1. The Wolf

Morning dew clung to the window, allowing the early morning light to refract a gentle glow across the room, illuminating the linen sheets. Caleb swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his hands instinctively reaching up to wipe the remnants of sleep clinging to his eyes. His muscles ached as he turned to face the shifting mass. There, nestled in a tangle of sheets, lay his sister, Alena. Her presence was a rare gift; in the early hours, Caleb usually found her lost in her own world, a creature of motion and energy. Yet here she was, the very picture of tranquility. Her hair was a chaotic weave of golden curls that caught the sun’s embrace, glowing with a lustrous sheen that framed her calm countenance.  The light would turn the stands into a halo of burnished bronze, which was a stark contrast to the paleness of her features. Her long lashes feathered her cheeks and her lips parted slightly with every gentle breath she took.

            Caleb reached out to sweep a rebellious strand of hair from her face and tucked it tenderly behind her ear. Even in her slumber, a visible sense of comfort fell over Alena causing her brow to smooth further in response to his touch. In this quiet, Caleb found a profound sense of peace, a reminder of the strength and solace they’d offered each other that often went without even recognition.

Caleb gently lifted himself from the embrace of the bed, the frame groaning in protest. He drowsily walked across the dimly lit room towards the small basin tucked away in its corner where he glanced up to confront his reflection in the cracked mirror. His hair was longer than he’d usually kept it causing it to curl slightly at the ends, allowing the chestnut strands to fall loosely over his ears. The floor groaned beneath his weight some more as he walked toward the door and exited the room.

He added kindling to the dormant cinders in the fireplace and reignited the dormant coals from the previous night. The flames roared to life, pushing out the moisture that enveloped the small space. The kitchen’s weathered cabinets and worn wooden table filled the space. Flower garlands hung from the beams that divided the space.  Resting on the wall beside the front door, was the bow he’d been gifted on his twelfth name day. The memory of his father quickly unfurled in Caleb’s mind as he reached for it. Joshua stood with his arms wrapped around his son, gently guiding Caleb’s hands on the riser. His father’s seasoned grasp guided Caleb's into the proper form needed to handle such a weapon. It was mid-day and the target was already littered with spent arrows. After the last arrow hit its mark, he turned Caleb to face him. His father looked down at him with eyes so alive and filled with untold tales.

"I think it’s time for you to have my bow, Caleb," Joshua stated, warmth pooling in every word. The bow had been crafted from a rare Black Willow tree during his travels to Aurelia, the weathered ridges along the wood revealed years of use from the numerous trips he’d made over the years. "It's yours now," he imparted, leaving Caleb with a legacy of resilience and love. “Now that I have taught you all that I can, you are ready to set out on your own adventures, son.” His words still haunted Caleb’s memory, because three days later, his father was murdered.

He snatched the bow off its hook then secured it, and the quiver, to his back. Alena emerged from the bedroom, her hands ruffling through tangled hair. "Off so soon?" she questioned.

"I’ll be back by noon." He reassured her. The sun had been cresting over the horizon when the cabin disappeared behind the dense forest foliage. The solidarity that came from walking this trail for so many years put Caleb’s mind at ease. The thought that their lives were so small and insignificant in comparison to the grandeur of the world they had never seen, made him thankful for the humble way they lived.

The rays of sunlight struggled to penetrate the thick canopy of leaves, leaving the path shrouded in darkness. The trek to the meadow would take less than two hours on a good day like today, and the journey would lead him up steep whined cliffs and across raging creeks, but it was nothing that Caleb hadn’t perfected over the years. As he neared a clearing, the crisp snapping of a twig pierced the atmosphere, halting him where he stood. Caleb instinctively reached for his bow, slowly pulling it over his head. Fingers grazed the smooth wood, and he drew the string back with practiced ease, readying an arrow against his knuckle. The forest around him plunged into a heavy silence, and Caleb’s pulse thrummed in his ears. He crouched low, gazing over the underbrush, searching for the source of the disturbance. Then, another snap, closer this time, right behind him. He swiftly turned, confronting the path he just travelled, only to find the way barred by a monstrous figure.

From within the embrace of shadows, two crimson eyes fixated on Caleb, they reflected an otherworldly light that pierced through the veil of the forest's dimness. Caleb tightened his grip on the bow, a silent challenge. The air thickened as the creature stalked forward, lessening the distance between them.  A deep, resonant growl vibrated through the beast. A stray beam of light broke through the canopy, proving enough light that allowed Caleb to witness its true form—a wolf, but not just any wolf. This one was colossal, its fur as dark as the night sky, absorbing all the light that struck it. But it was those eyes, fierce and burning with a crimson fire that held Caleb captivated. In them, there was a wildness, an intelligence, which went beyond the primal instincts of a wolf. This was no ordinary encounter; it was a meeting that would forever alter the path he walked.

It stood with its head lowered, and teeth gleaming in a menacing snarl. Stunned, Caleb maintained his position. Acknowledgement that escape was futile flooded him, but there was no time to hesitate, he had to act first.

As Caleb drew back the bowstring, a tangible tension coursing through his biceps. A low exhale escaped him as he attempted to steady his nerves and focus his mind. It was a moment that was suspended in time, each of his senses were heightened and every lingering sound was amplified. With a final breath, he allowed the string’s tension to slip past his fingertips. The arrow transformed into a blur of vibrating energy, like a spiraling comet cutting through the air with precision and grace.

Caleb spun on his heels, his instincts screaming for movement, for escape. The forest becoming a blur as he propelled himself off the beaten path, each step Caleb took was fueled by adrenaline and the urgent need to distance himself from the creature. Brisk air whipped past him, sending a cool caress against his heated skin as the frantic thuds of his footsteps mingled with the distant sounds of the wolf’s.

            Light that filtered through the towering trees casted dancing shadows across his vision as he navigated the labyrinth of twisted branches. Thorns snagged at his britches and bit into the exposed skin on his hands. The scent of pine needles and damp earth filled the air, intensifying the adrenaline-fueled need for distance. Primal instincts for survival kicked in as he felt the wolf's presence closing in.

Caleb halted abruptly. Desperately heaving in an effort to catch his breath as he griped his bow tightly to his chest. He pressed his back firmly against an oak tree, as he prayed for the wolf to pass without detecting him. The thrumming of his heartbeat was overpowering in his ears as the deafening sound of silence enveloped him. After a tense moment, he cautiously peeked around the tree, finding nothing—no shadow, no sound, and no wolf. He took a few steps back, easing himself away from the oak.

His heart quickened as the sense of being hunted takes hold again. The rustling of leaves beneath its feet echoed louder in the stillness and he could feel the wolf drawing nearer. A shadow revealed itself at the edge of his peripheral vision causing a momentary lapse of courage as he staggered backward; the balls of his feet teetered on the precipice of a cliff previously obscured by shadows. Caleb’s fear intensified, then before he could react, the ground gave way beneath him, and he tumbled down the rugged terrain.

Everything blurred as branches and rocks became unforgiving weapons that ripped through him and his clothes. The distant grunts of the relentless pursuer blended with the sounds of his descent. As Caleb came to rest at the cliff's base, pain pulsed through his body as he looked up to see the triumphant silhouette of the wolf gazing down. Pain radiated through him, causing him to press his trembling hand against his chest. A visceral moment unfolded as his palm met with the warmth of blood, the crimson liquid was dark against his paling complexion.

Despite his attempts to remain lucid, the overwhelming fatigue seized control of his limbs and the trees surrounding him vanished into a fading mirage. The pain began to lessen as coldness enveloped his body and the world around him faded into darkness.