Chapter 4

Cornell thought to himself as he lay back on a large tree branch. Ada sat beneath Cornell at the tree's base and they both rested under its shade, away from the summer's hot sun. The day was quiet and peaceful. Seven years and three seasons had past since Ada became a member of the Crescent's home. Matthew allowed Cornell to keep her after all, though under certain circumstances. Knowing how Cornell's father was, the circumstances were strict. One was that Ada had to become trained as a man-wolf. Cornell fulfilled this. As Ada grew older and her memory improved, Cornell kept her human heritage secret. He taught her in the ways of a man-wolf. He taught her to run swiftly and silent. He taught her the basics of hunting and handling a spear. He taught her the directions the wind moved and the signs of a weather change. Cornell awed at how her senses were much poorer than that of his kind. She could smell the nearby pine, whereas he could smell the forest beyond and caught the scent of every moving creature in it. Her eyesight couldn't see far beyond the trees ahead of her, whereas his sight could see the acre and the accurate details that made them. Cornell's vision at night was superb, whereas Ada's vision lacked terribly. Her hearing also had no compare.

"Some man-wolves don't always have such acute senses." Cornell had comforted her, although he knew it was a lie. The only man-wolf without its complex senses would be deaf or blind. Yet Ada didn't mind her "disability". She was happy being an artificial man-wolf. She adapted to their traits well and could fool the average human into thinking she was different. Inside, Cornell knew what she truly was and it had left him guilty until the day he would have to confess. The next circumstance was that she had to become of use. Ada fulfilled this well. Cornell had taught her to cook a variety of desserts and stews. She also volunteered to keep the house tidy and clean. The last circumstance was that she would have to be kept a secret. This meant Ada had to spend most of her time at home. She didn't complain, even when Cornell's excuses became lame. It was seldom that she caused any trouble. As the tribe migrated, she would stay silent under the covered wagons and hidden from the rest of the tribe. Though there was one other who knew of Ada's existence...

Four summers ago as Ada rested by a lake in the forest, another figure crept up nearby.

"Bold and headstrong be the mortal that wanders into these parts of the forest, you know..."

Ada was startled. She got up and looked around to find the source of the voice.

"Up higher. Look up here..."

Ada looked up and saw a boy sitting on a tree branch high above where she had been. He looked only a few years older than her, but definitely not as old as her brother, Cornell. His clothes were just as simple as Cornell's: a worn shirt and a pair of cotton pants. He didn't wear any shoes. He had long dark blue hair that hung down to the length of his neck.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Ada..." She answered cautiously. "And what would yours be?"

"Marcell Crescent,"

"'Crescent'? Do you know Cornell?"

"Cornell is my cousin by blood...how do you know him?"

Ada hesitated. "I...um, well..."

She was saved from answering, as Cornell called for her.

"Ada? Are you here? Ada...?"

Marcell raised an eyebrow curiously and looked from Ada to the direction of Cornell's

voice.

"Hmmm...wait here one moment..." Marcell leapt up to another tree branch and disappeared under its thick foliage.

Ada looked around, but Marcell was no longer there. Cornell continued to call her.

"Ada? Are you around here somewh--ARRGH!!"

"Cornell?" Ada called back. "Are you alright?"

There was no answer. A few minutes later, two grey wolves tumbled out of the forest where Ada was. They appeared to be fighting. The larger of the two wolves slashed at the other's muzzle. The second wolf was knocked back and barely had time before the larger one launched back at it. The second wolf was quick. It dodged the attack and jumped onto the larger wolf's back and bit into its neck. The larger wolf barked angrily and attempted to shake and kick the young wolf off of it, like a bucking bronco rode by a cowboy.

Ada stepped away from the fighting wolves. It took her awhile to realize that this was how man-wolves have fun with each other. Though she also noticed that Cornell was not in the mood for playing. He eventually managed to buck Marcell off and sling him into a nearby tree's trunk. Marcell's wolf form collided with a dull thumpand another as he fell to the ground.

Cornell huffed and transformed back to his human form. He was still muttering angrily to himself as he wiped blood from his neck. He turned around to see Ada, and his tone changed.

"Oh, there you are." He said calmly, as though Marcell had never ambushed him. "The sun will be setting soon. We had best head towards home..."

Cornell glanced back at Marcell's motionless wolf form. "And quickly, before--"

"He already knows." Ada said. She lowered her head a bit, feeling guilty. "He talked to me before you came."

"That's fine..." Cornell said half-heartedly. He studied the blood stuck on his fingers. "It couldn't be helped. He pops up everywhere, the little jackrabbit..."

"Will he be okay?"

"Oh no, he's fine. He's just waiting to ambush me a second time..."

At those words, Marcell transformed and fell back on the tree trunk laughing. He grinned. "You're clever, Cornell..."

Cornell grabbed a long stick from the ground and headed towards Marcell. "Clever enough to give you the beating your father didn't! What are you doing in this forest?!"

"Hey!! Wait!!" Marcell crawled back closer to the tree as Cornell came forward. "I have just as much right to be in this forest as you do!"

"Give me another reason I shouldn't tear you to pieces." Cornell growled.

"Have a heart Cornell!" Then Marcell added quickly to avoid anymore trouble. "Who is that over there? How does she know your name?"

"That is my sister, Ada. And you will tell no one else about her. So far as you're concerned, you never met her. Alright?"

Marcell nodded obediently, eyeing the stick in Cornell's hand.

"Great," Cornell tapped Marcell's leg with the stick. "And you had best be leaving too. You can join us on the way back to the camp."

Over the years, Marcell became a help to Cornell. He insisted on becoming of use to him and Ada. After awhile, Cornell gave in. Marcell escorted Ada into the forest at times when Cornell couldn't. Marcell could sense another's presence before Ada could, and he provided some protection. Marcell taught Ada how to climb trees and how to fish. Sometimes the two would find games to play together or places to go while Cornell had studies.

"What's over there?" Ada had asked once, pointing to a large group of tents in the hills below where they sat. "I've never been down there before..."

There were about fifty tents or so lined up in five rows. The biggest tent was ten times the size of the smaller ones and sat behind the rows.

"And for a good reason too." Marcell said. He looked at the tents momentarily and gazed back into the forest that bordered the hill lands.

"Why?"

Marcell was silent for a moment, contemplating whether or not to tell Ada. Would Cornell be against it? Would he become angry if she knew? Especially once she figured out what she was?

"Hmm..." Through the trees, he could see long ropes hanging from branches. At the end of some of the ropes, people were hung. Their pitiful forms hung limply by the nooses roped around their necks. Thank goodness, Ada couldn't see that far. Marcell looked back at her.

"That's a slave camp. And I'll say nothing else..."

"Oh..." There was disappointment in Ada's voice, but she understood the message.

Marcell noticed how the camps started to interest her curiosity so he got up. "Come on, let's go find a hill with a more cheerful view."

Thoughts of the past. Ada's past. She had stayed with Cornell for eight years so far. She had grown so close to her adoptive brother, that her appearance not only changed along with her age, but her hair as well. At the thought, Cornell ran his fingers through his own hair. A magnificently pure white. A peculiar inheritance from his father. His hair wasn't nearly as neat and long as his cousin's, but it was fine and handsome enough. Over the period of one year, Ada's hair had gradually changed from red to white; like an old man's hair color changing with old age, only it wasn't age that brought about the change. It was the day and nights they spent with each other. It was the trouble Cornell went through to ensure Ada's safety. It was the times that they had to tell their troubles to each other and be reassured. It was their white hair that represented innocence. Innocence when Matthew let slip that his beloved wife was a human. Dear innocence as he watched her become slaughtered by the tribe. Innocence as Cornell would retrieve the one whom he loved, and become ensnared by a cunning trap. Dear innocence as he would unwillingly curse and sacrifice his cousin's first and only son.

Cornell was unaware of these things to come. For now, he was content observing the forest's scenery. Peace and quiet away from the tribe and his demanding father. Ada was lying down in the grass below. From the tree branch he was sitting on, he could see her by the tree base, semi-curled up and calmly drifting asleep.

Sunlight seeped through the spaces between the tree leaves creating small shapes of light across the shaded forest floor and over Ada.

Cornell sighed deeply and wandered into his thoughts again. The thought of telling Ada her heritage burdened him. It was a grim fact of the chore he'd have to do later, once she was much older of course. And he would be lying down on his death bed...

His thoughts were interrupted by a rustling sound in the tree above him. Ada's hearing wasn't sharp enough to hear the sound, but she was asleep anyway. Cornell looked up into the tree. There was no one else to be found, but Cornell's senses told him different. He could smell another man-wolf nearby. Cornell furrowed his eyebrows inquisitively for a moment, then he continued to take in the scenery. His ears were attentive, listening for another sound coming from the tree leaves. There was none, but he could sense the lycanthrope coming closer by stealth. He looked elsewhere, pretending not to notice. It came swiftly down the tree, leaping branch to branch with silent nimbleness. The man-wolf was just above Cornell and practically swooping down over him. At the last second, Cornell finally looked up and was face to face with Marcell. Cornell narrowed his eyes and Marcell grinned nervously.

Just as quickly as he had descended the tree, Marcell jumped on Cornell. With a loud thump that jolted Ada awake, the both fell out of the tree and crashed to the ground as brawling wolves. Over the years of being jumped by Marcell, Cornell had conditioned himself against his cousin's attacks. When Marcell managed to latch onto his back, Cornell simply rolled over. Marcell let go to avoid being crushed, but by then Cornell was already on his legs again. He grabbed Marcell by the scruff ofhisneck and tossed him into the lake next to them. Cornell transformed quickly and gathered some rocks. When Marcell's head floated up from the water, Cornell aimed and threw a rock straight for him.

"Yikes!" Marcell ducked underwater again. The next time he surfaced, Cornell was ready with another throwable.

By now, Ada was so used to their routine, she wasn't that concerned about Marcell. She sighed and laid back down wearily.

Cornell finally had enough. He sat down next to Ada and practiced throwing a rock into the air to catch. Marcell surfaced again for air. He also noticed that Cornell had withdrawn his attack, and had decided it was safe to come out of the water. Soaking wet and dripping with water, he bowed politely to Ada.

"Miss Ada..."

"Hello, Marcell."

Marcell smiled, then turned to Cornell and grinned. "And there's my buddy!"

Cornell glared at him bitterly and continued tossing up the rock in his hand. Marcell's grin faded back to a smile.

"You're just like your father, you know."

"Maybe so. What are you here for?"

"No reason. No reason at all..." Marcell sat down between Ada and Cornell. Before Cornell could shoo him away, Marcell started talking once again.

"You're strong for a man-wolf. I think that you should become the tribe leader."

Cornell raised his eyebrows. "I must have knocked you on the head with too many rocks..."

Marcell had just remembered the pain his head was in and massaged it where he hadn't been fast enough to dive underwater.

"I'm serious. Perhaps Maiko will die in this here war with the humans. Then you can change a few rules around here...for the better."

Cornell knew what he meant. He glanced passed Marcell to Ada's half-sleeping form. With a skeptical humph sound, Cornell threw down the rock he was holding and got up. "Maiko isn't dying in any war. Especially not this one. Even if he did, his son Ortega would become the tribe leader; You know that. Both of them are stronger than I am, Marcell. Come Ada, let's go..."

"Hmm...?" By the time Ada looked up, Cornell had already started heading off. She hurried to her feet.

"If his concern for you and your well-being is strong enough, he will still consider the idea." Marcell said. He looked up at Ada and smiled. "After all, before Maiko and his family came along, we Crescents were tribe leaders, don't you know?"