Aurendel - Strays

The wolf sat up straighter, folded its hands, and took a deep breath. Its eyes half closed in concentration. When it spoke, instead of its habitual soft, low tones its voice was clear and ringing.

"Know, O man, that I am the Packsinger of Darkfrost, third in status in my pack. I learned my craft from my granduncle, a masterhowler, now dead.

"Now it happened on a certain day in the last moon, that one came to the North Forest bearing great tidings to all wolves. For in the Fourth Kingdom, the evil queen, heir to the powers of Snow White's stepmother, had ‘scaped her prison and sought to rule o'er all the Nine Kingdoms. But her wicked plans were overthrown by the Four Who Saved the Nine Kingdoms, the good King Wendell, Anthony the Valiant, Virginia the Fair, and the half-wolf son of Greyson's packleader.

"And King Wendell took back the throne of the Fourth Kingdom which the evil queen had usurped, and he greatly honored the other three for their noble service. And he made a royal proclamation, that all wolves of his kingdom should receive his pardon, and should be blessed rather than cursed, for the sake of the son of Greyson who had broken the foul enchantment that the evil queen had placed upon the king.

"Now, the words of the messenger the Darkfrost pack laughed to scorn, for who ever heard of a king of men who would be a friend to wolves? But he swore by his tail that he spoke truly.

"Then was the packleader of Darkfrost troubled in mind, and he spoke his thought. ‘Swear it as thou wilt,' said he to the messenger, ‘yet thou mayst be deceived. The bait must be sweet indeed that would lure a wolf into a trap.'

"Then followed murmurings in the pack, some saying ‘yea,' some saying ‘nay,' and some saying ‘perhaps.' But one spoke up. ‘Revered packleader,' he said. ‘By thy leave will I go and see these things of which the messenger speaks, that we may know the truth or falsehood of them.'

"The packleader said, ‘How shall I send thee or give thee leave to go, knowing the pack is small, and thy strength is needed here?'

"Then the pack took counsel, and weighed the risk of the venture to the gain that might be. For the North Forest is a harsh haven for wolfish exiles, and the pack had dwindled. If they might remove to more temperate climes, nigher unto other packs, they might know increase. And so it was decided that he who spoke should be sent, despite the danger, for the need was great, and the hope bright.

"Yet though the pack's need came first, he they sent had another thought. For it was in his mind that his quest should teach him the full account of the deeds of the son of Greyson. This tale should he set to song, and chant it in the singing competition at the great Midsummer Pack Council. With this lay should the packsinger win much honor for Darkfrost and himself.

“So with heart high for adventure he set out on his journey. He avoided the towns and fields of men, traveling by night through woods and meadows. When he crossed the border from the Eighth Kingdom to the Fourth, he beheld the Disenchanted Forest, a place long known for peril. Yet the words of the messenger rang in his ears, urging him forward, under the trees. As he entered the forest, he thought he heard footsteps following.

“The packsinger slipped silently through long-leaved shadows. Still it seemed someone watched. Now, all the Nine Kingdoms know no tracker better than a wolf. Yet even the hunter may be hunted. To track is one thing, to lose a tracker another. Try as he might, the packsinger could not evade his unseen pursuer. Always it stayed downwind of him, always noiseless, but ever present. And the moon was nearing its full.

“For two nights and days the packsinger ran, never resting. He dared not stop to Change, lest the hunter catch up. Then came the rising of the full moon. Weary and hungry, his reason clouded by the moon’s influence, he made one misstep, and a trap closed on his ankle. He wrenched himself free as the pursuer attacked. It was a monstrous misshapen being, of scent unrecognizable and uncouth. In that instant, enraged by pain and maddened by the moon, he Changed, and knew no more.

“When the packsinger returned to himself, he knew not where he was, nor how he came there. And how this tale shall end remains to be revealed.”

The wolf fell silent. Jack was speechless. Consequently, they were both startled by the knock at the door.