|"Better run, better run
'Cause here it comes, here it comes
Better run, better run
When the wolves come out to play"|
~*~

I felt my breath come in short gasps as I trudged through the mud and trees in the darkness of night. The eerie howls filled the night air as the moon hovered in the starry sky. I recognized them as the howls of wolves, but I had never heard them so close to our cabin before. Actually, I had never seen or heard them in our area at all.

But then I had remembered the story my grandmother told me when I moved into her cabin with her a few months ago. The story of the two warriors, who feuded on our land centuries ago. Cursed by the heavens, the warriors and their tribes transformed into immortal monsters for their recklessness. That day forward, only on the first day of fall each year were they able to shift back to their original form, only to fight with each other once again.

I didn't think much of it at the time. I thought it was just a story. But today was the first day of fall. Curiosity got the best of me, as it would for almost any little girl.

Finally I reached the edge of the tree line, revealing the peak of Toothblade Hill. I lingered in the shade, shivering in my pink pajamas and bath robe. My teeth chattered with both the cold and fear as I peeked out from behind a thick pine tree.

I learned that some legends are true in that moment. Wolves, monstrous wolves were split into two packs on the hill peak, two dozen on each side. The two groups kept their distance, snarling ferociously and pawing the ground.

The two largest wolves then approached each other in the center of the clearing. One was gray, the other light brown. Before my very eyes, the two shifted and grew. I rubbed my eyes with my fists, making sure I wasn't imagining. The wolves were standing on two legs, but had lost they're animal characteristics.

The two wolves were now human. Each were bundled in fur clothes and cloaks of fur matching that of their wolfish counterparts. The men were buff compared to other adults I knew. These two were like Vikings.

"Well, brother," the warrior with the gray fur clothes spoke in a gruff voice. "Once again, we meet on the battlefield. I've waited all year to have another chance to break your skull in."

The warrior in brown furs, who was scrawnier than his brother, merely glared and replied coolly, "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be in this loop!"

"My fault? Ha! I'm not ripping your throat out every year for nothing, brother! I don't wound innocent men!"

"You're hands have more blood stains than mine! They're overflowing with the blood of my men!"

I watched the warriors and their packs growl and snipe at each other, astonished and slightly confused. The legend my grandmother spoke of never explained what started the feud, and the warriors weren't directly speaking of the event. They were merely placing blame.

Then to my horror, an all-out war broke out. The warriors suddenly shifted back into wolves and lunged at each other, their packs following suit. The hill was suddenly sprayed with gore, and howls and snarled barks shattered the silence. I covered my mouth, stifling a gasp as the monsters ripped flesh out of each other, but by some magical miracle, the flesh mended itself in the blinding moon light.

It is was a war with no end.

"Little one."

I yelped at the low growl behind me and whirled around to see a huge wolf, black as night except for a white patch on its right cheek, towering over me. At first I was filled with a paralyzing fear as I stared into its burning amber eyes. Then the wolf backed away as I slid onto the cold muddy ground, in shock.

"Don't... hurt me..." was all I could stammer at that moment.

The wolf lifted its head as if taken aback before opening its mouth and speaking once more, "I don't hurt people."

"You...talk?"

The black wolf dipped it head in a nod and answered, "Only on the night of the first day of fall do I gain my voice. The rest of the year, my voice is extinguished."

"I don't understand, what's happening? This isn't real, stories aren't real like this!"

"I wish it wasn't, but it's all real," the black wolf told her as it sat down in front of her. "Every year on this hill, mine and the rival tribe fight."

Confused, I looked into the wolf's face and dared ask, "What happened? Why aren't you fighting?"

The black wolf paused, glancing at the fight beyond the tree line before speaking up slowly, "Greed is a powerful weapon planted in every human by the creator. We fought and squabbled over food, wealth, and insignificant things, until finally our leaders separated. One tribe became two, separation led to fury and rage, and finally to war and bloodshed. Even centuries later, I'm the only one who has learned from our mistakes. Now we must fight each other till the end of days, with the one exception of myself."

My view of the black wolf changed in that moment. I could see in the wolf's face, sadness and shame as it watched the gore bloodbath beyond. A human trapped in a monster's body for eternity, only having one night a year to speak aloud. It wasn't until I was older that I realized how truly fortunate and amazing it was that we met by chance on that one night.

I was there for him to tell his story.

Finally the wolf looked down at me and inquired, "What is your name?"

"Susan, but call me Sue... What's your name?"

"Sue," repeated back the black wolf as it stood back up and gestured with its head for me to do the same. "Its time for you to leave, little one. You should've never seen this, it's too gruesome. Besides, it's not safe when the wolves come out to play. I will take you home."

It paused before finishing slowly, "And... my name... is Radulf."

I remembering smiling sheepishly at Radulf. I had thought it was a funny name. As I stood up, I slowly placed my hand to Radulf's shoulder as a way to stay close to the wolf.

The moment ended all too fast. Two wolves had stumbled downhill, snapping into each other until catching sight of me and Radulf. My friend had suddenly shielded me from the wolves and howled, "Run, Sue! Run home and stay there!"

I was terrified for my new friend, but I remembered that unlike Radulf, I did not heal wounds in the moon light like he did. As I pelted back down Toothblade Hill to grandmother's cabin, I could still hear Radulf's final warning howl.

"Always remember, Sue; it's not safe when the wolves come out to play!"