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A Wulfen short story.
The winter snow filled the trees branches and littered the ground with new white powdered ice. The trees standing firm and resolute in the darkness bore whiteness to the slow procession of wolves. The walked and snaked there way through the trees silently, as silent as snow would allow. They came from all ends of the lands to the grove of the ancients.
The precession made its way into the deep valley. Wolves from the edges of the lands came and gathered at this place every seventh year. This year’s congregation was filled with new fresh wolves. They could be spotted by there jerking sways from side to side. As if trying to get those around them to slip some movement. In the center of the little valley laid a bolder of silvery shine.
Atop the bolder sat four old wolves. Each of the older wolves had stark white fur and the golden eyes of age. They sat unmoving watching as the rest of the wolves filed in. once the last wolf entered the clearing all the wolves stopped moving and even the younger ones stopped fidgeting. All wolfish eyes were placed into the center. The old wolves raised there heads as one and howled into the night. The brought there heads back down and slowly raised them again. As they raised there heads all the wolves brought there hundred thousand voices to bear into the night.
The eerie sound filled the night air for several minutes before dying out into the winter silence. Of all the wolves gathered the fifth oldest walked around the silvery stone and nipped at each old ones fore paws. The fifth was gray and silver with touches of black in her fur. She final stopped before the last wolf and repeated the process again, and then stopped and lay before the last one.
It was a seen to behold even for the average human would never be able to see it. No human would have been able to see the four wolf gods. Each one was identical to the other but each one had there own minds.
The first was Fen, the forth oldest and the more juvenile of the four. He was the one who would give the younger ones the impulse to set out on there own when there time would come. The second was Mar, the third oldest. Mar was the wolf the would bring hate and challenge to all older wolves. Being the third always being second last brought hate for his older siblings. In this account he is the driving force to challenge all alpha males for leaders of the clan packs.
Third in order was Lupa, she is known as the mother and care taker of the wolf clans. She is the image of motherly love to all wolves and the instigator of the matting session in the wolves. Last is Wolf, the oldest and most power full wolf of them all. He is said to be the first wolf born of the earth herself and the father spirit sky. He is also the one who cry’s out for the lost father, trying to bring him back to the clan pack.
Of all the hundred thousand wolves present to see there Wulfen gods. The thirteen clan packs presented one Alpha male and one Alpha female. The only exception was the thirteenth clan pack. They only had there Alpha male present. It was this night that his mate would bring a new litter of pups into the clan pack’s strength.
He was known only as Black paw. He was the largest of the thirteenth clan pack and also second oldest. The oldest of the pack was the all white wolf known as Gray tail, who sat next to the youngest in the back of the clan pack. Black paw was the only wolf who after howling kept his head down cast and ears flat and back against his skull. He showed the Wulfen gods fear for his mate’s absence.
All the wolfs present looked as if they had there own voices speaking out at the outrage of one of the pack not making the journey. Yet to an average human they wouldn’t not have heard the words spoken. But to the wolves it was a daily thing.
‘You come before us without mate and with fear in your stance. Why?’ Asked Silver tongue, the fifth oldest lounging before there gods.
‘Snow paw is currently with cubs in the clan pack’s den. I would not endanger my future clan pack with travel with new young.’ Black paw said sully lowering his head even more and arching is back in the humbling manner.
‘Such show is a week leader.’ Came the low growl from Silver moon.
Silver moon is a wolf no larger than Black paw. But his stride and presence amongst the second clan pack states of his new pack leadership. Black paw did not bother razing his head to look at his one time pack brother. He had listened to the calls of the lost to know that his pack brother had become leader of the second clan pack to the far west of his own clan pack.
‘How dare you scorn a fellow brother when we are called before the ancient for a resin beyond his humbling manor? Would you offend Lupa herself?’ Asked Silver tongue.
‘Yes. Black paws matters are his clan packs not yours Silver moon. We are summoned her because of me.’ This voice coming from the dark entrance to the only cave near the silvery stone.
From the depths of the cave emerged an elderly wolf, skinny and bony in nature but one look into its eyes and one would know that there was strength there. Strength of all the clans kept him alive it was said. But Gray was only one wolf and the only one who lived at the ancient grounds. But on this day he was not alone.
Exiting the final shadows from the caves darkened mouth. Two young pups of no more then four winters emerged one on each side of him. They both were well fed by the glisten of there fur, the stance and walk they had said they knew how to run with the packs. But fallowing Grey was something entirely else to ponder. Every wolf who knew of Grey knew he was a Lone wolf. He would not hunt with any clan pack. He would not attend the meetings unless he had something to say, and what he said was important.
It was whispered that he was the first of the fifths to sit beside the Wulfen gods during there life time. But not one wolf would speak of it nor would anyone challenge the old wolf. He was apart of the grove itself in ways. Also with no pack to lay as his own, non would challenge him for leadership.
Silver tongue quickly got up and walked over to old Gray and proceeded to nuzzle him gently. Showing to everyone present that even old Gray deserved there respect. He nuzzled her back and then proceeded to walk to the Wulfen gods. He gently repeated the ancient procession of nipping each gods legs and then sitting between Lupa and Wolf as if he was an esteemed pup of there’s. The two pups also fallowing him laid down to each side of him, both keeping eyes watching the other wolves.
The sound of old grays jaws clicking brought everyone’s attention to him.
‘We must search out the twins.’ He said, his old jaws clicking as his maw moved as if forming actual human sounds.
Every wolf in the valley howled with anger, fear, or even outrage at the idea of searching out the twins of the old stories. Not one wolf knew where to look or even what they looked like. A fight broke out between to jovial wolves and was quickly put down by the alpha male of there clan pack.
As if responding to old Gray’s words. Wolf himself rose up to his full standing height and made a low throaty growl. As if his growl was a gong or even the sounds of humans it brought everyone’s attention back to the silvery stone. If the Wulfen gods rose to accept a wolfs words it was to be listened to.
‘Listen brothers, sisters, clan packs, and new pups. I have lived many winters in this land. We are facing a new age. We must find the twins and prepare to change with the time.’ Old Gray said slowly. His jaws still clicking and clacking the whole time.
‘But what would we achieve with the twins? Did they not throw us away once we were no longer useful to there kind?’ Asked Silver moon.
‘That is what I must find out with the twins. They must be found and brought to me. I must ask them of the times we must face.’ Said old Gray.
Out of all the wolves present all were quite. All Wulfen eyes were upon the silvery stone and the wolves down there. It was a shock to see that Mar got to his paws and jumped down amongst the wolves. Showing his distain and despaired into the shadows of the night. All knew that Mar was one who hated the twins above all else.
It was no surprise that he would have left. It was more of a surprise that out of all the clan packs. Only Silver tongues sixth clan pack, and Black paws own thirteenth clan pack was left remaining. Out of there pack two were selected to hunt out the twins and bring them back before the Wulfen gods and there wise counsel.
It was finally time to find those two humans who were part wolf and bring them back into the fold of the clan packs. Time for the clan packs to become whole again. To hunt the night without fear of human or there grounds. It was time for the wolves to become one with there old friends.
