Chapter 6: Wolf Attack
Date: 25 years, 9 month before Correction
The local trolls said spring came earlier than usual. A warmer winter did not produce as much snow. Whatever the reason Samuel enjoys the thaw. New plants bud and bloom. He transplanted several root vegetables closer to his cave. Soon the fish will be running the rivers. Just thinking about smoked fish causes his mouth to water.
Most of the winter he scrounged for food or explored the area. Overlooking the fjord he discovers a plateau which would be an ideal place to build a house. He can watch the village and watch the incoming ships. During the days of no snow fall, he visited a couple of hamlets and a larger village further north along the coast. The larger village had better resources to meet his needs, but this village with its castle kept drawing him back. It had a magical quality. The people appeared happy without the modern comforts he once knew. He took the troll at his word no one would be allowed to find his ship. Even during a snow storm there was something special about Lookout Plateau as he watched the snow drape its blanket of white over the village and the fjord. On clear days, he sat on a boulder at the edge of the plateau and listen to the children play and ice skate.
With his ice powers he covered his footprints in the snow. On several occasions humans interrupted his search for food. On just one occasion after a fresh layer of snow blanketed the valley, he was almost caught. An older child became lost for several hours before he located the child and directed him back to the adults. The child must have said something about him. The adults searched the area and found his tracks before he could cover them. He made the sound of a wolf and they departed quickly. The short time he had been here, he had never seen a wolf attack a human. Even the lost child was not in danger from the wolves, but the humans had a strong distrust of them. It had to have been a misunderstanding. Unfortunately, it will be nearly a century before human's attempt to study the wolves in their habitats.
Above the southern hills upper level wisp of clouds gather. He sits on his favorite boulder that gives him a good view of the fjord, below. Village life returns for the new day. The castle gates open. A team of horses race across the bridge. His two friends who usually join him in the morning have not arrived. Even peace has not arrived at the plateau. The air is not crisp or clean. Even the sunrise appears different, not as warm a welcome for the new day. He watches a ship move up the fjord towards the village. A breeze along the water displays an unfamiliar flag at the top of the main mask. His two friends approach, but they stay at a distance. He turns his body. The two wolves watch him. He motions with his hand for them to get closer, but an unfamiliar howl draws their attention. He searches for the stranger, but its howl echoes through the hills.
Two horses neigh near the village. They pull an odd shaped wagon. It wasn't just a cargo wagon. It had several shades of yellow and green and purple with lanterns on each side of a window. As it travels through a curve in the road, it had a longer wheelbase and a covered shelf on the back. The few times he observes the villagers they used smaller wagons with one horse or pushed small carts with their produce. It is the first time this type of wagon appears. The four horses snort pulling the heavy load. Two mounted guards ride ahead of the colorful wagon with four mounted guard behind it. Someone of importance must be in the wagon. Maybe it is an overnight wagon used for business.
He hides behind a tree near the road to get a closer look at the wagon when it passes. None of the horse riders make any indications of his presence. Either they did not see him or were not interested which could be bad for the passenger. The wagon speeds by his location and continues down the road. He walks towards his perch on the boulder when he hears the unfamiliar wolf call from the previous day. The call sounds closer.
He changes his plans and heads back to his cave. Along the way rocks crunch together and fallen twigs break. He stops. A growl whispers to him. He continues walking and the sound of movement on his left also continues. He searches for the sound, but the thick vegetation does not reveal the source of the sound.
He shifts his mind to a higher alertness. The source moves when he moves and stops when he stops. Are they tracking him or are they the distraction. He blinks his eye to shift his vision to the blue tint and scans the area. Four wolves move along the ridge to his left. He discovers three wolves closer at ten meters to his right. With his normal vision he sees the three wolves. He looks back up the trail. No wolves follow.
The unfamiliar wolf sounds again, but closer than before. He continues down the path and spot two wolves at the intersection of the path that leads to his cave.
Is this your plan, ambush me? Why? You have never done this before, why now?
He notes their body language has changed. The heads of the two angled to their left and appear to look past him. One moves its head and its eyes reflect a reddish tint. He glances behind him searching for a light source to cause the wolf's red eyes, but finds none. With the disadvantage of the open area, he will have to pass, his eyes view the area in greenish tint and runs. A howl sounds behind him. The rustling of shrubs and twigs breaking, sound as the wolves close in on him. A long howl causes the two wolves on the path to charge him.
The distance closes rapidly and frost layers on both of his hands. He will try to deflect their attack. The unknown wolf appears to be directing the others, but why. Spotting movement to his right, he shoots a ball of ice. A cry of pain sounds. He sprays the area left and right with ice balls. By the yelps, the ice has hit several targets. One of the two wolves in front slows up. The other leaps at him. He throws his elbow into the side of the wolf's head, knocking it to the ground but not without three claw marks across his chest. The second wolf leaps at him. He sweeps his hand from the ground upwards. An ice pole forms and he sends the wolf over his head, leaving most of its fur frozen. The attack slows him enough for the other wolves to attack. One clamps its jaw onto his upper arm. His free hand touches its side and it falls to the ground motionless with a mostly frozen body.
His cave comes into view. With a burst of speed he breaks free of the attackers, but a heavy thumping on the ground with claws scraping across the rocks, moves closer to him. A low growl sounds like it's behind his head. He trips.
A large paw swats at him and leaves claw marks on the back of his head. He rolls and the wolf runs over him. The paw that combed his hair freezes. He sprays small ice balls in all directions. With saliva dripping from its jaw, the fiery red eyes of the large red wolf stares at him. The red wolf drags its frozen paw into the forest. The other wolves trail behind it, but two wolves do not move from where they fell. He did not wish to kill the two. It should have been the red wolf. Other animals will detect his blood running down the back of his neck.
He crawls into his cave and scans for intruders. His hand sweeps across the entrance and creates an ice barrier from the ground up, but leaves enough space at the top to vent out smoke. He sits next to the pit and starts a fire. He fills each puncture mark on his left with ice and drags his fingertips across the claw marks on his chest. Four lines of ice layer his chest. A blood droplet lands on his shoulder. He sweeps his hand across the back of his head and leaves a layer of ice. His head and neck become immobile until the healing process completes.
He lies down on his makeshift bed. A life in a cave was never his plan let alone for the rest of his life. He has no choice but to align himself with someone. Each time he has made this decision, disaster follows, except one. The humans in the village appear to have a limited technology which will be a distinctive advantage for him.
Every morning he peeks out of his cave, and every morning a gray wolf with red eyes sits at the end of the path. It is as though they are sending him a message, 'we are watching you'. He scans the area and detects only the one wolf.
With the expenditure of energy for the healing process and not eaten for more than forty-eight hours, he has no choice but to venture away from the cave. He ties the rope tighter around his trouser.
Other than the lone wolf who waits for him each morning, he has not seen the Red Alpha or his pack. He loads the three baskets he made during the winter onto his back and steps out of the cave. Not wanting any uninvited guest he sweeps his hand covering the entrance with ice. He sweeps his other hand near the ground blowing dirt over the ice. At a distance the humans will not see the cave and he does not need to evict animals from establishing a residency. At the river he gets his fill of the slightly sweet, but still cold water. After a quick scan of the area he does not see the lone wolf. He adjusts the baskets and continues south to the valley where the flowers are in bloom and he should find plenty of root plants. The warm sun on his face causes him to look at the sky. A light breeze near the surface with a few clouds in the upper atmosphere should make a nice day for an adventure.
His travel became too predictable so he takes an alternate route into the hills. The direct route takes him to the valley sooner than expected. He digs for edible roots. After an hour he has one basket filled and the second basket partially filled. Overhead, clouds drift from the north and diminishes the sunlight. He sets the second basket down and fills the third basket with edible plants. Determining which plants are safe takes a little longer. More clouds congregate overhead and a steady breeze blows from the north. The temperature drops. After three hours of working the field and filling his baskets, he slings them onto his back and walks home.
Movement near several small boulders ahead draws his attention and he scans for the red wolf pack. The weight of the baskets slows his progress. He constantly searches every sound. He is prepared to drop his baskets and run. If they are watching him, they may catch him in the open. He may have no choice but to move closer to the human village or leave the area. His indecision could make it worse for him. He will need to find a food source closer to his shelter. Despite stopping several times ready to attack, he does not encounter the wolves or any other animals that should be in the area. Around a bend he sees the path leading towards his cave. Off the path the bushes rustle. He does not need his blue vision. The distinctive features of six wolves step onto the path. They do not appear to be looking directly at him, but looking past him. The wind blows harder swirling loose leaves and swaying the tops of trees. The wind creates waves swirling through the vegetation. The clouds cast a dark shadow over the hills. In the distance rays of sunshine move in his direction.
More movement rustles the bushes to either side. The red wolf with the fiery eyes leaps onto a boulder behind the first six wolves. The leader lowers its head, baring its teeth and emits a growl. The others lower their heads baring their teeth emitting the same type of growl. More wolves step into the clearing. They also appear to be looking past him. Each emitting the same growl.
Sam glares directly at the red wolf on the boulder. "So this is how we solve our problem."
He throws off the baskets and gets down on all fours. Arching his back, he lets out a loud howl and bares his teeth. He challenges the wolf with a growl. The red wolf growls and howls in reply. The pack charges him.
He does not wish to kill the wolves and yet the fiery eyes of the Red wolf have control over them. For a fleeting moment, it reminds him of the human leaders who send the innocent peasants to fight and die while they watch from a distance. With this encounter the Red Wolf's energy appears strangely familiar. He generates enough of an energy force around himself that only scratches get through. He easily blocks and throws each wolf, but these wolves show signs of intelligence. They time their attacks. As he throws one wolf off, a second one hits him. He has to expend more energy. A layer of ice forms on his hands and where he touches the wolf, they crawl away with a frozen hand print on their fur. After many minutes they have not forced him to move from his spot.
The Red Alpha yips and growls. Multiple wolves attack at the same time. Several of their hits leaves trails of blood running down his body. He slowly gives ground to them. They are pushing him away from his cave. When he grabs one wolf to freeze part of its body, two or three more hit him. If he can't stop the attack, he may have no choice and kill a few of them. Six wolves charge him at the same time in three directions. He claps his hands over his head and rapidly sweeps his hand down to the ground. A micro-burst of air accelerates away from him along the ground blowing loose dirt and vegetation in all directions, including the wolves. The rapidly moving air draws the air out of the wolves' lungs. All lay on the ground gasping for air. His heart pounds against his chest wall. The microburst also removes part of the air from his lungs. He gasps for a moment. Too many wolves lay between him and his cave.
He moves towards the river where there are trees. A growl sounds behind him. The Alpha wolf paws the ground and several wolves stand next to it. They move towards him. More wolves get on their paws and follow him. He can't outrun them in the long run. If one wolf trips him the others would catch him. He spots a suitable tree a short distance away. If he can climb up it, he would be able to take his time at freezing enough of them to chase the others away. He sprints as fast as he can and jumps onto a lower branch. A wolf swats at his foot. Several scratches burn across the back of his leg.
He climbs higher and rest his back against the tree trunk. He covers the scratches on his leg with a layer of ice. The wolf that scratched his leg, tries to climb the tree. He fires a small ice ball at it. The wolf yelps and falls to the ground. It limps away licking its paw. The air temperature has warmed up enough with the sun his ice melts quickly off the wolf.
Several wolves pace around the bottom of the tree, but none try to climb it. Each one in turn looks up at him and growls. Are they saying they can't wait for him to come down and each explain how they will shred him to pieces? He tries to reach out to them, but gets no responses. It is as though the Red Alpha is blocking his thoughts from reaching them.
He studies each wolf and is thankful his two friends are not among this pack. Where ever they are he hopes they do not try a rescue. Red Alpha is too strong to be attacked by the other wolves. A short distance away Alpha watches him. When the time comes he will have to take the red wolf down. If they leave him alone his wounds will heal and he will be able to recharge his energy. He takes the moment and layers ice over his wounds. He positions himself so he does not fall out of the tree and closes his eyes. Several times he repositions himself but is not able to get comfortable. A vibration radiates through the tree and into his back. The wolves still pace around the tree, but none of them have tried to climb it. He notices one wolf twitching its ear and sniffing the air. The Alpha sniffs the air with its ears twitching. All of the wolves sniff the air and turn their ears in the same direction of the breeze. He hears a new sound.
He detects, at least three, possibly four distinctive animals straining and they are moving in his direction. The Alpha and two other wolves track the sound. Now all the wolves around the tree face the sound. Hooves clop against the hard surface. They sound like horses snorting as they pull a heavy load. Are they the same group he saw leaving the village a week ago? If they are, he hopes they do not stop, but they will have to slow for a bend in the trail.
Several wolves move from the tree and join the Alpha. After a few minutes the Alpha and five wolves race towards the trail. The other wolves do not pay him any attention. He closes his eyes for a second and opens them to the dark green tint. With his feet set directly under himself, he explodes out of the tree and he lands several meters beyond the wolves. Many of the wolves duck and look around by the sudden motion. They yip and snarl at each other. Their distraction gives him a head start before they regroup and chase after him. His sprint keeps him ahead of the pack, but it is not enough to gain on the six wolves ahead of him. He jumps over vegetation and side steps around trees and boulders. The wolves do the same thing. He crests a short hill. Ahead sits the trail on the opposite side of a dry river bed.
The Alpha and wolves run through the river bed between the hill and the trail. They head for a clump of trees, past the bend in the trail. The Alpha shows signs of intelligence for choosing the trees for an ambush. He has to get to the trees before the horses come out of the bend. The humans will not see the ambush until it is too late.
He estimates the wolves will be on the trail before the horses pass. He runs along the ridge, then races down the bank. As he reaches the river bed, he grabs several rocks and throws one at the Alpha. The rock hits another wolf causing it to roll into a small boulder. It lies where it fell and pants. Two wolves and the Alpha continue their run. He runs across the river bed and jumps onto the bank. His arm swings back to throw at the wolf standing at the top of the ridge. The one unaccounted wolf steps out from behind a tree. It is too late to maneuver around it and he plows into it. The wolf yelps and lies where it fell from him. He does not waist time and rolls to his hands and knees struggling to climb the bank. He gets to his feet and rocks slide down from above. He looks up when a second wolf lands on him. He and the wolf roll back into the river bed. Three more wolves attack him, even amongst the noise he can hear the horses approaching. Others of the pack run down the bank towards him. He has no choice in preventing the ambush. He expands a blue field around himself and disorientates the wolves. The one further out runs around the blue field. Each takes a turn and runs into the field. Their momentum carries their bodies into him. They are pushing him away from the trail. If the riders do not stop and he can keep the wolves attention a little longer, he will be able to run. The Alpha and five wolves run in the river bed parallel to the trail.
In a fight you don't keep track of time. For a moment the wolves stop their attack. Three men brandishing swords and yelling, charge down the bank towards him. They wear the green and tan uniforms. The wolves look around disorientated. The lead soldier strikes the hind leg of the wolf with his sword. The wolf yelps and limps away. The second soldier strikes his sword at the two wolves sending them running. The pack scatters and Sam fall to his knees, gasping for air.
Two soldiers stand guard watching the wolves. The third soldier kneels in front of him. He speaks in an unfamiliar language, "Are you ok? We need to leave this area? You can go with us to Arendelle."
A soldier points to several wolves standing near a clearing. "Captain, the wolves are regrouping for another attack."
The Captain peers past him and looks where the Private points. "So it would seem." He places his gloved hand on his shoulder. "I don't think this fellow is from here."
The second guard points to more wolves. "There are three more over there. They are trying to surround us."
The Captain acknowledges the privates. "We need to get out of here."
Sam takes deep breaths and watches the wolves gather for another attack. The soldiers observe him. He makes the motions of running but they do not respond. He could extend his energy around them if they stay in a small group, but the one who steps out will be torn to shreds. They do not move. He grabs the back of the soldier's neck and his head and pulls him close. He stares into the soldier's eyes searching for their language. His eyes change to the blue tint. He discovers the soldier is the Captain of the Guards at the castle outside of the village. His language is a dialect of the two exchange security officers from Norway he encountered at the Central Police fortress. For a fraction of a second he wonders if the young couple made it home.
A growl behind him brings his attention to the now. The cold from his hand slides down the soldier's back, causing him to shiver then Sam lets him go. The Captain falls back onto the ground. The Private helps the Captain to his feet.
He tries to speak to the Captain in his own dialect, but he mangles the word. "Captain Thorsen, we need to run before it's too late."
They stare at him. "What is he saying?"
"It sounds like he said we need to run," Thorsen replies.
Two wolves charge at them.
Sam jumps to his feet and pushes the guards towards the ridge. He scoops up a large rock and throws it at one of the charging wolves. The wolf stumbles and rolls onto the ground. The second wolf stops. The other wolves watching the event move towards them.
He waves vigorously at the Guards. His dialect gets better. "Don't stand there. Run."
All four run up the bank and over the ridge towards the road. Sam looks over his shoulder expecting a wolf to jump at him. They climb up to the road near the coach with the window curtains drawn closed.
Thorsen calls out, "Where are the other guards?"
The coach driver yells, "Wolves scared your horses. Two guards rode after them. Two more wolves chased after the guards. The third guard rode after them." The driver points up the road. "They went that way."
The guards and Thorsen scan the road as they approach the horses.
Sam spots movement across the road and squats to look under the coach. The red wolf scowls at him. Behind the red wolf two wolves charge the horses. The coach lurches forward with its locked wheel. Two horses neigh as they try to get away from the wolves. Thorsen and the guards with swords attack the wolves. A third wolf jumps onto the coach pushing the driver off.
He charges the wolf and land several blows until the wolf backs away. The wolf runs up the road and back over the ridge. The coach lurches sideways. Two distinctive female voices scream from inside of the coach. A guard tends to the driver. Another calm the horses.
He runs to the other side of the coach. The red wolf jumps and slams its body against the door but gets the front half of his body through the window. This time a scream of extreme pain comes from the coach. He grabs the wolf's tail and pulls, but most of the wolf's body is in the coach. He locks his arms around the wolf's hind legs and positions his feet against the side of the coach. He pulls with all of his strength and most of its body slides out. The wolf locks its front legs inside of the coach and fights against him to get into the coach.
Thorsen with his sword in hand runs around the coach. He hesitates to strike the red wolf. Another scream of death moves Thorsen to hit the wolf's side with the hilt of his sword. The red wolf releases from the window, falling onto Sam. It claws and scratches Sam's side and arms, trying to get away. It runs down the river bed and escapes over the ridge. The remaining wolves run after their leader.
The three guards return with the runaway horses. Sam rolls onto his knees, clutching his side. Thorsen helps him to his feet. The Private walks towards them and stops short. He places his hand over his mouth and points at the coach door. A bright red liquid seeps out from under the coach's door. Sam opens it. Blood covers a brown hair female on the floor.
The Private steps to the side of the coach and heaves an empty stomach. The young female pants rapidly with a wild-eye expression. Her pale face changes whiter. She moves with a groan and blood pulses between her fingers clutching her abdomen.
He grabs the door and places his foot on the step when Thorsen stops him. He snaps his head around. "Do you have a doctor here?"
Fixated on the blood he barely shakes his head.
"Where is the nearest doctor or healer?"
Thorsen just stares at the blood.
The private wiping his mouth answers, "Forty-five minutes away in Arendelle."
"She will be dead in a matter of seconds."
Thorsen does not move.
He grabs the back of Thorsen's neck. "You and the guards get on your horses and ride as fast as this coach will travel." He grabs the Private's collar. "This man will sit in the coach with me as I try to save the woman's life. If I do anything inappropriate, he will kill me and you can explain to your boss how this happened."
He steps into the coach and kneels next to her. Blood overflows from the gaping wound in her lower abdomen. He whispers to her, "There is no time to be modest."
Her body rapidly goes limp and her eyes partially close. With a blink to the blue tint where only she can see, he sticks his hand into her open wound. He finds the artery and pinches it close. With his other hand, he drags the private into the coach. "Captain, order the guards to ride before she dies."
Thorsen yells and runs to his horse. "We ride as hard and as fast as we can. Selmore ride ahead to Arendelle and tell them we need the doctor when we get there.
The Private closes the door and the coach lurches forward. It sways from side to side traveling along the trail. He touches behind the guard's face and a spark causes the guard to pass out on the seat. Sam observes the young woman as what little color in her face slowly changes to an ash white. He places his hand over her hands. "Before you pass out, what is your name?"
The young woman locks her eyes on him and her lips move more than she whispers. "Ingrid." Her breathing becomes shallow and rapid. The blood vessel in her neck, barely pulses.
"Ok, Ingrid, I have to stop the bleeding or you will die." He squeezes her hand. "This will hurt." She does not move. He places one hand on top of his other hand and closes his eyes. A pulse of blue energy shoots from his hands into her wound. Ingrid gasps and passes out. Her lower abdomen glows white as a blue mist envelops her body. The mist travels up his arms. He slides his arm under her back and legs then moves Ingrid to lie across the seat. He rests Ingrid's head in the other young woman's arms. On the floor, he places one hand inside of Ingrid's wound and places his other hand, in the blood on the floor. With a mischievous smile he speaks to the young woman, "Medical science will not appreciate what I'm about to do, but it will save your friend's life." He touches the pinched artery and floats the blood off the floor into his hand.
End of Chapter
