Willam IV
The Den had changed dramatically since Willam had first arrived. He could not decide whether the change was for better or worse. Whereas before The Den had been surrounded by vast open plains, now it felt cramped and contained. Stone walls had sprouted up all around the perimeter of the camp like mushrooms after a rain shower. The fortifications made Willam feel more secure but trapped as well. This is just the price of safety. It's better than having wild animals come and go as they please.
The wolf den itself remained largely unchanged. Otto forbade anyone from disturbing the home of the direwolves, so they had left the den as they found it. The wolf warren was hidden from prying eyes by a dense thicket, while the human camp sat on a small cliff that overlooked the dense foliage. The ramp that connected the two worlds was fortified by thick stone walls and a gate large enough for two wolves to pass through abreast. The gate always remained shut unless Otto wanted to bring some of his wolves to the human portion of the camp. Nowadays, the direwolves were more accustomed to humans. Or at least the ones they had already known for a while.
New humans were arriving at the camp at a steady rate. There were thirteen currently living at the base if Willam was not mistaken. Clarisse had been rescued first, nearly a month and a half ago. The patrols were initially very unlucky with rescuing fresh castaways off the beach since most perished before they could stop by the shelters. Clarisse was the only survivor to be rescued in that first week. Otto responded to this setback by taming a trio of megaloceros that fortunately solved the problem. It took a few weeks to train the giant elk, but the results were well worth it. In the last two weeks alone, the patrols had been exponentially more successful than in the entire first month. Otto was the first to return home with a new survivor. Unfortunately, he lost three wolves rescuing Maron from a pair of carnotaurus but Willam was happy to hear that the new castaway was alive thanks to their efforts.
A second survivor was rescued just two days after Maron, and then a third the following day. The patrols always returned with someone new every few days. So far, they had rescued a total of seven survivors. Willam was overjoyed to hear about the success of the operation. The impacts of the rescue mission were evident all around the base since every new castaway brought another pair of hands and some useful talent to the camp. Otto kept everyone working to benefit the group, whether it was foraging for food, collecting rocks, chopping lumber, hunting, building, or caring for the animals. Everybody contributed to the wellbeing of the tribe and their productivity had doubled from the days when it was just the six of them.
A second cabin had been constructed beside the first to accommodate the new survivors. The new cabin was a mirror image to the original, and they stood together atop the plateau overlooking the wolf den. Each of the log cabins was large enough to house ten survivors, giving them the total capacity to shelter twenty humans at any given time. The original cabin belonged to the original survivors; Otto, Joseph, Alys, Daven, and himself. The seven new survivors lived in the other cabin. Willam had never set foot inside the new building but he imagined it was much the same as his own.
A third structure was currently being constructed behind the log cabins but it was built of stone bricks instead of wood. The stone building already threatened to overtop the lodges, even though it was far from complete. Only the foundations and the basic framework for the walls had been set, but even the skeleton was larger than the two cabins put together. Otto had wanted a secure stronghold to retreat inside during times of danger, so he had initiated a plan to construct a huge stone fortress. The survivors had only been working on it for a few days but the project would take many more months to complete. Willam himself had designed the stronghold at his leader's request, sketching walls and battlements onto a piece of parchment for the workers to use.
The fortress only existed on paper at the moment but the final product would be large enough to house the entire population of their tribe, including their domesticated creatures. Willam had designed the stronghold to include a great hall and several rooms branching off the main corridor. A winding staircase would lead to a second floor, with more rooms and a few watchtowers. Willam had included dormitories, a kitchen, an armoury and a larder in his design. There would be a large stable in the courtyard for the animals, and thick stone walls would surround the entire fortress. Willam glanced at the construction site and sighed. Only a handful of stone bricks were scattered haphazardly around the skeletal stone framework and almost nothing else. It would be a long time before his plans came to fruition.
Willam entered his cabin and shut the door behind him. Nobody else was inside at this time. They were probably still off doing their respective chores. Willam himself had finished splitting lumber early and could relax for the rest of the day. He unstrapped his steel axe from his belt and placed it on a table beside an assortment of various other tools. Willam shrugged his sweat-stained leather jerkin off and hung it on a peg above his cot. He changed into a more comfortable fur jacket and drew the hood above his head before heading outside.
Argentum usually accompanied him on his walks but the tyrannosaurus was off hunting somewhere in the tundra. Willam had been scared for his pet's life when the adolescent first started hunting alone until he realized Argentum was probably larger than everything else in his hunting grounds. The tyrannosaurus was quickly catching up to an allosaurus in size. It was sometimes hard for Willam to realize how large his pet had grown. It seemed like only yesterday that Argentum had hatched into the world, squealing and whimpering like a helpless infant. He had only stood as tall as Willam's thigh back then, but now it was Willam that stood at Argentum's thigh. The tyrannosaurus had gotten larger and more unruly lately but he was still a child at heart. Argentum always managed to cause mischief around the base, whether it was accidentally trampling someone's wheelbarrow or knocking over stacks of wood. Willam constantly had to keep an eye on the tyrannosaurus to make sure he didn't accidentally crush anybody. It had only been four months since Argentum hatched yet he was growing at an astonishing rate. Willam speculated that his pet would be fully grown by the end of the year.
It took a lot to feed the young tyrannosaurus and Argentum usually hunted until dusk. Willam glanced at the sky and saw that the sun was slowly making its daily descent. The clouds were orange-red and they billowed across the sky like a herd of migrating mammoths. Willam glanced around the camp, searching for something to entertain himself with. He heard Maron's hammer ringing against his anvil and decided to stop by the forge. The blacksmith had built his forge on the highest point of the camp, a small lumpy hill that protruded from the earth like a titan's fist. Willam pulled his furs more closely about himself and started up the hill to visit the blacksmith.
The sun cast long shadows on the world, making Willam's silhouette seem as tall as a giant as he climbed higher and higher. He looked around the camp from his new vantage point. The base was situated on a flat plateau, surrounded by a rough rectangular perimeter of stone walls. Willam spotted a few survivors walking around, going about their business. He didn't recognize most of the new castaways, especially the ones that had only been at the camp for a few days. I'll have to learn their names eventually, Willam noted to himself. Tonight would be a good time to start.
There was a commotion by the southern gate. Willam saw two survivors run over and lift a log that barricaded the massive wooden doors. They each grabbed a door and pulled, straining at first to move the half-frozen timber. The southern gate groaned open and a rider galloped into the base. Alys had just returned from her patrols, and not alone it seemed. She dismounted from her doe and helped another woman down from the saddle. Alys said something to the two survivors that had opened the gate and one of them ran toward the cabin to retrieve a blanket.
"Is that you, Willam?" a voice called from farther up the hill.
Maron squinted down at him with one hand over his forehead to shield his eyes from the setting sun. Willam climbed to the top of the hill. "Who else could it be?" he jested.
"It was hard to tell without your shadow followin' you around," the blacksmith grinned and slapped Willam's back. "Where's the little monster anyway?"
"Argentum's off hunting, no doubt. He won't be back until dusk." Willam took a moment to catch his breath after the ascent. "Anyhow, what are you up to?"
"I'm just finishin' the last few axe-heads that the Wolf Lord wanted."
He was referring to Otto Weiss of course. Ever since Otto and his wolves had rescued Maron from the jungle, the blacksmith insisted on calling him 'the Wolf Lord.' The name stuck and some of the newer survivors even took it up. Willam knew that his friend hated being called a lord but he went along with it anyway, good-natured as always. Otto thought the title was too uptight and pretentious, especially since he had washed ashore naked with nothing but his name, just like everybody else. Willam felt otherwise. If anyone deserved a special title, it was Otto. He had been the person to unite their group of survivors into a productive and formidable force. He had befriended Winter and helped his direwolf reclaim his rightful position as alpha. Otto might not have been born into nobility, but he was certainly a lord in every other regard.
Maron turned back to his anvil, where a red-hot piece of metal rested. He hammered the molten shape a few times for good measure before picking it up with his tongs and plunging it into a basin of cold water. Maron left the axe-head sizzling in the trough and turned back to Willam.
"I just remembered that I finished fixing your saddle."
"That's perfect!" Willam replied. "If you don't mind, can I pick it up right now?"
"Of course, my friend."
The blacksmith fumbled around for something under his smithy. He pulled a leather contraption out from under the bench with a triumphant smirk. "Here we are!"
Maron held the saddle out for inspection and Willam came closer to examine it. He didn't just fix Argentum's saddle, Willam reflected. He made it a hundred times better. It almost looks entirely new! Many of the worn leather straps had been replaced with sturdy new bands, joined together at criss-crossing intersections. Willam still recognized his old design but Maron had taken a few liberties and added new straps and harnesses. There were even metal rungs on either side of the saddle, that would allow Willam to mount and dismount his towering tyrannosaurus more easily.
"This is impressive work," Willam mused as he circled around the saddle.
Maron grinned back at him. "I added a few metal clips and buckles to hold the thing together. I also adjusted the straps to fit your beast better. Of course, he wasn't around for me to measure, so tell me if the saddle is a bit off and I'll adjust it for you."
"No, this looks perfect," Willam remarked.
The saddle seemed like it would fit perfectly, and he noticed that Maron had added adjustable straps that could expand when Argentum grew larger. Willam took the saddle from Maron's hands and discovered that it was surprisingly light, especially considering all the new improvements.
"Thank you," He smiled at the blacksmith. "If I ever need something made, I'll know who to look for!"
Maron laughed wholeheartedly and patted Willam on the shoulder. "Don't be shy, my forge is always open. Just give me some notice beforehand, eh? I've got to finish these axe-heads and then it's pickaxes after that."
Willam grinned. "I'll be sure to alert you in advance, my friend. You already seem to have your work cut out for you."
"Aye, you're damn right," Maron chuckled. He glanced at a pile of rocks beside his forge and frowned. "That's not good. It looks like I'll need more metal ore before I can get started on those pickaxes."
"I'm sure you'll get your rocks soon," Willam assured. "Daven's supposed to collect them today, if memory serves me right. He usually returns around this time."
"Speak of the devil," Maron laughed. He pointed at the northern gate where a small caravan was returning.
The procession was lead by a wooden wagon drawn by two lumbering ankylosauruses. Daven sat at the reigns, while another young man followed on foot with a metal pike slung over his shoulder. Willam recognized the man but could not put a name to his face, hard as he tried. The wagon was laden with rocks containing all sorts of precious ore; copper and tin, brass and iron, nickel and titanium. Three direwolves brought up the rear, scampering around the slow wagon impatiently.
The wolves did not enter through the gate as the rest of the caravan did. As soon as the others had reached the safety of the walls, the direwolves turned the other way and circled around the perimeter of the human base. They travelled outside the walls to return to the den, which was on the other side of the human camp. Daven and the other man got off the wagon and closed the northern gate, barring the doors with a thick wooden beam. They led the ankylosaurus up the hill to the forge.
Maron greeted them warmly when they arrived with his delivery. "Thank the heavens! You're just in time for my newest batch o'pickaxes."
"When have I ever d-disappointed you before?" Daven smiled.
Maron's laughter was like the sound of boulders tumbling down a mountain. "Fair enough," he grinned.
The blacksmith seemed to notice the young pikeman standing beside Daven. "Roderick, was it? Well met." He shook the other man's hand.
"Likewise," Roderick replied.
So that's his name, Willam thought to himself. His memory must have been failing him. Willam nodded at the new survivor and smiled at Daven. "Nice to see the two of you home safely. Did you have any trouble on the way back?"
"We saw a few wild beasts but I think the wolves scared them away," Roderick shrugged lazily. He switched his pike over to his other shoulder.
"That's good to hear. We should see if Maron needs any help unloading the wagon."
The blacksmith was scratching an ankylosaurus under the chin while the second one nuzzled his side. The two herbivores began growling at one another as they competed for Maron's affection. The bulky creatures reminded Willam of an old married couple, constantly bickering with each other at every slight provocation. Whenever he saw the ankylosaurus together, they always seemed to be butting heads, both figuratively and literally. Fortunately, both of them seemed to be fond of Maron. The ankylosaurus had been tamed at his request since human labour was not efficient enough to supply him with all the metals he needed. After borrowing the Dossier from Willam, the blacksmith had flipped through the book and found a page filled with notes about the ankylosaurus. Willam himself had never actually seen the beasts at work but the Dossier said their thick clubbed tails were great at smashing boulders into smaller fragments. The information was evidently true if the huge pile of ore sitting inside the wagon was any indication.
"Need any help?" Willam called.
Maron climbed onto the side of the wagon and peered inside. He grinned at the sight of all the ore. "No, I can handle this on my own."
The blacksmith turned around and glanced at the setting sun. "It's almost time for the bonfire. I won't hold you up any longer. Go on, enjoy some dinner. I'll join you all later."
"As you say," Daven replied. He motioned toward Roderick and the two of them unhitched the ankylosaurus from the front of the wagon.
"I won't be needin' any more ore for a few days," The blacksmith said to Daven and Roderick. "You'll have to find somethin' else to do tomorrow."
"That won't be a p-p-problem," Daven sighed. "There's always t-too much to do around here. Until next time," he waved at Maron and set off down the hill with Roderick and the animals in tow.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like any help?" Willam asked as the others left.
Maron waved him off without a backwards glance. "Go get some food, you old fool."
Willam chuckled. "If you say so, but you're missing out. Anyway, I'll leave you to your rocks."
"I heard we're having roast boar tonight. Save a leg for me!" the blacksmith hollered over his shoulder.
Willam laughed as he gathered up Argentum's saddle. He would try to honour Maron's request but there would be no guarantees, especially if the rumour was true and they were having crackling pork tonight. With the saddle in his arms, Willam jogged to catch up to Daven and Roderick. They seemed to be having problems with one of the creatures they were leading.
"Headed for the stables?" Willam asked between breaths.
"That's the plan," Roderick replied. "If only this beast would cooperate."
One of the ankylosauruses was digging its feet into the hillside, throwing its armoured head around and groaning. "What's the matter with this thing?" Roderick asked, alarmed. He had taken a step back to avoid the beast's deadly spikes and clubbed tail.
"Didn't Otto tame these things last week?" Willam inquired.
"Aye, so he did. What difference does it make?" Roderick scowled as the ankylosaurus thumped its tail on the ground, forcing him to stumble away to avoid being clubbed.
"I read that these beasts rarely cooperate until they're fully domesticated," Willam replied. "This one probably needs more training. You should just return it to Clarisse and come back in a few days when it's more docile."
"No that can't be it," Roderick frowned. "This thing was pulling the wagon just fine earlier today. I don't understand why it's suddenly changed."
Willam shrugged. He could not determine the reason for the beast's erratic behaviour either. He looked to Daven for help and the other man produced an apple from his pouch. "They usually cooperate when we give them rewards," he explained to Willam.
Daven offered the treat to the large herbivore and the ankylosaurus accepted it hesitantly. The beast snapped the apple out of Daven's hands and crunched on the fruit placidly. The other ankylosaurus snorted at the sight of the treat and slammed into its companion. The apple went flying and both beasts dove to gobble it up. Daven shook his head and chuckled to himself. "There we go, back to normal."
Willam adjusted the saddle in his grip since it was starting to slide down. "I need to bring Argentum's saddle to the stables. I'll come along with the two of you and we can visit Clarisse. She'll know what to make of this."
The others nodded and the three humans continued onward with the ankylosaurus close behind. The stubborn beast did not struggle again until they reached the stable doors, this time waving its tail and snorting. Roderick cursed and dove to the muddy ground to avoid the unruly beast's crazed antics. The other ankylosaurus picked up on its companion's behaviour and began pawing at the ground.
Daven pushed the doors open and coaxed the two ankylosauruses to enter. They lumbered along after him while Roderick and Willam brought up the rear, following at a distance in case the beasts should swing their bone-crushing tails too far. The air inside the stables was ripe with the scent of hay and manure. Willam immediately felt much warmer as soon as he entered the building.
The stable had been built because Clarisse preferred sleeping in the holding pen instead of the cabin. Otto would not allow her to freeze to death, so they had built a wooden stable complete with a loft for her to sleep in. All of their domesticated animals were housed in square pens that lined the main walkway. There were five pens on either side of the building, allowing them to shelter ten animals in total. So far, only eight of the pens were claimed.
The trio of megaloceros from Otto's ravine expedition had been the first inhabitants of the building. They were kept on the left side of the stables against the far wall. Willam saw Daciana in her stall and the golden doe mewed in greeting. Alysanne's doe was sleeping in her pen but Joseph's great buck was nowhere to be seen. The large man likely hadn't returned from his patrols yet. The two new bucks that Otto tamed last week occupied the remaining pens on the left side. They grumbled nervously and tossed their antlers when the ankylosaurus lumbered into the stable.
Daven and Roderick led the two armoured herbivores into their stalls on the right side of the building while Willam watched. He peered into the neighbouring pen and saw the final animal, a newly tamed woolly rhinoceros. The beast was absolutely massive. It had a shaggy brown coat and a wicked front horn that gleamed in the light of dusk. The rhino was currently asleep but even its slumbering form commanded respect and attention. Willam had no idea how Otto and his hunting party had managed to domesticate such a mighty creature but he had learned to stop questioning his leader a long time ago.
"Oh there you are, Clarisse," He heard Daven say. "Can you. . . wh-what the hell is that thing?"
There was the sound of scuffling feet against the wooden floor and a megaloceros whickered in distress. Something snarled in reply and Willam was alarmed to realize it was not a direwolf, as he had thought. He turned toward the commotion and saw Clarisse standing at the other end of the stables. A dark furry shape growled protectively at her feet. Two more dark shapes prowled from the shadows of the adjacent pen to join their brother.
Daven stumbled in his haste to escape and landed flat on his back. The trio of monsters advanced with ferocious snarls, panning out to flank him on all sides. Roderick grabbed his steel pike with both hands and planted himself in front of the approaching demons. The frightened megaloceros were snorting, the ankylosauruses were lashing their club tails and even the rhinoceros had woken up. It bellowed and grunted, tossing its head in distress.
"Stay back, foul beasts!" Roderick's pike flashed from side to side. It was no use, for the three monsters would dart back whenever the weapon swept past. They slowly advanced, growling low in their throats.
These things can't possibly be feral, Willam thought to himself. There must be some explanation for why they're here and Clarisse probably has the answers. He glanced up at the stablegirl but she was still standing in the same spot as before. The quiet woman made no move to interfere, instead watching silently as the canines prowled forward. One of the demons leapt forward and snapped at Roderick's neck. He stumbled away in the nick of time, blindly swinging his pike. The animals were grunting and screeching from their stalls. Daven added to the cacophony by cursing and shouting from his corner. One of the megaloceros kicked its pen and the wooden door flew askew. Bloodshed would be inevitable unless Willam did something quickly.
He grabbed Roderick's arm. The frightened man nearly stabbed Willam but stopped himself in time. "Put down your steel!" Willam shouted.
Roderick lowered his weapon a fraction but gripped it for dear life. Willam pushed Roderick behind him and extended an arm to hold him back. The three dark canines snarled at the sudden movement. Willam slowly raised his hands to show that he was not a threat. "Everybody stand down!"
The monsters hesitated for a moment. Willam looked to the stablemaster for help. "Clarisse, can you explain the meaning behind this?"
She met his eyes but did not say anything. The three canines resumed their advance, jeering and snarling. "Clarisse, help. Please," Willam added urgently.
She took a step forward and the monsters froze. They turned to face her, suddenly calm once more. Clarisse whistled and the three canines loped toward her happily. She bent down to scratch one of the devils behind the ear. Willam slowly released the breath he didn't know he was holding. He turned around to make sure his friends were alright. Roderick had lowered his pike but his unsteady hands trembled beside the weapon, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. Daven looked extremely pale and he was shaking in the corner, his hands covering his face. Willam turned back toward Clarisse to demand an explanation for the monsters.
"Where did you get those things?" Willam asked, perhaps a bit more sharply than he had intended.
"Otto brought them," Clarisse replied calmly. One of the canines was licking her hand.
"Of course he did," Willam sighed.
Every so often, Otto managed to bring home some wild beast and stash it in the stables. It had been the woolly rhinoceros last week, and now it was the three canines frollicking around Clarisse. Willam always found it bothersome when Otto failed to mention the new inhabitants of the stables to him. He hated surprises, particularly ones with sharp teeth and claws.
"Alright, just make sure you keep them under control. We don't want another incident in here," Willam told Clarisse, thinking of how the rhino had panicked and destroyed two stalls last week.
The girl nodded and graced him with the faintest suggestion of a smile. Willam motioned to Roderick and Daven, who had both managed to regain their courage. They approached warily, eyeing the canines as they drew closer. Willam himself got a good look at the beasts for the first time and realized it was a trio of hyaenodons. Willam was growing old and he preferred to abstain from hunting but even he had heard about the ferocious reputation of the beasts. They were pack hunters like direwolves except these canines were often found in much larger clans. Although they weren't as powerful as their larger adversaries, hyaenodons had an uncanny ability for detecting weak prey. They often used their sharp sense of smell to root out injured or elderly creatures, defenceless juveniles, and fresh carcasses. Willam hoped he was not included in their list of potential targets.
Daven and Roderick finished their respective tasks quickly and retreated from the stable without a backwards glance. Willam stayed a bit longer, mulling over the situation. The animals had calmed down but the other humans were clearly still unnerved. Willam found himself surprisingly relaxed, especially considering the events that had transpired over the past few minutes. He supposed his calm behaviour could be attributed to his acquaintance with other man-killing monsters. After all, Willam had lived with Winter for months and he himself was raising a tyrannosaurus dominum, one of the deadliest beasts on the Island. He found it ridiculous to be afraid of something as small as a hyaenodon when he had already dealt with more dangerous monsters in the past.
However, the same could not be said for the new arrivals. Daven was still terrified of Winter and his pack, despite having lived with the wolves for months. It was no surprise that the hyaenodons frightened him as well. As for Roderick, Willam did not know much about the man except that he had been rescued a few days ago. All the new castaways were slowly adjusting to the Island but they were all strangers to this world. Every single one of the new survivors had been scared half to death after arriving at the Den, where humans lived side by side with wolves and other ferocious beasts. However, there was one exception to this almost universal rule; Clarisse.
The stablegirl possessed an uncanny ability for befriending animals. Willam remembered the day Clarisse had first arrived, pale and bruised from her time in the wild. Alys had found her petrified with fear inside one of the shelters they had constructed. Alys immediately brought the frightened girl home and entrusted her to Willam's care, since he was the closest thing they had to a healer. Even after Clarisse had been safely seated in the log cabin beside a roaring fire, she had remained frozen with fear. Willam had tried his best to help her recover from her trauma, including everything the Dossier had to offer about medicinal herbs and tonics. None of it worked. Clarisse only seemed to recover very slightly after Otto returned from his expedition with a few unconscious megaloceros. Willam had been shocked when Clarisse snapped out of her catatonic state and slipped outside into the freezing cold. She immediately began tending to the injured elk and from that moment onwards, Clarisse had been their new stablemaster.
Willam glanced at her curiously. The three hyaenodon were frolicking around her legs and he saw a faint smile play across her lips. Willam found it strange how she was so fearless when it came to animals, yet timid and shy in every other regard. Clarisse was absolutely terrified of any sort of violence and she seldom left the stable. She shunned meat entirely and preferred a vegetarian diet. Clarisse rarely spoke and even when she did, it was only short phrases or single words. Willam thought he had done something wrong to make her frightened of him but in truth, she was scared of everybody. Clarisse only seemed to enjoy the company of the animals. She always seemed much more confident and brave whenever there was some creature at her side. It was almost as if Clarisse were an entirely different person in the company of the beasts.
Willam hung his saddle onto a wooden peg on the wall. Although Argentum never slept in the stable, it was a good place to store his saddle. Willam turned to Clarisse before he left. "We're having dinner soon," he told her. "You're welcome to join us."
Clarisse stared at him for a moment and shook her head a fraction. "No," she mumbled, sitting down on a pile of hay.
"I'll ask someone to bring you food later tonight," Willam told her.
She lifted her head to meet his eyes. When Clarisse spoke, it was hardly more than a whisper, "thank you."
Willam left Clarisse like that, with the three canines curled peacefully around her.
The sun was starting to dip below the horizon by the time Willam stepped outside into the frigid cold. A great bonfire was blazing in the centre of the camp, and he saw a crowd of blurry dark shapes gathered around the fire. The scent of fried boar was in the air and Willam's stomach rumbled involuntarily in response. He wanted to join his friends by the fire more than anything in the world but there was something he had to do first. Willam tugged his fur jacket about himself and headed toward the western gate.
He got a closer look at the bonfire when he passed by. One of the new arrivals, a man named Hadrian, was rotating the spit over the fire. He was a grizzled middle-aged survivor who had managed to survive by himself in the wilderness for a few months before Otto found him. So far, Hadrian had proven himself to be trustworthy as well as a diligent worker. He was well-loved around the camp for his excellent foraging skills and his habit of returning home with baskets full of fresh vegetables, herbs, shellfish and salmon. No doubt, the delicious smell of the roasted boar was his doing.
Otto and Joseph were standing by the outskirts of the fire, deep in discussion. Two direwolves were casually lounging around the pair as they talked. Winter was nowhere to be seen but that was not a surprise. The alpha was usually off hunting or patrolling his vast expanse of territory. A little further to the right, Alys and Daven were laughing as they shared some secret joke. Patches was curled up around Daven's neck, slumbering peacefully. Willam saw that Maron had finished unloading his ore since the blacksmith had joined the others by the fire. He was talking with Rodrick and two women, neither of whom Willam had been acquainted with yet. There were a few other men and women around the fire but Willam did not know any of their names. He made a mental note to introduce himself later in the night.
Willam skirted around the bonfire and made his way over to the western gate. The rough oaken doors loomed above him, chipped and dented in a few places. There were traces of sap clinging to the wood and chunks of bark where the wood had not been trimmed properly. A wooden log barred the gate closed. Willam lifted the log from the door and shouldered the gate open. He stepped into the wilderness and closed the gate behind him.
He was instantly struck by a freezing northern gale that tossed his furs around him the second he was outside. Willam tugged his clothing closer and made his way toward a grove of spruce trees that sat on a small hill. The trek only took a few minutes but he was red-faced and breathless by the time he reached the crest. Willam made his way to the top of the outcropping, the green-black branches of the spruce trees swaying around him. The trees grew in a tightly-woven cluster at the top of the hill. Willam slid between two of the dark mahogany tree trunks and found himself staring at a golden direwolf surrounded by pale grey gravestones.
Her emerald green eyes flicked up to meet his own and she growled in acknowledgement. Artemis only stared at him for a few seconds before turning back to the tombstone nearest her. The golden wolf hunched beside the stone, silently regarding the mound of dirt before her. Willam pitied the wolf. Her twin Apollo had given his life to rescue Maron from a pair of carnotaurus. The late direwolf's spine had been crushed by one of the brutes and Apollo had been left paralyzed after the battle. Otto had put the crippled wolf out of his misery but the loss clearly still plagued Artemis. She remained hunched beside the gravestone and refused to leave her dead brother's side. Willam had no notion of how long she had been here but it must have been a few hours at the very least.
He gave the direwolf plenty of space and made a circuit to visit all the other tombstones. There were eleven in total. Each grave marked a fallen companion, a friend that would never bask in the light of day again. Otto was the one who built the graveyard. Shortly after rescuing Maron, he returned to the jungle to collect the bodies of his fallen wolves and brought them home. After the first three graves, the Wolf Lord built more to commemorate other deceased friends who had perished earlier. A few of the tombstones did not have bodies buried underneath because the corpses were unretrievable. However, most of the graves were occupied by the bodies of the fallen, or at least the parts they found.
Otto, Joseph and Willam had visited their old base to collect the bones of Hawk and Sarah. It had taken two trips to haul the triceratops' massive skeleton to the graveyard. However, they had only found a single bone to remember Hawk by. The trip to collect the bones of their friends had been traumatic yet necessary, Willam could see that now. The journey had provided closure for the trio of friends and a sense of peace that drowned out the turmoil of their shared loss. Nothing could change what happened in the past but there was still hope for the future.
Sarah's tombstone was in the corner, next to Hawk's smaller grave. Their names had been chiselled into pale grey stone and their bones were buried beneath their respective monuments. Willam silently stood before each of the tombstones for a few moments, honouring the fallen animals. If not for their valiant efforts defending the camp, he might not have been alive at this moment. Argentum's egg would have been smashed before the infant was even born and all his friends would have fallen prey to the megalosaurus pack. Hawk and Sarah gave their lives to defend his tribe and Willam would never forget their sacrifice.
He visited the next trio of gravestones, which were the three wolves who had died rescuing Maron. Willam had not known any of the beasts very well but he still felt saddened by their deaths. He had lived amongst the wolves for months, studied their behaviour, and gained some small insight into their world. He would never truly understand the direwolves but he could sympathize with them. He knew what it felt like to belong to a team and he would feel devastated if any of his friends ever died. Otto and Joseph had been with him nearly his entire time on the Island. They were his pack and his family.
Willam respectfully passed each of the gravestones in turn. Artemis was still curled beside her brother's grave so Willam gave the she-wolf a wide berth. He did not want to intrude on her space. Next, he visited the gravestones of Winter's family. Otto had never recovered their bodies but their memories lived through the monuments. There were six graves clustered together. The largest belonged to Winter's father and the one beside it to his mother. The other four represented his dead siblings. Willam had only heard about the wolves through Otto but if they were anything like Winter, they would surely be missed. The white direwolf was a loyal friend, a fearsome leader, and a dedicated guardian. Willam trusted the wolf with his life. Even after the attack on their old camp where Winter had been gravely wounded, Willam had felt safer knowing that the huge white direwolf was always watching over him.
The spruce trees rustled suddenly. Willam spun around and found himself staring at Winter as if the very thought had summoned him. The alpha direwolf bowed his massive head in greetings and padded over to the graveyard. He nuzzled against Willam and repeated the same gesture for Artemis. The great white direwolf settled down beside the gravestones of his family and howled into the night, a long and mournful song that echoed to the stars. Willam backed away from the direwolf, giving the alpha his space. He was not particularly surprised to see Winter at the graveyard since the white direwolf often visited his fallen friends and family. Winter was not the only one Willam had observed; Otto and Joseph frequently visited the graves as well. There was something therapeutic about the serene hillside, with its dark green spruces and pale grey lichens. Everything seemed so peaceful here and it was almost as if the dead were watching over him. It was not an eerie feeling so much as a comforting one, like the presence of long lost friends. Willam felt a strange attraction to the graveyard, a strange allure that Otto and Joseph must have felt as well.
Willam had been surprised one day when he saw Alys heading to the graveyard, for he thought the place would have no meaning for her. It was only a few hours afterwards when she returned to the camp that Willam remembered she had her own ghosts and demons. The death of Lucy still plagued Alys and the young girl's death would likely remain unhealed for a long time. Afterwards, Willam began to notice other survivors going to the graveyard as well, honouring those that had fallen and their own dead as well. The place clearly had great significance for everyone in the tribe and he was glad the serene hillside was helping them all heal.
Willam stayed in the graveyard for a moment longer before gathering his furs and heading down the hill. Winter and Artemis made no move to join him. They remained rooted in their respective positions, mourning their loved ones. Willam left the two wolves to themselves. He knew they would stay there for a few more hours and he did not want to intrude on their grief.
The sun was just barely peeking above the horizon and the last few rays of daylight were rapidly dwindling when Willam emerged from the grove. The vast snowy tundra was covered in shadows and Willam made out movement below the hill. A dark blob shifted and Willam saw two huge yellow eyes swing toward him. He froze and reached for his dagger, stunned that anything had gotten this close to the graveyard without either Winter or Artemis noticing. He was about to unsheathe the blade when he recognized the outline of the blob before him. It was Argentum, back from his hunting trip. Willam smiled and whistled for his pet.
The growing carnivore trampled toward him happily, releasing a delighted growl as he drew closer. The carnotaurus-sized juvenile bowled into him, knocking him to the ground. Willam laughed as the great silver beast nuzzled him lovingly. Argentum was evidently overjoyed to see him. Willam steadied himself against the carnivore's side and climbed to his feet. The tyrannosaurus rumbled happily and fell in beside Willam as he made his way down the hill. The old man could see the bonfire throwing great shades of red and orange into the night sky. He heard the dull rumble of half a dozen voices gathered around the fire and most prominently of all, he smelled the delicious scent of fried boar drifting through the chilly air. Argentum could smell it too. The massive carnivore growled in anticipation and Willam smiled at his pet.
"Come on, Argentum, let's see if they saved a haunch for us to share."
With that, Willam patted Argentum's side and they headed toward the roaring fire together.
Author's note:
King Endercreeper, thanks for the support! I got the name "Daciana" from DevoutRelic, back when I held the contest for the orange dilophosaurus' (now Hawk's) name. As for Maron, I have no idea what ethnicity he is but I'll leave that up to the reader lol. Great hearing from you as always!
The Dweeb 4252, thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you liked the chapter and the action sequence!
Changeling Man, thanks for the kind praise! Otto certainly does get himself into a bit of trouble every once in a while. Also screw pegomastax. One of the devils stole my spyglass and journeyman pick the other day.
J. S. F. Northern Command, yes I have definitely considered it but in my story carnivores are a lot harder to tame than in normal ARK. Most tribes will rely on smaller carnivores to fight their wars and seeing something larger than a carno on the battlefield will be pretty rare. Herbivores will be much more common tames, as I tried to show in this latest chapter. Anyway, good luck with your story and thanks for the review!
TheRagingNebula, thanks for the nice review! I'll try to upload as often as I can.
Blueberrium, haha thanks! And yup, I'm done for now! Nobody else should die in the next few chapters. . .
Caleb R. Watson, Thanks for your support! I try to use swear words sparingly but as the story takes a darker tone they might surface more frequently. Speaking of which, I'm glad that you enjoyed the killing of characters. In my opinion, it does make the story much more realistic which I was going for. And finally, Maron did indeed set up a smithy and forge but he's pretty much the only one who knows how to use it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Jdm/Jordan, thanks I hope my writing will improve as well!
ShadowKing92, thanks for the review! I have considered doing a timeskip but unfortunately it'll only be a few months at the most. I don't want to leave the characters to their own devices for too long.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my first fanfiction, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will try my best to upload as regularly as possible. Feel free to comment, ask question or criticize my story, review is always welcome. And if you like what you saw, make sure to check out the other ARK: Survival Evolved fanfictions out there. Have a great rest of your day or night.
-DaRumpyBurr