The Crow and The Wolf

Chapter 9

You sooooo dont want to know how many times I edited this chapter before I said, "You know what F*ck it," and I stepped away from the keyboard, so I really hope you enjoyed this one.

9.

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People like to believe that werewolves are descended from lycanthropes, but others believe that they are completely separate species with comparable characteristics, much like a human and a monkey.

Lycanthropes and werewolves are descended from the hell hound, a primaeval beast banished from the gods' domain for its deformities and terrible ways, and supposed to have evolved in tandem with its surroundings.

That is what the Cruel-pelt Claws were taught; that the Moon Goddess, Artemis, felt sorry for this poor beast and took the hell hound's shadow and crafted a whole new species.

Lycanthropy.

It was to keep this hellhound company, and soon enough they evolved, but no one has ever seen the hellhound, but they regard it as the Moon's first.

Their wolves can not communicate with them, as human hunters believe. They do, however, find common ground to communicate. They are part beasts, part animals, and occasionally succumb to animalistic cravings. They solely interact with their human counterparts through their actions and feelings. They have their own minds, but it was uncommon to meet a man who was more beast than, well, a man.

She awoke in a dark room. The moon was clouded over, and she could smell a storm approaching. It was late, and she knew her mother would have been home by now, but all she could smell was her ghost of a scent, which told everyone that the house was her domain.

But something else lingered in the air, a familiar scent but still she was up from her bed and on the floor with a caution in her step. A shiver ran threw her spine as the wind outside echoed in the room, seeming to make the whole experience in the dark spooky.

She could smell the scent from downstairs and she could hear the intruders echoing footsteps in the house. Taking the last step she was practically standing at the foot of the kitchen entrance. She peeked inside and there she could see a hooded figure, moving from one drawer to the next in search of something. The figure's movements were slow and somehow sluggish, his weight was supported by one side of his body and she could hear the figure mumbling coherently to himself.

She knew exactly who it was.

"Mr Edgar," she said before switching on the kitchen light.

"Valeria?" he asked, surprised, "what are you doing in my house at this hour, child?"

Her eyes narrowed at the old man's question, and she shook her head,"Mr Edgar, your house is next door."

He stared at her before looking around the kitchen and exhaling in relief. "That would explain why I couldn't find the sugar," he chuckled again. "I wanted some tea."

He nodded, putting his hands in his pockets, and headed towards the door.

"You see, I had returned from my daughter's pack because she was giving birth—"

"I didn't know she was pregnant,"

He smiled with a small laugh, "Neither did I, but she gave birth to a magnificent baby boy."

He turned as he approached the door. "Anyway, I was with the Alpha, telling him about my visit, and I must have gotten confused on the way here," he said, his voice faded as he stared into space.

"I must depart now; good night, child."

"Wait, Mr Edgar, would you like some tea?" she said, smiling. "Oh yes, I could go for a cup; I'm pretty parched actually," she smiled as she walked back to the kitchen, his faint footsteps trailing behind her.

"My child, something is quite different about you," he said as he sat at the kitchen table. "Where's your wolf?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted gently, "I mean I can see her but she won't let me approach her."

Her steps waver and she shook her head, ignoring the way her heart dropped.

As she pulled the cups from the cupboard, she heard his sneer, "that is one of the most ludicrous things I have ever heard," his huff mingled with a laugh, and she imagined him shaking his head, "How long has this been going on?"

She sighed and closed her eyes before turning to meet his questioning gaze. "Since the bonfire Mr Edgar," she said as she sat across from him, "She's been quiet ever since and when I try to ask, she just shuts me out,"

"Well I'm sure she'll let you in child, just give her time," he said taking a sip from the teacup.

He placed it down and looked into my eyes, "You went to the bonfire, Elderman Marcus was telling one of his many stories?"

She shook her head, recalling all of her fantasies about a dark blue wolf that she had dreamt of that night, "Yes Mr Edgar," she said with a smile.

He scoffed, "That man thinks he knows war, he must ask me and I'll tell him,"

"Mr Edgar he's older than you, so he knows what he is talking about," she laughed lightly hearing him scoff again.

"Anyway, enough about that bafoon, I'm sure there's an explanation for your wolf's reluctance to join us,"

Silence filled the room lightly and she felt some sort of calm and peace that the old man was back and she had worried for no reason.

"Did I ever tell you the story of how I met my Doreen," she shook her head and heard him laugh, "quite a funny one actually."

"I met her down by the old well, it was late and I was doing the rounds. I wandered down there for some water only to find her there, seeming to be star gazing. When she realized that she wasn't alone, she didn't even seem to care, she said, 'Do what you want hunter, my stars are my life'" he sighed at the memory.

"I remember the way her voice made me feel and my wolf growled at her and when she turned, I swear Valeria, time stopped moving. There she was, my mate but it didn't last long because the next thing I know, there she was running away," he laughed and she joined him.

"I looked for her all night," he shook his head, "just to get home and discover her sitting on my couch eating my ginger biscuits."

He stared far away, remembering the experience before looking into hers. He took a sip of his tea and she mimicked his motion only to halt halfway, the smell of the tea banging on her head.

She pushed it aside and nodded, "Do you have a picture of your grandson?" He smiled at her before patting his jacket around his neck, "it's right here-"

His sentence was cut off by the door opening, her mother's scent wafts through the house, and Mr Edgar throws her an indecipherable look.

"Sometimes you expect a lot from someone because you'd do that much for them," he said quietly before leaping from his chair.

"We can finish this another day, crow," he smiled before nodding to her mother and exiting the house, and she followed him as she mulld over what he said, fully aware that, despite his best efforts, her mother most likely heard what he said.

"Valeria," her mother called to her.

She paused at the foot of the stairs, "Are you okay?"

She nodded slowly before climbing up the stairs, her feet moving on the floorboards toward her room.

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