James always wondered why his father never seemed to be a big fan of his. Being the still somewhat naive teenager he was, his first thought placed the blame squarely on his brother, Josh. His brother was eight years older than him, a stark difference between siblings especially in a town where it wasn’t uncommon for ladies to have more babies than you could count on two hands. Josh, for his part, tried to be a good brother. He picked James up from school most days, included him when he could, and tried to go to all of his events even if they were things he had no real interest in. Most kids would kill for their older brother to care that much, but James wasn’t most kids.

He was seventeen now, his hobbies including blasting music as loud as he could and trying to be a successful social media artist type, which was going about as well as you might think (it wasn’t, for the record). This particular day, however, he wasn’t doing anything of the sort. He had been dragged on an impromptu camping trip with his family, which meant extended time with his mother, father, brother, and his wife Sam, who he didn’t really have any problems with. The trip itself had shaped up to be a boring escapade so far, their fishing excursion being washed away by a thunderstorm and their attempts at renting a boat thwarted by a sleazy marina manager.

James’ father had his signature grumpy look on as he sat on a cheap cloth folding chair, using it as a recliner while he stared out into the beautiful lakeside, watching the world go by as early dawn turned to the morning daylight. 

“Hey, dad, how’d you sleep?” It was Josh’s voice, snapping him from his trance.

“About as well as you can sleep on wet grass, how ‘bout yourself?”

The man snickered, “I guess that’s true, Sam wasn’t feeling good last night, so it was hard but I managed to get an hour or two.”

“You’re gonna need a lot more than an hour or two.”

“You’re sure you still want to do the hiking thing, dad? I mean, the woods is probably all washed out from the storm and the forecast is calling for more-“

“Boy, I paid for this goddamn trip, I’m getting my money’s worth.”

Josh put up his hands, “Alright, alright. I’ll get James.”

“Tell that lazy ass to put his phone down.”

“I will.”

The older sibling walked back towards the tent, opening the “door” to see his little brother still sleeping soundly on a mat, a slight smile etching itself between his lips as he tapped his shoulders to wake him up. James grumbled, “Go away.” He mumbled with a hush.

“We’re about to go hiking with dad, c’mon. You know about as well as I do that we can’t keep that hardass waiting.”

The teenager let out a dramatic groan, forcing himself upright with a yawn. “Can you tell him that he’s gonna have to wait a little bit longer? I’m not exactly prepped and ready.”

“I’ll tell him but you know what he’s gonna say.”

“That lazy ass and his stupid phone.” They huffed in unison, sharing a laugh as James stumbled to his feet, grabbing a shirt and a pair of pants from his bag. He casually put them on, walking outside to see his dad still sitting in that old folding chair, his brother tending to his wife, and his mother trying to comfort her. He felt the morning breeze course through his messy brown hair, the dew-covered grass covering his sneakers in a watery film as he stepped towards his father, who was now rereading an old newspaper.

“Ain’t that last weeks?” The boy asked.

“If you can find me this weeks, it would be greatly appreciated.”

“I don’t think they have newspaper stands in the woods.”

The balding man shrugged, “Stranger things have happened. Now go get some breakfast from your mother. It’s only a little bit burnt today.”

James did as he was told, walking over to his mom’s side of the clearing where she had a nice little grill set up with some bacon on it, looking nice and blackened on the rusty iron pan. His mother didn’t talk very much, it wasn’t in her nature to do so, and when she did it was of utmost importance. This particular morning she was content in keeping to herself, watching her younger son grab a plate of slightly burnt bacon and walk off with a wave. She gave him a smile, “Be safe, Jamie.”

“I will, mom.”

He wandered back to the side of the campsite that faced the dense woods, his father standing from his chair with an elongated groan, his joints popping like balloons. The grouch paced for a moment before stepping towards the edge of the forest like a runner at a starting line, looking back at his sons with that signature cantankerous glare. 

“Will you boys hurry it up? I’m trying to get this damned thing done before we drown in mud.”

The brothers gave each other a glance from their places, Josh finishing up his short conversation with Sam by giving her a kiss on the cheek and then another to her baby bump. He walked over to his dad’s side, lacing up his boots.

“You sure, dad?”

“What did I just say, boy?”

The elder brother rolled his eyes, “Alright.”

James followed soon after, and the three men bid the ladies adieu as they entered the darkened woods. Their trip was uneventful at first, most of it silent, barring the occasions where they had to cut through the thick brush with the crappy hunting knife their father had bought in the 1980’s. The forest was dense and unwavering, trees the height of skyscrapers towering above their heads with dying leaves falling from their hardy branches. The youngest of the three had no clue whose idea it was to schedule a camping trip in the last days of fall; it had gone about as well as one could expect.

Soon, the new dawn’s sky began to turn a desolate shade of silver, colorless clouds menacing above their heads as the air turned to a bitter cmountain.

“Dad.” Josh spoke up, his hands pressed firmly in the pockets of his hoodie. “We should head back, it’s gonna rain.”

“I ain’t done yet.” The old man barked, still stomping through the narrow path, much to both of his children’s chagrin. 

“Dad, we can’t be out here in bad weather, you heard what that ranger said.”

“Bears ain’t shit! What does he think is gonna happen? We’re gonna get eaten by squirrels?”

Josh’s voice borders on pleading now, “We can’t stay out here.”

“We’re safer in these woods than we are in the tent, just follow me, I know where I’m going.”

The elder son rolled his eyes, but he had no time to complain as the first thunderclap shook the ground beneath their feet, the clouds parting to pelt raindrops on their unprepared heads. The deluge was unwavering and cruel, continuing its onslaught as the men bickered their way up a muddy mountain, their boots lathered in sludge. James could feel the ground consume his shoes like quicksand, the ooze making the trek all the more difficult as his father and brother shouted at each other.

He didn’t pick a side, a part of him wanted to go back to his phone, though the other wanted to impress his father by not using it. However, the endorphin rush of a good twitter scroll would’ve been nice right about now, with the rain pummeling his messy hair from above. He just wanted this trip to be over, his mind drifting to thoughts of his warm bed and modern comforts. The average human wasn’t built for outdoor survival, at least not anymore. It didn’t help that the sky’s cover had turned the dawn a depressing gray, making it hard to see your own hands. Josh held his phone’s flashlight as high as he could as they neared the top of the mountain, the ground getting slicker and steeper beneath their feet.

Soon enough, they made it, the usually beautiful view rendered a bit disappointing by the desolate sky. James still found himself enthralled by it, his eyes locked on the dull shine that rested atop the lake. Though, something else caught his eye. Were those… shadows? Silhouettes? He saw people moving below them.

“Are you happy now, old man?” Josh spoke with venom.

“I’d be happier if the sun were shining.”

His eldest son rolled his eyes. “So would I.”

James didn’t really care to listen to them bicker more, stepping closer to the lake as it seemed to pull him in like a fishing rod. His feet moved before his mind could think, the bottom of his boot sliding as the reservoir got closer. He had no clue what had entranced him, but something was calling him, a voice in his mind shouting his name from the far distance. It was then when his life would take a slippery turn, his shoe gliding in the mud. Before he knew it, he was on a one way trip down the side of the slobbering mountain, the only thing keeping from the abyss being his brother’s hand. 

The rain pelted his head from above like bullets, thunderclaps shaking the dirt as Josh tried to pull. James did his damndest to get his feet to get his feet set against the mound’s side, but it was too slick. Soon, his brother’s grip weakened, finally slipping away as the teenage boy slid down the wall of sludge and into a pooling ditch below, his body covered in disgusting mud and his hair soaking wet. He couldn’t bring himself to stand as the creek’s water raged around him, his body like a dam. His entire body aches, his clothes covered in ooze.

James looked up, but he saw nothing more than a silhouette of the mountain he fell from. Then, he felt something cold touch his neck, a slight sting radiating from the spot. He turned his head around to see a figure standing in the darkness, looking down at him with two bared fangs.

“What are you doing here?” She barked, pointing the edge of her spear at his throat.

“I…” James couldn’t muster words.

“Spit it out, fleshie!”

“I… fell from that mountain up there.”

The woman looked up, “You fell?”

“Yeah. I fell.”

She hummed, lowering her spear’s blade. “So, you’re not an intruder?”

“I wasn’t trying to be, no.”

“Fine.” She put out a furry hand, “Come with me.”

“Why should I?”

“Hmm?”

James chuckled, “Lady, you just put a spear against my neck, how can I be sure something worse won’t happen?”

“My job is to protect our lands from beasts like you, though, it’s not everyday a human ends up down here.”

“What are you on about?”

The woman stepped into the graying light of the unforgiving storm, her silver fur shining in the barren light, a short tuft centralized at the top of her head. She was lean, yet muscular, with a series of tattoo-like markings lining her left arm. All she wore was basically a bra and a shirt skirt, which made the teenage boy in James shiver a bit. The most noticeable part was her blazing blue eyes, which contrasted beautifully with her coat. The boy hesitantly took her paw, standing himself up and getting help out of the creek bed. She stared daggers at him for a moment.

“My name is Mariah, yours?”

“James.”

“James… I’ve known a few of those in my life.”

He grinned slightly, “It’s a common name.”

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

“So it seems.” She ran a hand through her silvery hair, “Do you have any clue where you are?”

“I think that’s been well established as a no.”

Mariah stepped forward, beckoning him to follow. “We call this place Arcadia, like the lands of our ancestors. I will admit that we don’t get very many visitors, you will certainly be a sight to see for the townsfolk.”

“Townsfolk? There’s more of you?”

“There are millions more of me spread across this continent.”

James’ eyes widened, “Oh.”

“I don’t blame you for not noticing our existence, your government hides many things. All good ones do.”

“You know, most people don’t like it when they do that.”

She gave him a look, “All creatures are entitled to their beliefs.”

“That’s very… liberal of you.”

“What? Did you think I would be some kind of savage?”

He put his hands up with an awkward laugh, “No, no, not at all! Just… y’know, when your first impression of somebody is them almost killing you, you’d think some things to.”

“I thought you were an intruder.”

“Well, I’m not.”

She sneered, “And how was I supposed to know that? For all I knew, you were one of those abominable beasts with a firearm!”

“I’ve never shot a gun in my life!”

“I’m sorry. There, will you shut your mouth about it now?”

James shrugged, “Maybe, maybe not.”

“Don’t get cheeky with me, human.”

“My dad did always say it was a bad idea to mess with the guy with a gun.”

“Your father is right. Maybe you should have listened to him more before you came here.”

The teenager didn’t respond to that comment, his attention quickly turning to the fast approaching footsteps coming at them from one of the paths in the trees. He noticed that Mariah didn’t really seem to be bothered by it, which terrified him ever so slightly.

“What’s that noise?” He whispered with a shake in his throat.

“Probably another wolf, just keep quiet.”

He heard a wailing howl irradiate from the path, calming his nerves a little, but not enough to stop his heart from pounding.

“Mariah!” A new voice bellowed, approaching them with a pant, “I heard shouting, is everything alright?”

“I’m fine, Marseille. Go back to your station.”

“Wait…” The new wolf’s eye caught James, “Is that…?”

“Don’t mind him. Go back to work.”

“You found a human?! How’d he get down here? Where’d he come from? Is he a real one?”

The silver wolf placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to push her away, “Marcy.”

“What? I’m just interested, do you know how rare it is for our pack to capture a human? The Queen would have-“

Mariah quickly put a hand over her mouth, “Enough! Back to work!”

“But-“

“Back, back, back, back!”

Marseille huffed, giving James a coy wave before disappearing down the dark path once more. The wolf let out an elongated sigh.

“Sorry about her.”

“What was she on about?”

Mariah’s eyes whipped away, “Nothing, we should keep moving. We’ll be in town soon, there we can get out of this storm.”

She led him through the woods, the rain still crashing down from the heavens as they wandered through the endless paths of dead leaves and thin branches. James’ clothes were still seeped in sludge, though he had wiped it out of his face for the most part. His hair was still a wet mess and he could feel the dirt drip down his face, encased in a watery shell. At least on this path, the mud was covered by the piles of leaf corpses, giving him some protection from the ooze.

“Can I ask you a question?” James spoke up.

“Fine.”

“What’s with the tattoo?”

She hummed, “They are battle markings. It’s a ritual of my pack.”

“Hmm… alright.”

“Why do you ask?”

He grinned slightly, “Just curious. I mean, I’m entering this place I don’t know, might as well learn some more about it before I get there.”

“I thank you for your interest, but I have to warn you of something.”

“And that is?”

Mariah paused.

“Oh, come on, I can handle it.” The boy said with confidence, puffing out his chest.

“Some of my brethren won’t be kind to you, that’s all I’ll say.”

“I guess that’s understandable, but why are you telling me like it’s some horrible secret?”

She sighed, “Let’s just keep moving.”

“I’m gonna find out eventually, y’know?”

“You will. I can guarantee it.”

“Then why won’t you tell me?”

Mariah kept her eyes forward, “Because you don’t want to know, you think you do, but you don’t. You really don’t. Just let it be a secret; you’ll find out soon enough.”

“Fine.”

The pair walked in silence until they reached a clearing in the trees, the clouds seeming to part as they approached a series of wooden buildings, all marked by different decorations and architectural styles. The streets were patches of glimmering green grass, though they didn’t shine much in the still dim light of the passing storm clouds. The walkways were empty this particular morning, and for good reason, leaving the two as the only living beings walking them, much to Mariah’s relief. 

“Where are you taking me?” James asked as the wolf placed a paw on his arm.

“You said you wanted to learn, yes?”

“I mean, I did, but does asking one question count as learning?”

Mariah kept walking, “I’m giving you what you wanted.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“We’re going to the library.”

James’ eyes widened, “I mean, do we have to?”

“Ask and you shall receive, human.”

“Shit.”

“What? Do you not like libraries?”

He sighed, “No! I mean, I was just joking, y’know?”

She gave him a glare and a slight grin. “Too late.”

The pair walked through an old wooden door, a high-rising concourse standing above them which soon led into the tall structures of the library, a seemingly endless hall of books placed neatly on shelves that ranged from barely taller than James was to nearly touching the ceiling. In the middle of it all sat a wolf with glasses, with light brown fur up in a neat ponytail. She wore a beige blazer and had a threatening aura around her, staring at Mariah as she entered the space.

“Mariah? Why are you here so early?” She asked, standing from her seat and walking beside the coffee maker on her desk. The border guard put the human in front of her, which made the librarian spit out her imaginary drink. “What the…! Is that…”

“A human, yes.”

“Hi.” James waved awkwardly.

“He wanted to learn more about our people.” Mariah said bluntly.

“He looks like he’s just swam in mud.”

“He did.”

The librarian’s eyes were nearly bulging out of her skull, “Well… the nonfiction books are in the back.”

The guard beckoned him to go, then forced him to, leaving her alone with the other wolf.

“Do you have a death wish?!” The librarian shouted hushedly.

“I’m merely giving him what he said he wanted, that’s all I can really do.”

“Look, that kid has to-“

“See the queen, yes I know.”

The brown furred wolf turned her head, “Why didn’t you just kill him on the spot?”

“The queen wouldn’t want a rotting meal, would she?”

The librarian raised an eyebrow.

Mariah sighed, “Fine. I didn’t want to. If he’s already going to be a meal, why bother?”

“Have you told the boy?”

“Chloe…”

The librarian doubled down, “Answer.”

“No, I haven’t.”

“So you’re going to take this boy to the queen, and have her tell him he’s going to be the main course at her next banquet?”

The silver wolf sighed again, “It’s no use scaring him.”

“Her majesty doesn’t like her meals kicking and screaming, you of all people should know that.”

Mariah put her head down, looking at the floor beneath her feet that she was soaking with rain. “I just…”

“Don’t tell me you actually care about that beast?”

“Not him personally, just… I’ve seen enough innocent people get slaughtered. That’s all.”

“He intruded, didn’t he? He’s not innocent. Those other humans weren’t innocent either, they pointed guns at us and threatened to kill our families. They would’ve done the same thing to us that we did to them if we didn’t strike first. I apologize that I prefer not being some wealthy meatbag’s fur coat.”

James walked back up to the desk immediately after, shrugging his shoulders. “Couldn’t find anything, guess we gotta keep moving.”

“You weren’t even looking.” Answered Mariah, trying to stay stoic.

“I did, I just couldn’t find anything that interested me.”

She grabbed his forearm, “Here, I’ll find one.”

“Hey! Let go of me!”

The silver wolf dragged him back to the nonfiction section, looking through all the books one by one.

“Warfare, culture, customs, human encroachment, none of these interest you?”

“No, and get your paws off me! Your claws are digging into my skin.”

“Oh, here’s a good one.” She grabbed a red-spined book off the shelf, showing it to him. “I read this book when I was a girl.”

“What is it?”

“It’s the tales of great gladiators of the ancient past, my father gave me this when I was young. It’s almost like he wanted me to be one myself.” She sat him down at a desk, taking the chair across from him. 

“I know how to read.”

“This is for me.”

She opened the book and looked through it, shining the first actual smile James had seen from her.

“You said your dad gave that book to you?”

“Yes. My father wanted me to follow in his footsteps, join the army, become a big shot.” She sighed slightly, pushing the book his way, “But enough about me. Read.”

She stood from the desk and walked back over to the librarian’s table, who was still giving her a glare from her office chair. 

“Did you tell him?” Chloe asked bluntly.

“No.”

“Of course you didn’t.”

Mariah rolled her eyes slightly, “You try to tell a boy that he’s going to be some aristocrat’s banquet.”

“If you won’t do it, I will.”

She stood up from her seat, for which she had the end of a spear placed at her chin. “Don’t.”

“Mariah…”

“I will tell him when the time comes.”

“The time is now!” The librarian shouted, gaining James’ attention. “Tell the boy his fate!”

“Not right now.”

“Then when? When will you tell him? When he’s already on the rotisserie?”

James was confused about what they were talking about.

Mariah huffed, “Sit down or I will use force.”

“You’re threatening me?!”

“Sit. Now.”

The librarian barked a curse, “That flesh-covered monstrosity means nothing to you. Why are you so hellbent on keeping this thing a secret?”

Before Mariah could respond, the human began to approach the desk, both wolves staring at him as he placed the old book on the counter. The border guard dropped her spear, giving her fellow lycan a glare before standing at attention once more.

“Can I check this book out?” He asked sheepishly.

“Sure.”

Chloe grabbed the book off the tabletop, stamping it neatly before handing it back to the boy with a glare. “Don’t forget to bring it back.”

“I won’t.”

Mariah put a hand on the boy’s shoulder, “We should get going.”

“But it’s still storming outside.”

“It’s gonna be like that all day, c’mon.”

She grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the building and back out into the morning storm, the boy covering his book with his body as she led him further down the streets. His mind couldn’t help but go back to the guard and the librarian’s exchange, what were they on about? What was gonna happen to him? She seemed pretty apprehensive about it, and if she wouldn’t even admit it to someone of her own kind, there was no way in hell she would admit it to him.

“Hey.” He spoke, surprising himself.

“What?”

“I… heard you and that library lady talking.”

Mariah’s eyes dropped, “And?”

“Well, y’know, you were talking about telling me something, and something else about a rotesserie.”

“Pay no mind to it.”

“Just tell me, lady. If they’re gonna have a feast in my honor I’d like to know.” The boy said with a laugh, though her face was horribly serious.

“I guess you could call it that.”

“But seriously, what’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

James’ eyebrow raised, “Quit lying to me.”

“Fine. We’re going to go see the queen. That’s all.”

“For what?”

Mariah huffed, “You’ll find out when we get there.”

“You’re scaring me.”

She stared at him for a moment, “It’s for your own good.”

James sighed, resigning to his defeat as they continued the rainy trek through the still sleeping town. It was oddly beautiful, watching the rain slowly calm. The human held the old book tight to his chest, trying to keep out of the storm. Mariah’s eyes were all over the place, her mind racing as she kept walking, kept moving forward, but she managed to hold a straight face, not showing the boy the dark truth of why he had to visit the queen in the first place. She hated herself, at least right then, she should be able to say something to him, but she didn’t know how he’d respond. For all she knew, it could get violent.

She told herself that it was the right thing to do not to tell the boy, that he can infer what he wants until the ritual begins, though, knowing the queen, she’d probably taunt him for days beforehand. The town’s buildings began to mesh after a while, wood shack after wood shack, some nicer than others. Eventually, they made it to a chain fence, the guard opening a lock with her claw to get it open for them to pass through. It was a neat little square, benches placed in a circle around a tall stone fountain, a statue standing above it. 

It was of a woman, holding the head of some kind of monster, its blood shining in bronze. The woman herself wore a slasher smile, her fangs bared, her tongue sticking out for good measure. It was a striking image, if a bit humorous at first glance. James’ eyes soon went to the towering castle that now stood high above their heads, made of brick and mortar. It was an old school Victorian palazzo, staring down at them from the heavens. He took a step towards it, but soon felt a paw rest on his shoulder.

“Boy.” Mariah spoke, her voice a bit shaky, “I… I…”

“Yeah?”

She sighed, “Just be careful, okay?”

“I will.”

And with that, the pair entered the skyscraping citadel, the boy awed by the  murals that circled around the lobby, showing scenes of war and victory. The inside of the building was a pristine white stone, shining in the light of iridescent bulbs. The border guard kept him moving forward, bringing him past a secretary who looked at him with a mix of fear and pity as she let them through. The castle’s halls were tight, too narrow for even just two people to walk through, let alone these massive lycan soldiers that were wandering alongside them. They all bared their teeth at James, some giving him grins, though they were clearly not friendly.

Finally, at the end of the hall stood a large wooden door, one that loomed above the rest. Mariah grabbed his arm again, “I’m going to give you some ground rules.” She said bluntly.

“Alright.”

“Don’t speak to the queen unless spoken to, don’t make any sudden movements, when we enter, you kneel, even if no one else does. To her, you are a lesser being, and you will act as such, even if you don’t agree with it. If you don’t do any of those things, any chance you have of surviving this encounter goes down like an apple from a tree. Do you understand?”

James weakly put his thumb up, “I guess…?”

“Good enough. Come on, we shouldn’t keep her majesty waiting.”

The lycan guard opened the final door, and little did the boy, nor the wolf know, that their lives would change by the simple act of opening this hatch.

Life’s funny that way, after all