Das Mädchen in Rot - Chpt 8 [English - US]

Das Mädchen in Rot [English - US]

Description:

Das Mädchen in Rot (German: The girl in red) is a dark version adaptation from the original story wrote by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. The adaptation tells the story of Nella - a young girl that lived with her family in a tribe and her father was killed by a black Wolf-Being (it's how the tribesman call the werewolves) as he and a friend of him saved the young Nella. After she reached her full age, Nella was summoned to be part of a cult where the grown up women wears a red mantle and depart from the tribe to the Great Mother's house for the Ancestors blessing to keep the Wolf-Beings away from the tribesmen. According to the Oracle, the Great Mother's house is deep inside of the forest - the same where the Wolf-Beings and other dreadful creatures lurk inside, preying upon the visitors that venture without a portion of cautiousness.

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Introduction:

About fifteen full moons ago, an ancient tribe lived in what would become a forest. This tribe was known for worshiping a mystical entity whose form resembled a wolf.

When the first Red Moon rose in the sky, the people of that tribe began to transform into the image of the entity. No one knew what happened to make them become the image of the entity, but it was said that the wind carried various howls throughout the world.

One night, a small group of hunters entered the forest in search of food. And when they spotted the first deer to take back to the tribe, a huge figure appeared and devoured three of the hunters who entered that place, leaving only one of them to tell what happened. He said the creature that killed the others who went with him had the shape of a man, but the head and fur of a wolf.

And it was on that day that the tribe began to fear the wolf creature that attacked our people in the forest.

Chapter 8

The journey toward the Wolfslayer proceeded with little difficulty for the young woman in the red cloak and the wolf. The road ahead was lit by the spirits of the forest. However, Nella was unaware that her two new traveling companions were actually the werewolves who tried to kill her, with only Hvit recognizing them by scent.

Without William around, Nella had no way of knowing why the wolf was barking and growling at them. The gray werewolf felt uncomfortable around Hvit, but the dark brown one begged him not to do it now if they wanted to maintain their disguises until they reached the cave entrance.

Nella turned to the two of them as she walked.

“Hey. Is everything okay with you guys there?” asked the girl in the red cape.

“Yes. It's okay, girl.” The gray-haired man replied, hiding his cruel intentions.

“There's nothing to worry about,” the dark brown-haired man added.

Nella smiled. “Glad to hear that. We're almost there.”

The two disguised werewolves smiled at her. But it wasn't a smile of gratitude. They were eager to reveal themselves and approach Nella when her guard was down and take her to the Alpha.

////

The blizzard eased, and the skies opened, with a few stars appearing. It wasn't long before the moon revealed itself to the travelers. And deep in the forest, the young brown-haired boy wandered among the trees. He was far from Nella and Hvit's position. He was still reeling from what had happened, from the conversation he'd had with the black werewolf and the argument with Nella.

However, he sensed something watching him. At first, he chose to ignore it, but he approached from behind. When William turned, he saw that it was no one. There was no creature, aggressive or docile. Instead, he heard a voice calling him. A female voice that sounded very much like Nella's, echoing through the trees.

“William…”

The tone of the voice that called him was one of desperation, as if the girl who accompanied him during the Great Journey was in trouble.

William turned quickly in several directions, his eyes wide with concern. Everything around him spun. Until he stopped, knowing it had been a mistake to leave the girl alone, even after the argument.

“Nella!” William said in his thoughts. Without saying anything else, he ran towards the Girl in Red. He ran through the trees, putting his hands in front of him to make his way through the branches and leaves.

“Nella, hold on tight! I'm coming!”

////

Nella and the others headed for a mountainous region. The night remained cold with a light snowfall, even with the cloak covering their shoulders and head. The sky was opening, and the two werewolves felt their bodies slowly transform.

Nella spotted the Spirit-child at the front of the passage, his index finger reaching upward.

“Ahead, you will find the sword.”

Nella moved forward a little. However, something made her stop. It was Hvit. She was becoming skittish, growling at the two mysterious travelers.

“Hvit, what's wrong?” Nella asked the wolf, noticing her erratic behavior. “I don't understand why you're acting like this.”

Hvit barked at Nella. Communication between them was still difficult. Nella didn't quite understand what her traveling companion was trying to say.

Before that, the two travelers saw a portion of the moon revealing itself. They could feel its energies pulsing through their hair and veins.

Nella tried to calm Hvit down, saying that he had no reason to be like that.

“Hvit, please talk to me. What happened?”

“Your new traveling companions are not what they appear to be,” called the voice of the Spirit in the form of Nella as a child.

The Spirit's words caught the girl's attention. As she listened, she noticed the serious look emanating from the spirit's face.

“What?!” asked the frightened girl.

The entity pointed with its index finger high in the sky, toward the moon, now in its full phase. Nella was frightened. Her horror was complete when she saw the men with gray and dark brown hair. They writhed, their limbs disfigured, transforming into monsters. Claws grew from their fingers, grabbing at clothing and tearing it. Their faces took on the shape of wolves, their fur growing profusely.

Nella was unaware of the danger she was in by accepting them on the trip. Hvit assumed a defensive posture, his paws spread and his body low. He growled at them, his teeth bared. And out of nowhere, the Spirit Child was disappearing from sight. Nella tried to beg for his help.

“No! Please help me!”

“I fear you have brought ruin upon yourself through your carelessness. We cannot help you,” the Forest Spirit replied, much of its form vanishing. Nella tried to call out to it, only to have the entity's face dissipate into smoke.

Nella was horrified. And to top it all off, she saw the two werewolves in their full forms. The robes they had taken to wear were destroyed, leaving only their furry bodies and sharp claws. They let out a loud howl that could be heard from a distance. This same howl was picked up by young William as he ran toward the girl who accompanied him.

“No! NELLA!” he cried in fright.

The Girl in Red tried to retreat for her life as the two werewolves slowly advanced. Hvit backed away, growling at them, only to be seen as a nuisance. The monsters let out hideous, terrifying laughs, simply to provoke the poor girl into fear. The gray one launched his blows at her, with Nella dodging and retreating. Again, he struck again, but she deflected them. He laughed at the provocation.

And with the final blow, Nella fell backward onto the ground, landing so hard that her thighs and buttocks were bruised. Again, the gray werewolf let out a loud roar, startling Nella. As he leaped toward her, Hvit reacted by snapping at its neck. She jumped back and forth as she faced the wolf-like monstrosity.

The other werewolf stalked toward the girl. Her eyes remained fixed on him, trying to predict his next move. At that instant, he leaped toward Nella, causing her to escape and run away. Hvit bit the gray werewolf's right ear and neck, hurting him to the point where he moved to get the wolf off him. Nella saw her companion facing him alone.

Hvit's bites had left the gray werewolf severely injured, with blood streaming from his right ear and face. As he leaped to the next part of the body, he grabbed his neck, squeezing it. Nella was horrified by the scene.

“I'm sick tired of you, wolf!” screamed the gray werewolf, throwing Hvit away, hitting the ground and rolling hard.

“Hvit!” Nella screamed, horrified by the scene. The wolf lay in the snow and dirt, unable to get up due to the pain.

Her voice caught the attacker's attention. She grabbed a dry twig from the ground, rushing to strike him. However, he struck back, knocking Nella down. The twig she grabbed was shattered by the monster's tremendous physical strength.

Nella recovered from the blow, but realized she had no way to fight him. She ran for her life. The gray-furred monster chased after her, leaping sideways to knock her down. Nella felt his weight crushing her, knocking her off course to the ground. She tried to get up, but was stopped when he landed nearby, grabbing her legs with his sharp claws. Parts of her dress and boots were marked with scratches and tears. The other was approaching her.

Nella screamed in fear, tears streaming down her face as she watched the horrific scene. She tried to call out her father's name, just as she had when she was a child, being dragged away by Johann.

“Poor little thing. She's trying to call her daddy.”

Nella cried in fear. Nothing she did would solve the problem.

“Let's see if the Spirits are protecting you, girl!” said the gray werewolf, raising his left hand, displaying his monstrous claws to finish her off.

Nella screamed in fear, closing her eyes, hoping to die. In an instant, the gray-furred werewolf on top of her felt something forcefully knock him down. The dark brown-furred one was startled, though he knew who could have done it. And out of nowhere, he saw the brown-furred werewolf dragging the gray one by the snout, throwing him toward the other.

Nella opened her eyes and slowly stood up. To her surprise, she saw the two werewolves standing after the attack, staring at William in their form. Her eyes widened.

“William…” she said softly.

“Brown. I figured you'd be soft for the human girl.” said the dark brown Wolf-Being, standing up as the other rose. “But don't worry. We'll make sure your remains rot in the forest while we take the girl to the Alpha.”

“I won't let you take her to him!” said the young man, confronting the two werewolves. “Besides, I should be the one…”

“No! You're not in a position to convince us to change our minds!” replied the gray one.

“Not even the Blackfur would put you to this task!” completed the one with dark brown fur.

William sighed at the impasse. “Very well. If so, then I will end you! For her safety!”

Hearing that rebellious werewolf say that he would protect her from those two monsters, Nella was surprised. Her expression, which had been one of some fear for him, changed to relief, feeling that he would do this for her. The two Wolf-People assumed their aggressive positions, preparing to attack him.

“Very well, Brown. You've made your choice!” Ended the dark brown.

“You will die a rebel and your remains will be forgotten!” concluded the gray one.

The two split up to attack William from opposite directions. The gray one took the right, the dark brown one the left. The brown boy in wolf form remained still, watching each other, trying to predict their movements. His pupils slid from one angle to the other as he followed their steps.

Nella remained silent in her position, watching their confrontation. As the dark brown werewolf took the next step, a cracking sound echoed from his footsteps. It was a dry twig that had been stepped on, a signal that he was about to attack. William's gaze locked on the imminent threat. The dark brown werewolf leaped with a roar, lunging forward, claws ready to strike.

The two collided in a head-on confrontation, with one of them striking and biting, only to be dodged and counterattacked. In the midst of the fight, the gray werewolf approached from behind, attacking William with bites from behind, throwing them forward. The dark brown one lunged with the claws of its right hand toward the boy's chest, scratching him.

Nella covered her mouth, watching the duel in horror. She saw her teammate facing two equally strong opponents, only to find himself on unequal terms. William roared in pain and fury, attacking the two beings of the same blood and progeny. While he pulled one of the attackers off, the other advanced, injuring one of the brown boy's body parts. William felt his right leg bleed after a slashing blow from the dark brown boy. Then, his chest and left shoulder bled from the gray boy's bites, and finally, his face was scratched, bleeding on his forehead and the side of his right face.

William fell into the snow. His breath was labored as his body was exhausted from the trauma and injuries of combat. The dark brown and gray werewolves prepared for the final blow, distancing themselves from their opponent. Nella tried to hide her fear and tears for her comrade. Then the two rushed to deliver the final blow to William, running with their hands like front paws. The boy lacked the strength to fight back.

“So, is this the end for me?” He thought, exhausted and almost blinded by the blood covering his eye. “At least… I know I will die… a free man…”

The gray and dark brown leaped toward William, claws in front. Just when it seemed like the end, he heard the sound of someone shouting his name.

“WILLIAM!” It was Nella's voice, echoing in his ears. And out of nowhere, several images flashed through his mind, from the time he spent with the girl in the red cloak to the scene of their argument. And in the midst of them, a woman's face appeared, with the same hair and skin tone as his. She wore the same red cloak as Nella, but her clothes were different. She was smiling at William.

“William. My son.”

A soft whisper escaped his lips. “Mother. Nella.”

In an instant, the brown werewolf rose, and with a handful of snow and rocks picked up from the ground, he threw it in front of the two monsters, blinding them. The dark brown one, struck by William's blow, lost sight of the boy as his still-intact left eye closed, while his destroyed right eye was blinded by the blow he had received years ago.

“Damn you!” the dark brown furred monster growled, still heading towards the boy during the jump.

The gray one was also rubbing his eyes after being struck by the blow, but he was the first to recover from the shock. Eyes wide open, he launched an aggressive charge, only to find a void where William had been standing and land in the snow and dirt.

He looked around, his sharp teeth bared, his pupils constricted in frenzy, and his nostrils searching for his scent. No sign of the rebellious werewolf. The gray one roared in rage. And behind him, a figure appeared, gripping his jaw and head tightly. William caught him in that curtain of dust, snow, dirt, and rocks, taking advantage of the moment of blindness to attack the gray werewolf.

The dark brown one, already on the ground, rubbed the dirt from his undamaged eye. He staggered as he recovered from the furtive blow, occasionally bumping into trees. And just as he could see something, he heard the sound of his brother struggling, trying to free himself from William on top of him.

William knocked the gray one off his feet, throwing him off balance, and he fell to the icy, snow-covered ground. His claws clamped tightly around its snout, pulling it upward. The fallen one's claws struggled to get off him and catch its breath. William's legs were wrapped around the gray-furred chest, forcing the head violently from its neck. A crack echoed from that limb, followed by a dislocated head torn from the rest of the body, the arms and legs falling lifelessly, and blood gushed from the neck, staining William's body.

Nella stared at the grotesque head. Her eyes were wide with horror, but she knew her guardian had done it to protect her from her attackers.

The last remaining monster stood up. He was devastated by the other's death, seeing the gray one's body lying in the snow, dark red blood gushing across the clean, white land.

“Brother!” he cried, saddened by the loss of the other.

The boy in werewolf form heard the other opponent's call. He sighed in exhaustion as he recovered from the fight.

“WILLIAM, YOU WILL PAY DEARLY FOR THIS!!!”

As an act of revenge, the dark brown werewolf rushed toward his target, grabbing him in the chest, and throwing him against a tree. William felt his back hit hard and a sharp piece of branch pierced his left waist. The pain was so intense that he spat blood.

The dark brown man landed several blows and punches on his face, snout, chest and abdomen, making the boy groan and writhe from the injuries.

Nella shook her head in denial, her face tear-stained from the intense emotional shock. She looked around, spotting a piece of the branch being carried by Hvit. The girl was amazed that she was still alive, but she was limping while seriously injured. The branch was the same one she had tried to use to attack them. It still had a sharp point to stab him.

Hvit opened his mouth, releasing the sharp object toward Nella. The wolf's breath was labored from the pain of the impact, causing her to fall to the cold ground. Nella caught the branch, looking at the tip and then back at the wolf, and was answered by a forward swing.

With a little courage, she ran toward the dark brown werewolf with the crude weapon in hand. Meanwhile, William struggled to withstand the other's blows, shaking his body and head with each punch and scratch. Blood spewed from his mouth, as did the wounds inflicted by the dark brown-furred assailant.

“I'll kill you, William! And as proof, I'll bring the human girl and your head to the Alpha!” exclaimed the dark brown furred werewolf.

William slightly raised his head, staring at his attacker. He could see his right hand rising high, displaying its sharp claws. It was clear the final blow was about to come, and William no longer had the strength to retaliate-it.

“You'll regret killing my brother! Our brother, William! Because of you, you'll suffer the same fate!”

The monster delivered the final blow by thrusting its hand toward the boy's chest. Just before this happened, Nella's figure leaped toward his back, grabbing onto the hairs that made up his mane. And with the branch in her hand, Nella jabbed him in the still-intact eye, blinding him permanently. She screamed as she swung the branch in that spot, causing the werewolf to struggle and shake to get her away. The screams of pain awakened a portion of William's strength, revitalizing him to the point where he pulled himself out of the piece of wood protruding from the tree trunk. His teeth clenched in pain, feeling the tip tearing at the wound.

Meanwhile, Nella held on to her hair and the branch impaled on her left eye, feeling the dark brown werewolf's shaking. His hands waved upward, pacing wildly. Then he grabbed her by the cloak and threw her forcefully forward, sending the Girl in Red tumbling to the ground. The snow cushioned her fall, but her body ached. William heard her screams as she was thrown by her adversary. Nella writhed on the ground, trying to get up. When she turned her face to the side, she saw the monster still standing, pulling the branch out of its left eye socket. Blood spurted from the spot, leaving only a dark red hole. His rage for her was so great that he advanced toward her, his feet stamping hard.

“You little brat! I'll make sure you suffer before I take you to the Alpha!” shouted the furious werewolf, locating the girl by scent.

Nella screamed in fear. She had no strength to get up or to escape. His left hand reached down to her face, ready to grab her and take her to the others' lair. Just when it seemed like her end, the dark brown werewolf felt something pierce his neck. It was the branch the girl had used to blind him. Covered in blood. Behind him stood William, panting as he stared at his adversary. With a little force, he quickly withdrew it and plunged it into his head, piercing his brain and exiting through his mouth. The white eye on the right side widened, expressing horror at William's surprise attack. With no more strength to react, the dark brown werewolf fell lifeless to the ground, chest down. Blood gushed onto the white floor from his throat and mouth.

The Girl in Red slowly got up. She felt some pain, but managed to regain her composure after being thrown by the monster. In front of her was William, even in his werewolf form. Out of nowhere, she saw his body collapse, transforming into a human. The full moon was covered by the dark clouds of the night. And before her eyes, he was a human boy again, devoid of clothing and fur. But the injuries from the fight with the two werewolves were still evident. Under physical stress, William fell to the ground, unconscious. Nella rushed to his aid.

“William!” she called, placing his head in her lap. She shook him gently, but to no avail. She called him several times, but was unable to revive him.

Hvit approached them, still limping. He felt her hand on his back, stroking it to soothe him while Nella tried to help William.

////

An hour after William's confrontation with the two werewolves, Nella applied a cloth soaked in warm water to the boy's face and chest. He lay on the ground, his head resting lightly on his red cloak. She gazed at his sleeping face, no longer fearful or angry about his being a werewolf. Instead, she gazed with calm and tenderness. A fire was lit to protect them from the cold and dangers of the night. Hvit lay on the ground recovering from his injuries. His mouth was open, his breath was labored, and his body was partially writhing in pain.

Just as she was about to lean into the boy's face, closing her eyes, something startled her into recoiling. William regained consciousness, lifting his body forward. The shock of pain still lingered from the injuries he sustained from the confrontation with the two werewolves. Nella placed her left hand on him, whispering for him to calm down.

“Calm down, William. Don't try too hard,” the young brown-haired girl urged.

William's breath was labored with shock. His forehead was slightly damp with sweat and water. Then he turned his gaze to his colleague.

“Nella. What… what happened?”

"You faced two werewolves alone. For a moment, I thought it would be the end of us, but you risked your life to save us."

Hearing that, William was startled. When Nella mentioned "our end," he thought of Hvit.

“Where's Hvit?!”

The girl's eyes showed concern for the wolf's condition. She looked to the lower right, where Hvit was. When William saw her, she was lying down. Her mouth was open, breathing rapidly as she barked and moaned.

“Hvit risked his life to protect me. But the werewolves… They were too fast. They grabbed her and threw her hard.”

Hearing this, William was devastated. Although still alive, the wolf's health was failing. He approached her cautiously, despite Nella's warning not to overexert himself. He stroked her from head to chest, which was heaving with rapid breathing.

“Hvit,” he replied with a serious expression tinged with concern. The wolf's eyes were fixed on his face. “You should be more careful next time. You don't have the same strength as you had before.”

“What do you mean, William?”

“Hvit is already an old wolf, Nella. As much as she wanted to give her life for us, there are certain things she needs to understand that are no longer worth striving for.”

Hvit barked at them. The boy knew the journey to the sword was getting dangerous, but she was still willing to go with them.

“You can't be serious. It's too dangerous!”

The wolf barked again. He then opened his mouth to breathe, exposing his tongue to control the temperature. Nella could sense that he was still excited, even if a little worried about her condition. William, however, became serious with her response.

“It's suicide, you know that, Hvit?”

“William, what is it?”

“Hvit is willing to go with us, despite her injuries. I warned her it wasn't a good idea, but she's like you: stubborn,” the boy replied, clutching his chest in pain.

“William, I know you may have your disagreements, but right now I'm advising you to rest,” Nella said, placing her hand on his shoulder, making him lie down on the floor.

“But, Nella…” said the boy, his index finger raised to his lips, hearing a “shhhh”.

“No more. Now I'm the one who's going to take care of you,” she replied, placing her right hand on his forehead.

William nodded. “Fine, Nella. I'll do whatever you say.”

Nella smiled at her fellow traveler. She leaned close to his face, kissing his forehead as a gesture of thanks.

“Thank you, for always protecting me.”

Nella went to tend to Hvit while keeping the fire going with some wood. She fixed the wolf's bandages while giving her some water and food. Nella smiled as she saw her companion responding well to the treatment. The crackling sound from the fire echoed off the twigs, and the flame emanated heat to keep them warm, shielded from the night's chill. But there was still the risk that the other werewolves might attack them at that moment, especially the black-furred one.

////

Blue, slightly grayish clouds turned orange. The first rays of sunlight appeared on the horizon. Birds sang among the branches, signaling the dawn among the other animals.

It was no different for Nella's tribe. As the sun rose over the blue horizon, the group of hunters led by Ulfric prepared to leave their huts for the hunt in the forest. All the men who had come from far away to this place gathered with their wooden shields, spears, and axes, with a few adopting bows and arrows as a means of attacking the werewolves from a distance. And in the midst of this gathering, Ulfric and Johann headed to the center. The villagers emerged from their huts to go about their daily chores, with the children running to watch the hunters prepare to go into the forest.

A girl, about nine years old, with black hair, white skin, and brown eyes, ran toward one of the men carrying a shield painted red and white. She handed the hunter a white snow lily, which the man immediately accepted.

“Thank you,” said the man with black hair and a long beard, placing the wooden artifact against his leg to pick up the white flower.

“You know, you reminded me of my father,” said the black-haired girl, smiling at the man, even though he was from a different place.

“Really?” asked the curious man. “And what made you think I would remind you of your father?”

“Well, he was strong, he could carry a lot of things on his shoulders, and he had a really big beard.” smiled the girl, satisfying the hunter's curiosity.

A bit silly, the hunter replied, “Well, girl, you kind of reminded me of a daughter of mine.”

“Really?”

“Of course. She was the same age as you, a little restless, and liked to pick flowers,” the man replied, placing his right hand on the little child's shoulder.

The girl was surprised to hear that. A daughter of that hunter, who reminded her a bit of her, made her excited about wanting to meet her one day, and maybe even become friends.

“I really want to meet her, sir.”

“If I can get back from hunting, maybe I'll bring my daughter for you to meet,” the man replied, smiling, getting up to join the others. Then the girl heard her mother's call and ran to be close to her.

Ulfric and the other hunters followed the dirt road covered in some snow, with the blond man leading the way. Johann carried a spear in his hands, along with a case full of arrows and a bow on his back. He stopped in his tracks, hearing the voice of Dora, Nella's mother.

“Yes, Dora.”

“If you see my daughter, please bring her back. She's all I have left in this world,” Nella's mother pleaded, clasping her hands in prayer.

Johann approached her, placing his hands in hers.

“Don't worry. will bring Nella home, even if I have to sacrifice my life for her safety. Just like Stephen would do for her.”

Dora nodded, believing that her late husband's colleague would be able to find the one thing most important—Nella—and bring her back safely. Without anything else to say, he bids his wife farewell and continues with the group toward the forest.

The other villagers watched the men retreat into the distance, heading toward the forest. Different colors and weapons blended together to form a single whole. Amidst the crowd that remained in the tribe, the Chief watched the hunters heading toward the place he'd warned them not to go, especially not to interfere with the Great Journey. However, with the Elder's intervention, the tribe leader allowed them to go find Nella and help her.

His eyes remained serious, with his arms crossed expressing disapproval and disbelief that Ulfric and his men would be able to defeat the Wolf-Things, even more so given the fact that they were counting on the help of Johann, the man who broke the sacred tradition of the tribe by taking Juliet, the man's only daughter, from being part of the Great Journey.

“Johann, we know you committed one of the grave infractions that put this tribe at risk. For this reason, you are an exile and should never have set foot in this place again. However, I allowed you to stay by the will of the Elder and the Spirits.” said the man with gray hair and a fur coat, maintaining that negative expression towards that hunter.

Johann remained peaceful, though somewhat concerned for the safety of the young woman still in the forest. Several hunters and Ulfric were confident they could face the overwhelming numbers of werewolves. However, no matter how many they gathered, they would be powerless against beings with superhuman physical strength and characteristics. The Chief knew this well, as did Johann himself.

“Either way, once you enter that forest, you won't have the same chance of returning alive. That forest will be your tomb, as it will be for those men who didn't deserve to lay down their lives for us.”

With nothing else to do, the figure in the fur coat turned, heading toward his hut. He passed through the streets, past several tents, and among the tribes people. Out of nowhere, the images that had tormented him returned. The Chief placed his hand on his forehead, trying to make them stop. But it was useless.

As he passed people, he avoided greeting them, neither asking permission when passing through crowds nor responding. Most of them noticed the leader's strange and erratic behavior. But for him, images flashed through his mind, with places and times he had been and others he hadn't been as himself. They were trees, rocks, and snow, all of which are part of the forest. But what haunted him were murder scenes, where he could feel blood running through his fingers, his mouth, and his body.

However, the fingers he saw in the images weren't human fingers. They were the sharp claws of a monstrous creature. The mouth was abnormally protruding, and the teeth were strong enough to tear flesh. The body wasn't clad in clothing or coats, but rather covered in fur. The fur was partially thick and white, with a hint of red from the blood dripping from the claws and mouth.

Having recovered somewhat from his memories, the Chief headed toward his cabin. However, as he turned one corner, he lost his balance and fell to the ground, his hands in front of his face. Some people who saw him fall rushed to his aid.

“Chief! Are you okay?!” asked the pot shopkeeper.

“Let us help you,” said a woman, extending her hand toward his arm.

However, the Chief recovered from the fall without the need for help.

“No need. I'm fine,” he replied with a cold expression.

“But sir, don't you want us to call th…” said the butcher, being interrupted by the tribe leader.

“I said I'm fine. You don't need to worry so much about me.”

The tribal chief continued on to his hut. His attitude and response to those who wanted to help him began to raise concerns among the villagers about his emotional well-being. This could lead to unpleasant consequences if he continues to display these disturbances to the point where they rob him of his ability to lead his people.

Several people began to gather from those who remained at that corner. Their eyes showed concern for the Chief. One of them asked another to call the Elder. She ran to her tent high up on the mountain, while the others went about their business, with a few continuing on to the Chief's hut.

////

The leader arrived at the place to rest. His hut had two floors, with his living quarters upstairs, while the main hall, where he could dine or hold meetings with others, was downstairs. The appearance was modest, with the materials used being of the highest quality as a way of demonstrating a certain degree of power, given his position as the leader of the tribe. The interior displayed various furniture and ornaments that were enviable to anyone, such as silver cutlery, white clay dishes, paintings with hardwood frames and gold leaf, and rugs made from dead animals—mostly wolves.

The Chief climbed the stairs to his room. His right hand gripped the railing while his left glided along the walls. The images haunted him, though he showed no signs of disorientation as he climbed the steps, staring up at the wooden wall.

Arriving in the room, he sees his bed. It was covered with several sheets made of wool and animal skins. There were several cabinets nearby to store his valuables and clothes. The Chief goes to his bed, sitting on it. With no one to bother him, he takes off his coat, revealing a bite mark on his left shoulder.

The bite was from some kind of animal he'd hunted many years ago, piercing the thin skin around his shoulder and neck. It was slightly red, indicating it had healed, although he felt the pain at times, with his right hand coming up to massage it as a way to soothe the wound.

Then the images came flooding back. The Chief's eyes closed, his brows and eyelids furrowing as they raced through his mind. Hands shot up to his head, and he stood up, startled and distraught.

“Not again…” said the Chief, tormented by the images.

This time, his control over them was gone. He tried shaking his left hand in various directions, but to no avail. In his distraught state, he went to the furniture, grabbing it to try to calm himself, but what he did was throw it to the floor with force, breaking every object in his room. He threw a wooden box containing several shoes against the window, shattering the glass into several pieces. The sound of the box hitting the floor startled those nearby.

Afterward, the Chief grabbed the sheets from the bed, ripping them apart with force. The pillows, stuffed with feathers, were also destroyed by his savagery. The cozy bed was shattered by his repeated stomps, with pieces of wood injuring his legs, hands, and feet. The bedroom walls were scratched with his suddenly grown claws. And at the last moment, the Chief threw the closet containing several clothes out of the room, crashing down the stairs.

The sounds of furniture breaking caused fear among the villagers. Many didn't want to go in to try to calm the Chief. One of the women ran to the Elder's tent while the others stayed away. Three adult men arrived with wooden sticks in case this escalated into a potentially dangerous situation for the other villagers. One of them was the butcher who tried to help the Chief. The other two were a boy of about twenty-two, light brown hair, Caucasian, wearing a coat and woolen clothes; and a man with a red beard, forty years old, Caucasian, and a strong build.

“We should go into his cabin and try to calm him down,” the young man said to the two.

The butcher decided to wait. “No. We don't know if it's safe to go in there and tell the Chief to stop this.”

“In the state he's in, I doubt we can make him stop this madness,” the redhead agreed.

The situation remained the same, with the sounds of furniture breaking and being thrown about. However, it gradually faded after they no longer heard anything coming from the cabin. It was as if he had no more outlets for his madness. Children were placed in their respective homes, with their mothers and fathers staying nearby to protect them from a potential intruder. Some of them stayed to see where this would lead.

////

Later that day, Nella found herself lying on the cold ground in that part of the forest. Caring for Hvit and William during their recovery had not been an easy task, especially for her, being alone.

However, she felt something that shook her from her serene rest. Something frightening. And when she woke, she bolted upright. Her forehead was sweaty and her heartbeat accelerated.

“Nella?” a voice called from beside her. “Nella, are you okay?”

Turning to answer, it was William. He was still lying there, his wounds covered with bandages. Her heartbeat gradually slowed as she felt safe with the boy close by. Still, the image she had was of the tribe she was born into plunged into despair, with a werewolf emerging from the Chief's hut, where it had white fur, killing several people she knew.

“It was just a bad dream. That's all.”

William stood up, sitting beside her on the dirt and grass.

“It's okay, Nella. You can talk to me if you want.”

Nella turned her gaze to the still-burning fire. She was still troubled by what she saw.

“It was the tribe I was born into. I saw people running in fear. Others were on the ground, lifeless, their eyes expressing fear and horror.”

“And what else did you see in that dream?”

Nella was too scared to talk about it. The screams of the people echoed through the flames. And in the middle, stood the white wolf monster.

“A… werewolf. There was a werewolf that was attacking everyone in the tribe I was born into.”

The werewolf boy allowed Nella to speak. “A werewolf? In your tribe?”

“Yes. It wasn't like the others we've encountered before, nor was it the black-furred one that killed my father. This one was large, with sharp claws, white fur bathed in blood, and black eyes.”

Hearing this, William fell silent for a moment. The description of the monster that attacked Nella's tribe in her dream troubled him. He knew who that werewolf was.

Nella was worried by her companion's silence.

“William?”

“That was the Alpha. The strongest of them all. He's the leader of the pack and our progenitor.”

“Progenitor?” asked Nella.

“Yes. He was the one who gave us our powers and this curse.”

Wanting to know more about the Alpha's story and their origins, Nella asked, “How?”

The two travelers remained seated on the ground, the story about to be told by the boy. Hvit lay there, still recovering from the impact of the blow. However, she was tired due to her age, and her regeneration was slow. William, on the other hand, was a little wary of telling Nella everything he knew about himself and his species. Sooner or later, he knew she needed to know.

-x-

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