NOVEL WEB Shadow of the Wolf
Chapter 9 Shadow of the Wolf
Rose was not a lazy child. She did purposely work slowly when setting the tables so she could listen in on the details of the hunt. The men roasted two large wild boars they had captured outside the lodge doors and laughed and muttered together. The stories would grow very large and embellished at the dinner table but at this moment the men spoke plainly about what should have been done as opposed to the other methods that went into the capture of dinner. Since Rose hoped to be a good tracker one day these details interested her more than a good yarn.
Her Father was washing up after skinning and skewering the boars. Even if he were in the group Rose knew he would say nothing. Though all the men of the village pleaded with him to explain his skills he merely would shrug them off. Mother had said for years he had tried. No man really took the time to practice what he spoke so finally he gave up. There were no youths in the village eager to learn either. For in the fierce battles over the many winters the strongest and bravest had been lost.
From what Rose gathered from this hunt was that a pack of wild boars was uncovered by the men and they were forced to scatter and climb some trees. Ivan stood his ground and speared one boar while also forcing it to higher ground where he caught sight of a bear and abandoned the other men for a better hunt. Marousha’s husband Denny had speared another boar and got a nasty chunk taken out of his calf for his part.
“Luck was with us, it could have been worse.” Denny rubbed his bandaged leg.
“I still say if Ivan had stayed things would have gone differently.” The Tanner stoked the fire as he spoke. “His obsession with bears is a little unnerving.”
“He is only trying to please his mother.” Sadko basted the beasts a little more, having just come from the kitchen with sauce from Elena.
“That too is unnerving.” the Tanner muttered.
“You hardly go on the hunts anymore you old coward. You still fear monsters in the woods.” Rose meant this comment not to be heard however the old Tanner stood up casting a shadow into the lodge.
“The woods are always to be feared little one. The kind of monster your Father once killed will come again for they do not wander alone nor come at you ignorantly. They can trap as we trap. Plan as we plan. They can seduce you in with a whine and then before you know it the pack has circled you. Bears hah! Come winter a bear is gone. It is Kerwolves I fear and so should you.” His hands shaped shadows with big frightening teeth. Rose was more frightened of the man’s own pale and clammy expression. He believed what he spoke.
“Enough sallow talk! The Frost is held at bay! Father Winter’s terrible reign is at an end!” Ivan’s voice boomed and made the old man jump. Rose ran to her Father and hugged his leg. He only patted her head. “Go tell your mother to sound the call for dinner.” Rose did as bid giving one last peak through the door as her Father opened a keg and filled a flagon. He toasted with the others after gathering up their own glasses of mead echoed him. She found it curious that Tanner eagerly drank with her Father while Sadko turned away and looked up at the moon.