Photo by kat 2015

It was the last night for campers at Wolf’s Crossing Lodge. Pajama-clad youngsters scurried from the bunk rooms upstairs for a night of hot chocolate, silly songs and scary folk tales.

The fire in the huge stone hearth of the old cabin crackled, as everyone settled in a circle under fluffy blankets. Their attention focused now on Miss Maude, a local native who weaved tales so real that listeners often wondered if they could actually be true.

Miss Maude, a small graying woman wearing a colorful floor-length skirt and faded brown wool sweater, took a seat in the rocking chair in the front of the room.  She spent a few moments studying the wide-eyed faces around her, pausing as she gazed, to connect with each camper.  All twittering and conversing stopped as a hush filled the space. Miss Maude began…

“There is a legend at Wolf’s Crossing that not all the wolves here are fully canine. Many, many years ago there was a warrior who sought to be one with his brother wolf, but his motives were not pure. He wished to be the greatest warrior, greater than those before or after him, not for the good of the tribe, but for his own selfish ambitions. He appealed to the Great Spirit to grant him his wish.

One night when the moon burned full and bright in the sky, Great Spirit decided to teach the warrior a lesson. He would grant his wish, but in the transformation no one would know who he was. He would take on all the attributes of a wolf but he would be hunted down by those he sought to impress as a fearsome monster…not a great warrior. In a flash of light it was done. The warrior’s body convulsed and contorted as he changed from man to beast.

To this day, no one has ever captured the wolf man and it is said that he roams these woods even now…especially on nights like tonight. The sages say that only a silver bullet can stop him.”

Miss Maude paused looking at each camper. As if on cue, a wolf howled in the distance causing everyone to jump in their seats.  A moment later, nervous giggles rose from the huddled listeners. Miss Maude reached under the blanket on her lap for the loaded pistol in her pocket.

kat – 20 November 2015

A story for Friday Fiction with Ronovan Writes, Challenge #2 (Choose at least two from the following list to be featured in a work of fiction for this week, and to make it simple, there will be no word count limit. But please, no book lengths this time around. Prompts: Burn, Weave, Cabin, Silver, Hush, Light). To read more stories or participate click HERE.