Wolfsong, a twilight fanfic

Disclaimer: While the attempt has been made to be medically accurate, some artistic license has been taken, and statements made by Carlisle are not to be regarded as authoritative.

Do not post without permission. Do not copy/print without including the above disclaimer in its entirety.

October 2027

Winnie seven

Winnie

"And the wolf said…" the teacher read.

"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!" everyone else shouted. I didn't; I had accidentally turned two pages instead of one, and looking at me from the page of my book was a snarling wolf. I could see all its teeth; I could almost hear it growling as it seemed ready to jump out of the page at me. I was terrified of it, but I couldn't pull my eyes away.

"Winnie?" My teacher's voice pulled me back to the class.

"Huh?"

"I said to put away our books," she explained. "Are you all right?"

"Yes." I closed the book without looking at it again and shoved it into my desk where the wolf wouldn't get me.

We spent the rest of the class drawing pictures of the three little pigs. Normally I liked drawing, but today I didn't want to draw pigs for that wolf to eat. I was glad when the bell rang and I could leave the half-finished drawing on my desk.

Dom and I rode home on the school bus, and Momma met us at the bus stop. It was Friday, so Nicky and I had supper early, before Dad got home. I only ate half my supper, and let Dom have my cookie when he asked for it. "Are you feeling well, Winnie?" Momma asked.

"Yes; I'm just not hungry."

When Dad got home, Momma followed him into the bedroom where he changed clothes.

"We're going, Ness," he was saying firmly as they came back out. "She'll be fine with Esme…and the doc can check her over." He picked me up, and I wrapped my arms around his neck…Dad wouldn't let any wolves get me. "You all right, Pooh Bear?" he asked quietly.

I nodded against his shoulder.

Momma sighed and took Dom's hand to follow us out to Dad's Rabbit. It was a short drive to Uncle Carlisle and Aunt Esme's, and Dad carried me up the lane when we got there. Nicky ran ahead of us, shouting at the top of his lungs. Aunt Esme smiled as she opened the door and caught him in her arms. "Dommy! What's all the noise?"

"I'm a wild Indian! Hi-ya-ya!"

"Nicky," Dad chuckled; he really was an Indian. "Esme, Winnie's been quiet this afternoon; Nessie's afraid she might be coming down with something."

"Carlisle gets home at seven," Aunt Esme told him, reaching for my hand as Dad set me down. "I'll ask him to take a look at her." I pressed against her side, and she slipped her arm around me.

"Thanks." Dad eyed Dom sternly. "Dominic. You be good, you hear me?"

"Sure, Dad. Hi-ya-ya!"

Momma bent to hug me goodbye. "Do you want me to stay, Pooh Bear?" she whispered.

"Nessie…" Dad groaned.

Aunt Esme put a hand on Momma's shoulder. "You go on, Nessie; she's fine with me."

Momma sighed and kissed me quickly before turning away. Dad grabbed her hand, and she looked over her shoulder once as he pulled her out the door. Then they were gone.

Aunt Esme finally coaxed Dom to stop running around and sit on the floor to play a game with us. I curled against her side, her arm comforting around me.

Aunt Esme looked up as Uncle Carlisle came in, setting his medical bag on the table by the door. "Who's winning?" he asked with a smile.

"I am!" Dom exclaimed, jumping to his feet and running at Uncle Carlisle with a wild yell. "I'm an Indian, Uncle Carlisle. Hi-ya-ya!"

Uncle Carlisle laughed, catching Dom and swinging him upside down until his hair brushed the floor and he squealed with laughter. "You're an imp, is what you are, Nicky."

"Carlisle," Aunt Esme said softly, "Nessie's afraid Winnie might be coming down with something."

Uncle Carlisle instantly set Nicky on his feet and came to squat by my side, pressing his knuckles to my cheek. "She's not feverish," he murmured.

"Jacob says she's been unusually quiet this afternoon. Not like that one," she added, glancing smilingly at Dom.

Uncle Carlisle chuckled and stood, reaching a hand to me. "Come on, Pooh Bear."

I left Aunt Esme's side reluctantly, clinging to Uncle Carlisle's hand as he led me to his office. He lifted me up to sit on his desk, setting his bag beside me. "Does it hurt anywhere, Winnie?" he questioned.

"No."

"How about your stomach; do you feel sick at all?"

"Sort of," I mumbled; my stomach twisted in fear every time I closed my eyes and saw that wolf snarling at me.

oOo

"You know, I think you're fine, Pooh Bear," Uncle Carlisle said softly when he had checked me thoroughly. He bent to look into my eyes. "Want to tell me what's wrong?"

I held up my arms, and he scooped me up off the desk. "Nothing's wrong," I insisted, burying my face in his shoulder.

He sighed. "Winnie…"

I only burrowed more closely against him, feeling the movement as he carried me downstairs.

"I checked her over," he said quietly, sitting on the floor beside Aunt Esme. "She said she's a little sick to her stomach…but I honestly don't think anything's wrong; she's upset about something."

"Winnie, what is it?" Aunt Esme asked gently, laying a hand on my arm.

"Nothing," I mumbled.

"Here, Pooh Bear," Uncle Carlisle said softly. "Why don't you help me play?"

I squirmed around reluctantly, curling up in his lap as he sat crosslegged on the floor. I let him move the pieces, watching with half-hearted interest and not really caring if Dom won. I was safe in Uncle Carlisle's arms, anyway; he wouldn't let a wolf get me.

We played for another hour, and then it was time to get ready for bed. Aunt Esme came upstairs with me while Uncle Carlisle took Dommy to his room. We each had our own room at Uncle Carlisle's house, and we kept some of our clothes there instead of carrying them back and forth.

Aunt Esme unbraided my hair and gently brushed out the long curls. "Winnie, won't you tell me what's bothering you?"

"Nothing," I insisted. It was silly to be scared of a picture in a book; Dom was two years younger than me, and he wouldn't be scared of any picture. But that wolf looked so real…

Aunt Esme sighed and began braiding my hair again so it wouldn't tangle in the night. She got out my nightgown and clean underwear, and I quickly changed out of my clothes and got into bed. Aunt Esme pulled the covers up, making sure they were tucked firmly around me. "Good night, Pooh Bear," she said, kissing my forehead and turning out the light.

"Aunt Esme…?" I said hesitantly as she started to leave.

She turned back. "Yes?"

But I heard Uncle Carlisle's footsteps then, coming toward the room, and knew I wasn't going to be left alone just yet. "Just good night," I said quickly.

They passed each other in the doorway, and in the light from the hall I saw Uncle Carlisle steal a quick kiss from Aunt Esme's lips.

My bed shifted slightly as he sat on the edge. "Pooh Bear, are you sure you won't tell me what's wrong?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"You know if you change your mind, you can come tell me any time?"

"I know."

He sighed. "Good night, then." He got up and crossed the room; he was almost to the door when I called. "Uncle Carlisle?"

He turned back. "Yes?"

"Can I have a drink of water?"

"Of course." He left, appearing an instant later with the water. He stood patiently by the bed, watching as I drank as slowly as I could. Finally I handed the glass back, and he brushed his hand across my forehead. "Good night, Pooh Bear."

"Good night," I whispered. "Uncle Carlisle?"

He turned back at the doorway again. "Yes, Winnie?"

"Will you tell me a story?"

He came back, setting the empty glass on the nightstand and sitting again on the edge of the bed. I wormed my hand out from under the covers and into his.

"It rained and it rained and it rained,"1 he began softly.

I nestled down into the blankets, recognizing one of my beloved Winnie the Pooh stories. I found myself yawning as Uncle Carlisle went on to tell how Pooh and Christopher Robin had rescued Piglet from a flood. Soon I couldn't keep my eyes open, and I drifted to sleep.

oOo

The wind was howling around the house, the wind of the wolf's breath. I pressed back into the corner of the room, too terrified to make a sound as with another blast the walls came crashing down on top of me.

I was buried alive, and I heard the wolf howl in triumph as I struggled to dig my way out from under the ruins of the house.

Then the ruins melted away, and I saw not one wolf but a whole ring of them, towering over me, snarling. They stepped forward as one; I did scream then. They were coming to get me; help; save me!

From behind a wolf put its paw on my shoulder and I screamed again.

But it wasn't a paw; it was a hand, shaking me awake. "Winnie? Wake up, Pooh Bear."

I sat up with a gasp and clutched desperately at the hand on my shoulder. "Uncle Edward!"

"Yes, Pooh Bear, I'm here."

I stretched up my other arm, and he gently lifted me out of bed. "Shh, Pooh Bear, it's all right. I have you; it was only a dream."

"The wolves!" I gasped, my teeth chattering with fear. "They blew the house down; they were going to eat me!"

"Shh. You're safe now, Pooh Bear." He wrapped my robe around me and pulled my slippers onto my feet, murmuring softly the whole time.

A wolf howled in the distance and I cried out, pressing against his chest.

"Shh, Pooh Bear; that wolf won't hurt you." He almost sounded as if he was laughing.

"It might," I gasped. "It'll come and blow the house down and eat me up!"

"It won't touch you." The sudden sharp menace in Uncle Edward's voice was more comforting than all his soft murmurings; it was a menace for anything that would dare to hurt me.

I wound my arms around his neck. "You won't let it get me?"

"Never," he promised fiercely. He sat in the rocking chair that was left from my baby days and began singing wordlessly.

I shuddered a little the next time I heard the wolf howl, but Uncle Edward's arms tightened around me protectingly. I let myself slowly relax in the safety of his arms.

I was half asleep when he got up and laid me in the bed. "Don't leave me," I murmured, catching at his hand.

His fingers gripped mine reassuringly. "I'm right here," he promised; "I won't leave you. Now go to sleep, Pooh Bear." He started singing again, and I drifted back to sleep with his hand clutched in mine.

oOo

Jacob

I could tell Nessie's mind wasn't completely on us that night; she was worried about Winnie. I cared about my daughter, of course, but Dr Fang would've called if anything had been seriously wrong; there was no need to let it spoil our night alone together. But I supposed Nessie couldn't help it; she was Edward's daughter.

So we left for the big house before I could even eat breakfast. Nessie could have driven by herself, of course, but we always went together to pick up the kids.

Edward pulled the front door open as we stepped onto the porch. "Winnie and Dom are eating breakfast," he told Nessie. Lucky kids. "Jake, I need to talk to you for a minute."

I felt a moment's fear as Nessie disappeared inside and Edward stepped out, pulling the door shut behind him. But it couldn't be anything I had done; not if he was calling me Jake.

"Jacob, do you realize your daughter is currently terrified of wolves?"

I stared at him; I'd had no idea. Of all the things for a werewolf's daughter to be afraid of…

"I had to get her up from a nightmare last night; she was nearly hysterical." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "To be honest, your howls weren't helping."

I shifted uncomfortably. "Sorry."

"No…it's not your fault; she's heard you howling before. She's never been really comfortable with it, but it hasn't scared her before, either."

"What did cause it, then?"

"Her class read 'The Three Little Pigs' in school yesterday."

Oh. Winnie had never heard the story before; I wasn't too fond of stories that made wolves out to be the bad guys, and Nessie felt even more strongly about them than I did. Maybe we had been wrong not to read them to Winnie, though; maybe we should have read them to her and explained that not all wolves were like that.

"Maybe," Edward agreed, "but it wasn't really the story that scared her. There was a photo on the next page, and I know she probably exaggerated it in her mind, but even so I cannot imagine what it's doing in a second-grade textbook. It looks like you would if someone threatened Nessie."

I winced; no wonder Winnie was scared. "Do you think it would help if I told her…?"

He shook his head. "I really don't think she's in a good frame of mind to hear that her father's a giant wolf, Jake. She's more likely to be afraid of you than to stop being afraid of wolves. I'm not sure there's anything you can do about it, except maybe let her sleep with you and Nessie the next few nights. She didn't want to be left alone, Jake, and she wanted protection more than comfort."

Right. Well, I'd think of something. In the meantime… "Thanks, Edward. Say, do you think Esme cooked enough breakfast for me?"

oOo

Winnie

I was sitting in Uncle Carlisle's lap as I ate breakfast. Uncle Edward had still been sitting on the edge of my bed when I woke up, my hand still in his. He left only when Aunt Esme came in to help me dress and brush my hair. I wasn't as scared in the morning, but still…it was nice not to be alone.

"Hi, Momma!" Dom called out.

I looked up; Momma was just coming into the kitchen. "Good morning, Nicky," she answered, but she was looking at me. "How are you feeling, Winnie?"

"She's fine, Nessie," Uncle Carlisle assured her. "She was just upset yesterday…Edward's talking with Jake about it."

I hid my face in Uncle Carlisle's chest, embarrassed.

He chuckled softly. "Come on, Pooh Bear; it's all right. Finish your breakfast."

I sat up and obeyed, and I had almost finished when Dad came in. "Say, Esme, Nessie didn't feed me before we left; any chance of getting anything to eat around here?"

"Jake, we'll be home in five minutes!" Momma protested, laughing.

"I'll starve in five minutes, Ness."

I giggled, and Aunt Esme smiled and set an entire pan of muffins on the table in front of him. "These should hold you," she said dryly.

"Ah. Thanks, Esme."

oOo

"Hey, kids, how would you like to go to the zoo today?" Dad asked as we were driving home.

Dom began shouting with excitement, but I sat frozen. The zoo…wolves. "I don't want to," I said in a small voice.

Momma twisted around to look at me anxiously. "Are you sure you're feeling all right, Winnie?"

Dad put a hand on her leg. "She's fine, Ness." He gave me a quick smile over his shoulder. "It'll be fun, Win…I promise."

Well…it wasn't as if he was going to feed me to the wolves. I found myself nodding, knowing that I had no choice anyway. Dad was taking us to the zoo whether I wanted to go or not.

By the time we had gotten ready and driven the hour to the zoo, it was lunchtime. We got hamburgers at the zoo restaurant, and I sat nibbling at my French fries. "Eat, Winnie," Dad told me.

I scowled. "How come you never make Momma eat?"

Dad grinned. "'Cause then I'd only get one hamburger, that's why." He helped himself from Momma's tray, his own food already gone.

"I'm not hungry," I muttered. "You can have mine, too, Daddy."

"Three bites," he told me firmly; it was the rule when Dom and I didn't like what we had been given. And they couldn't be tiny bites, either… I sighed and picked up my burger.

When Dad and Nicky had finished eating we got our hands stamped and headed outside.

"Ness, you take Dom to see the reptiles and those monkey-cousins of his," Dad told her. "Winnie and I are going to go meet some wolves."

I stopped in my tracks, my hand pulling back against Dad's.

He didn't argue with me, but turned back and lifted me in his strong arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his shoulder.

"You don't really think I'd let anything hurt you, Winnie?"

No…but I didn't want to see them snarling at me. I kept my face hidden as Dad walked up the hill to the wolf pen. "Look at them, Winnie," Dad said softly.

"I don't want to," I whimpered.

"Winnie. Look at them." There was a note in Dad's voice I couldn't disobey, and I lifted my head just enough to peek at the wolves out of one eye.

None of them were snarling, and I lifted my head a little more. The wolves were smaller than I'd thought; if they'd been standing their heads would only have come up to Dad's waist. But they weren't standing; they looked like they were almost asleep.

"See that big one on the rock?" Dad murmured in my ear, pointing while he held me securely with the other arm. "He's the alpha male; that means the other wolves have to do what he tells them."

"How do you know it's that one?"

"Oh, I can tell an alpha when I see one."

"Is there an alpha female?"

Dad hesitated a moment. "His mate; she can boss the other females."

"Which one's she?"

"That gray one lying beside the alpha."

I watched the drowsing wolves for a few minutes. "They don't look like they want to eat me," I said doubtfully.

Dad chuckled and held me a little tighter. "They don't, Win. Wolves don't usually attack people."

"Never?"

"You'll hear people say that," Dad said quietly. "Some people insist that wolves are perfectly safe, and that's not true. They're wild animals, Pooh Bear; you have to respect them like you do any other wild animal. But they don't usually go after people, and they certainly couldn't blow a house down even if they wanted to."

"What about pigs?" I demanded.

Dad chuckled. "Ham, bacon, pork chops…I wouldn't mind a fat pig myself. But you aren't a piglet, Pooh Bear; you're my little girl, and I would never let a wolf — or anything else — hurt you, ever."

"I know," I whispered.

"Your Uncle Edward wouldn't either, or Uncle Carlisle. None of us would."

"Do they howl?" I demanded suddenly.

"Of course they do."

"I still don't…like wolves, Daddy."

"That's all right, Winnie. Just remember this — you can come tell us whenever you're afraid of something. You don't have to be embarrassed; we won't laugh at you no matter what it is. Understand?"

I nodded. "Yes, Daddy."

"Feel better now?"

"Ye-es. Can we go see Kanga and Roo?"

Dad chuckled. "Sure, Pooh Bear. Come on." He set me on the ground, and I looked over my shoulder once as we walked away. For a moment, the big alpha male seemed to follow me with his eyes, and I shivered. But my hand was tucked securely in Dad's, and I knew there was nothing to be afraid of.

The End

1 Winnie-the-Pooh, Chapter IX, "IN WHICH Piglet is Entirely Surrounded by Water," by A.A. Milne

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