For the past couple of days, I have been working at the wood workers house. My mother has also told me that I must help Tillett with anything else he might need.

It was early when I left the house to head to Tillett’s house, in fact it was so early the sun had only just started to rise. He worked very early so if I didn’t head there now I would arrive late and didn’t want any more reason for mother’s wrath.

The walk wasn’t all bad. I enjoyed the fact that the path was through woods and if I didn’t live in the village a random traveler would have trouble finding his home. On my way to Tillett’s house I would run into the many animals that bordered the village they mainly consisted of foxes, birds, squirrels and the occasional wolf.

I was never afraid like the other village children and I suppose it’s due to the fact that I can talk with the animals I run across.

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I once was with the other village children when I was around the age of 5 and the foxes where running around with us as we played tag. The parents were watching as supervisors. I told the kids which fox would be “it” in our game of tag. The parents laughed at this and one of them feeding into me asked “how do you know which Fox is “it”?”

I simply answered “Well that’s because I’m talking to them. “

All of the woman burst out laughing thinking it was cute, but this of course excluded my mother.

I can see now why they thought it was funny they thought I was being a child. Just how kids can have imaginary friends they thought I had a huge imagination, so I believed I could talk to animals. I was confused because I thought everyone had been able to talk to them as well.

Sitting there puzzled my mother told the women that she had forgotten that it was her turn to cook today. So, she had to hurry home, this also made me confused because when my father was home he always wanted to cook, he liked to re-create the dishes he had eaten at the many towns, cities and country’s he’s been too as a merchant. So, when father was home mother never cooked in fact he never let her. As soon as I was about to say something my mother quickly scooped me up.

On the way back home, she asked me a series of questions.

Sternly she asked, “Neo can you really talk to the animals like you said earlier?”

“Yes, can’t you as well?” I asked puzzled.

“No dear, other people can’t normally talk to animals. I believe the only time someone can talk to a animal is with their familiar but even that is extremely rare.”

“Honey is it only certain animals?”

“No momma I can talk to all of them, though they can choose of course not to talk back. But only the wolf does that.”

“Wolf?! When have you talked to a wolf child?”

Now in our village the animals don’t harm us, we live almost directly on the border of the dark zone. Our small village has many traditions and one is the freedom of exploration, of course we are never supposed to enter the dark zone unless it is for rituals. That is the agreement our village chief set up apparently, with this agreement the animals will never attack the people of the village. Unless provoked of course. So even though me seeing a wolf rattled her, I believe she was more concerned that I had possibly entered the dark zone without permission.

Frantically I told her “NO mamma the wolf came to me! I didn’t enter the dark zone, I was in the back yard when he came to me.”

She was mumbling to herself quietly, so in a panic I decided to continue.

“The wolf came to our home only a moon cycle ago, he didn’t want to play though.”

“What did he say?”

“Well the wolf told me a riddle.”

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Playing outside on my own I was becoming more and more bored. That’s when I heard a twig snap, I immediately thought it was the foxes and thought I could convince them to play!

“Foxes let’s play! Do you want to play hide and seek?!”

“I am not a mere fox little pup.”

I immediately looked in the woods where I heard the voice. I was surprised I had never heard this voice before, so I was trying to figure out what animal had come along. In that instance I saw two amber eyes starring directly at me, though I could not see the whole body I knew he was about 20 times the size of a fox.

I hesitated but asked “Well who are you then?”

“I am a wolf, but not just any mere wolf. I am the wolf that watches over the dark forest.”

“Well Mr. wolf what are you doing here?”

I knew as a child that the dark zone was deep into the forest that surrounded the village. This made it so walking into the dark zone could never be a accident, you have to walk for almost a day before you reach the entrance.

“Well pup I heard much talk from the animals about you, so I decided to see you for myself.”

“Well if you like what you see, would you like to play then Mr. Wolf?!”

The wolf’s laugh seems to resonated in my ears “Oh pup you have made this old wolf laugh for the first time in a long time.”

I have given him a big smile seeing as the wolf was clearly pleased.

“Alright pup I will continue to let the animals come to this village, as you clearly possess an innocent heart and I can see you have no ill will to harm the animals. As a parting gift I will give you two things. The first is a protection spell that will only activate if you are on the verge of death. Now stick out your paw.”

I stuck my hand out and he came down to bite me, I almost screamed but then I realized it didn’t hurt at all. In fact, it felt warm and soothing. He chanted something, but it was too soft for me to comprehend. While he was chanting I saw light emit from his coat. That light seemed to travel to through his coat to reach his canines then that light flowed into my hand. Once all the light was gone he removed his teeth, and the wound closed immediately.

“Now the second gift pup will be a riddle.”

“A riddle?!”

“Yes, it’s very important so listen pup.”

I immediately focused my attention at him and when I had finally settled he gave me a quick nod and said

“The more there is of me the less you see. What Am I?”

“When you figure out the answer make sure to never be afraid for the answer will help guide you.”

“What does that mean Mr. Wolf?”

He looked directly at me one more time and then turned around without answering my question.

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“Momma the riddle was “The more there is of me the less you see. What Am I?” But I have already figured out the answer, I’m still confused about being not being afraid and how it could help me.”

I could tell that momma was trying to figure out the riddle herself, but I decided I would help her and tell her the answer.

“Momma it’s darkness.”

“Well darling I always knew you were smarter than most children. How long did it take you to find the answer?”

“Right after the wolf left”

Her mouth dropped, she felt like it would have taken her a couple of days at best.

“Darling it seems to me that if you are smart enough to find the answer of the riddle I am sure you will understand what the wolf meant when the time comes."

She then got very serious and looked directly at me.

“Neo Dalia, you need to listen to me."

I knew she was extremely serious because she had used my full name.

“You must never tell anyone that you can talk to animals again, I believe you got this gift through your blood.”

“My blood?”

“Yes, my great great grandfather had the power that you speak of. There is some magic Neo that no one can do with a spell it must be inherited. If people find out you have this gift you could be in danger people will try to come after you to take advantage of your gift."

It surprised me that mother spoke of her family, because she never did and never seemed happy to do so. Even as a child I knew it wasn’t a good topic.

“Okay momma, I will not tell anyone.”

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I never told my mother about the first gift the wolf gave me because at the time I didn’t think it was of any importance. In fact, I didn’t think that the riddle I had received had any significance either.

I stumbled and when I looked up I realized where I was, I had almost made it all the way to Tillett’s house!