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Jalore Eneric sat outside his home. Five years had past since he last saw his wife. He missed her terribly. His often wake before his sleeping children, go outside mourning, until his family woke up. Today was no different. There had been no deaths in a little over five years, he told himself, as he stood outside in the predawn light. He walked around the house remembering. He had married his wife nearly fifteen years before; they had picked out this spot for their home together. They planned everything together. But now he was alone.
He could hear his family slowly starting to wake, so he started off to the field to start the morning chores. It would take him the next three hours, of back breaking work, before breakfast would be severed. He didn�t want them to find him mopping around. The children had dealt with losing their mother much better then he had. They all knew that this was a hard world and that anyone could leave at a moment�s notice. The boys acted as if their father needed them to be strong, maybe he did.
Jalore picked up his tools and started in towards the field. The field was about twenty feet by twenty feet. It was all they had besides the house. It was located towards the rear of the house. One would have to extra the house by the door, and walk to the side before they could see the field. If Jalore had been paying more attention he may have seen the corpse sooner then he did. When he did see the corpse, he dropped all of his tools are started running.
The corpse of the women lay in the center of the field. She lay with her arms searched out, and her body straight. She was mostly bone, hair, and cloth left. She looked like she had recently been dug up. Her robe was stained with dirt. Jalore fell to his knees as he reached her. Gone was all of his hope of ever seeing his wife again. Her hair was unmistakable, it had always been the most beautiful shade of auburn he had ever seen. He reached out to touch her hair, and began to sob quietly.
The small pack of wolves descended upon him. He did not cry out, he would join his wife.
A little while later his children began to start their day. They never found their father. They did not understand that the small scuffles in the field were are that remained of their father. However, they did not mistake the tracks of a wolf by the house.
A tribe meeting was called, several people began to panic. They feared that it was all going to start up again. Burgolf tried to reassure them that it was either Jalore had walked off on his own, or it was just a hungry wolf pack. Neither idea was very claming to the tribe. It was decided that the next morning, a hunting party would try to find out what had happened.
Ascric was waiting in the tribe center went Burgolf joined him the next morning. �We really have to stop meeting like this,� Ascric stated with a grin.
Burgolf chuckled back, �If only we could.�
They did not have to wait long until all of the men had gathered. �This should be a quick hunt. Keep an eye out of anything that looks like a den.� Burgolf stated as he led the men off.
Once again they found themselves searching the area around the Eneric�s home. Hopefully they were only looking for some hungry animals. They searched the field, and the house for any clue, but they found nothing. They widen their search moving out as one team in a circular pattern.
�I would make a joke about checking Geric�s land, but for some reason I don�t think it would go over well.� Ascric chuckled.
Burgolf glared at him and continued on. They searched the stream, and the wood. When they reached the ravine Ascric declined to take a look. Burgolf and two men lowered themselves down. They were quiet for several minutes, causing some concern as to their safety. Burgolf was the first to pull himself out of the ravine. His face was set a bit grim. �There are the corpses of three wolves down there. I think our wolf hunt has finished. We will need to find out how they got down there.� Burgolf stated and started heading back to town.
The two tribesmen that went down with him were now pulling themselves up. They were about as green, gray as possible. They were holding onto their stomachs and refusing to talk about what they saw.
Ascric jumped down into the ravine. Burgolf shouted at him to stop, but it was to late. The three wolf bodies were left nose to nose in a circular pattern. Where their heads stop the carnage began. Their skin had been removed in one piece but was still attached at their tails. Their ribcage was opened about them as if they were wings, and their hearts were placed in their mouths. The rest of their entrails were strewn about the room as if they were streamers. Ascric felt Burgolf pulling him up out of the ravine. Ascric couldn�t find his feet and neatly sat down.
�We didn�t kill it, did we?� Ascric asked as if in shock. �No one knew about this place and how we found him except the murder.�
�We will get him this time.� Burgolf tried to comfort his friend.
Ascric looked up at his friend with tears forming in his eyes. �I think I have to return home now.� He stated as he got to his feet and started walking.
Burgolf did not try to stop him. �People gather round. I do not want anyone of you talking about what we found here today. I do not want to start a panic. If I find out one of you has spoken well let us leave it unsaid. Because, I do not believe any of you will talk about it." Burgolf then directed everyone to return home and they would meet later to discuss what had happened.
Burgolf headed off to his own home, he desperately wanted to see his son. He found, his almost grown, son waiting for him at the edge of their land. Burgolf gave Wulhard a hug and then gave his most intimating father glare. �I do not want you leaving the house at night anymore, until this is over.�
�But I have to father, I have an obligation.� Wulhard stated.
�You will not argue this with me.� Burgolf finished his glare and went to find his wife.
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