ACTING STRANGELY
Sander
Thandie was acting strangely and he could have sworn that she had something in her hand. She was keeping something from him, but he wasn’t going to press her on the matter. No doubt, in time, he would discover what it was.
ONE STEP AHEAD
Thandie
The obvious assumption was that Sander was not just responsible for Linnell’s disappearance; he was responsible for the disappearance of all the stolen ones. But Thandie didn’t want to jump to conclusions as she had with the diary. She could ask him about it but then he could just deny it, whereas if she kept this to herself then maybe she would be one step ahead. She needed to live with the information, understand it a little better.
Not for the first time, Thandie asked herself the question: if he turned out to be guilty, would she go home, having been so close to the castle in the clouds?
She made the only decision she could. She would follow Sander on the last part of the journey, knowing that if she got this wrong, she might never return. But she wouldn’t trust him. She would stay on her guard and be aware of every little thing he said and did. She may be with him, but she was on her own.
FLYING WOLVES
Thandie
The next step was to find the flying wolves.
Sander had explained that the wolves were more likely to be active at dawn or dusk, so they decided to approach them that very morning. There were just one or two more hours of darkness left, and they would catch as much sleep as they could in that time. They climbed further up and looked for somewhere sheltered on the mountainside, near where Sander expected to find the wolves at sunrise.
They rested behind some rocks, wrapped in two blankets each. Thandie was so tired that she managed to sleep in fits and starts but woke as soon as the sun came up.
By the time she got to her feet, Sander was already walking around. He dangled a furry creature by its leg. Another grat victim by the looks of things. Thandie hoped it wasn’t for breakfast. The last grat she had tasted was just about edible but she would be happy never to taste one again. She was content to stick to the dry bread they’d brought from Yannick’s.
“What’s that for?”
“A peace offering. We can offer it to the wolves to show that we don’t mean them harm.”
“Don’t they know you?”
“They do, but food gifts are always gratefully received by wolves.”
Sander tied the grat carcass to his bag so that it dangled behind him. “We don’t have far to climb. And we are early enough so we don’t have to rush. See the plateau just up there? The wolves are bound to appear if we are patient.”
The mountains were inky against the salmon-coloured sky and the air was crisp. Thandie tried to ignore her tiredness and the aches in her legs as they trudged up the mountainside. As they got higher, her boots crunched on little patches of ice, which was strange in midsummer.
Thandie had loved the idea of flying wolves. They sounded mysterious, magical. But now that the thought was about to become reality, she was less sure.
“Do the wolves have sharp teeth?” she asked, a little nervously. Sander looked amused. “Yes, they have extremely sharp teeth, designed for ripping through flesh. And strong back teeth for grinding bone. How are you with animals in general?”
Thandie thought for a moment. Back home, there were farmyard animals all around, but they were just part of the scenery. There was the usual livestock at the market. Madam Tilbury had a bad tempered nanny goat out the back. And then there were the animals that Tib brought home. Usually small, bedraggled things that didn’t last long: a mouse, a shrew, a hedgehog. But a wolf? That was a different beast all together.
“I don’t know. I am from the city, remember. I haven’t had too much to do with animals.”
“You’ve ridden a horse though?”
“Yes…” Thandie had ridden a horse, maybe three times in her life and not in the past five years. Hetty was a much more proficient horse rider.
Sander continued to smile. “How funny. You were so keen on the idea of meeting the wolves that I had you down as an animal lover. Not to worry, they will warm to you.”
“I hope so,” muttered Thandie, pulling a face.
“Just remember that they are wild animals and if they want to kill us then they will.” Sander seemed quite cheerful about the idea.
“Thank you for your words of reassurance. I feel so much better now.”
“I am merely trying to prepare you as best I can. I’ve ridden one of the wolves many times before and he knows me, but I’ve never taken anyone else with me. If you remember just a few simple rules, then no harm will come to you.”
“Simple rules. Very well. Tell me once we’re settled.”
They reached the plateau, which was covered by moss, patches of snow and low green shrubs. They crouched down behind some boulders so that they would not be seen. Sander pointed to a dark archway at ground level in the rocky mountainside a few yards away. “That’s their den,” he said. “Don’t take your eyes off it. They should venture out soon.”
Thandie removed the bags from her back and tried to move in to a position that was comfortable while remaining shielded from view. Sander seemed quite happy to crouch there indefinitely.
“So tell me, what are these rules?” asked Thandie.
“However friendly they appear, these wolves are wild animals. Humans may have mistreated them in the past so they may not trust you. Remember never to turn your back to the wolves so that they don’t attack you from behind and keep your eye on them at all times.”
Thandie grimaced.
“And don’t show fear. They will sense it if you are afraid.”
“I’m not afraid, I am not afraid,” repeated Thandie in an attempt to convince herself. She breathed on her hands to warm them. “I can’t see anything yet.”
“They’ll be here. You just have to be patient.”
Then, just as Thandie’s fingers were freezing solid and she was ready to give up and opt instead for the basket pulley system, a little beige-faced, black-nosed animal poked its face out into the world. Thandie nearly squealed with delight at the sight but instead, turned and grinned at Sander. “A cub!”
He nodded, as two more faces joined the first. They sniffed the morning air for a little while and then ventured out into the clearing. Three playful wolf cubs, with stocky legs and rounded paws. They rolled and tumbled over one another, remaining close and moving as a pack.
“Just the cubs. The adults must have left early to go hunting. We won’t need this after all,” said Sander, gesturing to the dead grat hanging off his bag.
Another five cubs followed, popping out of the den one by one. They had light beige bodies – darker on the back – and all looked the same, although they clearly had different personalities. One lay on the ground, happy to have the others clambering over it. Another was more dominant, biting its siblings and standing over them. Thandie noticed that they didn’t stray too far from the den.
She had never been this close to wolves before. If wolves got too close to the livestock on the farms, they were taught to raise the alarm and chase them away, not to watch from a hiding spot. But now she saw how appealing they were. How like the stray pups that Tib fed in the evening, thinking of them as pets.
“This is the first time I’ve seen these cubs,” said Sander. “The last time I was here they weren’t even born; they must only be a few weeks old.”
Thandie watched them playfully snapping at each other, and it was a while before she noticed: these little cubs were just normal wolves. There were no wings or even signs of wings on their backs. She turned to Sander, eyebrows raised. “You promised flying wolves.”
Sander smiled back at her. “And flying wolves are what you are looking at. They just don’t develop wings until they are mature. Wait until you see the adults.”
Thandie narrowed her eyes. Another lie from Sander? She didn’t know what to believe.
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They continued watching the cubs play for a few minutes until they stopped, ears pricked up, and ventured further away from the den. They seemed alert to some movement and looked towards the hillside where two older wolves, with long, lean limbs, emerged from over the horizon. These creatures were different from the tumbling cubs. Whiter, sharper, narrower eyes. And it was hard to tell from this distance, but they seemed bigger than normal wolves. One held a dead animal – a hare by the looks of things – in its jaws, and blood was smeared around its muzzle and down its front.
“The alpha – the older one with more fur around is face – is named Conan and his partner – the female – Kemi,” Sander whispered excitedly to Thandie. “At least, that is what I call them – I have no idea what they call each other.”
“Do the cubs belong to them?”
Sander shook his head. “They belong to different mothers but they are all brought up together by the alpha pair.”
“Like Madam Tilbury!” blurted Thandie, thinking of her own pack back home. She instantly felt foolish for mentioning it, but Sander ignored the comment anyway: he was too busy watching the wolves.
The cubs were very interested at the sight of their breakfast, and ran yapping towards the older wolves, tripping over one another. The adults came nearer and circled their offspring. Thandie was excited to notice the large, bulky wings folded up on their backs. She couldn’t see them very well from her hiding place but they looked white, feathery, like swans’ wings. Her heart skipped a beat. Could these creatures really fly? And would it really be possible to ride such wild animals?
The wolves dropped the animal carcasses on the ground and nudged the cubs into position so that each received a share. Bones cracked as the little ones tore at the meat. Thandie shuddered. Different teeth for ripping flesh and grinding bone, Sander had said. If the cubs’ jaws were that strong, then what could the adults crunch through?
“We’re safe. The adults will have already eaten on the hunt,” explained Sander, as if reading her mind.
Immediately after eating, the cubs lay down on the ground between the paws of the older wolves. They groomed one another, licking, nuzzling and nibbling. The female seemed to pay more attention to the cubs and the male groomed the female’s folded wings. When they bit each other’s faces and tails, it looked almost aggressive, but Sander assured Thandie that this behaviour was essential for bonding.
Now that the atmosphere had calmed, Sander prepared himself to approach them. He took out his pipe. “I will approach Conan and you go to Kemi. I will play to them first – it calms them down and lets them know it’s me. They like things to be familiar.”
“But I am not familiar. What will they think of meeting a strange new person?”
“They should be content enough with me here. Be confident and don’t make any unexpected movements. Watch me.”
Sander grinned. He stood and emerged from their hiding place before Thandie had a chance to ask him any more questions. Like, what would happen if Kemi attacked?
Sander shuffled slowly in the wolves’ direction. The whole group stood almost instantly, ears pricked up. Then he dropped down on to one knee, in an unthreatening pose. He slowly brought out his pipe and began to play. His music was slow and haunting, the notes deep and long.
Thandie knew by now the effect that the music would have, and was not surprised when the wolves began walking towards them. She kept her distance a little, walking behind Sander. The music calmed her as it did the wolves, and she was just about relaxed enough to enjoy the sight of the cubs following along bravely behind their parents. But the adult wolves turned around and nudged the cubs in the opposite direction, obviously unsure of the situation and wanting to keep them safe. The cubs got the message and tumbled back to the den.
Sander stopped playing and lowered his pipe. The male, Conan, bounded towards him like a dog, mouth open and tongue lolling. Kemi, the female, followed behind, and both wolves circled Sander, licking him and nosing at his feet. He greeted each of them in turn, stroking them and letting them lick his hands.
Then they noticed Thandie. Kemi stared directly at her, her eyes yellow and bright.
“Try not to stare back at her,” whispered Sander. “She might think that you are challenging her position.”
Thandie was sure that Sander had advised her to keep her eyes on them at all times, but now was not the time to argue about it: she most definitely didn’t want to challenge any wolves. She quickly averted her eyes, trying to look friendly but not confrontational. It was not an easy balance to strike but she must have done something right because Kemi sauntered over towards her, with small light footsteps, stopping about a yard away.
Thandie saw that she was definitely bigger than a normal wolf. Kemi’s head was at the height of her shoulders. Thandie’s heart beat rapidly. Was she showing fear? She hoped not, although her body was telling her to run in the opposite direction. She looked up and Kemi flinched, ducking down slightly as if she were about to bound away. Despite her size and sharp teeth, she was nervous. More nervous than Thandie, even.
Thandie tentatively held out a hand, inviting the wolf to approach, and Kemi did so, sniffing at her for a long time, using her strong sense of smell to assess Thandie. She seemed to approve, and stood by her side, looking relaxed.
Sander was making a real fuss of Conan – stroking him around the ears and head as if he were a domestic pup. They clearly had a deep connection. That went some way towards easing Thandie’s concerns about Sander. Animals were supposed to be good judges of character, weren’t they? At least, that’s what Tib always said.
Kemi glanced back at Conan and then ducked her head towards Thandie as if asking to be petted in a similar way. Thandie ran her hand along Kemi’s back. Her fur was far thicker and coarser that it appeared. Thandie was careful to stroke only in the direction it grew. Then Thandie stroked around Kemi’s head, which was softer. Kemi didn’t respond to Thandie’s touch in quite the same way as Conan did to Sander, but she enjoyed the stroking for a few moments before stepping away.
Thandie was particularly interested in Kemi’s wings, which were folded up close to her body like a bat’s, but she didn’t dare to touch those. After a few moments, Kemi trotted back to Conan’s side. But Thandie was left feeling proud of the moment that they had shared. Kemi liked her, she was sure.
“Well done,” said Sander. “You’re nearly ready for the next step.”
“Flying?” The muscles in Thandie’s arms and legs twitched with nerves and excitement. She could still barely believe that these wolves could fly by themselves, let alone with human riders.
“Watch me first,” said Sander. He held the fur by Conan’s neck and swung his right leg over Conan’s back as if he were a horse. Once he was sitting astride Conan, he bent his legs at the knees and leaned forward.
Kemi trotted back a few paces, towards Thandie, as if to give them some space. Conan threw back his head, opened his mouth and barked: a long series of yaps that sounded like some sort of code. Kemi joined in and Thandie laughed. “They looked as though they were going to howl.”
Sander shook his head. “Wolves howl before they are about to hunt, but they bark before they are about to fly.”
Conan continued yapping, then he bent his legs and unfolded his wings, which were over double his size. The pure white feathers were things of beauty. With his wings outstretched, Conan’s proportions changed and he looked like a completely different animal. His sinewy legs, which had seemed so strong and capable, now looked like useless little sticks compared to the giant and powerful wings. There was a moment where he stayed crouching, as if gathering his strength. Then, like a spring releasing, he pounced into the air and beat his wings steadily. He was flying.
Thandie shielded her eyes from the sun and watched them go, Sander sitting happily on Conan’s back. Conan reminded her of an owl: one of the silent white creatures that Finch would sometimes spot from the back of Madam Tilbury’s roof. They flew lik
e that for a minute or two, once around the nearest mountain peak, flapping and swooping, showing off for Thandie.
Sander shouted something to Conan – she couldn’t hear what – and they flew down to land on a rocky ledge a few feet away. Sander dismounted and stood next to Conan, one hand on his back.
“Now it’s your turn,” shouted Sander from above.
Thandie looked again at Kemi’s narrow body and slender legs. She reached out and put a hand on her back as she had done before and the wolf leaned in towards her. There was not much bulk under all that fur.
“I can’t,” called Thandie. “She will never be able to carry me.”
“You’ll be surprised: these creatures are stronger than you think. They are bigger than normal wolves, remember. You cannot ride them, running on the ground – their backs arch too much – but it is different in the air. They adopt a completely different position. Besides, it’s why we are here, is it not?”
Thandie swallowed and Kemi looked warily at her, perhaps sensing her unease.
“I don’t know where to begin.”
“Just show her what you want to do. She will respond.”
Thandie walked towards Kemi and stroked her, just as she had done before, more firmly this time. Kemi seemed happy enough, so Thandie reached her right arm across Kemi’s shoulders as though embracing her. Kemi felt surprisingly warm in the chilly morning air.
Kemi lay down, on her right side with head up, her forepaws on the ground and her hind legs stretched out in front of her. Thandie kneeled on the ground next to her so that she didn’t break contact. It felt quite an awkward position but at least they seemed to be bonding. Kemi smelled of the forest and of something strong and wolf-like that Thandie would have found hard to describe. She wondered what she smelled like to Kemi. At least she had been for that swim in the lake; she must be reasonably clean.
“Well done,” called Sander. “By lying down, she’s telling you she’s happy to carry you. You can sit on her back now.”
Thandie still felt a little uneasy. Minutes before she hadn’t been sure whether the wolf wanted her for their next meal and now she was contemplating climbing on to her. But she had to do it. After all, as Sander said, that was why they were there. So from her bent over, kneeling position, Thandie threw a leg over Kemi’s right flank. Now she was nearly lying on Kemi, but it felt wrong – as though she might squash the poor she-wolf.
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