Hello all,

Here is part four of Hour Of The Wolf. In this comes the big Confrontation between our Dear Ones and the hungry wolves.

All the best wishes and hopefully good reading,

/ NorthernLight

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Hour Of The Wolf, Part Four

Illyria, 337 BC

Alexander's Wild Hunt, Overtures

Bucephalus was a very brave stallion. He always wanted to carry his brave and Golden Rider, even on the most bold and reckless ventures. Wild hunts, hard battles, long rides - all was equal and good enough for the bold black stallion.

Not this time. Bucaphalus could smell the hungry wolf pack in the forest. It reeked of them, their horrible scent of violence, unquenchable bloodthirst and famished hunger was all over the place. Bucephalus was truly afraid and he started to tremble. He wanted to do as his prudent companion. Castor had turned his bottom towards the door and he completely refused to go outdoors. Little Caroly joined him. The bold little stallion snorted and he did not heed the stern commands of his brave Amazon Rider. He even gave her a slight snap in the hand when she tried to mount him.

"Whatever shall we do?, "Hippolyta asked, both herself and her brave companions. "Our horses are very brave, but they have lots of common sense, too. If they are afraid, we, too must feel fear. Caroly is never afraid of anything or anyone. If he refuses to do something it is because it is a reckless and impossible venture!"

"Yes, I know, "Alexander answered, "Bucephalus is afraid, too - and I have not seen him become scared of anything before!"

The big black stallion reared up and neighed in a shrill and frightened tone. It was so filled with anguish that Alexander put his hands to his ears. Then he embraced his equine friend and talked to him with reassurance.

"Yes, yes, Bucephalus. I know that you are afraid of the hungry wolves. We all are - but we MUST ride out and see what has happened to Amanda and little Nousi!"

Bucephalus calmed down and nodded. He then sank down on his haunches and let Alexander mount. When Castor and Carolysaw this they followed and let Hephaestion and Hippolyta mount, even if they shook their heads in prudent resentment. Hippolyta opened the door and rode out. Her companions followed. Then she carefully closed and bolted the stable door. All the horses neighed and whinnied indoors.

It sounded as if they tried to tell them not to go out at all!

It was such a beautiful winter day outdoors. The sun shone and glittered on the white snow drifts and the hoar frost. Alexander rode out into the snowy landscape. The hood of his warm wolf fur cloak fell aside and let the sun shine on his beautiful golden hair and all his strong features. Hippolyta watched him. He was a most magnificent Warrior astride his bold black stallion. The brave and self sufficient Amazon had never seen such a man before. Suddenly she was filled with strange and secret longings.

/ Oh, I know that he is already spoken for, "she mused all by herself, "Or else I might have wanted him to become the Father of my children!" /

Hippolyta closed her eyes and then she could actually see them, golden haired twins, a boy and a girl, toddling around in the snow in front of her farm house.

She had to wake up quickly from this pleasant daydream. There was an important assignment that needed all her attention.

They rode through the forest, seeing Nausikka's hoof marks in the snow. They followed them until they arrived to a glade. It should have been beautiful, surrounded by snow clad spruces, their emerald green branches and needles adorned by glittering snow and hoar frost, and the giant snow drifts with their mountain like formations.

Now it certainly was not beautiful at all. It's white stillness was marred by innumerable traces of wolf paws. In the middle of the glade was a green woolen muffler.

It was Amanda's. Once it had been a warm, beautiful and functional piece of clothing. Now it was torn into sorrowful rags.

There were no traces of its owner.

"Peritas and Pollux! Search for Amanda!, "Alexander told the bold Molossian hunting dogs.

They wagged their tales and started to sniff all over the glade. Soon they found a trace, up to a big boulder in the middle of the glade. They looked at the boulder, prudently barking.

There were no traces of Amanda, though.

"Wherever is she, "Hippolyta asked both the dogs, herself and her bold Companions.

Then their musings were interrupted by the howlings of a ravenous wolf pack.

The Wolves' Vengeful Attack

Old Zacynthos carefully awaited the proper moment to make the deathly assault. Their unknowing prey behaved in the most strange ways, searching the woodland glade for someone who was no longer there.

The tiny golden haired woman had escaped a certain death in their ravenous maws, miraculously saved by the giant moose. How strange that the foolish humans did not realize this.

The scent of the moose was all over the glade.

Their prey stayed in the glade for an unusually long time. Then their golden haired Leader shrugged his shoulders and looked around him in a suspicious manner. It was almost as if he had known about the wolves and their purposes. At long last he beckoned to his Companions and rode into the forest, down a slippery slope, followed by the barking dogs.

They were an easy prey riding down that icy and slippery slope. The grizzled Leader of the wolf pack gave the sign to attack.

"Let's have at them!", he beckoned to his ravenous pack with a silent growl. They won't stand a chance against all of us!"

All the ravenous wolves came rushing upon the three bold hunters, their horses and brave hunting dogs, like a gray tide of devouring Evil.

At long last Old Zacynthos would have his Vengeance on his Golden Maned Enemy.

Alexander's Wild Hunt, Final Showdown

Castor suddenly sensed a clear and present Danger. He gave up a frantic neighing to warn the others. The roaring winter winds had been blowing from the wrong direction, blowing the wolf pack's scent away. Now it was too late to avoid the attack!

Peritas and Pollux was merrily running at the side of their Dear Masters when they heard an uncanny howling. They looked up and saw a rush of furry bodies coming against them. Feral yellow eyes glowed with anticipation, white fangs glimmered hungrily in red maws, and a reek of misty breath blew against the surprised watch dogs. Wolves! And a great pack of them, too. Their Dear Masters were in grave danger.

Hephaestion was riding at Alexander's side. Even in this grave danger he enjoyed the company of his Beautiful Golden One. He admired his friend in his wolf fur cloak, on his shining black stallion. The sun siftered through the tree branches, spruce and fir needles, forming intriguing patterns of stripes and squares on the snow drifts, the glittering crust and on the hoar frost. He became entranced by the beauty of Nature and Alexander.

His sense of wonder was hastily interrupted by a merciless howling. Suddenly the wolves were all over the forest, all over them all.

Sharp fanged maws closed in on his shoulder, and to his terror he saw a fanged monster covered in gray fur aiming at Alexander's neck. It was an especially large and ravenous Alpha wolf. He quickly brandished his long and sharp hunting dagger. At the same time Castor and Bucephalus reared up on their hindlegs to throw off their deadly attackers. Now Hippolyta andCaroly, too, were beset by the ravenous wolves. They were all over them, like a gray tide of doom and dismay. Soon all were fighting for their very lives, with daggers, hooves and all that they got. Even outnumbered as they were they soon became successful. Several of the ravenous wolves succumbed to their sharp daggers. Even more of them were trampled under the big and strong hooves of the brave war stallions. Peritas and Pollux tore several of the violent beasts into peaces.

It was a formidable fight - but all was not over yet.

Alexander felt the sharp fangs nibbling at his very neck. His suspicious feelings were turned into a vicious reality as he and his brave Wild Hunt were attacked by a pack of starving and ravenous winter wolves. He fumbled after his hunting dagger as his violent attacker choked on the thick woolen muffler Olympias recently had given him. It gave him some respite, but now he feltBucephalus sliding down on the ice and snow. They had gotten very close to the Sacred Ravine. Too close. His giant war stallion neighed frantically as they both tumbled down the slippery slope, straight into the frozen ravine.

The ice felt cold and hard on his back, and the impact made him lose his breath for a long time. There was a sharp, stabbing pain in his back and side, but he had no time to attend to it. Soon the ravenous wolf was over him once more. He raised his dagger and stabbed at the throat and jugular of the beast. At the same time he felt the ice give way under his feet and he was quickly sinking into a maelstrom of cold, glittery ice water. Now there was nothing Sacred with the Sacred Ravine. Instead it had become a place of doom and terror.

Old Zakynthos howled with pleasure and anticipation. He had his enemy's throat well within reach and he bared his fangs, ready for the kill. He sunk his sharp teeth into something thick, woolen and inedible. It tasted like someone had woven a wall of protection and poison into it. He spit and hissed at it, as he had to release his deadly bite. Now he was tumbling together with man and horse, down into the waters. The golden haired warrior took a strong grip around his neck and forced him down under the ice cold waters. He snapped and bit around him, feeling the hot blood from his victim's hands and arms streaming into his hungry maw.

Alexander was desperately fighting off the hungry wolf. At the same time he felt himself sinking deep down the ice cold waters. It was so cold that all life and warmth was quickly frozen from him. His hands were holding on to the hunting dagger for dear life. They got numb and trembling and the vital weapon was slipping away from him. Then, all of a sudden he was filled with a golden and grim determination as he stabbed violently at his furry attacker. He did not want to die in this horrible manner! Now, at long last he felt the wolf become limp in his arms. Slowly the grizzled predator sunk down into the ice cold water. He dragged himself up on the slippery ice, using the dagger as a lever to get away from the dangers of the ice cold water. Suddenly he felt sharp teeth tugging at his right leather booth. He was dragged back into the ice hole, his hands slipping on the cold, hard ice. He kicked back violently, but the wolf was fighting for its life and holding on with its last and deathly strength. Alexander was succumbing to the strong and hungry jaws, and he sunk back into the ice cold waters.

Bucephalus had never felt so helpless in all his equine life. He was sliding and floundering on the ice, quite unable to help his Dear Master. He could barely walk and he stumbled and slid for every step. Soon he fell in an undignified heap, his four legs spread all over the ice. All he could do was to neigh in fear and anguish.

Old Zakynthos never knew that Man could be such a hard prey to kill. The golden warrior fought him with feral determination, more intent than the strongest woodland animal. He had a sharp and gleaming tooth growing from his hand, and it was biting very hard, and deep into his throat. The grizzled Leader of the wolf pack realized that he had taken a mortal wound. He would at long last succumb to this most dangerous of humans - but he did not want to die alone and without honour in that cold and merciless ice water. No, he would take his attacker with him into the final darkness. He locked his jaws one final time around the leather clad ankle of his Enemy and dragged him deep down into the ice hole.

The water engulfed both Old Zacynthos and his Enemy. Together they sunk into the dark and ice cold depths. Together they would die in its darkness.

Hephaestion and Hippolyta watched in silent horror as Alexander was dragged into the ice hole by the giant wolf. They were at the rim of the slope, too far away to be of any help. When they reached the icy Waters of the Sacred Ravine it would be too late. Soon there was nothing and no one at all to be seen in the ice hole, just a churning pool of cold and deathly sparkling water.

"Noooo, NOOOOO!, "Hephaestion screamed out loud. "Alexander, you must not leave me!"

He then threw himself down the slope, sliding, rolling and falling with an uncanny speed. Hippolyta followed, rolling after him as a ferocious ball of gray fur. Her golden braids jingled around her. One of them got stuck in a tree root. Fortunately it was dissolved and blew like a golden halo around her right ear.

Castor and Caroly stood at the rim of the slope, watching their Dear Riders roll and fall down into the certain doom. They were brave horses, but with a most prudent nature. Now they felt that they must take some action. Carefully they trod down the steep and slippery slope, ready to be of assistance.

Hephaestion leaped and crawled over the ice. He was fast as lightning but it felt like an eternity of worry and anguish before he reached the ice hole. He looked into it.

There was nothing to be seen but cold and swirling deep blue water.

"Alexander! ALEXANDER!, "he called out in desperation.

Then he reached down into the ice cold water.

Nothing. Nothing and more of nothing.

Then suddenly a strong leather clad hand grasped for him. He held on to it for dear life, dragging it and its Dear Owner out of the ice cold water.

Alexander felt the cold water rush into his throat and lungs, choking and suffocating him. He fought it, desperately trying to reach the rim of the ice hole. At the same time the vengeful wolf dragged him deeper and deeper down into the dark, cold waters of the Ravine.

Then there was a warm and strong light sliding and shining towards him over the ice. He kicked and paddled towards it and reached out for it in desperation. A warm and strong hand suddenly was there for him, dragging and lifting him out of the ice cold and merciless waters. Slowly he was lifted from the ice hole and held in a warming and strong embrace.

Hephaestion had come for him. Now Alexander knew that all would be well.

Hephaestion at long last held his Golden One in his arms. He cradled him like an infant in need of tender care - and for now it was the simple truth. Alexander was still, limp and lifeless. He was unconscious and not breathing at all. His eyes were closed, his face was white and his lips were blue.

"No, NOOOO, Alexander! You must not be drowned now when I have managed to get you out of that damn ice hole!, "He screamed as he started to shake his friend.

At first there was no movement, no signs of life whatsoever. Then Hippolyta came and helped him with the shaking and screaming. They put their hands around the rib cage of their friend and pushed with great violence. Alexander soon started to cough and fight for air. A whole fountain of ice water gushed and splashed from him. His beautiful gray eyes opened and he embraced Hephaestion.

"My friend. You came for me. I knew that you would be there for me, "He said in an anguished gasp.

His head fell to the side. Now he was breathing and clearly alive, but he was unconscious and colder than the ice and snow that surrounded them. They saw that he was badly injured. His hands were torn, riven and bitten by the wolf's fangs. They were covered in blood, but fortunately intact with all fingers remaining. He had severe difficulties with his breathing and he was in great pain.

"He must have hurt his back and ribs when he fell on the ice, "Hippolyta stated. He is in great agony. Now we need Amanda - but where is she? Is she even alive?"

Then they heard the voices of men and the clattering of hooves on the snow and crust. They looked up to a most welcome sight.

Silouanos and his men were there, all on horseback and heavily armed. There was someone sitting in front of him on his giant gray stallion.

Amanda!

She leaped from her Father's horse and ran down the slope, holding on to a leather satchel filled with life saving ointments and remedies.

Her Healing Abilities were always welcome, but never before had they been so desperately needed.

TBC

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