{{author note|This is a stand alone tale involving wolf->human and human->wolf transformations. It was originally written in March, 2001 and then re-written with the help of [[User:Michael Bard|Michael Bard]] (I think) in August, 2001.}}
{{author note|This is a stand alone tale involving wolf->human and human->wolf transformations. It was originally written in March, 2001 and then re-written with the help of [[User:Michael Bard|Michael Bard]] in August, 2001.}}
Revision as of 22:34, 27 October 2013
{{#ifeq: User |User| The Life of Brian | The Life of Brian}}[[Title::{{#ifeq: User |User| The Life of Brian | The Life of Brian}}| ]] {{#ifeq: | |
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Author's Comments
This is a stand alone tale involving wolf->human and human->wolf transformations. It was originally written in March, 2001 and then re-written with the help of Michael Bard in August, 2001.
In the outskirts of Sedgwick, Maine stands the plain brown of Brian Ellis. It stands on the edge of millions of acres of forestland and on this late spring day the house is completely dark except for the blue glow of a computer screen coming from the living room. Dimly outlined in the low light is Brian’s sleeping figure. He is exhausted from trying to finish the important speech he will give the Tuesday after next and the sandman caught him a little earlier than usual this night. Not even the creek of his unlocked screen door, or the movement through the darkened room causes the slightest stir. Finally, when sleeping man felt a warm lick on his hand limply hanging hand did he start into wakefulness.
<Bailar?>
Brian quickly relaxed, as those who knew his true name would never mean him harm. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked down to behold the large male gray wolf next to his chair.
“Cly? What are you doing here? The pack should be miles away this time of year.”
<It is urgent that I speak with you Bailar.> replied the wolf, clearly understanding the human speech.
“Well you know that you are always welcome here and that I always cherish visits from my pack mates. Please go ahead, tell me what you have to say.”
<It is not just me who is here to talk to you Bailar.>
The wolf known as Cly let out a little yelp and two other gray wolves entered the room, the monitor light causing their fur to take on a glow.
“Kiski! Kola! Come here and let me embrace you.”
The man got off the chair and wrapped his arms around all three wolves. After a long embrace the man regained his composure.
“What you have to say must be very important to cause all three of you to come here. Please, tell me what it is.”
<We need you to come back.> said Kiski
<Our need is most urgent.> said Kola.
“My friends, I am sorry, but you know that I am unable to come back at this time. I thought we went over this 11 moons ago when the decision was made. I told you that I might be away from the pack for up to 8 seasons and now is an especially crucial. The future of our entire species will be decided in the new few weeks and it could mean a better life for all of us.”
<How will working with the humans make a better life for all of us?> charged Cly.
I told you before. They are being beset by prey species and now the chance exists for our kind to come back from the wilderness and once again roam all across this great land. The door has cracked open, all it needs is someone to force it all the way. In a few sunrises I will speak to the human alphas and try to convince them of the necessity of embracing out kind. If I leave now all the work I have done over the last 11 moons will have been in vain. I will not sacrifice our race just because you miss me.”
<We do not need YOU. We need a wolf, ANY wolf. You just happen to be the only other wolf we know.> said Cly.
“Why do you need another wolf? That pack’s been doing just fine at its current size.”
<We need another wolf to replace you.> said Kiski.
“Replace me? But What about Brian?”
<We hate Brian.> said Kola.
<We’ve had enough of Brian.> said Cly.
<Brian isn’t a wolf.> said Kiski.
<Brian is an idiot.> said Kola.
“What do you mean you hate Brian? Brian is the key to this thing. Why did you think I spent all those moons to finding the one perfect human who was wasting his life with fruitless desires about becoming one of us? Here,” Bailar began to rummage around on the various shelves, “do you want me to show you his stories, his art, all his books, his plush animals!? How could someone who did all this possibly be a bad wolf?”
<He is not a bad wolf, he is an awful wolf!> growled Cly.
<His skills are mediocre at best and he is easily the most annoying creature on Earth.> remarked Kiski.
<He goes on and on about how fun it is to be a wolf and how everything smells and looks better.> said Kola.
<Don’t forget about Star Trek.> said Cly.
“You guy’s don’t even know what Star Trek is.”
<Exactly! Why does he have to keep telling us about it?> said Cly.
“Maybe he just needs a little more time? I mean changing species is a pretty big change.”
<That’s what we thought at first and we didn’t tell you about this until now because we felt it was our fault for not teaching him correctly,> said Kola. <But it’s been 11 moons now and I swear he’s only gotten worse.>
“I’m sure there’s more to Brian than just being an annoying klutz.”
<No, there’s no more.> said Kiski. <I’ve looked into his eyes, he’s pure evil.>
“But surely his human knowledge just be useful.”
<His “human” knowledge seems to solely consist of the best dumpsters to eat from and Star Trek.> retorted Kiski.
<I don’t really consider cold egg rolls from behind the China King to be good eating.> said Kola.
<This is not a debate Bailar, Brian sucks and the pack is suffering. You appointed me Alpha and in that function I am commanding you to return to the pack and to get rid of Brian.> said Cly.
“You’re forgetting that I am in human form right now Cly, your commands have no power over me.”
<Very well then, I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this,> said Cly. <Lula, get in here.>
A large female wolf entered the room and walked up to where Bailar stood.
<Greetings Bailar, I will soon be in heat and I want you to fulfill your commitment to be my mate and to father and raise my pups.> Lula implored.
Bailar felt a bulge growing in his pants. Even his pathetic human nose could pick up Lula’s seductive scent, but Bailar was strong, his mission must succeed.
“My cause is bigger than all of us and everything else must come second. I’m sorry Lula, that means you too.”
In a final effort to break his resolve Lula turned around, lifted her tail and raised up her read end, waving it erotically back and forth.
<Pleeeese my love, I neeeeed you.> she pleaded.
Bailar was shocked that Brian could be so bad as to cause his pack mates to act like this, but he remained firm.
“Please stop Lula, I’ve made up my mind.”
<It’s obvious our continued presence here will make no difference,> said Cly, <But mark my words Bailar, our problem will be addressed and soon. Let us depart brothers and sisters. We need to hunt. I seriously doubt that Brian has anything waiting for us back at the den.>
The three wolves left as silently as they had entered. Bailar walked into the kitchen and warmed up a can of soup to calm his nerves before starting back in on his speech. He awoke the next morning staring at his screensaver, having fallen asleep on the job. The air about him was rather chilly and upon standing up he felt a rather large draught run across his bare flesh. After a few minutes of cursing his lack of fur he discovered the source. His upstairs bedroom had been ransacked and the claw marks on the closet doors reveled the identity of the intruders. He bent over, grabbed a shoebox from the floor and turned it over, spilling out empty air.
“Shit.”
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A few hours there came a knock from his front door. Bialar cursed, excused himself from his online conference and answered the door. He swung it open and found himself staring face to face with a naked man he had never seen before.
“Um, do I know you?” questioned Bailar, reaching for the shotgun with his other hand.
“Don’t tell me you can’t recognize your own brother.”
“Cly?!”
“In the furless flesh. Now move aside, I’m hungry.”
Behind Cly was a naked human female.
“Kiski?”
“Hi Bailar.”
“Hey, Bailar,” called the naked male behind Kiski.
“Kola?”
“Duh.”
Nobody needed to tell Bailar who the second female was.
“Lula! Why...How...Why!”
“I believe this is yours,” said Lula dropping an acorn sized diamond in Bailar’s outstretched hand. She then walked passed, leaving him standing in the doorway with his mouth agape. Regaining his senses he ran inside and found his pack lounging in his new leather living room set.
“Bailar, can I have some of that yellow solidified cow’s milk?” asked Kiski.
“Yeah and while your at it can you get me a can of carbonated human sugar drink?” asked Kola.
“What the hell did you all do?” yelled Bailar.
“We’re shape shifters now, just like you.” replied Cly.
“Wha...you...How?”
“What, you think you’re the only one who knows how to work that diamond thingy.” Said Cly.
“If you don’t get out of my house right now I’ll change you back to regular wolves!” yelled Bailar waving the diamond at them.
“Nice try Bailar,” said Kola. “We know that only the person who initiated the change can reverse it.”
“Since you wouldn’t come to the pack, the pack has come to you.” Said Lula.
“Even being human is better than being stuck with Brian,” said Kola.
“Where is Brian?” demanded Bailar.
“Why would we care?” said Kiski.
“Did you even tell him where you were you were going?”
“Why would we do that,” said Cly, “he would have followed us.”
“How can you be so mean!” yelled Bailar again. “I can’t believe that you just ditched him out there.”
“Meh,” they all replied.
“Listen Bailar, we’re not leaving until you deal with Brian.” Said Cly.
“Ok, I don’t have time to deal with this now. Stay here, don’t stay here, I have more important things to deal with. Do you guys want any clothes?”
“No.” they all scoffed.
“It’s not like Brian drove us insane.” Said Kola.
Brian breathed a sigh of relief that the old Brian had no friends. He would hate to have to explain this to some real human.
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Bailar’s initial plan was to just wait them out, but after three days things were coming to a head.
“Has anybody seen my North American Wolf Restoration Society contact handbook?” he asked.
“What does it look like,” called Kiski from the kitchen.
“It’s a big red book with NAWRS on the cover.”
“Yeah, I’m eating breakfast on it. I hope it wasn’t anything important. I heard maple syrup is tough to clean out.”
Acting in his stead, Bailar had turned Brian’s residence from a crumbling shanty into the model “green” home. Everything was solar powered, geothermal, post-consumer recycled, low-flow, energy star, double thick insulated and not made with chemical dyes or bleaches. Because Bailar was able to do things like heat his home with junk mail, he was able to enjoy a very low cost of living. Bailar should have been able to support his freeloading pack, but then again, Bailar really didn’t have a job in the “job” sense of the word and he was starting to feel the financial screws put to him. When he was forced to replace his free-range chicken and organic breakfast cereal with gruel the pack threatened to sell his computer and then buy their own food, naked.
His bank accounts rapidly trending towards empty it was when his pack’s loud music hopelessly disrupted an important conference call that Bailar finally threw in the towel. If Brian’s presence were enough to cause his pack to give up their wolfness for an indefinite period of time, sadly, he would have to go.
“Well it took you long enough,” said Cly, responding to the meeting Bailar had called.
“It is now obvious to me how important this issue is to you so here is the deal and trust me it is the best deal you will get. I will return to the pack, but only after next Tuesday’s speech in Washington. So I give you my word as a wolf that if you four leave right now I will again be running no later than next Thursday.”
Kola, Kiski, Lula and Cly all looked at each other.
“Your word is still good with us Bailar so we accept your “deal”,” said Cly. “In seven days we expect to see you at the den, on all fours and wearing fur and we DO NOT expect to see Brian anywhere.”
Silently, the four naked humans began to melt. Their bare pink flesh growing soft gray fur, their faces extending into muzzles, human teeth turning into pointed fangs, tails grew from their rears and fingers shrank into paws. Finally the four wolves quietly left single file though the small door Bailar had built in the back wall. Bailar went and turned off the loud music pounding from the stereo and went to take advantage of the peace and quiet to get some much-needed work done.
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The week had gone quickly. The speech had been an incredible success. The most amazing thing of all was that Bailar’s Dodge Omni had successfully made the trip from Main to Washington DC and back. Even through he was very active in NAWRS and was known and respected by environmental groups across the region, Bailar (i.e. Brain Ellis) circulated a story about himself embarking on a hard core, no contact, back to nature lifestyle for the next year or two. He had even been able to collect enough in “donations” to re-fill Brian’s depleted reserves of cash. Now the time for fun and fame was over and Bailar had something very unpleasant to do.
He was waiting in the middle of a small forest glen, panting from running all the way there from town. As he stood waiting for Brian, the real Brian, to show up, he thought about how this had all started and what had forced him into such an unfortunate situation. It was hard to imagine that the salvation of the wolves might have come because a leg of deer had rolled between a couple of rocks. Bailar remembered unearthing the shiny rock as he pawed at the leg in an effort to retrieve it. He had put it in his mouth to take it back to the pack and in his enthusiasm he nearly got run over by one of the human vehicles he now knew as a pickup truck. In his moment’s wish to be able to pound the ignorant driver’s face in with a rock, Bailar, alpha wolf, found himself a human, shivering as he sat in the cold snow.
Bailar let out a whine of relief that the spirits had guided his jaw to not drop the precious stone. His next wish, to become a wolf again, was quickly granted. Over the next few moons he had learned he no longer needed the stone to transform himself and that he could use the stone to perform a single transformation on others. It was while he had been walking around in human form that he had first thought of the plan. He got the idea from watching a human, a human who turned out to be Brian Ellis. Bailar was astounded that a human would actually want to be a wolf. Brian had seemed so unhappy with no pack to guide or play with him, but the art... Bailar shivered, he had never seen such beauty. In his writing and in his drawing Brian was able to become a wolf and during those short periods of creation he was truly happy.
It seemed so simple to fulfill both wishes. Brian could become a wolf and Bailar could take over his human life in an effort to help wolves as a human, but something had gone terribly wrong and now he was here, standing in the middle of a field, forced to do the unthinkable.
He wasn’t surprised when the bushes parted and Brian entered the clearing. With all the noise Brian made Bailar had been aware of his presence for almost a full minute.
<Hey Bailar, the pack said you wanted to see me. Wow, the moon sure is pretty tonight. Sorta makes me want to howl,> said Brian looking up.
<Brain, we need to talk.>
<Sure thing. What about chief? Gee, it’s really great to have you back.>
<Actually, it’s about my return. You see, Lula is going into heat she really wants to raise a litter so I need to take some time off from being “Brian” and I need you to go back and fill in.> Bailar winced at having to tell the half truth. However, who knew what the winds would bring. Maybe, in time, he would be able to convince his pack to accept Brian back.
<Go back? What do you mean.>
<You know that Brian’s work is never done,> said Bailar, trying to force a wolfish grin. <We need you to go back and keep his life warm for me.>
<Do you mean become a human again?>
<Yes Brian, to become a human again.>
<But...but I like it here as a wolf. I really like it.>
<Brian, you knew that you would probably have to change back at some point.>
<But...but...I really like it...I...I always thought we could...you know...work something out. I really don’t want to go back. Please. For the first time in my life I’m happy.>
<Brian, friend, please calm down. It’s not the end of the world. You have enough money in the bank, new stuff in your house, a fast internet connection. You can get back to writing your stories, drawing your pictures. Maybe in a year or two we can get you back on all fours.>
<I don’t care about the stories or the pictures. I don’t need the stories or the pictures any more. I’m LIVING it. I’m LIVING my dream. Listen, maybe we can compromise a little. I mean nobody’s going to miss me, nobody’s going to be coming around my house every day. You could change to human every so often and take care of business and I could continue to live with the pack. I could help look after your pups while you were away.> pleaded Brian.
Bailar shuddered a bit at that thought. <I’m sorry Brian, I don’t think that will work out.>
<No problem, no problem. I would be happy to get changed to human every so often and do whatever needed to be done. Just as long as I could still be a wolf I would be willing to do anything.>
<Please Brian, this is the only way.>
<No...please no...I’m begging you Bailar. I’ll do whatever you want me to. Anything. Anything! I’ll do anything to stay a wolf. Please...please.>
<It’s not me Brian! This wasn’t my decision! Haven’t you figured it out yet? It’s the other members of the pack! They can’t stand you! They don’t want to have ANYTHING to do with you. Not now, not EVER!> Bailar didn’t mean for it to come out as a shout.
<The...the others? They...they don’t like me?...>
<YOU’RE A LOUSEY WOLF BRIAN!>
Tears welled up in the big wolf’s eyes and Bailar realized what he had just done.
<Oh...oh dear...I’m sorry. I...I didn’t mean it that way.>
<What did you mean then Bailar!?> yelled Brian, choking back the tears. <I thought you guys were my friends. Why didn’t they tell me? Why didn’t they tell me what I was going wrong? I would have changed. I would have worked harder. I would have done anything they wanted! I guess it was just easier to throw me out with the trash.>
<Please Brian, it’s not all your fault. The others, they just couldn’t get along with your, um, style. D-D-Don’t worry, when that reintroduction programme takes effect they’ll be needing wolves all across the country. I’m sure I can set you up with another pack. Things will be different. Just give it some time.>
<No, it won’t be different. I am a loser as a human and a loser as a wolf.>
<Don’t say that, you’re not a loser.>
<Shut up Bailar. Don’t patronize me. I know what I am and I know when I’m not wanted. The only thing I ask of you is to not make me go back to being human. I’ll be a lone wolf. You’ll never see me again. If you ever were my friend you’d do this for me.> Bailar could barely understand Brian as he was crying so hard.
<I’m sorry Brian, but they were quite clear and I gave them my word. You can be a lone wolf, just not around here. Please calm down, it’s not that bad. Look on the bright side. You’re just going back to your old life Brian. Enjoy your new stereo, new computer and new living room set. I promise I’ll come and visit whenever I can and I’ll read your stories and look at your pictures. In a year or two I swear to you I get you in a relocation programme.>
<Please Bailar, please don’t do this to me. Oh god, please don’t go this. It’s all I’ve got. Please. Please. Please.>
Bailar’s guts felt as if they had been tied in a knot. He felt if he waited any longer he wouldn’t be able to go through with it. Grasping the diamond in his teeth, he touched it lightly to Brian’s flank. The change began and Brian let out a howl of anguish. His fur receded and his muzzle retracted he lost the ability to speak like a wolf and his howl turned into a human cry punctuated only by sobs.
Bailar was unable to bear the scene any longer and he took off into the woods, his four legs a blur, desperately wanting to get far, far away.
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Brian didn’t know how far he had walked. He only stopped when he stubbed his foot on a rock and tumbled into a small lake. It was when he discovered that the lake was the goldfish pond in his backyard that he came to the horrific realization that he was home. It wasn’t a bunch of pine trees, it wasn’t a rocky cave, but it was a man made pile of treated lumber, glass and metal built in a way to forever seal out the living planet outside its walls. Never again would he be able to sleep free under the stars.
Bailar had left the doors unlocked and Brian entered to find the keys on the kitchen table next to a pile of clothes. Brian was exhausted, the endless energy he had possessed as a wolf had melted away into useless human flab. Brain didn’t even bother to reach for his clothes. He just fell down and cried himself to sleep on the floor.
Brian woke with the sun. There was no screaming, no second realization, just the tears, the tears streaming from eyes that contained nothing but incredible loss. He walked to the table and slowly began to put on the clothes, wincing at their hot and constraining feeling. Under the clothes there was a note, written by Bailar before he had left. Brian absently picked it up.
“Dear Brian, I hope this note is finding you well. As you can see I made a few improvements to your house while you were away. I hope you enjoy them. Please don’t think of this as an ending, but merely a temporary change. You’re a good person Brian and there is nothing preventing you from having a worthwhile and happy life. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise. I just wanted you to know that I did everything within my power to prevent this from happening. Never give up hope. Nothing in life is final and things always work out in the end. I just wanted you to know that no matter where you are or what form you are in I will always consider you my fri...”
Brian crumpled up the note and threw it in the waste paper basket. He then swept the table clean of all the other stuff Bailar had left out for him with his forearm. Reaching into the pantry he took out a can of soup, opened it, pulled out a spoon and began to eat it cold. Brian laughed to himself. It had taken him weeks to learn the most simple wolven skills, but here he was having not been a human for almost a year and he hadn’t forgotten a thing. Finishing the can he threw it on the floor with the rest of the trash.
When Brian finally went online he realized that he felt he might be able to soothe his sorrows with some stories or art. However, whenever he found something it would bring back memories as his mind compared fantasy with the reality that he had lived. Brian found himself crying more than reading. He opened up his e-mail and tried to write to some of the people he sort of knew, the ones who, like him, also wanted to be wolves. He wanted to tell them about his experiences, what it was really like. He wouldn’t be some outcast loser reject, but the respected sage that knew all the answers. He had gone three sentences when he realized that he wasn’t any sage. He was a lunatic freak that told outlandish stories and that everyone mocked and laughed at. Not only was he no longer a wolf, but he was cursed in that no one would ever believe his story if he told it. He sat for a second at his keyboard as his mind tried to comprehend his new existence. Something snapped, he ripped his monitor off his desk and threw it into the fireplace where it impacted with an electric hiss. The tower and printer were next followed by Brian himself, a wrought iron poker in one hand. He proceeded to beat what had been his only real escape to the outside world and one of his few sources of joy into a twisted pile of plastic and metal.
Many months later Brian sat huddled in what had been his living room. The floor was littered with cans and the room was filled with the constant hum of black flies. Brian hadn’t talked with another soul for at least six months. Not that it mattered. Brian didn’t really keep track of dates anymore. Days became weeks became months. He no longer went into town even for his food. He had arranged with the general store to have his groceries delivered. Brian had the delivery boy leave them at the end of the driveway, which was just fine for the boy as close up the smell could be overpowering. Brian hadn’t seen any new food arrive this week, nor had he seen any the last. He figured that his bank account had run dry and that his credit was no good. Brian wasn’t worried. Since he didn’t really move around he didn’t really need much to eat. Brian could really only guess about the fate of his food as his phone had stopped working. The phone had gone shortly after his electrical power, which had gone after his pipes had burst. Even if his house was working the utilities had cut him off at the street for failing to pay his bills. Brian got up and drank from the pots that collected his only source of water. He wondered what he was going to do today. On some days he stared at the wall, others the ceiling. Usually he would just stare at his art. Trying desperately to hold onto the time before his dreams came true. The time when he could pick up a pen and paper and for a short while become happy. Those days were over, he had gotten what he had wanted and now his life was a living hell. Brian quickly formed another idea of what to do that day.
The light was the first Brian had seen at night in a long time. Brian usually rose and slept with the sun, but tonight he made a special exception. The excess gasoline burned white as Brian stood over the blaze and, one by one, threw in his stories and pictures to be consumed by uncaring fire. Brian sat and watched as hours and hours of work took only seconds to be converted to smoke and ash. As he reached the end of the stack he happened on a picture he had never seen before. It was not done in his hand and he was puzzled as to its origin. The picture was somewhat crude, but it’s content was clear. Two wolves, standing on a jagged rock, looking at the moon. One was labeled Brian, the other Bailar. Brian looked at the fire and went to throw it in, but stopped short. He looked at it again, paused and thrust it into his last remaining pants pocket.
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Brian had come a long way and felt as if he was about to pass out. He wore no clothes. He wore no shoes. He had wanted to show to the pack that he was strong, worthy, deserving of respect. He stopped at the trunk of a great spruce tree. Its first branches were about 12 feet up and it formed a little shelter where a wet wolf could get out of the rain. It stood near the top of a small ridge and overlooked the valley below. He had come here many times as a wolf and now once as a human. The trip had taken two days. His body was scratched and his feet were bloody. He had brought along his last can of food and had been saving it for the end of his journey. He beat it open with a rock and began to ravenously consume the pear halves stored within. Brian couldn’t believe it had come to this. He had never been able to get along with anybody. He didn’t have any friends, never had any special girls, never felt love. This whole thing had come from a bad beginning. He had heard about some protest about needing to introduce wolves and thought it might be a cool place to go and wear his homemade wolf suit. Instead of being greeted with good nature as an enthusiastic supporter of the cause, the protestors had beaten him away with insults. He was making them look like a bunch of wacko fanatics. This was “serious” business. He should come back for Halloween. Brian had been in an ally crying when that strange, gray haired man had come up to him. He braced himself for more insults, but none came. The man seemed intrigued by his costume. He came back to his house, Brain’s first visitor in years. He read Brian’s stories and looked at his drawings. Then, this strange man, he became a story. The magical wolf sent to rescue him from his pathetic human existence. It was too good to be true, it was like a dream and exactly 11 months and 23 days later, Brian woke up. He was a failure and no matter where he went it would always catch up with him. He couldn’t cut it as a human and apparently he couldn’t even cut it as a wolf.
Bailar had probably been his one true friend and some friend he had turned out to be. Despite all the kind words, all the promises, all the oaths, Brian had just been used and then discarded when his usefulness had run out. Brian brought out the piece of paper and looked at it, contemplating what might have been. Bailar hadn’t even come back to say hi. He had just packed up and left. Brian probably meant as much to him as did a piece of meat.
“NO!” Brian shouted to himself.
Bailar would never do that. That wolf had treated him better than he had ever been treated in his life. Brian set down the empty can and held up the drawing again.
“I forgive you,” he mumbled, running his fingers across the wolf labeled Bailar.
Brian then clutched the sides of his head for one last good cry. After some time Brian dried his eyes and stood up. He truly had nothing left. No home, no food, no job, no family, no friends, no possessions, no clothes...no hope. Brian just wanted to pain to end. He now stood in the packs territory and soon he would make himself part of the pack forever. He would belong. Every night he would go to the rock in the drawing and every night Bailar would be there to meet him. Placing the drawing at the base of the tree and then weighting it down with a stone Brian looked up at the branches and, upon choosing a good one, began to make his assent.
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The pack stood around in a circle looking up into the air.
<You know, this reminds me of the olden times.>
<What do you know about what was or wasn’t done in the olden times Cly?> asked Kiski.
<My grandfather told me the story. The humans used to just throw them out in the woods for the wolves to eat. Man, things sure were better back in the day.>
Kola was salivating as he watched the naked body swing back and forth in the breeze. <Are you going to climb up there and chew it down Cly or am I? I’m absolutely famished.>
<No, wait,> cried Kiski. <I heard about this human thing called insurance and if you guys can stop thinking about your stomachs for a second we might be able to turn this meal into a moon long feast. Lula’s not due for a few days and Bailar, you can turn back into Brian, do the insurance thing and purchase a mountain of food after “Brain” suddenly experiences a tragic “accident”.>
<Oo, that sounds like a good idea,> an obviously pregnant Lula remarked. <There should be plenty of time before the pups are born.>
<SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU JUST SHUT UP!> Bailar exploded. <What the fuck is wrong with you all? Don’t you realize that we’re all responsible for his death? He trusted us, we were his friends and we betrayed him. We’re all responsible. You four for being mean, intolerant, conniving little ass holes and me for going along with you.>
<Sheesh Bai, he was just a human,> said Kola.
<HE WAS ONE OF US and we just couldn’t stand the fact that he was different.> This time Bailar was the one who was crying.
<He wasn’t one of “us”,> spat Kola.
<You’re right,> Bailar responded. <You are a bunch of evil little trolls. He was a wolf.>
<So what do you suggest we do with his body?> demanded Cly.
<We are going to give him a proper human burial. We owe him at least that.>
<What are you nuts?> said Kiski. <That’s enough food for three days!>
<I am the Alpha here and my decision is final! We will burry him here and then ensure that his grave is never violated. Now who will help me?>
<I have to go hunt.> said Cly.
<I need to go with him.> said Kola.
<I also have to go.> said Kiski.
The trio left leaving only Bailar and Lula. He looked into her eyes, hoping that she would do the right thing, but she just silently turned and padded away. Bailar ran off himself and returned several minutes later in human form with the shovel he normally used to expand the den. He carefully cut the body down and began to dig. The ground was hard, rocky and filled with roots so it was dark when he finished digging and about midnight when he finished lining the pit with stones. He laid the body on a white bed sheet and while standing over it he noticed the piece of paper at the base of the tree. He slowly picked it up and instantly recognized what it was and the meaning it held. It was the one thing Brian had carried with him until the end. Despite everything, Brian had never lost his faith in him and that knowledge warmed Bailar’s heart.
“I’m sorry friend, you deserved better than this. I failed you. I should have stood up for you when it mattered. I should have stayed by you in your hour of greatest need. I didn’t and I will bear that shame for the rest of my life. Do not worry friend, I will keep my promise. Your memory will live on.”
He wrapped the body in the sheet and gently laid it into its final resting place. Then, after having one last moment of silence, he shoveled the dirt on top of Brian. When the dirt was all gone he started piling rocks and when the first rays of the new sun shone upon him an impressive burial mound now stood under the majestic spruce tree where Brian had taken his life. Exhausted, Bailar shifted back to wolf, curled up and fell asleep at the base of the trunk.
A month later the pups had been born and were just beginning to gain their strength. A bright dot of sunshine penetrated the den and landed on Lula’s eye, rousing her from her sleep. Her stomach churned and she wished she hadn’t eaten so much of the deer from last night’s hunt. Her drowsiness turned to worry when she realized that the warm bodies of her four pups were no longer pressed against her. She went to the mouth of the den and called out for her mate, but not even his scent responded to her cries.
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Bailar coaxed the ailing Omni along the poorly paved road somewhere in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. He peered back at his four children, who were still sleeping peacefully, tucked in their basket, despite the cars lack of adequate suspension. About a mile later the road turned completely to gravel and remembering the topo map, Bailar then made a right on a rutted dirt jeep path. He drove for about another mile before the little car got stuck in a patch of soft sand. For the wolf this was as good a place as any. The diamond had been left in a local safe deposit box, wrapped in his sketch. The rent had been paid 20 years in advance as Bailar figured he wouldn’t need the diamond’s services in the near future, but still he planed to check in on it periodically. The rest of the money he had received from selling off what was left of the real Brian’s life had gone into an investment fund. He had told a few trusted friends he had in the NAWRS to watch over both the account and the deposit box, but had never gone into the full details. If something ever happened to him, in whatever form he might be in at the time, Bailar was confident the crystal would find its way into the right hands.
Bailar got out of the car and set the basket with his children on the hood. He couldn’t have let them grow up with his former pack mates. He had to stop the destructive cycle even if it meant depriving the pups of their mother. His former pack was a black mark upon his proud wolfen heritage and he prayed for its eventually extinction. He roused his pups from their slumber and set them on the sandy ground. He had made them all able to shift to human form, like himself, but would wait a bit before informing them of their power. Bailar was going to find a new pack and start a completely new life. He had heard about a group recently released here and felt it was good as any. After all, a pack would need plenty of assistance living so close to the human world.
The great alpha then proceeded to empty his pockets, wallet, change, keys, and threw the contents on the front seat. He then stripped off his clothes and threw them in as well and finally locked the car doors, sealing up everything inside. He chuckled to himself. This disappearance would probably baffle investigators for years to come and he imagined them puzzling over every little detail, trying to extract some sort of logical story. They’d never guess the truth, not in a million years. On that note he shifted to wolf and trotted off into the woods, his pups in tow. As of that moment Bailar the wolf AND Brian the human ceased to exist. What remained was a single creature, living for both.
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Three wolves, one male and two females, sat in the middle of a Pine Barrens tire dump puzzling over an adjacent pond.
<I don’t know what it is. I’ve never smelled anything like it before,> said the male.
<Drink some,> said one of the females. <The water looks ok.>
The male bent down to the Caribbean blue lake to take a drink.
<I wouldn’t do that if I were you!> came a voice of authority standing on one of the tire piles.
<Oh really? And why not!> said the male, a hint of challenge in his voice.
<This is New Jersey, you can’t just drink the water.>
<I am Malas,> said the male puffing himself up. <Who are you?>
<My name...is Brian.> Said the large wolf, four pups at his side.
<What kind of a name is Brian?>
<What kind of a name is Malas?>
The standoff was interrupted by a growl coming from Malas’ stomach.
<We are new here. We will follow you if you can show us food.> said Malas.
The new Brian smiled, having the location of the perfect deer carcass already in mind.
The End 
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