The stars shone brightly, filling the cloudless night
sky with a patchwork of patterns, which drew the eye ever on from one point
to the next. A peaceful calm had settled upon the valley with a thin
fog lying near the ground that shrouded the young man's feet from view
if he were to look down. The young man who traveled the road that
night was awed by the stillness, in the city where he had grown up, even
in the nights there could be found the noises of a smithy working late
in his forges. Or the sound a carts wheels creaking under the load
that it carried into the large town.
In the vast darkness with only the stars to
look at the young man felt more alone then he had ever felt before.
Lost in a see of white clouds it seemed that he was traversing across the
very heavens themselves. His thoughts often returned to his home
many leagues away in the far distant hills now lost from view beyond the
entrance of the valley. His family and former life now lay behind
him, not that e had left in the good graces of his father or mother, or
that there had ever been much love between them. Still, they were
his family, and no one else’s. More often than anything else his
thoughts returned to the young woman he had had his eye upon for years
but never had worked up enough courage to tell her. Another memory
of regret from his past that he hoped he could eventually erase.
He gave a small sigh and picked up his pace.
He had been hoping to clear the valley get into the flat open grasslands
that lay beyond by morning but if he kept staring like a country bumpkin
he would never make it. The wind began to pick up as he walked blowing
the loose dirt into his eyes. He had to squint and duck his head
to be able to see. As the wind picked up so did the sounds of howling
wolves which grew steadily closer. Dark clouds rolled in blocking
out the light of the moon and stars. The storm moved in faster than
anything the young man had ever seen and with the swift blowing wind came
the ever closer sounds of the wolves.
He moved at almost a run now his eyes searching
for a place where he could take shelter. Fat raindrops fell straight
down upon him with a force that left small imprints in the dry earth where
they hit. Thunder rolled across the sky and the voices of the wolves had
grown in number and strength. Soon it was an all out downpour but
surrounded by the steep green walls of the valley he could find no place
to hide from the weather and wild animals. With a great thunder clap
the shook the ground, lightning streaked towards the ground. In that
bright flash of light he saw three of the wolves he had heard seconds ago
their eyes locked intently upon him. They were there and gone in
a second but that second was more than enough to put a fear in the young
man like he had never felt before.
He froze where he stood not sure what to do.
Another bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating the sky to reveal not three
but six wolves standing and watching. Another flash revealed more
wolves and still more with the next. As soon as it had come the storm
left, leaving the young man scared to death frozen in place like a statue.
There was only a low growl before the pounce and after that only darkness.
