
attention:the
attention:twitch
attention:in
attention:my
attention:nose,
attention:because
attention:he
attention:smiled
attention:my
attention:way.
“That’s
right,
attention:not
attention:much
attention:further
attention:to
attention:go
attention:now.”
The
fox
attention:village
attention:was
attention:beautiful.
attention:Built
attention:away
attention:from
attention:the
attention:river,
attention:just
attention:above
attention:the
attention:floodplain, it
attention:consisted
attention:of
attention:homely,
attention:wooden
attention:houses,
attention:with
attention:thatched
attention:triangular
attention:roofs
attention:that
attention:almost
attention:reached
attention:the
attention:ground.
attention:Many
attention:houses
attention:had
attention:smoking
attention:chimneys,
attention:and
attention:fenced-off
attention:gardens
attention:of
attention:herbs
attention:and
attention:flowers
attention:in
attention:front
attention:and
attention:back.
attention:There
attention:were
attention:no
attention:paved
paths:paths:
they
paths:weren’t
paths:needed.
paths:And by
paths:every
paths:threshold,
paths:there
paths:grew
paths:a
paths:vivid
paths:purple
paths:flower
paths:with
paths:a
paths:distinctive
paths:hooded
paths:shape.
paths:Clearly,
paths:the
paths:foxes
paths:were
paths:taking
paths:no
paths:chances
paths:with
paths:their
paths:wolven
paths:neighbours.
paths:I
paths:just
paths:hoped
paths:they
paths:taught
paths:their kits
paths:not
paths:to
paths:touch
paths:the
paths:wolfsbane.
A
vixen
paths:came
paths:up
paths:to
paths:Senja
paths:and
paths:embraced
paths:him,
paths:before
paths:she
paths:turned
paths:to me
paths:with
paths:a
paths:smile.
“So, this
is
paths:the
paths:werewolf hunter?”
Those foxes had high hopes for me.
All
paths:the
paths:same,
paths:Senja
paths:introduced
paths:me
paths:to
paths:his
paths:mate.
paths:The
paths:vixen
paths:had
paths:plenty
paths:of
paths:questions
paths:about
paths:my
paths:line
paths:of
work:work:
how
work:long
work:I
work:had
work:creature-hunted,
work:what
work:equipment
work:I
work:used,
work:had
work:I
work:ever
work:seen
work:a
work:dragon.
“You
have?!
work:How
work:big
work:was
work:his…”
“I’m
sure
work:he
work:had a massive hoard,” Senja
work:interrupted. “Now,
work:I’m
work:certain
work:that
work:Igor
work:has
work:countless
work:stories he
work:could
work:share.
work:But
work:he’s
work:had
work:a
work:long
work:journey
work:and
work:he
work:needs to
work:rest.
work:So
work:please
work:can
work:you
work:tell
work:the
work:chief that he’s arrived? We can then go
work:ahead with
work:the clan meeting
work:at
work:sundown.”
When
the
work:vixen was
work:gone,
work:Senja
work:turned
work:to
work:me
work:and
work:rolled
work:his
work:eyes. “Horny
work:vixen.”
“You’re a
lucky
work:man,
work:Senja.
work:And
work:you
work:know
work:the
work:best
work:thing? That
work:dragon was a
work:girl.”
Senja
chuckled. “Anyway,
work:we
work:do have until sundown. Let’s head
work:to
work:my
work:den
work:and
work:get
work:you settled
work:in.”
The
foxes’
work:den
work:was
work:warm, a
work:welcome
work:shelter
work:from
work:the
work:rapidly
work:chilling
work:autumn
work:afternoon.
work:Three
work:young
work:kits
work:scampered
work:up
work:to
work:me. I greeted them and scritched their
work:ears
work:before
work:they
work:dashed
work:outside.
work:Most
work:things
work:the
work:foxes
work:needed
work:were
work:in
work:this
work:main
room:room:
reed-mats
room:for
room:lounging
room:and
room:sleeping, a
room:hearth
room:and
room:kitchen
room:space, and
room:games
room:for
room:the
room:kits.
room:They
room:did,
room:however,
room:have
room:a
room:spare
room:room,
room:which
room:they had
room:cleared
room:out
room:and
room:prepared
room:for
room:me.
room:Senja
room:showed
room:me
room:to
room:this
room:room,
room:and
room:left
room:me
room:to
room:catch
room:some
room:rest.
room:I
room:had
room:time
room:for a
room:groom
room:and a
room:change
room:of
room:attire,
room:and I was
room:part
room:way through writing a
room:journal entry
room:when
room:Senja knocked on my door.
“Igor, are you
ready
room:to
room:go?”
From
across
room:the
room:village,
room:foxes
room:were
room:gathering.
room:In
room:the
room:centre
room:of
room:the
room:village
room:was a
room:roundhouse,
room:wooden
room:and
room:thatched
room:like
room:the
room:other
room:buildings
room:but
room:noticeably
room:larger.
room:Smoke
room:rose
room:from
room:a
room:hole
room:in
room:the
room:centre.
room:I
room:entered
room:into
room:a hall with a
room:fire
room:at its
room:centre.
room:The
room:chatter
room:inside
room:dipped
room:as
room:I
room:entered
room:with
room:Senja,
room:and
room:more
room:than
room:a
room:dozen
room:pairs
room:of
room:golden
room:and
room:blue
room:fox-eyes
room:fell
room:upon
room:me.
room:I
room:paid
room:them
room:no
room:heed,
room:simply
room:following
room:Senja
room:and
room:taking
room:my
room:seat on a
room:mat,
room:while
room:foxes
room:continued
room:to
room:arrive.
The
conversation
room:stopped
room:entirely
room:when
room:two
room:older
room:foxes
room:with
room:heavily
room:greying
room:fur
room:entered.
room:They
room:were
room:followed
room:by
room:another
room:fox,
room:the
room:biggest
room:I had seen
room:in
room:this
room:village,
room:and almost
room:as
room:big
room:as
room:me.
room:He wore a
room:dark
room:green
room:cloak,
room:and he
room:carried
room:a
room:heavy
room:wooden
room:staff
room:that
room:looked
room:to
room:be
room:solid
room:oak.
room:He
room:stopped
room:in
room:front
room:of
room:the
room:fire.
“Brothers,
sisters,
room:thank
room:you
room:for
room:joining
room:me
room:tonight.
room:This
room:meeting
room:comes
room:at
room:a
room:precarious
room:time
room:for
room:our
room:clan.
room:For
room:countless
room:seasons,
room:the
room:forest
room:has
room:been
room:neutral
room:ground
room:between
room:fox
room:and
room:wolf.
room:Transgressions
room:were
room:not
room:unheard
room:of,
room:but
room:they
room:were
room:rare.
room:In
room:recent
room:months,
room:however,
room:the
room:wolves
room:have
room:taken
room:it
room:upon
room:themselves
room:to
room:encroach. And
room:we
room:suspect
room:that
room:some
room:force,
room:or
room:some
room:curse,
room:is
room:compelling
room:them
room:on.
room:We
room:don’t
room:know
room:for
room:certain
room:if it is lycanthropy. However, every time the full moon draws near, the wolves become more brazen. And now, the
room:moon
room:waxes
room:once
room:more.
room:In
room:two nights’
room:time,
room:she will be full,
room:meaning that
room:the
room:affliction
room:may
room:once
room:again
room:take
room:hold.
room:However,
room:this
room:time,
room:we
room:have
room:a
room:chance
room:of
room:defence.
room:On
room:that
room:note,
room:I
room:would
room:like
room:to welcome
room:our
room:guest,
room:Igor,
room:the
room:renowned
room:creature-hunter
room:of
room:Prague.
room:Rest
room:assured
room:you
room:will
room:not
room:need
room:to
room:give
room:a
room:speech.
room:My
room:thanks
room:as
room:well
room:to
room:Senja
room:for
room:offering
room:to
room:host
room:him.
room:Now,
room:Igor,
room:before your
room:arrival,
room:we
room:proposed
room:a
room:meeting
room:with
room:the
room:wolves.
room:We
room:would
room:cross
room:the
room:forest,
room:speak
room:with
room:them
room:canid-to-canid,
room:and
room:see
room:if
room:a
room:beast-hunter
room:might
room:persuade
room:them
room:to
room:heel.
room:What
room:are
room:your
room:thoughts
room:on
room:such
room:matters?”
I
nodded
room:to
room:the
room:chief. “It is a
room:new
room:tack,
room:and therefore
room:worth
room:trying.”
“Excellent.
Yes,
room:my
room:brother,
room:I
room:will
room:give
room:way.”
An
older
room:fox
room:had
room:raised
room:his
room:paw.
room:He
room:now
room:stood to
room:speak.
“My
chief,
room:I
room:appreciate
room:these
room:efforts
room:to
room:protect
room:our
room:kind.
room:Yet I fear
room:they
room:will
room:not
room:be
room:enough.
room:One
room:more
room:fox
room:may
room:bring
room:a
room:few
room:extra
room:tricks.
room:But
room:let
room:us
room:not
room:lose
room:sight
room:of
room:our
room:adversaries.
room:These
room:bloody-mouthed hounds have
room:not
room:once
room:listened
room:to
room:reason.
room:The
room:only
room:language
room:they
room:understand
room:is
room:power.
room:Survival
room:of
room:the
room:fittest.
room:And
room:we
room:all
room:know
room:whom
room:they
room:consider
room:the ‘fittest’. They
room:call their
room:new
room:affliction ‘Luna’s
room:Gift’.
room:And
room:with
room:every moon, they grow more comfortable in their new savage ways. And more carnal. You recall what they did to our sister last moon.”
He gestured to a vixen at his side, heavy with kits.
“Tell our
guest
room:what
room:happened.”
The
vixen
room:nodded.
“I…I
was
room:walking
room:in the
room:hills,
room:two
room:or
room:three
room:miles
room:hence,
room:when
room:a
room:wolf
room:pounced
room:on
room:me
room:and…well…this
room:is
room:the
room:result.”
room:She
room:cradled
room:her
room:belly. “What’s
room:more,
room:the
room:pups
room:will take
room:after
room:their
room:father.
room:They will
room:be
room:wolves.
room:Of
room:course
room:I
room:shall
room:raise
room:them
room:as
room:my
room:own.
room:But
room:it’s
room:clear
room:what
room:they’re
room:doing.
room:They’re
room:trying
room:to
room:breed
room:us
room:out.”
The
older
room:male
room:nodded,
room:his
room:expression
room:grave.
“Wolves
among
room:foxes,”
room:he
room:continued. “We
room:raise
room:and
room:feed
room:their
room:young,
room:sacrificing
room:our
room:rations
room:of
room:food.
room:But
room:when
room:they
room:grow
room:up, what
room:then? Will
room:they
room:stay
room:with
room:us?
room:Or
room:will they
room:cross the
room:forest,
room:join their
room:own kind, or maybe even stay here
room:and fill our vixens
room:themselves?
room:I
room:tell
room:you,
room:they
room:are
room:parasites.
room:I
room:would
room:put
room:nothing
room:past
room:them.
room:So
room:I
room:ask,
room:what
room:use is
room:diplomacy?
room:The
room:wolves
room:will
room:not
room:listen
room:to
room:warm
room:words.
room:We
room:are
room:past
room:that
room:point!”
“I
agree!”
“It
is
room:futile!”
“There
is
room:no
room:reasoning
room:with
room:Bror.”
Sudden
silence.
room:And
room:then,
room:whispers,
room:like
room:a
room:collective
room:shudder,
room:swept
room:across
room:the
room:assembled
room:foxes.
room:That
room:word, ‘Bror’,
room:sounded
room:almost
room:taboo
room:to
room:the
room:assembled
room:foxes.
room:Nobody
room:dared
room:to
room:admit
room:who
room:had
room:uttered
room:it.
room:It
room:fell
room:to
room:the
room:chief
room:to
room:restore
room:order.
“My clan,
I
room:understand
room:your
room:reservations.
room:But
room:with
room:Igor
room:on
room:our
room:side,
room:we
room:finally
room:have
room:a
room:fighting
room:chance. At
room:the
room:very
room:least,
room:it
room:is
room:worth
room:negotiating
room:once
room:more. And
room:if
room:that
room:attempt
room:fails,
room:I
room:am
room:sure
room:Igor
room:has
room:other
room:plans.”
I
nodded. “I
room:have
room:some
room:ideas,
room:my
room:Lord.”
There
was
room:general
room:agreement,
room:even
room:from
room:the
room:dissenting
room:minority.
“Excellent,
Hunter.
room:In
room:the
room:meantime,
room:everyone,
room:continue
room:to
room:stay
room:alert.
room:Do
room:not
room:let
room:your
room:young
room:ones
room:wander
room:near
room:the
room:forest
room:edge.
room:Foxes
room:of
room:age,
room:carry your
room:wolfsbane
room:pouch
room:at
room:all
room:times.”
Diplomacy
did
room:seem
room:a
room:logical
room:first
room:step.
room:And
room:so,
room:the
room:council
room:and
room:I
room:prepared.
room:Senja
room:agreed
room:to
room:accompany
room:me,
room:and we
room:would
room:seek
room:an
room:audience
room:with the
room:wolf
room:chieftain,
room:this ‘Bror’
room:they
room:spoke
room:of.
In
the
room:morning,
room:we
room:prepared
room:two
room:packs
room:of
room:supplies
room:and
room:water,
room:and
room:Senja
room:handed
room:me
room:a
room:sickle.
room:I
room:must have
room:looked
room:puzzled,
room:because
room:he
room:followed
room:up
room:by
saying:“Don’t
saying:underestimate
saying:how
saying:thick the forest
saying:gets.”
And
with
saying:our
saying:supplies,
saying:we
saying:struck
saying:out
saying:into
saying:the
saying:forest.
saying:The
saying:going
saying:was
saying:heavy,
saying:and
saying:the
saying:forest
saying:was
saying:indeed
saying:thick
saying:with
saying:undergrowth,
saying:without
saying:a
saying:clear
saying:path
saying:ahead. “The forest is our
saying:defence,” Senja had
saying:explained.
saying:Suffice
saying:to
saying:say
saying:that
saying:we
saying:needed
saying:the
saying:sickles.
The
forest
saying:felt
saying:darker, our
saying:route
saying:steeper
saying:and
saying:mistier
saying:the
saying:more
saying:we
saying:pressed
saying:on.
saying:The
saying:fox
saying:village
saying:had
saying:felt
saying:vulnerable—compared
saying:to
saying:Prague—but
saying:it
saying:was
saying:a
saying:haven
saying:of
saying:safety
saying:compared
saying:to
saying:this
saying:forest.
saying:Senja
saying:told
saying:me
saying:that
saying:foxes
saying:had
saying:been
saying:lost
saying:in
saying:these
saying:woods.
saying:Just
saying:that
saying:spring, a
saying:fox
saying:had
saying:snagged
saying:his
saying:paw on
saying:undergrowth
saying:and
saying:broken
saying:his
saying:ankle.
saying:While
saying:hobbling
saying:back
saying:home,
saying:he
saying:fell
saying:down
saying:a
saying:steep
saying:bank and
saying:cracked
saying:his
saying:skull
saying:on
saying:a
saying:rock,
saying:succumbing
saying:to
saying:shock
saying:and
saying:blood
saying:loss
saying:before
saying:any
saying:healer
saying:had
saying:any
saying:chance
saying:of
saying:reaching
saying:him.
We
stumbled
saying:on,
saying:slashed
saying:on.
saying:Crows
saying:called
saying:overhead.
saying:All
saying:around
saying:us,
saying:the
saying:plants
saying:rustled
saying:and
saying:rustled.
Then
I
saying:felt
saying:the
saying:eyes.
Glowing,
yellow
saying:in
saying:the
saying:gloom,
saying:visible
saying:for
saying:a
saying:single
saying:second
saying:before
saying:the
saying:animal
saying:skulked
saying:deeper
saying:into
saying:the
saying:bracken.
saying:It
saying:was
saying:big,
saying:black,
saying:canine.
saying:Senja felt
saying:it
saying:too.
saying:His
saying:tail
saying:bristled,
saying:and
saying:he
saying:whispered
saying:to
saying:me.
“Just
keep
saying:walking.
saying:Don’t
saying:look
saying:at
saying:them,
saying:don’t
saying:acknowledge
saying:them.”
‘Them’?
I
saying:could
saying:only
saying:see
saying:one.
saying:But
saying:it
saying:made
sense:sense:
wolves
sense:hunt
sense:in
sense:packs.
sense:So
sense:I
sense:nodded,
sense:and I
sense:followed
sense:my
sense:fellow
sense:fox.
sense:Out
sense:of
sense:instinct,
sense:I rested
sense:my
sense:paw on
sense:my
sense:blade.
sense:The
sense:rustles
sense:moved
sense:further
sense:into
sense:the
sense:distance,
sense:away
sense:from
sense:us.
Up
ahead,
sense:the
sense:trees
sense:began
sense:to
sense:thin.
sense:Through
sense:their trunks, I could see
sense:tents.
sense:But
sense:it
sense:was
sense:the
sense:scent
sense:that
sense:struck
sense:me
sense:the
sense:most.
sense:Warm,
sense:meaty,
sense:a scent
sense:familiar
sense:to
sense:any
sense:canid,
sense:but
sense:richer
sense:and
sense:wilder.
sense:The
sense:scent
sense:of
sense:wolf.
The
pack
sense:village
sense:was
sense:a
sense:huddle
sense:of
sense:tents
sense:within
sense:a
sense:forest
sense:clearing.
sense:Of course,
sense:the
sense:pack
sense:lived
sense:in a
sense:more
sense:rudimentary
sense:way than
sense:the
foxes:foxes:
wolves were
foxes:all
foxes:about ‘living
foxes:close
foxes:to
foxes:nature’.
foxes:Even
foxes:those
foxes:who
foxes:moved
foxes:to
foxes:the
foxes:city
foxes:sometimes
foxes:camped
foxes:in
foxes:the
foxes:city
parks:parks:
a
parks:frightening
parks:discovery
parks:for
parks:any
parks:park
parks:ranger,
parks:especially
parks:if
parks:they
parks:were
parks:prey.
We
felt
parks:like
parks:prey
parks:ourselves,
parks:wandering
parks:into
parks:the
parks:wolves’
parks:terrain
parks:with eyes
parks:watching
us:us:
male,
us:female,
us:and
us:young.
us:Their
us:clothing
us:was
us:simple,
us:often
us:only
us:a
us:cloth
us:to
us:cover
us:their
us:modesty,
us:if
us:they
us:even
us:wore
us:clothes
us:at
us:all.
us:And
us:they
us:were
us:big
us:animals,
us:hunters
us:in
us:their
us:own
us:right,
us:bigger
us:and
us:stronger
us:than
us:your
us:average
us:fox.
Senja
walked
us:as
us:far
us:as
us:he
us:dared,
us:before
us:he
us:stopped.
us:He
us:swallowed
us:hard,
us:and
us:he
us:called
us:to the
us:assembled
us:animals.
“Wolves! We have
come
us:to
us:parley with
us:your
us:alpha.”
“Only to
parley?”
A
deep
us:voice
us:growled
us:from the
us:largest
us:tent,
us:followed
us:by
us:a
us:hungry
us:chuckle.
“And
I
us:was
us:hoping
us:you
us:wanted
us:another
us:wolf-rut.”
Senja
got
us:that
us:bristle in
us:his
us:tail
us:again.
us:Some
us:of
us:the
us:wolves
us:looked
us:nervous,
us:others
us:leered in
us:anticipation.
Then
I
us:saw
us:why.
A
muzzle
us:appeared
us:from
us:the
us:tent,
us:broad
us:and
us:canid and
us:softly
us:snarling.
us:A
us:sharp-clawed
us:paw
us:followed,
us:before out
us:stepped
us:the
us:biggest
us:wolf
us:I
us:had
us:ever
us:seen.
us:He
us:must
us:have
us:been
us:a
us:foot
us:taller
us:than
us:any
us:other
us:wolf.
us:He
us:was
us:covered
us:in
us:thick
us:brindled
us:fur,
us:striped
us:brown
us:and
us:grey,
us:and
us:his
us:eyes
us:were
us:yellow
us:and
us:gleaming
us:in
us:the
us:low
us:light.
What
a
us:big,
us:beautiful
us:animal.
He
stalked
us:towards
us:us,
us:on
us:his
us:hind
us:paws,
us:calm
us:and
us:confident
us:like
us:he
us:owned every animal and
us:every
us:tree
us:in
us:the
us:forest. How
us:many
us:of
us:those
us:trees
us:had he
us:marked with his
us:scent?
us:Given
us:how
us:much
us:of
us:the
us:forest
us:reeked
us:like
us:this
us:animal…more
us:than
us:a
us:few.
“I
thought
us:I
us:recognised
us:your
us:voice,”
us:the
us:big
us:male
us:lupine
us:continued. “Senja,
us:right?
us:Envoy of
us:the
us:fox
us:clan,
us:bitch
us:of
us:the
us:wolf
us:clan.”
Wolves
snickered
us:around
us:us,
us:baring teeth. Senja squirmed and stared at the ground.
“It is such
a
us:shame
us:that
us:your
us:chief
us:no
us:longer
us:dares
us:to
us:cross
us:the
us:forest.
us:But
us:why
us:would
us:he?
us:He
us:wouldn’t
us:last
us:two
us:minutes
us:before I
us:filled
us:him
us:with
us:wolf
us:semen.
us:And
us:then,
us:well, that
us:would
us:be
us:it,
us:wouldn’t
us:it?
us:You
us:foxes
us:would
us:belong
us:to
us:us
us:wolves.”
The
big,
us:grinning
us:animal was
us:barely
us:a
us:metre
us:from
us:us.
us:Well
us:within
us:biting
us:range.
“Then
again,
us:I
us:would
us:make
us:sure
us:he
us:enjoyed
us:it.
us:After all,
us:you
us:did.
us:The
us:way
us:you
us:squealed
us:underneath
us:me,
us:braced
us:your
us:paws
us:and
us:impaled yourself onto my wolfcock…now
us:that
us:was
us:memorable.
us:After
us:all,
us:you
us:had
us:lain
us:with
us:your
us:fellow
us:dog-fox.
us:I
us:could
us:tell.”
The
wolf
us:closed
us:right
us:in,
us:that
us:lethal
us:muzzle
us:just
us:inches
us:from
us:Senja.
“And
I
us:was
us:far
us:more
us:fulfilling
us:than
us:any
us:fox
us:in
us:your
us:clan.”
A
grin,
us:and
us:a growl,
us:and
us:he
us:licked
us:Senja’s
us:cheek.
us:The
us:tip
us:of
us:the
us:wolf’s
us:arousal
us:tented
us:his
us:loincloth.
us:Senja
us:took
us:one
us:glance
us:at
us:it,
us:and
us:gulped.
“Just
as
us:I
us:thought.
us:But
us:tell
us:me,
us:though,
us:who is
us:this
us:stranger
us:you
us:bring?
us:An
us:offering
us:of
us:more tail?”
Senja
composed
us:himself
us:and
us:raised
us:his
us:muzzle. “Hardly,
us:Bror.
us:This
us:is
us:Igor, the
us:renowned
us:creature-hunter
us:of
us:Prague.”
“Igor,
you
us:say? Now,
us:you
us:are
us:a
us:different
us:kind
us:of
us:fox.
us:Taller,
us:stronger…”
us:he
us:prowled
us:to
us:my
us:side,
us:his
us:eyes
us:on
us:my
us:patterned
us:leather
us:sword-sheath. “And
us:you
us:did
us:not
us:get
us:that
us:blade
us:from
us:the
us:fox
us:clan.”
“Indeed
not,”
us:I
us:replied,
us:before
us:drawing
us:my
us:weapon
us:part way.
us:One
us:or
us:two
us:wolves
us:gasped. The alpha—Bror—simply scoffed.
“Brave todd.
Bringing silver into
us:our
us:midst.
us:Very well,
us:I
us:will
us:grant
us:you
us:an
us:audience.
us:Step
us:across
us:my
us:threshold.”
Bror
turned
us:back
us:to
us:his
us:tent.
us:Senja
us:nudged
us:me,
us:and
us:in
us:silence,
us:we
us:followed
us:the
us:big
us:wolf,
us:while his
us:pack
us:stared
us:at
us:us,
us:judging
us:us.
us:He
us:was
us:a
us:big
us:wolf,
us:though
us:not
us:a
us:werewolf…not
us:at
us:that
us:moment.
Inside
Bror’s
us:tent,
us:we
us:sat
us:on
us:deerskin
us:rugs.
us:A
us:pot
us:of
us:liquid
us:was
us:boiling
us:on a
us:fire
us:in
us:the
us:centre.
us:Bror
us:poured
us:some
us:into
us:an
us:earthenware
us:vessel,
us:and
us:took
us:the
us:first
us:drink.
us:He
us:passed
us:the
us:vessel
us:to
us:Senja,
us:who
us:also
us:drank
us:from
us:it
us:before
us:passing
us:it
us:to
us:me.
us:The
us:drink
us:was
us:fiery,
us:with
us:notes
us:of
us:herbs
us:and
us:garlic.
“Now,
foxes,
us:what
us:have
us:you
us:come to
us:discuss?”
“Bror,” Senja started, “the full moon rises tomorrow night. We know
how
us:this
us:affects
us:your
us:pack.
us:The
us:last
us:few
us:months,
us:you
us:wolves
us:have
us:broken
us:the
us:forest
us:truce
us:countless times.
us:That
us:armistice has guaranteed our peace for
us:seasons.”
“We act
only
us:in
us:defence,
us:fox.
us:You
us:know,
us:as
us:well
us:as
us:I
us:do,
us:how
us:many
us:wounds
us:you
us:foxes
us:have inflicted
us:on
us:my
us:brethren,
us:even on
us:my
us:own
us:sons
us:and
us:daughters.
us:You
us:even dare
us:to
us:plant
us:wolfsbane
us:in the forest, no doubt to poison my pack.
us:So
us:do
us:not
us:speak
us:to
us:me
us:of
us:truces.
us:You
us:may
us:think of
us:yourselves
us:as more
us:civilised,
us:with
us:your
us:cottages
us:and
us:your
us:herb
us:gardens,
us:but
us:we wolves are
us:no
us:mere
us:savage
us:beasts.
us:You
us:know
us:first-hand
us:how
us:thoughtful
us:and…intimate
us:we
us:can
us:be.”
Bror
locked
us:eyes
us:on
us:Senja,
us:showing
us:a
us:hint
us:of
us:fang.
us:The
us:light
us:of
us:the
us:fire
us:cast
us:shadows
us:on
us:Bror,
us:highlighting
us:the
us:grizzle
us:of
us:his
us:muzzle
us:and
us:the
us:power
us:under
us:his
us:pelt.
Senja
twitched
us:his whiskers. “Then…maybe tell
us:your wolves
us:to…leave
us:us
us:alone?”
Bror
smiled,
us:exactly
us:as
us:you'd
us:expect
us:a wolf
us:to
us:smile. “Oh,
us:you
us:sweet,
us:naïve,
us:little
us:kit.
us:When
us:the
us:Moon-Lust
us:afflicts
us:us,
us:you
us:know
us:we
us:cannot
us:be
us:stopped.
us:It
us:is
us:a
us:gift,
us:from Mother
us:Luna
us:to
us:her
us:pups.
us:And
us:we bear it
us:with
us:pride.”
us:There
us:was
us:no
us:mistaking
us:the
us:growl
us:that
us:undercut
us:Bror’s
us:speech,
us:and
us:which
us:rumbled
us:in
us:his
us:chest
us:after
us:that
us:sentence.
us:A
us:threat,
us:clear
us:to
us:all
us:canids
us:and
us:those
us:familiar
us:with
us:them.
us:Try
us:my
us:patience
us:too
us:much,
us:and
us:I
us:snap.
“We
will
us:no
us:sooner give up our
us:gift,”
us:Bror
us:continued, “than you
us:foxes
us:would
us:surrender
us:your
us:russet
us:pelts.”
“In
which
us:case,”
us:I
us:interjected, “wolf
us:and
us:fox
us:would
us:do
us:well
us:to
us:respect
us:the
us:forest
us:boundary.”
Bror’s
laugh
us:was
us:coarse,
us:hearty
us:and
us:incredulous.
us:He
us:was
us:a
us:confident
us:beast,
us:and no
us:mistake.
us:But,
us:he
us:had
us:the
us:teeth
us:and
us:claws
us:and
us:muscle-mass
us:to
us:back it
us:up.
“Do
not
us:pretend
us:to
us:be
us:some
us:neutral
us:arbiter,
us:stranger.
us:In
us:any
us:dispute,
us:you
us:will
us:always
us:side
us:with
us:your
us:fellow
us:fox.”
“I
may
us:be
us:a
us:fox,
us:but
us:as
us:you
us:highlight, I am
us:an
us:outsider to
us:your
us:conflict.
us:Therefore,
us:I
us:am
us:placed
us:to
us:bring
us:some
us:perspective
us:to
us:the
us:situation.
us:If
us:that
us:involves
us:bolstering
us:the
us:weaker
us:side,
us:so
us:be
us:it,
us:but
us:I
us:will
us:not
us:play
us:favourites.
us:And
us:if
us:either
us:side
us:oversteps
us:the
us:line,”—I
us:looked
us:at
us:Bror and Senja in
us:turn—“there
us:will
us:be
us:consequences.”
“Ha.
Let
us:me
us:guess.
us:My
us:pack
us:would
us:feel
us:iron
us:and
us:silver.
us:Very
us:well,
us:I
us:acknowledge
us:your
us:threat,
us:feeble
us:though
us:it
us:is. However,
us:my
us:wolves
us:will run
us:free
us:tomorrow
us:night,
us:as
us:we
us:have
us:since
us:Lupa
us:suckled
us:the
us:Twins,
us:and
us:for aeons
us:before
us:that.
us:And when you
us:return
us:to
us:your
us:city
us:and
us:your
us:foul
us:choking
us:air and your
us:open
us:festering sewers, we will still be here, ruling this
us:forest.
us:I
us:have
us:no
us:more
us:to
us:say
us:on
us:the
us:matter.”
Bror
stared
us:at
us:Senja,
us:yellow-eyed.
us:The
us:fox
us:conceded
us:quickly
us:and
us:broke
us:eye-contact—we
us:were
us:in
us:the
us:wolf’s
us:domain,
us:after
us:all.
“So
that
us:was
us:Bror,” Senja
us:stated
us:as we hacked
us:our way
us:back
us:through
us:the
us:forest. “Conciliatory
us:as
us:ever.”
“Well,
at
us:least
us:he
us:knows
us:the
us:fox
us:clan
us:is
us:guarded.”
“Only
for
us:this
us:moon.
us:I wish there was
us:some way we
us:could ward off the wolves
us:every
us:moon.”
“Oh,
I
us:have
us:some
us:ideas…”
Both
of
us:us
us:were
us:grateful
us:to
us:return
us:to the
us:fox
us:village.
us:While
us:it
us:was
us:hardly
us:Prague,
us:it
us:was
us:comforting
us:to
us:return
us:to
us:some
us:semblance
us:of
us:civilisation.
us:The
us:fox
us:chief
us:was
us:disappointed,
us:but
us:not
us:surprised,
us:to
us:hear
us:how
us:our
us:encounter
us:went
us:with
us:Bror.
us:Still,
us:he
us:surmised,
us:maybe
us:the
us:presence
us:of
us:a
us:creature
us:hunter
us:would
us:give
us:his
us:clan
us:some
us:safety
us:this
us:moon.
A
dark,
us:thick
us:meat
us:broth
us:was
us:waiting
us:for
us:us,
us:served
us:alongside
us:rounds
us:of
us:freshly baked
us:bread.
us:Senja and I were both
us:ravenous, and we ate two full helpings
us:each.
us:After
us:the
us:meal,
us:I
us:wandered
us:alone,
us:a
us:short
us:way
us:from
us:the
us:village.
us:The
us:sun
us:had
us:long
us:descended,
us:and
us:the
us:stars
us:shone
us:clear
us:in
us:the
us:twilight
us:sky.
us:By
us:my
us:paws,
us:the
us:river
us:ran
us:its
us:rippling,
us:flowing
us:course.
us:And for
us:the
us:first
us:time
us:since
us:leaving
us:the
us:city,
us:I
us:breathed
us:in
us:deep.
us:The
us:air
us:was
us:so
us:fresh,
us:clean,
us:with
us:the
us:scent
us:of
us:plants
us:and
us:grasses
us:and
us:tree
us:resin,
us:the
us:water
us:of
us:the
us:stream
us:with
us:its
us:traces
us:of
us:rock
us:and
us:salt,
us:and in the
us:distance,
us:the
us:warm,
us:familiar
us:scent of
us:fox.
us:It
us:would
us:have
us:been
us:a
us:simple,
us:peaceful
us:life.
If
not
us:for
us:the
us:wolves.
Senja’s family
rested uneasy
us:that
us:night. His
us:three
us:kits
us:whimpered
us:in
us:their
us:dreams
us:and
us:woke
us:without
us:pattern.
us:Through
us:the
us:wall,
us:I
us:heard
us:Senja and
us:his
us:mate
us:shushing
us:them,
us:comforting
us:them.
us:They
us:must
us:have
us:known,
us:somehow,
us:that
us:the
us:moon
us:outside
us:had
us:given
us:light
us:for
us:dark
us:creatures
us:to
us:emerge.
I
agreed
us:to
us:take
us:second
us:watch.
us:The
us:foxes
us:being
us:nocturnal
us:themselves,
us:there
us:was
us:still
us:activity
us:around
us:the
us:village.
us:However,
us:that
us:night,
us:all
us:foxes
us:remained
us:near
us:the
us:relative
us:safety
us:of
us:the
us:village.
us:Senja had told me
us:that
us:most
us:nights,
us:one
us:or two
us:hunting
us:parties
us:would
us:assemble.
us:Around
us:the
us:full
us:moon,
us:though,
us:no
us:fox
us:dared
us:to
us:venture
us:far.
A vulpine
yelp
us:caught
us:everyone’s
us:ears. I
us:and
us:a
us:few
us:others
us:immediately
us:ran
us:towards
us:the
us:cry.
A
wolf
us:had
us:cornered
us:a
us:vixen.
us:It
us:wasn’t
us:Bror,
us:but
us:the
us:lupine was
us:massive
us:compared to the
us:fox.
us:Oh,
us:and
us:this
us:was
us:no
us:ordinary
wolf:wolf:
the
wolf:broadness
wolf:of
wolf:his
wolf:shoulders,
wolf:the
wolf:kink
wolf:of
wolf:his
wolf:spine,
wolf:the thick
wolf:scruff
wolf:of
wolf:fur across
wolf:his
wolf:shoulders,
wolf:and
wolf:the
wolf:snarl
wolf:showing
wolf:sabre-teeth.
wolf:Not
wolf:a
wolf:full
wolf:werewolf,
wolf:but
wolf:not
wolf:far
wolf:off.
wolf:And
wolf:with
wolf:his
wolf:hanging
wolf:erection,
wolf:there
wolf:was
wolf:no
wolf:doubt
wolf:about
wolf:the
wolf:dire
wolf:beast’s intentions.
I
stepped
wolf:forward
wolf:and
wolf:drew
wolf:my
wolf:sword.
“Stand
back,
wolf:wolf!
wolf:Or we’ll
wolf:see
wolf:how
wolf:vulnerable
wolf:you
wolf:are
wolf:to
wolf:silver.”
I
turned
wolf:the
wolf:blade,
wolf:so
wolf:the
wolf:moonlight
wolf:glinted
wolf:off
wolf:the
wolf:silver
wolf:inlays.
wolf:Whether
wolf:that
wolf:did
wolf:the
wolf:trick,
wolf:or
wolf:the
wolf:wolf
wolf:just
wolf:didn’t
wolf:like
wolf:sharp
wolf:pointy
wolf:objects,
wolf:he
wolf:backed
wolf:away
wolf:from
wolf:the
wolf:fox.
wolf:But
wolf:as
wolf:he
wolf:did
wolf:so,
wolf:he
wolf:laughed
wolf:a
wolf:gruff
wolf:chuckle,
wolf:and he
wolf:rolled
wolf:the
wolf:muscles across his back, evident even under all that fur.
“You
cannot
wolf:protect
wolf:these
wolf:foxes
wolf:forever.
wolf:You
wolf:will
wolf:leave,
wolf:but
wolf:Mother
wolf:Luna
wolf:will
wolf:rise,
wolf:time
wolf:and
wolf:time
wolf:again.
wolf:And
wolf:every time
wolf:she
wolf:does,
wolf:we
wolf:will
wolf:hunt.
wolf:This
wolf:is
wolf:our
wolf:forest,
wolf:and
wolf:we
wolf:will
wolf:make
wolf:the
wolf:foxes
wolf:kneel
wolf:to
wolf:Bror.
wolf:If
wolf:not
wolf:willingly, then
wolf:one
wolf:bite
wolf:at
wolf:a
wolf:time.
wolf:Or…”
wolf:He
wolf:groped
wolf:his
wolf:sheath,
wolf:sliding
wolf:it over
wolf:his
wolf:arousal while
wolf:squeezing
wolf:out
wolf:a
wolf:long
wolf:thick
wolf:strand
wolf:of
wolf:lupine
wolf:precum. “One knotting.”
The wolf dripped his copious precum to the grass, marking
the vulpine
wolf:hunting
wolf:ground. And
wolf:with
wolf:that,
wolf:he
wolf:turned
wolf:tail,
wolf:and
wolf:loped
wolf:into
wolf:the
wolf:undergrowth.
wolf:Two
wolf:of
wolf:the
wolf:rescuers
wolf:ran
wolf:over
wolf:to
wolf:the
wolf:seated
wolf:fox,
wolf:and
wolf:helped
wolf:her
wolf:to
wolf:her paws.
wolf:Meanwhile,
wolf:I
wolf:sought
wolf:an
wolf:audience
wolf:with
wolf:the
wolf:chief.
“This is dangerous.”
The
wolf:chief shook
wolf:his
wolf:head. “The
wolf:wolves
wolf:have
wolf:never
wolf:encroached
wolf:so far on our
wolf:territory.
wolf:They
wolf:have
wolf:struck
wolf:in
wolf:the
wolf:forest
wolf:before,
wolf:but
wolf:never on the
wolf:riverbank,
wolf:and
wolf:never
wolf:this
wolf:close
wolf:to
wolf:our
wolf:village.
wolf:They
wolf:may
wolf:be
wolf:planning
wolf:an
wolf:attack.
wolf:Hopefully your
wolf:presence
wolf:will ward
wolf:them
wolf:off…for
wolf:this
wolf:moon
wolf:at
wolf:least.
wolf:If
wolf:only
wolf:we
wolf:had
wolf:more
wolf:of
wolf:your
wolf:swords.”
“Such
weaponry
wolf:is
wolf:not
wolf:cheap.
wolf:And
wolf:however
wolf:potent your
wolf:weapon is, your
wolf:paw must still be trained in its
wolf:use.”
"Of
course.”
“I
do,
wolf:however,
wolf:have
wolf:some
wolf:silver-tipped
wolf:arrows
wolf:which
wolf:may
wolf:help
wolf:your
wolf:bow-hunters.
wolf:As
wolf:for
wolf:tomorrow
wolf:night, I
wolf:have
wolf:an
wolf:idea
wolf:what
wolf:I
wolf:must
wolf:do.
wolf:But
wolf:I
wolf:will
wolf:need
wolf:another
wolf:audience
wolf:with
wolf:Bror.”
This
was
wolf:the
wolf:first
wolf:of
wolf:two
wolf:parts
wolf:of “Beyond
wolf:the
wolf:Forest”
wolf:by
wolf:Ziegenbock,
wolf:read for you by
wolf:Rob
wolf:MacWolf,
wolf:Werewolf
wolf:Hitchhiker.
wolf:Tune
wolf:in
wolf:next
wolf:time to
wolf:find
wolf:out
wolf:how
wolf:Igor
wolf:handles
wolf:the
wolf:threat
wolf:of
wolf:Bror
wolf:and
wolf:his
wolf:wolves.
As
always,
wolf:you
wolf:can
wolf:find
wolf:more
wolf:stories
wolf:on
wolf:the
wolf:web
wolf:at
wolf:thevoice.dog,
wolf:or
wolf:find
wolf:the
wolf:show wherever
wolf:you
wolf:get
wolf:your
wolf:podcasts.
wolf:Thank
wolf:you
wolf:for
wolf:listening
wolf:to
wolf:The
wolf:Ghost
wolf:of
wolf:Dog.