Werewolf On A Train

Howling At The Wind

“Okay, so you knew what had happened, you could have stopped it, but you didn't?” Alene pinned the elf with her eyes.

Elkandruvel, ancient as he was, wilted before her. He shrunk back, hunched up his shoulder and hung his head. “Yes...” He swallowed. “That really is what happened. I... I can't expect you to forgive me, or to understand – and there's nothing I can do to make it right.”

Her blood boiled. She wanted to tear him limb from limb, claw his face off and rip his guts out. She wanted to, but she didn't. The part of her that was human was still stronger and wiser and it held the raging beast inside her back. Still – but for how much longer?

Eventually, her animal aspect would grew strong enough to force its will on her human self, and who knows what would happen then. The beast was mad, and it would drag her along in its madness. She'd become a danger to herself and to others. They'd have to put her down. Sometimes she hoped they would. The option would be to retire into solitude and die alone – a raving lunatic, howling at the moon.

“Alene, are you okay?”

She blinked a few times, her eyes blurry. “Yes... Yes, I'm fine... I'm okay.”

Elkandruvel released a long breath, and, as her eyes cleared, Alene saw him relax. “Good. You had me worried there for a while.” He forced himself to smile. “I wouldn't want to hurt you even more.”

Alene clenched her jaws as the rage threatened to surface again. “No. It's... I'll be fine. I just need a moment... I usually have better control than this.” She lifted her head and looked out the window. “Do you mind if I open up a bit. Let in some fresh air?”

“No, that's fine, go ahead. I don't mind.”

Alene stood up and pulled at the top of the window, cracking it open. Snow and fresh air rushed in. She pushed the window down all the way, the thrumming of the wind howling in her ears. She grabbed hold of the window and stuck her head out into the swirling snow outside the train.

The wind tore at her hair, snowflakes rushed against her and she squinted to see. She saw the car next in line and most of the one ahead of that, but beyond that the snow fell to thick and blocked out everything. The same with the valley below. The view that would have been so beautiful on a clear day simply wasn't there.

Fresh air rushed into her lungs and her eyes teared up against the wind – and not from rage. The best within her howled with joy. Speed! Wind! Cold! She stuck out her tongue to catch a snowflake and got her entire mouth filled with them within seconds. Spitting against the wind she got saliva on her face and even more snow in her mouth. She howled at the wind, living in the moment. She wanted to fly with the storm. Pulling at the edges of the window she dragged herself further up, her feet stepping up on the seat where she'd sat, and helping her push herself out the window.

Strong hands grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back into the train, dumping her on the floor.

“Have you completely lost your mind already?” Elkandruvel slammed the window shut and glared down at her. “Just because I should have killed your beast-kin off all those years ago does't mean I'm going to let you go and kill yourself off now.” He went back to his seat in the other corner of the coupe and sat down. “You still have a lot of life left to live if you set your mind to it.”