Chapter 8 Part VIII Wolves, and Worse Than Wolves

The forest flickered by in hazy grays and browns and remnants of winter.The thorny trees scraped past the ranger's coat and David's pajama pants, and more than once David bent down to keep his face from being swept away by tall bushes.The howling had ceased, but the ranger did not slow down for a moment.He didn't speak, so David remained silent.But David was so terrified that he tried to look back, nearly lost and fell, and never tried again. When the rangers stopped, as if listening, they were still deep in the forest.David was on the verge of asking him what happened, but figured it would be best to keep quiet and listen to what made the Ranger stop.A tingling sensation in his neck and the bristling of hair convinced him that they were being watched.Then, dimly, he heard leaves brush by on the left and twigs snap off on the right.There was movement behind them, as if an underground opponent was quietly approaching and surrounding them.

"Hold on," said the forester, "it's right there." He sprinted to the right, out of the wide woodland, into a clump of ferns, and at once David heard a roar from the trees behind him, and the furious pursuit resumed.His hand was cut, blood dripped to the floor, and there was a hole in his pajama pants from knee to ankle.A slipper was missing, and the night air hit his bare feet; it was cold, and he had to hold on tight to the forester, his fingers ached, but he did not let go.They ran through another scrubland and were now on a rough path that wound downhill to what looked like a garden.David glanced back and saw what appeared to be two gray orbs glowing faintly in the moonlight, and a thick patch of fur.

He sprinted to the right, out of the wide woodland, into a clump of ferns, and at once David heard a roar from the trees behind him, and the furious pursuit resumed.His hand was cut, blood dripped to the floor, and there was a hole in his pajama pants from knee to ankle.A slipper was missing, and the night air hit his bare feet; it was cold, and he had to hold on tight to the forester, his fingers ached, but he did not let go.They ran through another scrubland and were now on a rough path that wound downhill to what looked like a garden.David glanced back and saw what appeared to be two gray orbs glowing faintly in the moonlight, and a thick patch of fur.

"Don't look back," said the forester, "whatever you want, just don't look back." David turned around again.He was scared, and now he felt so sorry that he shouldn't have followed his mother's voice to this place.He was just a little boy, wearing pajamas and a slipper, and a stranger's coat over his old blue nightgown, and he shouldn't be there, he should just stay in his bedroom. The trees tapered off, and David and the ranger now came to a well-tended woodland with tall and low rows of vegetables.In front of the vegetables stood a cottage, surrounded by a low wooden fence, the strangest cottage David had ever seen.The house is built with wood cut from the forest, with a door in the middle, a window on one side, and a stone chimney at the end of the sloping roof, but ordinary cottages like this have such a chimney on the roof sloped end.It silhouetted against the night sky like a hedgehog, for the house was inlaid with spikes of wood and metal, sharpened iron rods and rods nailed between and through the wood.As they drew nearer, David saw glass and pointed stones on the walls and roof, so that the house shone in the moonlight as if it were set with diamonds.The windows were bolted tightly, and big iron nails protruded through the door, so that anyone who slammed hard on the door meant that they would be impaled in the blink of an eye.This isn't a cottage -- it's a fort.

They passed through the fence, and it seemed safe to be near the house, when a figure appeared from behind the house wall and came towards them.Its shape is very similar to a tall wolf, but it is wearing a fancy white and gold shirt on the upper body, and a pair of bright red breeches on the lower body.Then, while David was staring at it, it straightened its hind legs and stood up like a man.Obviously, it is not just an animal. Although its ears are covered by several tufts of hair, their shape is basically the same as that of a human, and its muzzle is shorter than that of a wolf.It pursed its lips, bared its fangs, and howled menacingly at them. However, from its eyes, the struggle between wolves and humans could be felt most.Those eyes were not animal, they were cunning, yet self-aware, full of hunger and desire.

At this time, another group of things similar to it appeared from the forest.Some were wearing clothes, most of which were rotten coats and trousers. They stood up straight on their hind legs; while more of them looked like ordinary wolves. They were a little smaller and stood on all fours. Come on, they are both savage and incapable of thinking.What frightened David the most were the imitators. The ranger put David down. "Stay with me," he said, "and run to the house whenever something happens." He patted David's lower back lightly, and David felt something fall into his coat pocket.He touched his coat as carefully as possible, pretending to be cold, and stretched it into his pocket for warmth.Reaching into his pocket, he felt the shape of a big iron key.David clenched his fists around the key as if his life depended on it--in fact, he had come to realize that it was.

The werewolf standing by the house was keeping an eye on Davy, staring at him so horribly that Davy was forced to look at the ground, at the back of the forester's neck, or anywhere else, but dared not talk to the pair. Familiar and unfamiliar eyes met.The werewolf touched the nail on the wall of the house with one long claw, as if testing how strong the nail was, and then it spoke.Its voice was low, a mixture of spittle and growl, but David could clearly understand every word it said. "I know you are busy, Ranger," it said, "you are fortifying your position." "The forest is changing," replied the forester, "something foreign."

He held the ax in his other hand, holding it tighter that way.If the werewolf noticed the threat implied by the gesture, he didn't show it.On the contrary, he growled tightly in agreement with the forester, as if he and the forester were two neighbors who had met by chance on an evening walk. "The whole land is changing," said the werewolf, "and the old king has no control over his kingdom." "I am not wise enough to judge such things," said the Forest Watcher. "I have never seen the King, nor has he consulted with me about the administration of the land."

"Perhaps he should," said the werewolf.He almost looked like he was smiling, but there was nothing friendly in that smile. "After all, you tend these trees as if they were your own kingdom. You shouldn't forget that there are others who want to claim power over them." "I look after all living creatures in this place and give them the respect they deserve. However, it is the rule of the Realm that man rules over them." "Then maybe it's time for a new rule," said the werewolf. "What kind of rule is that?" asked the forester.David could hear the sarcasm in his tone. "Wolves rule, carnivores rule? The fact that you walk upright doesn't make you a man, and wearing gold in your ears doesn't make you a king."

"There are still kingdoms and kings," said the werewolf. "You will not rule here," said the Forester, "if you try, I will kill you, and all your brothers and sisters." The werewolf opened its jaws and began to howl.David trembled with fear, but the ranger was unmoved. "It seems that you have already started. The one in the forest, is it the fruit of your labor?" The werewolf asked nonchalantly. "These trees are mine. The fruits of my labor are all over the woods." "I mean the dead body, poor Ferdinand, my scout. He appears to have lost his head."

"Is that his name? I haven't had a chance to ask him yet. He was too eager to slit my throat so we didn't get to chat for a while." The werewolf licked its lips. "He's hungry," he said. "We're all hungry." His eyes moved from the forester to David.He kept looking at the boy as he spoke to the forester, but this time he lingered longer. "The appetite will trouble him no more," said the forester, "I have relieved him of the burden." However, Ferdinand has long been thrown aside, and the werewolf's attention is now focused on David. "What did you find on your way?" said the Werewolf, "it seems that you have found a strange kind, a piece of fresh meat in the forest." A slender line of drool hangs from the corner of its mouth as it speaks.The forester put one hand on David's shoulder to protect him, and drew him closer, while holding the ax firmly in his right hand. "He is my brother's son, and I live with him here." The werewolf's front paws landed on the ground, and the hair on the back of his neck stood up.It took a deep breath. "You talk nonsense!" it roared. "You have no brothers, no family. You live alone in this place, always have! This child is not from our part. He brings a new smell. He is... Different." "He is mine, and I am his protector," said the forester. "There's a fire in the forest. Something strange is burning there. Did it come with him?" "I do not know about this." "If you don't know, maybe this kid does, and he can explain to us where this thing comes from." The werewolf nodded at one of his subordinates, and a black object flew in the air and landed at David's feet. It was the head of the German gunman, all turned gray and black and burnt red.His pilot's helmet was fused to his scalp, and David caught another glimpse of his teeth - still locked in their dead, crooked face. "We tasted it a little," said the werewolf, "and it tasted like ashes, and something fermented." "People don't eat people," the forest guard felt disgusted, "your actions have already shown your nature." The werewolf ignored it. "You can't keep this kid safe. Others will know about him. Leave him to us and we'll keep him well hidden." Yet the werewolf's eyes revealed its lie, and everything about the beast spoke of hunger and need.Its ribs protruded from under the gray fur, which was clearly visible under the white shirt, and its limbs were also thin.His henchmen were also starving to death, and at this moment, unable to resist the temptation of food, they were slowly approaching David and the ranger. Suddenly, there was a sound from the right, and one of the low-level wolves, unable to bear the desire to eat, jumped up.As soon as the forester turned around, he raised his ax and let out a sharp bark, and then the wolf's body fell to the ground, its head almost severed from its body.There was a howl from the pack, and they writhed and turned, agitated and frustrated.The werewolf stared at the fallen corpse, and then turned to face the forester. Every sharp tooth in its mouth was clearly visible, and the hair on its back stood on end.David thought it would pounce on them both, and then the other wolves would follow and tear them apart, but the human-like side of the thing overcame the animal side, and it controlled its anger and stood upright again, shaking shook his head. "I warned them to keep their distance, but they are very hungry," it said. "There are new enemies, and new predators come to take our food. Besides, they are not like us, Ranger. We Not animals. And those things don't control their urges." The Ranger and David backed toward the house, trying to get as close as possible, where it would keep them safe. "Don't lie to yourself, beast," said the Forester, "not from us. I'd rather walk with the leaves on the trees, and the dust of the ground, than have anything to do with you and your kind." Some of the wolves had stepped forward and began to partake of the carcasses of their companions, but the clothed pack did not join.They stared hungrily at the corpse, but, like their leader, they tried to maintain a false sense of self-control.Their self-control didn't last long, though, and David could see their nostrils flailing in the smell of blood, and he was sure the werewolves would have torn him to pieces if the rangers weren't there to protect him. .The lower wolves are carnivores, willing to feed on their own kind, while the human-looking pack has a much worse appetite than the rest of the wolves. The werewolf considered the forester's answer.Under the cover of the forester's body, David had already taken out the key from his pocket, and was quietly preparing to insert it into the keyhole. "If there were no contract between us," said it, musing, "my judgment of right and wrong would be very clear." It turned to look at its swarm and began howling. "It's time to eat," it growled. Just as the werewolf landed on its front paws, bowed its waist, and was about to jump up, David inserted the key into the keyhole and started to turn it. A warning bark came from a wolf at the edge of the forest.The brute turned toward the still-unseen threat, and it caught the attention of the rest of the gang, and even their leader was distracted for a few critical seconds.David ventured a glance and saw something moving towards the trunk, coiling around the tree like a snake.The wolf backed away, howling softly.As it shifted, a long ivy stretched from a branch below, and wrapped itself round the wolf's neck in a sudden.It grabbed hold of the pelt and jerked it high into the air, where the brute kicked in vain, gasping for breath. For a moment, in a green twisting action, the whole forest seemed to come to life, vines wrapped around the legs, snouts, and throats of wolves and werewolves, throwing them into the air or into the ground, tying them tighter and tighter , until all struggle ceases.The wolves immediately went to fight, biting and howling fiercely, but they were powerless against such an enemy, and those who could resist already began to retreat.David felt the key turn as the pack leader tossed his head, torn between his hunger for meat and his desire to escape.The ivy was stretching its own length, creeping across the wetlands of the vegetable garden.It must make a quick decision, whether to eat or die.The werewolf gave a final furious roar at David and the forester, turned and ran south.By this time the forester had pushed David through the crack of the door into the safety of the house, and the door was closed behind them, shutting out the howling and the sound of death at the edge of the forest. Chapter Nine: Lupus and Their Origins David moved to a barred window as a beam of orange light crept across the small cottage.The forester has bolted the gate, and it is safe.Before the logs were thrown into the fireplace to make a fire, the wolves had fled.If he was upset about what was going on outside, he wasn't showing it.He seemed extraordinarily calm, and that calm conveyed a little to David.He should be scared, even mentally wounded, after all he was threatened by talking wolves, witnessed the attack of Ivy, and the scorched head of the German pilot fell at his feet, and was killed by sharp wolves. Teeth are half gnawed out.However, he was just confused now, and a little curious. David felt tingling in his fingers and toes.It was getting warmer in the room, and his nose started to run, and he threw away his forester's coat, wiped his nose on the sleeve of his nightgown, and then felt a little embarrassed again.The dressing-gown was absolutely pathetic, but it was the only outer garment he had now, and it would be unwise to add filth to its present tattered state.After the nightgown, he had a slipper, a pair of torn and muddy pajama shorts, and a pajama shirt that looked like new compared to those. The window beside him was separated by an inner window on the first floor behind the latch, leaving a narrow horizontal slit so that one could look out from the inside.Through the crack of the window, he saw the corpses of wolves being dragged into the forest, some with blood trailing behind them. "They are getting bolder and more cunning, and it is getting harder and harder to kill them," said the forester.He came to stand with David by the window. "A year ago they didn't dare to confront me, and they didn't dare to mess with the people I was protecting, but now there are many more of them than before, and with each passing day, their number has increased. Soon they will continue to Occupy the kingdom, as they promised." "The ivy attacked them," David said.He still couldn't believe what his eyes saw. "The forest, or this forest, has a way of protecting itself," said the forester. "Those beasts are unnatural and a threat to the order of things. The forest does not want them to exist. I think it has something to do with the king, or With his waning powers. The world is falling apart and getting weirder every day. The Loops are the most dangerous things that exist, for they have the worst natures of man and beast, and they vie for supremacy." "Loop?" Davy asked. "Is that what you call those wolf-like things?" "They are not wolves, though wolves follow them. They are not men, though they walk upright when they need some purpose, and their leaders adorn themselves with jewels and fine clothes. He calls himself Leroy, and he is wise and Ambitious, cunning, and brutal. Now he's going to fight the king. I've heard stories from passers-by in the woods. They say that great packs of wolves pass through the land, white wolves from the north, black wolves from the south, all at the call of their brother, the gray wolf, their leader, Lupu." Davy sat by the fire and listened to a story told by the forester. The Ranger's First Story Long ago, there lived a girl by the edge of the forest.She is lively, cute and smart.She wears a red cloak so that if she gets lost she can be easily found, as a red cloak always stands out among the trees and bushes.Year after year passed, and the little girl became a woman, growing more and more beautiful.Many men wanted to marry her, but she refused them all.No one was good enough for her, she was smarter than all the men she met, they were no match for her. The girl's grandmother lived in a cottage in the forest, and she often visited her, bringing her a basket of bread and meat, and keeping her company for a while.When the grandmother fell asleep, the girl in the red hat went for a walk in the woods and tasted the wild berries and all kinds of strange fruits in the woods.One day, as she was approaching a dark grove, a wolf came.It was wary of her and wanted to pass by quietly without her seeing it.But the girl's sense was too keen, she saw the wolf, and when she looked into his eyes, she fell in love with his strange eyes.He turned away, and she followed, farther into the forest than ever before.The wolf wanted to get rid of her when there was no trace and no way to go, but the girl walked too fast, following mile after mile, and the pursuit continued.At last the wolf, tired of being chased, turned to face her.It bared its fangs and let out a warning growl, but she wasn't afraid. "Lovely wolf," she whispered, "you needn't be afraid of me." She put her hand over the wolf's head, running her fingers over its fur to calm him.The wolf also saw that she had beautiful eyes (more beautiful when looking at it), a pair of gentle hands (more gentle when touching it), and two soft, bright lips (softer and more colorful when touching it) .The girl leaned forward, and she kissed the wolf.She threw away the red cloak and the flower basket, and slept with the animal.Their combination creates something more human than wolf.He was the first Lupu, the one named Leroy.After that, more followed.Other women were also tricked by the girl in the red cloak.She wandered the forest paths, and seduced the women she passed by with ripe juicy berries and pure spring water that rejuvenated the skin.Sometimes she walked to the edge of a town or village, waited for a girl to pass by, and then tricked her into the woods by pretending to call for help. Later, some people followed her willingly, because there are some women in the world who dream of sleeping with wolves. No one saw them again.After a while, Lupu will attack the women who created them, eating them by moonlight. This is where Lupu comes from. After the story was finished, the forester went to an oak box next to the bed in the corner and found a shirt that David could wear, a pair of trousers that were only slightly longer, and a pair of shoes that were only a little loose. Cotton socks can be worn.The shoe was leather, and it was obvious that no one had worn it in years, and David wondered where it had come from, since it was evident that it had once been a child's shoe.But when he wanted to ask the forester, the forester turned and busied himself spreading cheese on the bread for them to eat. While eating, the forester asked David more detailed questions about how he got into the forest and about the old world he had left behind.David had a lot to say, but the Ranger didn't seem to like talking about wars and airplanes very much. He was interested in David and his family and his mother. "You said you heard her voice," he said, "but she's dead, how could that be?" "Don't know," said David, "but that's her. I know it's her." The forester didn't seem to believe it. "I have not seen a woman pass through the forest for a long time. If she is here, she came into this world by another way." In return the Ranger told David a great deal about the place where he was now.He spoke of the king, who had ruled this place for a long time, but who was old and tired and no longer able to control his kingdom, and was now essentially a hermit, living alone in his castle to the east.The Foresters also spoke of Lupu, who hoped to rule over other races as men did; and of new castles, which appeared not far from this kingdom, dark places of those hidden demons. Then he spoke of a trick-spirit, who had no name, and was so different from the rest of the kingdom, that even the king was somewhat afraid of him. "Is it a twisted man?" David asked suddenly. "Wearing a crooked hat?" The Forester, who was chewing bread, stopped. "How do you know?" he said. "I've seen him," said David. "He's in my bedroom." "That's him," said the forester. "He steals children. Those children will never be seen again." The way the Forest Watcher talked about the Twisted Man made David feel sad, even a little angry. He began to think, Leroy, the leader of the Loop, did he do something wrong?Perhaps the forester had his own home, but something bad has happened and he is now alone.