By the Dawn's Light

Morning breaks over a peaceful scene in the back of the cave. You hold Skoll in your arms, held tight against your lightly-furred chest. Your body had curled around her, creating half of a cocoon. Tormak wrapped his body around the other way, forming the other half and giving your head a place to rest. The sun was just beginning to trickle through the den’s opening, trying to tease your eyes open.

Much less peaceful was the corner where Mienna had awoken to find her head atop a blue wolf. The only reason she didn’t scream immediately was the quick perception that the wolf was still sleeping, and any noise risks waking the carnivore. Now she was praying her racing heart would quiet down as her mind attempted to understand what was happening. Trying to suppress her shaking, she looks over to her brother—similarly curled up against a wolf pup, if not even closer—and then to her mother. Everyone is sleeping with wolves. Telling herself this must be normal (or at least, not life-ending), she carefully raises herself off the pup behind her and stands up.

Immediately the wolf stands and shakes herself off. Mienna's heart stops as her eyes meet the wolf's. Then the lupine trots away, exiting the gave without so much as a growl.

As her heart resumes, Mienna becomes aware of the sweat covering her entire body. She runs to her mother's side and shakes her urgently. "Mama! Mama! Please help!"

The shaking rouses you from your slumber. You hum appreciatively at the warmth you feel surrounding you: Skoll in your arms, Tormak beneath your head, and even Mienna's young hands on your side. This warmth is something you never woke up to before, and it feels wonderful. You could lie here enjoying this forever.

"Mama! Please!"

Except that your eldest is desperately calling for you. Motherly instincts bring you immediately awake and you turn back to her, careful not to wake the pup in your arms. "What is it, Mienna? Are you hurt?"

"Why are wolves-" she begins, but cuts her voice short as her eyes float up. You glance at where she's looking, to find Tormak staring at her.

"Ah. Mienna, this is Tormak. We intruded into their home without permission last night, but he was kind and let us stay. He even made sure you two would be warm all night."

"Uh..." she stutters. Then she looks back down at you--and the girl you're holding in your arms. Then her eyes catch the ears poking out the top of your blue hair, and the tail tucked against your legs, and the patches of blue fur that have replaced your clothing, and realization hits just a second before embarrassment that it took her this long to notice all that. "MAMA!" she screams, caution forgotten when she realizes what her mother was doing last night.

You just smile at her and show her Skoll, the small wolf-girl rousing herself after that shout. The newest sister's mouth stretches wide in a yawn, showcasing her already-sharp teeth. "Mama?" she asks drowsily, reaching up one hand to rub at her eyes.

"Yes Skoll?" you ask her gently.

"Why so loud?"

"Ah. Look, this is Mienna. She was just so eager to meet her little sister, she couldn't help herself."

"That isn't-" Mienna tries to object, but she's cut off when Skoll turns her big, blue eyes up at her. The wolf-girl looks intently at her older sister for several silent seconds. Watching the two, you can see her heart melting just as surely as it had with Doffson. "S-Skoll?" she says timidly. You give her a confirming nod. "That's right, Skoll. I'm your big sister, Mienna. I'll take good care of you."

"[As will I.]" Mienna nearly jumps out of her skin as a low growl sounds right beside her. She hadn't noticed the blue wolf padding up next to her. "[I'm your elder sister, Verita.]"

The young girl looks at both her older sisters and nods. Then she looks back down at you. "Mama."

"Yes Skoll?"

"Hungry."

"Hmm. You're a little big for Mama to keep nursing you.... But your teeth have grown in, so you should be able to eat meat just fine, right?"

"[Ciri has gone to hunt,]" Verita informs you.

Mienna flinches again. "Is... Is she angry at me?" the human girl asks, watching the wolf but not daring to move, even if it was away from her.

"Ah. You can't understand her, Mienna?"

"Of course not! I don't understand how you can!" she snaps back. Her common sense as a human is, yet again, far different from your own.

"Mienna, this is Verita. She's Skoll's older sister, too, so she and her sister Ciri are helping us. Right now Ciri is hunting for food."

Skoll nodded to confirm everything you've said. "Mienna...okay?" she asks her big sister. With that kind of pressure, the youth did her best to calm her racing heart.

"I'm okay, Skoll. I'm just... Since I'm human, I'm not used to sleeping with wolves. I don't know how to talk with the growls they use."

"But... Verita understand?"

"[Well, wolves have lived on the outskirts of human civilization a long time. We've learned to understand what humans are saying because we're always around them. Some of our ancestors fought alongside the humans, even generations after the Great War for Creation. Even now, we sometimes hear tales of wolves alongside heroes.]"

"Really?" you ask, intrigued. "Have you ever fought alongside heroes, Verita?"

"[I have not. Mother's mother did for a time, until her companion retired.]"

"Your grandmother? That's wonderful! Did your mother share many stories with you?"

"[My mate spoke often of it,]" Tormak interrupts, "[but she did so to warn our offspring of the dangers of heroes. Her mother's companion was a good woman, close to the land in soul and body. Most are not.]"

"I see. I think I can understand that. I have met two good heroes, but I also saw many bad ones. Ones who would hurt their own."

"Huh?" Mienna asks, totally confused by only your half of this conversation. "Are they asking to come with us?"

Tormak starts to frown, but Verita speaks up immediately. "[Can I?]"

Her father is stunned. "[What? Why-]"

"[As I promised Skoll. I will care for her as an elder sister should.]"

"[Skoll has a mother to care for her. Ciri is-!]"

"[Ciri has lived her second winter. She is an adult by all measure, ready to care for herself and soon her own pups. Skoll is newborn, and her mother has little knowledge of how to care for an Ice Wolf.]"

"[She speaks well, Father,]" Tarvon interjects, padding up to the group. He holds Doffson in his teeth by the back of his dress, gently setting the child down next to his newest sister. "[Ciri is grown well; Verita has no more need to watch over her.]"

The alpha looks from his son to his daughter. Finally he gives up, bowing his head. "[What kids I have raised. You are pups no longer. Verita! You will care for your new sister, and see her grow into a fine bitch!]"

"[Yes, Father!]" she responds enthusiastically.

"Well?" Mienna asks again.

"Actually yes. Verita is coming with us," you tell her with a smile.

Mienna goes stiff. She forces her neck to turn far enough to see the wolf. Verita is staring back patiently. Mienna tries to smile, but her young face just contorts. "Um," she stammers.

Verita moves forward and Mienna flinches. To her great surprise, though, the blue wolf does not go for her throat; Verita moves her head beneath Mienna's hand and pushes upward, giving herself a head pat with the girl's hand. "[I will care for Skoll, as will you. But I will care for you, as well, daughter of Skoll's mother.]"

"Um," Mienna tries again. "I guess...we're working together from now on?" Verita nods once. Mienna seems to be gaining confidence as she maintains that contact with the wolf. "Then...I'll be counting on you!" she declares, this time managing a smile only slightly distorted. Again, Verita gives her a nod.

Ciri soon returned with food, which all the young ones shared. You didn't need it, and Tarvon and Tormak both insisted they would do their own hunting once they had seen you and your children off.

Your family now two souls larger, you set your sights south once more. You hold Doffson in your arms, Mienna stands at your side, and Skoll is laying atop Verita's back.