100% Wolf

by Jayne Lyons

  'What in the name of All Howls?' Sir Hotspur yelped as he crashed to the floor. The booby trap had struck again. Freddy jumped high with fright as his uncle fell towards him. The small key flew from his grasp and with a cry of delight Freddy jumped for it.

  'No, sir!' Hotspur roared, grabbing the boy's ankle. The key lay just beyond Freddy's hand. As he kicked and strained to reach it, Sir Hotspur began pulling him slowly away. Just then his uncle gave a bellow of pain and anger and released Freddy, who jumped up. He grasped the key safely in his hand.

  He turned in triumph to see Batty's teeth firmly embedded in Uncle Hotspur's large backside. The outraged man roared in fury but couldn't remove her.

  'Nobody messes with this wolf and his friends!' Freddy yelled.

  He jumped over his uncle and ran to the door.

  'Okay, Batty, release that fat bum,' he called back. The mongrel did, with a growl of distaste.

  The two friends didn't wait to see the furious man rise but sped back across the rainy courtyard. Behind them they heard the mighty roar of Sir Hotspur Lupin in pursuit.

  He was an extremely angry werewolf and he still held the silver gun in his hand.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Old Enemies

  Freddy and Batty charged up the spiral stairs to the tower. Freddy rushed in but Batty, concerned about Uncle Hotspur's pursuit, stayed outside to guard.

  'Dad, I've got it!' Freddy shouted as he crashed into his room. His father wasn't there.

  Instead he was greeted by the pink piggy smiles of Harriet and Chariot.

  'What are you doing here? Where's the wolf?' he cried.

  'Wolf?' Harriet snorted. 'No wolf in England would be seen with you, Dripsy-Wimpsy.'

  'Hey, Barbie boy, nice hair,' Chariot snorted like a pig.

  Freddy was not the boy, or poodle, he had been last time he saw the Putrid Pair. He had much bigger problems to worry about than their teasing ... saving the whole of Wolfenkind being just one of them.

  'Clear off, fart-breaths,' he ordered.

  'Dad, come out quick! They're just Werens, just babies,' he called, hoping his father was near.

  The terrible twins didn't approve of this at all. It was so unlike Freddy to be calm under fire. From below came Uncle Hotspur's shouts.

  'I'm coming, sir. I'm coming,' he bellowed.

  'Oh, vomitous puke,' Freddy groaned. He heard his uncle's heavy feet slamming upon the stone steps.

  'He's up here, Dad. Don't worry, we've got him!' Harriet called down.

  'Keep quiet, butt-brain, he's gone mad!' Freddy told her. 'He's broken the Golden Rule. He's a danger to all werefolk.'

  'What's the matter, Wimpsy? Scared of my da–?' Her voice trailed away. She pointed in terror at the huge black wolf that had emerged from under the bed. Flasheart had hidden so as not to frighten the children.

  'Who's that?' Chariot trembled and took a step backwards.

  'My dad!' Freddy cried in triumph. 'Why, are you scared of him?' he laughed. Now clear off, puppies, this is wolves' work.'

  Freddy had the key in his hand, but could hear Uncle Hotspur approaching rapidly. There wasn't enough time to unlock his father's chain. He had a spark of inspiration.

  'The Slide of Doom!' he roared.

  In an instant he had pulled out the large metal tray. The wolf leapt onto it with a twinkle in his eye – he had always loved this ride. Freddy began to push it towards the steps with some difficulty.

  'No way, Dripsy-Wimpsy,' Harriet cried. She started pulling at Freddy's pink raincoat.

  'Ger-off-me, can't you see I'm busy?' he complained, trying to shake her off.

  Once again he was saved by Batty. She charged into the room from the top of the stairs, barking ferociously. She backed Harriet and Chariot into the corner as if they were a couple of timid, pink, porky sheep. With a last heave Freddy pushed the tray to the stairs. He could hear Uncle Hotspur's heavy gasps only feet away.

  'Batty, let's go!' he cried.

  With a mighty push, he sent the tray down the stairs and jumped on, clinging onto his father's neck. Batty took a great leap and landed with a thump behind Freddy, as the tray shot down the corkscrew stairs at breakneck speed. The instant they saw Uncle Hotspur, they crashed into him. Before he could raise his gun he was bowled up into the air. He landed heavily across all three and joined them down the Slide of Doom.

  'All hail the Plan Master!' Freddy laughed. He was almost squashed beneath the weight of his uncle.

  'So, Flasheart, it is you,' Sir Hotspur muttered into the wolf's ear, which was next to his nose. The wolf gave a low menacing growl. The tray sped faster and faster down the ancient steps as Freddy tried to reach his father's collar with the key.

  'You'll wish you'd stayed in Coldfax, sir,' Sir Hotspur laughed and fumbled with his little gun. Batty reached up and took his wrist in her jaws. Sir Hotspur gave a roar of anger. Flasheart howled with laughter. He loved being free. They reached the foot of the stairs and sped along the corridor. Freddy at last managed to place the key in his father's padlock. It popped open.

  Sir Hotspur finally shook Batty off. He grasped the padlock and tried to close it once again, just as the tray zoomed out into the courtyard and hit the fountain. Wolf, dog, boy and man flew through the air and landed with one great splash in the ornamental pond. Once more the stone boy peed water onto Sir Hotspur's face. In his left hand was Flasheart's Moonstone in its chain collar. The open padlock fell into the water and Hotspur looked around in fright. In the dark and heavy rain he couldn't make out where his brother was. As the thunder rolled around above him, he held the Moonstone high.

  'I order you to put this collar back on, sir,' he roared into the night.

  Suddenly a large human figure rose from the water.

  'It's all over, Hotspur,' a deep voice said coldly. 'You are undone.'

  'Dad!' Freddy spluttered, paddling over to hug his father.

  'Not so, Flasheart. You are undone, sir!' Sir Hotspur gave a cold laugh and took aim with his gun.

  Hotspur pulled the trigger but the wet gun didn't fire. Freddy gasped with relief as Sir Hotspur threw it away in disgust.

  'You never frightened me before, Hotspur,' Flasheart laughed. 'And you don't now.'

  'Nor me!' Freddy cried, but not so convincingly. A fork of lightning illuminated Flasheart's face. He had long black hair, a black beard and his bright green eyes gleamed fiercely. All except Hotspur climbed out of the pond. Freddy watched another bolt of lightning hit the flagpole on top of his tower.

  'Wow!' he yelped, but no-one else seemed to notice. Batty stuck by Freddy's side, unsure who was friend and who was foe.

  'I am the Grand Growler and I command you to put on this collar,' Sir Hotspur roared, once again holding the Moonstone high.

  'Never!' Flasheart roared back.

  'So, I was right!' a new voice called. 'At last I meet the Grand Growler.'

  All turned at the unpleasant surprise. There stood their greatest enemy.

  'Cripp!' Flasheart growled.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Victory?

  Harriet and Chariot had slowly and cautiously snuck down from the tower room. Unknown to all, their round pink faces looked down into the courtyard from the safety of the first floor. They gave a gasp of fright as a flash of lightning illuminated the wolf hunter's pale face. Cripp walked towards the pond. He pointed a silver gun directly at Sir Hotspur.

  'Shouldn't we go and help?' Chariot wondered, his eyes wide with fear. Harriet looked at him as if he were mad.

  'Do you want to be shot too, dunderbrain?' she hissed.

  'No,' Chariot shrugged.

  'Then keep quiet and watch.'

  The hunter pushed his greasy wet hair back off his face. His thick glasses were spattered with rain.

  'Get out of my castle if you want to live, sir,' Sir Hotspur bellowed, stamping his foot in the pond.

  Dr Cripp ignored him. 'I came here for two reasons,' he sniggered revoltingly. 'First, the Wolfen Names
, which I have already found.' He waved a small, very old red book inlaid with gold above his head in triumph. Freddy gave a gasp. He must retrieve that book somehow.

  'Second, I came to kill the Grand Growler. So shall I begin to rid Britain of Fangen forever.' He cackled as madly as any wolf hunter ever did.

  Sir Hotspur's face turned a ghastly shade of white. Flasheart began to step stealthily towards the doctor, while Freddy and Batty snuck backwards into the gloom.

  'But he is the Grand Growler, not I!' cried Hotspur, flinging his finger towards Flasheart. A fierce thunderclap crashed above them. 'And that foolster is his son. Shoot them, not me, sir.'

  Dr Cripp turned his gun towards Flasheart.

  'Traitor!' Freddy called. 'It's not true.'

  'Oh yes, it is,' Flasheart smiled charmingly.

  'It is?' Dr Cripp was puzzled.

  'I am the true Grand Growler, but my brother there is a werewolf too.'

  'Don't be a fool, Flasheart,' Hotspur called out desperately.

  Dr Cripp swung the gun back to him.

  'So you are both wolves?' He raised his eyebrows in alarm.

  'Oh yes!' Flasheart continued with a happy smile. 'How awful for you, Cripp.'

  'How so?' the doctor cried above the roar of the thunder, desperately swinging the gun to and fro. He was taking little notice of the boy and his dog.

  'Well, if you shoot one of us, the other will have you in a second. You remember me, don't you? You see my scar, where you shot me? You escaped once, but only just – you won't again. I was so close I smelt your blood.' Flasheart displayed his sharp teeth in a snarling smile.

  'You are the wolf I shot?' Cripp croaked, shaking visibly with fear as he remembered that terrifying chase.

  'Shoot him again, he's the Grand Growler,' Sir Hotspur called from the pond.

  'Stay back,' Dr Cripp yelled desperately, unsure where to aim his silver gun.

  Freddy saw his chance and flung himself onto the doctor's back, while Batty caught his trouser leg in her teeth and pulled hard.

  'Release me, you monsters,' Cripp cried in shock. His gun fired uselessly into the air as he tried to dislodge Freddy. Flasheart raced towards them, but Sir Hotspur grabbed his brother's leg as he passed. The two fell onto the ground and rolled over in a snarling fury. All around rain fell and lightning arced almost into the courtyard.

  Freddy stuck his fingers up Dr Cripp's nostrils.

  'Take that, you snotty toad,' he said.

  'Arrggh,' the hideous man wailed.

  Batty was still pulling at Cripp's trousers and managed to bring them down to his knees. Freddy rolled off as Cripp fell heavily onto his backside. The wolf hunter tried to pull up his trousers but Batty wouldn't let go. Freddy tore off the doctor's glasses and threw them into the pond.

  'You vile ruffian,' Cripp cried and pointed the gun over his shoulder towards Freddy. The boy grabbed his wrist and gave it a Chinese burn – he was incredibly good at them.

  'Please, somebody help me,' Cripp sobbed miserably. When nobody came, he had no option but to drop the gun. Freddy leapt down and grabbed it with relief.

  'Ha-ha-hardy-ha,' he cried.

  Lightning flashed once again on to the flagpole.

  The snivelling doctor crawled away as fast as he could but unfortunately he had to leave his trousers behind, for Batty still held onto them tightly. Freddy laughed as he saw Dr Cripp's spotty underpants disappearing into the gloom.

  'So much for wolf hunters!' he called after him.

  Mrs Mutton was woken by the sound of gunshots.

  'Burglars?' she wondered, and reached for the telephone next to her bed.

  'Yes, I need the police,' she said urgently.

  Freddy turned to see the two brothers still struggling. Uncle Hotspur held his father by the throat.

  'I warned you to stay away, sir,' he gasped into his brother's ear.

  'This is my home, my family!' Flasheart grimaced.

  Freddy fired a shot into the air. Uncle Hotspur looked up in surprise.

  'You, sir, are a disgrace to werefolk,' Freddy hissed and aimed the gun at his uncle. Flasheart flung off his brother and stood up with a snarl.

  'Freddy,' Hotspur simpered, 'what a clever boy. You see how my plan to distract Cripp has worked? I never meant him to harm you.'

  'If you have Sir Rathbone's blood in your veins, I'll eat my trousers. Eat 'em, sir!' Freddy cried. 'With ketchup on!'

  'Well done, Pinky,' his father ruffled his hair. 'I say, you've even found me some clothes.' With a laugh Flasheart pulled on Dr Cripp's torn trousers. They were somewhat short for him and he looked rather like a pirate.

  'Dear boy, you're not going to shoot your favourite uncle?' Uncle Hotspur smarmed.

  'No, I'm going to shoot you,' Freddy laughed.

  'Flasheart, dearest brother ...'

  'Put on your collar, Hotspur,' Flasheart said coldly.

  Sir Hotspur's eyes went wide with horror. As they all knew, the power of the Moonstone would stop the Transwolfation process completely.

  'Not the Moonstone?' Sir Hotspur gasped. 'Am I never to be a wolf again, sir?'

  'You're not fit to be a wolf,' his nephew snorted.

  'If it was okay for Freddy, it's okay for you,' his brother growled. 'You made your own punishment, Hotspur, now suffer it.'

  With a look of hatred, Sir Hotspur picked up the Moonstone's chain. He looked miserable indeed. His red moustache was drooping where the rain poured down his face. As Sir Hotspur put the chain around his neck, Flasheart threw the padlock over. Freddy waved the gun again. With a snarl Hotspur closed the lock and the chain was secure around his neck. Freddy had the key safely in his pocket.

  'I shall have my revenge as wolf or man,' Sir Hotspur vowed.

  'Try telling someone who's interested, Hotspur,' Flasheart said. 'Now down to the dungeon until the Fang Council decides what to do with you.'

  Hotspur reluctantly began walking towards the door.

  With a flash, a jagged fork of lightning zipped down. It struck the earth between Hotspur and the others, throwing them all violently to the ground. Freddy gasped as the air flew out of him and the gun was flung from his hand. Batty barked urgently and licked his face.

  'I'm all right, Batty. Dad, are you okay?' he croaked sitting up. Flasheart was getting to his feet slowly.

  'Just about, Pinky. Up you get.' He hauled Freddy to his feet.

  'Where's the gun?' Freddy looked around in concern.

  They turned in time to see Sir Hotspur pick it up.

  'Run, Freddy! He's too angry and too dangerous,' Flasheart cried.

  Man, boy and dog sprinted for the door that led to the tower passage.

  When they were on the far side, Flasheart slammed it shut and locked it.

  'That was close,' he said with relief, wiping the rain from his eyes.

  'Ha-ha-hardy-ha,' Freddy shouted through the keyhole.

  'Hand over that key, sir, or I'll shoot,' Hotspur yelled through the door.

  'Never!' Freddy shouted back. 'You locked up my dad and now you'll pay for it.'

  Batty barked defiantly as the door rattled.

  'No need to panic.' Flasheart nodded. 'The door will hold.'

  They heard Uncle Hotspur running heavily across the courtyard.

  'But the other door is wide open!' Freddy cried. 'Can we panic now?'

  'I insist on it,' Flasheart cried. 'Run!'

  Dr Cripp, meanwhile, had already started running when he left the courtyard.

  'Wolves, everywhere. Monsters,' he yelped as he made for the front door in his spotty underpants. The sooner he was safely outside the castle the better. He flung open the front door and ran out onto the wooden bridge, where he froze with fright.

  Illuminated by a flash of light, he saw a hundred growling hounds guarding against his escape. Hamish's slower pack had arrived with reinforcements.

  'Oh my,' Cripp wailed as Bruno and Hamish led the charge towards him. He turned tail and reached the castle in time
to slam the door on the vicious horde. In desperation he began to look for somewhere to hide from the wolves within.

  'Not up there, we'll be trapped,' Flasheart cried as his son headed for the tower staircase. 'To the kitchen.'

  Freddy nodded and ran in through the kitchen door.

  'Freddy?' Mrs Mutton cried. 'And just where do you think you've been? Do you know how worried I've been?' She was standing in her dressing gown on a chair behind the door and holding a huge iron frying pan. She was waiting to ambush the burglars.

  'Quick, he's after us!' Freddy hissed.

  'Who is? Arrghh!' she cried. A large man with a black beard and long black hair had charged into the kitchen.

  'No, not him,' Freddy protested.

  Too late.

  With a loud, jarring bang, Mrs Mutton brought her frying pan down upon Flasheart's head and he slumped onto the floor.

  'She shoots, she scores,' she laughed in triumph.

  'Dad, Dad, wake up,' Freddy shook his father urgently.

  'Dad?' the old housekeeper climbed off her chair and bent down over the unconscious man.

  'Flasheart?' she cried and nearly fell over.

  'But how?' She looked wonderingly at Freddy.

  'No time to tell,' he snapped. 'But it was all Uncle's fault and now he's on the rampage with a gun.'

  'I'll fire a silver bullet into your heart, sir,' they heard Sir Hotspur roar. He was terrifyingly close.

  'We'll see about that, Hotair,' Mrs Mutton whispered. 'I'm ready to rumble,' she claimed, holding up her frying pan again.

  'That won't stop him,' Freddy whispered, looking down at his unconscious father. 'I need to draw him away from Dad.'

  Just then they heard a tremendous clamour echoing from the far side of the Castle. They looked at each other in alarm.

  Cripp had sneaked through the Great Hall to the other side of the castle. He quickly hid behind a curtain when he saw Sir Hotspur emerge from the door to the courtyard. The furious red-faced man stormed past and ran across the Great Hall, raging to himself. Cripp took his chance and rushed down the passage towards the back of the castle. He saw Sir Hotspur's study and next to that the library. He made a dash ... but he had forgotten about his tripwires. He fell and crashed into a suit of armour that stood nearby. In an instant Sir Hotspur, who had almost reached the kitchen, stopped, turned around and raced back towards the other side of the castle as fast as his fat would allow him. Cripp was flailing around on the floor among the armour.