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Spice and Wolf: Settling Down

Chapter 4

Wolf and Family

Fifteen years later...

"Okay stop the wagon. We're getting close to Pasloe so we'll have to get out here and go on foot the rest of the way. Those pagans have to be taught a lesson. We'll head through the woods from here and when we get to their wheat fields we light the torches and burn it all."

"I'm not so sure this is a good idea."

"Oh you're not gonna start in with that silly superstition again are you?"

"I'm not so sure. I've heard they have this wolf god that protects them but it's not just rumors. I've known men that have seen it. I've even seen their wounds. Giant tooth marks and claw marks."

"My god your such an unbelievable pansy. Look there's 15 of us. Even if they do have a guard dog or something we won't have any trouble dealing with it."

"Well, how will we find our way there in the dark if we don't light the torches until we get there?"

"That's why we're doing this on a night with a full moon. The moon will give us plenty of light to see by without having to draw attention to ourselves by carrying our own light."

"Are you insane? You plan to attack a village protected by a wolf god on a night with a... gulp full moon!"

"Shut up. we're almost there. And for god's sake don't get so scared you wet yourself."

-11-

Lawrence was sound asleep with an arm draped over Holo who was snuggled up against him when her ear twitched. Her eyes popped open as she listen more intently a bit longer and then jumped out of bed waking Lawrence in the process.

"Where are you going?" Lawrence asked.

"I have work to do.", said Holo as she grabbed her little pouch of wheat and her robe and rushed out of the room.

Arriving at the edge of the wheat field Holo stopped to listen again to see how close her prey is getting.

"hmmmm, Lets see how brave they really are."

Holo tilted her head back inhaling deeply.

"HAAAAAOOOOOOOOoooooooooo!"

"Did you hear that! I told you this is insane!"

"Oh bloody hell. Look he actually wet himself."

"Ha ha ha", all the other men in the group start laughing at the superstitious coward.

"I'm getting out of here. You guys are doomed!"

Holo listened for another moment and then said, "Well, one of them got smart but the rest will need more persuading.", before taking off her clothes and carefully hanging them on the fence so they don't get torn or dirty and then eats a handful of wheat.

"Okay, men here we are. Time to light the torches."

As soon as there was torch light to see by the sight of an enormous wolf head came into view right in front of them with Holo's eyes reflecting the torch light.

Holo bared her teeth with a long low rumbling growl.

"AHHHH! IT"S REAL! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!"

A naked Holo walks casually back to the fence where she hung her clothes and begins to get dressed thinking, "I probably should have just eaten them. But maybe it will lighten my work load if they run home telling the stories of the wolf god protecting Pasloe."

-12-

The next morning Holo is back in bed with Lawrence and morning sunlight is spilling in landing on Lawrence's aging face.

Holo's eyes open first. She turns to look at Lawrence and the combination of her shifting body under his arm and the sunlight landing on his face force him to awake despite his best efforts to sleep a little longer.

Lawrence opened his eyes and while rubbing the sleep out of them said, "So how did your work go last night?"

"Too easy. They ran so fast I did not even get to eat any of them. Which means I am starving."

"Yeah, me too. I guess I'll go get breakfast started.", he said before putting on a robe and heading down to the kitchen.

"Good morning daddy.", said his oldest daughter.

"Good morning Yue. Are your brothers up?"

"I don't think so. I haven't seen them."

-13-

After breakfast Lawrence walked through to the front of their home where he runs his shop and put out the open sign before stepping outside with his cup of tea to enjoy the morning air.

Holo walked up beside him and leaned her cheek on his shoulder and said, "Thank you for breakfast. I feel much better now. Yue and Inti are doing the dishes."

Just then his two sons Paro and Muri come running around the house, one chasing the other. "Paro! Gimmie back my sword! Dad! Paro took my sword!"

"Paro, Please give Muri his wooden sword back.", said Lawrence putting a hand over his face.

"Do you really not find this amusing?", asked Holo.

"You do?" asked Lawrence.

"It's funny. There was a time when I was worried that our amusing little arguments would become boring. I had never considered that the arguments of our children would become a new source of amusement.", said a smiling Holo.

THE END

Author's note: In Episode 4 of season 1 Wolf and Her Helpless Partner Holo describes her recurring dream to Lawrence and mentions four names, presumably siblings from her home in Yoits that she fears she will never see again. So that seemed to make them appropriate names for her children.