A Change In The Weather

Chapter 56: Deliverance

21 April, 2008 – 7:48 am

The sun was getting low in the sky, and the light was dimming, casting long shadows on the ground all around. The big wolf padded to and fro menacingly on the far side of the forest, but all the while keeping its eyes fixed firmly on Scarlet. It seemed impatient and hungry.

‘It’s staring at me.’ she said nervously, from the corner of her mouth. ‘Why?’

Hillary gripped his staff, and struck it against the ground. The tip crackled, flaring into life, casting an unnatural blue light all around. As it did so, the big wolf backed off, initially weary and not knowing what to make of the spectacle, but it eventually sensed that it was harmless, and came back growling and baring more of its nasty-looking teeth.

‘I’m not sure if it likes that,’ Tobias pointed out, feebly, ‘maybe you should stop it.’

Hillary stood fast, keeping his gaze firmly on the head wolf.

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ he said. ‘Think he wouldn’t rip us to shreds given half a chance?’

Tobias said nothing, but felt compelled to turn around. He felt eyes burning into the back of his head. Sure enough, another wolf - although not as large as the first - appeared from out of the cover of the trees. It sniffed the air, and stood there, waiting, silent and proud.

‘Erm, Hillary, there’s another one behind us.’ he said, pointing in the direction of the latest wolf. As he pointed, another wolf appeared close by. And then another. And another. In fact, wherever he looked, all he saw were animal eyes staring back at him from the undergrowth.

Hillary nodded. ‘I know. I could’ve told you that. We’re surrounded.’ he said. ‘Just don’t go and make any sudden movements.’ he added. ‘We’re in a fine pickle here and no mistake.’

Scarlet turned to look behind her, and was surprised to see a figure in the woods.

Was it a silhouette of a man? Or was it a boy? She couldn’t be sure. The question remained: what was he doing there? She squinted and looked again. This time she was rewarded with a better look. From what she could make out, the figure seemed to be clad in green foliage, or was it a coat of green leaves?

But there was something else too. From its head sprouted the horns of a deer or other such animal, and although she couldn’t see the face too well, its heavily tattooed arms held a staff of sinewy wood - probably made of Yew.

She had an uncomfortable feeling that he knew she’d seen him. She made a point of continuing to stare even though she felt rather uncomfortable. Maybe he was doing the same to her?

She glanced to her left and with morbid fascination noticed one of the wolves had started to skulk towards him.

You fool! She thought. Get away! Run! Can’t you see it coming for you?

But it was no good. It was far too close by for him to make his escape now. Even so, she continued to watch with eyes wide open in horror, waiting for the inevitable carnage.

But it never came.

Instead, as the wolf passed, he ran a hand over its thick fur. Its tongue lolled about its mouth as he patted the animal on its side, and then he knelt down and spoke something into its ear, and the animal ran off.

‘Scarlet, keep back!’

Hillary’s words snapped her out of her trance.

She shook her head and looked up to find that in her fascination she’d inadvertently stepped away from the circle. She shuffled back, and glanced around again, but the man in the forest had vanished.

Up ahead, the big wolf had started to slowly creep forwards, no doubt in an effort to test everyone’s resolve. Scarlet looked at it. Its bright, unnatural eyes were still fixed on her. Its open jaw revealed a set of shocking fangs that seemed to grin and smile at her. But as she stood there hypnotised by the dreadful animal, all she could think about was the man in the forest.

And then, without warning, the wolf leapt towards them with a dreadful snarl.

It made its way towards them with a speed and ease that belied its great size. Within seconds the slathering beast would be at their throats, ripping and snarling and clawing and slashing. Scarlet grabbed Thomas and held him close by. She looked at the powder on her hands and despaired at the useless gesture. Tobias screwed his eyes up and held his breath, hoping that it would help somehow.

As the wolf closed in on them, Hillary continued to remain steadfast. He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his staff. And then, just before the wolf was upon them, he lifted the staff up and brought it down quickly. As it made contact with the earth, the entire area was bathed in a silent explosion of blinding white light.

As the light hit, the wolf gave a mighty yelp and crashed through the perimeter, forcing everyone to scatter. The wolf, now in the centre of the path, shook its head, and pawed at its eyes, as if a madness had taken hold of it, leaving the once proud wolf to scrabble around in a sad and pathetic state.

‘What’s happened to it?’ asked Tobias, peeking through the gap in his fingers. ‘I can barely bring myself to look.’

‘It’s been blinded.’

And then - amongst the confusion - the sound of two crossbow bolts sang out in the air as they whistled past, before coming to a stop suddenly with two sickening thuds. The rest of the wolves backed off one by one, turning their tails and bolting back into the cover of the forest.

Scarlet screamed and fell to her knees as the wolf died at her feet.

There, down the road maybe twenty metres or so, stood a few armed men brandishing crossbows.

‘Ho there!’ one of them shouted. ‘Are you alright?’

Hillary stepped over the body of the wolf and rushed to check on Wendle. He was alive - but exhausted - by the side of the path. He looked up at the men-at-arms. In the available light, they appeared to be dressed in leather armour, with chainmail, and helmets of the type Hillary had only ever seen before in Anglo-Saxon history books.

‘I think so.’ answered Hillary, shouting into the distance. ‘Our dog is wounded though.’

One of the figures stepped forward.

‘We are from the Windings - half a mile down the road. What business have you here?’

‘We are travellers.’ shouted Hillary. ‘As you know, we were attacked by wolves. We need food and shelter for the night.’

‘Where are you headed?’

Hillary stood up and held his arms out in desperation.

‘You must excuse us as we’re not from these parts. But we are looking for passage to the West. Probably as far as Tankard.’

The two men nodded, and gestured for everyone to follow them.

‘Follow us. Be quick though. There is precious little light left.’

Scarlet frowned and looked at Hillary. How did he know where he was taking us if he’d never been here before? She was beginning to doubt every word he said.

* * * *

From the cover of the cool, dark, impenetrable forest, the wolfpack watched the strangers depart, disappearing from view over the brow of the hill, towards the village of Lesser Winding.

The deer-horned green-leafed man turned his attention away from the strangers and looked with great sadness at the body of the wolf. He sighed deeply; the men-at-arms had crudely tossed its pitiful body into a natural hollow by the boundary of the forest where it rose up to meet the little dirt track. They had showed it neither the proper respect or correct regard.

His purpose had been to track the wolf down, though not to kill it. It was wanted as a killer of men, but the deer-horned man’s intention had been to arrive before the rest to protect it, to change it, make it see the error of its ways. His methods although no-doubt unconventional always got results.

The rest of his wolf pack watched, silent and still, as their master neared the body of the slain wolf. He knelt down beside the wolf and pulled the bloodied crossbow bolts out, tossing each one away in disgust.

He sat there for a moment, and brushed a hand over the mane of the animal before whispering something into its ear.

‘Rise again my friend.’

The wolf’s eyes flickered open, and it staggered to its feet once more. Even though it was groggy from the resurrection, it’s first instinct was to rip the man’s throat out. This it tried several times, but each time it failed.

Finally, it submitted to the strange man with the green-leaved coat…

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