The Dark Ages of Wolves

Help Us

"Good morning, don't ye look nice," Leonel greets me, but I make no comment. I don't have any words for him right now. "Come now, you will help thou with paperwork," Leonel decides, and he begins leading me through his home. It's not as large as Tristen's, but it's roomy enough. We pass by the living space, flowing with warmth from a burning fireplace. My eyes linger on the hot poker. With a good swing, Leonel would be knocked out, and I could make a run for it. I look back to Leonel, who hasn't noticed my falling behind. I catch up, following closely to the office. "Now, I'd like you to help sort my paperwork. I have important work helping Tristen run the place," Leonel informs me. I sigh in self-defeat. As much as I'd like to take off running, I also don't want to have to take a swing at Leonel. As much as I despise him for handing a mere child over to that terror, Adrianna, he hasn't been cruel toward me. The work he's providing is fair and honest, too.

"You know Tristen criticized me for bringing you to work for me," Leonel, "Says I should have left you to the kitchens. Unheard and unseen,"

"What do you do yourself?" I question.

"I work for the farm as the lead carpenter. And occasionally helping Tristen lead and organize teams when needed," he tells me, "and you, what did you do before?"

"I tailored clothing and craft blankets at a market in town," I answer, "It was simple work,"

"Simple work, it must have been quite difficult to make a living in town with the guardians always prowling about," Leonel mentions.

"I was, I suppose," I say with a simple shrug, keeping my eyes on my work before me. I can feel Leonel looking at me. What could he have to say now? "What is it?" I dare ask.

"Nothing important. I'm just wondering how you could give up a chance at an easier life. Tristen was fond of you at first sight. And you threw away that saving a wolf child, why?" Leonel inquires. I shrug honestly.

"I just feel it was wrong," I state.

"Which part? Being another one of Tristen's women or them beating the child?" Leonel asks, and my head snaps in his direction. I don't know what startles me more, but my heart skips a beat. His knowing of Tristen's history like that or being one of the first to acknowledge Morgan as a child.

"Both," I answer.

"And when she grows up to be a killer?" Leonel suggests.

"I just feel it was wrong to beat a child," I state. He has a point, what if she grows to be a monster? Flashbacks to the village are surfacing. The stench of wastes in the street from the pots being dumped out. One particular day, while out at the market, we'd heard the most horrendous screams and snarling. No one spoke of it. We kept on going about our work and went home. But on that night home, I crossed that fateful ally in which the screaming came from. I stunk the worst of any street and was still wet with fresh blood. The wild dogs had come for the remains the wolf guardians had left behind. They didn't kill that woman for food. No, they killed her for kicks. One day, Morgan could grow to be like the wolf that killed her.

"Leonel," a man's voice calls, Tristen's, I think. Heavy boots are coming this way. He strides around the corner and sees me. His jaw tenses and his hazel eyes hold a hard stare. "To the kitchen. Leonel, a word," he adds. I look to Leonel, who gives me a nod, even flashes a fleeting weak smile. I take my leave and hurry off for the kitchen about the same time Arianna is on her way. And if there's Arianna, Jina can't be far.

"Come along now," Adrianna calls. She's across the yard yanking on Morgan's collar. Pressure hangs on my chest like a lead weight. There's a glaring bruise spreading across Morgan's cheek, and her lip is busted. Adrianna notices me watching and urges Morgan to hurry along behind her. All I can do is head into the kitchen and start fixing the dinner soup with the others.

"Must be nice," I mutter as I fill in the bowl. The dinnerware is lovely. I assume its things they've pirated from the villages. Something presses against my ankle. My feet go out from under me. The world spins. Dishes clatter and clank on the floor. Hot soup hits my hands and my face. The hall goes silent.

"Oh my!" Jina cries out, "What a clutz," Jina she giggles. Tristen scoffs, unable to hold back an amused chuckle. People around the room whisper and mutter amongst themselves. I blink at the world silent and dumbfounded. Leonel pops up, helping me out of the hot soup puddle.

"Go clean up," Leonel whispers by my ear. I nod fast and start for the bathroom. At that, the room fills with laughter. Tears start bubbling up. I cover my face with my hands, and I burst outside into the crisp night air. My face and my nose burns. Something is burning.

"Fire!" someone cries as they flee their quarters. Over yonder, where the trees meet the farmyard. First, the nose, and then the teeth within those massive jaws. A line of guardians is coming for the yard.

"Wolf!" cries lift up into the air, and the quiet peace is gone. Tristen is the first one out of the dining hall.

"Get back, get inside!" Tristen grabs me by the arm and yanks me back. Others fly back, rushing to meet the unwelcome guests. The barbaric warriors are quick to gear up. The heat and smoke are spreading fast. One cabin ignites and then the next. I bolt back inside, where everyone's huddled around in the corner of one room. Morgan sits in the abandoned kitchen, curled up in the corner. The wolf child cringes away from my hand.

"Morgan, we have to run, come on," I urge her along. I go to remove her collar, but she snaps at my fingers with her teeth! I rip my hand back. My hands shake, and I take in a deep breath. Gosh, my heart is racing! I bite my bottom lip. "Easy Morgan, I-I'm sorry," I murmur, reaching out again. Her bottom lip starts to tremble like she either might burst into tears, or she might snap at me. Her little nose crinkles. Moving slower, I finally drop the collar around her neck. It hits the ground with a solid thud. She jumps at the clank of a collar on the floor.

"Jade," she whispers, barely above a breath. Now how to get out of here? There it is again. The burning in my nose. I scoop up Morgan and rush for the hall. I swing the door open, and smoke pours into the kitchen. The tables and chairs have vanished in flames and smoke. I back off into the kitchen again with Morgan coughing in my ear. The ceiling begins to burn and turn black with smoke.

"Come on, please... AH!" I try for the window, and it burns my fingers. I back off, pacing about the only room in the dining hall, not a burning inferno. I set Morgan down, "HELP!" I call out, and the smoke burns down my throat. "SOMEBODY! THERE'S A CHILD... THERE'S A-...." And I choke hard. I gasp on dry, hot air. "Please..." I wheeze hard. Jade do something, you have to do something anything. I look to the window again and then my hands. All I have to do is bare it for a few seconds, and then I can get us both out of here. I ball up my fists. Suck it up, Jade! The glass cracks. Something's about to break in. "Oh, thank..." I murmur, but I'm running out of breath. I can't get enough air. I look up from the floor to the broken window. All I can make out are a pair of bright, shocking green eyes.