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The dark force.
The air was filled with a foul stench as the mist turned into a thick smoke. Swirling and churning around the rock. Pulsing and writhing, the forest echoed with a horrifying hissing sound as the dark force crept closer…became stronger. I could feel its insidious effect on me. My lungs started to seize. Looking down at my hands, I could see the faint blue outlines of the veins beneath my pale skin start to turn a bright glowing green. The dark force was invading my body. Death would soon follow. I couldn’t suppress a gasp of pained regret and horror for what was to come. Despite the protection of the wolves, there were times when the dark force took a villager. When they were found, their bodies were covered in green bulging veins. Their faces frozen in twisted pain. I closed my eyes and tried to keep the evil out with good.
My only thought was of the wolves. They may be gruff and stern and even frightening at times, but all I remembered at this moment was the feeling of having their strong arms about me, of feeling safe and warm and protected. As death claimed me, I would cling to that thought. Grasp it tight within my mind. The vision of me nestled inside a cocoon of warm furs with my five wolf protectors leaning over me.
Just as I was feeling the cold touch of the dark force mist around my ankles, there was a hellish roar.
Beo broke into the clearing. Large and powerful in his wolf form. I knew it was him from the dark gray color of his pelt and the wide set of his shoulders. His amber eyes pierced the clearing till they alighted on me. Seeing the dark force surrounding me, he growled. The low rumbling sound made the very earth vibrate. His dark lips curled back, baring sharp white teeth. I could see the sinews in his body curl and bunch right before he pounced into the fray. The dark force swirled around Beo’s neck as his jaws opened on another deafening roar. Beo flipped over and over. With each powerful swipe of his paw, the smoke seemed to break apart and dissipate. Till finally, there was nothing left.
Over my harsh breathing, I heard the call of a bird. I hadn’t realized till this moment how silent the forest had become the moment the dark force crept below me.
Turning my gaze back to the forest floor, Beo was once again a man.
A tall, powerful, very angry man.
Stretching my hands before me in a feeble placating gesture, I tried to explain. “I wanted to help. The villagers need to know that, inside, you are still men.”
“That is not your decision to make,” he ground out as he stormed toward me. “You broke the sacred vow of the blood moon sacrifice.”
“I didn’t mean to. I promise. I was not trying to run away.”
“That doesn’t matter. We would have every right to tear through your village and devour each and every human.”
“Please! Don’t do that! Please! Don’t punish them. Punish me,” I begged. While I may have never been shown much love or care by many of the villagers, there were still innocent children and families behind those walls.
“Then come down here and face your punishment.”
Still perched on the boulder, I towered over Beo. Yet I knew the moment my feet touched the earth, the top of my head would barely reach his shoulder. Beo was the one wolf who had yet to claim me. Knowing how primal and intense those other experiences had been, I was terrified what it would be like when one of them was as angry as Beo was with me now. What I had done was far worse than refusing to eat the meal they provided, so I knew my punishment would also be far worse.
“I…I…”
“Red, I am losing patience.”
“Please, I…”
Before I could finish, Beo took a threatening step toward me. Grabbing me by the lower legs, he flung me over his shoulder and began to storm off deeper into the forest.
“You refusing to obey my command immediately will now add to the severity of your punishment.”
I could only whimper. A curtain of red curls obstructed my view as I tried to swallow the dizzying nausea caused by his shoulder pressing deeply into my stomach. He did not carry me far. As he placed me upright, my feet sank into the soft earth. Looking around, I could see we were in some sort of grotto. The bright green leaves on the trees seemed to glow as sunlight shone through them. There was a small spring, its bank covered with purple and white flowers. The ground near the spring was soft with moss and leaves.
“Take off those things.”
Wanting to show I was being obedient, I quickly undid the clasp at my throat and placed the crimson cloak over a nearby log.
