Posted by Androvius on May 15, 2000 at 16:38:30:
A shrill peircing scream shatters the once peacfull early spring day. A little more than a mile away the Miller steps away from the water wheel that is turned by a fast running creek. it is this very creek that his children are fishing in at this very moment. Alden just now a "man"(His Mother said so!)at thirteen was fast becoming a boy again as things were beyond his control and getting worse. The grey leader looked up and stopped her yellow eyes looking into him. Looking over her shoulder to check her pack she broke into a trot leading her pack to a much neaded meal. Though he only ran a short way it seamed a dozen miles and feared the wolves must tear his sister from his graspat any moment. The wolves were on them. Suddenly the girl whose small frame had before seemed so much heavier was thrown high into the young trees waiting branches and it struggled mightily it seemed to hold it's new charge out of harms way. Suddenly snaping and slashing teeth rip into his pants leg and more still into his hand as he flailed desperatly for life against his assailant. Turning their attention to the girl they circled her perch as if sensing the inability of the feeble tree to keep them from their prize. And they waited owled and jumped knowing nothing of the Townsmen that closed upon them with horses dogs and Arrows. Androvius flitted (If it is possible for a cloud giant to flit) in and out of the trees. occasionale bouncing off of a tree who was to stubborn to move out of his way. Alden knew she was going to die if he didn't do something and conjuring up visions of heros and knights charging fearlessly into battle he pulled from his pocket a folding knife who's sharp three inch blade flashed briliantly in the sun. "HERE NOW BOY!!" Boomed a thunderous voice and suddenly his fall was arrested as a huge hand clamped onto his left arm. Looking down at the earth a hudred feet below alden wrapped his arms and legs around the giants forearm and held on for life. Spying the Farmer and the townsfolk running and galloping toward them Androvius smiled and said "See there? Safe and sound!" Androviuses smile fell from his face and his look soured as he noticed the people were not reacting to his presence with gratitude and relief. KILL THE GIANT!! HE HAS THE MILLERS CHILDREN!! HE'S a GONNA EAT THEM!! RUN!!! WHAT GIANT?!?!? THAT GIANT YOU NOB!! OH!! KILL IT!! The mobs unreasoning and single minded voices confirmed Androviuses wordt fears so he dropped to earth and delivered his cargo. THWOCK TWOCK FWIT FWIT FWIT THWOCK FWITTHWOCKFWIT FWIT A hail of poorly aimed yet effective arrows lfasshed by and into Androvius though his goddesses graces prevented any real harm as they embedded themselves into his bark like skin or mearly bounced off of his hide. An hour later Androvius favoring a sore buttock stood infront of a defiant grey wolf. "Glad they weren't bears" mutters the giant as he turns and flies off following an air current. Unaware of the watchful gaze of a large preening raven.
A small disheaveled girl cowers cut and bleeding in a small sapling that can barely support her weight, it's top starting to slowly tip under it's burden.
Below her leaping from the ground a path of wolves snarls and snaps, yelps and and pants, seemingly happy smiles splitting their canine faces.
A howl splits the air driving the small girl barely nine summers old deeper into terror hear desprate scream once again ringing out counterpoint to the wild song of the wolves.
A raged shout answers her wordless plea for help, "Kaylee!!! Stay up there stop Moving!"
The boy who's shouts seem incapable of reaching the girl childs attention is himself in the same predicament though his tree is stout and firm and his purchase sure.
Lounging lazily below him a small lean wolf perks up his ears and looks up at the boy tounge lolling out of his mouth. Seeing his quary is in no danger of escaping he lowers his muzzle to his paws and watches the others as they joyfully anticipate the fall of the female man child.
The Miller smiles fondly as he thinks of his children having the time of their young lives knowing nothing of the politics of wolves for they are not common to the area.
He could not know that the winter starved out a once large and prosperous pack and whos weakest members have already been culled, he could not know the pack has travelled in seach of better hunting grounds.
He could not know the luck they have had.
A shrill noise causes him to look at his wheel thinking perhaps it squeaks and needs greasing again.
A moment later the fine hairs of his neck rise as an instictual shiver runs down his spine...first one then another and another howl reaches his ears.
Running away from the noisy workings of his wheel he strains to hear better, "Ryban!"He yells summoning one of his employees and a life time friend.
"Come quickly Do you hear that?" he questions and of course the man did for infact many people did. Heads poked from windows and bodies appeared in doors as people came out to investigate.
A paulible fear swept through the small village as imaginations fueled fears with images of ravenous wolves descending upon them.
Dread.
A girls terrified and desprate plea strikes the souls of all. A clarion cry for action driving towns folk into a flurry of action and infusing a kind and peacful father with a desperation and rage that would give any warrior pause!
On the tail of the scream his sons plea clearly reached his ears and his daughters name slammed into his soul.
As the towns folk scrambled for pitchforks and did their best to look brave and the towns young men made boasts and jests a desperat man ran down stream toward his families favorite fishing hole clasping a wooden beam in his strong hands.
He had been kaylees hook when a large wolf had trotted around a bend in te creek some two or three hundred strides away.
At first he though it a dog but then more and more made their appearance all moving with a rapid easy gate that ate the distance between them rapidly.
"Goddess no!" He said fear surging through him as recognition set in.
The poor scared girl being unable to keep up with his strong tireless legs and fell hard but the boy did not slow or relinquish his grasp on his sister.
The flapping wings of a large black raven flying from a small tree filled him with two crystaline thoughts. He was going to put kaylee into that very tree then he would die for even he could tell it wouldn't hold his weight.
'CLIMB!' He shouted as loud and commanding as any field commander! The bloddied and bruised girl did her best to obey but her skirts tangled underfoot and Alden shaking with fear cupped his hands for her foot so he could hoist her her up.
Still the when he could give up and die as many would the boy stuggled...and tore free! Leaving a fair bit of skin from his hand and the cloth from his pants.
Falling backwards and scrabbling to get up Alden flung hand fulls of dirt and litter at the beasts circling him. confused and unsure as to how they should deal with this unusual defense they hesitated long enough for Alden to make it to his tree.
Circling blissfully unaware of a fathers madness induced by his fear of the loss of his only daughter the girl who's big eyes were the eyes of the woman who had died to bring her to him.
Having drifted on the wind to this area he was in search of what ever it was he was hear for. He never knew nor cared for the most part taking delight in new discoveries and observing (from afar) the ways of people new to him.
He was found of calling the blessings of Amaranthe on the crops of those he deemed faithful and true in their love of The Moon Goddess or perhaps he would mend a roof or fence it mattered not to him so long as the farmer had no idea how and as such was prone to thank the Goddess.
As far as Androvius was concerned this was fine for he was one of his Goddesses mortal mesengers and as long as the message got their he was happy.
BUMP! 'OOOF!' an explosive string of curses strings from his mouth as he carreend head first into a tree having lost himself in a day dream.
Rubbing his scalp and seriously thinking of urinating on the trees upper most branches he instead broke into a chuckle "Well, that'll learn me I guess!"
A chorus of wolf howls reach his ears and he is pleasantly surprised. "Wouldn't think they would come this far into the Human lands. Hey they can be pretty crafty I'm sure they are just passing through.
Preparing to soar off on the changing wind he is stopped by the sight of a raven winging away against the wind and then the screams reach his ears.
quivering and starting to cry Alden began to become a wild thing, as feral as the wolves who were about to take his life. Still fear rooted him and he could not bring himself to move.
"ALDENHELPMEHELPMEDAAAAAAADDY!!!!!" Kaylees wretched voice spilling out her terror as fast as it could.
That was it, Alden could niether think nor contain himself anymore.
He lept.
"You ain't no arial and you ain't one of my folk best not try to fly!"
Unable to grasp what was happening Alden watched as the wolves yelp and ran off and as his sisters eyes nearly flew from their sockes as her now worn throat howeled yet again.
'Looks like I... YEEEEOOOWW!!!!" Androvius let loose with a peircing scream that rivaled the little girl who's teeth had just sank into his hand the moment he had plucked her from her perch.
"Girl knock it off I ain't...AARRRRGGG!!!!" A sharp pain in his other hand nearly caused him to drop both of them to what would surely be their deaths.
Calming himself Androvius called upon The Goddess to protect him from his ungreatful packages.
'Boy' rumbled Androvius as the small pocket knife nicked and bounced off of his now impenatrable skin. "You have about half a breath to stop that before I drop you."
Kaylee whose small body was completely wraped by Androviuses great hand seemed to be huging his thumb more for support than fear.
A thought struck him like a thunderbolt and looking at the children he held in each hand he whispered "Oh....No"
"Here you go run along to them he said to the kids."
Smiling hapily amidst the assault Androvius waved happily as the children ran to their relieved and crying father.
Then with out any further fanfare he turned and began to fly off. "Humans! they are so cu..THWICK..UTE!!!" OOF THAT ONE HURT!!!"
"And thats why you can't be eating humans around here your whole pack will suffer."
Thoughts of hunger enter Androviuses mind.
"Yes I know, I know your hungry. And I ain't going to help you any more. If you want to eat them folks go on ahead."
"I won't stop you...but they will."
"Now GET!. Go take care of the deer like your supposed to I'll take care of the people and save your tails while I'm at it!"
Quitely the two stared at each other before the wolf who's wise seeming eyes looked deep into Androviuses turned and Howled and trotted off deeper into the wilds, once again on the hunt.