Chapter 5

At last, Valerie had made her delivery to Mr. Elmer and swiftly returned back to the bakery trying to avoid any other distractions that might set her off her course. Her day returned to its usual boring routine. Working, baking and cleaning in Madame Alice's little kingdom. There was so much that was happening. She earned her keep at the bakery and made her way back home where she found her father waiting for her. Shutting and locking the door, she walked to him. From her apron pocket, she slipped out a few pieces of bread while her father sat across from her at the table. It was all they had and she knew that they didn't have enough money to buy food for themselves. He lit a candle. Curiously, Cesaire stuffed the pieces of bread away and he slipped something out from his own pocket.

"Papa?"

"We're not going to eat. Not yet."

"Then what are we going to eat?" she rubbed her belly.

"Tonight we're going to try something different."

"We are? What are we doing?"

She saw him place something on the table between them and she stared at it for the longest time. Her blue eyes looked at him. From that moment; she realized what he was doing. She realized what they were going to be doing.

It was a white feather.

A single feather, nothing more and nothing less!

"Tonight, we start your training."

He leaned back in his chair while his daughter looked at him in shock. She didn't know that they would start so soon and she didn't know that it would not be on a night of the full moon.

"Papa…"

He raised his hand.

"Valerie, you knew this day was coming. All young werewolves are taught by their elders and now I'm going to teach you. I'm going to teach you because I know you're growing hungry and you're going to become hungrier by the day. I can feel it," he softly smiled, as warm as summer. "And my instincts as a wolf father demand me to feed my pup. I want you to survive. No Papa wants their daughter to go hungry," He touched her chin.

She smiled.

Well, she was feeling hungrier than usual. Trying to suppress it was no use. And regular human food was not satisfying her cravings. Eating a pound of roasted pork would not slake her hunger. It was no use. It made her feel like a newborn infant again. Always crying and not knowing what to do. She needed another kind of food but she didn't know how to obtain it. Didn't even have the slightest clue…!

She had no idea how to hunt.

"Yes, Papa... I have been… a little hungry," she looked down. "So… what do I need to learn, Papa?"

Unbeknownst, she began to tremble.

A thought came to her head.

But she couldn't allow herself to feel regret!

She chose this life. She knew what the consequences were.

"I-I… don't have to kill—"

"No," he responded. "It's too early for you. Young werewolves start small. Your stomach couldn't properly digest anything that was too big. It could be a lethal dose of death. It is important for young werewolves to watch their diet for the next year or more. You can eat small things like sheep, pigs, and other livestock. When you grow older and your stomach is stronger and then…" he trailed off.

There was silence. He didn't need to explain. He didn't need to scare her because he knew that his little girl was sweet and she wouldn't hurt a fly. All she needed to know were the basics. He just needed her to survive.

"So," he pointed to the white feather. "I'm going to teach you how to use… your nose. Tonight, you'll learn how to catch a scent even from the smallest of creatures. Once you know this then there is nothing you can't track."

She nodded.

"Okay, Papa… Tell me what to do."

He picked up the stem.

"Now, if you look at it… you can see it is any other regular feather. Small and fragile and it is the single piece of evidence you have. But if you put it to your nose…" he inhaled slowly, puffing his chest. "Then you can smell it…"

He gave it to her.

Her fingers touched its soft little strings, fluffy and tiny. Valerie understood his lesson but she didn't understand why she was doing this. How was this going to satisfy her hunger? Deep down inside, she wanted her Papa to proud of her and she wanted him to see her as part of the family. Of their family!

Because he was all she had.

Giving him a knowing look, she placed the feather beneath her nose and slowly inhaled while shutting her eyes closed. Disappointment appeared in her eyes.

"Papa…" she whispered. "I-I can't smell anything…"

Her spirits dropped.

"That's alright, honey. It takes time…" he comforted her. "You are young and you are learning your first lesson. It's normal if you make mistakes. It's perfectly fine if learn from your mistakes," he smiled. "Okay, now try again. Take all the time you need…"

Once more, she smelled.

More determined, she focused and concentrated allowing the urgency of her hunger to motivate her. She was hungry and becoming more frustrated.

Cesaire weaved his fingers together, "Take your time, little one. Allow your nose to do the work for you. Use your instincts. Let your hunger motivate you to smell what you need to track. Let it be your torch."

"I think I smell… something," she whispered. "I think I smell…salt water."

He smiled.

"And?"

"I smell… pine…"

"And?"

"That's all…"

She may have felt like a failure but Cesaire couldn't be more proud of his little girl! Taking her hand he lifted her off her seat and opened their windows wide! A cool air swept in! He stepped behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled. The city lights were bright and glowing like stars while chimney smoke clouded their glow like fog. Some buildings were taller than others and some were not and other buildings were wider than others while some were not. This city may seem like one large playground for creatures like themselves, but she also realizes that this city became a large institution for her.

Where she'll learn to be a werewolf!

And be a werewolf she must!

"This city is huge. It's perfect place for millions of birds to make their nests. There are crows, storks, pigeons, doves and more birds traveling from all directions. Riding the currents of the wind! It's your job to find the one bird that matches….this feather." He held it up.

She gasped, "Th-That's….impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible, Valerie…" he hugged her shoulder.

"I hope you're right…"

"Now that you found the smell you need to track it."

She intended to walk out of their front door and go out the front doors of the main office like any other civilized person but her Papa stopped her and as soon as he got her attention, he hopped onto the frame of the window. The darkness of the night waits for no one and their lesson would end as soon as dawn comes. Walking out the door would take too much time! Crouched like a burglar, he turned towards her.

"Class is in session. Follow me."

Bending his knees, he hopped out onto the plank of the ceiling with a thud, enjoying the cold night air flow through his hair. Valerie peered down and her father waved at her. Reluctant and mistrusting, she cautiously swung her leg onto the window frame while leaving her other foot touching the floor. Gulping, she lifted her foot slowly and sat on the sill with both legs dangling out the window. The height intimidated her and making her more afraid by the minute. Their apartment was on the highest floor level of the building! Her fingers clutched on the wooden frame while she tried to control her shaky breath. Balancing her body, she looked down at her father.

"It's ok, little one. Trust your instincts."

"I'm scared, Papa…"

"I won't let anything happen to you…" he raised his hands up to the air as if he was ready to catch her.

"Papa…"

"It won't hurt you, Valerie. Nothing can hurt you. Any other human that would jump this high wouldn't be as fortunate as me and you. My blood runs through your veins. That makes you stronger than 10 men. Once your training is over then you will be stronger than 100 men. It won't hurt you, little one."

"You promise, Papa?"

Cesaire smiled warmly, "A wolf father never lets anything happen to its pup."

Easily, she believed his words. There was no person on this good green earth that she trusted more than him. They would take care of each other and they would protect each other from whatever harm would come their way. Valerie placed her trust in him. Sliding forward, she fought the butterflies biting in her stomach while unclasping her fingers from the wooden frame.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she fell.

Meanwhile:

Henry Lazar watched his horse drink from the cold frozen river while he swiped a flat rock against the blade of his sword, sharpening it. The steel made a thick and grinding sound against his blade sending him into a trance. Everything he knew was destroyed. Gone! The cold night air filled his lungs with dread as the memories came rushing through him like the snow that fell through the darkness. His bride-to-be was gone. His father; destroyed and eaten. His mother; mad with grief, condemned herself to wear black funeral garbs for the rest of her life.

With so much loss and so much sacrifice, Henry found his courage and decided he will protect and serve. Dedicating his life to fighting evil.

Fighting evil with holy justice as Father Solomon as his mentor and ally.

A boy, who became a man too soon, had become someone with nothing to lose. Win or not, he wanted to prove to himself that he will become the man that his father always wanted. Alive or not, he needed to prove his worth.

From behind, he could hear his mentor approach him.

"Henry…" Father Solomon greeted, walking from the shadows of the woods. "Are you… alright?"

Henry looked down, "Is that all you came to ask me?"

Father Solomon clasped both his hands behind his back.

"No," he answered. He approached until he stood next to him, not looking directly at him but staring beyond the lake. "That is not all I came here to ask. From the moment we left Daggorhorn, I could…sense your struggle."

"Could you now?"

"Yes," he whispered, looking down at his feet. "Do you… have your doubts?"

"About?"

"Seeking revenge."

Father Solomon looked at him, directly and unfazed.

"No," he replied, looking back. "Why do you ask?"

That's what he expected.

"Because…" he whispered, slipping off his gloves. Revealing his silver claws. "Like you: I became… distraught when I lost my own wife. I was devastated and I was confused with so many things. It wasn't easy. That was the day I discovered that there is a very, very thin line between… justice and revenge. Do you understand? Revenge can be a disease. Henry, I just you to know what you're getting yourself into when you join my elite. What you may see and what you may do… will change you in the end. You won't be the same man you were before."

Those were the wise words of a teacher. Half of what he said showed him pity and condolences. The poor boy has suffered through so much. Henry sheathed his sword, stood up, and gave Father Solomon an honest nod and adjusted his holster.

"You said yourself Father Solomon… There is evil in this world that must be stopped and I believe that God made a plan for all of us. I've sacrificed so much and those sacrifices are choices that I've made. But the loss I have suffered… was a choice made for me," he solemnly shook his head, eyes darkening as he thought about his bride. "You said… the wolf captured my bride and it may have killed her. That the Wolf had nearly killed my mother-in-law! The Wolf has also eaten my father-in-law Cesaire!"

Henry tightened his holster.

"Valerie was murdered by the beast. She was innocent. And that is a loss that I cannot forgive, Father."

The young boy walked to his awaiting horse, strapped the saddle on and readied himself to travel. There are over 5 villages within a 100 mile radius and they needed to find the Wolf before it destroys anymore lives. The Blood Moon had passed and if the Wolf bites someone on a regular full moon, they die. The city was a week away on horse and they couldn't waste any time. He climbed up and trotted towards the main road where the other henchmen waited, joining in their circle. Father Solomon didn't know how to feel about his new apprentice. The holy man never had a son before; but that was about to change.

In The City:

"Use the wind, it is the key to tracking," Cesaire circled around his daughter as she stood as straight as a pin and pointed her nose to the sky.

Both father and daughter were gallivanting about the city like two burglars, jumping and running through the starlit sky across neighborhoods. Her strong legs propelling her up to new heights and new speeds that she's never felt before, trying to follow her Papa. For miles and miles they did this until he instructed her to use the wind as a tool for her own advantage. The cold air blew through her golden hair as she began to focus her senses carefully while her father stood beside her with folded arms.

"I can smell… bread and water…" she smiled, inhaling.

"That's right. That's exactly right," Cesaire smiled, smelling bread and water too. He placed his hands up to his neck, massaging them. "Now, feel the wind coming from the east. Don't block it out and don't stop moving your neck muscles."

"My neck muscles, Papa?"

"Yes, it acts like…a beacon. Almost like when you move your fingers to touch something and you can feel what it feels like, what the texture feels like. But you're using your nose—try to taste the smell. Sharpen it as you would a knife."

Putting his words to use, she stretched back her neck as far as she could and inhaled while she closed her eyes. Slowly, she lowered her head back down, softening her muscles until she could properly swallow again.

"I smell… fish," she opened her eyes.

"And?"

"There's…spice."

He pointed his nose in the air, "I smell… a dinner. There are…." He inhaled slowly, his chest rising. "I smell a father and a mother dining with their children…." He exhaled slowly, licking his lips. A cool breeze blew through his hair. "Mmm, they're having spices salmon and roasted pork with hot potatoes. I dare say… they're having wine, also. It must be a special occasion."

Valerie couldn't smell it but she was definitely impressed by her father's talent. With a few more years of training, maybe she'll be as great as him.

"Now… where is the bird?" he gave her the feather.

She put to her nose, "Am I close?"

"You tell me."

"How do I know which direction the wind is coming from? I feel that the wind is all around me."

"Allow nature to tell you, little one."

"How?"

"Look for a tree… look at its leaves. Look at their shaking leaves and determine if it's downwind or high wind. Or look to the blades of grass for direction." He pointed to the black sky. "Even the birds will tell you."

She inhaled.

Clearing her mind, her nose inhaled.

Yes, there was something being carried upon the wind.

It was something very familiar.

"I smell… "Her nose tingled. "Corn…"

"What else do you smell? What does your nose tell you?"

"It tells me… there's something coming from the North. It's telling me there something interesting waiting for me."

Cesaire smiled, nodding his head. "Well then there's no time to waste! Dawn is nearly upon us! Come Valerie! You are almost complete with your first lesson!"

Valerie and her father sprinted off the roof of the clock tower and dove downwards like two cannonballs upon the streets, falling 100 feet! The weight of their bodies punched the earth and they began to dash side by side in a friendly race! Their inhuman speed disturbed very street light, flickering as they rushed by like two shadows towards another part of the city. Valerie noticed they had entered the Lower Class, riddled with street puddles and rats gnawing at abandoned shoes while crows pecked at dead things.

"Papa!" she exclaimed, coming to a sudden halt in the street. "I found it! I found it!"

"SShh! Keep your voice down!"

She ran to a dark alley.

"I found the bird!" she kneeled down to pick up the poor fat creature and lift it above her head like a trophy. "This poor chicken is missing its feather!" she teased.

Cesaire cracked a smile.

"You've completed your first lesson, little one. As a wolf father I am so proud of you just as I am proud of you every day," he petted her head.

"Papa…" she leaned into his chest as the chicken clucked around their feet. "So what do we do now, Papa?"

"You need to practice every day. I will help you, little one. Soon you'll be locating every missing chicken in the city," he smiled warmly, hugging her shoulders. "But first, you…" he poked her nose," have to feed."

"On the chicken…?"

"Yes, but you must feed tomorrow night."

She pouted, "Why tomorrow?"

"Dawn is almost here. We don't want a bloody chicken causing uproar in this place. A dead bird only tells someone there's a cult out here sacrificing animals for dark purposes. The constables will be searching everywhere for the perpetrator. We have to be careful, Valerie, because if anyone ever discovered us… I don't have a next move," he confessed, lowering his eyes. "I wouldn't know what to do. The city was my plan for you girls and if this city threatens our way of life… you and I must disappear. Far, far away from anyone we ever knew. And I don't want that kind of life for you…"

She gasped, smiling, "Wow, Papa, how do you know so much?"

"I've been alive for a very long time, little one. For years I've practiced my tact even when my father was gone. He taught me so much when he was alive and there was nothing I appreciated more than his lessons. He taught me how to be careful when it concerns my wolf side. But when your grandfather died, I was the man of the house; I had to take care of grandmother and find a future for us," he petted her golden head softly, smiling. "Now, history is repeating itself. I'm the one who's going to take care of you… because you're my baby girl."

His eyes told it all! Completely heartfelt by his fatherly confession, Valerie could feel herself nearly break out in tears and embrace him tightly. But if his words were true then she had to return the favor also. They couldn't keep any secrets from each other from now on! She had to take care of him, too.

"Papa, there's something I need to tell you," she walked closer. "It's Madame Alice… she's… a very… superstitious woman."

Rocked, Cesaire glared.

"I-Ivy told me today… and she told me that Alice is a believer... in the devil, witchcraft, devil worship, and—"

He stepped closer," And did she say werewolves?"

"No…"

Cesaire's eyes dilated," Does she suspect you…?"

"No…"

"Has she said anything to you…? Anything that would threaten you…?"

"No."

He wiped his face," Who's Ivy…?"

"A girl who works at the baker with me…."

"Does she suspect?"

"No. No one does."

"Has anyone come to the bakery that suspects? Constables…? A neighbor or someone whom you might recognize…?"

"No…"

She wanted to tell him about the boy she met but how could she? Richard didn't seem to be a threat. He was just a boy! As much as she wanted, she wanted her old life back. She wanted to chase boys and gossip with her friends and tell little white lies to her mother. But maybe Richard can be her only secret from her father.

"Have you done anything that might catch attention? Have you been doing anything that wasn't out of the ordinary?"

"No…"

"Alright, baby…" he embraced her. He kissed her temple as he closed his eyes, feeling his sentimental feelings come astray. "Oh, Valerie, if anything or anyone ever—ever- hurts you…! They'll have to answer to me."