Filed to story: Wolf Crying Mate of the Alpha by Jazz Ford
‘Oh, my!’ Margaret blushes.
‘Now listen here, young man!’ Harold scolds.
‘Oh, be quiet, Harold, you’re ruining the moment, and for you, sir, the Tavern is straight ahead and to the left,’
‘Thank you.’ I smile and nod, parting ways.
Inside the tavern, I order a pint and pay for a room for the night. I take my pint and find an empty seat in the corner near the fireplace. I’m going to have mind-link Alpha Damon later. I’ve been gone longer than expected. I’ll let him know what I have found out, so he can start prepping the warriors for the incoming war.
Maia
A few days have passed since my first visit to Wellmore. I have no food, which was to be expected. I’ll have to go back to Wellmore today to get some food and hopefully see Vivian and her girls again. I reflect on the humans I saw in the forest and the large gust of wind I summoned, which almost blew them over. Focusing, I try to summon the force of energy again, but nothing happens. I complain to Ember.
‘I don’t get it. I know I created that gust of wind. I felt the energy around me and in me. I felt it in my veins, flowing through me. I need to know what I’m capable of,’ I sulk. Ember inspects me on the ground and nudges my hand. He stares intently at the palm of my hand like there’s something there. I look at my palms and find myself focusing. My palms are growing warm. I remain still and concentrate on the warmth. A large flame suddenly appears in my hand.
I jump up and, in a panic, wave my hands up and down through the air.
‘My hand! It’s on fire! What do I do, Ember?’ I’m squawking and flapping about like a dazed baby bird.
Ember rolls onto his back and feigns sweetness. He isn’t worried at all. I soon realise the flame isn’t burning me.
‘You knew I could do this, didn’t you?’ I ask him.
Ember stands and nuzzles his face against my calve like a cat. I close my hand, and the flame disappears.
‘Ember, what am I? What else can I do?’ I ask him. He eyes me before running off through some trees.
‘Ember! Don’t you run away from me, Mister! Get back here!’ I shout as the energy fills my palms again, and a big gust of wind encircles me in a wave. I’m impressed and stunned.
‘It’s working,’ I say happily to no one. I take a breath and gently blow towards a pebble.
A small gust blows the pebble across the ground.
I jump up and down in excitement.
A gentle breeze comes and goes, and I smile. It’s time to go to Wellmore.
In Wellmore, the villagers are angry and on edge. They’re complaining about a tax hike and a food shortage, having cleared the forest of food. The market stalls are only half-laden with edible goods, from which I steal some apples and a loaf of bread. I sit down on a bench, and eat an apple, storing the loaf of bread in the hessian bag I kept from my first visit.
Standing on Vivian’s doorstep, I knock on the side window and wait patiently for her to come to the door.
‘Maia! I’m so glad you’ve come to visit us. Come in,’ she says, smiling and standing aside so that I may go in.
‘You’ve come at the right time. I’ve just boiled a pot of tea,’ Vivian smiles.
‘Oh. That sounds lovely. What is tea?’ I ask her, and she pauses.
‘Have you always been homeless and alone?’ She asks, pulling out a chair for me to sit in.
‘No. I live with my friend Ember,’ Vivian places a warm drink on the table in front of me.
‘This is a cup of tea. Be careful. Sip it slowly. Don’t burn yourself,’ Vivian cautions.
‘Thanks,’ I say, folding my hands around the warm cup and taking a sip.
‘Tell me more about your friend Ember. Perhaps next time, he can come with you?’ Vivian says.
‘It would be too dangerous for him. Someone might capture him and skin him,’
‘What do you mean?’ Vivian is confused.
‘Ember is a fox,’ I say.
‘A fox?’ Vivian repeats with disbelief.
‘A fox?’ Ella and Grace ask excitedly.
‘Yes, a fox,’ I repeat.
‘Where does one live with a fox?’ Vivian asks.
‘We live in a cave, in the forest,’ I answer.
‘You’ve lived with a fox your whole life, in a cave, in the forest?’ Vivian asks for clarity. Hoping I haven’t said too much, I just nod.
‘That is interesting,’ Vivian says, raising a brow and staring intently at my hooded face as if trying to figure something out.
‘Have you heard the story of the Enchanted Forest Princess?’ Vivian asks.
‘The Enchanted Forest Princess?’
‘Mamma, it’s our favourite story! Please tell it to us again,’ Ella pleads happily.
‘Of course. I will.’ Vivian says, smiling, placing a hand on Ella’s cheek.
‘Yay!’ Both girls chorus, before sitting back down politely in their chairs, repositioned next to Vivian’s.
‘This story has been popular these past few days. Some villagers believe it’s a true story and claim they have seen this girl with their own eyes. Others say it’s just a fairy tale. In the forest lives the most beautiful girl in all the land, so beautiful with eyes of violet and a voice that mesmerises the coldest of hearts. She lives in the forest and claims the forest as hers. Anyone blessed enough to lay eyes on her swears she is a Goddess, a Princess of beauty and power, who manipulates elements and magically casts storms that knock the strongest of men over.’ She says, smiling. The story is mine.
‘Thank you. That was a beautiful story,’ I say, sipping my tea.
‘Have you met a girl like that, Maia? Vivian asks. I pause.
‘No. I have not,’ I say.
Vivian looks at her daughters, who are enthralled.
‘There you go, girls, just as I thought. Tis just a fairy tale, but a very good one.’ Ella and Grace are disheartened, clearly hoping it’s true.
‘Vivian?’ I start.
‘Yes, dear?’ She says.
‘I heard the villagers talking about a food shortage and a tax hike. Do you think this war in Moon Crest Valley will be a hasty one? There is no food near my cave, and it will be weeks until food sprouts and grows. The villagers have taken everything, and my friends are being hunted for their meat. I don’t know how to save my friends and my forest,’
‘Your forest? Oh, of course. It makes sense now,’ Vivian’s eyes are alight with excitement.