The Wolfkin (first story submitted online) R - graphic

THE WOLFKIN

By a Giraffe

Chapter One

The Awakening

A young boy stumbled through the forest as a pack of werewolves ripped through the trees in quick pursuit. The boy saw a tree root infront of him, but it was too late, he tripped and turned over, deciding to face his death with dignity and bravery, like the heroes he read about. He saw werewolves closing in on him from the shadows, then the leader, the big one with huge claws and teeth pounced on him, wasting 12 years of careful nurturing and parenting with a single swipe.

“You should’ve been their son!” The chief’s voice boomed enthusiastically through the cabin “We tracked that kid for hours from his campsite, here I brought you some”. The 6-foot, 70 pound monster threw a small, pale arm down at his son. Falkron glanced at it and accidentally let out a small ‘eugh’ sound. A normal human wouldn’t have been able to hear it but he knew his fathers strong ears would pick it up easily. He prepared himself for the pain that was about to be felt and sure enough it came, he was smashed into the wall, almost collapsing the old wooden hut and was held there by his fathers lean, muscular arm. “Are you the hunter or the prey?” he yelled angrily as the residents of the nearby houses let out groans of exasperation, the same old argument, every hunt they thought. Falkron was not a full wolfe yet, so he didn’t have any chance of breaking loose from the iron grip, so he lay limp, and looked away from the foaming mouth and fierce rows of teeth. “Answer me!” the furry killing machine yelled in his sons face, splattering his son with spit and pieces of meat. Falkron remained silent as his father threw him to the ground, making him slide on the hard floor and crash into a wall. There was a loud noise outside, the chief ran outside to see what was happening. Falkron picked himself up and returned to his bedroom.

He examined his bruises, and his whole body in general, he had no fur, but claws that could be retracted or hidden with gloves. All his senses were better than humans’ were; he was also a lot stronger and more agile. He ran his fingers through his long brown hair, it wasn’t very long really, it didn’t cover his eyes or his ears. He wasn’t really bulky, but the way of life was tough so he developed lean muscle all over his body. The only thing that stopped him from having a normal way of life as a human was his blood-red eyes that had curious jagged pupils, which was unknown even among the wolfkin. “If only we transformed, then we could fit in with society” he mused quietly to himself.

Th loud noises outside were growing, and soon involved screams and battle-crys, he snuck out of the back door in time to see his father stumbling backwards with a dagger in his throat. He pulled it out and attempted to kill the one who had thrown it, despite the blood gushing out of his neck. All the Wolfkin seemed to be fighting shadows and gusts of wind and naturally, they were losing to their invisible assailants. Falkron turned to flee the battlefield that was once his village but he saw Vrykon, the elder of this tribe crawling toward him, he had a dagger in the back of his knee. “Falkron,” he said “Falkron you must escape, the vampyr have attacked us!” the Vampyr, ghostly beings that feed on the life essence of others. Falkron turned and ran, deep into the forest and he didn’t look back, even when a dagger flew into a tree in front him, colliding with the force of a truck and burying itself up to the hilt.

He ran and ran until he reached a mountain, he entered, knowing that he’d be unable to find a safer place nearby as he was walking through the tunnels, he saw a strange glow ahead of him, he also heard music and voices. It seemed to be a party, he snuck up closer and hid around a wall, unbeknownst to him, he had just effectively cornered himself and would now be seen by anyone who left the main cave. He realised this too late as a female party member stepped out of the crowd, Damn! He thought as she turned to face him, instead of screaming for help she said calmly “Here, why don’t you step out of the shadows”. Falkron was shocked, but strangely mesmerised by this girl’s voice, he stepped from the shadows and she saw his red eyes and jagged pupils. She beckoned for him to follow her, he did so, still in his trancelike mood. Even when she strapped him down on a table in front of everyone there, nobody seemed shocked or even slightly perturbed instead they all gained this look of strange expectance and pleasure in their eyes.

A large, ornamental knife was handed to the female, who now seemed to be the leader, she raised the knife high above her head, and while she was doing that, Falkron’s subconscious was racing, Leader, Chieftain, Father… Prey he thought back to his beating at his fathers’ hands, and when he did, something hidden deep inside him awoke. All of a sudden his, jagged pupils began to spin, like shurikans flying through the air, muscles bulged from his skinny arms, his claws grew to the size of daggers, he was taken over, possessed by this being of such rage that engulfed all his senses and blocked out everything, even pain… He broke free of his harnesses and jumped up on the table, letting out a fierce howl that resounded throughout the mountain and the forest, sending birds scattering into the sky. Now the people of the congregation were shocked, they began screaming and running wildly. This new Falkron stretched out his muscles and claws and then slashed across viciously at the one whom would’ve killed him but moments earlier. Blood spurted from her huge, open wounds as this killing machine jumped down and began massacring the congregation, claws slashed at chests, teeth ripping out throats left and right, people getting trampled to death by their friends and family. Blood, clothing, intestines and fur flying everywhere as the utter annihilation continued. By the time everyone had been killed. The now exhausted Monster collapsed back onto the bench he would’ve been killed on. He passed out as his pupils stopped spinning, his body returned to its normal self and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Hope you liked it!

because if you didn't

- Giraffe