Alric and the Wolf Ch II
By Robbie Ashmore
The wolf told Alric to climb onto his back. Alric bent over to pick up the money he had collected for the monks. “Leave it!” the Wolf snapped. “Leave it for those beggars and their desert god. The old gods don’t need your money! They just need you. Now climb up and hang on boy. We are going deep into the forest, to the Sacred Grove and there your lessons will begin.”
Alric dropped the bowl and coins. With tears in his eyes he climbed onto Soden’s back. As quick as the wind, the Wolf shot through the trees. Everything around became a blur. Alric thought he could hear the Wolf laughing softly beneath him and was sure he was going to be eaten.
The wolf ran on through night and day, through field and stream, across valleys deep and mountains high. After what seemed like forever, the Wolf began to slow. They were deep inside a strange forest. The trees were tall and straight and Alric thought if he listened closely he could hear the tree’s voices, whispering from their branches.
“It’sssss the boy” “Has he come back to usssss??” “Issss it too late or will he learn??” Their voices were high and thin like the sound of paper rustling over dried bones. Alric was terrified.
Just ahead Alric could see a small fire burning in a circle of stones. “Climb down now.” The Wolf growled as he stopped. Alric climbed down and followed the wolf as he walked towards the fire. Alric could see very large standing stones spreading out in an even bigger circle, around the smaller ones. As he entered the circle of stones he sensed something familiar about the place; like a dream that you cannot quite remember upon waking. As he turned around looking at the huge stones he was startled out of his thoughts by the growling of the Wolf.
“Sit down Alric” Alric sat down and the wolf began to speak: “Alric you have been chosen by the gods and your ancestors to venture out upon a Great Quest. You have within you the strength to complete it; but it will be up to you to find that strength. Your ancestors lived their lives and conducted themselves by a code of ethics. These ethics or ‘Virtues’ are what made them great. Courage, Honor, Truth, Fidelity, Hospitality, Discipline, Hard-work, Self-reliance and Perseverance.”
“Each part of your quest will force you to call upon one of these virtues in order to survive. The dangers you face on this adventure are very real, and there is a good chance you will not survive it. But all men die Alric, all you can do is choose how. Will you die upon your knees, like a lamb led to slaughter, begging for the love of some foreign god who deems you unworthy? Or will you face it upon your feet, with your face to the sun and have the gods welcome you as a brother?”
“Along the way you will find friends and inspiration in unexpected places and enemies where you expect them least. Just remember you are a child of this world. The roots of this dark forest are tangled with your own. Each of our lives is a saga, boy. It is up to you to determine the part you play in the story. Will you be the victim of your story? The fool? Or will you be the hero? Answer me now boy…will you be the lamb in your tale..or THE WOLF!!”
And with the last two words Soden leaped forward and snapped his glistening fangs together just inches from Alric's face. Alric was so frightened that he fell backwards off of the rock he had been sitting on and all he could manage was a loud “squeeeeek.”
“You see” Soden chuckled, “It is much better to be the Wolf!”
