The Dark Ages of Wolves

Squabble

Jade:

"Miss Jade," someone's deep voice. I turn, expecting Eric only to find his brother, Chase, coming this way.

"Yes sir," I call back, my voice all too cheerful. He looks so much like Eric, but I have to keep in mind this isn't the kind-merciful wolf, Eric. This is just another one like them.

"Just what are you doing, lingering in the hallway?" Chase demands to know.

"Cleaning bedrooms," I state, my voice forward and direct. No, Chase doesn't share his brother's mercy for humans.

"Fine, but don't talk to me like that. I will not be spoken to so casually by a human," Chase declares, his brown eyes lightening with yellow flecks.

"Y-yes Sir," I blurt out, bowing respectfully. He storms past me, shoving past me so that I stumble. A pain snaps in my ankle. I gasp, clutching my ankle, as I rock back and forth. Inhaling a hiss of air, I try to hold back a cry of grief.

"Jade!" Hunter calls, "Come along, we're hunting." Leaning against the wall, I pick myself up. I brush off dust and dirt from my tunic while Lilly is leading the children from the playroom downstairs.

"Where might you be going?" one of the small children wonders.

"Hunting," Lily answers.

"Can we come!" they begin to whine and plead, following at her heels.

"No, but one day you will go hunting when you are ready," she promises, hugging the children before she leaves. I follow at a distance behind Lilly and Hunter. Their bodies shift partially, showing off their fangs and claws, their wolfish sides. The two, chatting casually, so at ease. We travel some distance away before they begin the hunt. Lilly perks up, her keen nose pointed toward the bushes. She crouches her hand against the Earth, and her ears twitching as her brown eyes shift yellow and focus. Hunter watches breathlessly as she shoots forward, her speed absurd. The rabbit dashes away. Lilly pushes harder, nearly on top of her prey. Her fangs snapping, she lands the kill the rabbit lies. I hurry to retrieve our prey in a large sack to carry back. I look from Lilly, to the rabbit, and to Hunter. This was such a clean, easy kill, not like Hunter's last one. She's not the savage they are. Lilly turns to me to carry her catch.

"You better not drop that," Hunter growls. His eyes narrow on me, his nose wrinkled as if he'd caught a bad scent.

"Ye-es S-sir," I stutter. I throat the bag over my shoulder and continue tagging along.

"You have such loyal servants. They're so polite," Lily comments, "Tell me, Miss Jade, is your work hard?" Lilly asks.

"I um-" I mutter.

"Don't be shy. Tell me, is it hard?" Lilly inquires.

"Sometimes, miss," I admit. My eyes flicker to Hunter, and he averts his eyes like I'm some sort of frightful monster.

"Lily, please don't bother talking to it," Hunter complains, "The humans are to serve and not be seen," he adds, and she makes a disappointed face.

"No, it's fine. Thank you, Miss Jade, for your services, that bag looks awfully heavy," Lilly notes.

"I most appreciate working for you, Miss Brook," I admit, beaming at her graciousness. Hunter shoots her a look when something else catches her attention. He takes off. Something off in the distance chitters, chatters, and cries out before it goes silent. Hunter returns with a raccoon, massacred bloody and torn to shreds. I load up the bag, but it's becoming heavy. I struggle and shift my weight, but it's too much, and I drop it.

"Did we ask you not to drop the bag?" Lilly inquires, her glowing face now like a stone. I blink, and my back hits the nearest tree.

"Wha-what are you doing," I wheeze, "I thought- I,"