Page 25 of Cree & Dawn and the Wolf

Lord Tiernan smiled. “You wisely fear them.”

She smiled, pleased he understood.

“They protect their kind just as we do ours, just as your husband protects you. They have no interest in humans.”

She drew her brow together in question and walked two fingers in a circle while glancing around the room, hoping once again he would understand her.

“If they have no interest in humans, you wonder why they prowl so close to the village,” he said, and she nodded. “Curiosity perhaps and, they are intelligent enough to know the fog provides cover. Wolves have been wrongly blamed for attacks and deaths they had nothing to do with, but unable to find blameelsewhere, people blame the wolves. False tales are often told about them, causing them to be hunted and slaughtered.”

Dawn patted her chest and pointed to him.

“You ask if I care about them?” he asked, and she nodded. “I respect them, my family having dealt with them for generations. There is a story told about a chieftain of the clan, who like many, blamed a wolf for the death of a woman in the village. He gathered men and hunted the wolves, returning with a female wolf he had killed, and the village rejoiced. He kept her fur pelt, wearing it over his shoulder for all to envy. One morning when the chieftain failed to arrive for breakfast, a favorite meal of his, a servant went to his room. He was found with his throat ripped nearly apart, leaving his head barely attached to his neck. The white wolf pelt was gone and not far from the door leading to the bedchamber were claw marks dug deeply into the wood floor. My ancestor, who became the new chieftain, treated the wolves differently and ever since then we have learned to live in peace with one another. And I will say that the old chieftain got what he deserved since he was the one who killed the woman and blamed it on the wolves.”

“Excuse me, my lord,” Olwen said, approaching the table. “Someone needs to speak with you. He waits in your solar.”

“Duty calls,” Lord Tiernan said and stood. He paused before following Olwen who was nearly out of the room. “You should know that wolves have exceptional scent, making it easy for them to track from where they first pick up a scent to where it takes them, leaving it difficult for their prey to avoid them. Do rest, Lady Dawn. You never know when you may need your strength.”

Dawn watched him go and shivered. He was warning her that he knew that she and Cree had explored the upper floors, and they had been tracked back to their bedchamber. But by who? A wolf or Lord Tiernan or were they one in the same?

A heavy fogrushed at Cree as soon as the door opened. Olwen had spoken the truth. The fog was far thicker than he expected. It was eerie to step into since it was like stepping into the unknown, not knowing where your feet would land or even if your feet would touch land.

“You need to stay close to me, Lord Cree, or you will get lost in the fog,” Sim cautioned.

“I have gotten caught in fog before now but never as thick as this fog,” Cree said.

“It’s rare even for us, how thick this fog is,” Sim said, then suddenly called out, “Brigid, come take Tade.”

“Aye,” Brigid called back and suddenly appeared, Sim handing Tade over to her.

“I won’t be long. I am taking Lord Cree to the stables,” Sim said.

“Be careful,” she warned. “The fog is not friendly today.”

Cree thought it strange that Sim called out to Brigid, and she responded so quickly. It was almost as if he could see that she was nearby, but that wasn’t possible with the fog. It was also strange that Sim got them to the stable without difficulty. His steps nor direction never faltered even though the fog engulfed them. Cree could not help but wonder how he had managed it.

Sim lit a small torch kept there for use after they entered the stable.

His stallion whinnied as soon as he caught sight of Cree, and he could tell with one touch that the animal was as uneasy as he and Dawn were about being stuck here. He stroked the horse’s neck and with soft whispers assured him the best he could thathe had not abandoned him, and they would be leaving together when the time was right, and the stallion calmed and nodded.

A frantic shout from Brigid had Sim rushing to the stable door.

“Tade ran off and I cannot find him,” Brigid said, suddenly appearing at the open door.

Sim turned to Cree. “Stay here. I will return for you.”

“I can help,” Cree offered.

“Nay. You will only get lost in the fog and we will have to search for you when we need to concentrate on finding Tade,” Sim said and rushed out, grabbing the torch before he closed the door behind him and before Cree could say another word.

Plunged into darkness, Cree continued to stroke the horse’s neck. “This is a very strange place, indeed, and I will get us out of here as soon as I can.”

The stallion agreed, nodding his head.

Cree did not like being stuck in the stable, engulfed in darkness where he could see nothing and not know what was going on, and worst of all he was away from his wife in the keep. He hadn’t planned on being gone long and there was no telling how long it would take to find Tade. He was a little devil of a lad, getting himself into things he shouldn’t, much like his daughter Lizbeth. The thought of his capricious daughter made him even more determined to get home with Dawn safely.

His stallion’s head went up alerting Cree before he caught the creaking sound of the stable door opening.

Cree ran his hand gently down his horse’s face to his mouth, a signal the horse had learned meant to keep silent, and he did. Cree kept silent as well, and it allowed him to hear a whisper.

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