Werewolf Knight 3, page 28
I didn’t know if he’d understand, but I pointed to the pile of twigs, and Casanova trotted away. I shrugged and went back to my pile when I heard a crash right next to me a few minutes later. I looked up and saw that Casanova had dropped not two or three, but a giant pile of about ten pieces of wood in front of me.
“Oh, hell yeah,” I said and scratched the direwolf behind his ear. “That big mouth and those sharp teeth are good for more than just warding off enemies.”
The direwolf smiled and panted, and then a large glob of drool dripped to the ground near his feet. But the puddle was soon hidden by the mist that was now turning into a thick fog.
“Shit,” I muttered and quickly finished my cone of twigs.
At least I had the dried orange peels, which would make it easier to start the fire. I found a couple of small, dry branches in the pile, and then started to recite the prayer while I struck the twigs together. I felt a kind of electricity race from the top of my head to the bottom of my spine as I chanted, and I knew the fire would be burning bright in no time.
“Levis arma deam, levis arma deam…”
At first, there was just a thin layer of smoke, but as I continued to roll the twigs together, a few sparks appeared. I quickly placed the twigs in the firepit and added some dry bark as kindling. The blaze started to spread to the other branches, and soon, I had a real campfire going.
When I finally looked up from the flames, I saw that the forest was shrouded in the fog, and I could barely see ten feet ahead of me. The only things I could see were the fire and Casanova’s bright eyes staring up at me appreciatively. The rest of the forest was just a blur of fuzzy shapes.
“You hungry, boy?” I asked Casanova, and he started salivating.
I knew I had the soup from Sybil, but my instincts were telling me that I wanted something more. I had Casanova by my side, a fire roaring, and super wolf senses, so why did I want to sit here with a bowl of soup?
“Hey Casanova,” I asked my direwolf, and his black ears perked up. “Want to try hunting?”
Casanova started panting even more, and he was on his feet in a flash. Even though he was well cared for on the estate, the wolf instincts were still strong in him, just like they were in me.
My pup was ready to go, and I knew the only way I could match his hunting skills was to go full wolf as well. So I shook my head and pictured myself as a wolf.
I hadn’t transformed into the wolf in some time, so the pull and tug of the muscles felt odd, but as I fell forward onto my hands, the giant paws of a direwolf appeared, and I could feel the soil beneath my pads.
The world was more vibrant when seen through the eyes of a wolf, and everything had a glow, like a life force that ran through the world. I could even see heat trails where animals had recently passed, and shapes that had looked like blurry lumps in my hybrid form were suddenly clear.
Casanova came eye to eye with me, and we both panted in agreement.
It was time for a hunt.
Chapter 17
For a moment, we stood in the deep woods and drank in all the smells and sounds. With my direwolf senses, I could almost feel every living thing in the forest, and for a moment, it nearly overwhelmed me.
But then I heard something rustling around in some nearby shrubs, and I blocked out everything else. I glanced at Casanova, who actually nodded, and the two of us padded quietly toward the sounds. As we got closer, I could see several shapes that were close to the ground, had a fast heartbeat, and twitched their noses as they moved.
They were rabbits.
I’d always had a fondness for bunnies, but this was the animal kingdom now. I needed fuel, and I had the energy to use my wolfish wiles to hunt tonight. Tomorrow I could be injured and have to use the provisions Sybil had packed for me, so this was a matter of smart planning.
The rabbits were about five yards away, and from their perspective, we were hidden behind a tree. It would only take one big leap to get to them and take them out.
I shot Casanova a look, and the big dog nodded. It was amazing to be able to communicate in this way without saying a single word. I felt more connected to my direwolf than ever.
The rabbits stood up as if they had sensed danger, but we were out of their sight and downwind. After a few seconds, the small furry animals went back to their foraging.
Casanova and I crouched down, and I could feel the energy build inside me. As a human, I’d have to count to three or something, but none of that was necessary with the link.
We remained frozen in place as we waited for the perfect moment, and then something inside me told me it was time to pounce. Casanova and I flew through the air together, though all of our senses were locked on our prey.
The rabbits never stood a chance. My canines dug into soft fur and then cracked through the skull before my target even had time to register that I was there. It was as easy as biting into an apple, and just as delicious.
I hit the ground lightly, and I flung the head of the rabbit from my mouth into a far corner of the woods. I didn’t want to look at it, and it wasn’t like I was going to eat the head anyway.
I looked down at the headless rabbit beneath me, and I was pretty impressed with my handiwork. I could cook it, but the wolf side of me didn’t want to wait that long to enjoy the meal.
Casanova was already devouring his catch, and he barely looked at me as he crunched through the bones. Part of me was repulsed, but the wolf in me wanted to do this. It felt right, and since I’d never eaten in my great wolf form before, I decided it was time to try something new.
I threw my head back, let out a howl, and then bit into the rabbit. My sharp teeth tore into the flesh like it was nothing more than a McNugget. I was surprised to find that I barely noticed the fur or gristle in my mouth. Instead, it tasted like I was consuming raw energy, which I would need plenty of to complete my quest.
I licked my lips as I swallowed down the last of the rabbit. I felt sated in a way that I never had in my human form. It was like all of my senses were completely replenished, like I’d eaten fuel instead of just another meal.
Casanova and I turned around and trotted back to the fire. By now it was roaring pretty nicely, and I knew that the both of us would be warm for the night.
When we reached the firepit, I brushed the ground to alert Casanova that I was going to change back now. The black direwolf nodded in response, and I knew that he understood.
I rose up on my hind legs and imagined myself in my human form. Before I knew it, I could see the shadow of my human self against the fire pit.
“You’ve been great, Casanova,” I said to the direwolf, and I patted him on the head.
He nuzzled my side before curling up in a giant ball right by the entrance to the shelter. He glanced up at me for a moment, and then turned his gaze toward the trees. His ears flicked as he listened to the sounds of the night, and I felt a pang of disappointment that I couldn’t listen with him.
But I needed sleep if I wanted to reach the lake the next day, so I climbed over the big, furry mass and crawled into the small shelter. It was tight, but I knew that I would be comfortable. The soil beneath me was soft and springy, and I was warm from the fire and the massive direwolf protecting me.
I felt my eyes grow heavy as images of the Moon Goddess swirled around in my head. I was lulled asleep by a dreamy vision of the white-robed woman dancing with a sword. I watched as she twirled it around and drew pictures over the dark sky, and I tried to remember each image because it seemed important. But at the end of her dance, she thrust the sword straight at me, and I awoke with a start.
The images from the dream faded away and left me with just the gray light of dawn. It was still early, but we had a long trip ahead, and I didn’t want to arrive too late to set up a camp. So I sighed, stretched as best as I could inside my shelter, and then crawled outside to greet the day.
There were some ashes in the fire pit, and a thin layer of frost on the ground, but there was no sign of the direwolf that was supposed to be on guard duty.
“Casanova,” I yelled, and I heard some rustling in the bushes.
Sure enough, the massive direwolf trotted over from behind some bushes and started to wag his tail so vigorously that the soggy leaves around him flew off the ground.
“Hey, boy,” I said with a laugh, and I patted him on the head. “You about ready to go?”
The direwolf snorted in agreement, so I walked back over to my shelter. After a moment, I decided there wasn’t a need to leave the shelter in place, so I shifted into my hybrid form, tugged on the ridge pole, and watched the rest of the sticks tumble to the ground.
I grabbed my bundle from the pile of wood and then whistled for Casanova. The direwolf trotted over, and I fastened the bundle back in place before I placed the reins around his head.
“Let me check the map before we leave,” I said as the pup pawed at the ground.
I pulled out Tabitha’s maps and checked our route. We would be heading north for most of the journey, and if we traveled as quickly as we had the day before, we’d reach the end of the forest before nightfall.
The sky was just starting to turn orange as I tucked the maps away and then swung my legs over the big direwolf’s back. Once my hands were firmly wrapped around the reins and I felt secure, I gave Casanova a nudge to move forward.
That rabbit must’ve had some secret sauce in it, because the direwolf reared back on his hind legs and hit the ground with an impressive force.
And then we were off.
Casanova picked up speed until his motions were so smooth, it felt like we were flying. The wind whistled in my ears, and cold air nipped at the tip of my nose, but I barely noticed.
The sun rose higher in the sky, and Casanova sprinted through the woodlands like it was a grassy field. There were no leaves on the trees, so the sun blazed down on us, and I actually started to feel warm enough to sweat. We passed a small creek, and though it was tempting to stop, I knew we were both anxious to reach the lake.
So we kept going, deeper and higher into the forest. I found myself replaying what I would need to do, from finding the citrus berries to shaping and sanding my moon silver. But the thing I was most curious about was the hilt that Charles had picked out for me.
I would be carrying this sword for the rest of my life as a Lupercalian knight, and that meant that I would also be carrying a piece of Charles’ friendship with me wherever I went. He’d been there for me from the first moment that I’d landed in Lupercalia, and now he was helping me through the next step of getting my moon sword.
I was trying to picture what my sword would look like when I realized that the scents had changed. I glanced at the sky and saw that the sun had started to dip low, so the fresh water I could now smell had to be Lake Perig.
There wasn’t much sunlight left in the day, but the lake smell was growing stronger with each long stride. There were other new scents as well, and the ground became sandier. Ferns appeared along the trail, and even a few flowers danced in the sunlight.
Casanova leaped over a few prickly bushes, and the path opened up to reveal the bright blue waters of a large glacial lake. The direwolf came to a stop before I could even tug on the reins, and the two of us simply stared at the vast body of water that stretched out before us.
Lake Perig. We were here.
“Good boy,” I whispered to the direwolf, and I gave him a scratch on the head. “You were so fast. You’re really shaping up to be the best direwolf out there, Casanova.”
Casanova panted in appreciation, and I decided it was time to get started on a camp. I was getting into the rhythm of living in nature, and I felt like I was at one with the Lupercalian woods. Maybe this was why surviving in the forest was such an important part to the next step of Lupercalian knighthood. I felt more connected to the Moon Goddess’ land than ever.
Once I found my footing on the soft soil, I pulled the bundle from Casanova’s back and then removed the reins. While the direwolf went to get a drink, I found a good tree to use as a shelter and set my bundle against it.
I started my hunt for a ridge pole while Casanova started to collect sticks again. I laughed at the sight of the direwolf with a mouthful of twigs and branches, but I was also impressed that the big dog knew exactly what to do now.
Thanks to Casanova, I soon had enough pieces to build my shelter for the night. It took less time than it had the night before, so I got to work on the fire while there was still a bit of sunlight in the sky.
I started to build my little cone when I felt a chill drill through my armor down my spine. I was used to being cold, but this felt different. Maybe it was just the specific type of frost in the forest, but I felt like the fur on my back was standing on end. I sat still for a moment and let my wolf senses take over, but all I could hear was Casanova as he hunted for more wood.
“Must be the lake,” I said. “This is a holy place, after all.”
A breeze blew across the lake then and ruffled the water, and with it came a sense of peace. The chill seemed to vanish, like the Moon Goddess was satisfied that I belonged in this place.
I took a deep breath, thanked the Moon Goddess for her blessing, and then started on the chore of creating the flames. I didn’t have much luck at first, but then I remembered that both Charles and Imelda had reminded me that the trip was as much about the power of prayer as it was about the sword.
“Moon Goddess,” I murmured. “Help me with this fire.”
Suddenly, the little pieces of wood I’d been striking lit up like matches. I quickly transferred them to the larger cone, which started to blossom from the twigs underneath.
Casanova came up to the fire and cast a large, wolf-shaped shadow. The sun was almost completely down, and I felt like everything was perfectly timed.
I had a fire going and my camp set up, but the weird cold feeling that I’d gotten earlier was back. I still felt like my fur was standing on edge.
I looked over to Casanova, who seemed wary as well. This area of the woods definitely felt different than last night’s stop, and the brief moment of grace I’d felt had vanished. Every wolf instinct was on the alert, and I knew better than to ignore them.
I made my way over to the shelter to get a few provisions from the bundle when I heard a twig snap nearby. The sound echoed in the quiet of the woods, and something about the silence that followed felt very wrong.
I didn’t even realize I’d shifted into my great wolf form until I heard myself growl. I was operating on instinct only, and that instinct was telling me that there was a real threat nearby.
I shot a look at Casanova, but a new shadow emerged from the dark of the woods before either of us could move.
The first thing I saw was two glowing, green eyes and yellow teeth that must’ve been about half a foot long. The creature stepped into the light of the fire, and for the first time, I had a good look at what had set off all my mental alarms.
It looked like an oversized black bear that had been infected with rabies. The body was emaciated, and the skin barely stretched over its ribs. Tufts of black fur emerged from the top of the creature’s crusty head and on top of his paws, but he looked absolutely terrible.
Still, the animal was fucking massive, and I finally understood why Charles had kept telling me that this was a dangerous place to be. I also understood that wolves weren’t the only ones that had larger, angrier versions than the ones I knew.
Even without a local there to tell me what I was looking at, I knew this was a direbear.
And though there were two of us, this thing was absolutely fucking terrifying.
I pawed at the ground and gnashed my teeth at the fucker, but he kept emerging from the dark. My human brain was telling me it was time to leave, but my wolf instincts forced me forward. I snarled at the interloper and gave him a nice view of my very long, very sharp teeth.
The bear, however, didn’t seem intimidated. A drop of yellow drool fell from the direbear’s giant tooth and left a sticky puddle in the dirt. The smell of rotten flesh drifted our way as the bear opened its mouth and roared, and the strange sound sent a shiver down my spine.
But my wolf instincts were still in charge, and I knew that if I turned and ran, the bear would see that as weakness and attack. There was only one thing to do, and that was stand my ground. I could feel the tension along my back legs as I prepared to launch my attack, but the bear made its own move first.
The beast reared up on its hind legs so that we had a view of the matted fur along its ribcage. It reached out with its front paws and tried to swipe at us with its claws. There was just enough time to register that the claws were yellowed with age but still sharp before Casanova and I had to duck out of the way.
As I came to my feet, I realized that Casanova was already on the attack. My pup was already lunging toward the bear, and when the bear tried to smash him with its front paw, Casanova leaped over the bear’s forelimb and struck the bear’s face with his own claws even as he gnashed his teeth in the bear’s face.
A heavy line of blood dribbled across the bear’s face, and it hissed as it jerked away from Casanova’s snapping jaws. The bear took another swipe at the direwolf, and this time, the bear managed to knock my wolf to the ground.
That was about all I could take, and I started to charge toward the bear as Casanova climbed back to his feet. My direwolf managed to grab onto the bear’s wrist before the bear could land another blow, and the bear lifted its muzzle toward the sky and let out an eerie roar, and I stopped in my tracks.
And a moment later, something responded.
I figured we were now potentially facing two dire bears, so I tried to send Casanova a message to back up so we could plan our next move. The pup let go of the bear and started to back away, and I lunged forward to protect my wolf’s flank from the bear’s claws.
Casanova and I backed away as we waited for the second dire bear to appear. But it never did.
Instead, what emerged from the darkness was something that looked like a fifteen-foot lion, though it must have been a female because there was no mane. The big cat grabbed the bear around the neck as the wounded animal tried to stand up, and the lion’s foot-and-a-half-long fangs must have pierced a vein, because blood began to spill across the ground.
