A.N.D. - Wolf Woods

Benjamin hid behind a tree as half the town paraded by, led triumphantly by Lord Anthony carrying that thrice-cursed baby. Why wasn’t it dead? It was supposed to be dead!

It was all going wrong, had been going wrong since he'd woken up with a pounding headache and many bruises. As usual, he didn’t really remember what had happened during the night, but the fact that Wolf’s corpse wasn’t anywhere near spoke for itself. He’d spent most of the morning hiding on the outskirts, trying to figure out which side was winning the wolf/human war so he’d know if he had to hide his tail or not. Lord Anthony’s meddling hadn’t been expected at all, and certainly not so soon.

Still, all was not lost yet. The war had begun, and a clever man like him could still nudge it in the right direction. Benjamin tucked his tail back down his pants and joined the mob.

Great Wolf’s status was built on never breaking that unearthly calm, but right now he was dancing like a puppy at the end of a leash as Lord Anthony came to the street. “The cub! The cub is all right!”

Lord Anthony huddled protectively over the fussing child. “All right is a relative term. I want a doctor, a healer, any kind of person who can take care of a baby, and I want them now.” He brushed a hand gently down the fussing baby and Benjamin gritted his teeth as he lifted the bundle. “PEOPLE OF THIS TOWN! WOLF IS INNOCENT! HE DIDN’T EAT THE BABY!”

“Maybe he sold it instead.” Benjamin was as startled as everyone else at what popped out of his mouth, but now that it was spoken, he’d go with his sudden inspiration. “There are lots of stories of people promising their firstborn child in return for some great favor.”

As he’d hoped, anti-wolf humans in the crowd picked up on his insinuation. “He must have made some deal with an evil elf or a witch or something!” “Yeah! How else could a mangy wolf be a hero?” “No way a wolf could do everything he’s supposed to have done!” “No wolf could stand up to the Evil Queen!”

“No... he wouldn’t... he didn’t have time...” Anthony spluttered.

“Is it true that he was talking to the Evil Queen during most of your journey and you never knew?” Benjamin drawled. Valiant my tail, this man is as clumsy an oaf as the stories say!

“That doesn’t mean he’d...”

“Was he with you the entire time? Can you be sure?” Captain Carew asked.

“There was the time after Kissingtown when he went off for a while but... This is insane! Wolf would never hurt Virginia or his child!”

“You’re going to have to prove that,” Captain Carew said, slightly sadly. “Otherwise, there will always be a doubt.”

Lord Anthony stared at the soldier for a moment, expressionless. Finally he said, “I will. And I’ll start right now.”

I wish I’d died in Little Lamb Village. I wish the Evil Queen had killed me with her poisons. I wish the Central Park robbers had shot me dead. Better to go then, before I knew how much there was to lose. Wolf sniffed, dragging a filthy sleeve across his face.

This jail wasn’t as dark and dank as Snow White Memorial Prison had been; it was only a little rural shire reeve’s office with four small cells intended for minor infractions, not a former fortress turned penitentiary. If he’d come here straight from SWMP, he’d have thought he was in paradise. But to be stuck here, fearing for his family, being unable to protect them-it was a torment unimaginably worse than anything they’d done to him before.

Wolf had fought as hard as he could, howling for help that never came. They’d overwhelmed him, hauling him away from his mate, refusing to look for his child. He’d trusted Edwina, why had she turned on him? He’d howled to the wolves, trying to call them to his aid, send them to protect Virginia, something, anything! But no one answered him. All he could hear was confused accounts of fighting or other calls for help, then Great One called for all the wolves to retreat to the woods.

He pulled his broken nose as straight as possible, settling into a routine of long, mournful, sobbing howls... just like he had the first time he’d spent hard time. Nothing else to do but worry, mourn, and watch the sunbeams from the tiny barred window crawl along the wall as time passed.

It must have been early afternoon when the door to the cellblock opened. Wolf rushed to the bars, babbling questions. “Leh me ou’! I di’n do nothin’! Wha’ ‘appen? Di’ you fin’ De’? Wha’ ‘appen Vuhginuh? Leh me ou’!”

Then his visitor stepped into the light and Wolf’s voice squeaked off in fear.

“Well, well, well, we meet again,” the Governor of Snow White Memorial Prison purred with lethal glee. “I came as soon as I heard the news.”

Wolf backed up, shaking his head frantically as the Governor approached his cell, until his frantic retreat was ended by the opposite wall of the cell.

“So much for the hero. You know that there’s already mounting pressure for King Wendell to rip up the pardon? How can any wolf be trusted if you can’t be trusted?” The amused tone ended abruptly as Hardleather grabbed the barred door, leaning in to hiss with vicious fury, “I could have told him that! It all went wrong when you came, you mangy beast! I should have killed you the moment you were handed over to me! It’s all you deserved!”

Something was trying to make itself heard through the gibbering fear in Wolf’s mind; something about the way that the Governor was moving... Yes! That was it! Eyes narrowing, voice dropping in challenge, Wolf leaned forward and asked in a conspiratorial prisoner-to-fellow-prisoner tone, “So. Wha’d they whip you for?”

There was very specific damage that was done to a back when it was whipped with a beanstalk, and it left traces in the way a man moved. Wolf ought to know; he’d seen enough examples. The only one with the authority to whip the prison governor was the king himself, and kings had a way of making those who offended him have to confess over and over again...

He’d guessed right. With a murderous expression of rage, Hardleather ground out between gritted teeth, “I misjudged and mistakenly punished Lord Anthony the Valiant. I have pledged to mend my naughty ways so that I may live happily ever after.”

Wolf’s momentary delight in watching his old nemesis humiliate himself disappeared into terror when the Governor rattled his cage again. “I hope you enjoyed that, Wolf! Because my face will be the last thing you see as I order you beaten to death for what you’ve done! How could you eat your own baby?”

“WHA’? I di’n’t! I coul’ nebah!”

“I’m supposed to believe that? You ended up in jail in the first place because you ate all the-”

“What are you doing here?” Tony’s voice broke up the confrontation. Hardleather started back, and Wolf turned eagerly.

There was a bundle in Tony’s arms! With his nose broken, Wolf couldn’t smell what was under the hastily-wrapped royal guardsman’s jacket, but it was baby-sized and seemed to be squirming a little. To Wolf’s intense frustration, Tony didn’t bring it closer, choosing instead to continue to scowl to Hardleather, who didn’t quite glare back. “What are you doing here?” he repeated.

“As soon as I heard the news, I knew I’d be needed. There will be executions and prison time for this.”

“For the ones who did it, yes,” Tony said cautiously.

“You can’t possibly pardon him for eating his own baby!”

Tony looked down at the bundle. “I don’t see any toothmarks on this kid.”

“De’! You foun’ De’! P’ease, p’ease, le’ me see hi’!”

Tony looked at him with a strange, wary expression that Wolf didn’t understand, but finally came near to the door. Wolf reached through the bars, cuddling his child as well as he could with the iron between them. Unable to speak clearly, he simply crooned as he lifted aside the overly embroidered lapel that had fallen over his son’s face.

Dell cooed at the sight and sound of his father, but Wolf froze at the sight of his battered face. After a horrible eternity, he ran a finger down the greenery wrapped around one hand. Dell squinched up his face and pulled the arm away. “Shhh, shhh, shhh, it’s all ri’, papa’s heah, it’s all ri’,” Wolf half sang, gently bouncing him. When he was sure that the baby wasn’t going to cry, he looked back up Tony.

“Who di’ this?” Wolf was amazed at how calm he sounded. Rage surged through him, changing his eyes to yellow, trying to trigger the transformation, but the hands that held his infant never shook even as the claws sprouted. He didn’t dare shout, not with the cub in his arms, so he growled intensely. “TE’ ME WHO! I’LL KI’ ‘EM! I! WI’! KI’! ‘EM!”

“Everyone says you did. Some say that you attacked him under the full moon. Others think you traded your firstborn for a magical favor. You didn’t did you?”

“Wha’-No!” Wolf pulled Dell closer to the bars, trying to protect him. “You don’ tink I’d...” He couldn’t even say it.

Tony watched him, his head cocked to one side. “No. No, I don’t think you did.” He stepped forward, reaching for Dell. “I wasn’t sure, but now I am.”

“This is ridiculous!” Hardleather blustered.

“Are you a father?” Tony asked.

“No. What does that have to do with anything? I’ve spent my whole life with criminals, I know one when I see one!”

“Well, I’ve spent a lot of my life being a father. I know how a caring parent reacts. I know what I’d do if someone hurt my kid.”

Tony, have you been to the house? Someone has hurt your kid! “Vuhgi’ia? Ha’ you see’ Vuhgi’uh? She would’n’ wa’ up!”

“All I know is she’s still alive. I’ve already sent a message to Wendell, asking him to send a royal magician to figure out what kind of spell she’s under.”

“Le’ me ou’! We fi’ ou’ togehthuh.”

Tony hesitated. “I don’t know.”

“Aftuh all we bee’ trew, you don’ truh me?”

“I don’t trust them! Someone out there is up to something awful. If you’re in here, I know you’re safe.”

“ I can’ prote’ my fam’ly fruh i’ here!”

“You didn’t do such a great job out there!” Tony suddenly snarled. “My daughter’s in a coma, my grandson was swallowed by a plant, and your sister is half dead! So much for your protection! Do you even remember what happened last night?”

“....no...” Wolf juggled Dell into a one-handed grip so he could paw miserably at his temple. “Fu’ moo’,” he whined.

Tony pried Wolf’s fingers off his son, taking Dell back. “While you were out baying at the moon, someone cursed Virginia and kidnapped your son. Next time you want to get in my face about doing things wrong, I want you to remember that your idea of protection isn’t that great.”

“Give Wolf to me, I promise that he won’t be in a position to let anyone else get hurt,” Hardleather offered.

“I don’t think so,” Tony said, and Wolf almost passed out in relief. “Open this door. We’ll fix this like we fixed Wendell’s curse-together.”