Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2010 10:36:08 +0000 From: john aldridge Subject: The Wolf 06 This story contains sexual scenes between males of different species. If this type of material offends then you should not read it. Additionally, if you are under 18 years of age--no matter where you live in the world--you are not to read this story by law. This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead or to events that may have occurred, is purely coincidental. The author claims all copyrights to this story and no duplication or publication of this story is allowed, except by the web sites to which it has been posted, without the specific consent of the author. Copyright © 2010 EJA THE WOLF By EJA From Chapter Five: In a dream Davy was visited by his mother. "Hold this course," she told him, "and you will reach the jungle by morning of the next day." Then she was gone. When the pair awoke Davy told Marrok of his dream. **Do you believe her?** the wolf asked. **Mom always looked out for me when she was alive,** Davy replied, **why shouldn't she do so even after death? I trust what she says.** Davy's mother was off by a couple of hours. The sun had been in the sky for a few hours when they reached the jungle but neither were going to be picky over the time difference, although they were very close to death when they entered the jungle. The pair collapsed against a vine covered tree and fell into an exhausted slumber. Chapter Six Davy was the first to wake, not that he really wanted to but a persistent insect had burrowed its way inside the bearskin, attracted to the boy's sweat. It had tried a similar thing with the wolf but, because the animal's pelt was dense, had had no luck finding bare skin. Davy gave the offending creature a smack and ended its short life. But he got no relief from this action; the steaming heat was causing the boy to perspire freely. **It's no good, my friend,** he told the waking wolf, **I'm gonna have to take this skin off. I wish there was some way I could get it back to the tree. I'm really reluctant to lose it.** Marrok thought for a while then glanced up at the sky. Finally he called out in a language that Davy hadn't heard before. Soon a speck appeared in the sky as a result of the mysterious summons. This speck proved to be a large eagle and it settled on a branch above their heads, looking curiously at the wolf and his naked companion--naked save for the bear-boots. The pair held a conversation in that strange dialect--the words made no sense to Davy--and finally the eagle glided down, picked up the bearskin with its talons then soared into the sky again. **I've asked him to take it to the cave that houses the Pool of Life,** Marrok told Davy. **He knows where it is and he'll leave it at the entrance. The cave is likely to be rather chilly and you'll probably have need of it.** **Good thinking,** Davy approved. **That would not have occurred to me. It proves you're way more intelligent than I am.** **If I were capable of blushing, I probably would,** Marrok replied. **Still we must get on. Unlike the desert, travelling by night is not a good idea in the jungle--or so I've been told.** **Right,** Davy acknowledged, climbing on the big animal's back. **What language were you speaking?** Davy asked his bearer. **It was a variation of the bird language,** the wolf told him. **When I was a pup there was a fire in the forest and many animals panicked. My sire called out and myself and my brothers were rescued by this flock of eagles and other birds. When things quieted down once more I asked my father to teach me the language. I've not had much chance to use it--'til now, that is.** Davy mulled this over for a moment. **Perhaps you could teach me this language,** he suggested. **I'm not sure where it would ever be used but, like yourself, it could come in useful, don't you think?** Marrok nodded. **You could be right. When we get back home, I'll give you lessons.** **Thank you.** Once more the insects proved too much for the boy. They seemed to delight in burrowing in places that he found hard to reach. By the end of the first week Davy's fair skin was a mass of red blotches, caused as much by the insects as they were by his own hand. It was on the sixty-fifth day of their trek to the Pool of Life that Davy became ill. During their jungle experience the pair had been forced to forage for whatever food presented itself. A number of snakes and lizards had fallen foul of Marrok's jaws and an equal number of strange-looking fruits had been eaten by the boy. But it was probably the insects who were most to blame for Davy's sickness. He tried to make light of the situation but managed to upchuck all over the wolf on a number of occasions, necessitating the need to clean it. He became listless, his eyes sank into their sockets and his hair began to fall out. In the end Marrok, worried about the increasing seriousness of Davy's condition, was forced to leave his young lover behind and go in search of a stream as well as a means of curing him. Davy managed to haul himself into a lightning-blasted tree and was soon asleep in its protective branches. His illness had exhausted him. Once again Davy dreamed of his mother. This time she was pointing to another fruit--as strange-looking as all the others he had come across thus far--and telling him to eat it, that it would cure him. Once again she disappeared from his dream and he becomes almost comatose. When he woke up he found that Marrok had returned but was unsuccessful--he's still covered in Davy's vomit, as well. The boy told him of his dream and, seeing that the woman hadn't steered them wrong as yet, Marrok agreed to follow Davy to the fruit. As in his dream, the fruit was where his mother said it would be. The boy picked one and the pair returned to their former spot. Biting into the strange food Davy found the taste rather tart but palatable. In a matter of seconds he had eaten both and had fallen into a deep slumber, watched over by Marrok. While Davy was asleep Marrok noticed the flush in the boy's face begin to fade and the blotches made by the insects subside. Whatever the fruit was, Marrok thought to himself, it has some miraculous properties. He returned to the fruit-laden tree and noticed there were several pips lying around its base. He studied them and wondered if they contained the seed to cultivate a similar plant back in their home forest. With a snarl he jerked his head up and saw the vague outline of a gentle-eyed woman. As the pair stared at each other the woman nodded then faded from view; it must have been Davy's mother and she was giving their relationship her approval. Marrok had sensed her voice inside his head telling him his surmise is correct, the pip did contain the seed of life; it only has to be buried and tended over the course of a year and the result will be a new sort of medicine for sick people. Amazed that such a thing should come to pass, Marrok shook his head and went back to his sleeping lover. Davy slept for three days, forcing Marrok to leave the boy while he went hunting for something to eat. But, by the morning of the third day, the boy's eyes opened and stared into the wolf's. "Marrok," Davy said, forgetting to "speak" mentally. Marrok recognised his name even though the sounds were alien to him. He tilted his head in a quizzical manner. Davy realised his mistake and said in their more normal mode of communication, **Marrok.** **My love,** was Marrok's response. **How long did I sleep?** the boy wanted to know. **Almost three days.** Back at the tree Davy had taught Marrok the division man made over time so that, by now, the wolf was conversant with the concept. **Three days!** Davy mentally gasped. **We've got to get moving!** and he jumped to his feet. Plainly his long sleep--and the fruit--had cured him. However, before he could climb on the wolf's back something caught his eye and he said, **Hold it a moment, Marrok. I think I see someone.** Both stared in the direction of the tree and, sure enough, a person became visible to them. Davy's mother. She nodded to them then vanished. **I think she wants us to take some of the fruit with us,** Davy suggested. With judicious use of Marrok's sharp teeth, they cut a couple of vines holding several of the fruit, draping them over each other's neck. **I'm guessing, but I think Mom is telling me these fruit have a great many uses,** Davy told his lover as they set out once more. **Time will tell, my love,** Marrok replied. **Time will tell.** Day followed day followed day as the pair went deeper into the jungle. Because the mountain range they were headed for was so tall, they could clearly see the peaks through the high foliage, so they had no trouble keeping on course. True they had to meander somewhat when some obstacle presented itself but it didn't take them long to get back on track. It was about a week after their enforced rest that the pair heard a strange hissing, roaring sound; the foliage up ahead rustling menacingly. The pair stopped. It was Davy who found the courage to shout, `Show yourself, whoever you are!' He got off Marrok's back and went into a crouch, hands outstretched into claws. Another hiss and a roar sounded and the beast jumped out from its concealment. It was a nightmare; the bastard offspring of some unclean coupling, most likely, thought Davy. Basically it presented a humanoid shape insofar that it had a head, torso, arms and legs. But that was where human and whatever this was parted company. It had a tail with spikes along its length, each one dripping some sort of thick, viscous liquid. The legs had scales from feet to hips and the absence of any genitalia suggested this aggressive creature might be female. The beast had to be near eleven feet tall. It was covered from hip to shoulder in fur, save for its chest which gave a hint of armour plating. It had claws that also dripped the same venomous-looking liquid as the tail spikes. Despite all this, the result was still basically human. But it was the head that told the pair they were in the presence of a fear-provoking apparition. Row upon row of teeth lined the lizard-like muzzle and it had no less than three tongues, each terminating in two prongs. The nostrils of the beast dripped mucus that looked almost has bad as the oozing venom from the other parts of the creature. **I've heard tell of this sort of creature,** Marrok transmitted to Davy. **It's called a Zyzek and there are those who believe it was the result of an experiment carried out by a sorcerer that went badly wrong. I suggest you get back. A Zyzek only has one vulnerable spot and that's its throat. But you have to get in close to kill it, and they're remarkably agile--and especially adept with those claws and tail. You'll have to stay out of the way, I must deal with this alone.** It was the longest speech Marrok had made thus far in their relationship. Davy obeyed and watched the event unfold with wide eyes. Evidently the Zyzek didn't think of Davy as much of a threat so it ignored the boy and concentrated on the wolf. It gave its hissing roar to show that it wasn't intimidated by Marrok and crouched low, its tail lashing violently to and fro. The pair circled each other warily and Marrok snarled, showing all of his teeth. The Zyzek slashed out with its left arm, the claw whistling scant inches above Marrok's head. Marrok had speed and agility on his side whereas the Zyzek was a lumbering brute not given to matching the more delicate moves of its opponent. But the barbed tail and the claws more than made up for any deficiency, so, basically, the pair were about evenly matched. Marrok's only hope was to get the beast entangled in the vines surrounding their little arena. Given the creature's height, this might be easy since the vines were low-hanging. The wolf snarled again as Davy, realising what the wolf needed, sent a "back up" thought to the deadly creature. The Zyzek obeyed the command and began backing toward the jungle, just as the boy hoped. At the last second it seemed to sense a problem but was too late to do anything about it. It stumbled against a concealed log and lost its balance. As the beast fell, Marrok seized his chance and launched himself straight at the beast's neck. There was a bony crunch and the creature snorted mucus from its nostrils that caught Marrok square in the eyes before the light went out of its own. Marrok fell to the ground, shaking his head and staggering blindly about the area. Davy quickly rushed to his aid. **What's wrong, my love?** the boy asked of the wolf. **I'm blind, Davy,** Marrok replied, still shaking his head. **Whatever that was that came out of its nose, has rendered me blind as a bat. I'll be no use to you as a protector now, I'm afraid.** ##To be continued.## Once again I must apologise for the lack of sex in this chapter however that will all change in Chapter Seven, I can assure you. So Marrok's blind, is he? What will happen now? Will Davy be forced to go on alone or will his mother come to the rescue once again? The next chapter should answer some if not all of these questions. Let me know what you think. EJA pegasusunicorn52@msn.com