The Wolfclan: Chapter 4

Sheban looked up at the sky. The moon was full and bright. He turned back to Asite, who had already turned into a were wolf. "Are you ready?" asked Sheban.

"Do you remember what to do?" asked Asite. Sheban nodded. "You may proceed then," said Asite. Sheban took the dagger with the silver blade and stabbed Asite three times in the chest. The knife cut through Asite like he was made of butter. Asite fell to the ground like one dead. He managed to lay his feeble hands on Sheban's foot. Asite moved his lips and struggled to speak. "Were wolf leave me, go to my brother," he whispered.

"Were wolf leave my brother, go to me," said Sheban. No sooner had Sheban uttered these words than Asite started to glow a bright blue. Sheban saw Asite's hairy hands turn back to normal. His claws withered away and his sharp teeth turned back to normal. Sheban then looked at his own hands. They now had become hairy, and had sharp claws. Sheban ran to a mirror and looked into it. He was all covered with hair. His teeth were sharp and his ears turned pointed.

Asite picked himself off the ground. "Thank you so much," he said. Then he embraced Sheban, and ran to the door.

"Where are you going?" Sheban asked.

"I'm going to prove to the villagers that I'm not a were wolf," answered Asite. Sheban watched Asite run out the door, and then decided that the safest place for him to spend the night was in bed.

Meanwhile the villagers sat huddled by a statue of a wolf, made out of silver. The statue was used to keep away were wolves. Suddenly a woman yelled, "Asite is headed this way, and he ain't no were wolf." All of the villagers rushed over to see.

"Impossible!" said an old man. "We all saw him change into a were wolf." The villagers voiced their agreement.

"The devil must be giving him the power to look human!" exclaimed a woman. Again the villagers agreed.

"Quick, get your weapons ready," called a man. Almost every man, woman and child there had brought along something silver. The ones who brought silver bullets aimed their guns.

"Wait! Don't shoot!" called Asite. "Can't you see I'm not a were wolf?"

"If you're not a were wolf than prove it," somebody called out to him. Than that person tossed him a clump of silver. Asite caught the silver and rubbed it all over himself to prove that he wasn't a were wolf.

This left the villagers very confused. "If he's not a were wolf, " said one man, "then how can it be that we all saw him transform last night?"

"The Devil must be giving him the power to not become a were wolf for one night in the hopes that it will throw us off of his trail," said a woman. The villagers agreed.

"No, I'm not a were wolf," said Asite. "I never was a were wolf, and I have not had any dealings with the Devil."

"Then how do you explain last night?" asked a villager.

"The Devil was giving a were wolf the power to look like me for one night so that you all would think I was the were wolf and kill me," said Asite.

"Why is the Devil out to get you?" inquired a man.

"Um, he hates me because I'm so righteous," answered Asite.

"If that's true, than where were you last night?" asked a teenager.

"Um, I was out of town," said Asite. "That's why the Devil chose last night to pull his little trick."

"But I saw you in town yesterday," said a woman.

"Yeah, um, that's because I left at night," replied Asite. No sooner had the words left Asite's mouth than he realized his mistake.

"You traveled at night? On a full moon too? Don't you know how dangerous that is?" asked a man.

At the same time another man said, " only the Devil's creatures travel at night."

"Yeah, but, um, an angel told me it was okay to travel at night just this once."

"Where were you going that was so important that an angel told you that you could travel at night?" asked a villager.

"Well, you see, um, God told me not to tell anyone," stammered Asite.

"The almighty God himself came down to you?!" said a man.

"Angel! I mean the angel!" replied Asite. Asite could tell the villagers did not think too highly of his story.

"Where were you earlier tonight," asked a teenager.

"I was at home," answer Asite. "I was out of town last night, so I didn't know about the were wolf around town."

"Then how did you find out about the were wolf?" someone asked.

"He attacked me while I was in my home," Asite said.

"I don't see any scratch marks or wounds on you," pointed out an old woman.

"Yeah, well I was lucky," said Asite.

"So if we went into your house, we would find fresh were wolf tracks," said a lady. "You know how muddy it is outside your house."

"Um, yah, but the were wolf covered up his tracks," replied Asite. By the look of the villagers, Asite could tell that they weren't too impressed with his alibi.

"Hold on one minute while we discuss this," said a man. The villagers gathered in a huddle.

"I think he's lying," said a villager.

"I know he's lying," said another villager.

"We all know he's lying," said someone else. "So let's kill him right here and now."

"Wait a minute," said an old man. "I admit his story is pretty far fetched, but our own story, about how the Devil is giving him power to avoid becoming a were wolf for just one night, does not make the greatest sense either."

"But didn't you see his face?" pointed out a woman. "One could tell just by looking at him that this demon doesn't know what he's talking about."

"And why did we have to drag the story out of him bit by bit?" asked a man. "Why didn't he just tell us the whole thing when he came here." Several villagers shouted their approval.

"But maybe he really is innocent," said the old man. "We don't want to kill an innocent man."

"Okay," said another man. "We'll give him one last chance to prove he's not a were wolf. If he can prove himself to be innocent, we will not kill him of course. However, if he can not prove himself to be without guilt, whether we have proven him guilty or not, he shall be killed. Do you agree?"

"I agree," said the old man. With this said, the villagers turned around to question Asite.

"Asite," spoke the man who had proposed the test. "Can you tell us where the were wolf is right now?"

"What happens if I can't?" asked Asite.

"We will kill you for being a were wolf," came the answer.

Asite gulped. He thought about whether or not to expose Sheban. Asite turned all the factors over in his mind. Who should die, him or Sheban? "Come on," he said at last. "I'll take you to the were wolf."

"One more question," called out a teenager. "If you knew where the were wolf was, why didn't you tell us right away?"

"Asite," called out the old man, "You are not obligated to answer any more question." Many people turned to glare at the old man. The old man simply shrugged his shoulders and said, "that was the bargain, wasn't it?"

"The old man speaks the truth," said another man. "That was the bargain." After this, the people said no more. Asite led the people to Sheban's house.

"Here is where the were wolf is," he said.

"Wait a minute," said another woman. "Sheban wasn't there last night when we saw Asite transform. He doesn't even know there is a were wolf."

"Correction," said Asite. "Sheban was there last night and he does know that there's a were wolf."

"You mean Sheban's the were wolf?" asked a child.

"That's what I mean," answered Asite.

"Now you wait just a minute," yelled a woman from the back of the crowd. "I know Sheban, and he wouldn't turn himself into a were wolf." The rest of the villagers agreed.

"I know it sounds incredible, but you must believe me," said Asite. "You can even go inside his house and see for yourselves."

One man stepped forward. "We'll just break it down." The men and the older boys there began flinging themselves against the door. Asite watched them and felt a little sad because of what was about to happen to Sheban, but mostly he felt happy because he had saved himself.