| |
If you’ve made it thus far in the weird and wonderful tale of my scrag end of wolf and his big bummed, newly wedded mate, you probably won’t need a recap, but you’re going to get it anyway, mostly because I’m having trouble keeping it all straight myself. Especially since Gulid, the broken beaked eagle, took off, squawking in terror about a mage cat – but I digress.
There was I (Edith Breaker-Smith: the menopausal, disappointed teller of stories) wishing to be anywhere else but inside my own life, when a gifted Secret Santa magic book transported me to another world, whereupon I fell into the lap of the mangy wolf, soon to be love of my life, aptly named Curt.
It’s at this point I should mention everybody else in this new world, except yours truly, shifts into an animal form. That, on its own, would have been peculiar enough, but it turned out nothing was as it seemed, from any angle.
After snake villains were revealed to be dying of the mould, Book One ended with a diverse, mixed up pack making the best of a squished village, rapidly becoming a town. My wolf and I scooted up the mountain to live happily ever after.
Enter Curt’s Auntie Yelena, known as Yellfire, and it all went to Hades in a handbasket. Everybody stormed off in a huff, the Southern Alpha’s son tried to murder him, our Alpha fell down a mountain and the mould nearly killed my wolf. Thank the Lord for Mama Bear and her Mould Throttler.
That’s about it.
Oh, and the Serpents in the North are going to rock up as soon as the weather changes and probably kill or mesmerise us all. Well, not me, since I can’t be mesmerised, being nought but human. I’ll just get kidnapped because of that flaming magic book and have something horrific inflicted upon me. Even worse than sciatica and constipation. Or Wings’ singing.
Here’s the list of reprobates to bring you up to speed before it all turns epic...
Only Human
Me (Edith Breaker-Smith Furtletooth): Not getting any younger but, thanks to a mangy old wolf, a tad randier.
Our Wolves
Curt(us) Furtletooth: Less mange, thanks to Mama Bear’s cream, but endlessly whinging about the mould he ate.
Alpha: Curt’s younger brother, a bit the worse for wear, having been whacked on the head and chucked over a precipice.
Dulcis: Alpha’s teen daughter. Cubby mama to Adamo’s impending sprog. In a straight fight, my money’s still on her.
Luva: Ancient wolf. Definitely had something going on with Wings way back.
The Southern Wolves
Yelena: Curt and Alpha’s auntie, known as Yellfire. Could snap your head clean off your neck without breaking stride.
Southern Alpha of Alphas: Known as Big Wolf.
Audira: His quietly sensible mate.
Primus: Son Number One. Used to be stinky, but seems fragrant enough these days.
Fidus: Son Number Two. Sparkling psychopath with lovely hair. Did a runner after being caught bang to rights trying to off his father.
Decipa Longfang: The official messenger. Wielder of poisons. Legged it on the tail of Fidus.
Bears
Prince Adamo: Teen ginger prince of bears. Soon to be a cubby daddy, if Dulcis’ father doesn’t kill him first.
General Ursid: Scarred, dangerous and big hearted.
Mama Bear: Chief healer. Inventor of the Mould Throttler.
Friddie: Mama’s short, stout-hearted mate.
Beetus: Their teeth laden, adorable cub.
Snakes
Serpen: Former king. Face-splitting serpent. Reinventing himself as a better person.
Anguis: His gorgeous ambassador. Firmly on my list of might have beens.
Sospa: Serpen’s niece. Tiny trouble.
Eagles
Wings: Grumbling old nanny to the wolf brothers.
Gulid: Broken Beak after I smashed him in the face with a plank.
The Coming Serpent Apocalypse
A shed load of serpents, all the size of Serpen, with the exception of their humungous, fire breathing, despotic king.
A Cat
May be a psycho feline mage. May be a cute ball of fluff. Who knows?
But that’s all in the future. For now, you join me in a good moment: my wedding night. Calm down; I don’t tell that sort of story. Alright, maybe just a whiff of wolfie romance. Goodness knows, we earned it.
