Cruel and Unusual - serialised novel EXCLUSIVE to Steemit Part 37

For the full list of episodes, please see this post: Episode List
And Then, 31 32 33 34 35
36

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Please read the start of the story using the links above. I promise, it’s well-worth the time to check it all out. At least then, this excerpt will make more sense.

Hazel was quiet as she contemplated what Anton had told them.

“Your view then?” Anton asked Hazel.

She wrinkled her nose and shook herself from her reverie. “It could be a Hunter.”

“Nonsense!” Anton’s voice had raised and he lowered it again as people around them glanced over. “Sentinels have virtually eradicated the Hunter!”

“How do we know? How do you know? Sentinels are a breed apart almost, loners who don’t keep in touch with each other and the Pariahs of Wolf Society.”

“What are Hunters and who or what are Sentinels?” Keme asked quietly.

Anton looked to Hazel to answer him.

“Oh no! This one is yours,” she said.

“A Hunter is almost always a Throwback. More often than not, it is a Hume Throwback rather than Wolf.”

“What is a Throwback?” Keme interrupted.

“Ah, ‘Throwback’ is an anomaly of our species. It is something that should not have been born. A Wolf mating with a Hume or a Wolf making their own mate, the offspring of both come under the term ‘Throwback’.”

“A Wolf/Hume Throwback is exceptionally rare – but possible. It is usually a female Hume, which means that the birth will go undetected. For, unless the male Wolf keeps in contact, he will not know of the child. If a female Wolf were to become pregnant by a Hume male, she would know to kill the child – if indeed, she carries to full term.” Anton explained as best he could but Hazel could see that Keme had not quite grasped it.

“If you were to fall in love with a Hume and wished to be with her forever, she would have to be bitten by another Wolf, for if you made her, and then mated, your children would be Throwbacks. Our First Laws state that a Throwback shall not be suffered to live.” Hazel helped Anton with his explanation.

“Is that not callous?” Keme asked.

Hazel smiled as she watched Anton explain further.

“It is to protect us all. I am loath to use the term: ‘For the greater good,’ but it fits. A Throwback is defective; it will eventually go insane and our society relies upon total secrecy in order to survive. Man is ingenious; the inventions of the last century alone would make your head spin, for it certainly does mine. Man is vicious and can be unnecessarily cruel. You know little of our culture or history yet, Keme, but I can assure you that there have been far fewer wars between Wolves in our entire history than those between man and his brother in even the past half a century.” Anton paused to make sure that no one was able to listen closely to what he was telling Keme.

“Of course, we utilise those wars to our best interests, and why shouldn’t we? We become strong on the glands of the war-dead, but we do not fight with each other. Our Hierarchy is set. Our Leader, to all intents and purposes, is immortal. We do not reproduce with such abandon as do Humes. Planning – careful planning is necessary. Even to make a Wolf by biting is now forbidden without permission. We must protect ourselves.”

“But surely if we can create another Wolf so easily, we could over-run the human population?”

“Exactly so, but think, if one Wolf made one other on every Full Moon and on the following Full Moon, those Wolves each made one other and on and on. In less than half a year, there would be an army of Wolves, all new and hungry and wanting to feed. In less than a decade, what would we eat? We would need wars between ourselves to keep our numbers in check. Perhaps, that is the real reason for Humes going to war upon each other?”

“Am I then, a Throwback?” Keme said after a moment of contemplation.

“No. You are different, and as yet, we do not know how different you are, but you are not a Throwback. You were not born, you were made – and not by the usual method, by being bitten. We have sent for The Scribe, another Ancient who records all. Every Prophecy, every deed or misdeed of note, he has knowledge of it all.”

Hazel saw Keme’s confusion and explained to him.

“We are almost certain that your particular circumstance is unprecedented, but The Scribe will know for sure. Either way, your studies continue but this is perplexing. We must remain vigilant, there is something in the air and it is beginning to smell like danger.”

“Does any of this mean that I shall be given the opportunity of a hunt soon?” Keme surprised Hazel with the eagerness she heard in his voice. She had not realised that he was quite so in control of his bloodlust and, until then, when his guard slipped for a moment, he had appeared almost nonchalant about his tutoring.

“Anton, have you given Keme leave to make his own kill yet, or have you always provided prey?”

“He has made kills,” Anton replied. “But, oh, do you mean have I tracked them down for him to take? The answer is yes; I have tracked all of his kills so far and he followed.”

“So Keme has not chosen his own prey?”

“No, I did that for him.”

“In that case, I see the reason for your impatience. When we next hunt, we shall discuss your choice of prey and if it is a good one, made for the right reasons, I shall stand back and give you full rein.”

“Really?” Keme was unable to conceal his delight.

“I think that you are ready.” Hazel nodded.

Keme came as close to excitement at her reply than she had ever seen him. He excused himself with the correct propriety and went outside for a moment; Hazel assumed it was to get a breath of fresh air until she heard a distant howl.

She stopped talking and looked to Anton for his reaction. He was as astounded as she was.

When Keme returned to the dining room, flustered and flushed in the face, she expected an apology or explanation but was surprised when he seemed as shocked as everyone else in the restaurant.