Over teh Cliff

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Over the Cliff
Mick Stratton
mstratton@hlkn.tamu.edu

The reaction to the fact that the dead wolf was not Lykos differed amongst the villagers. There were those who did not believe Louve was telling the truth so that no one would get the reward. There were those who were happy because they believed the wolf was good. And there were those who were all the more determined to kill the wolf because they hated him.

It was this group that upped the ante by raising the reward to $1500.00. This made a big difference. Now, instead of just the local hunters hunting the wolf, many of the hunters from the surrounding villages came to hunt him also.

Of course this brought a lot of business into the tavern, but neither Henri nor Rand was happy, and Louve was downright miserable. The only one who seemed unaffected was Blaidd. In fact, to Louve, he seemed to be more alive than ever, as if he enjoyed the intrusion.

The wolf population was almost decimated, but Lykos was still free; in fact, sightings of him increased. It was as if he were taunting them.

A couple of hunters must have gotten very close to catching him because they were found dead and faceless. That upped the reward to $2500.00.

Louve was so upset she started spending more and more of her free time in the forest looking for the wolf. She had to make him understand that he must leave. She talked to Blaidd and told him if he loved her he would get Lykos out of the valley.

He asked her why she thought he would do that? She was so angry that she slapped him said, “I hate you!” then turned and stomped off back to the bar.

Blaidd watched her go and whispered to himself, “So feisty, a woman worthy of the Land of Corb Lupia.”

Louve was so angry because in her heart she knew Blaidd could get Lykos to leave, but he just wouldn't. Why? Some friend…

Then one night a hunter ran into the tavern and shouted, “We have the wolf trapped on the west ridge. There are over 40 hunters surrounding the area; there is no way the wolf can escape! I'm in town to get more ammunition.”

Louve looked over at Blaidd because she was going to make him do something whether he wanted to or not! But he was not there. Wasn't he there earlier? She couldn't remember.

In a panic she started running straight for the ridge. When she got there she heard shooting and asked what was happening. One of the local hunters said that it had become total chaos and that people were shooting at anything that moved.

Louve lost it completely and ran straight to the ridge with bullets flying by. All that mattered was that Lykos had saved her, and now she was going to save him no matter what!

Then from a place to her right she heard two shots, a horrendous growl and a scream. She ran to that spot, and suddenly realized she was where her mother's first love jumped off the cliff.

On the ground there were two faceless dead hunters and at the edge of the cliff she saw Blaidd sitting with blood pouring from a wound in his shoulder. She screamed at him, “Where is Lykos?” and he said, “He was here, but now he is not.”

She thought “But you are. In my heart I knew you would be his friend to the end.”

Louve ran to Blaidd, threw her arms around him and wept, “At least I have you. You are the one who counts the most and I still have you! Let me take you into the village for treatment to your shoulder.”

He looked at her sadly and said, “No, I am going into my forest and will use my plants.”

She smiled faintly and said, “Ok, but when will you come back? Where can I go to make sure you are alright?”

Blaidd told Louve to sit down and asked her to promise not to do what her mother had done those many years ago. She looked at him in astonishment and asked, “You knew my mother?”

Then he said, “Oh sweet child, I am the young man who loved and protected your mother. Lykos is the black wolf; the grey on both of us is age.”

“But it cannot be true because both you and the wolf jumped over the cliff and died.”

“No, neither of us died, just as Lykos is not dead now. It took a while before I could get back and by that time Vulpe had left.”

Blaidd then said, “Louve, there is so much you will never understand because the truth is not of this world, but another. In the end all will be well if you do as I say.”

She asked him what he wanted her to do. He said he wanted her to stay in the valley, which he knew would be hard, because he would not be coming back.

“Why, why will you not be coming back?” she cried.

He kissed her on the forehead, said, “I love you most precious child,” and jumped off the cliff.

Others began to arrive and asked where the wolf was; sobbing she just pointed to the cliff.

A year had come and gone and life in the village had returned to normal. There were fewer wolves but still some were sighted from time to time. The tavern was doing well and Louve was still the prettiest barmaid in the country.

But she was not the same. She was still kind and did her job well, but there was a great sadness in her heart.

Then something started to happen. Several kids had seen a huge black wolf while they were fishing. A hunter saw the same at a distance. After that there were several more sightings and the village was abuzz with fear and excitement. The hunters got their rifles ready and their traps set.

Whenever the black wolf was mentioned, Louve looked over to see Blaidd, but of course he was not there. Nobody was. The chair was still against the wall as it was when he last sat in it; it had remained empty ever since. After all, it was Blaidd's seat.

Then one night when the moon, was full a tall young man with long black hair walked into the tavern, stopped at the door, looked around and went over to the chair in the corner and sat down. Louve could not see his face because he wore a wide, flat brimmed hat.

She was furious. She was more than furious. She said to Henri, “This will not be!” She walked around the bar, marched right up to the table and angrily said, “Mister, you cannot sit in that chair!”

Then as he looked up, their eyes met. Staring into two sky blue pools she was overwhelmed with their intensity as they pierced her being and gazed upon her soul.

He smiled and said, “Hello, Most Beautiful Lady.” She smiled and whispered softly “Hello, Man of the Wood”.

And the Cosmic Stream flows on…

enough