Village Trades

Green tinted light cut through my eyelids. A heavy weight lay across me, pressing me down into the bedroll. I tried to push it off only to realize it was Makya’s arm. As my eyes adjusted, the canvas tent come into view only inches from my face. Makya must have moved us inside when the fire died down. His warm body was pressed up close against my back.

I suppose I could manage to bear the weight of his limbs a little longer. The warm breath against my neck sent a shiver down my spine. Makya stirred and the weight lifted from my chest. My lungs gladly accepted the fresh intake of air, but I let out a groan of displeasure as the warmth of his body moved away from me. Makya rolled out of the bedroll and began pulling on layers without a word.

“Time to go already?”

“You awake? Well, with your leg injury we need to get you back as soon as possible. I am sending Zophiel to find Dekota and Eris. They need to know about the wolves and how they are acting.”

The tent flap opened to a blast of cold air. I pulled the blanket up tight to my chin, not wanting to face the day.

Soon the crackle of the fire and the scent of meat made my stomach protest enough to force me from the warmth of the bedroll. I donned several layers of furs before braving the winter air. Four massive carcasses were piled next to the fire, one was split open and skinned.

“We need to try to preserve this meat before too long. The cold held them overnight but if we are going to get anything useful from the meat, I need to dress them before we head out. Think you are up for helping me?”

I stood stiffly on my leg but was surprised to find it didn’t hurt near as bad as I would have expected. “I can manage.”

A few pieces of meat stopped my stomach from growling so I looked around for my dagger. “Any idea where my blade went last night?”

Makya flashed a bit of steel and then flicked it in my direction. Thankfully my reflexes were still sharp enough to catch the hilt, but only just. “Careful, I am not myself just yet.”

We made short work of the wolves. Soon we had the pelts packed away and the meat wrapped for the butcher. The sled team had a good breakfast and clearly were enjoying their feast.

“These pelts will get us close to $800 when we get back. The meat should put us over $1000. Not a bad week out.”

“Tell that to my leg.”

“You seem to be moving well enough on it. Shall I take a look at it before we break camp?”

“Please.”

Makya leg me back into the tent where I shyly shimmied out of my thicker pants.

“I will get you a blanket.” He passed me a thick blanket from the bedroll before I slipped off my inner thermal layer.

Makya gently prodded my leg eliciting a cry of pain as he found the tender spots.

“Eileen, it's remarkable.”

“Thank you, it took me many years to earn that definition.”

“Yes your calf muscle is very impressive, but I am talking about this bite. It’s still damaged, but Eileen, look! It's practically closed up already! It should be another week before it is this healed!”

Sure enough, there was new pink skin showing beneath the lurid purple and blue bruising. Even that bruising was showing tinges of yellow around the edges.

“How?” I let out quietly.

“I was hoping you might know. Apparently, you really are watched over by your three-faced mother.”

Makya rewrapped my leg but more for support than for covering an open wound. Once I was ready, we collapsed the tent and stowed the gear back in the sled. The sun was high in the sky by the time the team was harnessed back to the sled but we still had a few hours of daylight to make some ground.

As the sun crept lower, Zophiel came into view, far out ahead of us. His screech told us to follow and soon we spotted the smoke from a campfire only a few more miles ahead. When the team caught a whiff of the fire, they barked in excitement and pulled faster, eager to reach the company of the other team.

As we skidded to a stop before the fire, Dekota and Eris waved. “You all made it in one piece! From the note Zophiel carried I thought for sure one of you would be in a body bag.”

“One nearly took my leg, but we live. How do you two fair?”

Dekota grinned, “We bagged two grays! Between them and the beaver, and a couple of hares, I feel like it was a good week!”

Eris eyed the sled, “And what did you two bring in?”

Makya grimaced, “Four blacks. I swear, I have never seen a pack act like this. they went right for Eileen. If the team had not gotten loose, they would have gotten me.”

“Everyone alright?” Eris asked, gesturing to the team.”

“Fine. Jiro has a few scratches, and Koda was tagged across his rump but nothing serious. The wolf ran off once they joined in.”

“Well come, eat. We will get an early start tomorrow and should hit the village by mid-afternoon. We are about seventy miles from the village now, so shouldn’t be too hard of a day on the teams.” Eris said, leading them to the fire.

The next day was bright a clear, and the two sleds raced along the trail. This section of forest was familiar to everyone and I started to see some of the camping sites that the hunters used on their day trips. As afternoon broke, twisted vines hunk in the trees caught my attention. My covens wards reached far around the village, with various warning spells and alerts posted.

It was the aura of green around the sigils that startled me. I had never noticed the hint of power around each one. As the village came into sight, a wall of shimmering purple encased the far end of town where my coven lived. How in all my years had I never seen such a thing? I pointed it out to Makya. “Do you see that purple light?”

“No? Where?”

If he couldn’t see the freaking huge shield of purple, then it must be something only witches could see. But why I was only just now seeing it I couldn’t explain. I would have to ask the coven later.

When we arrived in town, several hunters were coming in from their own trips and the market was rather busy. “Shall we see old man Sani first?”

Makya glanced up and down the street before nodding, “Best see what we can get for the pelts and then see who needs the meat. My father will keep some, but we can likely sell two of them.

Sani was already trading with a couple of trappers when we pulled up so we waited patiently with the team, letting them get some needed water.

“Alright Makya, show me what you have.” Came Sani’s scratchy voice. His wrinkled skin and white hair spoke of the winters he had survived but his grip make it clear he had no intention of letting the wilderness claim him yet.

“Four black wolf pelts.”

“Lets see how you did on them.” Sani unwrapped the pelts and cursed when he saw the first one. “Great spirit preserve us boy. Did you stab the beast to death?”

“Eileen might have on that one, but the other three should be clean shots.”

Sani didn’t look convinced but true to his word, the other pelts were intact.

“$180 for each of the clean ones. I can give you $75 for this one. I might be able to salvage something out of it.”

“$700 for the lot.”

“Makya, every hunter in town has been out. I will admit yours are nice, and I don’t get the black ones often. Everyone else is bringing in grays and a few browns. Tell you what, $650, and I will be sure to give you a good deal next time you need supplies.”

Makya glanced at me with a brow raised.

“Fine,” I said. I needed whatever money we could get and $300 for my cut was better than nothing.

“You say miss Eileen here stabbed this one to death? She doesn’t look any worse for wear. I admit it's impressive you managed to take down four on your own, you two. Most of the others are bring in a few, but four this size? And that after the ones you brought in last week. Bit uncanny if you ask me. ”

I didn’t like this line of conversation so I motioned for Makya to hurry up. He thanked Sani and finished the trade before heading back to the sled.

“We should get the team back. My father will want to know we are back and needs to hear about the wolves.”

I climbed back onto the sled as Makya told the team “Home.” They rushed off, clearly excited to be heading back home.

Makya’s log cabin came into view, and the steady stream of smoke from the chimney meant his father was likely home. As we were getting the dogs unharnessed, Chief Eyota stepped out and wrapped Makya in a hug.

“You have returned. And I see meat. Does that mean you have been to Sani already?”

“Yes, dad. We sold him four pelts. Prices were not as favorable.”

“Four? Well, I want to hear all about it. I will have some tea on the stove when you all are done.” Chief Eyota clasped arms with Makya again and winked at me before hefting an armload of the meat and taking it around to the meathouse they kept outback.

When we finished unloading the sled, I was about ready to collapse from exhaustion. The trip had been more taxing than normal, and any weeklong trek would take its toll on the body. I gladly collapsed into one of the cabin's puffy armchairs and snuggled under a blanket while Makya recounted our adventure to his father.

“Eileen.” Someone shook my shoulder and I about jumped out of my skin.

“What?” As the panic settled, Makya smiled down at me.

“You fell asleep.  Dad has some things he wants to share with us before I take you home.”

I saw up to find Chief Eyota smiling at me from another armchair. “Eileen, your adventure sounds like quite the tale.”

“I am just glad I had Makya with me. I doubt I would be alive without him.”

“He is a good companion to have. You two were a matched hunting party from an early age. Even the great spirit agreed on that account.”

“What?” I had not heard this account.

Chief Eyota chuckled. “Makya never told you about the crow riding on the wolf when you were young?”

“I don’t think I have heard that one.”

“Makya was six, preparing for his rites. He would be assigned a hunting partner based on the trials. It was the same year he bonded with Zophiel. At the start of the trial, the strangest sights. We saw a red wolf with a crow on its back wondering the edge of the village. When Zophiel bonded to Makya, we understood the on partner would be the flyer, but the wolf was not clear until you come to town. The first time you passed by Makya, every wolf for miles decided to howl, and the crows took flight in the trees around. The villagers were scared out of their minds at first, but every since, you two have been nigh inseparable, and the signs became clear.”

“Morrigan? Brigit?”

“Perhaps. Your coven has told me of your deities in the past. These creatures are sacred to us as well. Though in recent weeks, while the great red wolf is sacred, these black wolves have turned deadly. The is an imbalance and unnatural nature to them.”

“We saw that first hand.” A crow cawed outside, making us all jump. The sun was starting to get low in the sky.

“You need to be getting home. Your family will want you inside before dark. Oh, I meant to tell you both. There are some strange folk around town the last few days. You know we don’t get visitors up here often but this week, every day has brought several more in, normally in groups of four to six. Odd folk. One calls himself Arvin Bodolf. Supposedly he is the owner of that large cattle farm near the coast. Boasts about how he has near 800 head of cattle.”

“Aside from avoiding strangers, any reason this concerns me specifically?”

“I didn’t like the vibe he had. Handsome man to be sure. And he could charm a snake with that voice of his. But something just seems off. He liked to talk about fate having prepared him a bride, just needed to find her. Needless to say, the single ladies of the town are staying in close while these folk are passing through. You might want to do the same. Makya will be sure to escort you should you need anything. Never can be too careful these days.”

I nodded and thanked Chief Eyota for the warning. Makya stood and waited for me by the door. I gave the chief a hug and followed Makya to the sleds.

“I will go round up the pups. The team needs a break.” He said as he ducked behind the cabin to the paddock. The cold air was brisk as the sun crept lower, and the light glistened off the snowbanks. On the end of the woods, movement caught my eye. I swirled to see a red wolf standing on the edge of the woods. She was massive, larger than any wolf I had seen, even the black wolves. I was about to should for Makya, when she sumply turned and padded back into the woods.

The yip of pupps snapped me back to the present and I helped hook the pups into the smalled sled’s harness. “There was a wolf, near the wood line.”

“Just now? This close in?”

“I thought it was odd too.”

“A black?”

“No, a huge red.”

“Red? And it was alone?”

“I think so. Why?”

“A lone red wolf is our clan totum. She is sacred to our people. If that is the one you saw, then she is watching over us, and is not a threat.”

“Makya, how can you be so sure?”

“For one, I trust what you say you saw. Besides that, even my father will tell you, the great red wolf is our friend. She hunts alone in these woods but only takes what she needs. In fact, when she is around, the other preditors stay away. She has even been known to visit some of our lost hunters and leave a kill of hare or other small game right when food has run out.”

“How can you tell her apart from others?”

“If you were close enough to see them, she has striking green eyes for one. But her size is the easiest to tell from a distance. That red coat and her size makes it hard to mistake for any other.”

I blinked as I realized Makya was staring into my eyes. “What?”

He chuckled, “If I didn’t know better, I would say you were her sister.”

“What? Whose sister?”

“Our totum. Between your red hair and green eyes… well throw some fur on you and you could be our she-wolf.”

I launched as I climbed onto the sled. “Shall we?”

Makya obliged and mounted the back of the sled. As he mushed the team toward the family manor I asked over the noise, “Does the clan have a name for her? The Shewolf I mean.”

“We call her Stella. She is seen most on the moonless nights when the stars are brightest.”