Hello all,

Hour Of The Wolf is a tale that has been very long in the making. Now my Muses at long last want it to appear. It has become a sequel to Illyrian Midwinter. We left Alexander and Hephaestion in their homely cave after their sumptuous Midwinter Festivities. Now they will have to confront the hardships and dangers of the Illyrian Winter. Survival in the dead of winter is often difficult.

I must warn for some very gruesome descriptions of wolves and their violent behaviour. They are not just an invention of my imagination. Where I live we have many wolves running rampant in the forests. They usually eat deer and moose, but sometimes they also attack sheep, cows, calves, horses and hunting dogs. It is talked a lot about here around and a problem in the wilderness.

All the best wishes and hopefully good reading,

/NorthernLight

Hour Of The Wolf

Illyria, 337 BC

Licking Surprise

Alexander woke up when someone furry eagerly crept up on him and offered him a most ardent and tender licking all over his face. Eyes full of sleep, he gently lashed out.

"Hephaestion! Not now. My head hurts and I need some more sleep - and you, you need a good shaving!"

The furry menace didn't heed to his warning. He had to surrender. As he opened his eyes and raised his hands to push the attacker away he looked into the most affectionate, warm and brown eyes of a half grown, sand coloured Molossian puppy.Hephaestion was sitting at his bedside with an affectionate smile on his face, coddling another puppy, looking exactly the same as his own brave assailant. They were puppies but still very large dogs. They would become even larger when they were fully grown.

"Peritas and Pollux! You are lovely, but you must stay calm! I need my sleep!"

The puppies listened carefully to his admonitions, putting their furry heads to the side. They looked so cute, almost as if they could understand what he was saying. They lay down at his side together with Hephaestion. He pulled the furs over them all and they lay there resting in a warm and cozy, furry heap.

"You are right, Alexander. We need our rest, we have been making rather merry this Midwinter, "he prudently stated. "Let us have some more sleep before I prepare our breakfast."

They slept for some hours, but then Hephaestion woke them up with a hearty breakfast. He gave them Midwinter Must, glühwein, mushrooms and fried slices of boar. They enjoyed it very much, not knowing that it would be their last calm and merry moment for a long time to come.

Dreadful Assault

Amanda was awake and alert as usual. Ptolema and her prudent she dog puppies were awake and sharing her breakfast. Amanda ate bread and mushrooms, together with some warm and sweet smelling herbal tea. The dogs shared some rabbits that they had hunted down just before breakfast. Amanda gave them some mushrooms to vary their meaty diet. She knew that they were dogs and could not resist from eating all kinds of meat. Still she tried to make them share her vegetarian habits.

Suddenly there was a commotion outside. Amanda rose from the furs and rushes on her stone seat and went outdoors with her dogs. Hippolyta had come riding on Nausikka. The brave bold Amazon was badly upset and there were tears in her eyes. There was a good reason for this. She cradled the endearing foal little Nousi in her arms. The little horse was hanging limp and listless, her eyes were closed and her breathing was laboured, on the verge of ceasing. She was badly wounded. There were some gruesome claw marks on her side and blood was running freely from her dappled hide. The Mother Mare was wounded, too. There were claw marks on her forelegs and they were covered in blood.

"Oh no, "Amanda called out. "Whatever happened to your little dear foal?"

"Wolves! Hungry, horrible wolves! A whole pack of them!, "Hippolyta cried out in agony. "They were running rampant all around my farm. Little Nousi had managed to sneak outdoors and they almost got her. Nausikka and Little Caroly managed to scare them away, and I almost got one with my spear."

"We must do something about it!, "Amanda told her. "First, put Nousi down here on the rushes. I hope that I can cure her with my ointments and herbal remedies."

Amanda gently patted the little foal on her head and muzzle as Hippolyta put her on the rushes on the floor. Amanda made a soft and warm bed of straw for the little horse before she brought a jar filled with a strong smelling ointment. She had some boiling water in a kettle at the fireside and she took a rag and carefully cleaned the claw marks before she put the ointment on. Nausikkawatched with a worried look in her big brown eyes. Soon the little foal came around and lifted her head. She gave up a weak whinnying and looked at them almost as if she wanted to thank them.

"I hope that she will survive, "Amanda stated. "I will keep her here over the day, Nausikka, too. Now we must tell my newneighbours about this horror. Something tells me that they are used to violence and that they will be able to help you to scare the wolf pack away from our calm forest!"

Hippolyta nodded with assent.

"Yes. When there is war and violence one actually needs MEN!"

TBC