Howling 10

It was a warm spring afternoon, and a group of wolf beast men were returning. They carried the carcass of what they had hunted. The beastmen were like Native Americans; as they approached home, they began to howl. The children and elderly celebrated as the hunters returned. The chief among the hunters was pleased. "Well done, Beowulf…" "We knew you could do it, Beowulf…" They howled some more to celebrate.

It was raining on the island where Wolf and Adolpha were stranded. Wolf had suffered injuries fighting a giant snake, so Adolpha looked after him while recovering. Wolf wanted to know about a strange light he saw, and Adolpha knew about it. He noticed her acting odd and began talking about himself.

Wolf recounted his life before becoming a slave to Lord Michael. He was part of a nomad wolf clan and lived with his uncle after his parents died in a conflict their clan was caught in. Wolf learned many things from his uncle; when he became old enough to hunt, he was put to the test all wolf beast men are put through.

"My real name is Beowulf," Wolf tells Adolpha. Adolpha is surprised. Wolf tells Adolpha that Lord Michael didn't like calling some slaves by their names. "He wanted to make sure you knew you belonged to him, so as humiliation, he would call you whatever he wanted…" Adolpha became sad.

Wolf continued telling her about himself. Wolf said they returned home, and everyone in the clan praised him. They were proud of him, especially his uncle. They gave the deer carcass to the clan's female; they would prepare it. As they continued celebrating, his uncle called him over.

Wolf and his uncle were by the river, "Beowulf, I know how hard it has been for you. You are part of this clan, and we are all proud of you. I am especially…" "Thank you, uncle…" "Your parents would be proud, too; your father would rub it in my face. You know, he used to brag about you all the time…"

Wolf laughed, "Really…" "Yeah, when the clans were close to each other, and we would meet during hunts, he would be. Beowulf did this, and Beowulf learned that he got annoying sometimes…" Again, Wolf laughs. Wolf's uncle gets emotional, "I have seen you grow in his place; you are special…"

Adolpha saw tears in his eyes. "My uncle recently had a newborn and was excited to teach him…" Wolf said that they celebrated well into the night. The older men in the clan got drunk, and there was dancing and singing. All the boys teased Wolf, but he was enjoying himself. "I had my first taste of alcohol…" He smiled.

Adolpha laughs. Wolf then makes a serious expression. "It had become late, and everyone had gone to sleep…" Wolf becomes slightly angry. I was sleeping when suddenly I woke up to a strange scent…" Wolf is sleeping in his hut; he opens his eyes and slowly gets up.

Wolf takes a weapon and gets out of his hut. His uncle and the others are already outside. "What is going on?" he asks. His uncle and the others get ready for a fight. Beowulf, there is trouble; ready yourself…" Several of them turn into werewolves and run into the darkness.

Suddenly, they feel Mana and hear howling. Fireballs fall from the sky; Wolf's uncle tries to defend against them. There were too many. Wolf tries to protect himself, too. The chief, his uncle, tells the rest of the clan to run. The women, children, and elderly are already awake. The screams of humans are heard.

More fireballs rain down on the camp. A group is seen running towards them—the chief orders his men to attack. Wolf does not hesitate and runs with the group. The others get what they can and begin to flee. Some women join the battle as they are short on fighters. The chief also attacks; he draws Mana and unleashes a powerful wind attack.

Wolf clashes with a soldier; he is having trouble fighting him, and the soldier makes fun of him. As they fight, more soldiers show up and begin to overpower the clan. The chief hears howling, looks over, and sees the children and women being taken. "I won't let you," he shouts. The chief turns into a werewolf.

The chief ran towards those fleeing and began to kill the soldiers, trying to capture them. The soldiers become scared; they are ordered to fight. Wolf managed to kill the soldier; he looked around and saw his fellow clan men falling. The men were killed. Wolf drew Mana and attacked.

Wolf attacked fiercely, making the soldiers run away from him. He began to have flashbacks of his clan being killed. Wolf hears a familiar howl; "Uncle!" He looks around and sees him fighting a group. Wolf gets rid of the soldiers fighting him and runs toward his uncle. Several spells cast stop him. Wolf looks for the casters.

A man and some cloaked figures were just outside the battle area. The man was telling the cloaked people what to do; they cast more attack spells, hitting more of the werewolves. All Wolf could hear was the screams of the women and children; he went to help his uncle.

When Wolf reached his uncle, he was on the ground; spears had pierced him. "Uncle, hang on. I'll get you out of here…" "No, Beowulf, it is too late for me…" "No, don't say that…" Wolf shed tears. You must survive; that is what your parents would have wanted…" He coughed blood. Wolf began to cry, and his uncle died.

Wolf looks up and sees the fires consuming their homes. The soldiers were merciless and killed the adult men. The young children and women were being put in cages. "Over here, we got a live one," a soldier said. "He still young might still fetch a good price; we should capture him and see if Lord Michael will take him…"

Wolf released much Mana, and his body began to change. "He can turn!" "Don't let him…" All the soldiers saw was a flash of lighting. More soldiers arrived. "Kill it…" The mages that were attacking focused on Wolf. It was a long night, and as the sun began to rise, there were many dead human soldiers.

The fighting was over, and the wagons took the women and children. The men were burned. The soldiers were tired; some took breaks while others cleaned up. A man walks over to a group of soldiers. "What do we have here…" The soldiers were staring at Wolf, pinned to the ground with ropes.

"He put up a fight. Lord Michael will be pleased if we bring him to him." "I wonder." "By the way, where is he?" "He has other business to take care of…" Wolf tells Adolpha that he was captured, "I found out they were slave traders. They were looking for good Wolf beastmen. They sold me to Lord Michael…" Adolpha has flashbacks of Lord Michael; she feels chills.

Wolf told Adolpha that he had resisted for a long time: "Lord Michael wanted me to obey him, so he called him Captain Andrew Harris…" Wolf told Adolpha about Harris and how he tortured him to submit. Adolpha hugs Wolf and apologizes to him for making him remember those events. "There is nothing to apologize for; it happened long ago…" "Still…" Adolpha squeezes, which causes him pain.

Adolpha realized and apologized. Wolf laughed. Adolpha thought about his story and found similarities to what happened to her; she then thought about Wolf's name. "Beowulf," she said, causing Wolf to feel joy and remember his clan calling him. After he was done, he told Adolpha to share with him when she was ready. Adolpha felt terrible about not telling him. She leans on him and apologizes again.

Adolpha felt content hearing and learning about Wolf. She better understood why he acted as he did back on the island, following Lord Michael's orders. They relaxed to the sound of the rain falling.

For several days, it rained on the island. Wolf was still recovering from his injuries. Adolpha and Wolf spent their days lazing around. Adolpha was still comfortable telling Wolf about herself; she instead talked about her village and other memories she remembered.

Wolf was getting better, and he could sit without complaining; he began carving figures out of some spare wood they had. Adolpha was sitting on the bed with a book. Wolf had given it to her one day; it had survived, and she cared for it. Adolpha read it to the baby.

As they lazed around the following day, Adolpha asked Wolf about the carvings. "I remembered that some of the elders in the clan would make these for the children; I figure I should make one for ours…" Adolpha looked happy. Wolf told her he was still learning to make them. She took one and stared at it. "This looks like you, Wolf…" She teases him.

That night, as they lay, Adolpha looks at Wolf's collar; she asks him about using magic. Wolf was surprised and asked her if she ever learned to use it. Adolpha touched her collar, "No…" Adolpha, not wanting to hide it anymore, told Wolf about herself. "Do you know about those who possess light magic?

"I've heard stories," Wolf replies. Adolpha began by telling Wolf about her mother's clan. "My mother comes from the White clan; she married into the Gray clan…" The White clan was another group of wolf beast folk. Their unique traits were white hair and blue eyes. Adolpha tells Wolf that they are a spiritual group.

"The White clan worships spirits and offers guidance to the other clans. They live further north on the icy mountains," she tells him. Wolf asked Adolpha if her mother was a shaman. "No, but she is one of the daughters of the head shaman, my grandfather…" Wolf becomes surprised.

Adolpha tells him how her father fought so he could marry her. Seeing Adolpha smile makes him ask about it. "It is one of my favorite stories, and my mother told me it as a bedtime story." Adolpha again tells Wolf that her mother is the daughter of the head shaman. He had two, and her mother was the younger of them.

She said her aunt was blessed and gained the power of seers, who communicate with spirits and are granted visions. She told him the other clans would ask for advice and answers to some of their problems. "Not all from the White clan get these powers," she tells him. My father was the son of the Gray clan, and he fell in love with my mother."

"I see why your father fell in love," Wolf says. It makes Adolpha blush, and she calls him an idiot. Wolf laughs. Adolpha skips to the end; she says he fought other suitors and won her hand. "I tease her because she told me he whisked her off her feet and lived happily…" Wolf saw how happy she was.

Adolpha becomes depressed and blames herself for what happened to her village. Wolf tells her not to worry. "If it weren't for me, my people wouldn't have…" Adolpha remembers the screams of women and children; she then remembers her mother. Adolpha starts to cry. "I wanted to show her my child, but that will never happen…" Wolf understood what she meant.

Wolf hugs her, "It is all right, everything is all right…" Wolf lets her cry, and the rain drowns out the noise. More time passes, and Adolpha is nearing her time. Wolf has recovered and is back, working on the boat. He has thought of some ideas and is trying them out. Adolpha has trouble getting up.

Wolf's appearance has changed; he has gotten a tan from working under the sun. Adolpha had gotten better at sowing and had made them new clothes. They wore fur as clothes. Wolf learned to make sandals, which were also made with fur. After finishing work for the day, he went hunting. It felt peaceful after the snake's death.

Adolpha had cut her hair. She was still beautiful, but Wolf always questioned her fair skin. They looked like cavemen. Adolpha was not as embarrassed as she used to be. They continued living a peaceful life. Summer was almost here.

Wolf was out hunting. The danger was gone, so they didn't fear being alone. Wolf was picking berries because Adolpha wanted some; he also had to get wild potatoes and mushrooms, which she liked. After gathering everything, he stopped by the river to collect water.

Wolf looked around and, after a long time, thought about the island again. In all this time, there hadn't been any sign of ships passing by. Wolf did figure something out. The island's plant life was mysterious because it needed two different climates. He figured someone had created the island, but why? Wolf gathered his things and headed back.

Wolf returned home and unpacked. Adolpha was sitting and rubbing her belly. Wolf gave Adolpha her berries, and she happily ate them. Wolf told her not to eat all of them because she hadn't eaten dinner. They ate and slept.

Wolf was hard at work the following morning, ready to test his new idea. Wolf built a decent-sized boat so they could carry supplies. Wolf digs towards the water and lets the water lift the boat. Wolf gets on and heads out; he releases a sail made of animal hide and scraps of cloth and leaves.

Wolf steers outwards, preparing for the larger waves. Adolpha watches him from the shore. As the sails pick up the winds, the boat picks up speed—the boat holds. Wolf braces, and the giant waves hit. Wolf gets wet, but the boat makes it past the larger waves. In his excitement, Wolf howls.

Adolpha became excited and howled. Wolf wanted to know if it would stay together. He returned close to shore and anchored; his anchor was made with rocks. Wolf ran to Adolpha and embraced her. "We are finally able to go home," she told him. "Yeah," Wolf replied.

Wolf wanted to test whether it would hold, so he told Adolpha he wanted to take it around the island. Adolpha agreed; she said they should celebrate. Wolf suggested they make a bunch of food. Adolpha said she would prepare. Wolf took some weapons and returned to the boat; he got on and departed.

Adolpha went inside and started to get what she needed. Wolf passed the larger waves with no problems; he was happy. As he circled, he steered the boat around the island and saw how incredible it looked. "We have been here for a long time; I hope I can still protect her when we return…" Wolf passes by the house and howls.

Adolpha also howls. Wolf smiles and makes another pass. He returns and runs to the house. Adolpha has a bunch of dry meat and is making soup. Wolf helps her prepare. When they finish, they eat. Wolf tells Adolpha about the island; it surprises her. She asks questions to which Wolf won't know the answer.

They rested for the rest of the day. Wolf spoke to her stomach. Adolpha was ticklish and would laugh. They were thrilled. They lay down, and Adolpha told Wolf everything she wanted to do. "You will do everything and more," he said.

The following day, Wolf said they needed to prepare. "I will go fishing out there. There is much to catch." "Do we need to catch a bunch of fish?" she said disappointedly. Yes, you still don't like eating it…" Wolf laughed. Adolpha got mad.

Wolf gathers some supplies, including a knife and a fishing rod he had made. He leaves, saying, "Stay safe; if anything happens, run inland." Adolpha agrees, and she tells him to be safe. Wolf leaves on the boat. Adolpha returns inside and goes to sleep. As she sleeps, the black crystal cracks some more.

Wolf had gone far from the island but could still see it. He anchors and casts his rod. Wolf feels the cool breeze of the ocean winds. He stares at the island, which is far in the distance. He has some wood and begins shaping it as he has time.

Adolpha was asleep; she was having a good dream. In her dream, she was with Wolf, and they had returned home. Her father, mother, and brother were happy. Wolf was happily greeted and surrounded. Adolpha hugs her family.

"Mother, Father, I am so happy to see you again…" she starts crying. "OH, Adolpha…" her mother hugs her. "You are such a crybaby... "Ardoph, leave your sister alone…" Adolpha laughs. "Adolpha…" Adolpha hears Wolf call her.

Adolpha looks at her father. "Father, let me introduce you to someone; he has been protecting me all this time…" Adolpha turns around; no one is there. Adolpha hears a baby crying. It becomes dark; she feels chains on her hands. "You thought you would get away from me…"

Adolpha sees Lord Michael. "AAAHHH!" Adolpha hears Wolf scream. "Wolf," she screams. "He has failed me; I don't need him anymore…" Adolpha hears Wolf scream again; she becomes scared and calls out to him. Adolpha hears a crying baby.

"Look, he has your eyes…" Adolpha sees Lord Michael holding something and hears a baby crying. She realizes, "Give him back!" she shouts. Lord Michael laughs, making Adolpha cry; she pleads to him to give him back. The memory of her village being on fire returns; she howls, calling for help.

A white light shines, and she feels warmth. Adolpha sobs; she sees someone walking towards her. Adolpha is scared. The shadowy figure stares at her. Adolpha feels warmth coming from it. She extends her hand, and she feels like she is falling. Adolpha closes her eyes, and suddenly, she hears people shouting.

Adolpha opened her eyes and saw a group running away in the middle of an open wasteland. A soldier wearing knight's armor fell next to her; he didn't see her. Adolpha was scared and confused. The knight turned to someone and pleaded to be spared. "Please don't, I beg you!"

Adolpha sees a shadowy figure walking towards the knight. A tail swings behind him, and ears twitch. The shadowy figure kicks up dust when he draws Mana. Electricity surrounds him. The knight runs for his life before getting stuck. The shadowy figure emerges and walks past Adolpha.

Adolpha woke up before she could get a good look at him. She was in pain. It was time, and Wolf was not there. Adolpha stood; she suddenly felt her stomach hurting again and fell to the ground. Adolpha remembered something the headmaid told her.

Adolpha started by controlling her breath. She teared up but knew she needed to be strong. She grabbed a fur blanket and left the house. Adolpha walked inland, wanting to make it to the river. Wolf had dug and made a spot where Adolpha would have a water birth.

Adolpha's stomach pains grew, and she was almost there. Adolpha's water broke, and she felt weak; she made it to the area. Adolpha slowly gets in and gets ready to deliver. She felt her stomach, and she began to push. Adolpha screams as the pain intensifies.

Wolf returns home after catching some fish; he finds it harder in open water. He anchors and disembarks. Wolf walks to the house, "Adolpha, fishing out there is harder than I thought…" Wolf walks in and notices something is wrong; he drops his catch and heads out.

"Adolpha!" he shouts. Wolf howls, nothing; he then picks up the scent of blood. Wolf takes his ax and runs inland, "I should have known better than leaving her alone…" Wolf picks up speed and dashes through the forest area; animals run when they sense him. Wolf arrives at the place; he sees blood in the water.

"See, I told you your father would come find us…" Wolf heard Adolpha say in a soft tone. He turned and saw her sitting by a tree, holding something. A baby started crying, Wolf realized. He walked over to her and saw. "Wolf, your son…" Adolpha uncovers a wolf baby beastman. As he cries, Adolpha is tired.

Wolf notices, he hugs and tells her to rest. Adolpha wakes up in the house; she looks confused. Adolpha remembers and panics; she then hears Wolf talking. Adolpha gets out of bed and goes outside. The sun was setting, and she saw Wolf carrying something. "The stars are almost out; I will teach you many things…"

Wolf felt someone staring; he turned and saw Adolpha. "Look, your mother has woken up. Adolpha walks towards them; she takes their baby. Adolpha looks at him and tears up. Wolf hugs her and thanks her. "Have you thought of a name," Wolf asks.

Adolpha has trouble choosing; she tells Wolf she only thought of girl names. Wolf thought hard. "He is the chief's grandson and has a strong father…" Adolpha tells Wolf to lend him an ear; she whispers something to him. Wolf smiles and agrees, "We need to tell the ancestors…"

That night, Wolf had collected a lot of wood and started a bonfire. Adolpha held their baby as he slept. Wolf pains himself and Adolpha; he then marks their baby. "You will get a proper ceremony when we return home…" Wolf takes the baby; he lifts him. "Ancestors, I, Beowulf of the nomads, a hunter by right, present you a new descendent. Please protect him and watch him grow…"

Adolpha, tearing, began to howl. "By his mother Adolpha of Gray, and his father Beowulf of the nomad again present you… Adolphus of Gray…" Wolf began to howl. It wakes up Adolphus, their baby. Adolpha laughs and takes him; she apologizes for waking him up. They sit and watch the fire burn.

"That was wonderful," Adolpha tells Wolf. "It is not like the real naming ceremony…" "It will do for now," Adolpha says. Wolf smiles and hugs them. They continue watching the fire late into the night. Some time has passed since Adolphus's birth.

Wolf had improved the boat and was out at sea fishing. They were preparing to leave the island. Adolpha was packing some supplies; she had made a sling to carry Adolphus. Adolphus was a baby wolf beastman. He had fair skin with short brown and gray hair; his tail had gray and black hair.

Adolpha loved talking to him; she told him about his grandfather and uncle. Adolphus slept most of the time; he hardly cried. When he opened his eyes, they were brown. Adolpha said he looked like his father. Wolf said he was going to be strong.

Wolf has several fishing rod casts. He has caught some fish and is using smaller ones as bait. As he waits, he is working on something. Wolf has occasionally wandered off to look for oysters and pears to make Adolpha a necklace; he needs a few more. A fishing pole moves, and Wolf gets ready to pull.

Wolf fights to reel in the fish; he can feel it is big. He pulls as hard as possible, and the fish rises to the surface. Wolf is surprised by its appearance; it is a swordfish, something he has never seen. The swordfish pulls. Wolf doesn't let go.

Wolf then notices the fishing pole reaching its limit. Determined to catch this fish, Wolf takes his knife and dives into the water. The swordfish began to swim away, the hook still in its mouth. Wolf pulls himself towards the swordfish. The swordfish feels his presence and turns towards him.

The swordfish charges. Wolf swims out of the way. He tries to cut it, but it is too fast. The swordfish goes for another attack. Wolf waits for it. The swordfish hits Wolf, who dodges its pointy nose. Wolf is cut, but he is now close to the swordfish; he stabs it repeatedly. The swordfish injured swam down.

"I need to end now!" Wolf stabs it one more time and then cuts it. The swordfish crashes into something, surprising Wolf, who loses some air and swims up. Wolf reaches the surface and breathes heavily, "Where did it go…" he looks around for the swordfish. He puts his head under and sees it caught on something.

Wolf takes a deep breath and swims down. He takes his knife and cuts some old rope. As he cuts it, something shiny draws his attention. Wolf curiously swims towards it. He grabs it; it is stuck. Wolf places his foot on the rock around and pulls. The stones fall, causing dust to rise.

Wolf, blinded by the dust, swims upwards, again reaching the surface. He looks at the shiny object; it is a pin. "What is this… A hairpin? No…" Wolf takes a deep breath and heads back down. He ignores the swordfish and goes to where he found the pin. Wolf is astonished by a large coral reef. "Maybe I can find more oysters…"

Wolf swims around and looks; he sees some and takes them. As he almost runs out of air, he sees a ravine. He gets close and is horrified by it. A massive ship graveyard sits at the bottom of the ravine. Fishing boats, merchant ships, and the Umbridge battleships are sunken there. "What could have done this?"