Whispers Beneath the Pines
1459 Words
The walk back to Moonridge felt longer than usual.
Seraphina held her basket of Moonshade flowers close to her chest, but her thoughts remained in the forest.
She could still see the injured black wolf lying beneath the old oak tree.
Its crimson eyes had been unlike anything she had ever seen.
They should have frightened her.
Instead...
They had made her feel strangely calm.
"Seraphina!"
She blinked and realized she had almost walked past the infirmary.
Selene stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips.
"There you are."
"I'm sorry," Seraphina said, hurrying over. "I lost track of time."
"I can see that." Selene took the basket and looked inside. "At least you remembered the Moonshade flowers."
"I almost forgot."
Selene smiled knowingly.
"Something happened in the forest."
Seraphina hesitated.
"Why do you think that?"
"You've been staring at the same flower for the last minute."
Seraphina looked down.
She was indeed holding a single Moonshade flower in her hand.
She laughed softly.
"I guess I was."
Selene didn't press her.
Instead, she gently placed a hand on Seraphina's shoulder.
"When you're ready to talk, I'll listen."
Those simple words warmed Seraphina's heart.
She nodded.
"I know."
The afternoon passed quietly.
An elderly woman came in with aching knees.
A young hunter needed a bandage for a cut on his arm.
A mother brought her daughter, who had caught a fever after playing in the rain.
Seraphina welcomed each patient with the same gentle smile.
She never rushed anyone.
She listened carefully before preparing medicines.
"Drink this before bed," she told the little girl with the fever.
"It tastes bitter," the child whispered.
Seraphina leaned closer with a playful smile.
"Then hold your nose while you drink it."
The little girl giggled.
"Does that really work?"
"It works for me."
The girl drank the medicine, scrunching up her face before smiling proudly.
"I did it!"
"You were very brave."
Her mother smiled gratefully.
"Thank you, Seraphina."
After they left, Selene looked over from across the room.
"You always know the right thing to say."
"I just remember how scared I used to be."
Selene's expression softened.
"And now you help others feel less afraid."
As the sun began to set, they closed the infirmary.
The evening air was cool, carrying the smell of fresh bread from the village bakery.
"Go home," Selene said.
"You've worked enough for one day."
"What about you?"
"I still have herbs to sort."
Seraphina smiled.
"Don't stay up too late."
Selene laughed.
"You're starting to sound like me."
"I've learned from the best."
The village square was lively as Seraphina walked home.
Children chased each other between the market stalls.
Merchants packed away their goods.
The sound of laughter filled the air.
"Seraphina!"
She turned to see Elena weaving through the crowd.
Her blonde braid bounced as she ran.
"There you are!"
"You've said that twice today."
"Because you keep disappearing."
Elena looped her arm through Seraphina's.
"Come with me."
"Where?"
"My mother is making stew."
Seraphina smiled apologetically.
"I don't want to interrupt."
"You won't."
"You'll actually save me."
"How?"
"My little brothers have been arguing all day."
"About what?"
"One says he'll become the strongest warrior in Moonridge."
"And the other?"
"He says he'll become Alpha."
Seraphina laughed.
"They're eight."
"I know."
"They're already impossible."
The two friends continued walking together, enjoying the peaceful evening.
As they passed the center of the village, they noticed a small crowd gathered around an old storyteller.
Children sat cross legged on the ground while adults listened from nearby benches.
The old man smiled as he poked the campfire with a stick.
"Tonight," he said dramatically, "I'll tell you about the Villain Alpha."
The children gasped.
Even Elena rolled her eyes.
"He tells this story every month."
"But everyone still listens."
Seraphina found herself stopping with the others.
She had heard the name many times.
Darian Blackthorn.
The Alpha every pack feared.
The old storyteller lowered his voice.
"They say no army has ever defeated him."
"They say his wolf is larger than a bear."
"They say his crimson eyes glow in the dark."
A little boy raised his hand.
"Is he really a monster?"
The old man smiled.
"Some say yes."
"Others say..."
He paused, letting the silence build.
"...that monsters are sometimes created, not born."
Seraphina frowned.
She wasn't sure why...
But those words stayed with her long after she walked away.
The storyteller leaned closer to the fire.
The flames danced across his weathered face, making the children watch him with wide eyes.
"They say the Villain Alpha has never lost a battle," he said quietly.
"They say he can command an entire army with a single word."
A little girl hugged her mother's arm.
"Has anyone ever seen him?"
"Oh, many have."
The old man smiled.
"But not many were brave enough to look him in the eye."
The children gasped.
Elena let out a quiet sigh.
"He always exaggerates."
Seraphina smiled.
"Maybe."
"But he's a good storyteller."
The old man continued.
"Some believe he enjoys war."
"Others believe he protects something so important that he's willing to let the whole world hate him."
The crowd became quiet.
An elderly woman shook her head.
"I don't believe that."
"Neither do I," another villager replied. "A man doesn't earn a name like 'Villain Alpha' without doing terrible things."
Several people nodded in agreement.
Seraphina remained silent.
She had never met Darian Blackthorn.
She had no reason to defend him.
Yet...
She couldn't help wondering which stories were true.
The storyteller clapped his hands together.
"Enough scary stories."
"The children need to sleep."
The crowd slowly dispersed.
Elena stretched her arms.
"I should get home before my mother sends my brothers to drag me back."
Seraphina laughed.
"I don't think they'd survive that mission."
"They wouldn't."
The two friends hugged before going their separate ways.
"I'll see you at the infirmary tomorrow," Elena called.
"I'll be there."
The walk home was peaceful.
Fireflies floated above the grass, glowing like tiny stars.
The cool breeze carried the scent of wildflowers from the forest.
Seraphina looked toward the northern woods.
The trees stood dark against the night sky.
Without meaning to, she wondered about the injured black wolf.
Did the bandage stay on?
Was the wound healing?
She smiled to herself.
"I hope you're all right."
The words slipped out so softly that only the wind seemed to hear them.
When she arrived home, she lit a small oil lamp.
Her little cottage was simple.
A wooden table stood near the window.
A bookshelf held jars of dried herbs and a few old books Selene had given her.
Everything was neat.
Everything was familiar.
She placed her basket on the table and began sorting the flowers she had collected.
One by one, she laid them out to dry.
As she worked, her thoughts drifted back to the forest.
She remembered the wolf's crimson eyes.
They hadn't looked cruel.
They had looked...
Lonely.
She quickly shook her head.
"What am I thinking?"
She laughed quietly.
"I'm worrying about a wolf."
After finishing her work, she opened one of Selene's old herb books.
Reading always helped her relax before bed.
But tonight, she found herself reading the same page over and over again.
Her mind refused to stay focused.
Eventually, she closed the book.
"I'll try again tomorrow."
She blew out the lamp and climbed into bed.
Outside, the village grew silent.
Deep within the northern forest...
A large black wolf moved silently between the trees.
Its steps were slow because of the bandage wrapped around one front leg.
The wolf paused beside a clear stream.
It lowered its head to drink.
The water reflected bright crimson eyes.
For a long moment, the wolf remained still.
Then it lifted the injured paw.
The bandage had been wrapped carefully.
Neatly.
With kindness.
The wolf looked toward the distant lights of Moonridge.
A low rumble escaped its throat.
Not anger.
Not a warning.
Something quieter.
Almost thoughtful.
After another moment, it turned and disappeared into the darkness.
The next morning, Seraphina woke before sunrise.
She opened her front door and stretched.
The morning air was cool and fresh.
As she stepped outside, something caught her attention.
The soft earth beside her garden held several large footprints.
She frowned.
They looked familiar.
She slowly knelt beside them.
They were wolf tracks.
Much larger than those of any wolf from Moonridge.
The prints circled her cottage once...
Then disappeared toward the forest.
Seraphina gently placed her fingers beside one of the tracks.
A smile slowly appeared on her face.
"You came back..."
She looked toward the trees.
But there was nothing there.
Only the quiet whisper of the pines.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD