Wolf and Concentration
Somewhere in Germany 1944
Holo looked across the forest at her comrades. With the snow on her belly, and the trees hiding her, she felt right in her element. To her right and left, Malik, Sasha, and Dmitri prepared for the assault on the German camp. Dmitri then move over towards Holo's ear, whispering
"We attack when you fire the first shot." Holo looked down the scope of her rifle. Eyeing a German, she took in a breath. Releasing half of it, she squeezed the trigger. The German did not even feel the shot as his head popped. Soon all around her, many soldiers rose form their snowy graves and charged the fort. Holo's squad, now called "Stalin's wolves", followed the human wave. Bullets fired from both sides. Each German gained 50 to 100 bullets in his body. There was no need for the large number of soldiers, but Holo didn't care. Wolves always outnumber the weak and the dying, today was no different. She saw as her comrades fell, but that her own men did not fall. As they reached the tower, Malik threw a Molotov, incinerating the men inside. As they opened the gates the squad saw Germans surrendering. The squad did nothing as they passed the Germans. The red army might kill prisoners and traitors, but the wolves did no such thing.
The squad looked around the fort. There were not many weapons or vehicles, which made Holo wondered what the base was used for. As the squad opened the barracks, they could see why. Inside where men, practically bones, sleeping on planks of wood.
"My God, what happened here?" Sasha said. One of the men walked up, his pants barely staying on, pointed to himself and said "Jude"
"He says he is Jew." Malik said. The three looked at Malik, wondering how he knew German. Malik sighed
"My Nurse was a German." He said as he tried to strike up a conversation with man. Each time, the man would point to himself, then at the other men, saying "Jude". Holo looked around, the fort looking eerily familiar. She saw as other soldiers opened doors, revealing other men. What opened Holo's eyes, however, where the train cars. As they opened, dead bodies fell out. Holo looked away, but then saw a symbol. Holo stared at the symbol till she realized she had seen it before. It was exactly like the one Sasha held back in Kursk. She remembered seeing the symbol here before seeing it in Kursk. She was here before.
"I remember now" Holo said as she blacked out. The three men saw Holo faint, quickly moving to her side.
"Is she okay Malik?" Dmitri asked. Malik examined Holo, but only nodded.
"She is ok; something just caused her to black out." Malik answered. Dmitri then ordered Sasha to carry Holo back to her cot. Sasha made no complaint as he lifted the unconscious Holo.
"I hope that you are not having a bad memory, Horo" Dmitri said as the three walked back towards camp. Unfortunately, Holo was having a bad memory. She was remembering the experiments they did on her back at this same fort four years ago.
4 Years Earlier.
Holo woke up in a seat in front of a table. On it, she saw foods from apple pie to roasted boar. The smell drew her in as she basked in the feast. Then she saw Ulrich, sitting across from the table.
"Ahhh. I see that the Goddess had a good nap." Ulrich teased
"I am no longer a goddess, I have renounced that title the second I married a man." Holo answered.
"Yes of course, now tell me Holo the wise wolf; have you ever tried Kobe beef before?" Ulrich asked. Holo only shook her head.
"Oh my, you have not lived till you tried it." Ulrich then snapped his fingers. Two men came out, each carrying a dish with the small beef. The set a plate for both Holo and Ulrich
"You know Holo, the Japanese take great care of their cattle. The massage the beast, feeding it high quality food. Because of this, the meat is so tender that it melts in your mouth." Ulrich then ate the beef, slowly so that Holo could suffer. Heaving her own stomach, Holo tried to move her arms. Unfortunately, she found that they were bound to the chair.
"What is the meaning of this?" Holo asked. Ulrich only chuckled.
"It is quite simple my darling. You work for the furor and his army, and I will reward you. Starting with the beef." Holo saw what the man was doing.
"You are trying to tame me like a wild dog. Clearly you have forgotten that I am a wolf. And that Wolves cannot be tamed." Ulrich on smiled
"True, but the word "wolf" in Latin is Canis Lupus, while a domesticated dog is Canis Lupus Familiaris. All it takes is one simple word to differentiate the two." Ulrich stated
"Ah, I see you bring Latin in. Well let me tell you human, it was a wolf who mothered those two boys."
"So why not mother the Fuhrer's army?" Ulrich asked. Holo sat back in her seat.
"Let me just keep it simple. I will not be your army's dog." Holo responded. Ulrich snapped his fingers, this time a soldier hit Holo in the back of her head with a rifle.
"Wrong answer Holo." Ulrich then turned to his waiters
"My good men, please bring out the champagne." The waiters bowed and brought out a bottle of champagne. Popping the cork, the two waiters poured the liquid into the glasses and served Holo and Ulrich. Once tasting the alcohol, Ulrich began to speak.
"You know, champagne can only be made in place in the world. A strange tradition, yes, but the French have been known to eat snails." Ulrich said as he took another sip. Holo immediately spoke.
"My answer is still no." Ulrich didn't even have to snap his fingers, the soldier whacked Holo regardless.
"Thank you private. Now Holo, you have played my hand. What I am about to bring out, you cannot pass up." Snapping his fingers, the waiters cut the apple pie. Placing the two pieces on plate, they gave the bigger piece to Holo. Ulrich took a bite.
"It is funny. We Germans are known for our great apple pies. But nothing is like an American apple pie." The German said. The smell drowned Holo. She wanted the pie really bad. But she knew the consequences, and only answered no. Anger could be seen in Ulrich's face.
"You little bitch, how dare you insult me… no the furor's hospitality in front of his own men. Private, please escort Holo to her room." Ulrich ordered. The soldier gave a salute, and then whacked Holo with his rifle. He then took her to an oprating room. The soldier pulled out a needle with sleeping medicine, injecting the contents into Holo. Holo was out before she knew it.
Ulrich watched as Holo woke up from her sleep. Like before, Holo was bound to an object. This time she was bound to a table. Ulrich entered the room with a doctor.
"You know Holo; all you had to do was accept the food. That was all you had to do. Now I have bound to a table, where the good doctor will now extract blood from you." Ulrich said with a grin. The doctor tried to put a needle into Holo's arm, but Holo moved around too much for the doctor to get a needle in. Ulrich ordered a soldier to hold down Holo's arm. Once the needle was in, the doctor extracted some of the blood. Placing the vial in a cooler, Ulrich called for another vial. This went on for an hour before Holo passed out due to blood loss. Waking up, she saw young boy in a prison outfit with a yellow star on his shirt. The boy was also bound to a table
"Now Holo, I want you to watch the fruits of your body." Ulrich took one of the vials and placed the contents into a needle. Then he injected the needle into the boy. To Holo's horror, the boy twitched around. His body tried to transform, but the blood was too old to do so. The child died in front of Holo.
"Pity, then again, this a faster way to kill the weaker races then letting them starve." Holo made no comment, knowing full well that there was no such thing as a weak race. Ulrich tried again on many other people, all dying in front of Holo's eyes.
The doctor was able to convince Ulrich that Holo needed rest for her to create more blood. Ulrich only groined, but did nothing else. The doctor examined the blood from Holo. In her cell, Holo was kept on the table. Every day, she received left overs.
"How can an elegant wolf like me be treated like a dog?" Holo said to herself. Looking at her room, it was small and cramp. Even if she was not strapped to a table, there was nothing she could do. She couldn't talk to the guards, for they often electrocuted her to keep quite. As time went on, Holo just stared at the ceiling, hoping to die.
The next week, Ulrich and the doctor entered the room and prepared to extract more blood from Holo. Putting the needle into her other arm, they extracted the same amount of blood. Holo passed again. As she woke up, they continued the experiments. This time Holo tried to close her eyes, but the soldiers opened them each time she closed them. Again, the prisoners died very quickly, but this time some did show signs of transformation. Again Holo was allowed one week of rest. However, a child prisoner was placed in her room as caretaker. Holo started to talk to this boy, learning about him and his past.
"Child, what is your name?" Holo asked the boy.
"My name, well it is Misha." The boy said. Holo waited for him to say his last name, but he did not answer.
"Child, do you have a family name?" The boy looked at Holo with fear.
"Yes, but that is why I am here. That name got to this camp." Holo was perplexed, wondering how a name could be a crime. She asked why it caused him to be in this camp.
"My name indicates that I am a Jew. The Nazis do not like Jews. SO I hide my name." Misha said before asking Holo her name
"Why I am Holo the Wise Wolf of Yoitsu" Holo said. She saw as the child was taken aback
"Do not worry, for I am no longer a god. I have given up that title long ago." She said. The boy came closer and started petting Holo. She waged her tail in happiness.
"Thank you Misha, it has been too long since a person has petted me." Holo said. She remembered hearing how Jewish people back in the crusades where killed, as well as hearing that many died during the Spanish Inquisition.
When the next day came around, Ulrich had the child removed as they removed more blood from Holo. This time, however, would be the time Holo feared the most. As the doctor removed the blood, Ulrich had Misha come back into the room. Ulrich took a needle and injected the blood into Misha directly.
"What are you doing, you are ruining the experiment!" The professor cried as Ulrich injected the blood into Misha. Misha started to twitch as his body changed. At first fur appeared all over his body. Then his body changed into a wolf body. Last was his head and face, as they changed from human to wolf. The doctor looked astounded at what Ulrich had done.
"My sir, you have done what I could not. How did you know?" The doctor asked. Ulrich just smiled
"I wanted to see the boy die from her blood, but maybe this form is better. He is now a dog, just as the Fuhrer said." Ulrich said with a chuckle. Holo protested by trying to free herself from her bonds.
"He is a wolf, not a dog you stupid human." Holo screamed. Ulrich didn't care what Holo thought, he finally had a weapon to offer the Fuhrer. As he and the doctor took samples from Misha, Holo saw sadness in Misha's eyes. Once the two men left, Holo was alone with the wolf that was once a boy.
"Holo what has happened to me?" Misha asked
"You have consumed my blood. As a result, you have become a wolf similar to me." Holo answered. Misha lifted his head at what Holo meant.
"As you know, I was once a harvest deity. Often times, we deity's would fall for a man or women, and bless them with a child. Now the child was a demi-god, that of both man and deity. IF the child wanted to, they could consume the blood of their deity parents in order to become a full deity."
"So what about me, I am just a regular child, I have no deity parents." The boy-wolf said. Holo chuckled
"Why do you assume you need direct blood relations to be considered a demi-god? But I can see your point. You see Misha; you are now a demi-god."
"I AM? But that means I am a living example of breaking Moses's law."
"Look Misha, the title demi-god is just that. It is a title, nothing else." Holo said, trying to cheer up Misha
"I guess that makes me feel better, but still" Misha said to in a dishearten tone.
"If it is any consolation, you will eventually revert back to your Human form, although you would have the ears and tail on you, but you will get used to that. Also be careful, you may be immortal to harm. But if another wolf or person with wolf blood in them kills you, you will die." Holo commented, trying to cheer Misha up. He wasn't thrilled with his new life as a wolf.
Ulrich and the doctor kept taking samples form Holo and Misha. Each time the needle went into her, she wanted to rip it out and kill Ulrich. Still, they kept her down. Another thing they did, in order to prevent Misha from having his way with Holo, they put a prisoner's outfit on Holo. Unlike the other prisoner's outfits, hers was always clean. Each day, Holo saw weaker, and weaker, and weaker people come in front of her. Each died as they were injected with her blood. After a year, Holo was convinced that only the guards, Ulrich, the Doctor, Misha, and herself could survive an injection. That all changed one day
"How is the transfusion doing Doctor?" Ulrich asked he already knew the answer.
"Fine Ulrich, just fine. We just need to extract two more bottler. Then we are done for the day" The doctor said with a yawn.
"Maybe you will be done, but I still have something to do with Holo" Ulrich said as he polished his gun. Despite months of being in his wolf form, Misha still did not revert back to Human. Today he would but not in the way Holo wanted to.
"The collection complete commander, do you have any orders for me?" The doctor asked. Ulrich smiled
"Why yes, yes I do have an order for you, doctor. Bring that mutt over here." Ulrich said as he pointed to Misha. Holo made no sound. She had already found that there wasn't much she could do. Ulrich went to Holo's right hand and undid the bounding. Her hand free, she exercised the arm that was bound for so long. Ulrich pulled out his pistol, and forced it into Holo's hand.
"No, I will not kill my friend" Holo pleaded. But Ulrich just kept smiling. He held the gun in Holo's hand, and aimed it at Misha. Moving his fingers around Holo's hand, he prepped his finger to force Holo's to shoot Misha.
"Please anything but this. I will do anything for you, just leave Misha alone!" Holo continued to plead. Misha then began to speak.
"Holo remember who you are. You are Holo the Wise wolf, do not whore yourself out like how you are doing right now." Misha inched closer to the gun.
"Besides Holo, I can never live a life as a wolf" Misha then closed his eyes, ready for the inevitably. Ulrich forced Holo's finger to fire the gun. Holo had killed Misha, her only friend. Holo was silent as she watched the wolf's corpse turn back into a boy. Ulrich had a soldiers remove the body. Holo cried for days after her friend's death. After the killing, Holo was unbound form her chair. She was weak from months of not being free. What made it worse was that she was barely fed. With little energy, and her muscles weak, Holo fell to the ground. The doctor and Ulrich left without getting her up.
As the weeks went by, Holo reverted to little more than an animal in a cage. Each day she crawled back and forth, waiting for food to be pushed into her cell. This isolation played on Holo's habits. She started to walk on all fours, eat food more like a wild animal then she usual was, and she began to talk less. It was like Holo the Wise Wolf became Holo the Wild Wolf. Despite her actions, Holo was still sane in her head. What she was trying to do was cope with the loss of her friend. Still, Ulrich was pleased with Holo's new habits.
"Mien Fuhrer, what a surprise that you are here" Ulrich said as he saluted Hitler
"Yes I know. Now show me the BEOWULFE project I have heard so much about."
"Of course mien Fuhrer" Ulrich led the dictator to Holo's cell and opened the door. Holo hid in a corner, hoping the stay out of the light.
"So she is the great Wise Wolf of Yoitsu. Tell me Holo, Why won't you join my army?" The man asked. Holo just started at the short man
"A dog is a servant of man, but wolves are the servant of no one" Holo said rather confidently. Ulrich was about to kick her, when the Fuhrer stopped him
"What of revenge Holo, revenge on the Moon Bear. The one that ravaged your homeland." Holo's ears perked up
"The Moon bear wasn't an actual bear Holo, but was really the Tsar and his men. The Russians ravaged your land." The Fuhrer said in a calm voice. Holo was quit. True she wanted revenge against the Bear, but that was over an unknown number of years ago. At any rate, she didn't care anymore. Walking up to the Fuhrer, Holo tried to bite the man. Ulrich just had her knocked out.
"I am sorry mien Fuhrer, but she is a little testy"
"It matters little. As long as you have the blood ready, I do not care" Ulrich look at his Fuhrer and gave another saluted as the Fuhrer walked off. Turning his attention to Holo, anger could be seen in his eyes despite his calm.
"I can see you are a trouble maker. Lets see how much trouble you make on the front lines. "The German said. After her time in this hell hole, Ulrich, his men, and Holo would be deployed in Stalingrad. There Holo would meet Dmitri.
Sasha, Malik and Dmitri played cards to past the time. Holo was with them, resting in a cot to keep her warm while she was blacked out
"Two pair" Malik said.
"Three pair" Sasha said happily
"4 Aces" Dmitri said as he crossed his arms. Sasha looked at Dmitri with astonishment
"How can you play cars so well?"
"All in the timing" Dmitri said. Malik took a drag of his cig, puffing the smoke into Sasha direction
"You stupid Chechen, why did you do that?" Sasha implored to Malik. Malik kept quit as he dealed the cards.
"So what do you guys plan on doing once this God forsaken war is over?" Dmitri asked as he looked at his cards.
"Oh get married and have Children." Sasha drunkenly said.
"Go home and continue hunting wolves." Malik said taking another drag. Dmitri looked at Malik at wonder
"You hunted wolves. Why? What do they do to you?" Malik looked at his Russian friend and puffed the smoke
"I have always been fascinated by the animals. They hunt the weak and the young, but not the pregnant. They can strike in numbers, only to disappear seconds later." Malik took another drag
"That is what interested me. Wolves are different than other hunters. I decided one day to learn the hunting abilities of the wolves. Days, Weeks, Months I have stalked the wolves. After years of stalking them, I eventually learned their habits and found ways to out stalk them." Malik then flicked the cigarette but on the ground, stomping on it to extinguish the flames.
"I kill them to keep the forest balanced. I hunt not for profit or glory, but to allow their hunt to continue for generations." There was a pause in his words
"Flush" He showed his cards.
"You win Malik" Dmitri said as he placed his cards back in the deck. Sasha kept drinking till he passed out.
"And what of you Dmitri, what will you do once this war is over?" Dmitri pondered the question. He then looked at Holo.
"I need to take her back to her home" Malik looked at Holo
"And where would that be?"
"I don't know exactly, but I have a feeling it is somewhere north "Malik just lit another cigarette
"If you want, I can accompany you. My wife knows about you, and let me say that she says that the daughters like you." Malik then pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and held it in his hand.
"If you want, I can wed them one of them, to you." Dmitri chuckled
"As much as that is a nice proposition, I would rather not cause problems with the kids. You know me being Russian and she being Chechen." Malik only nodded.
"I can understand, and I applaud you on your foresight" Dmitri looked at Malik with confusion.
"You knew of the problems I would have with one of you daughters?" Malik made no comment at the question, and just took a drag of the cig. Dmitri got the hint.
"Anyway, thanks. You seem to have more connections then anyone I know" Malik Just took another Drag. As he did, he noticed Holo begin to stir.
"Your friend is waking up" The Chechen said as he puffed the smoke. Dmitri went to the side of Holo's cot, holding her hand to help her up. As Holo woke up, she felt his hand on hers.
"Are you O.K. Horo"
"I think so, something about that camp brought back to many memories."
"You were there once, where you not?" Malik asked. Holo kept quit, saying nothing.
"You were, I can see it in your eyes Horo." Holo was shocked by the Chechen.
"At any rate, that fort was razed. Something about being against party ideals" Malik Said. Holo had a small smile.
"At least your prison is gone Misha, you are now free." She thought to herself
The army was on the move again, and Germans kept retreating. Eventually winter became summer, and Holo saw many of the soldiers dance and sing.
"Why are they doing this, we haven't won the war?" Dmitri and Sasha laughed
"They said we would reach Berlin by spring. Looks like that will soon be happening." The two said as they passed the vodka bottle around. Holo took a drink and smiled. She had since gotten used to the drink, thought she still preferred mead.
"I suggest we wait for the festivities later, we still have a war" Malik said as he watched his drunken comrades.
"True, but we need fun Malik. And card games only offer so much." Dmitri said. Malik just turned around, and continued his over watch. As day became night, the three drunkards began to sleep. Holo had another dream, similar to the one she had back in Vladivostok.
"Look at all these apples, and no one to share with. I guess all for me." Holo took an apple and ate it. Its meat was delicious and filling.
"I need more of these" She then took apples and practically stuffed them into her mouth. As she ate, she noticed that she was no longer in her uniform, and that she was in some kind of urban center. Thing was, there was no one around. Holo kept eating the apples. Suddenly she heard a click. Turning around, she saw Sasha pointing his gun at Holo.
"Sasha, what is wrong?" She asked. Fear was in Sasha face
"W….what are you …..You wolf demon." He said. Holo looked at herself and gasped. All round her were bodies and blood. She felt the blood on her skin, staining it. What surprised her was the blood in her mouth.
"What did I do?" She said. Sasha pointed to a small wolf before opening fire on Holo. The bullets ripped into her, and she felt herself dying. Then she woke up, with her squad all around her.
"You had a nightmare Horo, its gone now." Dmitri said. Holo took a breath.
"I need to stop drinking Vodka Dmitri, that stuff is causing those visions." Dmitri helped Holo up.
"Dmitri, take me someplace where we can talk"
Dmitri took the wolf deity to an area where the two could be alone
"Dmitri, remember that fort we were at during the winter. I was there four years before I met you" She said. Dmitri was shocked.
"Let me explain. You see, that officer you killed back in Stalingrad captured me from my home in Yoitsu. You know it as Finland. What he did was experiment on me and the prisoners, one of which was a young boy who he turned into a wolf" Holo showed the soldier her arms.
"He extracted my blood in order to create wolf soldiers"
"So that is how he became a wolf"
"Exactly. Now in my dream I saw Sasha pointing to a wolf pup, implying I created it. You don't think that maybe the Germans are using my blood as a weapon?" She asked. Dmitri shook his head.
"If they did, I haven't seen any wolf troops." Dmitri then saw Holo was saddened.
"I see, I won't ask what happened to the boy Holo. But listen, we are getting close to Berlin. I promise to take you back to your home." Holo smiled
"You are just like Lawrence when you said that." Holo then looked at Dmitri as she said
"What about you, you are in the Military"
"Stalin has too much military. Once the war is over, he will remove most of it so that he doesn't lose his power." He said to her. Holo Smiled.
"Thank you, Dmitri; I will be in you Debt once I return home"
"No Holo, I would" Holo said nothing at the soldier's remark.
"By my tail, he is just like Lawrence." Holo thought.
I hate to ask my readers of this, but please review. I have no idea if this story is good or not. I want input, and more then just that it was a good chapter followed by an emoticon. Please tell me how I am doing. Any way, in the next chapter, we are going to Berlin. URAAAA!