ignite ➝ Doctor Who¹

XIII

"He's nothing like us. That creature is not mortal."
— Lady Isobel, Tooth and Claw

"The story goes back three hundred years. Every full moon, the howling rings through the valley. The next morning, livestock is found ripped apart and devoured." Reynolds laughed, unbelieving of it all. Penelope decided then and there that she couldn't stand the man and he would've been smacked into next week by now if not for how comfortable she was sitting with the Doctor's arm around her. He hadn't let go of her since they left the TARDIS and it was hard for Penelope to say she didn't like it.

"Tales like this just disguise the work of thieves. Steal a sheep and blame a wolf, simple as that."

"But sometimes a child goes missing. Once in a generation, a boy will vanish from his homestead." At this Penelope paid more attention, she had always been soft for little kids. She had always wanted to be a mother, but settled instead on being a good older cousin instead because she learned early on that no one was interested in her like that. The Doctor started talking and the vibrations of his voice against her arm from where she was leaning on him pulled her out of her head.

"Are there descriptions of the creature?"

"Oh, yes, Doctor. Drawings and wood carvings. And it's not merely a wolf. It's more than that. This is a man who becomes an animal."

"A werewolf?" Chills ran up Penelope's spine, causing her to shiver a little. The Doctor absentmindedly pressed a fleeting kiss to her head, focused on Robert. Robert had a small smile on his face, watching them both closely.

"I didn't mean to scare your wife, sir."

"Please, Mary isn't one to be scared away by a few tales of wolves."

"My father didn't treat it as a story. He said it was fact. He even claimed to have communed with the beast, to have learned its purpose. I should have listened. His work was hindered. He made enemies. There's a monastery in the Glen of Saint Catherine. The Brethren opposed my father's investigations." Penelope watched Father Angelo closely as he started to mouth something ineligible out the window, not trusting him in the slightest. The Queen continued to talk, unaware of the suspicions surrounding the Father behind her.

"Perhaps they thought his work ungodly." Robert nodded, eagerly, as if he reveled in the fact that someone was paying attention to his story.

"That's what I thought. But now I wonder. What if they had a different reason for wanting the story kept quiet? What if they turned from God and worshipped the wolf?" The Doctor leant forward, making sure to keep an eye on the Father, Penelope having told him about how nervous the pastor makes her.

"And what if they were with us right now?" There was suddenly a lot more attention on the man chanting at the window so Penelope stood up, causing the Doctor's arm to fall off of her. But he quickly stood as well, finally catching on. The Queen and her guard were up just behind them, not quite sure what's going on but knowing it isn't good.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Sorry your majesty, they've got my wife." Penelope started to feel bad for him until she realised that Rose hadn't come back. She grabbed hold of the Doctor's suit behind her as she started shouting at Angelo.

"Rose? Where's Rose? Where is she?" The Doctor pulled her hand away from bunching up his suit and he held her hand, starting to pull her out of the room. He leant down to her first, trying to calm her before addressing the room.

"She's okay, we'll find her. Sir Robert! Come on!" Despite his reassurance he still can't help but worry for his blonde companion.