Chapter Text

Chapter one: Cruelty

            The Wolf ran through the white forest, weaving through the trees with a clumsy grace. Appearing to the trees as a greyish, blue blur. They were on all fours and running hard. The blizzard had made travel impossible, and had kept him away from home long enough. It was night, and freezing. But the blizzard died down enough for him to endure the cold for now.

            Thoughts raced through his mind. Questions of if his family was ok, and if they had been fine without him for the night. His mother was sick but fortunately was recovering slowly. The sickness she suffered from made her weak, and what little food they had left for the last weeks of winter was not enough to let her recover strongly. He had insisted on going to town early to sell what little supply of goods they had before spring. But he was late now, the storm ensured it. So he ran as hard as he could with little regard for how his lungs felt sore, or how his nose and mouth were freezing and dry. Or how his fur was slowly getting heavier with the snow fall.

            When he finally arrived, it was pitch black with the only light illuminating his path being the full moon. His eyes quickly adjusted as they dilated, hungry for light. He looked imposing in the darkness, a stark contrast to how he presented himself in the day. Here he could stand tall and proud. Without judgement for his massive size. Here it was a blessing that allowed his family stability through work, while outside the mountain it made him an unconscious threat to many.

            He was a grey wolf, born to a family of grey wolves, and towered over others of his kind. As such he saw before anything how dark his house was in the distance, as the head level fence was mere neck height for him. The lamps that should be burning were out, and an ominous silence filled the air. Then he smelled it. His elevated, even supernatural, sense of smell allowed him to pick up the faint hint of metal in the air. It was fresh, strong. It was blood. He dropped his pack.

            He ran to the house. His heart racing.

            His thoughts raced as he tried to rationalize what he smelled.

            “Someone must have cut themselves… ” Something, Something. There had to be a rational explanation. But his nose told him a hard reality. And the lack of any sound bolstered it into a blade that plunged deep into his heart and writhed like an ocean. His stomach threatened to expunge its contents, or maybe it fell deeper into a pit of sorrow. He couldn’t tell.

            Then he saw the blood. He saw how it stained the walls a repulsive red as it soaked into the wood. The smell of blood was all there was. All he could hear was a ringing now. He ran to the door and had nearly tripped as his whole body felt numb. The only thing that guided him was a want, a need to know what had happened.

            Throwing open the sliding door he immediately gave in to the sick feeling in his stomach. The door had held back the worst of it all, but now it was now laid bare to him. He let out a cry and ran to them as he wept and let the tears flow, but he didn’t scream. He just…fell to the floor. Letting it all wash over him. Inside he saw the dead bodies of those he called family laid out in fear, terror. Their blood staining everything and desecrating the place he called home. Turning it from a familiar and warm place into this cold, uncanny location. He picked up his mother’s and siblings’ hands hoping to feel something. Anything that told him they were still here, but nothing. He couldn’t bear to stay there long and stepped outside when he could finally walk again.

            Outside in the snow all he could do was stand there. He stared up at the stars and tried not to cry. Memories flooded his mind. Thoughts were a turbulent current that paralyzed him. He couldn’t think properly.

            He questioned if it was his fault. Whether it was because he was late that this gruesome fate had befallen his family. All he could do was ask question after question as the snow fell all around him. Despite his fur, he felt a cold that encompassed him and made him feel numb to everything. He wanted to fall, to give up. Curl into a ball and wake up to see them all breathing again. To hear their laughs. To see his siblings run around and wag their tails with a vigor that knocked objects off the table. He wanted to them smile. But now all he could see was the blood that surrounded them.

            He let out a scream. Something primal. Something that told a million stories, and he let it all out again. Tears stung his eye as the cold threatened to freeze them there, and his legs gave out. He sat there as the snow fell and built up on him, and cried.

            He didn’t know how long he had been there outside. The smell of blood a constant reminder of the nightmare he was living. Then he knocked out of it all as a hand lay upon his shoulder and grabbed him, hard. A bolt of pain was sent through him. And he was pulled up faster than he could react. He didn’t even hear them approach despite the snow that surrounded them.

            He was limp and weak. Moved only by the stranger in front of him. A strange creature that didn’t register as anything he knew. They were wearing a strange jacket that he had never seen before, and that was dyed the most peculiar color: pink. And they wore a hat that covered his face with a veil. Gnarly horns spiraled out of holes on top the hat and threatened to jam themselves into him. His horns looked like that of a gazelle, but his smell was that of a predator. A leopard.

            It was now that The Wolf noticed how his legs dangled in the air, but he was defeated. He felt like he was being examined. The stranger’s eyes boring into him, looking past his clothing, body, and form. He was looking deeper. At something that only he could see.

            Then he fell back on the ground, this time standing on his own two legs. And for the first time, he heard the stranger speak.

            “You are much different from those inside that disgusting hovel. I think you’ll do nicely.”

            At this, a rage consumed The Wolf. ‘How dare he disrespect the dead, his family?’ he thought.

            Then tried to push the stranger away. But he didn’t budge, rather he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. It burned, and he let out a cry, not of grief, but of agony. He looked down and the pain exploded throughout his body, It was worse then anything he had ever experienced before. His legs gave out but he didn’t fall. He was being held there by the stranger. He tried to fight back, tried to escape, tried to do anything but just accept this but he couldn’t do anything.

            He saw the stranger’s hand deep within his stomach. He felt it piercing through flesh and muscle. The stranger’s hand pulsated as something passed through it, and grew into a gross undulating mass that threatened to swallow his torso. He felt as a freezing sensation overtook him, so cold it burned. And the stranger looked on with apathy. The stranger was saying something, but The Wolf couldn’t hear him.

            Before long The Wolf was dropped on the ground unceremoniously. Laying there in the snow he felt nothing, and saw the stranger watch on as the world grew foggy. Looking down he saw his wound open and close with every breath. But the strangest thing was how white the snow was, and how his wound did not bleed despite its gaping size. He struggled to do something, anything as his breathing slowed. As he lay there, the stranger walked away, and all he could think in that  moment was…

            “Why can’t I hear my heart…”

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            The Wolf threw the pack over his shoulder and heaved it effortlessly. It was full of charcoal that he intended to sell. As he walked towards the house to say ‘bye’ to his mother he was ambushed by his siblings. Three grey wolves like him.

            “Come play Big Brother,” they laughed as they ran around in a circle around Legoshi’s legs.

            He smiled and said, “I can’t I have to sell this for mom.”

            A collective “Awww” followed, and their ears drooped. At this he kneeled down to them and put a hand on their head.

            “I promise, Next time I’ll play, and we can have all the fun you want.”

            “O-kayyy” they sighed

            And off again they went, chasing each other in a game. The Wolf slid open the door gently as not to startle his mother. She laid there on the floor. A rag on her head, and blankets laid over her. Her fur lacked sheen and was a dull grey, even white in some places. Legoshi walked over and kneeled next to her, taking her hand in his.

            “I’m going into town now mom, I want there to be enough food for you to recover strong.”

            She opened her eyes, and Legoshi saw her grey eyes. They looked at him gently and weakly she replied, “you don’t have to do that son. Just be strong for me.”

            “I can’t I want you to be better, I want to know you’ll get better, and food and medicine can help that.”

            “Ok, then… just don’t stay out too long. A storm is coming. And you know we need you… Legoshi” she said, a small cough escaped her mouth

            “Ok mom, I’ll be back soon. I promise.” Legoshi said as he gently laid her hand back down, covering it with blankets again.

            “I’ll see you soon…” said again as he closed the door.

            Outside he saw his siblings and called them over. Soon there were six little wolves in line called over by their big brother.

            “I want all of you to take care of mom, and make sure the fire is going for her, and that you all finish your chores.”

            They collectively agreed to his request and hugged him one by one. And slowly Legoshi walked away. Looking back one last time and waving back to his siblings as they all waved back.

            The path down the mountain was hard and often took several hours even on a good day. And today was no different. He ran through the trees on all fours, something he would never do when others were around but did when speed was essential. He weaved between trees and looked like a blur to the forest around. When he neared the city he slowed and walked on his feet. Inside he met many familiar faces, and sold his charcoal to those around.

            “Hey Legoshi, can you help?” was what he heard the rest of the day.

            On the way back it was already twilight, and the sun was a weak orange on the horizon, but even that was hard to see. A blizzard had hit the town, and he was trapped in it. The dim flames inside of lamps were the only thing guiding him through the streets. When he finally reached the outskirts of the town all he saw was pitch black. It was hard to see, the mountain he needed to go to wasn’t visible in the storm. His eyes stung from the cold, and his mouth was becoming dry with frost.

            “Over here!” someone yelled.

            Looking over he saw a door open. The yellow light spilling out and guiding him there. As he got closer he saw it was an older animal that he recognized. Another Canidae that had grown old, with his fur turning grey and white. He invited Legoshi inside and let him sit near the fire.

            “Thank you, sir.”

            “It’s no problem. You have helped plenty, its good to repay kindness…Sleep the night here. That storm is impossible to get through.” He said as he threw Legoshi a mat and blanket.

            “You don’t want demons to hunt you down…”

            “What do you mean?” Legoshi said.

            “I mean that there are dangerous things out there at night, made even worse by this storm.”

            “Am I safe here?”

            “Far from it, but it’s better than out there.”

            “Well, if it isn’t safe, then why don’t you move?”

            “Because the Slayers keep us safe, and let us worry about our normal problems…Now go to sleep, you’ll need to be well rested”

            Legoshi found it hard to rest that night. He listened to the wind howling outside. He kept remembering the old man’s words. ‘Demons…’ He pondered it. He never saw any demons, and had only heard stories about them from his mother. She always assured them they were safe inside with her. But…

            He cast those thoughts aside, and decided to worry about what he could see. The storm outside. After what felt like days the howling died down. Being quiet he looked outside through a window he slid open carefully. The storm had died down and it was a gentle snowfall now. He wanted to go home and make sure his family was safe. So he did.

            Being careful not to wake the old man he snuck out with all his stuff and made the trip back up the mountain. He was tired, but the pit in his stomach didn’t allow him to feel it. He travelled by moonlight. His eyes allowing him to see better than most as he slowly started a jog. Then a run. Then he dropped and began to sprint on all fours, tracing his way back home as fast as he could.