The Wolf's Story
Some say that winter symbolizes death and the absence of hope, while other's claim that it is a time of rest and a chance at rebirth. I used to be among those who believed the ladder, but not anymore. Let me tell you why:
~oOo~
My name was Ulbrecht and I lived in a homely den with my mate, Ylva, and our three pups, Ulric, Phelan, and Otsana. Our home was about a day's walk away from the closest human village, but we did not speak with them, and they did not speak with us. That is, until one particularly cold day...
The pups had just reached their sixth fortnight, so Ylva and I took them out for their first hunt. The wind was fierce, but, as if fate was trying to atone for the harsh day, it was blowing in our favor when we came across a small herd of deer. My mate and I stood back, letting our offspring try their luck. Otsana, our youngest and only daughter, was the boldest, and she made the first move. She had only gone about a meter when something caught my eye.
A flash of brilliant red caused me to turn my head over and up toward the naked branches of a nearby tree. At first, I had no idea what I was looking at, but after what seemed like a few minutes, though in reality it was only a split second, I realized what it was: a hunter in a red cloak. A young girl by the looks of it. As I watched, she notched an arrow, raised her bow and took aim. I realized, just a second too late, that she wasn't aiming for the deer.
She released the string and the arrow flew true: straight into the body of my youngest pup. Before I could move to help my daughter, the human had sent another arrow flying, this one taking down one of my sons.
By that point I was shocked into stillness and I stood, as frozen as the snow beneath my paws. My body would not obey my orders and my mind had gone blank. I watched the scene before me with detachment and everything seemed to slow. Blood splattered against the pure white snow, staining it, tainting it. And, though they sounded muffled and far away, I could hear the howls of agony coming from my dying family.
Suddenly, I was ripped from my frozen state by a piercing blow to my shoulder. The force of the collision sent me to the ground, and the impact caused me to snap back into reality. I raised my head to look about, only to realize that I would have been far better of had I just left my body where it had fallen. Before me was my family, every one of them lay in a spreading pool of crimson with an arrow protruding from one vital point or another. A howl tore it's way from my throat as I listened to the pained whimpers and cries coming from the others.
Hearing the snap of twigs caused me to whip my head to the side, jarring my shoulder in the process, just in time to see the girl secure the bow to her person, grab onto the branch beneath her feet, and use it to swiftly lower herself to the ground. My hate filled eyes followed her as she walked toward the her first target, pulling out a wickedly sharp knife as she went. I only knew of one thing she could be doing with something like that, and I wasn't having it.
Bracing myself, I painfully pulled my legs under my body and tried to stand. Try as I might, I cound't rise. By then, the female was kneeling next to my pup. She rested her bare hand
upon Otsana's neck and placed the tip of her blade against my daughters chest. I saw the human's shoulders tense as she prepared to drive the cold metal home.
"NO!" I cried. That was the first human word to ever leave my lips and it had been deep and guttural. She paused and I tried again, "Please no!"
Ignoring me, the girl thrust the knife forward, effectively cutting off the pup's cries. An unearthly howl flew from my lips as a crushing sadness washed over me.
"Why are you doing this!" I begged.
"I am doing this because I have to," she replied, her voice even. "Because my family is without money to buy food and the winter has only just begun. I need the pelts and meat of your family to sell so that my family and I may live."
I lay there, horror struck, as she continued her task. With each life she took another cry rose from me, each more ragged then the last. With each life she took, I felt my mind slipping a bit more.
When she had slain the last of my family, her hands stained with their blood, she stepped up to me. "I am sorry that I have had to do this, but it was the only way," she whispered.
Moving away form me, she knelt to the ground, picking up clumps of snow and using them to scour the blood from her flesh. Next she stood, cupped her hands in an odd fashion, and blew into them, producing a sound similar to that of an owl. After a few minutes of waiting, I heard a faint sound that was quickly growing louder: the sound of human feet on snow. Soon, a large man appeared from within the trees, carrying a few sacks slung over his shoulder.
The human girl quickly set about giving orders, "Huntsman, please help me put them in your bags." Nodding his head, the man handed her two of his sacks, and they quickly got to
work. Once the bags were full and tied off, I watched as they each heaved two bags over their shoulders and set off towards what I presumed was the direction of their village. The girl paused for a moment, then turned back to me with sad eyes and explained, "I truly am sorry. Though it does not make up for what I have done, I am sparing your life." With those parting words, she turned her back to me and followed after the Huntsman.
I lay there without moving for what could have been seconds or hours, I don't know which, my mind too numb to fully register the events that had just occurred. Eventually, the searing pain in my shoulder broke through my unfeeling mind and I stirred.
Not knowing what I was to do, but sure that I had to do something, I settled for removing the cursed arrow from my shoulder. Turing my head, though it was painful, I gripped the shaft of it between my teeth, braced myself as best I could, and pulled with all my strength. The head of the arrow tore through the muscle as I pulled it free. Deep growls rumbled in my chest as I shook my head, trying to clear away the pain. I quickly discarded the arrow, drops of blood falling from it as I flung it to the side.
After waiting for my breathing to calm, I gather my legs beneath myself once more and attempted to stand. Though it was very painful, I was successful.
Looking around, the blood stained snow caused my blood to boil and my vision to tint red. Without knowing it, I began to follow the footprints of the girl and the Huntsman. My pace was very slow, for my wound was bleeding profusely and painful, but rage and determination for revenge kept me going. Just before sunset, there was a change. As I sniffed the air, distinct human smells reached my nose: burning wood, horses, and leather.
Keeping to the shadows, I worked my way around the edges of the town, searching for one female in particular. Just as I was about to give up for the night, I spotted her walking, toward what I suspected to be her house, with a group of others. Once the group reached a certain fence, the humans departed, leaving the girl with the red cloak on her own. As I watched her standing there by herself, it took all my will power not to attack her right at that moment, for I knew that I was not strong enough to win.
Suddenly, the front door opened and I saw a rather tall woman lean out and call, "Come inside Red, you'll catch your death if you stay out there any longer!" With that, the girl, Red, turned and strode into the house, shutting the door firmly behind her.
I stood there a moment longer, memorizing the house and it's location. Fate must have been in my favor for her house to be one the edge of the village. Turning my body, I headed toward the woods in search of shelter. After looking for a brief time, I came across an enormous fall tree that had a rotted hollow in it's trunk. Limping inside, I lay myself down and tended to my wound. As much pain as it was causing me, I was at least grateful that it was only bleeding sluggishly by now. After giving the wound a thorough cleaning, I put my head upon my paws, and, as my eyes drifted shut, a plan began to form inside my head.
~oOo~
The next several months I spent observing Red. I learned all there was to know about here, from who her family and friends were, all the way down to her daily routine. I followed her
every day, from home, to school, out with friends, to the market, and back home. I discovered that she had worn that red cloak for so long, that people had forgotten her real name, thus every one just calling her 'Red'. Oh how I hated that disgustingly red piece of cloth. Every time I looked at it, the image of fresh blood on snow flashed through my mind, making my gorge rise.
As the moths went by, my shoulder healed and, after filling myself on the steady supply of prey that spring brings every year, my body returned to it's original state of health. The rest of me however, didn't return to normal. Before the murder of my family, I had seen beauty in the most abstract of places, from the smell of new grass, to the sound of a roaring river. But after, my life was dull and lifeless. The world held no beauty to me and only one thing consumed my life: revenge.
Over my time of observation, I learned a particularly interesting bit of information: at the end of every summer, Red always went for a visit with her grandmother, who lived in the forest, by herself, some miles from the village. When I learned of this, I knew immediately what I was to do.
When it came time for Red to make her yearly trip, I set out to follow her, keeping to the shadows, and slinking through the trees. After a long time of traveling, I was beginning to get edgy, wondering when, or if, I was going to get a chance to make my move. As luck would have it, I got my chance.
At one point, to the side of the path, there was a small clearing that was filled with all manner of flowers. The girl stopped when she saw it, and I heard her mutter to herself, "Grandmother would love to have some of those to decorate her table."
While she crouched to pick some of the flowers, I silently crept up behind her. Once I was within a good distance of her, something caught my eye and I came to a halt. There, slung across her back, was a quiver of arrow and a bow. The same bow that killed my family. My mind began to race. I had not planned for her to have that vile thing with her, but it made sense. Who went traveling in the forest without protection? I knew the answer to that: no one. I also knew that Red was a master of the bow, and if I tried to attack her now, I would die. As quickly as I could, I racked my brain for a new plan. Suddenly, one came to me.
With as much genteelness as I could muster, I cleared my throat, hoping she wouldn't shoot me without thinking. She did not. Instead, she stood up slowly and turned toward me. She tensed a great deal when her eyes landed on me, and I quickly made to reassure her.
"Hello, Miss. Lovely day isn't it?" I inquired, using all my strength to keep my voice friendly and not lunge for her. Oh how I would have loved to sink my teeth into her throat.
Red gave me a guarded expression. "Yes, it is quite nice, Mr...?" she tailed off, not knowing what to call me.
"Ulbrecht. No last name of course," I replied, wagging my tail a bit like I'd seen some of the dogs in the village do. I hoped it came across as friendly. "And you are?" I asked politely.
She smiled ever so faintly as she answered, "Every one calls me Red."
"Ah," I returned. "They would not happen to call you that because of that beautiful red cloak your wearing, now would it?" The words were like acid on my tongue.
A full smile spread across her face at my question. This was the reaction I'd been hoping for. All the town's people knew that Red took great pride in her cloak, and was willing to show it off to anyone. Apparently, even to a strange wolf in the woods.
"Say, what's a pretty young lady such as yourself doing out in the woods all by your lonesome?" I asked. She seemed to be opening up to me, and I had to stop myself from letting a malicious grin spread across my muzzle.
"I am off to visit my Grandmother, who lives down the way," she pointed down the road. "She lives in a small cottage by herself."
Nodding my head in a knowing manner, I replied, "Well that sounds quite nice, but I am sure you must be on your way, and I must be on mine, so I will not keep you any longer. Have a good day, my dear, and be careful, this forest is filled with all manner of unfriendly creatures." With that, I turned and trotted off in the opposite direction of Red's destination.
"Thank you Mr. Ulbrecht! You have a nice day as well," she called after me.
Once I was sure that I was out of her site, I looped back around through the woods towards her Grandmother's. Running the whole way, I got there with plenty of time to put my plan into action.
When I got the the cottage, I quickly knocked on the door using my head. Before too long I heard a reply:
"Who is it?" questioned a senile voice.
Changing my voice as best I could, I replied, "It is me, Red, I have come for a visit! Would you be so kind as to get to door for me? I have brought you gifts, so my hands are quite full."
"Coming, my dear," she called.
The door soon opened to it's full extent, revealing Red's Grandmother. Before she had time to register the fact that I wasn't her precious Red, I attacked. Knocking her to the ground, she let out an awful screech that left me ears ringing. I clamped my jaws around her neck, cutting off her vocal cords, so she couldn't make anymore noise, and her wind pipe, so she couldn't breath. All the better for me, the less blood there was, the better.
Once her struggles came to a halt, I slowly began to drag her to one of the back rooms of the cottage. After I had her safely hidden, I went to her bed, climbed in, and got in the most human-like position I could.
Before long, I heard a knock on the door. Changing my voice once again, I called out, "Who is it?"
The reply was swift, "It is your granddaughter, Red. I have come for a visit!"
"Oh! Come right in, my dear," I croaked out.
The girl entered and set her things on the table, including her bow and arrows. Just what I had wanted
As she came toward, Red exclaimed, "Why Grandmother, you sound odd. What's wrong?"
I quickly thought of a lie, "I just have a bit of a cold, darling."
"But Grandmother! What big ears you have!"
"All the better to hear you with, my dear."
"But Grandmother! What big eyes you have!"
"All the better to see you with, my dear."
"But Grandmother! What big teeth you have!"
"All the better to EAT you with, my dear." And with those words still ringing in the air, I leapt out of bed and lunged for her.
I was no match for the poor, helpless little Red. After uttering the oh-so-fulfilling words, "This is for my family, you murderer," I went for her throat. The color of her life's blood was so close to the color of her cloak, that it was impossible to tell where one ended, and the other began. I looked into her eyes then, and I watched as the light faded from them, filling me with the feeling of deep satisfaction. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and I howled with mad joy! Little did I know, that someone was very close by.
After looking over her body once more, I turned form the scene and headed toward the village. The whole way back, I felt as if I was walking on air, my head filled with sweet images and the lingering sounds of her screams. Once I reached the village, I turned and headed into the woods, back toward the den I shared with my family. Upon arriving, I cleaned the place out, and settled down for a well deserved rest.
~oOo~
A few months went by with my living in a state of elation, I had done my job, and I could finally live peacefully again. Autumn came and went, I spent my time hunting, and running just like old times, but it was not the same. Though I still didn't have my family, I had my revenge, and that was good enough for a while. I vowed to some day move on to something greater.
It was a few weeks into winter when the first snow began to fall. I trotted outside my den to admire the flakes. The wind was blowing toward me, so I breathed in the crisp air, catching a faint, but vaguely familiar sent... Huntsman?
I never even saw the axe as it came swinging down towards the back of my head.