The Wolf Folk Series: Prince Tosco

The old Grandfather, Alexandrovich, however, was no fool, he spotted who and what had rescued his family. He knelt before Jeremiah and said, "Wolf Lord, me family save yous, me you beg us protect. Yous hunt people us. Help me yous, knows me of others us kind."

Jeremiah reached down and pulled the old man to his feet and replied, "Yes, old Grandfather, I am a Lord, but I am also like yourself, I put my trousers on, one leg at a time. You are of our family, our folk, THOU ART WOLF!" The old man did not know exactly what this Wolf Lord had said, but he got the idea that they were welcome and these new folk would care for him and his family and take them to a place of safety, a new home as the old legends had foretold! The children of the ancients who had left so long ago, had come back for them! It was a long trip to Kulsharif, it would take at least two weeks for them to get there. In that time, the family of Alexandrovich would become close to the wolf folk who had rescued them. Their children had no fear of the hooded ones and were frequently seen sitting in the lap of a being whose face could not be seen, giggling and laughing like young children should. Things would be tough in Kulsharif, but El Jorge would again, come to their rescue.

It had been a long, hard trip to Kulsharif, the road had been only partially paved and there seemed to be Military Check Points every fifty kilometers.

Between their papers and Jeremiah's mental powers, they were passed through at each check point. The last check point before they reached their destination, they were held up a while as a number of people were yanked off the bus ahead of them.

As the people were led to a small, windowless building, the soldiers pushed and shoved them, many stumbling and falling to the ground. They had pulled at least twenty people from the bus.

As they walked past the cars that held Jeremiah's party, each person had to walk past him, Jeremiah's senses started screaming, those people are WOLF!

Jeremiah sent to his people, "Stay calm, we will get past these soldiers and come back to take care of the problem!"

After they had cleared the checkpoint, they drove a mile or so down the road and parked their vehicles near a clump of willow trees. Jeremiah had them spread out and sit, as if they were enjoying a meal break along their trip.

A Hooded One came up to Jeremiah and whispered, "Let us take care of this, My Lord Wolf."

Jeremiah was pretty sure it was Jorge and he sent back, "If you need assistance, call for us."

The Hooded One nodded; then he bowed to Jeremiah and silently departed. Jeremiah caught a glimpse of several other hooded figures as they ducked down into a creek bed and disappeared.

Several hours later, Jeremiah was getting worried, several Army patrols had stopped by and they had offered the soldiers some of their meal and then sent them on their way with their memories slightly altered. (It was much easier to alter a human's memories than a wolf's)

At last, a Hooded One slipped up, out of the creek bed as silent as death itself. He bowed to Jeremiah and said, "My Lord, we have nine additions to our party, Wolf Warrior Mikhail Gorobrovitch and his family. They are starving; I hope you have some food for them."

The Hooded Ones led an elderly Wolf and two sets of parents with children to Jeremiah and the elderly Wolf bowed low and said, "Lord Wolf Master, us help need, the evils catched we and prison go we. Wes run from Kulsharif, pogrom be place that!"

Jeremiah asked, "Are there any wolves still living in Kulsharif"

Mikhail replied, "Lord Wolf, be there yes. Be there families this." He held up four fingers, indicating there were still four families surviving in Kulsharif.

Jeremiah turned to his folk and said, "Get packed up, we must rescue the surviving families!"

His folk began gathering up all their belongings and the Warrior Leader of his guards bowed to him and said, "Lord High Wolf Alpha, we must hurry, to enter the town after dark would raise their suspicions."

Jeremiah agreed and he distributed out the new folk into the several vehicles and they took off toward the town. The food was distributed to the new arrivals and they gulped it down as fast as it was handed to them.

Mikhail was in Jeremiah's car and the old man studied Jeremiah intently. Then he began to speak, "Me see thy aura be, thou art be wolf high lord of all wolves be. Be thee here save folk mine?"

Jeremiah hardly noticed a Hooded One as he sat beside him, he heard in his mind, "Tell him, Lord High Alpha, who you are and why you are here. He is very intelligent and can help your search."

Jeremiah knew the mind signature of Jorge and knew instantly who was beside him.

Jeremiah sent to the old man, "I am Jeremiah Franklin Tate, Lord High Alpha Wolf of all the Americas. We come to rescue those wolves who were left behind during the Great Migration ten thousand years ago."

The old man had tears running down his weathered face and he clasped Jeremiah's knees as he knelt before him. "Great High Lord, us legends tell we of a shining Wolf Lord who shall come to uses rescue, him wear the Crown of Kingship. Uses has waited time long, Great Lord, but, at last Thee are here."

Jeremiah reached out and hugged the old man, then raised him to the seat of the vehicle as they drove towards Kulsharif. The old man told him how the Muslims first harassed them, then the Christians crucified them and finally, the Communists shot them.

There were only a few wolf folk left and those were all in hiding. The soldiers had discovered his family's hiding place the night before and they were to be taken out on the grasslands to be shot. That was where they were headed when the mysterious Hooded Ones rescued them.

He added, "Me never see thing them like, a flash un dead all them. Parts only pile!" He sat there for a few seconds and then sent, "'Merica go us un yous?"

A pleased Jeremiah replied, "Yes, we take you to America, this land is not good for our kind." The old man sat up straight and said, "Help yous me do un all peoples us get save"

Jeremiah heard Jorge in his mind, "Believe him, My Lord, he is a very powerful Wolf Shaman and a Great Warrior. His folk listen to him and will do as he tells them."

Jeremiah thought, "At last, we are on the right path!"

He heard Jorge, "Yes, Lord High Alpha, he is the key to your success in this endeavor."

Jeremiah reached out his hand and asked Jorge to hold it. As soon as Jorge complied, Jeremiah was able to reach Tosco in Charlotte and he sent, "Son, obtain us a ship and meet us at Vladivostok. Hang out at sea until I call for you."

A very surprised Jorge heard, "Yes Papa, I shall lease a cruise ship immediately and head to the North Pacific myself, to wait for your orders."

Jorge was stunned, "You have the ancient power of Far Speech?" Jeremiah smiled and replied, "Yes, and a few more!"

Jorge asked, "You have the Truth Speak, also?" Jeremiah nodded in a yes and Jorge's hood fell back, revealing his smiling face. He replied, "Good, My Lord, we shall need your powers before this job is complete!" He thought for a moment and then added, "You also have the Ancient Power of Mind Couple!"

Jeremiah replied with a smile, "Yes, Jorge, I have that also, but do not ask me further, it is best that I keep secret what powers I am able to command!"

Jorge shivered and made just one reply, "My Lord, I suspect you have all ten of the Ancient Powers." He held up his hands and said, "Lord, I will ask no further of you, however, know that you have but to Command Me and I am yours to use!"

Jeremiah hugged the young man and whispered, "Thank you, Jorge, I am sure to need you before this project is completed."

They arrived at the Tourist Hostel near the center of Kulsharif and Jeremiah and Jorge went inside to check-in. It was an old, mostly dilapidated Soviet Era hotel, grim and poorly lighted.

Jeremiah used his powers to befuddle the desk clerk into giving them six rooms instead of the two they had reserved.

There was hot water, although it had a slightly rusty color. The water tasted awful and Jeremiah sent two Wolves down to the lobby with two hundred American Dollars to purchase bottled water for them to drink. It still tasted bad, but at least the water from the bottles was not muddy and murky.

Had he not been worried about his guests and not knowing for sure what powers they had, he would have had them purchase vodka. At least the vodka would have been clean!

Alcohol has no effect upon a Wolf's system. They can get drunk, but not on alcohol, it would take a chemical cocktail high in potassium and iodine to make a Wolf inebriated and that combination tasted so bad, no Wolf in his or her right mind would even get near the stuff!

They got their rescued guests settled down, except for the old one, Mikhail, who asked again to speak with Jeremiah. The old Wolf intrigued Jeremiah, so he was happy to sit up and speak with him.

Mikhail came into Jeremiah's room, followed by Jorge. This time, Jorge's head was not covered and the two seemed to be on friendly terms. Mikhail bowed low and knelt before Jeremiah and said, "This young Wolf Warrior tells me that you are of the Ancient Blood." Usage had improved The Russian Wolf Warrior's vocabulary.

Jeremiah replied, "Yes, that is true, my line is pure and the Leader who led our folk to the New World, Lord Ced, is my direct ancestor, his blood flows strong in me."

Mikhail rubbed his hands in glee and said, "And his powers, also?"

Jorge held up his hands and sent to Jeremiah, "No My Lord, I have told him nothing and I do not believe he can crack my shields."

Mikhail smiled, he could not eavesdrop mentally so he said out loud, "I also suspect that young Jorge also is of the Ancient Blood, but that is not what I wish to speak about. The janitor and desk clerk downstairs are of our race and they will soon be discovered, can you find it in your heart to save them also? Joral, the Desk Clerk, is betrothed to my granddaughter."

Jeremiah again smiled and told the man, "Of course we can, I plan on saving all of the Wolf Folk I can locate. I have a ship coming to Vladivostok that will carry many, many of our Folk in safety and I will take you all to America for a fresh, new start."

With effort, the elderly Wolf choked back his tears and continued, "My Lord, I have but one more request, the blood of the ancients also flows within me and also in my deceased mate. That is why I could make a mind-speak with you so easy. My powers grow dim now, but my Grandson, Jakob, his blood runs strong with the Ancient Line. Will you take him, raise him and teach him how to use the power the Lord of Wolves Above Us All has blessed him with?"

Jeremiah let his mind roam through the old hotel and found Jakob.

Mikhail said, "Jakob sits in his room, waiting for me to call him. With your approval, I will call him to us and you may begin his training."

Jeremiah said, "He shall be my assistant for the rest of this trip, longer, perhaps, we shall see."

The Old Wolf agreed and almost instantly there was a young boy's shriek from down the hall and a knock on their room door.

Jeremiah smiled and said, "He is a fast runner!"

Jorge opened the door and a boy, about sixteen years old and blond hair so pale, it looked almost white, stood there.

Jeremiah said, "Welcome young Jakob, enter and be with us."

The boy knelt before Jeremiah and uttered the ancient greeting to a Wolf Lord, "COMMAND Me, My Lord for I am thy servant."

Jeremiah returned in the ancient greeting, "Thy COMMAND is to learn young wolf and to serve thy folk."

Jakob then completed the ancient ritual, "My Lord, I hear and I obey, Command me in all things that I may learn from thy wisdom."

Mikhail was beaming with pride in his Grandson, he knew the youngster would be a leader of his folk as he gained knowledge from this Wolf Lord, a gift from the Lord of Wolves surely.

Jeremiah told Jakob to gather his things and move in with him. The boy looked at his Grandfather and Mikhail nodded his head in agreement.

Jeremiah tested the young wolf's shields and found he could crack them, but it would take great effort and leave him weakened for several hours. He was not willing to make the effort unless it was a dire emergency; the youngster was just too powerful!

The next morning, after they had eaten, quite possibly, the worst breakfast in his life, Jeremiah asked Jakob to come walking with him.

The young Wolf agreed and they set out at a brisk pace, making sure they could not be overheard by any human.

Jeremiah asked him. "Have you made your first change yet?"

The young wolf smiled proudly and replied, "Yes, My Lord I have done so successfully."

Jeremiah was pleased and then he asked, "Would you fear to change with me and we make a run?"

Without hesitation, Jakob replied, "I fear you not, My Lord, we can go up to the Shah's Castle, it will be lonely there and we will have no spectators."

Jeremiah agreed and they started walking, Jakob explained that the Shah's Castle was the ruins of the local ruler during the Muslim times and had been abandoned for at least five hundred years. Most folk thought it haunted and young wolf-folk would go up there periodically and reinforce that.

Jakob laughed and said, "My Lord, most folks around here could not be dragged up there even were they dead!"

They meandered up a small mountain and, as they passed the crest, the ruins of the old castle lay just below them. The two entered the old ruins and found a secluded room where they could store their clothing.

Both went into change, Jeremiah made the change faster, so he was able to observe the young wolf as he emerged. What he saw pleased him greatly, Jakob's wolf was a huge grey timber wolf, much like himself, only slightly smaller and needed to fill out with a proper diet. He had the lean, lankiness of a healthy teen.

A wolf's grin is rather grim, but they both smiled at each other and Jeremiah thought to Jakob, "Let us run for a while before we get to work."

Jakob replied with more power than Jeremiah expected, "Yes, My Lord, lead me and I will follow."

Jeremiah was pleased, everything was falling into place. They ran across the hills, there probably would be complaints to the Forestry Officials that there were wolves in the neighborhood, but they would be long gone before anyone got around to investigating.

After about two hours, the two wolves came back to the ruins and Jeremiah sent, "Call your human to return, we have work to do."

Jeremiah completed his change a bit faster, so he was waiting for Jacob to emerge. When he did, he stopped the boy from retrieving his clothing saying, "It is better if we do this without our clothing as we will be pushing large amounts of power and our clothes could be destroyed."

Jakob grinned and replied, "Better naked here than trying to walk back to the hotel that way! Jeremiah agreed and reached for the boy's hand.

Suddenly, Jakob thought, "Mind Couple, a Power of the Ancients!"

Jeremiah smiled and said, "Yes, Jakob, it is and you recognizing it tells me that you, also, are endowed with the gift. You will be doing more before our journey is complete! Let me lead, follow where I go."

Jeremiah started pumping out mental energy, the air around the two began to turn purple and they could smell ozone.

Jeremiah expanded the nimbus and began to call, "Wolf Folk, come to me, Wolf Folk, it is time for you to rejoin us, those who left for the New World so long ago. COME TO ME IN KULSHARIF. I AM THE CHILD OF CED THROUGH THE GENERATIONS, COME TO ME, I COME TO TAKE YOU WHERE OUR ANCESTORS WENT. COME TO ME, I AM THE BLOOD OF CED. COME TO ME, LET US LEAVE THIS DREADFUL PLACE AND I WILL MAKE YOU WELCOME IN MY LAND. COME TO ME."

They had pumped out so much energy that, despite the dampness, nearby bushes and grasses had been blackened.

Jeremiah then turned to Jakob and said, "Now, let us listen" Jakob held out his hand for Jeremiah to grasp and they both opened their shields and listened.

"CHILD OF CED, WE HEAR YOU, WE COME, WAIT FOR US." They heard that repeated all over, from many different directions and distances.

Jakob looked at Jeremiah as if here were the Lord of Wolves Above Us All himself, incarnate! Jakob asked, "My Lord of Wolves, may I speak of this to my Grandfather?"

Jeremiah smiled and replied, "Jakob, first of all, I am not the Lord of Wolves, I am merely a mortal Wolf with the blood of our ancestors running in my veins. Because you were able to assist me, you also, are so blessed. Our folk will come now and we must make a place where they can gather in safety, I know not how many there will be, but there will be enough that the authorities will notice us. Yes, you may tell your Grandfather of this, but none other."

Jakob said, "The Black Woods south of town are thought to be haunted, nobody ever goes there."

Jeremiah replied, "That sounds like our kind of place, we will leave this town and hide the vehicles in the woods, then we will go camping!"

They returned to the hotel and spent a second night, tossing and turning on broken springs and stone filled mattresses! There was no joy in their farewell from the hotel, they all had creaking backs and were tired from lack of sleep and scratching at suspicious bug bites.

They cloaked the several locals who were of the Wolf Folk and shuffled them off to the vehicles before they drove off.

There would be no record of their stay, before they left, Jakob had caused the clerks and staff to forget that they were ever there and had them change the records to read the International Woodsmen Association had occupied the rooms!

Jorge whispered to Jeremiah what Jakob had done and sent, "My Lord, this young wolf is indeed powerful, train him well and bind him to us, he would be a terrible enemy!"

Jakob showed them how to reach the back sides of the forest and they covered the cars with branches and foliage until they were completely hidden.

They spread out and again, Jeremiah and Jakob shed their clothes and they again coupled their minds as Jeremiah called, "I AM JEREMIAH, BLOOD OF CED, COME TO ME WOLF FOLK, COME TO ME. I AM JEREMIAH, BLOOD OF CED."

He repeated the call several more times and then they listened.

Again they heard, "BLOOD OF CED, WE ARE COMING TO YOU. CHILD OF CED, WE ARE COMING TO YOU, WAIT FOR US."

They repeated the call each morning and darkfall for the next several days before anyone showed up.

They had just finished the call and had sat to a meager breakfast when three adult wolves and several young wolves, hardly shed of their milk teeth, arrived at their camp. The adults all were carrying their clothing around their neck and they smelled of wolf-folk!

None of the juveniles had yet made change and they stood there in their juvenile human forms.

Their leader asked, "Who is he who claims the Ancient CED as his Bloodline"

Jeremiah stepped forward and said, "I am of the Ancient Blood of CED, approach as wolves and be recognized." All but the youngest children immediately went into change, as did Jeremiah and Jakob.

The visitors' aura were green and purple, there was no deceit in them.

As Jeremiah was changing back to his human, he welcomed the new wolves, their English was poor, but they could be understood.

One of the newcomers had a half of a beef over his shoulder and he said, "I bring food, Lord, Child of CED, the peace of the Ancients be upon thee."

Jeremiah completed the ancient greeting by saying, "And also upon thyself and thy kin."

Slowly, over the next several days, wolf folk began to arrive, there were over one hundred folk in the small clearing and Jeremiah was becoming concerned that the local authorities might discover them.

Jakob whispered to him, "Have no fear, My Lord, I and Cousin Jorge have been maintaining a cloak over us all, they cannot find us. Only one who is wolf can see through the cloak.

As powerful as Jeremiah is, will he be able to hide his people from the authorities and get them on board the ship that Tosco has ready for them? Will those of the Wolf Folk who have been in the New World for ten thousand years welcome the descendants of those who had remained behind?