Cruel and Unusual - serialised novel EXCLUSIVE to Steemit Part 34

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And Then, 31 32 33

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“I really must talk with you in depth about that experience. I assume that you can remember it because of the foretold prophesy; you were even then far more advanced than usual.”

“I assume then that the practice of keeping a Wolf from feeding on his first Wolfing is not as unusual as I first thought?”

“It is. I know of a handful of Wolves that have suffered such a first Wolfing but none can remember the experience, only you.”

“Then I must be the lucky one.” Hazel rolled her eyes at Anton and gave a half smile.

“No, you are the Prophesised One. You are gifted but unfortunately, some gifts are more like a curse. It was necessary; you do understand why they had to keep you from making the kill on your first Wolfing?” Anton’s tone had grown tender and he took her hands in his.

“Anton, do not worry about me. The memory is all that is left, I sometimes have dreams about it but nothing to worry about, believe me.” She smiled to reassure him and pulled her hands from his, patting his arm.

“I still want to ask about that night.”

“Yes and I shall tell you everything I remember, including how I tore my friend to pieces without knowing.” She turned her head away then and wiped away a tear that had welled up; she hoped that Anton had not noticed. He had but pretended that he had not.

Anton poured Hazel another cup of coffee to make it clear that that part of the conversation was at an end.

“Eventually the Shaman realised that Keme was no ordinary wolf and that he would need human flesh in order for him to be released. His grandson’s agony did not overly concern him for he was feeding. The restraint around his muzzle had been cut off when they knew that he was safely caged, but he was still tightly bound. One day, the Shaman had a visitor; a tribesman arrived with the woman that brought the food parcel. One of the hunters had seen traces of white men, which was unusual at the time of year in such a wild and desolate place. The hunter bid his Shaman be careful in the event that the white man found their camp. It seems that fate had taken a hand once more as the white men did indeed discover his encampment. Although worried for his grandson and protégé, he had to think first of himself and he hid, but close enough to keep watch.”

“To begin with, the two trappers seemed decent enough men, they did not touch anything upon finding the fire embers still hot and they “helloo’d” a few times. When they realised that it was not a white man’s camp, their demeanour altered somewhat and they then began poking around, looking at everything that belonged to the Shaman. Keme had become silent which was what had alerted the Shaman to the men’s presence, but now he set up a snarling, drawing attention to himself. The Shaman told me that it seemed very deliberate of him; he lured the men to him. They were curious of course, but were also very cautious – for Keme makes a large Wolf and they had a healthy wariness of him.

“As the Shaman watched, Keme became calm. His eyes flicked to his grandfather briefly and then the ropes and leather thongs that had bound him for a little under a month snapped as though they were rotten. The cage disintegrated, it exploded as Keme made his escape and then he was loose. The Shaman did not know how safe he was of course, but because Keme had resisted making his escape – even though it was now blatantly obvious that he could have, at any time – he took a chance and stayed to watch. He was brave but not foolish however, he did keep out of plain sight so as not to be noticed by his grandson.

“The Wolf circled the two trappers who should both have known better, I suppose, and instead of parting and making it look as though the wolf was being hunted or staying together and making enough noise to put the wolf to flight, I can only guess that they fancied their chances at recapturing him. As it happened, nothing that they could have done would have set Keme to flight and they had absolutely no chance of capturing him, neither could they have escaped. From the moment that Keme had decided they would be his prey, they were doomed.

“As the first was taken down, the second pulled his gun and shot Keme but as you know, unless it is silver and an exceptionally lucky shot, killing a Wolf is never instantaneous, the trapper would have died anyway. Keme was too far gone by that time, probably even his grandfather would have been slaughtered, but as I said, he is wise and kept low while Keme completed his kills, plundered the carcasses and found the glands. Then because it was daylight I suppose, Keme began to change back to his human form. Still his grandfather held back, which is again very fortunate because it seems that Keme was very feral at that moment and very unpredictable. Eventually he came to his right mind and fell asleep soon after. He remained sleeping for a full night and all the next day, waking at sunset. Unusually, Keme can recall every detail of his first kills as a Wolf. He has spoken to me about his first experiences. He was visited on occasion by Wolves and though he has difficulty in translating, he could understand them in his Wolf Psyche.”

Hazel had listened in almost complete silence and continued in that silence after Anton had finished.

“What are you thinking, Hazel?”

“Only that Keme’s experience was worse than mine. I had to endure just one night and one day of that agony and he suffered through a whole month of it. Can he remember it?”

“He has not said that he can, he may remember at some point in the future, he may not.”