WOLFBANE

The silvery moon shone bright over the abandoned shed in Hunter Oaks. The chilling wind whistled a soft, moanful tune as it rippled outside through the unkempt grass. The light of the stars cast a brief shadow over a little girl, hunched low and silent in the field. She held a small spyglass in her hand, peering intently towards the shack with a pale face. A single lantern light burned feebly from the broken pane of a window inside the shed. Not a sound escaped from the building, not a creek of a door hinge or moan of wooden beams.  

And nobody in the area knew why.

Every full moon in the mysterious valley of Hunter Oaks, a lantern would light in the same window of the shed without fail. The townsfolk feared-more than anything else-what was in that shed. Many a person had ventured past the safeties of their homestead to find what lay within that shed on full moons. But every time, no person would return with the evidence they desired. Other times, they would never return at all.

 So the shed remained untouched for years, with nobody in the valley brave enough to journey any nearer to the crumbling structure.

That's why it came as a horrific surprise when little Kady Q. Drummer pledged to find what was inside the loney shack. They begged her not to do it, pleaded with her to stay, but the ten-year-old had her mind set up.

"I am going to the shed on the third full moon of this year." She would say, smiling as her neighbors tried to persuade her to stay.

"My mind is made up. Good day."

She would repeat this sentence every time a person would attempt to keep her put, whether through a lecture or a bribe or a threat.  "I am going to the shed on the third full moon of this year." She would grin, pushing the villagers aside.

“My mind is made up. Good day."

When came the night of the third full moon, Kady crept out of the house with the bare necessities of a ten-year-old in her napsack; A very thick cord of rope, her toy binoculars, a box of lollipops, her purple hairbrush, a golden tiara, a tin of some of her mother’s old jerky, her favorite, bright pink blanket, and three of her favorite stuffed animals. (Just in case.) She set off towards Hunter Oaks biggest field, carefully reviewing her plan in her head. "I will creep through the tall, tall grass in the field," Kady said to herself.

"Then I will watch, watch, watch the door of the shed," She whispered to herself.

"Then-if nothing happens, I will knock, knock, knock on the door of the shed," She said loudly in her piping, ten-year-old voice.

"And then I will explore, explore and explore the shed nobody's ever seen!" She said the latter with bursting excitement, skipping joyously along the path so many feared. Her plan sounded easy enough to a ten-year-old.

Once Kady reached the field, she dropped to her belly and crawled jerkily through the waist-high grass with her knapsack, humming quietly to herself. She was mildly surprised that nobody had stopped her on her way to the shed, but forgot it as soon as she saw a little moth in the grass. She stared at it for a while, watching it flit in and out of the towering weeds. It's snowy white wings fluttered soundlessly through the air...so delicate and powdery that she forgot her task completely.

And then the lantern in the shed flicked to life.

Kady gasped, and crawled closer to the door of the shed. Eerie silence coated the valley like frosty snow on a winter morning. Nothing either spoke or moved. It seemed to Kady as if the whole world was holding its breath, waiting as she held her binoculars to her face...as she scanned the building for any sign of life...as she- The tiny ten-year-old nearly screamed. 

A split second of a shadow had passed in front of the lantern, blocking the light. It had been a hunched, looming shadow that had lumbered in front of the light.

 Then a voice actually spoke from inside.  "Regan!" It yelled gruffly, moving from what sounded like a bale of hay.

"You furry little pest! Now you've done it! Now they all know-"

The voice was cut short, and a tense silence resumed. Kady edged towards the door, her little heart beating faster and harder, every second, in her chest. She raised her arm slowly towards the rusted handle of the door...closed two fingers on it-

"Open the door." Another voice cracked from within. "Somebody's outside."

Kady froze as the door to the shed flung open, casting a golden, rectangle spotlight over her. Before she could see who was standing on the threshold before her, a clawed arm grabbed the ruff of her collar and yanked her inside, all too fast for her to even open her mouth to scream. 

Inside the shed was total darkness. Somebody had extinguished the lamp as Kady’s captive had dragged her inside. She could feel herself sweating and shaking with fear as she opened her eyes as wide as they would go, staring in vain into the darkness.

The sounds of ragged, shaky breathing was surrounding her, making the air around her humid. The unknown grip on her shirt collar released, and her feet touched the dusty ground, her rump on a wooden stump made into a makeshift stool. Her knees were knocking together with sudden fright, wild thoughts racing through her mind as she glanced around her.

She could make out seven, rag covered, hunched shapes in the darkness, all of whose dull silutes were leaning against each other as if watching Kady. As her eyes adjusted to the lightless shed a little, catching the glint of fourteen pairs of eyes, all glittering yellow. 

How long she sat there, she couldn’t remember. All she knew was the beating of her heart in her throat, the clammy feeling in her hands, and the constand and undying stares of her captors. As her breathing eventually slowed, Kady could hear something of a doggish snarl coming from the siliutes. She had heard many rumors of the shed’s inhabitants, groups of dracula’s, bands of robbers and lost pirates. Light fingered gypsies? Fantasy creatures? Gods? The speculations tended to grow more and more bizarre as the conversations brewed on. 

So that’s why Kady ran away. (Not entirely discreetly or prepared,) she set off to find the truth. Fairy tales and nursery rhymes meant nothing to her as she was growing up. She was strong! Kady had beat all of her friends, (even the older boys that lived next door) at tag and hopscotch, making her one of the strongest playmates in the village. She was brave as well! She was the only one brave enough to dive into the drippy cave behind the waterfall by her house, when a bully had stolen a sibling’s toy and hidden it there. Kady was prepared as she could ever be to investigate the strange shed nobody had returned from with their information...or their life. 

So that’s why Kady was so terrified. Alone, in the middle of the night, in a shed nobody was courageous enough to explore. And she was ten. Only ten. 

What was she thinking?!

Young Kady hardly had a moment to dwell long on this thought, because a single silhouette was moving towards the lamp by the door. It flickered to life, briefly lighting up a large, furry, dangerously clawed paw. The shadow drew back, away from the lamplights halo of warmth, and rejoined the other silutes wordlessly. 

Then suddenly, a gruff voice spoke. 

“What are you doing here?” It asked in it’s stale, quiet voice. Kady gulped, for her mouth had gone an icky sort of dry during the moments of darkness.  

“I came to see what everybody in the village was so afraid of here.” Kady replied truthfully, trying her best to keep a steady tone. 

“Are you alone?” The voice inquired softly, it’s beady, glittering eyes glowing yellow in the dark.

“Yes.” The little girl answered. She was half sure she saw her captors eyes widen a bit, before resuming their seething glare. 

“And why have you come alone??” The voice asked gently, but sternly. 

“Nobody wanted to come with me. Everybody was too scared.” 

The eyes cocked themselves to one side, mimicking the movements of a deeply confused mut. 

“And why did you think this shed would be...safe for a little girl like you?”

“She’s not exactly little.” A scruffy, female voice cut in. The tone of the voice sounded like the owners mouth was full of saliva, like they were drooling - 

“Quiet mongrel!” The first voice snapped.

“I am talking to the intruder, nobody else! It has been that way, and will always be that way!” The first voices’ soft, quiet tone had instantly disappeared, and was replaced by the commanding, vicious tone. As the two voices bickered loudly, Kady slowly reached for her kapsack, which was lying on the dusty floor beside her where it had fallen. She couldn’t help but feel like the bickering voices were slightly...humorous. They were threatening each other with bales of drying twigs in the shed, throwing hay in the dark at eachothers eyes.

It was like hearing two little toddlers fight over a stupid thing. After all, it was the middle of the night and nobody was going to disturb their argument. Her captors had almost all the time in the world to interrogate her. Kady reached down slowly, to where her sack was laying on the dirty floor, and silently untied the string binding the top of it. As she rummaged in her sack for something useful, her finger touched the tip of her mothers’ jerky tin. Her tummy suddenly growled, and the voices stopped at once. 

“What are you doing?!” The first voice yelled, snarling slightly. 

“She’s trying to get help!” The female voice screeched, suddenly standing from 

her bale of hay she had been seated on. All seven silutes stood at once, suddenly flying forward at tiny, little Kady. She screamed, yanking the small tin out of her sack and used it as a tiny shield to protect her from whatever was coming. 

The movement stopped suddenly, and Kady lowered the tin cautiously. 

“Is that - that - “ The first voice started, sounding shocked.

“Yes it is!” Another answered, higher and shriller. 

“How did you - but she - where did she get it!?” A deep, rumbling tone asked. Kady dropped the tin to her lap to see seven, towering werewolves peering down at her, drooling excessively onto the ground, their saliva pooling revolting at their furry feet. Their presence took all of Kady’s willpower not to scream at the sight of them, but they weren't focused on her, their eyes were firmly locked...on her mother's jerky tin. 

“Is that - “ The biggest werewolf asked, his yellow eyes brimming with tears. Kady nodded mutely, holding out the tin, even more terrified than when she had been dragged into the shed and submerged in darkness. 

“You - you can have some if - if you want!" She stammered, her arms trembling like the jerky weighed a hundred pounds. The biggest werewolf nodded, grinning a fanged smile, and took the box from her hands.  

As soon as the tin left Kady, a ravenous feeding frenzy burst into life, and her mother's jerky disappeared beneath a jumble of gray, black, and white fur of the werewolves. Their hungry snarling filled the shed, as each of the seven half-bloods tore at each other to try and get the box. In the end, the tin was dropped to the dirty floor, dripping and licked perfectly clean. 

“Thank you for the meal darling.” Crackled another female werewolf, who now had a fresh wound over her left eye. She turned on Kady, who was now gripping her log stool in utter terror of the monsters she was surrounded by. Nothing seemed humorous at this moment.  

“But even though we have been craving meat for a very long time…” Another, high voiced male continued, wiping his mouth with his paw. 

“We’re afraid that a tiny tin of jerky will simply not...suffice.” 

     The group howled with laughter, closing in on the little girl who could do nothing but watch as the wave of gurentied doom advanced. 

“Wa - Wait!” Kady yelled, stalling time.

“I think - yes! I - I think I have something else!” 

She shot her hand into her knapsack at random, hoping for it to grasp something she could use to her advantage. Then her hand touched the lollipops.

“Don’t you want dessert to go with your meal??” Kady asked, whipping out the sweets from her bag. The werewolves froze, casting curious glances at the candy, then at each other, then at the candy, each smacking their lips continuously. 

“Well,” grumbled the biggest werewolf again, rubbing his padded paws together. 

“I don’t see any harm in taking a little sweet before we finish you. Yes, yes I think we shall.”

So Kady - with a little bit more confidence now - handed each werewolf a lollipop with the color of their choice. She returned to her stool and continued to dig through her bag, hoping for anything else that might cleverly put her on good terms with her captors. 

Kady didn’t have a long time to search though, because the fanged mouths of the famished beasts devoured the candies at lightning speed. 

“Now to complete the wonderful meal!” Bellowed one of the stouter werewolves, cracking his knuckles and giggling hysterically. 

“Wait!” Kady smiled, her courage restored ten full since her arrival in the shed.

“I have some parting gifts to give you, if you will allow me. It seems very rude to eat me and never know the full potential of the things I have in my bag!” 

She held up her bulging knapsack, waving it slowly in front of each mutant snout, letting them stare and sniff at it.

“What do you have that could possibly interest us?!” Asked a frail looking werewolf who stood next to the biggest. 

“Stature, of course! Why, with my special gifts, nobody will look at you the same again!” 

Kady felt amused as the seven monsters whispered hurriedly to each other, watching them glance towards their neighbor, shrug, and glance at Kady’s knapsack. 

“Show us your best.” snarled the biggest, who the little girl assumed was the leader of the society. Kady simply grinned and produced her purple hairbrush she had brought with her. She handed it to the leader, who threw it to the floor in disgust and nodded for Kady to carry on. Not so happily, she produced the cord of rope, of which the leader took with some interest, but threw it to the floor like the hairbrush. Kady drew out her blanket, which received many tantalized whimpers from the other werewolf members as the leader threw it into the dust. (Not without running a gentle hand across its soft material of course.) But what won the leader over utterly, was when Kady produced her sparkling tiara from her bag. The seven beasts Oohed and Ahhed at the sight of it. The leader hastily took it from the little girl, nestled it deeply beneath his locks of fur...and smiled. 

“Human,” He growled, his tone neither fake, gentle or harsh. 

“I will spare your life because of this...object. Now this clan will know who is alpha, and will respect the owner of this crown.” 

The other half-bloods howled their approval, the tune ringing loud in the tiny, rundown shed. Kady smiled, curtsying as the rest of the werewolves bowed to their leader. 

“So, we aren't eating her?” One of the werewolves asked after straightening from the bow.

“NO YOU FOOL!” The leader hissed, rushing up to the others face and holding his fist to his chin.

“After these wonderful gifts, the little girl will be spared. We will raise her as one of our own! Teach her our secret ways! Welcome her…” The leader paused.

“Welcome her into Wolfbane.” 

“WHAT?!?!” The other members screamed. This comment was followed by countless yelling, gibberish, strange words Kady had heard only her neighbors say when they stubbed a toe, utter commotion, and the final agreement with the leaders decision. 

“Thank you for the gifts young one.” The leader smiled, bending down besides Kady as the others went to investigate the objects that had been thrown to the ground.

“My name is Felix, leader of this secret society, Wolfbane. This shed has been our meeting place for decades, and I beg you not to share this location with anyone at all.” Kady nodded and sat down next to Felix, who had sat himself on a bale of hay.  

“Please spend the rest of the night with us. It is so pleasant to have a real human amongst us. We do get lonely here.”

“Why do all of you come here anyways?” Kady asked curiously.

“We...have to hide in here.” Felix sighed, her eyes suddenly drooping. 

“We don't want to hurt anybody, so we’ve been coming here.”  

Kady nodded. That was all her ten-year-old brain needed to hear to confirm that these once beasts really were friendly. 

The remainder of the evening was pure bliss for little Kady. She watched the werewolves take turns tugging at the thick rope cord, brushed and braided the females silky fur, and finally nestled deep beneath her blanket with the rest of the clan, their long fur warming her. It was the most unusual group to find, monsters and a little girl bundled in a bright pink blanket, in a tiny shed, alone in a field in the middle of the night.   

But Kady was content.