A tremble rocked the boy, and then his arms were around Venn’s neck. Finn clung to him as his small body shook with sobs.
Venn held him just as tightly, and Vera’s heart fractured at the sight; a young boy who had buried his mother too soon, and the man who had helped him, locked in a fierce embrace.
“I can’t sleep,” Sarah whispered. She was sharing a bedroll with her brother, and Venn was tucking them in as Vera fed Rebecca.
“What?” Venn drew back, as if in shock. “You can’t sleep?Ever?”
Sarah giggled at his astonished expression. “Ican, just not now. I’m not tired.”
“Oh, what a relief!” Venn swiped a hand over his brow in an exaggerated motion. “I was worried for you. Sleep is important. But if you’re just not tired, then I think I have a solution. How about a story?”
Sarah sat up, clapping her small hands. “Yay!”
Even Finn’s eyes lit up.
Venn chuckled. “All right, lay down, that’s the only rule.”
Sarah settled back down at once, shoving a thumb in her mouth as she watched Venn in the low firelight. “Now, let’s see,” he mused, his head tilting back toward the glittering stars. “Do you know the one about the princess and the wolf?”
“No,” Sarah said.
Finn also shook his head.
“All right. That will be our tale tonight.” Venn cleared his throat, and began in a low voice, “Long ago, in a kingdom long since forgotten, there was a princess who lived on the edge of a deep forest. Even as a young child, she was drawn to the dark forest. Every day she would peer out of her castle and wish she was walking among the majestic trees instead.
“But her parents warned that the forest held many dangers, including hungry wolves. She didn’t let those tales scare her, though, and one day—when she was still very young—she slipped away and entered the forest.”
Listening to Venn effortlessly weave this tale, Vera found herself just as entranced as the two children.
“Everything was as magical and beautiful as she had always imagined it would be,” Venn said. “The trees in the forest stretched all the way up to the sky, and the flowers were brightly colored. But she was so distracted by all the beauty, she failed to mark her path, and she soon became lost. As darkness crept into the forest, the princess began to fear that she would never find her way home.
“Suddenly, a howl split the night. And then there was another howl, and then another, until a whole chorus of howls sent shivers down her spine.”
Sarah sucked in a breath, and Venn set a comforting hand on her arm before he continued his story.
“The young princess ran, nearly blind in the darkness, and she prayed to the fates that she might find safety. But the wolves were quick, and soon they surrounded her.
“She snatched up a long stick, and she batted at the black wolves who began to circle her. Their teeth were sharp, and their yellow eyes were cruel. But when the first wolf lunged for the princess, a silver wolf burst out of the trees and slammed into the black wolf, knocking him off course.”
Sarah made a small sound in her throat. “I hope he’ll be all right,” she whispered.
Venn smiled a little. “Their fight was fierce. But even though the silver wolf was smaller, he won. And with a mighty howl, he challenged the other wolves, and they attacked him.
“The princess could have run, but she didn’t. She used her stick to strike the black wolves, and she and the silver wolf fought them together until the black wolves fled into the night.”
Even Finn exhaled in relief, and Vera’s own tension ebbed.
“The silver wolf was in great pain,” Venn said. “He’d been clawed and bitten during the fight, and there was an especially painful bite on his right foreleg. The princess cradled him in her lap, feeling helpless and unable to soothe his hurt. He had bright blue eyes, and they were filled with pain. ‘Thank you for saving my life,’ she said, her own eyes filling with tears. ‘You were so brave. It isn’t fair that you should die for me. I’ll go find help.’ She pressed a kiss to his head, leaving some of her tears to glisten on his silver fur.
“The wolf let out a soft whine as she stood, making it clear he didn’t want her to go. But she could think of no other way to help him, since he was too heavy for her to carry. So she hurried away, praying to the fates she could find her way to the castle quickly enough to bring aid to the wolf.
“After walking quite a while, a shout cut through the night, and the princess feared another attack—but it was a soldier from the castle! A whole group of guards appeared, lit by the torches they carried. They were so grateful to find her safe and well, they surrounded her at once.
“‘We must return you to the castle,’ one of them said. But the young princess protested, and she refused to go until the guards promised to get the wolf. Only then did she allow some of the men to lead her home.
“But alas, the guards couldn’t find the wolf, no matter how hard they searched.
“‘Perhaps those other wolves came back and ate him,’ the guards speculated. Others thought of another reason for the wolf’s absence: ‘Perhaps he never existed at all. A silver wolf, here in this forest? I’ve never seen such a thing.’
