The Beast Within

Congregatio Luporum: Chapter Three

Because they lacked clothing, the others changed back into wolves, but I remained a human as I followed them. 

The home Ragnor spoke of was a short distance away, hidden behind a manmade covering of branches and brambles, which the wolves grasped with their teeth and pulled back. The cover was larger than it first appeared, and as the clutter gave way it moved like a door, revealing a wondrous sight behind it.

Beneath a canopy of foliage and bent trees was a village bustling with activity, where humans and wolves moved alongside each other, engaged in the various tasks of daily life. None of the humans cowered at the enormous animals among them, as if no one found anything strange about their cohabitation. It was a small community, but certainly bigger than any I'd ever seen living in the woods.

As we passed through the entrance, we stopped at a wide-gapped gate made of spears, with two guards positioned on either side. At their feet were piles of folded clothes, and to their respective right and left were animal hide partitions that created closets for privacy. The pack I arrived with picked up their clothing with their teeth, and two at a time they ducked behind the partitions to change and dress, then rejoined me as their human selves.

The guards immediately recognized me as an outsider, but they made no move to question me, only gave a knowing nod, which I returned out of confused politeness.

Ragnor joined us last and the guards opened the gate.

There were so many people! I counted twenty-three before Ragnor pulled my attention away.

"With you here, the colony stands at sixty-eight in total," he explained. "Did you ever think there could be that many of us?"

"I didn't."

"Those of us who weren't born here once believed we were alone in the world. Cursed. But here we are, abundant and thriving."

He put a hand on my shoulder and guided me through the colony.

"We've got a butcher there," he said as he pointed to a squat stone building. "And there are two tailors. I don't think it'll surprise you to learn that, even as careful as we are, we go through our fair share of clothing. Especially the younger ones, as they're learning to handle their transformations. Over there are the animal pens. On occasion we keep one or two, but not to eat. One of us has an interest in animals, and when we come across an injured one we bring it back so she can heal it."

"Why not eat the injured animals?"

"There's plenty to catch in the woods. Way we see it, if we don't help where we can, we might one day find ourselves with less to hunt. The animals that need care get it here and are released when they're ready. Behind the pen is the garden."

As Ragnor explained the colony's way of life, I marveled at how well-adapted his people were to life in the woods. Everything had a function, and with plenty to share people were free to pursue what interested them, be it caring for injured animals or painting or hunting.

"The young ones are taught how to utilize their gift and become productive members of the pack," Ragnor continued. "We're all a family here. No one goes hungry, and no one is an outcast."

"It's a lovely place."

"It's no castle, but we wouldn't have it any other way."

The word 'castle' sparked my interest to ask, "Is there a leader? A...wolf king?"

"We have a council chosen by the pack, who serve as leaders. It rotates every year, with new members replacing the old. But each member must prove themselves first, as having strength and wisdom. They make choices that are deemed too large for one person and give advice when asked. They're mostly tasked with making sure the pack is looked after."