Dark Moon Brother

Part Two

The Trespasser

That night there was a huge storm which came in quickly from the west, bringing thunder and lightening to rattle and shake the little house. Cub had woken in fear, so Virginia had crept out of bed to retrieve him from his crib, snuggling him down into the pillows of her and Wolf's bed. Wolf had sleepily enfolded them both and so they had all found themselves in a complete tangle the next morning, with Cub chewing contentedly on his father's ear as he waited for his sleepyhead parents to wake up. Virginia roused finally when his little tail escaped it's wrappings to bat at her face. She laughed and scooped him up, tickling him back till he cooed and squeaked in protest. His deep green eyes bored into hers, a comical expression on his face. Food? his features asked her hopefully. She offered him her breast, wondering if he would take it, but he only nuzzled there, sampling a few drops. Not that she was producing much nowadays anyway, since he had abruptly decided to wean himself a fortnight ago.

"Just as well you have your father's appetites as well as his looks, little son" she said to him. "You're getting big now, aren't you? I'd better start thinking of a name for you. It just won't do to have me turn up to the ceremony still looking through a short list, right?" Cub looked at her quizically, then suddenly he yipped, smiling at her. He yipped again.

"Cripes! I think he just said "mama" to you!" exclaimed a wide awake Wolf.

"He spoke to me? No way!"

"Sure he did! Cub's always speak wolfish long before human talk. Go on, son, say it again!" replied Wolf, but, like most children put on the spot by their parents, he refused to perform on cue.

"Oh well. I wish he would yip a name at me, or even a clue" said Virginia, cuddling him to her as she clambered out of bed. Wolf watched as they padded down the stairs, hearing Cub begin his usual clamour as soon as he spotted the kitchen. Soon, frying bacon smells filled the cottage.

"What are your plans for the day, love?" Virginia asked him as he bounded down into the kitchen.

"Well, that storm sure ripped through last night. I'd better go out to the forest and check that no one got hurt, or needs help rebuilding their lairs or nests. Want to come with me? We could try looking for Snow White's cottage again". Wolf and Virginia had spent many hours trying to find the cottage, but it so far remained stubbornly hidden, as if they had never found it that night. Neither had they been able to find the Huntsman's magic tree, although they had come upon the spot where it had once stood. Now, there was just a bare patch of grass, as if the tree had simply lifted it's roots and walked off. Wolf thought that it might have done that very thing. He had seen stranger things walking through this forest.

"Thank you, Wolf, but I think I will stay home today. There's sure to be an awful mess outside in the garden as well"

"As you will, sweetheart, but leave any heavy stuff for me, okay?"

"I will. Wolf, before you go, can we talk about something? I've just been thinking about things" she replied, seeing the immediate worry lines appear on his forehead.

"Go on"

"Well, it's about Cub. I know that 9th Kingdom medics are capable and all, but I really would like to have him vaccinated"

"Vaccinated? What is that?"

"It's a type of medicine that you give a child or baby, and it protects them from getting ill in the future. There are certain diseases that you can get vaccinated for, like measles, mumps and chicken pox. It's a quick thing, harmless. Every child born in the 10th Kingdom has this medicine given them. I'm worried that Cub might get sick, and some of these diseases can have nasty side effects"

"Well, I don't know. I might be a good midwife, but I don't really know much about cub illnesses. We would have to take him there then? You can't just bring back the medicines?"

"No, a doctor or a nurse has to do it". Virginia watched as Wolf digested the thought of taking their baby back to New York. She found herself hoping that he would chance it, even if he let her go there herself with Cub, but she doubted he would go that far. He was more protective of Cub than he was with her, but she couldn't fault him for that. She could picture herself tearing the throat out of anyone who tried to harm him.

"It'll just be a quick visit. Maybe, we could even visit my Grandmother, or even Evelyn and Shaman, if you want"

Wolf looked at his beloved. She was so earnest, he could hear it in her voice. This vaccination thing must be important to her, he thought. But, to step through into that Kingdom with their vulnerable Cub. He had been easily bested by the magics of the priest folk there. What if it were to happen again? Of course, he would be on his guard the whole time. Even though Virginia had returned safely from her two visits back to the Kingdom, he doubted whether she had been unnoticed. He had known of the scarred priest Connor who had watched them from the shadows as they prepared to depart. Many times in the months since he had been sorely tempted to return through the mirror and finish the pathetic man once and for all, but when it came down to it, he knew he really didn't have it in him. Wolf's could retaliate with lethal force if provoked enough, as he certainly had been, but cold blooded murder for the sake of revenge, that was purely a human trait, and his kind human heart could not stomach it.

He continued to ponder as Virginia cleaned up and dressed Cub and herself for a day in the fields. She must know how big a step she was asking of him, he guessed, as she did not try and force the issue, or get a quick decision out of him. He loved that she knew him so well, just like he knew her from her scents. Grandmother! Now why would she want to visit that cranky old woman, he wondered. But still, the old lady didn't even know of Cub's existence. It might be fun just to see her expressions when Virginia introduced him as her great-grandchild's daddy. Naughty wolfie! he scolded himself. Always the prankster. He mused about his own grandmother, not seen or known to him since his parent's deaths. Surely she would have passed to spirit by now, he thought. She had always seemed to be old to him. He supposed he had other relatives still living in the 2nd Kingdom. His father had had at least one brother that he knew of, and that uncle had cubs about Wolf's age. Should he seek them out? he wondered, scratching at his head. Maybe not. They hadn't really ever sought him out, even as an orphaned cub. He had eventually wandered into a small village deep in the 2nd Kingdom woods which was comprised mostly of wolf's and half-wolf's. They had taken him in, providing for him food, shelter and education, if not love and compassion. He had left them soon after gaining his full strength and height, as was customary for most young male wolf's, wandering aimlessly all over the Kingdoms, fending for himself, bristling with independance and mischief making. Winding up in jail certainly hadn't been part of the plans, no sirree, but then he wouldn't have met his darling mate, and little Cub wouldn't be here at all. He chuckled at all the variables that had had to fall into place to bring him here to this kitchen table this morning. Fated indeed!

He drew his thoughts now to the other folk his Virginia wished to visit. Evelyn and Shaman held a dear place in his heart too. The two wise elders had almost been single-handedly responsible for his and Virginia being reunited. Their people were good folk. He had learned a little from Virginia about the origins and history of the native people's of the 10th Kingdom. He had been surprised to learn that there were so many different human-folk. He frowned slightly as he remembered the promise he had made to Evelyn. She must have caught him at a weak moment, he thought. Surely she wouldn't hold him to it.

"Tell me what you wish" he had said to her that day.

"Well. Since you yourself aren't going to come live amongst us...perhaps you could leave a little of yourself?" she had replied, looking at him meaningfully, making sure he understood her. He had, but it caused him to blush furiously.

"I'm sure I'll be able to find a willing volunteer" she had winked at him.

"Oh, sure. Right. Umm"

"Visit us soon, and think about it. It would be such a gift for our people, a treasure to be protected and cherished"

Cripes, he had gotten himself into a pickle that day, for sure. He didn't think Virginia would like it over much, but who knew how she would react? She surprised him everyday still. His head had sunk down to the table top during his musing and he raised it up now, seeing his beloved in a typical practical get up of shirt, trousers and boots, Cub securely strapped to her back in a holder, asleep again already. She donned her wide brimmed hat, smiling at him. He grinned helplessly back at her.

"Very well, Beloved. We shall brave New York together once more" She came forward to hug him tightly.

"Thank you. It'll all be well, and Grandmother and the others are going to be so excited to meet him!". She capered happily around the table and out the front door to the garden. In spite of his worries, it was worth it to make his Virginia so happy, he sighed to himself.

Outside, it was a clear morning, and warm too on Virginia's back as she surveyed the damage caused by the storm. She went first to check on the fences, seeing that a large branch had fallen across one of the boundaries. She'd have to keep the flock out of this paddock today until Wolf could lift it off for her, she thought, testing the weight of the log. She waved to him as he disappeared through the long grasses and saplings, on his way into the forest. He moved quickly and lightly for a man of his size and weight, ducking around and under the foliage rather than crashing his way through. Hunter's silence, he had explained to her. He had taken her into the forest on many occasions, showing her the ways of things that lived there, teaching her what might or might not be dangerous, which paths to tread.

She left the broken fence to amble across the field to the sheep barn, drawing out the heavy keys and releasing the locks. She stood aside as the flock hurried forward and then expertly herded them towards a secure field using a crook she had picked up at a fair one day. She was careful to keep the crook hidden most of the time, as she knew that the sight of her brandishing one was something of a amorous signal to her mate and she could well expect to find herself ambushed and tumbled in the hayloft, the garden, or even the ditch under the hedge. She chuckled softly at the memories. Time to make another shepardess outfit soon, for sure.

She made her way over to her small vegetable patch, frowning when she saw the fat caterpillars enjoying a cabbage feast. At least she had no rabbits eating her produce. The furry bunnies were in short supply on this farm. Virginia settled down to weed and pick off grubs, putting Cub down amongst the potato plants. He woke and began to snuffle around till the butterflies totally absorbed his attention. Virginia had to laugh as he "stalked" his winged prey, wriggling his little nose and rump in excitement as he prepared to pounce. Yet for all his hunting instincts kicking in, he never even got close. But he wasn't deterred.

"Keep trying, small son" she told him as he landed face first in a cabbage. He giggled at her, then he was up and scampering down the rows of vegetables. She watched as suddenly he changed direction, nose in the air as he headed towards the wood shed. Virginia sighed and went after him.

"Hoy there, Cub. There's nothing interesting in there for you. Just piles of old wood drying for the winter" She caught up with him as he reached the closed door. He stuck his nose into the gap underneath it and then looked back up at her. Open it? he seemed to yip at her.

"Oh very well, but it's boring in there, truly" she said to him, lifting the latch and swinging the door open. Cub immediately yipped again and Virginia saw, just in time, a shadow dive behind one of the stacks. She stepped back, alarmed, scooping Cub up.

"Who's there?" she called with more confidence than she felt. She heard the figure stir and saw the top of someone's head peer over the top of the woodpile.

"Come out! Show yourself!" Slowly the figure stood up, it's arms held wide, showing it had no weapons. It came forward into the light that spilled through the open doorway.

"Don't hurt me, Miss. I mean no harm, truly!" It was a male voice, and young, and Virginia saw that it was indeed a youth of about 13 or 14 summers. A teenager, slight of frame with that gangling awkwardness of someone growing too fast for their coordination to keep up with. She relaxed slightly and she saw Cub staring at the stranger with interest.

"You're a half-wolf" she said.

"Ah, yes, Miss. My name is James. Truly I mean no harm. I was just looking for, umm, shelter, last night from the storm. Ah, your mate, he saw me hiding earlier, but he did not chase me, so I, umm, ah..."

"Helped yourself to our wood shed" Virginia finished for him. She ran a practised eye over the youth. He'd been living rough, clothes torn and dirty, hair all knotted and full of leaves.

"Aren't you a bit young to be wandering these lands by yourself? Where are your parents, your family?"

"Ah, my folk, they live in the 2nd Kingdom. I have left to make my way in the world. It's, a, custom, you know?. But perhaps I am not as, ah, resourceful as my father tried to teach me" he said, gazing at his unkempt appearance.

Virginia continued to observe the youth. He certainly looked spindly, but that could be deceptive. He was about her own height, with fair hair and skin. When he raised his head to speak, she saw he had unusual gray coloured eyes and a scattering of freckles over his nose. His whole demeanour was appologetic, embarassed even to have been caught out. A typical naughty wolf-boy's attitude, she thought. He had a small bundle of belongings, she saw, with small brushes of different sizes poking out and rolls of parchment. An artist half-wolf? she thought. Virginia realised suddenly that this James was in effect the only other half-wolf she had seen, other than Wolf and Cub. Wolf had told her that they were quite a populous race of people, yet she had lived here a year without ever meeting one. Were they just naturally secretive, or was it that they tended to live so far away from human folk and their ordered, tame landscapes? Maybe a bit of both, considering their bloodied history of confrontations. Wendell's pardon had made life easier for wolf's in this Kingdom, but she doubted that they garnered the same protection and rights in the others. She wondered why there hadn't been a sudden influx of wolf's to the 4th Kingdom. Maybe Wolf would know. She gazed once more at the youth, seeing him shuffling uneasily, no doubt awaiting her judgement upon him.

"Are you hungry, James?"

"Oh, starving, ravenous, Miss, oh, I mean, oh dear..."

"Go wash yourself in the trough, and I'll fix something for you" she told him, watching as he obeyed instantly, scampering over to the large horse trough. He pulled his shirt over his head and she saw that his back crest was the same colour as his hair, a dusty blond. She returned to the house and fetched a bar of soap, tossing it to the boy.

"Go on, get right in. You can draw more clean water for it later, if you like" She turned back to the cottage, hearing a great splash as the youth dived head first into the water. Soon, he dragged his clothes in too, working up a huge lather as he pounded them clean. In the kitchen, she fixed him a plate of roast lamb sandwiches, making some for herself and cut up meat for Cub as well. Soon, a pale but much cleaner figure appeared in the doorway of the house. He was stark naked. Evidently all half-wolfs shared her mate's total lack of inhibitions when it came to the body beautiful. Blushing, Virginia grabbed up a robe of Wolf's hanging by the door and tossed it to the boy. It was way too big of course, but he bundled himself into it dutifully, and stood looking expectantly at her. Virginia hesitated a moment. Was there some sort of wolfy etiquette involved in inviting a stranger inside? she wondered. Did these folk follow the same social rules as hers when it came to being a considerate guest?

"Come in, and be welcome" she invited the boy. "I am Virginia, and this is my Cub. My mate is Wolf"

"I thank you, Mistress" he replied formally. "Do not worry. I come here as the dark of the moon" he added, possibly sensing her hesitation.

"The 'dark of the moon?'"

"Yes, it means, 'in peace', you know, like the opposite of the full moon. It's a wolfy saying"

"Oh, well, come in, eat with us" Virginia beckoned him and he needed no further prompting, drawing up a chair at the table and reaching immediately for a sandwich. It was several minutes before he looked up again. He noticed Cub sitting on the floor, gnawing happily on a bone Virginia had given him, and spoke a word to him in wolf-tongue. Cub rolled over on his back as all wolf infants do, but not letting go of his lunch. The boy, James, laughed at him, and Cub giggled back.

"He likes you" said Virginia, smiling at them both. "Have you had enough to eat, James?"

"Yes. Thank you for sharing your meat with me. If it's okay, I think I would like to clean out your horse trough and draw more water for it. Then, it is proper for me to await your mate. This is his territory, and I have done far more than just "pass through". If he wishes to kill me, so be it, but perhaps he may give me a head start?"

"Oh my, I don't think he would kill you, James!"

"Others would"

"That may be, but not here. Now, go clean the trough, if you will. Wolf won't be back till nightfall, I'm guessing" Virginia replied, watching as the youth went straight to work. All that day he worked quietly in the gardens and fields. The trough was gleaming, the fence repaired, the cabbages weeded and the creaky door on the barn set right. Poor thing must be desperate to make a favourable impression on Wolf, Virginia thought, laughing to herself. She looked out the window at him, seeing that Cub had crawled out to play with the boy in the front garden. They rolled yipping and play-growling in the grass. Cub had seized the boy's tail tip in his gummy mouth and was hanging on for dear life as James rolled around in mock-agony. Suddenly, the slanting afternoon shadows coalesced into a large dark form as it leapt out of the bushes, grabbing up James with practised ease, lifting him up in the air by his scruff.

"Wolf! Wait! It's okay!" Virginia shouted out the window. She ran out the front, seeing the boy dangling helplessly, but offering no resistance.

"You're just a cub!" Wolf said to the boy.

"Oh no I'm not! I've had my first moon cycle, sir, see!" whimpered James, showing his adolescent canines. Wolf laughed at the boy's daring and promptly dropped him in a heap, snatching up a wide eyed Cub, cooing at him as he turned to Virginia.

"Had a good day, dear?" he asked innocently. They laughed together, then kissed passionately.

"It's been, interesting, thats for sure" she replied, slightly breathless.

"Hmm. You'd better come in then, boy" Wolf spoke to the cowering youth. James got to his feet shakily. Wolf tossed Cub high in the air as he walked towards the house, crooning over his son in his wolf-tongue. Smiling in relief, Virginia and James followed.