“Damn right, Cathy,” said Melvin. “We’ve seen him a couple of times gutting them bullbars down, his sword’s got a wolf’s head on the handle. Looks cool.”
“It’s bulworgs,” corrected Elora. “Who was he?”
“He doesn’t say much. But he did tell me his name when we caught up with him a few days back. He had found two babies left in a house. Turns out we found almost twenty little ones throughout the town, poor little things. We did a house search after that, checking every single home. He said his name was Darkwolf, no Greywolf, err...It was something wolf.”
“Grimwolf?” offered Jaygen, his face appearing concerned.
“Yep, that’s it, do you know him?” asked Melvin.
Jaygen shook his head. “I’ve heard stories about him. Didn’t think he was real, though.”
“Oh, he’s real enough. Scares the hell out of me and my boys. He looks so mean in that wolf mask, but he’s done us more good than harm.”
Elora glanced at Jaygen. “We need to find this Grimwolf. Maybe he would help us.”
Jaygen shrugged. “If he exists, Grimwolf is a legend, a myth. My Da used to tell me bedtime tales about him when I was young.”
“But the tales were of somebody good, right?” Elora asked.
“Well...kind of. He was a Viking originally until his family was killed by a neighbouring clan and he was left for dead, but his body was never discovered. Some say a witch took him in, shaped his soul into doing grisly tasks. Others say it was the God of Winter giving him special powers and a suit of armour shaped like a wolf. My Da said he was most probably less dead than his attackers realised and crawled off somewhere quiet to lick his wounds. Whatever happened, the clan that attacked him died the next full moon. All the menfolk hacked to bits, the women sent raving mad and the children left with night terrors about a man-wolf. The story spread, people forgetting the man’s real name and replacing it with Grimwolf, on account of his suit and sword. Over the years that had passed, he was sighted up in the mountains, his wolf armour silhouetted against the night sky. And every so often when the moon was full the bodies of men were discovered, mutilated, torn and hacked through. If no true killer was found the deed was blamed on Grimwolf.”
“It can’t be the same guy, can it?” asked Melvin. “The man we saw was in broad daylight and nowhere near a full moon. His suit and sword sounded pretty similar though.”
Either way, Elora thought, this Grimwolf would make a good ally if she could find him.
Elora turned her attention back to the woman. “Cathy, is it?” She waited for her to nod, brows knitting together. “How long before, you know?” She glanced down at the swelling bump pressing tight against the woman’s dress.
Cathy’s hand slipped below the bump. “Any day, now, with everything that’s been going on, I’m surprised I’ve not popped already.”
“And you’re planning on having your baby here, at the home?”
Cathy nodded. “There’s nowhere else to go. No doctors, nurses, nothing.”
Elora turned to Jaygen. “How many rooms does the inn have?”
“It’s got twenty-two guest rooms as well as Ma’s bedroom, mine, yours and the one Norgie’s sharing with Gurple.”
“I’m not leaving. These boys have got good intentions, Lord knows they helped me, but I can’t abandon them here leaving them to take care of all these babies, children and the elderly.”
“You won’t be leaving them; I’m taking you all back with me. Everyone. This place isn’t safe,” Elora said.
Melvin sucked air between his teeth before he spoke. “Been safe enough so far. Running a bit low on food, but we’ve managed.”
“The Dark Army is huge, massive. At some point they’re going to run out of food. The takwiches will find you eventually, they maybe in the town already watching, waiting. You boys would make good hosts and Cathy, when you’ve given birth you will be a target too. The rest of the survivors will be food for the bulworgs and whatever other beasts have come through the barrier.” She glanced again at the pregnant woman as she thought things over. “We’ve got fresh spring-water, a well and a small farm. We’ve food enough for everybody and the inn is self-sufficient. It’s also safe from the Dark Army. Nothing can reach you there without being shown the way.”
Cathy exchanged a look with Melvin. “How are we going to get there? Some of these people can’t walk and we’ve barely enough people to carry the babies.”
Jaygen cleared his throat. “There’s a trap back at the inn. An old cart too and we’ve more horses for those that can ride.”
“What do you think?” Cathy asked Melvin.
“Don’t think we’ve much of a choice. I’ll ask what everyone else wants to do, but I believe they’ll all want to come. If you’ll have us.”
It was a bigger task than Elora had first expected. She had sent Jaygen back to Rams Keep to fetch the trap and cart which was driven by Norgie. They brought with them four other horses tied in-file behind the cart.
Cathy along with eight of the elderly that couldn’t walk were bundled into the trap while a further twelve were seated upon blankets in the cart. Those that could, held some of the babies swaddled and wrapped for the short journey. The youngest of the toddlers was sat upon the horses, three to a saddle with one of Melvin’s crew to each horse, most with a baby strapped to their backs in carriers. The few boys which didn’t watch a horse were following on behind, pushing prams or buggies; babies lolled to sleep with the motion.
Walking in a second rank next to the horses and pushchairs were the rest of the children, all of them holding hands, with the boy with the broken arm at the front and Melvin to the rear, shotgun in hand. The two dogs were patrolling along the lines, eagerly sniffing the air for any danger. Elora rode up and down the column, constantly counting the children and encouraging the less sure while she scanned the roads and buildings for any threat.
They made a slow but steady progress, weaving through the town, stopping occasionally for the little ones to rest before carrying on. By nightfall the large group arrived safely at the inn. They were all hungry and tired, the babies ready for feeding and the elderly sore and uncomfortable from the journey.
Norgie set about making supper for everyone while Melvin and his crew sorted out the babies. Elora took all the toddlers into the bar room and under her guidance they helped to push the tables to the walls to clear enough space for them all to sit. There was a lot of frightened faces and tears but once the general rush of everything calmed down, they began to relax and soon began to eat the bread and soup that Norgie had somehow created in the short time given. Gurple appeared shortly afterwards, his arrival a shock to the children but they soon learned to trust the little wood troll, a couple of the younger ones falling asleep against him snuggling up to his warm fur. The dogs also settling down near the doorway as if keeping watch. Elora knew that at some point in the past, Staffordshire bull terriers were known as Nanny dogs and these two lived up to the name.
Cathy came into the bar room as Elora was handing out blankets and pillows, the children would have to spend the night in here, they were too tired for anything else.
“The oldies are in bed, I think the journey had taken its toll on them, but we made it. All of us,” said the pregnant woman, smiling.
“Yep,” agreed Elora. “Have you got yourself a bed?”
“They’re all taken, but I’m fine. I’ll just cosy down with these little ones.”
Elora shook her head. “No, you won’t, you can have my bed. It’s clean and comfortable and private.”
“But...”
“No buts, it’s yours. I won’t be sleeping much anyway and I’ve got other jobs that need doing.” Cathy was ready to argue back until Elora held up a hand. “Please. I would feel better knowing that you were settled. Come on I’ll show you where it is.”
Midnight had long passed when Elora sat down on the edge of the well, leaning back against the wooden roof support. Norgie was by her side, the rich smell of tobacco drifting from his roll up.
