As demanded by the professor, the four young researchers made ready to depart the hotel by mid-morning. All of them felt trepidation about leaving the security of the several-storied wooden structure, which had provided them safety and security over the past days and nights. Knowing the community of wolves they were seeking were not only deadly to humans, generally, now there was an added fear. That their saliva was a toxic agent of transformation. Some strange genetic anomaly of nature, which had developed thousands, perhaps millions of years ago, when the two species—Man and wolf, shared and inhabited the same environment.
"How are you doing," Brad asked Crissa as they put on their backpacks and prepared to meet down stairs in the lobby.
"I'm just really scared, Brad. For what could happen to any of us out there. And I feel so terribly worried for David and Julie. What kind of life will they have now? If they even ever come back to us."
"Come on, Crissa. Get control of those fears now. I'll be here at your side. We're all going into a survival mode now. Can you feel it? And we're all capable of amazing strength. So are Julie and Dave. If you consider Lara's case. That she comes back to her family, we should see them again. And soon."
"Yes, but that's' only when the moon isn't . . ."
"Forget that for now, Crissa. They'll be back. We'll deal with it then. I just want to get us out of here . . . all of us. Back home where this bad dream never happened."
Crissa, tightened up the zipper on her light jacket and adjusted the straps of her backpack for hiking. She nodded to her friend and placed her hand on his shoulder in gratitude for simply being there and comforting her.
"So how is all this going to play out," Brad finally said, as they began down the stairs to the dining area. "I mean, this attraction you had for David and all. It's going to be sort of impossible now, huh?"
"Believe me Brad, I'm as confused as ever. I still think of him night and day."
The two made it down to meet with Mary and Josh who were also fully suited-up for the day of trekking into the woods. Both were quiet, as well, and seemed reticent to travel as were their friends to proceed. This overall reluctance was met head-on by the professor who suddenly bounded out of the hallway, fully equipped and carrying his rifle over his shoulder.
Brad met him in immediate protest to the weapon.
"Dr. Dekker, the rifle? I mean, our friends are out there now. And they could be easily confused with . . ."
"I know this, young man. But from what Horst has told me, the varkolak will not attack their fellow humans. Only the others are dangerous to mankind."
"But how will we know this for sure?" Brad insisted. "If a wolf charges any of us, how can you, in your conscience . . . shoot it?"
The others waited for his answer.
"Look. If we encounter their pack, I'm counting on all of you to make those observations today. Any of what we see and record is extremely valuable to the field we have entered."
He held up the rifle.
"I will only use this if it becomes absolutely necessary. We don't really know what portion of those species out there are varkolak or true wolves. But we must be prepared for the most serious encounter. As always."
The thought of David or Julie being shot as a wolf was but another element that made Crissa's knees weak. She stood around a table with the others, putting the bottled water and prepared food which Horst had provided them into their packs. After several quiet moments they all filed out behind the professor who walked vigorously along the village path leading along the river and up the mountainside. Once again, several of the village families stood on their balconies at the edge of the town, watching them in silence as the expedition moved along and eventually disappeared into the trees.
"Today, we'll spend most of our time at the perimeter of the large meadow up ahead," the professor said quietly and breathlessly as they walked. "Encroaching upon their dens has proven to be just too dangerous."
"He should have known that," Brad told Crissa angrily under his breath.
"If we're lucky, we'll see members of the wolf pack from afar. Sunning themselves or playing with their young in the grassy field. This late summer season they engage in these behaviors when not hunting."
Brad and Crissa continued to walk closely together, as did Mary and Josh, their older, more seasoned counterparts. After nearly an hour of hiking the group approached the perimeter of the treeless section in a valley between mountains and the professor cautioned everyone to move slowly and quietly to the edge.
Peering out into the clearing from behind a stand of large pine trees, there was surprisingly, a small group of gray wolves in the distance. Crissa held her breath at the sight.
"We are down wind of them," the professor excitedly whispered to the group. "They cannot smell us."
He quickly accessed his binoculars which were hanging about his neck, while Josh and Mary each pulled their field glasses out of their packs and peered across the expanse of green low brush and grass.
"Crissa . . . you and Brad get out your cameras as we get in closer. Use your telephoto lenses. Try to get some footage and stills of them."
The professor then motioned for everyone to get down on all fours and crawl along the edge of the meadow, moving gradually through the grass, deeper into it.
Soon the group was in a proximity of the seven or eight wolves to observe them. They were in a relaxed state. Two mothers, each with two cubs and a couple of males sitting and reclining near them. The males watching as sentries for the small group's protection. To Crissa, looking through her powerful camera, the animals looked content and accept for the young robust males, fairly harmless. She an Brad began to film video footage of the mother wolves nursing and playing gently with their young. Mary and Josh were also observing the serene moment of the wolf families during their quiet moment.
"Look! Look!" The professor whispered. "Off to the right!"
Everyone turned their gaze to the edge of the meadow as a large group of the gray creatures trotted into the area, soon joining the others. In this contingent of wolves were several larger males and an equal number of females, some eight creatures in all. The observers were suddenly now more nervous, not only by the size and menacing look of the larger and darker males, but of the sheer number of adult animals, comprising a dangerous pack. It was a contingent of wolves which could easily over take the five humans observing them, creating a veritable bloodbath and feeding frenzy if unfortunate fate dictated it.
Everyone's heart raced as the two groups of wolves coalesced into one and shockingly began walking in the direction of the researchers.
The professor, seeing a collision course was inevitable, dropped his binoculars and clutched his rifle, causing the four researchers to huddle together behind him.
"They're coming this way!" he whispered excitedly. "No one move. No one run!"
|In a matter of moments, the adult wolves with the four cubs trailing behind were indeed approaching the groups position, with a trajectory of eventual contact.
"Oh my God!" Crissa whispered, leaning closely against Brad's shoulder. Brad took out his knife and held it tightly, blade in the air. Mary and Josh were also now frozen behind the professor, who had his gun now pointed in the direction of the oncoming pack.
"Steady everyone. They're getting very close!" The professor then unexpectedly stood, making himself visible. He then shouted and fired his rifle into the air over the wolves' heads.
As if tactically, the pack went into action. The mother wolves herded their four cubs off to the left and ran them in the direction of the mountain and their dens. This left the eight to ten mature animals who stood their ground, waiting as if to assess their next action—defensive or aggressive.
Crissa and Brad held their breath as the wolves continued to move forward with heads down, stealthily, as in a hunt. The professor kept his stand and fired the rifle again into the air hoping to repel the wolves who were now ever nearer.
Two of the females turned and retreated, while the four of the large males and two braver females kept moving forward more quickly toward the group. They approached in a frighteningly determined manner. And seemed focused on an attack, possibly believing the professor was a lone human.
Realizing this perception, Brad and Josh instinctively stood up and began shouting on each side of the professor to make them as opponents appear more formidable. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, rather than retreating, the six large wolves charged at the three men standing while Crissa and Mary screamed cowered behind them, expecting a certain attack. The largest of the males came with lightening force at the professor and made an open jawed pass at him. Instead of firing at the animal, Dekker turned the rifle around and used it as a club. He swung hard, striking the wolf's shoulder with power, and causing it to cry out and recoil backward. The other three wolves took the deflected alpha male as a sign. That their attack would be fruitless if attempted. The leader and another wolf turned and trotted off toward the others, leaving just one of the males remaining and standing motionless before them.
Crissa looked up, stood and slowly moved from behind the three men. She stared at the male wolf, as it stared back at her. No one moved or spoke for several seconds. The professor held his rifle up, waiting to swing it again at this lingering lone animal. The wolf was not looking at the professor, but rather into the eyes of Crissa. The name 'David' was in her mind and ready to be called out but she was too mesmerized by the moment to utter it. All the others knew, too—instantly what quality this wolf had which set it apart from the others.
At that moment the wolf made several stark barks and put its head back, letting out a mournful howl. Crissa easily recognized these sounds to be the same as the male wolf which had viewed her from the roof the night before. Each member of the group had the same sensation—that they were in the presence of something other than the mere genus lupis.
As the trans-mutated wolf slowly lowered its head and looked once more into the eyes of Crissa, it turned and began to walk back toward the mountain. The astonished and relieved group, under the direction of the professor, safely made its way back to the village, having, as he said, fulfilled the objective of what they had come there to see.
* * *