Howling 12

The entrance is packed with people in a seamless, peaceful town by the ocean. Merchants, adventurers, soldiers, and ordinary citizens gather here. The soldiers only let the others leave after checking them. Groups of people go once they have passed what seems to be a checkpoint. Wolf and Adolpha wanted to leave but were stopped by a soldier.

Wolf, unaware of what is happening, gets defensive. More soldiers surround them. "Calm down, sir; I need to see everything is in order." Adolpha is scared. Wolf stands in front of her. Other people stare, which makes Wolf uncomfortably uncomfortable. The soldier repeated that he needed to check them.

Wolf relaxes and asks the guard what he needs to see. The other soldiers also relax; they leave and patrol. The soldier asks Wolf if he has his escorts. Wolf replies that he doesn't need them. The soldier, dissatisfied with his answer, gets mad. "We have been through this…"

Wolf was confused. "I can protect myself," he said. I know you can, but we don't need the trouble…" "What trouble?" The soldier called someone over; another soldier came. He was his superior. "What seems to be the problem?" he asked. The soldier told Wolf to talk.

Wolf, confused, spoke to him; he told him he could protect himself and his family, so they didn't need escorts. The soldier looked at him. "What clan do you belong to?" he asked. "We are nomads," Wolf replied. Adolpha hid behind Wolf. The soldier noticed the baby.

Wolf could hear others talking about them. The soldier asked where they were headed. "King's Land," Wolf replied. The soldier remained silent for a moment. "Do you like your family?" "Yes…" "Do you want to see your child grow up?" "Yes…" Wolf again was confused. "I know your kind, and your race is very strong, but put that aside for now."

Wolf apologized and told him he did not understand. The guard began telling them stories about some families they let through. These families had warriors in them and claimed to be strong. The soldier said they all died and never made it to their destination. "I know this war is hard on people, but we must remain calm for your family."

" War?" The guard tells Wolf to return when he has the proper requirements. Wolf didn't want to make it any worse, so they left. Adolpha quietly follows behind him. Wolf and Adolpha return to town and think about what happened. Adolpha asks Wolf what they would do.

Wolf pulls out the map he bought and looks at it. " We can sail west. We can head north if we get off where there is no one. I don't know what is happening, but staying here too long might be bad." Wolf tells Adolpha they would need to go back to the ocean. Adolpha didn't like that idea.

Wolf explained that it was their only option. "There is so much we missed. Whatever is happening, we don't want to get involved. We won't be able to leave from here." Adolpha was upset; she said she wanted to go home already. "I understand, please, listen to me." Adolpha finally agreed to follow the plan.

Wolf and Adolpha returned to the docks and walked towards their boat. "Wait!" Wolf said. A group of soldiers was looking at their boat, and other soldiers questioned the fishermen there. "Seem they are looking for the owner of that suspicious boat…" Wolf and Adolpha heard the older man they had met earlier say.

The soldiers began to move the boat. Wolf was ready to draw his sword. "I wouldn't do that," said the older man. The older man told them to wait. "Come sit," he told them. Wolf and Adolpha sat beside the old man's boat on some crates. After a while, the older man invited them aboard the boat. "No need to be cautious; let's talk."

The older man smoked a pipe. The workers were leaving. The older man sat and asked Wolf about their destination. Wolf told him they were heading to King's land. "King's Land, HUH…" he was relaxed. "Did you hire an adventurer's group?" he asked. Wolf shakes his head. "Are you heading out with the next group?" he said. Wolf again shook his head.

The older man looks at the soldiers walking around, checking the boats. "Did you know that many coastal towns have restrictions? They say the enemy is sneaking into the towns." The older man sees Wolf and Adolpha are confused. "Many towns have been keeping tabs on who comes and goes. They are cautious of other boats and ships arriving."

"What is happening?" Wolf asks. The older man puffs smoke into the air. "Have you been living under a rock…" He stares at Adolpha; he sees the collar. "Or perhaps a cage…" Wolf draws his sword. "Whoa…Whoa…Whoa…" the older man puts his hands up. Adolpha hugged Adolphus tight and hid her collar. "Relax there, buddy." The older man says. "Why should I," Wolf says. "I am not your enemy. Let's start again, shall we." The older man tells Wolf to sit. Wolf put his sword away but was still defensive.

"Let's start with introductions. They call me Fisher, so call me Fisher…" "Wolf, this is Adolpha, and my son Adolphus…" Fisher greets Adolpha, who is still scared. Fisher asks them where they came from. Wolf told him they came from an island south. "OH, so the rumors were true…" "What rumors?" Wolf asked.

Fisher told them that there is a story among those who live by the ocean. They tell the story of a great magician who wanted to make his own place. They said he created an island where he would like to work on all types of magic. Wolf thought of the island. "The island is uninhabited," he said.

Fisher said the magician died before he could achieve his goal. He also stated that the story was so old that many believed it to be a fairy tale. "How did you get there?" he asks. Wolf says he doesn't know. Were you running away?" he says unexpectedly. Wolf again gets defensive.

Fisher asked for peace. Wolf apologized. "I understand. I, too, would feel nervous around unknown people." Fisher told them he knew someone who could help. Follow me; it is a safe place for people of your circumstance." Wolf looked at Adolpha; she didn't know how to react. Fisher told them it would be fine.

Fisher gets up and disembarks the boat; he again tells them to follow him. Wolf tells Adolpha to run if anything were to happen. Adolpha, unsure, agreed. They follow Fisher. People shout at Fisher and make jokes. Fisher laughs and throws insults back at them. Wolf and Adolpha awkwardly follow him. They then reach an inn.

Fisher opens the door and invites them in. Wolf goes in first, and Adolpha follows close behind. Adolpha hears the rumbling of people talking. They were laughing and shouting. A waitress sees them and greets them. Wolf and Adolpha stood in ah. Fisher walks past them. A different waitress sees him and welcomes him back. Fisher greets her; he then tells her something.

The waitress looks at Wolf and Adolpha, smiles, and tells them to have a seat. Fisher sees an open table and tells them to sit. Wolf puts his things down and has a seat next to Adolpha. Some people see Fisher and call him over. Fisher tells them later. After a while, the waitress came out with food.

Wolf and Adolpha were surprised. Adolpha looked at the food and then at the waitresses. They were smiling and talking with the people. Wolf stared at the food. "Don't be shy; it's all good…" Fisher laughed. Adolpha took a spoon and ate some. She liked it and began eating. Wolf ate a little before giving the rest to Adolpha.

Fisher looks at them. "Rough times, HUH." The waitress comes back and pours them some water. Fisher asks her if someone is busy. "The Madam just finished," she says. Fisher tells her to call her over. Wolf is still suspicious. Adolpha enjoys the food until Adolphus starts to cry.

Adolpha stopped eating and looked at Adolphus. She noticed he was hungry. Adolpha was about to feed him when Fisher told her to wait. "Such a primitive thing to do…" said an elderly woman walking towards them. She was tall, with gray hair, blue eyes, and wrinkles on her pale skin. The woman wore a delicate, long green lace dress.

Adolphus continued to cry. A waitress came with some milk and offered it to Adolpha. "Madam, how are you today?" Fisher said. While the waitress showed Adolpha how to feed Adolphus, the woman stared at Wolf. Wolf felt some pressure from her. "Fisher, who are they?" "I just picked them up; they came from the sea."

The woman looks at Adolpha. Adolpha feels her staring and looks at her. Their eyes meet, and it scares her. The woman sits at their table and asks them for their names. Wolf introduced himself and Adolpha. "No, I don't want your slave names…" Wolf becomes defensive. No one reacted indifferently to hearing that.

Wolf looks at Adolpha. He looks back at the woman. "My name is Beowulf; she has no slave name," Wolf says. "Welcome, Beowulf, Adolpha; my name is Cynthia Borrows; the people here call me Madam. I am the owner of this inn." Cynthia Borrows has a tough personality and tone. Madam again looks at Adolpha.

"This won't do…" She calls some waitresses. "Girls, clean her up." One of the waitresses asks Adolpha to stand. Adolpha stands up. The waitress takes Adolphus, which scares Adolpha. Wolf stands up, "What are you doing!" The waitress gives Adolphus to Wolf. They take Adolpha. Wolf is confused, "What is going on?"

Madam tells him to relax and sit down. Wolf wants an explanation. Madam looks at Fisher and asks him if he told them. Fisher laughs and says he forgot. Madam calls him an idiot. Madam apologizes to Wolf and explains everything to him. "We mean you no harm. Aside from running this inn, we do much more…"

Madam tells another waitress to bring them more to drink. "We help those who need help. Runaways, those down on their luck, and slaves…" Wolf becomes interested. The people become silent; Wolf takes notice and looks over. "Now that is much better," Madam says. The people stare at Adolpha, who is clean and in some new clothes.

The people began asking Madam about her. Adolpha, scared, ran to Wolf. The waitresses came and told Madam about Adolpha's beauty. Madam told the customers to behave; they returned to talking to themselves. Madam cleared her throat. Adolpha wept as she told Wolf what they had done to her.

Wolf comforts her and tells her what Madam told him. Adolpha stops crying and looks at Madam. "Are you sure it's not a trap?" Madam laughs; she tells her they hear that a lot. Madam gets up and tells Wolf and Adolpha to follow her. Fisher excuses himself.

Madam takes Wolf and Adolpha to the back. They walk by a kitchen and into a small room. There are plenty of papers on a desk. Madam, apologies for the mess. She takes a seat and tells Wolf and Adolpha to sit. Madam stares at them; she then asks them a few questions.

"Where do you come from?" Madam asks. Wolf tells her about the island they were on. "That's not what I asked. Where do you come from?" she repeats. Adolpha looks confused. Wolf realizes what she means. Wolf tells her he comes from a nomad wolf clan. "And you," she looks at Adolpha.

Adolpha looks at Wolf. Wolf nods. "I am Adolpha of Gray, from the Gray clan." Madam looks at them suspiciously. Wolf takes notice. "If you are who you claim to be, show me your mark…" Wolf looks at Adolpha in confusion. "I don't have the mark," Adolpha says. Madam takes a moment to think.

Wolf wanted to know what it meant. Adolpha explained that in the villages, those born to the leaders are given a mark as proof of their birth. Only the parents know their mark, which becomes invisible to others. Adolpha tells Wolf that Lord Micheal knew of it and called someone to remove it.

"Are you referring to Michael Ghana?" Madam asked. "Yes," Adolpha replied. Madam looked upset. Madam stared at Adolpha. I don't know if you are telling the truth, but escaping Lord Michael is a miracle." Adolpha didn't understand. Madam sighed and told her what she knew about Lord Michael.

Madam told them that Lord Michael was a well-known black-market dealer. She said he was good at hiding his evil deeds, so it was hard to condemn him. Madam only knew because she had heard it from others. Madam told them what was happening.

"I still don't know if I should believe you or… anyways, I heard that someone had kidnapped the daughter of Chief Alarick. The leader of the Gray Clan. It became such a big mess that all the big clans broke their pack with the Umbridge Kingdom." This shook Adolpha. Wolf became surprised.

Madam continued by saying that months ago, there had been a series of kidnappings of young wolf girls. "I didn't know what happened, but those who managed to escape and were helped by us said the same thing. They claimed to be the daughter of Chief Alarick…" Wolf and Adolpha were stunned.

Madam then mentioned the island they supposedly were on. Wolf told her that Fisher told them about the legend. Madam added that she had heard about it and heard many renditions of it. "They said a magician created the island. What some fail to mention is that it was, in fact, the fairy king…" Wolf could not believe it.

"There are no such things as fairies," he said. According to the stories, Madam said the island should have been at the bottom of the ocean. "There was no island; you are not the daughter of Chief Alarick…" Wolf gets upset and stands up. Adolpha looks at Madam.

"I would not lie about my family. My father is an honorable chief. My mother is caring, and my brother is strong…" Madam could see Adolpha holding her tears back. "Alright, say I believe you. Tell me about yourself?" Adolpha didn't know what to say. Madam then asks them a question. "Do you know what is happening?"

Wolf and Adolpha look at each other. Madam notices the confusion in their eyes. "Just before spring, an enemy to all living here on Lilith arrived from the ocean. They brought terrible creatures that destroyed everything. King John sent his armies to stop them." Wolf and Adolpha are shocked.

"Currently, there is a battle taking place east. The fighting has scared all the creatures living close to them, causing them to move and creating new problems for regular people. Merchants and those who can not fight have been attacked. Merchants and nobles hire guards to get them past those territories safely." Wolf thinks back to what the guard was telling him.

Ordinary people fled, hoping not to get caught in the battle, but they ultimately ended up dead, thanks to the creatures and wild animals. King John implemented rules because many blamed him for not protecting them. The guilds placed jobs for adventurers; high-ranking adventurers cost too much, frustrating the poor."

Wolf apologized and told Madam he did not know the value of money. Madam explained to them the value of their money. Copper is the lowest coin, worth one cent, like a penny. Bronce is worth ten dollars. Silver was worth fifty dollars, and gold was worth one hundred dollars. Madam told them of one more currency that only nobles use: platinum, something resembling a metal-cast dollar bill. Its worth was about a thousand dollars.

Wolf pulls out what he has left. Madam says he won't even be able to buy a piece of bread. Madam then changes her tone. "You are in luck. I apologize for how I have been sounding. It is hard and dangerous to help those who have escaped slavery. I need to make sure you are honest with me." Wolf also apologizes.

Madam smiles and tells them King John has made it easy for those less fortunate to flee. "First, in the meantime, he has not ordered the evacuation of this town. Many people, mostly older people, who grew up here would refuse to leave. Second, he has caravans that come at every end of the season and take people for a fee, a course. They have two destinations: one goes to the Umbridge Kingdom, the other heads to Kings Land…" Wolf and Adolpha's spirits rise hearing her say that.

Madam said they charge a gold coin for each person. Wolf looks at Adolpha. "I will get you and Adolphus passage. Leave me behind…" Adolpha gets teary-eyed. "I don't want you to leave me," she tells him, sobbing. Madam laughs, which surprises them. "Did you not hear what I told you? Here at Borrows Inn, we help those in need. I will help you earn money for passage and a little for your journey…"

Wolf is shocked and doesn't know what to say. Adolpha, crying, tells Adolphus the excellent news. Madam leans back in her seat, smiling. She looks at a small painting on her desk. It shows a young couple smiling. " There are still many out there who need help. I will continue helping, so please wait a little longer…"

Madam said it was getting late; she told them she had spare rooms. "Get yourselves some rest. I will explain everything tomorrow. Wolf stands up and bows to Madam. Adolpha sees this and also stands to bow; they thank her. Madam was flattered and called for a waitress. She tells her to take them to an empty room. Wolf and Adolpha leave. Madam felt tired; she then pulled out a flyer. On it was a picture of a young wolf-beast girl. It was Adolpha, and it offered a reward. On the bottom in writing, it said she had a child. " You may be her. This could change everything. I will set you free."

Wolf and Adolpha enter a large room with a bed and table. The waitress excuses herself and tells them to enjoy themselves. Adolpha lay Adolphus on the bed; she then lay next to him. "This feels wonderful. What do you think, Adolphus?" Wolf put their supplies near the table. He looks at Adolpha, happily talking to Adolphus.

Adolpha picks up Adolphus and lies on her back; she lifts him. Adolphus smiles at her and then looks around. "Beowulf, I hope we can trust her." Wolf looks out a window in their room. It faces the town. "No matter what happens, I will keep my promise.

The following day, Wolf and Adolpha met with Madam in the restaurant. It was early; some people staying in the inn woke up, and those working early ate breakfast. Fisher greeted them before leaving. Wolf and Adolpha were given breakfast. Madam sat with them and talked about how she helped them.

Madam said that Wolf would be working with Fisher. "Fisher works for me; he handles the fishing business I also own." They were surprised. "Beowulf…" Wolf stares at Madam. Adolpha becomes happy. "Fisher went to prepare. Do you remember how to get to the docks?" Beowulf nods. "Good, after this, head over to him.

"I don't want to eat fish, but watching you work will be fun," Adolpha said. What are you talking about? You are staying here…" "What?" "You have to take care of your child." Adolpha looked at Beowulf. "Don't worry; I have plans for you," Madam said. Beowulf told Adolpha she would be fine; he finished eating and left. Adolpha, tearing up, watched him go.

Beowulf heads into town. Shops are opening, and guards are patrolling. The older people are up and enjoying a beautiful morning. Beowulf picks up Fisher's scent and heads to the docks. When he gets there, he sees Fisher instructing other humans. Fisher turns around and sees him; he waves to him to hop on.

Fisher calls the workers all older and presents Beowulf to them. "This is Beowulf; he will be working with us for a few days. Madam said he is frail. Let's put some muscle on him." The others laugh, looking at Beowulf. Beowulf feels uncomfortable. The others greet him. Beowulf nods, and Fisher tells him to relax. Fisher points to someone and says he will be teaching him the ropes.

Once they were ready, they departed. Beowulf stares as the port begins to disappear. They sail for quite a while before they start to throw nets over. Beowulf watches what they are doing. He picked it up fast, and they were surprised.

All the nets were cast, and now they had to wait. The others ate breakfast. Fisher smoked as he talked with the others. Beowulf was by himself. Fisher walked over to him and spoke to him. He wanted to know about the island. Beowulf told him how he and Adolpha survived.

The others became interested and listened to him speak. Some had questions and asked Beowulf. Fisher smiles, and he gets Beowulf to open up. Beowulf asks Fisher: "Why do they call you Fisher?" The others begin to laugh. Fisher mockingly yells at them and threatens them. Beowulf was confused.

One of the workers tells him how Fisher got the name. "It was when we were all younger. I remember seeing this rugged-looking boy…" "Boy?" Fisher shouts. "Yeah, boy, Madam had gotten into the fishing business and hired him. Fisher, at the time, was hot-headed." The others laughed.

The older man continued by saying that he couldn't catch a single fish when he was out there. "He did not quit…" "That is right, working hard pays off…" "More like a stubborn worker. They always said the fisherman is heading out whenever he went out there." They laughed again. "Eventually, they called him Fisher, which stuck with him."

Fisher looks out towards the ocean. "Still hanging in there…" Beowulf notices the change in their attitudes. Someone mentions another fishing business closing. Beowulf, unaware, asks about it. "This war has brought its problems. The waters have become dangerous. There have been some people going missing. The owners have decided to close up and move."

Beowulf asks about Madam. "Why is she still here?" Fisher puffs his pipe. "Stubbornness… Madam, like us, old folk have special tides to this town. After the closures of some businesses, she hired us. We can't easily leave like the others."

Beowulf then asks Fisher about his previous job. Again, the mood changed. "Before this, I was a slave trader…" Beowulf, shocked, stood up. Fisher, relaxed and composed, takes another puff of his pipe. The others stay silent. "Well, let's get back to work," he says.

They returned to the port, and Beowulf felt awkward after hearing what Fisher said. Fisher and the others continued like normal. Once they docked, Fisher told Beowulf he could go home. Beowulf is left unsure of what to make of this. He made it back home. There was a large commotion coming from the inn.

Wolf entered the inn; the people were all staring at someone. "Come on, place the tray on the table." A waitress was telling someone. Beowulf hears a familiar voice, "Here…" she says, stuttering. "Good job, Adolpha." Adolpha hides behind the waitress. The customers laugh.

"Oh, look who is home…" Madam was walking towards Beowulf, holding Adolphus. "What is going on?" "Many former slave girls have a tendency to stay shut, locked in fear. I am helping her break free of those binds." Beowulf looks at Adolpha. Madam, notice something wrong. Adolpha saw Beowulf and towards him, crying.

As the day was coming to a close, Beowulf wasn't his usual self. Fisher had returned from work and was having a drink. Madam asks him how Beowulf did. "Guy's a natural; we were finished earlier than usual." Madam smiles, "Maybe I should add more work then." "Give me a break," Fisher says, exhausted.

Madam looks at Beowulf. Adolpha was feeding Adolphus. "What is wrong, Beowulf?" Adolpha looks at him. "How can you hire someone like him?" "Like him?" Madam looks at Fisher. "Oh, you found out…" Adolpha is confused. Beowulf is upset. "You knew?" "Yes, I did," she tells him.

Adolpha wanted to know what they were talking about. "Beowulf, the past doesn't make a person; it is what you do moving forward. That is who you are and will be…" Beowulf stays silent. Fisher starts to smoke. "Outside," Madam says. Fisher gets up. And heads to the door. "Think about it…"

Madam tells Beowulf to go and relax with his family. Adolpha gets up and heads to their room. Beowulf thinks of his past. " Is this true for me, too?"