Date: Sat, 30 May 2015 21:25:10 +0000 (UTC) From: Will Ren <latexren@yahoo.com> Subject: Connor and the Wolf part 12 (((Continue reading if you are enjoying this but know that things are going to get a little strange and possibly uncomfortable for some. I need certain things to happen to keep the story moving in the direction I want it to go.))) Morgan and the other men rode to the forest's edge and stopped. With the little bit of light left they could see only a short distance into the trees. None of them had the slightest desire to venture into its shadowy embrace. It was unnerving enough just to be as close to the tree line as they were. A chill wind blew; rustling the leaves, masking the other night sounds, save for the occasional cricket. "Tonight we patrol the same as last night. Keep a tight formation and again, no gun fire unless it's an emergency." The men nodded and followed the sheriff as he began to circle the perimeter in a counter-clockwise direction. It would take about forty minutes to ride around the entire village and much could happen in that time. They rode in a staggered formation so no man was alone but none was directly next to another, in case sudden maneuvering were necessary. Some held torches while others rifles. As on the previous night, Morgan had the sword strapped to his thigh under his heavy coat. They moved away from the eastern entrance and in a few minutes were out of sight, hidden behind the houses closest to the forest. The occupants of those homes were spending the night at the inn, amongst most of the other villagers. The leaves blew in the night breeze as something large and muscular stepped out of the forest and onto the road, near the eastern entrance. Still within the shadow of the trees, a large wolf, standing upon two legs, raised its snout to the air and inhaled. It lowered its head and swayed side to side, trying to catch the scent of its quarry. It was no use. The wind was out of the East so only the scents of the forest filled the night. The beast needed to either move to the other side of the village or venture within. It lowered itself to the ground and began to lope along the edge of the forest, following the men on horseback in great leaps and strides. He would not attack them but it was safer to follow than risk running into them from another direction. Though a demon filled with a rage against humanity, the beast possessed intelligence equal to a human. It did not often make mistakes. The demon thought back to the previous full moon and the incident at the farm. He had been unprepared for an encounter with a knight of The Order, or at least one armed with a weapon such as they used. His offspring had surrounded himself with powerful allies but that would only delay the inevitable. In the end, he would see the boy consumed by the curse of he would kill him and take the farm boy in his place. For twenty minutes, the men moved around the village, pausing often to listen to an unusual sound from the forest. Morgan knew that each night the peril would increase, until the moon cycle passed. A horse at the rear of the formation raised its head suddenly, its ears twitching. It snorted loudly and turned to look behind. "Steady there...easy girl." The man pulled the reins in tightly to stop the horse. He turned it hallway round and looked behind them. For a split second, he imagined he saw a great shape move off into the tree line, disappearing from sight. "Sheriff!" He called out, the others stopping. Morgan quickly rode to the back of the group and stopped next to the man, facing behind them. "What is it?" "I saw something, there, a ways behind us. And something has my horse spooked." He pointed to a larger group of trees where he thought he had seen movement. "You certain?" Morgan slid open the side of his coat, exposing the sword hilt. "I am, though I don't know what it was." The man looked at the sword, wondering why the sheriff hadn't mentioned he was carrying it. "Stay here and keep alert." Morgan moved behind them, towards the trees the man had identified. His heart raced in anticipation of what might be sheltered within that darkness, watching him but unseen itself. His horse stopped on its own, a few feet from the tree line. It stomped its hoof into the dirt and bucked its head around, fighting the reins. Morgan relaxed the reins and was still. It was difficult to tell, with the wind blowing the leaves, but he thought he detected movement to his left, as if something large were moving quietly through the forest, paralleling the patrol yet keeping safely hidden within the trees. There was no way to tell what it might be without venturing into the forest, but on horseback, that would be too dangerous. He turned his horse and rode back up to the group. "I didn't see anything. Might have been a bear. Still, keep alert. There is something moving within the forest." He rode to the head of the formation and as a group the resumed moving. The demon watched them from the safety of the trees. Its upper lip curled into a snarl as the sheriff moved past and to the front of the humans. He recognized the scent of that man and what he carried. It was one of the humans from the farm and he had the sword. The men continued around until they reached the western entrance to the village. They paused and listened to the woods but all was still. Morgan clicked his teeth and spurred his horse forward, the formation following behind. The demon reached the same area a few minutes later and paused. He sniffed deeply and lowered his muzzle to the dirt, growling softly. Aiden had been here recently; his scent was still strong. It turned towards the darkness of the forest and then back to the humans, barely visible in the moonlight. They were riding from the area so he should follow them...and yet. He turned his muzzle to the forest and took a few steps into the trees. Further away from the strong scent of horse and man, Aiden's scent was stronger. Yes, his offspring was this way, or had been recently. It made sense to the demon. Pretend to keep the boys in the village where they would be safe but in reality, hide them further away, in the forest. He dropped to all fours and loped off to the west, following Aiden's scent deeper into the forest. ***** Morgan and the other men reached the eastern entrance to the forest and stopped. No further incidents had occurred since the one man thought he had seen something. "We shall rest for a moment and then make another circle." He stretched his back. The others stretched in their saddles and two dismounted to flex their legs before climbing back into the saddle and nodding that they were ready. The group moved out slowly, again circling the village. ***** The demon lumbered down the forest road quickly, moving not like a true wolf but more like a human trying to run on all fours. It wasn't graceful but it propelled the creature with great speed. He did not need to pause for fear of losing Aiden's scent, it was very strong. He ran for twenty minutes and then stopped. Up ahead was a cottage with a lamp glowing inside faintly inside. ***** Aiden stared out the window, towards the eastern entrance to the village. He growled softly and sat down on the bed. Connor hugged him closer. "Is `he' near?" Aiden dipped his head and stopped growling. Slowly, over the next few minutes, his gaze turned from the eastern entrance to the north, as if he were following something. Connor couldn't see anything beyond the few torches lit around town. He couldn't hear anything due to the loud noise emanating from the common room of the inn, below their bedroom. "Are we safe here?" Aiden turned his head and licked Connor across the face. He then moved away from the window and again curled up on the pillow. "Yuck." Connor wiped his face. "You need to stop doing that." He yawned, lay down on the bed, and leaned back against the wolf's warm chest. For the remainder of the night Aiden was quiet, but never slept; he kept guard over his friend. Connor fell back to sleep and slept until morning. ***** The man in the cottage lay back on the bed, his head propped up on several pillows. In his hands, he held the thick, leather collar Aiden had been wearing. He lifted it to his face and inhaled, hoping to catch the faint scent of the boy who had been there earlier in the day. All he smelled was leather. "Bah." He threw the collar to the foot of the bed and sat up, rubbing his crotch. He slowly fondled himself through his pants, thinking back to Aiden's lips around his cock. Tomorrow, he would sink his prick into the boy's tight ass and breed him all day, as often as he could. He thought about asking Morgan to leave the boy with him overnight so he could use him even more. The wooden porch on the front of the cottage creaked, as if someone were outside. He looked towards the door for a moment and shrugged. Nobody would be out this far into the woods at this time of the night. He climbed off the bed and moved to a chair, lighting his pipe from a nearby lamp. Outside, the demon inhaled deeply and moved around to the back of the house. Here, Aiden's scent was strongest. He stopped near a window and smelled the cottage wall. It positively reeked of the boy's scent. Lowering his muzzle, the beast located the small quantity of blood and semen, still damp on the leaf-covered ground. He stuck his tongue into the slimy remains on the ground and licked them up. It was definitely Aiden's blood; something the beast knew only too well. A deep growl welled up from its chest. Someone had mated him. The scent of semen was nearly overpowering the scent of Aiden's blood. A rage of jealousy overtook the demon and he moved back to the front door. The wood creaked beneath its feet as it drew itself up to its full height, towering above the doorframe. Its clawed fingers clicked together spastically as it drooled. The man inside set his pipe down on the table and stood. There was that sound again; as if someone was outside. He grumbled and pulled a pistol out of a drawer under the table. He gripped the weapon tightly and moved to the door. He stopped just on the other side, his ear pressed to the cold wood. For a moment, he thought he could barely hear someone breathing heavily, as if they were out of breath from exertion. "Who is there?" He bellowed angrily. "I have no time for games and will not hesitate to shoot you." He cocked the hammer back. He pressed his ear to the door, just as the porch again creaked. So someone was outside. Well, he would teach them to come around his place uninvited. He stepped back and with a sudden jerk, pulled the door open, moonlight spilling into the room. That is, the moonlight that made it around the immense shape blocking most of the doorway. The man stumbled back a pace and gasped. He raised the pistol towards the `thing' that now stood in the doorway. The werewolf swung one clawed hand forward and grabbed the man's forearm. The gun fired, the shot going wide to the side of the beast's face. With a wet snap, the man's arm broke, hallway between the wrist and elbow. He cried in pain and tried to pull away but the creature's grip was unbelievably strong. The demon stepped into the cottage, pushing the man further inside, before him. He dropped the human's arm and wrapped a clawed hand around his throat. He leaned forward and sniffed the man's face, detecting fear and salty tears. The beast tightened his grip and its claws sank into the man's neck, blood running down his chest. The man coughed and batted at the werewolf with his good arm, to no avail. The demon pushed the man down to the floor and pinned him against the hard, wooden boards. With his other clawed hand, he ripped the man's pants to shreds, blood spattering from the now numerous gashes in the man's thighs and legs. The man cried out as best he could and kicked his feet wildly, attempting to dislodge the horror that now perched above his prone body. The werewolf jammed his muzzle into the man's groin and inhaled deeply. The demon smelled Aiden on the man's penis. It closed its eyes and exhaled slowly. Then, the beast's eyes shot open, glowing brightly yellow and filled with a primal rage. Faster than the man could comprehend, those huge jaws, filled with saliva-covered, twisted fangs, shot open and then clamped down on his groin and lower abdomen. The teeth sank into the soft, warm flesh, down to the bone. The beast held the man's eyes with his rage-filled gaze. The werewolf twisted its head and pulled back, ripping most of the man's abdomen away in one motion. Blood splattered its muzzle and the man screamed in agony, his body twitching madly upon the floor. The wolf rolled the man's guts around in its mouth, tasting the semen that was mixed with blood and urine. It chewed slowly, as if contemplating what it was eating. Oddly, the trace amount of semen it detected was not the same as had been pooled with Aiden's blood outside. That meant this man had not been the one to seed his offspring. It swallowed the mangled mass of flesh. Beneath him, the man's struggles ceased and his eyes clouded over as he died in a pool of his own blood and entrails. His arms and legs continued to twitch for a few seconds and then were still. The demon stood and sniffed the room. Aiden's scent was everywhere, yet the boy was not present. He followed the strongest scent trail and it led him to a chair by the bed. He inhaled deeply and detected Aiden's blood on the leg of the chair, along with the same semen he had tasted outside. Another, other than the dead man on the floor, had used his offspring for pleasure. The wolf's eyes narrowed and a long string of drool dripped onto the chair. That one too would die before the moon cycle ended. The werewolf left the cottage and prowled the nearby forest but could not detect Aiden's scent anywhere else. He dropped to all fours and loped back towards the village. ***** Morgan looked at the moon, descending in the west and called a halt to the patrol. The men stretched, yawned, and again dispersed to their respective homes. He stabled his horse and walked to his house, sitting on the front steps for a while, listening to the night. It had been quiet and that was good. Had that been the werewolf the man at the back of the formation had seen? Perhaps but it hadn't shown itself again all night so he was doubtful. Still, this next night would be the full moon and Aiden said that is when the demon was most powerful. They would need to be especially careful on tonight's patrol. He yawned and went inside, stretching out in his bed and getting some rest. In a few hours, he would need to awaken the boys. It would be interesting to see how Connor behaved when he again took Aiden into the forest. Perhaps today was the day he would take both boys with him. He put one hand on his groin and gently rubbed himself as he thought about what might occur. ***** Connor woke to two arms hugging him, pulling him back against a warm chest. He turned his head and bumped noses with Aiden. "Good morning." Connor kissed Aiden's nose. "Hi." Aiden smiled and carefully climbed up onto Connor's body and lay down. He pressed his lips to his and kissed him passionately. Connor returned the kiss and wrapped his arms around Aiden, pulling him down tightly. He playfully bucked his hips upward, forcing their groins together. Aiden relaxed and laid his head on Connor's shoulder. "Let's stay like this forever." "I wish!" Aiden rolled over and against the wall. "My maker was near last night." Connor sat up and swung his feet over the side of the bed. "I figured that is what you were trying to tell me. Yet, here we are safe and sound." Aiden sighed and sat up, scratching his head. "Tonight is the full moon. It will be very dangerous for us." "I have to imagine we are mostly safe in here, with all the people around." "True, I've never been around so many people at one time. I don't suppose he would dare face this many." A knock on the door drew their attention. "Time to get up." Morgan spoke from the hall and then walked away. "Oh...good." Connor frowned. "I need you to promise me you won't antagonize him again." Aiden was serious. "I don't like what he's doing to you." "Promise me!" He grabbed Connor's arm. "Ouch, that hurts. Fine! I promise." Connor pulled his arm free. "Go see Clare and Dillon. I'll be fine and I'll see you this afternoon. "Ok." Connor frowned. They dressed and headed downstairs, joining Morgan at a table and eating breakfast. Little was said other than the most basic of conversations. They each focused on the morning meal. When breakfast was finished, they walked out into the warm sunlight and looked around the village. The other villagers were again busily going about their business, while they had time. Morgan faced the boys. "Last night there was something following the patrol, though I couldn't see what it was. It didn't bother us so I'm not sure it was the werewolf." Aiden faced him. "He was here last night. I felt him." "What? And you didn't tell me that immediately? What's wrong with you?" "It doesn't make any difference that I waited to tell you. It's daylight so he isn't a problem." "Well it matters to me. You tell me the minute you sense anything. No holding back information like that." Aiden glared. "It isn't like I could have told you last night anyway. I didn't have the ability to speak!" "So what's your plan for today, sheriff?" Connor asked, defusing the situation. "Aiden and I are going to spend the day with Clare and her family." The sheriff faced him. "No, he's coming with me again; to look for tracks in the woods." "But you already know the werewolf is here. What difference does it make if you find tracks? Besides, Clare's father told me to bring him with me. He wants to get to know Aiden." Connor lied. "Well that will have to wait for another day." Morgan shook his head. "But I already promised her mother he would join me today. She is preparing a meal for us. I can't change the plans now. I'd have to explain why he's with you, in the forest." Connor met the man's gaze squarely, confidently. "That wouldn't be wise." Morgan returned the icy gaze. "They can't learn about the werewolf." Connor nodded. "Exactly. So you see, he needs to come with me." He grabbed Aiden's arm and started to pull him away from the Sheriff. "Come on Aiden; let's see if Clare and Dillon are awake." "Hold on. I didn't say he could go with you." Morgan reached out a hand and grabbed Aiden's other arm. For a moment, Aiden was stretched between them, held by each arm. Connor stopped pulling Aiden and turned to face the sheriff. "Begging your pardon but we aren't your sons. As long as we aren't breaking the law you can't say what we can or can't do. I don't mean to sound rude, sir." For a few seconds nobody spoke, Connor and the sheriff faced each other, waiting to see how this would play out. Morgan released Aiden's arm and nodded. "Fine. You two go see Clare and her family. We will meet back here for dinner." "Thank you." Connor nodded. "I'm not trying to be difficult, honest. It's just that I promised he'd come with me and I don't want to break my word to her father." "So be it." The boys turned and walked off, towards Clare's house. "Connor." Morgan called after them. "Sir?" They turned to face him. "Tomorrow we will all go looking through the forest for tracks and other sign." Morgan held his gaze. "Ok, bye." Connor waved and turned around, pulling Aiden along with him. They walked off and turned the corner, around a house, heading down a different lane. Aiden stopped and spun Connor around. "You gave me your word!" He was angry. "What?" Connor shrugged. "You know what I'm talking about. You are deliberately challenging him." Connor sighed. "Alright fine. You know what? I am!" "You mustn't." Aiden sounded tired and defeated. "Well it's too late now. What's done is done. Besides, we have all day to think of a plan to keep us both out of the forest tomorrow." Aiden shook his head. "That won't be easy." "My mother says nothing worth doing ever is." Connor punched him lightly on the arm. "Come on, let's go see Clare and Dillon." They continued walking and soon enough reached her home. Dillon was outside, sitting on the front steps. He looked up as they approached and a huge grin split his face. "Connor!" He jumped up and ran to meet then. "Hi Aiden." He looked back and forth between them. "Hey Dillon. You and Clare feel like hanging out today?" "Oh yeah, that would be great!" He looked back towards the house. "Except..." At that moment the front door to the house opened and Clare stepped out, followed by a boy their age. "Um...Henry is here." Dillon jerked his thumb towards the house. "Oh." Connor felt a momentary stab of jealousy, but it quickly turned to relief that he would no longer be expected to court Clare. "Hi Connor, Aiden." Clare walked up to them, smiling. "I'd like you to meet Henry." She introduced the other boy. "Nice to meet you, Connor." Henry extended his hand. "Clare tells me you and she grew up together." Connor accepted his hand and shook it, firmly. "Sort of. I'm not around very often as I live a few hours away on a farm." Henry pulled his hand back, involuntarily flexing his fingers. "That's right. You aren't from the village. A country boy I guess we should call you. This place must be a bit overwhelming to you, all the people." He smirked and put his arm around Clare's waist. "We are going to do a little shopping in the market. I'd invite you to come with us but I expect you are here to see Dillon." He ignored Aiden and walked past them, steering Clare along as he went. She looked over her shoulder at Connor and smiled weakly. Connor shrugged. He waved goodbye and faced Dillon. "I don't like him." Dillon nodded. "He is a jerk. I told you so last time." "You did." Connor agreed. "But he's right. We are here to see you." The boy's face brightened. "So what do you two want to do today?" He looked back and forth between them. "No idea. What do you have in mind?" Connor shrugged. "I can take you to my secret fishing and swimming hole. Do you want to go?" "Dillon! I told you not go there alone." Connor frowned. "Yeah yeah, I know...the bear!" He growled and raised his hands in mock claws. "But I won't be alone with you guys along." He looked at them and grinned. Connor faced Aiden. "Do you think it's ok?" "Should be." Aiden nodded. "Let's just be home before late afternoon." "Awesome!" Dillon clapped his hands together. "Let me tell mother and then we can go." He ran back into the house, the door banging shut behind him. "You think it's really safe to go into the forest?" Connor asked. "I think so. I doubt he would attack all three of us while in human form." They waited a few minutes and then Dillon came back out with a cloth bag in his hand. "Mother made us some sandwiches." "Ok, let's go." Connor smiled. "Lead on." Dillon grinned and led them towards the east entrance of the forest. The entered the forest and walked in the cool shade for fifteen minutes before taking a small game trail to the south, disappearing into the deeper trees and bushes. ***** Morgan stretched his back, watching the boys walk off towards Clare's house. He was almost certain that Connor knew what had happened to Aiden in the forest. No matter, tomorrow he would join him at the cottage. He wasn't sure if Connor would be personally involved but he would be made to watch as Aiden was used repeatedly. For now, there was no reason to go to the cottage. His arrangement with the man in the forest wasn't set in stone. If he showed up that was good. If not, that was fine too. He realized that if he weren't going into the forest he could get some much-needed rest. He made his way towards his house and used the rest of the morning to catch up on his sleep. ***** The boys kept following the game trail, Dillon leading them forward. As they went, Aiden stretched out with his senses, seeking any presence of his maker. So far, they were alone. Soon, the sound of running water could be heard from ahead. Dillon turned to face them. "We are almost there. I hope you guys like my spot." He turned and walked a little faster. "We should have brought fishing poles." He called back over his shoulder. Connor watched him walking in front, his gaze settling on the younger boy's butt. He was becoming aroused. So many times he had touched himself back home, at the well, imagining it was Dillon he was with. Now, he would get to spend the day with the boy and possibly see him naked, if they decided to go swimming. He hoped they would. Aiden put his hand on Connor's shoulder and smiled. He tilted his head forward towards Dillon. "You fancy him." He whispered. "Yeah, a little I guess." Connor nodded. "I do too." Connor smiled and hurried up after Dillon. They all entered a small clearing together. Here, a stream widened into a deep pool before shrinking back down and continuing on its way downhill. "Well? What do you think?" Dillon asked proudly. "This is incredible." Aiden smiled. "And you found this place by yourself?" "I did. I've never shown this to anyone else." He looked at them both. "Don't go telling anybody!" "Never." Connor shook his head seriously. "No." Aiden shook his head too. "So, what should we do? You want to go swimming?" Dillon beamed. Connor felt his dick jump in his pants. "Oh, we could, if you want to." "Yeah!" Dillon set the sack with their sandwiches on the ground and pulled off his shirt. He draped it over a low bush, letting it air dry, as it was damp with sweat. His chest and back glistened in the bright sunlight. "I got all sweaty walking here." He bent over and unlaced his boots." Connor gave a soft moan and faced Aiden. "Be good." Aiden whispered and kissed him quickly while Dillon was facing away. Dillon stood and kicked off his boots. He faced them. "Well? Are you going to come in with me?" They both nodded and removed their shirts and boots. Neither of them was willing to remove his pants unless Dillon did also. They didn't want to make him uncomfortable, but that proved not to be a problem. "Then let's go!" He pulled his pants down, his semi-hard penis flopping against his leg. "It's cold though so get ready." He ran towards the pool and with a huge leap jumped in, holding his knees to his chest. He surfaced, spitting water from his mouth. "Woo hoo!" Connor dropped his pants, his mostly erect penis sticking out in front of him. He didn't waste any time and walked into the pool, up to his chest. He hoped the cold water would take care of his erection. Aiden finished stripping and slowly walked into the pool. "This is freezing." He walked up to his waist and stopped. Dillon faced Connor and smiled. "He must not be used to cold water." He laughed. "No, he isn't. He does this every time we swim in the river, back home." "Come on Aiden, it's not so bad once you get used to it." He moved over to where Aiden was standing and grabbed onto his hand. He pulled him deeper into the pool, Aiden resisting but not strongly. Aiden looked over his shoulder and was not surprised to see Connor making obvious stroking gestures under the water. A mischievous grin spread across Aiden's face and with a sudden lunge, he jumped forward, wrapping his arms around Dillon and knocking him backwards into the deeper water. They both disappeared under the water and surfaced individually a few seconds later. "Well that's one way to get used to the water." Dillon spit water from his mouth and laughed. He faced Connor. "You're next!" He moved through the water towards him. "No! Leave me alone." Connor started to back away, but not quickly. "Get him!" Aiden yelled. Dillon threw himself on Connor and knocked him backwards. As they fell, Connor gently wrapped his arms around Dillon and pulled him down under the water with him. He felt the younger boy's penis bumping against his thigh, though it was shrunken from the cold. He longed to hold Dillon tightly but he assumed that would upset him so he released him and surfaced. "No fair!" Dillon coughed. "You weren't supposed to pull me under too." He laughed. "That's what you get." Connor hugged his own chest, his teeth chattering. Aiden began moving towards the shore. "Where are you going?" Dillon asked. "I'm freezing to death. I'm getting out." Aiden left the pool and shook water from his body. "Me too." Connor followed him, thankful that the cold water was keeping his erection under control. "Oh fine." Dillon followed them out and shook his head once he was on the grassy bank. "Well that didn't last very long!" He laughed. They stood around for a while, letting the sunlight warm and dry their bodies. Connor purposefully kept his gaze averted from Dillon, as he didn't want to become aroused. Dillon wiped the water off his body as he moved around. "It helps if you move. The warm air dries you quicker." He walked around in front of Connor. "Hey, your prick is awake!" He smiled. Connor looked down. "Oh yeah? Huh...I guess it is." "Mine too." Dillon lifted it with one hand and smiled. "Happens all the time." He laughed and continued walking around. Aiden was the first to get dressed, pulling Connor's clothes on, instead of his own. Dillon noticed and pointed at him. "Hey, those are Connor's clothes." "What's that?" Aiden asked. "Oh, maybe. It doesn't matter. We share clothes all the time." Connor made a grimace face that Dillon couldn't see but Aiden could. He hoped that wasn't saying too much. He doubted other boys shared clothes. Dillon picked up his own shirt and looked at it. "You do? That's neat. I've never been here with anyone else so I've never gotten to do that." He faced Connor. "Here." He threw his shirt at him. Connor caught Dillon's shirt and, before he realized what he was doing, held it to his face and inhaled, smiling. It smelled like sweaty teenage boy. "Hey!" Dillon pointed. "That doesn't stink. Mother washed it last week and I've only worn it a few times since." Connor felt his penis twitch and swell. "No, it doesn't stink too much." He pulled the shirt over his head, the material stretching to fit his slightly larger frame. Dillon laughed and picked up his pants. He tossed them at Connor. "Here, these too!" He grinned. Connor slid his legs into the younger boy's pants and pulled them on. They were the loose-fitting type so they weren't too tight. Dillon was only two years younger than Connor and not much smaller. "Now these." He tossed Connor his boots. Connor caught one and dropped the other. "Hmm...I'd better check." He stuck his face into one of them and inhaled, his penis swelling more. "Not too bad." "Oh that's funny!" Dillon laughed. "You like my stinky clothes." He grinned widely and looked around for Connor's clothes. They were piled up next to Aiden so he walked over and pulled the shirt on. "Hey, this fits me perfectly." He then pulled on Connor's pants and nodded. "These too." "How about my boots?" Connor smiled. "Probably, we are almost the same size." Dillon nodded. He picked up one boot and peeled down the tongue. He stuck his nose in and gave a little sniff. "Not too bad but worse than mine I bet." He smiled and sat down, pulling both boots on. "Hah. Now people will think you are me." Connor laughed. "Naw, it's just clothing." Dillon shook his head. Connor walked over to stand next to him and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Well, thanks for letting me wear your clothes. Makes me feel like we are closer friends now." "Well we are!" Dillon nodded. "Both of you are my good friends. I don't show other people this spot you know." "And we thank you." Aiden smiled. "We should head back." Dillon shook his head. "But we just got here. Besides, we didn't eat lunch." He pointed to the cloth back with their sandwiches inside. Aiden casually glanced from side to side as if listening to the forest. He faced Connor and nodded subtly. "Ok, we'll eat lunch and then head back." Connor nodded. They spent a while slowly eating and talking. Dillon asked Connor many questions about the farm and tried to ask Aiden about his home, but didn't get much information from him. At one point, the topic of why Aiden was living with Connor arose. Connor shrugged. "Well, we met one day and it turns out he was no longer living with his family. We needed some help on the farm and I needed someone to do stuff with." "What kind of stuff?" Dillon took a bite of his sandwich and leaned back against a tree. "Chores, hunting, swimming in the river, those kinds of things." Connor shrugged. "That sounds neat. I want to do those things but don't have anyone to do them with. Henry doesn't like me." Dillon frowned. "Well then he's the one missing out. I think you are great." Connor smiled. "I do too." Aiden added. "Yeah, you two are ok too I guess." Dillon smiled and continued chewing. "Hmm...just ok?" Connor raised an eyebrow. "Ok, better than ok." Dillon grinned. "That's more like it." Connor nodded. They finished eating and left the small pool. They didn't talk much on the return trip through the forest. Each seemed content with inner thoughts. They returned to the village in the early afternoon and found people hurrying around, anxious to get their chores done before the moon rose. Dillon mentioned he had some stuff to do before dinner and left them, promising that they would do something again the next day. He made no attempt to get his own clothes back and Connor was just as happy to keep wearing them. The boys returned to their room and Aiden sat on the bed while Connor closed the door. "He's nice." He lay back. "Dillon? Yeah, he is." Connor locked the door and walked over to the bed. "You like him." Aiden taunted him. "I do. I always have. He has been the object of my fantasies for some time." "Hey! I thought I was." Aiden sat up. "No, you aren't a fantasy. You are my flesh and blood wolf boy." Connor looked down at Aiden. "You like wearing his clothes." Aiden pointed at Dillon's shirt and pants and then the slight bulge in the pants where Connor's semi-erect penis lay against his thigh. Connor nodded. "Yeah. They smell like him and I like that." Aiden stood and hugged him. "I like to see you happy." He inhaled the warm scent rising off the clothing Connor wore. Connor returned the hug, feeling his penis swell further and rub against Aiden's, which was also swollen. They released each other and stood still, grinning. "I'm all worked up." Connor blushed. "Between being close to you and the scent of Dillon on these clothes I need release." "Me too." Aiden nodded. "Will you have sex with me?" "I'd like that." Connor nodded. "You aren't too sore?" "No, I'm fine today." They both stripped. Aiden dropped down in front of Connor and swallowed his cock, thoroughly wetting it. He then stood and rubbed himself a few times, squeezing out a drop or two of pre-cum and wiping it on the head of Connor's dick. "I want you inside of me." Aiden turned and propped himself up on the side of the bed, on one arm, still on his knees. With his other hand, he gently stroked himself. "Hurry up, before your prick dries." Connor nodded and settled in behind him. Slowly, not wanting to cause him discomfort, he placed the head of his dick against Aiden's ass and pressed forward. His own juices were flowing so that added to the lubrication and he slowly worked himself into Aiden's ass. Once he was fully inside he slowly pulled out and pushed back in, working up a gentle rhythm. During that time, Aiden continued to stroke himself, moaning softly. "Imagine that I'm Dillon..." He said quietly. Connor felt his dick throb at the sudden thought and grinned. "You are naughty." "Go on, have fun with this." Aiden said quietly. Connor moaned quietly and gave a few harder thrusts, imagining he was inside the younger boy. He held the image of Dillon in his mind and realized he could still smell the boy's scent on his own body, from wearing his clothes. "I can smell him." Connor said softly. "Me too." Aiden agreed. Connor reached down to the floor and picked up one of Dillon's boots. He held it in one hand and held onto Aiden's waist with the other. He stuck his face into the boot and inhaled, pushing himself deeply into Aiden. "Oh god, that feels great." Aiden purred. "You are hitting the spot." His breathing was becoming labored and he began to stroke himself more urgently. Connor took another deep breath of Dillon's boot and quickened his pace. They both fell silent, the only sounds being soft, strained moans and Connor's deep breathing inside the boot. Connor imagined he was inside Dillon and the scent from the boot was the scent rising off the boy's warm, sweaty body. He gave one final thrust and emptied himself inside Aiden. Aiden felt Connor erupt and tightened the grip on his own penis, bringing himself to climax at the same time. He sprayed the side of the bed with his semen. Connor stopped moving, his dick still in Aiden's ass and his face still in Dillon's boot. He was breathing heavily from the exertion and that made the scent from the boot all the more potent. Aiden turned his head and saw Connor holding the boot over his face. He laughed. "Your face will smell like him the rest of the night." Connor set the boot down and gently pulled out of Aiden. "Maybe, but I won't complain." Aiden turned and sat on the floor. He smiled and held his arms apart. Connor turned and sat back against Aiden, his arms wrapping around him. "I like this." "I will never tire of holding you." "Do you want to have sex with me now?" Connor asked shyly. The act of Aiden penetrating him was still something he was insecure about, though he greatly enjoyed it. "No, I also released just now so I'm done for a while. Maybe later, after dinner?" "Ok, I'd like that." Connor sighed and closed his eyes, his breathing relaxing. Aiden picked up Dillon's boot and held it to his face, inhaling. "This does smell nice." "What's that?" Connor opened his eyes. "This." He handed him Dillon's boot. "Oh, yes." He set the boot down and yawned. "I'm tired." "Let's sleep for a while and then I guess we have to have dinner with the sheriff." "Ok. That sounds nice. Sleeping together I mean, not dinner." Connor laughed. They climbed into bed and Aiden spooned in behind Connor, draping his arm over him. "Can I tell you something?" Aiden asked quietly. "M...hmm." Connor mumbled. "You said earlier that we needed to find a way to avoid being taken to the cottage in the forest." Connor opened his eyes, realizing this was going to be a serious conversation. "You have something in mind?" "I...have done something. You might think it's wrong and I don't want you to be angry with me, but, it could keep you safe and that means everything to me." Connor rolled onto his back so he could face Aiden. "Tell me. I won't be angry." "I pissed all over the cottage wall. I also squatted and forced the sheriff's semen and some blood out of my ass, onto the ground outside." Connor shrugged. "That's nothing bad. What happened to you is what's terrible." "Yes...but think about it." "I don't understand. I piss around the barn all the time." Connor shrugged. Aiden was silent. "Aiden, I'm confused. Tell me." "The scent might draw my maker to that cottage..." Aiden whispered. Connor was quiet for a moment and then sat up, looking down at Aiden. "So you did that on purpose. To draw the demon there?" "I did. Are you disappointed in me?" He looked sad. Connor smiled and shook his head. "No! That's brilliant! That bastard will get what he deserves and you won't ever have to go back to that horrible place." Aiden wiped a tear from the corner of is eyes. "The idea came to me suddenly, while I was there yesterday. I was afraid you would be upset that I did it." "Don't cry." Connor wiped Aiden's cheek with his thumb. "I would never blame you for something like that. You have every right to protect yourself." "But...it's basically murder." "Maybe not. Maybe the demon will just trash the outside of the cottage and scare the crap out of the man." Aiden was silent for a moment then shook his head. "I think we both know what will happen if my maker goes there." "Yeah, well I say what goes around comes around." Connor lay back down and scooted back against Aiden. "He will get what he deserves. Maybe the same will happen to the sheriff." Aiden thought back to earlier the previous day when he vomited outside Morgan's house. "It might..." "Well..." Connor yawned. "It wouldn't be like he doesn't also have it coming." He closed his eyes. "Thank you." Aiden hugged him. "I love you Aiden. We will always be together and we need to protect each other." Connor sighed. "Always." Aiden closed his eyes and drifted to sleep. ***** In the late afternoon, Morgan awoke and moved to the chair on the front porch, lighting his pipe from the oil lamp on the way outside. He looked around the village, noting how people seemed to be in more of a rush than usual. He knew why – tonight was the full moon. A commotion drew his attention towards the western part of town. Two men on horseback were quickly riding towards him. Many eyes followed their advance, wondering what was happening. He tapped out his pipe and stood, walking towards them. "Sheriff!" One of the men called out. "Yes?" He approached that man. "There are huge wolf tracks! In the forest!" "What's this?" Morgan asked. "We just came back from hunting the forest west of town. Along the way, we noticed extremely large wolf tracks in the forest...but...these are quite strange. They look stretched out, almost human, but there is no mistaking them; they are from a wolf." Morgan immediately thought of his friend in the forest and a dread filled him. "Tell no one else. I will go investigate. There is a man living deep in the forest and I should see if he is ok and has seen or heard anything strange." "We will come with you sir. You should not go alone." "Very well. Let me saddle my horse." Morgan moved to the stable and prepared his horse. He tried to appear calm but a group of people followed him, asking what was wrong. He tried to calm them but no matter what he said, they quickly decided for themselves that the werewolf was upon them and word began to spread through the village, like a wild fire. "Stay here and try to remain calm. I will get to the bottom of whatever is going on." He mounted his horse and rode to where the other two men waited. As a group, they spurred their horses and galloped off towards the cabin in the forest. Along the way, the men pointed out the tracks and Morgan knew what creature had made them. Those same tracks had been in the dirt outside the Darrow's farmhouse. They rode on, each scanning the woods around them as if they expected the creature to spring forth at any moment. Soon enough they arrived at the cottage where Aiden had been taken. The front door was open and it was dark inside. Morgan dismounted and handed his reins to the closest man. "Stay here. I will go inside and see if he is home." "Yes sir." The man nodded. Morgan drew his pistol and slowly walked up to the door. He knew it was wrong that the door was ajar but it was also daylight so he should be safe from the werewolf. He stuck his head into the doorway and quickly covered his mouth and nose. The strong stench of blood, waste, and the early beginnings of decay assaulted him. A coppery scent hung about the place. He turned to the side, took a deep breath, and walked into the dwelling. There, on the floor by the bed, lay the disemboweled remains of the man. He was obviously dead so Morgan did not bother to check his body. It was clear that some large, powerful animal had attacked him and ripped his body apart. He knew exactly what could do such a thing. About the floor were many large prints from some type of wolf. They were tracked through the blood and about the wooden floor. He followed as the tracks went to the bed and then to the chair where Morgan had raped Aiden, as he sat upon his lap. The tracks moved all around that chair, as if the wolf has been especially interested in it. He was almost out of breath so he turned and left, pulling the door closed behind him. He exhaled and then quickly took a deep breath of clean air. "What did you see?" The man holding his horse's reins asked. "There is nothing we can do here. The man is dead. It looks like he was attacked by a bear or wolf, maybe several." The other man spoke up. "You know as well as we do what did this! You saw those tracks. It's the werewolf...he's back!" Morgan shook his head. "Let's not have any of that talk, especially around town. It will do no good and only serve to frighten everyone." He walked over and climbed into his saddle. "But I'm right, aren't I." The man persisted. Morgan met his gaze. "Yes." He turned his horse and began heading back to town. The men quickly fell into pace behind him, all of them eager to get out of the forest before sundown, which was quickly approaching. They road quickly back to town and Morgan stabled his horse. He had cautioned the men again about telling others what had happened, at least until after the next few nights. He made his way to the inn and found Aiden and Connor eating dinner by themselves in the corner. He sat with them and ordered food and drink for himself. The boys both realized immediately that something was different. Connor faced him. "Is something wrong?" Morgan met his gaze and sighed, suddenly feeling very tired. "Yes, there has been another attack." He looked at Aiden. "Last night, from what I can tell." "What happened?" Connor asked, feeling more excited than frightened. "There is a man who lives about an hour west of the village, in a small cottage deep in the forest." He caught Aiden's gaze. "He is dead." Aiden faced him, returning the gaze without emotion. "Yes. From what I can tell, your maker attacked and killed him." Connor set the piece of bread he was eating onto his plate. "Why do you suppose he would have been attacked?" "Why indeed?" Morgan held Aiden's gaze, his expression hardening. Aiden shrugged, trying not to smile. While he loathed the thought of innocent people dying because of him, the death of that man was welcome. "As I told you once before, back on the farm, my maker does not take kindly to other people interacting with me." "But why would the werewolf attack that man? You never took Aiden there...did you sir?" Connor faced the sheriff. Morgan dropped the food he had been eating and glared at both of them. "Let's stop this charade. I know that Aiden told you what happened to him at that cottage." Connor thought about saying something clever but just settled for a simple shrug. Morgan faced Aiden. "We will discuss that another time. What I want to know now is how safe are we here?" "We?" Aiden calmly returned the man's panicked gaze. "Me, you two, the villagers. All of us!" Morgan took a long drink of his ale. "That depends. I doubt he would come into town but who can say. He might seek out anyone else who has had contact with me." Aiden looked down, cut a piece of meat, and put it into his mouth. "Let's hope not. I think I will restrict the patrol to the inner part of the village tonight, not along the forest's edge." Morgan thought aloud. Connor pushed his plate away and stretched. "Well, I'm tired and would like to go to bed early and stop talking about this." "What about you?" Morgan faced Aiden. "You feel like accompanying me on tonight's patrol? That might spare the rest of us if he gets you." "No!" Connor said, a little too loudly. Several other patrons turned their attention towards him. Morgan faced him. "You think he is more worthy of life than any one of us?" "I mean, he can't go outside with you. Tonight he will...change...and that wouldn't be good for others to see." "Actually, it might be just what they need. Show him for the monster he is and then drive him away, into the forest. The beast would follow him and we would be rid of both problems." "I won't let you do that." Connor banged his fist on the table. More heads turned towards them. "Keep your voice down." Morgan looked around, giving the other patrons a reassuring nod. "You gave us your word." Connor lowered his voice. "Well maybe you should have thought about that before your little outburst a few minutes ago. The situation has changed. You seem to know about Aiden's adventures in the forest and that is something I specifically told him to keep quiet about. Now, we need to revise our agreement." "We can discuss that tomorrow." Connor said calmly. "I think we discuss it now, with all these nice people present." Morgan set his napkin on the table and scooted his chair back, preparing to stand. Connor acted before he could clearly think of the best course of action. He walked up to the sheriff, standing right next to him, his leg brushing against the man's. He put his hand on the Morgan's arm. "Please sir, leave Aiden alone. I'll do anything you want, I promise." He felt himself shudder slightly as he said it. "I didn't mean to cause a scene." Morgan smiled evilly. "How selfless of you." He placed his hand over Connor's. "We'll talk more about this tomorrow. For now, you two should go to your room. The moon will be rising soon and we don't need Aiden changing in front of everyone." Connor nodded and stepped away from him. "Come on Aiden." Aiden was speechless and shocked by what Connor had just done, but followed him upstairs. Once in their room, Aiden stood by the bed and shook his head. "Why did you do that?" His voice was soft and sad. "It was the only thing I could think to do to get him to not reveal you to the village." "He was bluffing. He would never have done that. Now...you owe him." "That's ok. I don't think he will actually do anything to me." Connor hoped it was the case. "I pray you are correct." Aiden opened his arms. Connor stepped into the embrace and they hugged. "Thank you. That was an incredible sacrifice." Aiden kissed him. "I'd do anything to protect you." Connor stepped back and smiled. "I love you Aiden." "And I love you." "So...would you like to have sex with me now?" Connor asked shyly. "Before we got to sleep?" Aiden smiled and began to remove his clothes. "I'd like that." Connor smiled and removed Dillon's clothes. He climbed onto the bed and got onto all fours. "I'd like you inside me, not sucking me." Aiden settled in behind him and wrapped his arms around Connor's waist. "If that's what you want." He released him and moved back a bit. Gently, he spread Connor's ass cheeks and then ran his tongue up his crack. "Oh god, that feels great." Connor moaned. "Shhh..." Aiden repeated the motion, noting that Connor still smelled fresh from swimming earlier. He continued licking him until his own prick was swollen and leaking. He wiped up the cock drool on his fingers and spread it around and inside Connor's hole. He continued to milk his own penis of the pre-cum and spread it down its length. Gently, he placed the head against Connor and slowly pushed inside. Connor moaned quietly and pushed back. "All the way in, as deep as you can go." Aiden smiled and bucked his hips forward, sinking another inch deeper inside Connor's warmth. When he was mostly inside, he wrapped his hand around Connor's prick and began to slowly stroke him. "Yes..." Connor hissed through his increasingly labored breathing. "Deeper." Aiden smiled at Connor's lust and pushed inside, as deeply as he could go. A powerful desire was building within him. Connor lifted he head and looked out the window, towards the east where the full moon was rising above the forest. He felt Aiden moving in and out and longed for him to fill him with his seed. He needed to be bonded to the boy, to be more than brothers. Aiden bent forward and smelled the warm scent rising off Connor's back. He smiled as he detected both Connor and Dillon's scent. He quickened his pace and a string of drool fell from his mouth onto Connor's back. "Mmmm..." Connor purred as he felt the penis inside him touching that special spot. He began to notice another sensation. Aiden continued his thrusting. "Wow...you sure are warm tonight." Aiden began to grunt softly as he moved his knees further forward and tucked his groin further beneath Connor, attempting to stuff even more of his penis inside him. Connor placed his hands further to the side, as Aiden's thrusts became more frantic. Aiden closed his eyes and felt his seed boiling up from deep inside his body. It felt better than it ever had before and he knew it would be a large amount, despite having ejaculated earlier in the day. This would be different. He wasn't just having sex; he was breeding his mate. "Oh god...Aiden..." Connor threw his head side to side as the penis within banged against his prostate, sending waves of pleasure through him. "You are so warm...and... oh god..." Connor moaned. Aiden looked out the window and saw the moon rising, pale and yellow. He shoved forward harder and his thrusts became shorter and quicker. "Hey, be careful, that's starting to hurt!" Connor braced his hands further apart as Aiden's thrusts became more violent. Suddenly, the heat radiating from Aiden increased dramatically and then faded altogether, replaced by a different sensation. Connor's eyes shot open and his pulse faltered for a second. He felt fur against his back. He looked over his shoulder and locked eyes with the pale yellow eyes of a wolf. The beast growled deeply and snapped its teeth, Connor averting his head just in time to avoid being bitten. The wolf placed its jaws around his neck to hold him still. Its teeth didn't break the skin but it was a warning not to move. It gave two more forceful thrusts and then relaxed, its seed shooting into Connor, as its penis throbbed. Its knot began to swell, preparing to lock them together and ensure its seed didn't leak out. Connor was frozen with fear. His hands were shaking and he felt sick with terror. Behind him, the wolf had stopped moving but its long penis was still buried deep within his ass. He could feel the penis inside him pulsing and a warm wetness spreading within his guts. At the opening to his ass, a large pressure was building as something tried to push inside him. Then, with a strangled half growl and half yelp, the wolf suddenly released its teeth from Connor's neck and pulled back, its long, pink penis sliding from his ass. A stream of semen dribbled out the tip, down Connor's leg and onto the bed. The wolf scrambled backwards and fell off the bed, landing on the floor with a heavy thump. It got up and ran across the room, crashing into the corner and collapsing on the floor, panting and whining. It scratched frantically at its muzzle. Connor turned his head and saw the wolf shaking and whimpering. "Aiden..." Connor moved so his legs were hanging over the side of the bed. He winced with discomfort, his ass sore and throbbing. The wolf stopped whimpering and lifted its head to meet his gaze. Were it possible, it appeared that Aiden was crying. The look upon the wolf's face was one of horror and profound sadness. "Come...over here." Connor stood and dropped to his knees and winced again. When Aiden didn't come to him, Connor stood and slowly walked to the corner of the room where he was crouched. "That wasn't your fault. I know you can't control yourself when the moon is full. It was my mistake to encourage you to have sex this time of the night." He held out his hand. Aiden avoided his hand and moved to the opposite side of the room. He crawled under the bed and curled up, facing the wall. Connor's heart was breaking. He could only imagine what Aiden must be feeling. Slowly, he crawled back up onto the bed and lay down on his side, his back against the outer wall under the window. "I'll be up here if you want to join me." Aiden remained under the bed. Connor sighed and closed his eyes. Feeling exhausted, sore, and sad, he eventually drifted to sleep. ***** Morgan watched the boys head upstairs and looked around the room at the few people who were still looking in his direction. He smiled and shook his head, as if laughing at some private joke he and the boys had shared. The others calmed down and resumed their evening meals. The room was not as lively as it usually would have been. The moon would be up soon and most of the people gathered were convinced the devil would soon descend upon them. He needed to round up the other men who were to patrol with him and begin soon. Tonight, they would keep a safe distance from the forest, keeping to the inner streets of the village. Morgan left the inn and made his way home. He strapped the sword to his waist and put his long coat on top of that before heading to the stable for his horse. The other men of the patrol were waiting for him on the road to the eastern entrance. They quickly moved into formation and began patrolling the streets. A fog was gathering at the edge of the forest and slowly creeping into the village. The moon rose above the trees, round and bright, bathing the buildings in a pale yellow light. ***** Dillon lay awake in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. It was difficult to sleep when his room was lit by the glow of the moon. He could close the heavy curtains but he was enjoying the cool evening breeze. He kept thinking back to the fun day the three boys had, at the pool in the forest. He lifted the shirt he wore to his nose and inhaled. It smelled like Connor and that made him smile. Life with only an older sister was rarely exciting and he often wished he could live outside the village, as Connor did. In fact, he imagined how fun it would be to live with Connor and his family. Sure, there were chores but there were also countless adventures to be had. Dillon sighed and climbed out of bed. He went to the window and leaned outside, looking down to the street, two stories below. His was one of two rooms on the second floor so he had a good view of the surrounding area. The sound of hooves drew his attention. The sheriff and his group of men were passing by, dark forms in the moonlight. He watched them move past and sighed. Everyone was so caught in the belief that a werewolf prowled the area the entire place was in a panic. He climbed out the window and onto the small ledge of a roof that overhung the front porch. He couldn't get down from here but it was fun to be outside at night, after his curfew. For almost an hour, he stayed on the roof, waiting for the sheriff to come round another time. He hugged his chest as the night was becoming chill. He had decided to keep Connor's shirt on all night. His mother had questioned why they had switched clothes and given him a strange look when he said it was fun and something they all enjoyed. The clothes fit him well enough but there more to it than that. It implied a deep friendship and lessened the loneliness he felt most of the time. Henry had mocked him for wearing someone else's clothing saying it was silly and made him a little boy, instead of a man. As he usually did, Dillon had ignored him but it still hurt his feelings. If Connor and Aiden exchanged clothes then it was perfectly acceptable that he did too. Dillon turned to the left, movement at the far end of the street drawing his attention. Someone was walking in the shadows, alone. Whoever it was, he kept to the buildings' edges and then sprinted quickly through the moonlit areas between. As the person drew closer, it became apparent that he was very large and agile. He leaped and ran strangely, yet with grace. He was approaching their house, via a zig-zag pattern. Dillon stood, preparing to climb back through the window. Connor's boot made a loud scraping sound on the wooden shingles, disturbing the otherwise quiet night. He froze, looking back down at the street, curious if the man had heard him. He could no longer see the man, where he had last been. Curious if he had gone into one of the building, Dillon moved closer to the edge of the roof, trying to get a better look. He didn't step to the very edge, as a fall would be painful and likely result in broken bones. A thin fog was creeping through the village. While not uncommon, given the general mood of the villagers and the presence of the large man prowling the area, it made for an exciting time. Dillon heard the beating of his heart in his ears and suppressed a shiver. It might have been from the cold or it might have been from fear. The hair on the back of his neck prickled and he felt the strange sensation that someone was in front of their house. Something just beyond his hearing was affecting him the way it gave a sixth sense to animals. He moved back from the edge of the roof, breathing heavily. Suddenly, two large, clawed hands and arms reached upwards from the darkness below the porch. They grabbed onto the wooden shingles and tried to find a handhold. Slowly, as if it were struggling greatly, something began to pull itself up onto the roof. At first, he didn't understand what he was seeing. The arms were thick with muscle but...covered in fur. Then, a large head with what he could only assume was a wolf's muzzle, appeared, twisted teeth sticking out to the sides through the gums. It slowly clawed its way up onto the roof, unable to get a foothold. Dillon couldn't move; he was terrified. He stood still and trembled, tears sliding down his cheeks. So...there really was a werewolf. What a terrible way to discover the truth. A chill breeze blew from behind him, rustling the sleeves of Connor's shirt. The werewolf stopped its struggles and sniffed the air. This didn't look like the farm boy but it smelled like him. He growled softly and his eyes began to glow faintly yellow. Saliva dripped from its mouth as it resumed pulling itself up onto the roof. Very soon, it would have its prey and then it would be gone before anyone even realized it had been there. Down the street, the sound of hooves echoed as the patrol again prepared to ride past Dillon's home. The werewolf stopped moving and flatted itself to the roof as much as possible, its torso blending in well with the dark wooden shingles. The men reached the end of the street where Dillon and his family lived and turned to head down the next lane. Dillon realized they didn't see the werewolf or himself. He opened his mouth to shout but couldn't make any sound louder than a strangled whimper. He was too frightened. The werewolf stretched out a hand toward him, its claws lightly scraping the wood. Dillon backed away and slipped, landing on his butt. His hand landed loudly on a shingle, the slapping sound echoing in the otherwise still darkness. The werewolf stopped moving and its tall ears flicked around, alert for any indication the patrol had heard the sound. Realizing he could indeed make noise, Dillon began to loudly slap his hand against the wooden shingles. It echoed loudly in the night and he banged more strongly. Morgan raised his hand and the patrol stopped. He turned his horse around and tried to focus on the sound he had just heard. It sounded like someone banging a hammer against a wooden board. Not something you would expect to hear in the middle of the night. The other men turned their heads around, trying to determine where the sound was coming from. The man in the rear of the formation looked back down the lane they had just ridden through and pointed suddenly. "Sheriff! Look, up on the roof of that house!" Morgan spurred his horse to the rear of the formation and saw something large and hairy trying to climb up onto the roof of one of the houses. "Follow me!" He galloped back down the lane, the other men falling in behind him. "Draw your weapons." He threw open the side of his coat, ready to draw the sword. The werewolf turned and saw the men approaching and growled. He looked back at Dillon and narrowed his eyes. Then, he released his grip on the wood and slid off the roof and onto the ground. Dillon saw sudden movement as a great shape loped off back down the lane towards the forest, disappearing in the fog and darkness. The patrol reached the yard beneath Dillon's home and stopped. Moran looked up. "Are you alright? Did you see where it went?" "It...down there..." Dillon pointed to his left, towards the forest. "It's a...a..." "Go back inside and close your window." Morgan yelled and the men rode off down the lane after the werewolf. Dillon didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled back into his room and quickly closed his window. He jumped into bed and tried to calm his racing pulse. He was covered in a chill sweat, Connor's shirt sticking to his skin. The patrol reached the edge of the forest but they were alone. Whatever it had been it was gone now. They lingered in the area for half an hour and then resumed their patrol save for two men. Those two remained in the shadows of the building across from the house, just in case the beast returned.