Chapter 11

Roosters' crowing announced the coming of dawn and encouraged the settlers to arise and start their day's work. Esther went to milk the family cow, and she chatted with Celesta who was milking the Bennett's cow in the far end of the longhouse. Both cows stood still and munched the handful of hay given to each animal in the enclosure. In a while, the boys would take the cows and sheep to the meadow.

"How is Finn this morning?" Celesta asked.

"He's much improved. At least his fever is gone. The wound could be better."

"Oh, that's good. I mean about the fever. I hope he is feeling better."

"So do I," Esther said as she rhythmically squirted milk into her pail. She wondered if Finn's dream had been real and the girl had gone to his bed during the night. She didn't ask, since Celesta could just deny it.

When Esther returned to her part of the house, she found her children up and about. Niklaus had brought in more wood for the fire and Kol was helping Rebekah dress properly. Somehow, the small child put something on wrong frequently.

"Did she use the pot?" the mother asked her youngest son.

"Yes," Kol said. Both he and Niklaus often kept an eye on their little sister.

Finn sat on his bed. He was awake, but a little dizzy. He suspected that was from the herbal tea his mother had made. When Niklaus asked if he needed help putting on his trousers, Finn was tempted to say no, he could do it himself. However, his left hand was stiff and swollen, so he let his brother help him.

"Do you need help to go out back?"

"I'm really dizzy, Niklaus. Bring me the pot." The chamber pot was kept handy for anyone who needed it, especially on rainy days. There was a privy out back of the house, but the men and boys tended to empty their bladders behind adjacent bushes. Finn was concerned that a trip outside would land him on the ground as had happened the evening before. While Niklaus stood by to take the pot to empty it, Finn emptied his bladder. That was a relief.

Still, he did not get up from his bed. As the room seemed to swirl, he lay down on his back and stared at the rafters of the roof. The dizziness faded and he turned onto his right side and propped his left arm on his hip. It was a comfortable position. Something caught his eye and he reached for it with his right hand. It was a hair lying near his pillow. It was not his. It was not his mother's. In fact, by the reddish color of it, he guessed that it was from Celesta's head. So, she really had come to him and had lain down beside him! He tried to remember if anything more inappropriate had happened. He thought not. The pain in his arm would have awakened him.

When his mother brought him a bowl of porridge, he sat up and leaned back against the wall beside his bed. He told her about the hair. "Don't say anything about it, Mother."

"She didn't make you do anything, did she?" annoyed with the sneaky girl.

"No. I wasn't up to doing anything like that, literally." He gave his mother a small smile as she lay the bowl on his lap. He could feed himself with his good hand. There were pieces of meat in the porridge and he liked that. He was hungry, but he ate slowly. More dizziness could cause nausea, and he didn't want to lose his breakfast.

Once Esther had her children fed, she took the time to examine the wound and she was pleased to find it looking less angry. Still, there was some swelling in his hand.

"I think you are on the mend, Finn. Keep your hand up so the swelling can go down. I'll make a sling for your arm."

"If Rika and I go ahead with a wedding, we will look odd. One of us on crutches and one with an arm sling." Finn had to chuckle about this.

It was not long before the young lady in question came hobbling to the house to see how her betrothed was feeling. She now had new crutches made to fit her small stature. She carefully sat on his bed beside him and he put his good arm around her. She gave him a hug, too.

"I was worried about you," she admitted.

"My arm is better. And I feel better with you beside me." He gave her a kiss on the lips, which she returned.

"Kissy. Kissy," teased Kol.

Then little Rebekah came over to the lovers, tripped over Rika's crutches and fell on her bad ankle. The young woman gave a cry of surprise and pain.

"Rebekah!" Esther admonished. "Watch what you're doing. Rika has a hurt foot. You come on over here with me." She glowered as the child looked guilty and left her brother. "Kol, it's time you took the stock out to the meadow."

"What about Niklaus? Isn't he coming too?"

"He has to bring more wood for the fire. Then he'll join you. And don't forget your spear."

Finn noticed that Niklaus had a smirk on his face. The boy didn't like to be stuck in the meadow most of the day and didn't mind doing chores for his mother, especially since Mikael was not around to berate him for anything.

When Esther went outside with two of her children, Finn turned to Rika. "I want you to be careful around Celesta."

"Why?"

"She seems to be jealous that you and I are planning to marry."

"Well, that's too bad, isn't it? I love you and you love me, so what can she do?"

"I don't know, but remember she has some ability to cast spells." He refrained from mentioning the hole Rika had fallen into. He had no proof Celesta had had anything to do with that.

"Could she really cast some spell to ruin things for us?"

"I just don't know. Try to avoid her if you can."

"She and I have been working together to tan that bear hide. She's been nice to me. You think that is just an act?"

"Maybe. We'll see."

Their day went forward without further mishaps. Finn's arm improved and he felt much better in general. If Celesta did anything to trip up the couple's plans, no one noticed. The next day was interesting because four native men came into the village carrying generous meat from a woods bison they had killed. The settlers could always use meat. In exchange, the natives wanted the claws from the killed bear. The pelt was considered to be Finn's and he agreed to make the trade, as long as he could keep one claw as proof that it was the cause of one of the deep scars that would form on his arm.

After the trade, the natives made a hasty retreat from the area. They were aware that the moon would be full that night and the wolf-men would be out in the forest. Among the villagers who would turn, there was a reminder. At least twelve hours before the moon rose, those affected felt vague tingling in the palms of their hands and the soles of their feet. In addition, other parts of their skin had a slight tingle.

As the sun was about to set and the moon ready to rise full and bright, a group of men and one woman headed out toward the forest to the west of the meadow. They removed their clothes and left them in neat piles. The moon peaked over the ridges to the east and the transformations started. For those who were long-time wolves, the change was quick and only briefly painful. For those who were relatively new to this, the change took longer and was agonizing. Before long, a pack of large wolves was racing through the forest, chasing game or each other. They killed and ate some small game, such as rabbits, but otherwise, they simply reveled in the joy of feeling powerful and free. They howled at the moon.

A few of the men, like Jan and Anders, were free of their infirmities and were able to run painlessly. Two old men momentarily had no arthritis. It was exhilarating.

The people remaining in the village did not stray out into the woods and they kept their animals close. The werewolves were not entirely humanly intelligent. They could not be trusted if they were in a hunting mood, although they recognized their human family members.

Rika spent the evening at her own home. Her mother always worried about her own sister, Rika's Aunt Greta, who was the only female werewolf out there in the forest. The only serious threat to any of them was from the natives, but native arrows would not kill them. A skull-smashing blow from a war club or hatchet could possibly be deadly. Animals such as bears and cougars could cause possible dismemberment or death. As the years had passed, only one werewolf had been killed, but Rika's mother worried.

Finn stayed with his own family. They were safe in their home, as were their animals. He knew Rika was safe at home. Oddly, it was young Niklaus who seemed worried about the wolves, whose howls were carried on the wind.

"Don't be afraid, my boy," Esther said soothingly. "Mother will protect you."

Finn wondered if she meant something she did not say. How would she protect her hybrid child specifically? Could she somehow prevent him from turning, even when he matured and killed someone? Finn suspected she would find a way. He wanted to ask her about it, but he was actually afraid to ask. In some strange way, he was wary of the witch who was his mother.

A/N You would think his mother would have used magic to heal his arm, but she limited that use to a strong poultice to draw out infection. Will the battle-scarred and lame couple manage to marry? We shall see.