There are wolves upon the land.

Bridie looked about to argue her dismissal but Liffey nudged her and intimated with a nod of her head that they should follow the queen’s wishes. As they were about to leave, though, there was a commotion and two ladies entered the chamber almost knocking into Bridie and Liffey in their haste. Lady Florence le Fey and the Duchess Lobelia were quite out of breath as they stood before the queen.

“What brings you to my chambers in such a state of disarray?” Queen Millie demanded.

“Your Majesty, Ma’am we have news from the woodland faeries. It is desperate news of the most terrible kind there is,” Lady Florence said in a rush.

“Stop babbling girl. Tell me your news,” Queen Millie said not unkindly. 

“There are wolves upon the realm,” Duchess Lobelia stated.

“Wolves, there cannot be wolves. We have seen no wolves at the gate,” Bridie interrupted.

“The faeries are adamant there are wolves walking the woods,” Lady Florence said, not giving a thought to whom she addressed. “They saw them attack the goats this evening. Do you question their word?”

“Go Bridie, we will talk in the morning,” Queen Millie said, shaking her head at her when it looked as if she would argue the point. Bridie turned to leave the chamber but as she did a swarm of chattering fantails swooped over her head into the room. They transformed in front of Bridie’s eyes into little woodland faeries. They were agitated and requested immediate counsel with the queen.

 

It took them several hours to arrive at the scene of the most recent attack. It had happened not long after dawn that morning, another silver cloud and rainbow had risen above Arohanui. The attack had happened at a crossing of the river Waiarohanui, which runs in braided ribbons from the mountains to the lake. 

Many small rivers run down from the mountains to join together and become Waiarohanui. It is a mighty and angry river when flooded by the melting snows in spring, but at present it flowed gently over its smooth grey stones. 

The scene before them told a story. It showed the goats had been surprised as they had come to the water’s edge. The panicked footprints told of a scene of terror. Amongst the cloven hoof prints were the spoor of wolves. There were definitely more than one and it seemed they were working as a pack and methodically hunting down their prey. Bridie and her ladies closely inspected the area and then came together to consider what they had found.

“My best guess puts it at a pack no smaller than five wolves with the possibility of it being as large as eight,” Bridie said.

“I agree,” Lobelia nodded. “There are definitely no less than five.”

“One’s missing a toe,” Evie added. “And I believe yet another has a pronounced limp.”

“Yes, but regardless of those factors all are very shrewd and accomplished hunters,” Bridie stated, her voice laden with dread. “For this pack to be able to kill four goats inside a day is unnaturally sinister. There is dark magic behind this.”

The ladies all looked at each other and into the woods around them. They all felt it, it was as if the ghosts of the battle were still surrounding them. The eerie feeling of doom weighed down upon their heads and still the gloom hung over the land, adding to the oppressive air around them. -
- Battle For Arohanui -