CHAPTER 4
“I... I..” Cedrick stuttered. “Who are you?”
“You first, stranger,” the wild-looking man growled. Tall, ox-like in build, his thick mane of dark hair was indistinguishable from his beard. It was near impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.
“Cedrick.”
“Why are you here?”
Cedrick stared at his interrogator in confusion. “I... was looking for something to eat.”
“I mean, what are you doing in my house?”
Cedrick’s mouth fell open. “You live here?”
The man raised the crossbow until it pointed at Cedrick’s neck. “Do not try my patience,” he snarled. “I’m in no mood for games, or visitors.”
“My apologies,” Cedrick whispered. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your privacy. Forgive my trespassing.”
“Does that mean you’ll leave peacefully?”
“Of course,” Cedrick said. “I’m unarmed. Will you let me walk away?”
“Get walking.”
Cedrick backed away a few steps, his hands up, palms facing the other. His heart pounded in his chest. He’d faced some difficult opponents in training exercises, but he’d never had his life threatened. One of the benefits of living in a peaceful land.
As he stepped backwards, his thoughts went to Zedrina. She was still waiting for him by the fire. Her words echoed in his mind. “The god’s hands are on all things.” Did she think he was considering leaving her behind? Was he the kind of man who would put himself before all else? “I need to get my travel companion before I leave.”
The man stepped out of the shadows. “Hurry up.”
Cedrick did not take his eyes off the stranger as he made his way for the cabin. He felt some small bit better with the bolt no longer pointing at his face, Cedrick didn’t want to test the stranger’s patience.
“Zedrina,” Cedrick yelled, “we need to go!”
No answer.
Cedrick, with his back to the door, pushed it open and shouted in, his eyes still on the stranger, “Zedrina, I need you to come outside right now. We need to leave this minute!”
A moment later, he felt her hand on his elbow. “What’s the matter?” she asked. She must have seen the forest man then, because she simply said, “Oh.”
“Come on. “Cedrick took her hand and pulled her from the cabin.
She stumbled, and said, “I left your cloak and my bandage...”
“Leave it.”
“But...”
Cedrick pulled her hard. “We need to leave.”
Zedrina grabbed onto Cedrick’s arm, steadying herself. He put his other arm around her waist and tried to help her walk.
The man lowered his bow and took a step toward the two. “Go on and get your things,” he said, nodding toward his house.
Cedrick eyed him suspiciously. “I’m not leaving her alone with you.”
The stranger smirked. “I’m not going to hurt you. I don’t need you two cold tonight because you’ve left your cloaks behind. Go on, lad, hurry and get your things.”
Cedrick helped Zedrina to sit upon a stump, and then, eying the stranger suspiciously, he inched back into the house.
When he returned to the yard, he found the stranger kneeling before Zedrina, her foot in his hands. “How about that?” the man asked. “Does that hurt?”
“Perhaps a small amount.”
“Can you walk?”
“I can put weight on it.”
Caressing her ankle with his big thumbs, the woodsman said, “It’s hard to tell if it’s swollen. How long have you been walking on it?”
“An hour, maybe two.”
“Let’s go,” Cedrick said, approaching cautiously. He didn’t know what the man intended, but he wasn’t entirely comfortable with his hands on Zedrina.
“You can stay.”
Cedrick stared at the man sliding Zedrina’s sandal back onto her foot. “I don’t think that would be...”
“I said, you can stay,” the man said, rising. “Don’t make me rethink my offer.”
Cedrick set his jaw. He had been threatened, frightened, and shouted at by the stranger. There was no way he was closing his eyes anywhere near the woodsman or his damn bow.
As if trying to appear somewhat domesticated, the man ran calloused, dirty hands through his unkempt hair. “She needs to stay off that foot a couple days. I’d not force you out with an injury.”
“But you’d point a bolt in my face even after I’ve told you I’m unarmed,” Cedrick spat.
Zedrina turned to him. “Cedrick,” she said, “we have nothing of value; this man has no reason to hurt us. He offered us a place to stay tonight, and I’m inclined to accept. If he wanted to kill us, he’d have already done it.”
A weak argument, Cedrick thought, sniffing. While he saw a wolf for what it was, Zedrina was buying into the stranger’s attempted civility. It still didn’t make him a lap dog.
She reached her hand through the side slit of her cloak and took Cedrick’s hand. “We could use a meal and some clean water. He surely knows how to live in this place. Where else would we go?”
The man extended his hand toward Cedrick, who flinched before he realized the hand was offered in peace. “I’m Kael. I’m afraid I’m not much of a host, but you’re welcome to what I have.”
Cedrick looked suspiciously at the man’s hand until he pulled it back. “Are you sure?” he asked, facing Zedrina.
“What choices have we?” She smiled, rising. “See? The gods have not forgotten us, Cedrick. They are merely teaching us another lesson.”
“Oh? And what lesson would that be? Not to go anywhere, ever? Not to shit yourself when someone points a crossbow at your face?”
“Trust. And faith, Cedrick,” she said, placing her hand on his shoulder. She kept it there as they followed Kael back toward the tiny dwelling, and though Cedrick was loathe to admit it, her touch felt nice. Comfort, he wondered. Was she trying to reassure him that the gods yet cared, or trying to heal his wounded pride after he’d relented to seeing things her way? Either way, her concern was touching.
“It’s small, but warm and watertight,” Kael said, pushing open the door. “Please, make yourselves comfortable. I’ll start some water to boil for supper. Will you help me fetch it, Cedrick?”
Cedrick glared at the stranger and then looked down at Zedrina. “Sure,” he grumbled, setting her gently onto the bed upon the floor and stomping after the stranger. “Whatever I’ve done to deserve this night, I apologize,” he muttered under his breath.
Out back, Kael worked a hand pump while Cedrick held two large buckets for him. It seemed Kael was entirely capable of filling and carrying the buckets alone, so Cedrick wondered why he’d been dragged along.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Kael said, answering Cedrick’s unspoken question.
“That seems unlikely,” Cedrick replied.
“I’m trying to tell you that I’m sorry. Why don’t you listen before you dismiss my words?”
Cedrick frowned.
“This is a dangerous land, lad. I don’t see many people, and the ones I do see are usually up to no good. I don’t know why you two kids are out here, but I don’t mind helping out travelers in need.”
Cedrick drew in a long breath and let out a sigh. Kael lived in the middle of nowhere, where there were no laws of men or gods. He hadn’t fired at Cedrick, only asked him who he was and his business. Was that not some measure of the stranger, Cedrick asked himself. “Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“Okay, I understand why you threatened me. I’d be suspicious of a stranger poking around, too. You could have put a couple holes in me first and asked questions after, but you didn’t. I’m just a little rattled is all. It’s been an awful day, and it just seems to keep getting worse.”
“Come on, lad,” Kael said. “Wherever you’ve come from, you have a long way to go to get home. I may live on the edge of the world, but I was raised in civilization. I’m no swamp creature. Anyways, I’ve had a pretty f***ing awful day myself. Let’s get our bellies fed and a good night’s rest.”
Cedrick smiled and shook his head. “Thank you for your hospitality, Kael. I’m glad we don’t have to spend a night out there.”
“How did you get here with no supplies or horse?”
“I had a horse. He died today, and as for supplies... they’re on his dead body. My sword, bedroll, everything is in the river.”
“One horse for the two of you?”
“Zedrina was on foot.”
“You rode while your lady walked?”
“Oh, no. I only just met her. I found her in the swamp.” After the words were out, Cedrick realized how strange they sounded. Kael didn’t say anything, choosing to pick up the buckets and return to the front of the house.
“Well, thank you again for giving us shelter for the night. I would hate to take my chances with lizards or whatever else lives in this god-forsaken place; no offense intended.”
Kael smiled smugly. “None taken.”
Zedrina pulled off her cloak when they entered, revealing a tunic of leather riveted with metal scales. Cedrick stared longer than he probably should have, but nothing about her seemed simple. Armor and helmet? Seemed an odd choice for a woman. Did she ever take that damned helm off? The hawk face disturbed him more as his patience waned.
“I’ve brought enough water for you to wash up,” Kael said. “This one is for supper, but the other is yours. You two smell like the swamp.”
“Wonderful,” she said, peeling off her armor. “I fear these are ruined, but perhaps the metal can be reused. Swamp-water is one of the worst things for leather.”
“Let me get dinner on the go, and we’ll leave you to your business,” Kael said. “I even have a bit of soap around here somewhere.” He rummaged around in a small cabinet by the stove. “Ah, here it is.”
“Might you have something clean I could wear?” she asked, unbuckling her helmet. “Unfortunately, I’m traveling light.”
Cedrick watched her lift the hawk mask over her head, curious to see what was beneath. A pale green scarf wrapped around the top half of her face, completely covering her eyes. Cedrick wondered why she was wearing such a thing. How could she see with it on?
Kael went to the corner of the cabin and opened a wooden chest. He took out several things. “You may use this,” he said, handing her a worn garment of off-white linen.
Back at the stove, he dumped a few handfuls of rice and beans into the hot water, and picked up her discarded cloak and scaled tunic. “We’ll be back in fifteen minutes,” he said to Zedrina, and exited the cabin, leaving Cedrick to catch up.
Kael took Zedrina’s armor to the pump and pulled a washbasin from a small lean-to. He dumped her garments into fresh water, and soaped and scrubbed her clothes.
When he was done, he hung the garments over a line stretched between the lean-to and a tall pine tree. Then, Kael stripped off his own clothes, down to his linen braies, and threw them into the tub and pumped fresh water. “You want yours done next, lad, start stripping ‘em off. I’m no laundress, but I’d rather wash your clothes than smell you all night.”
Cedrick hung Kael’s clothing on the line, to be helpful.
“This is the last of the soap,” Kael said, setting a small, slimy ball beside the washbasin. “I’ve brought you an extra set of pants you can sleep in tonight, since nothing is going to dry with the sun down and this damned humidity.”
At the risk of feeling completely exposed, Cedrick removed his clothes and threw them into the tub. Turning his back, he threw his underpants into the basin and took the bar of soap. He’d lived in a barracks for three years, and was certainly used to bathing with a dozen or so other young men. Anything was better than the feel and stink of swamp water lingering on his skin.
Cedrick lifted the bucket over his head and dumped it, then refilled it and did the same again. He donned fresh trousers, fitting much too loose.
When Cedrick turned back, Kael shook his head like a dog, spraying water in all directions. Civilized indeed, Cedrick thought, hiding a smile. They left the laundry hanging in the darkening yard, and made their way to the front door, barefoot.
Kael knocked. “Are you decent?” he called.
“Yes,” Zedrina answered, coming to open the door for the two men. Cedrick’s mouth hung open when he saw her. She stood in the doorway, the light from inside showing through Kael’s gigantic linen shirt, and her legs uncovered to the thigh. She still wore her scarf over her eyes, though her hair was wet. She must have taken it off to wash, he thought, why put it back on?
Cedrick and Zedrina sat on the floor while Kael stirred the pot on the stove. Not wanting to stare at Zedrina and make her uncomfortable, Cedrick said to Kael, “Don’t you worry about the lizards, living so close to the swamp?”
“This is a dangerous land. There are worse things out here, especially at night.”
“Like what?” asked Zedrina.
“A lycanthrope,” Kael said gravely.
“What is that?” Zedrina asked.
“Werewolves,” Cedrick said.
“Actually, there are different kinds,” Kael said. “I am currently hunting a were-cat of some sort. Big, like one of the lions of Andruain.”
“Could that be responsible for the disappearances of a few dozen people up near Larkridge?” Cedrick asked. “Mostly women and children, gone missing near the river.”
“Wait,” Zedrina said, “you’re saying werewolves are real?”
“Absolutely real,” Cedrick answered her.
“Are they like the legends?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Cedrick said. “What do your legends say about them?”
She thought about it a moment before answering. “One story tells of a mysterious clan, chieftains from long ago who could transform into wolves. They were enhanced with magical strength, through magical rites that normal humans couldn’t survive.”
“I doubt there’s any truth to it,” Cedrick said. “Lycanthropy is a disease.”
“What do you mean, a disease?” she asked.
“It’s treatable in its early stages if the healer is skilled enough, but when it goes untreated, the men affected end up as mad, ravenous beasts, all traces of their humanity gone. I remember my mother telling me that it kills in its final stages.”
“That doesn’t sound like the legends I’ve heard,” she said, frowning. “In our folk traditions, werewolves were revered as powerful, connected to the gods.”
“My mother told me about it,” Cedrick said. “I don’t remember her ever treating a case, but she has books which mention it.”
“How awful,” Zedrina said in a whisper. “A disease that kills men by driving them mad. How does one become a lycanthrope?”
“I don’t know,” said Cedrick, “I’m not a healer, I’m a soldier.”
“Dinner’s ready,” Kael said from the stove.
“I... I..” Cedrick stuttered. “Who are you?”
“You first, stranger,” the wild-looking man growled. Tall, ox-like in build, his thick mane of dark hair was indistinguishable from his beard. It was near impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.
“Cedrick.”
“Why are you here?”
Cedrick stared at his interrogator in confusion. “I... was looking for something to eat.”
“I mean, what are you doing in my house?”
Cedrick’s mouth fell open. “You live here?”
The man raised the crossbow until it pointed at Cedrick’s neck. “Do not try my patience,” he snarled. “I’m in no mood for games, or visitors.”
“My apologies,” Cedrick whispered. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your privacy. Forgive my trespassing.”
“Does that mean you’ll leave peacefully?”
“Of course,” Cedrick said. “I’m unarmed. Will you let me walk away?”
“Get walking.”
Cedrick backed away a few steps, his hands up, palms facing the other. His heart pounded in his chest. He’d faced some difficult opponents in training exercises, but he’d never had his life threatened. One of the benefits of living in a peaceful land.
As he stepped backwards, his thoughts went to Zedrina. She was still waiting for him by the fire. Her words echoed in his mind. “The god’s hands are on all things.” Did she think he was considering leaving her behind? Was he the kind of man who would put himself before all else? “I need to get my travel companion before I leave.”
The man stepped out of the shadows. “Hurry up.”
Cedrick did not take his eyes off the stranger as he made his way for the cabin. He felt some small bit better with the bolt no longer pointing at his face, Cedrick didn’t want to test the stranger’s patience.
“Zedrina,” Cedrick yelled, “we need to go!”
No answer.
Cedrick, with his back to the door, pushed it open and shouted in, his eyes still on the stranger, “Zedrina, I need you to come outside right now. We need to leave this minute!”
A moment later, he felt her hand on his elbow. “What’s the matter?” she asked. She must have seen the forest man then, because she simply said, “Oh.”
“Come on. “Cedrick took her hand and pulled her from the cabin.
She stumbled, and said, “I left your cloak and my bandage...”
“Leave it.”
“But...”
Cedrick pulled her hard. “We need to leave.”
Zedrina grabbed onto Cedrick’s arm, steadying herself. He put his other arm around her waist and tried to help her walk.
The man lowered his bow and took a step toward the two. “Go on and get your things,” he said, nodding toward his house.
Cedrick eyed him suspiciously. “I’m not leaving her alone with you.”
The stranger smirked. “I’m not going to hurt you. I don’t need you two cold tonight because you’ve left your cloaks behind. Go on, lad, hurry and get your things.”
Cedrick helped Zedrina to sit upon a stump, and then, eying the stranger suspiciously, he inched back into the house.
When he returned to the yard, he found the stranger kneeling before Zedrina, her foot in his hands. “How about that?” the man asked. “Does that hurt?”
“Perhaps a small amount.”
“Can you walk?”
“I can put weight on it.”
Caressing her ankle with his big thumbs, the woodsman said, “It’s hard to tell if it’s swollen. How long have you been walking on it?”
“An hour, maybe two.”
“Let’s go,” Cedrick said, approaching cautiously. He didn’t know what the man intended, but he wasn’t entirely comfortable with his hands on Zedrina.
“You can stay.”
Cedrick stared at the man sliding Zedrina’s sandal back onto her foot. “I don’t think that would be...”
“I said, you can stay,” the man said, rising. “Don’t make me rethink my offer.”
Cedrick set his jaw. He had been threatened, frightened, and shouted at by the stranger. There was no way he was closing his eyes anywhere near the woodsman or his damn bow.
As if trying to appear somewhat domesticated, the man ran calloused, dirty hands through his unkempt hair. “She needs to stay off that foot a couple days. I’d not force you out with an injury.”
“But you’d point a bolt in my face even after I’ve told you I’m unarmed,” Cedrick spat.
Zedrina turned to him. “Cedrick,” she said, “we have nothing of value; this man has no reason to hurt us. He offered us a place to stay tonight, and I’m inclined to accept. If he wanted to kill us, he’d have already done it.”
A weak argument, Cedrick thought, sniffing. While he saw a wolf for what it was, Zedrina was buying into the stranger’s attempted civility. It still didn’t make him a lap dog.
She reached her hand through the side slit of her cloak and took Cedrick’s hand. “We could use a meal and some clean water. He surely knows how to live in this place. Where else would we go?”
The man extended his hand toward Cedrick, who flinched before he realized the hand was offered in peace. “I’m Kael. I’m afraid I’m not much of a host, but you’re welcome to what I have.”
Cedrick looked suspiciously at the man’s hand until he pulled it back. “Are you sure?” he asked, facing Zedrina.
“What choices have we?” She smiled, rising. “See? The gods have not forgotten us, Cedrick. They are merely teaching us another lesson.”
“Oh? And what lesson would that be? Not to go anywhere, ever? Not to shit yourself when someone points a crossbow at your face?”
“Trust. And faith, Cedrick,” she said, placing her hand on his shoulder. She kept it there as they followed Kael back toward the tiny dwelling, and though Cedrick was loathe to admit it, her touch felt nice. Comfort, he wondered. Was she trying to reassure him that the gods yet cared, or trying to heal his wounded pride after he’d relented to seeing things her way? Either way, her concern was touching.
“It’s small, but warm and watertight,” Kael said, pushing open the door. “Please, make yourselves comfortable. I’ll start some water to boil for supper. Will you help me fetch it, Cedrick?”
Cedrick glared at the stranger and then looked down at Zedrina. “Sure,” he grumbled, setting her gently onto the bed upon the floor and stomping after the stranger. “Whatever I’ve done to deserve this night, I apologize,” he muttered under his breath.
Out back, Kael worked a hand pump while Cedrick held two large buckets for him. It seemed Kael was entirely capable of filling and carrying the buckets alone, so Cedrick wondered why he’d been dragged along.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Kael said, answering Cedrick’s unspoken question.
“That seems unlikely,” Cedrick replied.
“I’m trying to tell you that I’m sorry. Why don’t you listen before you dismiss my words?”
Cedrick frowned.
“This is a dangerous land, lad. I don’t see many people, and the ones I do see are usually up to no good. I don’t know why you two kids are out here, but I don’t mind helping out travelers in need.”
Cedrick drew in a long breath and let out a sigh. Kael lived in the middle of nowhere, where there were no laws of men or gods. He hadn’t fired at Cedrick, only asked him who he was and his business. Was that not some measure of the stranger, Cedrick asked himself. “Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“Okay, I understand why you threatened me. I’d be suspicious of a stranger poking around, too. You could have put a couple holes in me first and asked questions after, but you didn’t. I’m just a little rattled is all. It’s been an awful day, and it just seems to keep getting worse.”
“Come on, lad,” Kael said. “Wherever you’ve come from, you have a long way to go to get home. I may live on the edge of the world, but I was raised in civilization. I’m no swamp creature. Anyways, I’ve had a pretty f***ing awful day myself. Let’s get our bellies fed and a good night’s rest.”
Cedrick smiled and shook his head. “Thank you for your hospitality, Kael. I’m glad we don’t have to spend a night out there.”
“How did you get here with no supplies or horse?”
“I had a horse. He died today, and as for supplies... they’re on his dead body. My sword, bedroll, everything is in the river.”
“One horse for the two of you?”
“Zedrina was on foot.”
“You rode while your lady walked?”
“Oh, no. I only just met her. I found her in the swamp.” After the words were out, Cedrick realized how strange they sounded. Kael didn’t say anything, choosing to pick up the buckets and return to the front of the house.
“Well, thank you again for giving us shelter for the night. I would hate to take my chances with lizards or whatever else lives in this god-forsaken place; no offense intended.”
Kael smiled smugly. “None taken.”
Zedrina pulled off her cloak when they entered, revealing a tunic of leather riveted with metal scales. Cedrick stared longer than he probably should have, but nothing about her seemed simple. Armor and helmet? Seemed an odd choice for a woman. Did she ever take that damned helm off? The hawk face disturbed him more as his patience waned.
“I’ve brought enough water for you to wash up,” Kael said. “This one is for supper, but the other is yours. You two smell like the swamp.”
“Wonderful,” she said, peeling off her armor. “I fear these are ruined, but perhaps the metal can be reused. Swamp-water is one of the worst things for leather.”
“Let me get dinner on the go, and we’ll leave you to your business,” Kael said. “I even have a bit of soap around here somewhere.” He rummaged around in a small cabinet by the stove. “Ah, here it is.”
“Might you have something clean I could wear?” she asked, unbuckling her helmet. “Unfortunately, I’m traveling light.”
Cedrick watched her lift the hawk mask over her head, curious to see what was beneath. A pale green scarf wrapped around the top half of her face, completely covering her eyes. Cedrick wondered why she was wearing such a thing. How could she see with it on?
Kael went to the corner of the cabin and opened a wooden chest. He took out several things. “You may use this,” he said, handing her a worn garment of off-white linen.
Back at the stove, he dumped a few handfuls of rice and beans into the hot water, and picked up her discarded cloak and scaled tunic. “We’ll be back in fifteen minutes,” he said to Zedrina, and exited the cabin, leaving Cedrick to catch up.
Kael took Zedrina’s armor to the pump and pulled a washbasin from a small lean-to. He dumped her garments into fresh water, and soaped and scrubbed her clothes.
When he was done, he hung the garments over a line stretched between the lean-to and a tall pine tree. Then, Kael stripped off his own clothes, down to his linen braies, and threw them into the tub and pumped fresh water. “You want yours done next, lad, start stripping ‘em off. I’m no laundress, but I’d rather wash your clothes than smell you all night.”
Cedrick hung Kael’s clothing on the line, to be helpful.
“This is the last of the soap,” Kael said, setting a small, slimy ball beside the washbasin. “I’ve brought you an extra set of pants you can sleep in tonight, since nothing is going to dry with the sun down and this damned humidity.”
At the risk of feeling completely exposed, Cedrick removed his clothes and threw them into the tub. Turning his back, he threw his underpants into the basin and took the bar of soap. He’d lived in a barracks for three years, and was certainly used to bathing with a dozen or so other young men. Anything was better than the feel and stink of swamp water lingering on his skin.
Cedrick lifted the bucket over his head and dumped it, then refilled it and did the same again. He donned fresh trousers, fitting much too loose.
When Cedrick turned back, Kael shook his head like a dog, spraying water in all directions. Civilized indeed, Cedrick thought, hiding a smile. They left the laundry hanging in the darkening yard, and made their way to the front door, barefoot.
Kael knocked. “Are you decent?” he called.
“Yes,” Zedrina answered, coming to open the door for the two men. Cedrick’s mouth hung open when he saw her. She stood in the doorway, the light from inside showing through Kael’s gigantic linen shirt, and her legs uncovered to the thigh. She still wore her scarf over her eyes, though her hair was wet. She must have taken it off to wash, he thought, why put it back on?
Cedrick and Zedrina sat on the floor while Kael stirred the pot on the stove. Not wanting to stare at Zedrina and make her uncomfortable, Cedrick said to Kael, “Don’t you worry about the lizards, living so close to the swamp?”
“This is a dangerous land. There are worse things out here, especially at night.”
“Like what?” asked Zedrina.
“A lycanthrope,” Kael said gravely.
“What is that?” Zedrina asked.
“Werewolves,” Cedrick said.
“Actually, there are different kinds,” Kael said. “I am currently hunting a were-cat of some sort. Big, like one of the lions of Andruain.”
“Could that be responsible for the disappearances of a few dozen people up near Larkridge?” Cedrick asked. “Mostly women and children, gone missing near the river.”
“Wait,” Zedrina said, “you’re saying werewolves are real?”
“Absolutely real,” Cedrick answered her.
“Are they like the legends?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Cedrick said. “What do your legends say about them?”
She thought about it a moment before answering. “One story tells of a mysterious clan, chieftains from long ago who could transform into wolves. They were enhanced with magical strength, through magical rites that normal humans couldn’t survive.”
“I doubt there’s any truth to it,” Cedrick said. “Lycanthropy is a disease.”
“What do you mean, a disease?” she asked.
“It’s treatable in its early stages if the healer is skilled enough, but when it goes untreated, the men affected end up as mad, ravenous beasts, all traces of their humanity gone. I remember my mother telling me that it kills in its final stages.”
“That doesn’t sound like the legends I’ve heard,” she said, frowning. “In our folk traditions, werewolves were revered as powerful, connected to the gods.”
“My mother told me about it,” Cedrick said. “I don’t remember her ever treating a case, but she has books which mention it.”
“How awful,” Zedrina said in a whisper. “A disease that kills men by driving them mad. How does one become a lycanthrope?”
“I don’t know,” said Cedrick, “I’m not a healer, I’m a soldier.”
“Dinner’s ready,” Kael said from the stove.
