Fangs (Chapter 10)

The grass hissed in the wind, a low rustling, soothing noise, green strands flashing in the morning sun. On one side I could see my village on the other loomed the forest that was now my home. I caught the scent of a human and found him lying in the grass nearby. Hungrily I crept closer, the human saw me and smiled.1

I pounced on him, pinning him to the ground. He didn't seem to care. I ran my hands over his skin, feeling his soft juicy flesh, my stomach growled and I felt myself begin to drool. He laughed as my saliva splashed onto his clothes, I wondered if he really didn't know what was about to happen.2

I changed back to wolf form, expecting cries of alarm instead I felt him gently running his hands through my fur. I placed a paw against his neck and felt the steady throb of his pulse, how to kill him? So many choices, it would be more fun if he was scared though. I removed my paw from his neck and placed it against his side, digging the claws through clothes and flesh. I dragged both front paws down his body, leaving gaping tears in his flesh, laughing as he screamed.3

The green meadow, the sunlight and the village all dissolved, the smell of blood and the screaming did not. I was in wolf form, it was night, we were overlooking Calton, I was lying ontop of Talin.4

Talin struggled to escape, the smell of his blood was overwhelming. Opening my mouth I lunged for his throat. I stopped, my fangs less than an inch from Talin's neck, for a second I was indecisive but I was not going to kill Talin. Standing up I tried to pull him to his feet, he let out a muffled moan and went limp. He was losing a lot of blood and needed help fast.5

With Talin draped over a shoulder I stumbled down towards Calton. Doubt writhed through my mind; would Talin survive? Would he blame me? Was this my fault? As I approached the gate another more important question occurred to me. Would I be able to find help? It was night and the guards at the gate would be looking out for monsters. How would I explain Talin's wounds? I struggled to think of a plausible story then groaned, moonlight. There was no way I could get past the guards with glowing eyes.6

I let out a low angry growl, I was not going to give up, I would not let Talin die, there had to be another way in. I glanced around searching for some other entrance and caught a glimmer of light. A small house, set apart from Calton and outside its walls, for a moment I couldn't believe it was there, how could anyone survive outside a settlement? Then I realised who must live there, the witch.7

Reluctant and fearful I crept towards the building, bitterly remembering how desperately I had wanted to be human when I had first realised it was possible, now it seemed like the worst thing imaginable. No, second worst thing, the worst was Talin's death, and to prevent that I knew I had to see the witch, even if it meant losing my freedom.8

All to soon I had reached the door, I didn't pause to knock just opened it and dragged myself and Talin in.9

In one corner of the room a fire burned in a hearth, casting a flickering light on the room, I glanced round, every wall was covered in shelves most holding books, at the far wall a boy was sitting at a desk, quill poised over an open book, he was strangely dressed and wearing a thick red band round his neck. 10

He placed the quill down and stared at us, “Please, we need help, can we see the witch?” I stumbled over the words desperately. He frowned slightly, eyes fixed on Talin.11

“I will try to help, let me see your friend.” He got up and came towards us.12

“Wait. The girl is a werewolf” fear flooded through me, someone knew what I was, I was trapped, I searched the room desperately trying to identify the speaker. “The boy's wounds were made by something with claws.” 13

I stared at the boy and realised what was speaking. Wrapped round his neck was a small dragon.14

Dragon. I shivered, I had heard enough stories of there kind to know how dangerous it was, size meant nothing, a dragon's strength was its intelligence. Nothing else came close to being able to outwit a dragon, if it wanted to kill me it would find away.15

The boy watched me suspiciously “I don't trust you, but I will still help you. Stand over there if you want me to help your friend.” I moved to where he was pointing and watched as he knelt beside Talin and began to examine his injuries.16

He paused for a few seconds then turned and spoke rapidly to the dragon. The dragon nodded, jumped of his neck and went into another room. I backed into the corner, the boy could command dragons, I struggled to breath, I wasn't going to get out alive. I crouched down hoping if I could make myself small enough I might be able to slip away unharmed.17

“... over here.” I jolted in terror. He was speaking, to me, and I had missed what he had said. I stood up and stared in his direction, trying to be brave but unable to stop shaking. He frowned at me, “Well, come and help” he gestured to Talin and I stumbled forward and helped carry him him into another room.18

I laid Talin on the bed and removed the shreds that remained of his shirt, then stood nervously shifting from foot to foot. I watched the boy, the witch I suppose, healing Talin. Eventually he stopped, apparently satisfied that whatever he had been doing was finished.19

Relaxing slightly he turned to me, I froze, trembling under his gaze. “You seem harmless enough, I'm sorry for my previous lack of trust but of the six werewolves I have met all but you and one other have tried to kill me. Still that is not a fair reason for me to be suspicious of you.”20

I smiled slightly feeling a little less scared but still cautious, still I managed to gather the courage to speak “Is Talin alright?” I dreaded the answer. How badly had I hurt him? Would he still trust me? Not very likely. What would I say to him when he recovered? If he recovered? I shoved the last though away, I wasn't ready to even consider that.21

“He's fine,” For the first time a suggestion of a smile flash across the human's face, “He just needs some sleep now.” relief flooded through me, draining away the tension and fear that had been keeping me going. I was suddenly very tired.22

It must have shown “You can sleep here for a day, I doubt you would be welcome in the village” to my surprise it was not the witch speaking but the dragon. I nodded gratefully and the witch began to make a bed on the floor. “Now you can tell me what you are here for.”23

I stared at the dragon “I came to get help for Talin.”24

“No. You have both just arrived at Calton, I would have heard of you otherwise and, your friend could not have travelled far with those wounds, so he was hurt nearby, yet you knew we would be able to help you. You have clearly travelled from a nearby village to find us, therefore there must be some other reason for you being hear.” the dragon spoke calmly and slowly as if explaining to a child. I knew I was foolish to underestimate a dragon yet I had not expected it to be able to deduce so much merely from the fact that Talin had been injured.25

Deciding more attempts at deception would be very foolish and possibly dangerous “I came to get cured of Lycanthropy.” I admitted.26

“But your not sure you want to be?” it asked, I nodded.27

The witch stood up from the makeshift bed, “Well you don't have to worry about that until I know if I can cure you.”28

I looked at him “You can't cure Lycanthropy?” the thought off having come all this way for nothing made me wince.29

“I don't know yet, I've never had reason to try. As I said, the only werewolves I've met who haven't tried to kill me is you and one called Sralk and he didn't want to be cured.” I blinked at Sralk's name, surprised both by this sudden mention and at his apparent friendship with the witch. “You should get some sleep now, and don't worry, if I can find a cure I won't force you to take it and if I can't then your spared having to make the choice.”30

With another faint smile he left the room and the dragon followed. I hesitated, then quickly undressed, blew out all the candles and got into bed. It was dark and quiet, but I could hear faint noises from the other room and the sound of Talin breathing. I felt safe safer than I had in a long time, possibly safer than I had felt in my life. I was warm and comfortable, I shifted to wolf and was asleep in minuets.