This if my first Tenth Kingdom fic. Read and review, please!

"Nothing much.Just wolf stuff."
"What's wolf stuff?"
We've all wondered...

Wolf turned slowly, drawn by the feeling of eyes on his back. He locked gazes with Adolphe, the grandson of the gypsy fortune-teller. The young half-wolf's dark eyes were wide with curiosity and fear. Glancing at the serenely sleeping Virginia, Wolf stepped over her cautiously and sat next to the boy.

"Hi," he said, giving a small wave.

"Hello," Adolphe answered in a whisper, still staring fixedly at him.

"They call me Wolf," Wolf told him, allowing his eyes to gleam yellow for a minute. "I let them. It's appropriate."

"I'm Adolphe." Adolphe studied him. "You're one, too. Grandmother said so."

Wolf smiled. "But you knew before that, didn't you?"

The boy studied the ground. "I sensed something. I thought everyone could."

"Oh, no no no. We wolfies can sense stuff like that. You'll get used to it."

Adolphe looked down at the ground. "I've never met another one before. Are there many of us?"

"Not very many." Wolf picked up a stick and poked at the dying fire. "It's not common for humans and wolves to mate. Neither side encourages it."

"But your mate is human."

Wolf blinked. "My mate?"

"The girl. She is your mate, isn't she? I sensed that, too."

"Oh, Virginia isn't my mate. Not yet, anyway. Humans take a little while to understand these things."

Adolphe sighed and picked up a stick as well, imitating Wolf's movements. "The full moon is coming. I hate the full moon. And I love it, too. I get so confused."

"You're in a great place to enjoy the full moon." Wolf gestured to the trees around them. "This…this is our playground. All that hype about wolves drawn to sheep and shepherdesses…we are, beyond a doubt, but believe me, there's a lot more satisfaction in a hunt." Wolf's eyes began to gleam. "Chasing down a deer or a rabbit, running through the trees. Better, much better, than just snapping up a sheep from a pen. It's the running, the chase that does it. Makes it all worth while."

Adolphe's eyes were glowing yellow as well. "Then…it's all right? To love to hunt, I mean?"

"Cripes, yes! Don't fight it if you don't have to. Makes it all worse." Wolf paused. "But you have to go away. From other people, I mean. Besides the chance that you could hurt them, most people get spooked by the transformation. It's not pretty."

"Grandmother always sends me out into the woods."

"Good, good."

Adolphe stared at him solemnly, and Wolf squirmed. This young half-wolf was a little too sharp for his liking. "You're a good man," he said finally.

Wolf blinked. "What?"

"You doubt it often. But you are. And she will love you."

Wolf glanced around nervously. "Huff-puff. Are you a seer, too?"

Adolphe smiled. "You've spoken with my grandmother. That's hereditary, too."

"I don't care for your grandmother's fortune-telling," Wolf grumbled.

"She's growing older, and her sight is a little dim. I saw the fire when I looked at you, too, but you won't be burned on it. It is a more dangerous fire. It is inside you. The Queen is stoking it; do not let her claim you. You're too important for our kind."

"Me?" Wolf scoffed. "I'm not important."

"You are. Through you, all wolves will be honored. You must do what is necessary, even if it seems wrong."

Wolf stared at him. "Even if what seems wrong?"

Adolphe averted his eyes. "You will have to leave her."

"No."

"You must."

"No."

Adolphe eyed him serenely. "You don't wish to hear more."

Wolf shook his head adamantly. "Stop."

The boy shrugged. "All right. Sometimes it is better not to know the future." His voice was doleful and bleak.

Wolf's eyes narrowed, but Adolphe seemed not to want to say anything else. They stared into the fire, mesmerized by the glowing embers. Each had withdrawn into his own thoughts. After a few moments, Adolphe glanced up at his companion, who was glaring at the glowing coals.

"I like the fire," Adolphe said. "It dances."

Wolf growled deep in his throat. "I hate the fire. It consumes. It eats everything."

"What's your real name, Wolf?" Adolphe asked.

Wolf smiled. "Randwulf. You can see why I like just plain 'Wolf'." He scratched his head thoughtfully. "No one's ever asked me that before. I'm surprised I remember."

"It's a good name."

"I guess. 'Wolf shield.' Parents had high hopes, apparently."

"It's appropriate."

"So you say." Wolf ran a hand through his hair. "How old are you, Adolphe?"

"Thirteen."

"Ooohhh, just on the cusp of manhood." Wolf grinned toothily. "Enjoying it so far?"

"Not really. There are too many changes."

"Yeah, it'll get better. Trust me on that one."

Adolphe shrugged and looked back into the fire. "All the girls look at me strangely."

"Somewhere in their minds, they can sense there's something different about you. Something dark and mysterious." Adolphe looked alarmed. "Oh, don't worry," Wolf chuckled. "It's a good thing. Women love mysterious chaps. It's all about animal magnetism."

"Have you had a girlfriend?" the boy blurted, looking embarrassed.

"What?"

"Well, most of the other boys have girlfriends, and they laugh at me because I don't yet."

"That's the wolf in you. Wolfies don't have lots of girlfriends. Wolves mate for life, and so do half-wolves. When you meet your mate, you'll know. The smell alone is enough for you to tell. You'll just be out one day, minding your own business, when all of a sudden it hits you. And you'll think, 'goodness me, what is that dreamy smell?'" Wolf rolled the "r", his eyes gleaming. "You'll follow your nose to the source, and bam! There she'll be, the love of your life."

"It sounds nice," Adolphe said wistfully. "I wish…" His voice trailed off.

"What?"

"Nothing." He shook his head and scratched at his temple. "It's late. We should rest." He stood and looked solemnly down at Wolf, who hadn't risen. "Thank you."

Wolf grinned. "Any time."

Adolphe did not smile back. "Good-bye."

Wolf watched him walk away, his forehead wrinkled in thought. Absentmindedly he scratched at his temple before shrugging off his coat and rolling it into a pillow. At first light, he would wake Tony and Virginia, and they would sneak out of the gypsies' camp.

End