A Son of Wolves
Chapter 6: The Normal Life of a Wolf
Pictures, voices, words, shouts and cries ringed and echoed in his head, over and over again. This wasn't the first time he's had these strange dreams, dreams of where he's free, of where he didn't have a care in the world. Dreams of running through some forest, ma Only these seemed more like distant memories then a dream. He tossed and turned in his sleep, until finally one part of the nightmare caused him to wake.
Leo snapped his eyes open and sat up as quickly as he could, just being sure that, that was indeed a dream, and indeed it was. He took quick and deep breaths, trying to lower his heart rate and control the small amount of sweat that ran down his cheeks. He looked around his room; it was how it should be, as was his life, in a room where he's always known. But that dream, it was telling him something, it sparked something he hadn't thought about in such a long time. He threw off the bed sheet and stepped out of his bed. There wasn't any light, and a look at his clock beside his bed showed it to still be the early hours of the morning. He walked the length of his room and towards his mirrored wardrobe, sliding the doors open and then pulling open one of his draws. He started rummaging around in the depths of his clothes, looking for one particular thing, and it wasn't clothing, but something he hadn't seen for many years. He found a large, but short bow right at the bottom and the back of the draw. He blew off the dust that collected on it and place his hands over the lid and opening it.
Inside was a necklace, bestowed to him by his parents when he was very young, too young to remember. It was a small triangle filled with solidified tree sap in the smaller triangle in the centre of the necklace. On each point of the small triangle, was three letters, an "L" which Leo presumed was his, a "H" and a "K" which he could only guess were his parents, he didn't know which was who. Wrapped around the triangle and threading through the centre, presumably before the sap was place inside, was two long hairs, one light brown, looking a near blonde and a grey hair, which he once more presumed belonged to his parents, meaning one of them was an old person. The two hairs wrapped around the triangle and joined again, to give it a stunning appearance.
He removed it from the casing and took it back to his bed after dropping the box on the floor. He held it by the chain he remembers swapping the vine like thing that once held it but due to slowly falling apart, he changed it to a thin silver chain. It slowly spun in the air as he looked at it closely. He loved it, he felt so selfish to have removed it. But it only caused arguments and false accusations. He placed it over his head and clipped the ends together before looking back own at it again. He shuffled back to the back of his bed and laid back down under the sheets and closed his eyes, taking hold of the necklace and drifting back to sleep, this time not having nightmares, but of dreams of how his parents could have looked.
It has been ten years Leo knew he'd been in care, he was told that he wondered into a school and the teachers on duty brought him inside to care for him before calling child's protection service and being put into a care home not far from the school. He was filthy, some even said unhealthy due to the state of him. He was brought back to the care home as he was, but with a school t-shirt on to cover the top half of his body. His trousers were small, thin, tattered, tore and disgustingly gross, thrown away the moment the staff had a chance. He was befriended by one of the staff on work experience, who he took a liking to; he felt she was the only one he could trust. He was the judge of who to trust and who wasn't. When he first saw her, and placed his hand on her cheek and stared into her eyes, seeing that she was a caring person, one to trust, as were the other staff members, but he trusted her more then the rest of them.
He was washed and bathed, terrified of the strange things around him. Large things that humans climbed into and moved around faster then a wolf could. Into the large dens that they lived in, so many things, he didn't know what to make of them. But he trusted his friend that no harm would come to him. He looked like a young boy again after he was washed; he told her how he never had a warm bath before; that it tickled. He giggled, but she pulled a disgusted face, what kind of people could do this to a child of his age? He borrowed some clothes from another boy of his age, one he too befriended.
He was taken to a room, a bright and colourful room; he was stared at by other children on the way, a newcomer, a new child in the home they all shared. The room was full of things he hadn't seen before, his friend who introduced herself as Caitlyn stay with him through the day. He learned about these things called "toys", and drawing, painting, so many new and fun things. But Caitlyn saw it as a sad thing, that this child hadn't had anything to play with in his young life. He spent hours in there with her, when two more children came walking in, looking much like him. He looked back at them in fear as they came bursting in, excited to meet the newcomer and eager to make friends with him. But that's when they made a shocking discovery. Leo jumped to his feet, spun to face them, bore his teeth and growled unlike any person had done. It made all three people step away; they had never seen anyone show such "animal like behaviour" as it went down in his file. He was soon settled and Caitlyn made the other children see that he was spooked and hadn't had much interaction with others. Leo apologised, explaining that he was indeed "spooked"£ as she said. The two other children introduced themselves as "Rick" and "Ciara", two more children like him, but not with such animal like behaviour.
Not long after, they were ushered out after playing a little while at the arrival of a man in a black suit, carrying a suitcase and two other people who Leo recognised to one of them being the Alpha who was in charge of this human pack and a woman who must have been the beta. He lowered his head and refused to meet their gaze when they walked in, a kind of bow in submission to the Alpha and his friends. Once again this only made them all the more curious as to his behaviour. The man in the suit was a child Psychiatrist, one called in to assess the child's mental health as he hadn't had interaction with anyone by the looks of him when he arrived. He was told it was safe, so he stepped around Caitlyn and towards the suited man who knelt down to him. Leo did what he usually did, placed his hand over his cheek and stared into his eyes, seeing nothing but curiosity, humour and a desire to help.
He was asked about his necklace, and Leo only answered it was giving to him by his parents. So they kicked in with a second question, if he knew where they lived. He answered "in the forest, deep inside the forest" as he continued to play with the fun toys. The first thought from them all was he parents must have been squatters or homeless people, but then Leo continued in saying how his parents were very nice, loving and how the rest of the pack hated him. The third question was what he meant by "pack". So being a child, Leo simply answered "Wolves". It was clear what had happened in the Psychiatrist's mind. Leo was under the impression that his parents were human, but considered themselves wolves, maybe under the illusion that they suffered clinical lycanthropy, and therefore he picked it off them as well as his wolf like behaviour. He continued in saying how the pack threw him away and that his mother made him his necklace to remind him of them, also how they'd be back in a week where they left him.
The weeks flew by, Leo meeting with the Psychiatrist every few days. On that day Leo knew his parents would come to collect him again from human school, the Psychiatrist thought it would be good for him to see that none of it was real, so he, Leo, Caitlyn and the care home's Alpha to the yellow box in which they hid behind before walking out. He called their names, he called them by what they were too him, but they didn't answer or come out. He said how they were taken by humans once and were a little scared of them, so other stepped back towards the face and Leo looked into the trees. They stood and sat around for over an hour, to the point Leo started to attempt in howling to gain his parents attention, but they went unanswered. He started to, thinking his parents weren't coming and had left him here. Eventually, he was brought back after being told they'll try again another time. They never did.
The years started to fly by, and Leo continued to see the child Psychiatrist, slowly and ever gradually, coming to see that he never lived with wolves, that it was all in his head. He was ten when he saw that it was all his imagination, and that now he was growing up, he wasn't going to look to fool anymore. He threw his necklace in a box and hid it away inside his draws, never to see the light if day again, for deep inside, it still made him believe that he was a wolf, that he was raised by them. But no, he had crazy parents that decided to live like animals and drag him along in their mess.
At the age of twelve, he no longer needed sessions, he was no longer under the crazy illusion that he was a wolf. But because of this and his impression he gave the other children, it earned him the nickname "Wolfie", which he didn't mind, just as long as they didn't over do it and go any further. But that wasn't the only thing that the others liked about him or that made him unique in their eyes.
At fourteen, Leo still found that he was able to know what people were really feeling deep down, even if they denied it, he knew if someone was lying just by the sound of their voice. He was a mind reader in the making many said. He stopped that habit of placing his hand on someone's cheek when he turned ten, he didn't understand why he did it, but he doesn't anymore and now realises how ridiculous it made him look. His empathic side was unusually higher then any person, but that's what the head care worker and the staff loved about him. He was a living lie detector, he could see if someone was a great and kind person, or a complete asshole or would think twice about leaving you to rot in a sewer. He also found his senses were unordinary heightened; his sense to smell, touch, hearing and sight was higher then usual. They were tested when he was young by the psychiatrist, and they all came but as far beyond average. It was thought that his body did that to have to live in the forest and therefore depending on them to survive.
Rick and Ciara became his closest friends, as did some of the others, but none as close as them. He did have enemies, but he was sure to stay clear of them. Rich and Ciara loved his uniqueness and how strange he was, but they were strange once as well, hence why they got on so well. He was never put onto the fostering posters or page due to his behaviour and history until as of lately, but he knew no-one would want a psycho like him. He sat on his window ceil and watched as happy couple drove away with their new foster or adopted children, wishing that one day soon it would be him.
Ten years he's been in the care system, ten years he's wished that a family would come his way, but that was only a dream. Who'd want a teenager as a child that wasn't theirs? Not when there was small and sweet children that came in after Leo and the ones after him and his ages went while he was being rehabilitated. But now it's too late, he's never getting out of here. When's he turns sixteen, he's getting out of here, getting a job, finishing school and finding a place to live with Rick and Ciara like they too agreed with. His dream of finding a family to be with was a no go, so no-one was going to take this one away from him.
The morning after Leo's nightmare, he changed, washed, and went down stairs, avoiding being barged into by the running children as he stomped down the stairs that giggled as they ran passed. He smiled at them, remembering when he, Ciara and Rick were like that. He tucked his necklace into his T-shirt as so no-one saw it before walking into the kitchen. He found Ciara with her head against the bar placed in the middle of the kitchen on one of the stools. Her long, brown, messy hair covering her face as she seemed to be asleep again. Leo blew in her ear as he walked passed, causing her to sit up fast and scowl at him. "What was that for?" She groaned.
"Nothing really." He chuckled and sitting opposite her. "Rick not up?"
"Not that I saw." She sighed and placing her head back down against the table. Leo saw she wasn't herself, she's never like this, no matter the circumstances, whether, she's tired, just got up or hurt herself, she's always bouncing around and having fun.
"What's wrong?" He asked caringly and laying his head opposite her. She looked up and rested her chin on the table to look into his eyes.
"Bad night." She sighed. Leo knew better. So he sat up, making her do so as well out if confusion. He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes, looking for tell tail signs as to what could be wrong. He could feel her heart beat in her hands going fast, showing fear or nervousness. He could see a small build up of sweat on her forehead confirming that. He saw in her eyes, something he only saw in a child ready to be fostered, so he smiled and stroked her hands with her thumbs.
"There's no need to be scared."
"I thought you said you weren't going to do that anymore?" She questioned.
"Only on special occasions." He chuckled.
"I don't want to go." She sighed.
"But it's great." He said tilting his head in confusion. "It great news, you're getting something that everyone else here wants."
"I like it here." She said looking around just as two children came running around behind them playing tag. "It's homely, it's safe, it's just great. We're all like one big family. I really don't want to go."
"Maybe you should talk to Al about it, he'll try to understand."
"I don't know Leo; I really don't know what to do."
"Go with you're gut, not you're head. When do they come?"
"I'm talking with them this afternoon."
"Well you've got until then to decide and talk the Al, I'm sure everything will be fine. Just remember what a good opportunity you'll be throwing away."
"Thank Leo, you're a great friend." She smiled.
"I try to be." He chuckled and her laugh a little as well. It was the those two children came running back in, both laughing and giggling away like the six year olds they were. Caitlyn came running in after them, seemingly being dragged into their game. She laughed and slowed to a stop while they ran out the room via a second door. "Morning Wolfie, sleep god?" She asked going over to the coffee maker and pouring some.
"Ok, but it happened again." Leo replied. She looked around at him, and his expression explained it all. Rick who just walked in and heard and Ciara who also did knew that face anywhere.
"The dreams are back?" Rick asked.
"Didn't you hear them howling last night?" Leo asked them all.
"They do it every month, never missing a full moon. Think nothing of it dude." Caitlyn said sitting beside Ciara and Rick beside Leo.
"I don't, but I think they caused it." He sighed and resting his forehead against the table. He hears them every night on every full moon and others, they sound distant, but not that he cared anymore. When he was younger, he'd open his window and lean out a little as to hear their howls and he could have even swore that he heard a howl of two voices wishing how something would return to them soon. He still felt that way when he heard them, but he paid no attention to it. But he loved to hear them, even now, they were soothing, something nice to fall asleep listening to. "Quit staring." He said after sensing that they were. He looked up at them just as they looked away and he sat back up. "I'm ok guys."
"We'll change the subject." Caitlyn said. "Why don't you guys go out and do something, it's a nice day."
"I need to eat first." Rick said moving his chair back and away, as did Leo who was not far behind him to grab some breakfast. Ciara went into the T.V room to wait for them seeing as she had already eaten. The boys grabbed some toast, a slice each and then went out to join her. She sat beside a little boy who came here not too long ago, one that seemed to become attached, both mentally and literally to her. She had her arm around him as she flicked through the channels with her spare hand. Rick sat on the other side of the boy and Leo sat on the arm of the chair near the door. This room had a TV, pool table, a computer, books, toys, everything, it was the social room. Ciara flicked through everything, just seeing what was on and the others just watched as well, a normal day for them all.
She spent no more then three seconds before changing again, but when it came to a news station, it was a story that for some reason caught Leo's eyes and made him listen in. But Ciara changed it, so he grabbed the remote off her and changed it back and standing up. She looked up at him confused, as did the boy and the others in the room after he turned to volume up. It was the two anchor men, talking about a story. "Attacks by wolves have gone up drastically after studies revealed that the new foundations for a new city suburb are to be constructed have disrupted their habitats. Denise has more." The picture changed, to a woman standing in the centre of a construction site and many more men working behind her. "One of the local and nearby wolf packs of Jasper Park has started to become all to keen and interested in the new foundations to the city construction. It will involve homes, roads and gardens, but the local furry residents aren't happen." The picture then changed to a wolf that was curiously walking through the site, a recording. "This wolf came too close, causing the site to be closed down for hours until it moved away. Only hours later did it bring back dozens more and the site was attacked." It brought up another recording of several wolves running around the site and howling while men ran around trying to get away. "Two people were killed, five in intensive care and many more with minor injuries. Environmentalists believe that it is due to the wolf's territory shrinking and the local source of prey running away, giving them no option but to come closer in search of food. Park rangers have taken matter into their own hands saying that these wolves are a danger to the city and the construction site. Permission has been granted that anyone who goes into the park and sees one of the pack many shoot on site." A final recording was brought up of a pure white wolf, looking around it's surrounding in the park, before a gunshot rung out and the wolf dropped down.
Leo's heart skipped a beat, and he dropped his breakfast and remote while making everyone stare at him. Caitlyn and the head care worker came running in, originally to ask them to turn it down. But then they saw Leo and what looked like him in a panic. He couldn't take it; he didn't understand what was wrong with him or why he was acting this way. "Leo what's wrong?" Al asked and placing a hand on his shoulder. He didn't answer; instead he ran out the room, up the stairs and slammed his door behind him as flashes of pictures and voices filled and flashed before his eyes.
Another good old "dun dun dun" moment, one of my many classics. Little Leo's all grown up, but now he's a complete psycho. His old life wasn't real, he had crazy parents that made him believe he was a wolf and lived that life. Or so he has been led to believe. Everything's going down now guys, let's hope Leo's ok. By the ways guys, to those that aren't my regular reviewers, check out my other stories, you might like them. Let's just say i was able to make someone who hated supernatural genres now like them and write his own story. So check them out and let me know what you think. Until next time. :)
The FalconWolf