Chapter 26.
The Way Back
Virginia and Wolf stood by the side of the road, preparing to say goodbye to the people who they had come to love and trust. Virginia thought back over the past two days it had taken them to retrace their steps back to civilisation.
They had been quite deeper in the mountains than she had first thought. As each hour had passed since Wolf's reawakening, he had regained more and more of his human personality, his speech and mannerisms gaining a foothold once more in his mind. The first time he had laughed (at one of Shaman's suprisingly ribald jokes), she had felt her heart cry out with happiness. Not that he was completely healed yet, that much was obvious. He tended not to interact all that much with the men of the tribe, which did not displease the ladies, but Virginia wondered if he would ever be able to live at peace with them again.
"Patience, little mother" Shaman had told her one evening. "He has an inherently kind soul, there is no malice in him. Those who are like that cope the poorer when faced with real human cruelty. It surprises me greatly, given what else humans have inflicted on him. It is a measure of strength of a different kind. But he is lucky also, to have you"
"And lucky to have you too, Shaman" said Virginia, probing. Shaman had so far eluded any explaination of the apparition Virginia had seen, and Wolf had remained silent on the matter too. Virginia sighed. Hopefully one day she would know what had happened between Wolf and Shaman. It would make an interesting story to tell their cub, at any rate.
The party had made their way back to the Mission finally, approaching cautiously. They had half expected to find the place swarming with police and reporters. After all, a noted priest had died there in unusual circumstances. It was deserted now, the mess and destruction had been cleared away. It had been something of a bad moment for Wolf. Shaman had forbade him to enter the place, so he had stalked all round the exterior with his hackles raised and teeth showing all the while. He had managed to recount some of his experience within the abbey buildings, but he had firmly refused to discuss what he had done to the priests upon his escape. Virginia wondered if he felt faintly horrified at his actions, or whether he simply accepted them as a thing done, in the past. She might never really know.
Finally Virginia and Shaman had bundled him into the waiting truck and the party departed the hateful place, Wolf looking back over his shoulder at it till it disappeared from view.
Now they were at the junction of the main road and the track leading back to the mountain community and their lodge. One of the men had volunteered to drive the couple back to NY whilst the others went back home. Virginia felt weak as Evelyn's strong arms enfolded her, hugging tightly.
"We owe you so much. We can never hope to repay you" she stammered at the woman.
"Why, there is no need child. It's been an amazing experience, and a privledge too!" replied Evelyn. She stood back then, eyeing them speculatively. Her mouth twitched in a smile.
"Unless..." she hestitated.
"Name it" said Virginia, eager.
"Well, maybe, I suppose. Wolf, come here a moment" she said, drawing him away. She stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. Virginia didn't catch what was said, but she saw Wolf's eyebrows raise, before he stepped back. He hesitated, then nodded, solemnly. He returned to her, but she didn't pry. He would tell her later, if he chose, or not.
Shaman held the truck door for them, as they clambered in, kissing and blessing all three of them. Virginia was not surprised when Wolf spoke quietly to the old woman in his wolf-tongue and was answered in kind. Shaman kissed Virginia's brow onve more and Virginia felt a sudden lurch in her stomach. No, not her stomach. She smiled in wonder as she sensed the cub's movements for the first time. Then, just as the truck was pulling away, Virginia stuck her head out the window, calling out to Evelyn.
"Mother! How is it you came to find me there on the steps that day? How did you know I needed you?"
Evelyn smiled and touched her finger to her nose.
"A little birdy told me, of course!" Laughing, she turned away.
"Please don't tell me what I think you asked of Wolf" said Shaman, watching her sister closely as they drove away.
"Then I won't tell you"
Several hours later, Virginia and Wolf were back in New York, nearly one month after they had last seen it. Thanking their driver profusely, they climbed wearily up the stairs to their apartment. To Virginia it felt tiny, too small, having spent so many weeks out in the open. Wolf could barely bring himself to enter the front door. It was not a place he associated with safety anymore. They determined quickly that they had some 3 days till the portal was opened again. Wolf was most interested in the mirror shards, Virginia having told him about the vision it had given her. He had gathered them up, saying that he wondered if the dwarves would be able to repair the mirror. It was no good leaving such things undone, he had said.
They spent the remaining time gathering together that which they wished to take with them. They were not intending to return any time soon, and never permanently again. They said their goodbyes to work friends (Virginia had been sacked yet again, due to her disappearing without a trace once more). Wolf's loyal customers were most disappointed. But the Murray's were beside themselves with anguish at the thought of being deserted again, so Wolf secretly gave them the address of Virginia's Grandmother, knowing the lady would make good use of them till he and Virginia had found a way to remove the compulsion. That done, they cleaned up and closed down the apartment and returned all the overdue library books.
Three days later found them waiting patiently at the portal site, trying to look as innocent as possible despite their strange assortment of suitcases filled with clothes, odds and ends, and (though Virginia didn't know it) stolen library books. Virginia looked around at her birth place, no longer feeling the same attachment that she had once had. She stared hatefully at the church, just visible through the trees across the road. There had been no sign or sound of their priestly tormentors, nor had anything been reported in the news of a rabid beast running loose in the countryside. She supposed that the church, as was it's wont, had simply swept the whole thing under the carpet. It would be many years before she knew the truth of what had happened there.
As for Wolf, he could hardly wait to be away from this place. He tried not to fidget too much as they waited. His sleep was still affected with dreams and memories, just this morning he had awoken clutching at Virginia, sure he could see the cage materialise around them. The thronging anonymous crowds of the city no longer gave him the secure feeling they once had and his hands still trembled whenever he sighted black clothed men, crucifixes or stained glass windows. He was healing both body and soul, wolf-self and man-self, Wolf and Virginia. He had done it before. He shifted slightly and his sharp ears and quick eyes missed nothing, nothing at all.
Presently, the air shimmered and the portal appeared, wavering in the morning light. Taking a quick look around, they stepped through.
But they were not totally unobserved that morning, as Wolf had known well. The man sat in the tree, looking down upon the couple as they disappeared into thin air. He absently fingered the rags he wore, sniffing the stink of the park where he lived now night and day. He raved quietly, drool running down his chin. He scratched a while at the four long gashes that were healing slowly on his face. His hair, once vibrant, lay now plastered with sweat and grease. The other park vagrants gave him a wide berth. They would return one day, he gabbled to himself. He would be waiting. Oh yes, he would be. The man slunk down the side of the tree, pressing his back against the bark. He fixed his one remaining eye steadily. Watching.