burn like the sun

Not a single muscle in her body would relax until every last villager left the field. Once the air was rid of their terrible scent, the wolf lets her fur settle and releases Sorey from her grasp. Glancing him over, it was pretty evident that the poor boy was still stricken with fear.

If the situation didn’t escalate as it did she would have simply left to cause no further trouble, but she now knows that those villagers wouldn’t let the issue be resolved like that. The shepherd had sacrificed his livelihood here all in exchange for her–now both of their lives. An unnatural heaviness weighs on her chest and as a mother might console her frightened pup she gives Sorey a reassuring nudge of her snout.

Was this guilt? In a way this had been her fault. If she had been more careful, no one would have seen her, but at the same time the wickedness of the villagers was also to blame for imposing such a cruel ultimatum. There was little point in mulling over their situation further. She wouldn’t doubt that the villagers would come back by dawn so time was of the essence. The wolf pads over to the shepherd’s hut, remaining by the door as if to say:

I will wait here until you are ready.

He probably doesn’t know where they will go. She could survive on her own in the deepest parts of the wilderness on her own no problem but what about him? She couldn’t abandon the young shepherd now.

He clings to her, tight and defensive, a shield despite how small she makes him feel. Footsteps fade until they are left alone, the shock settling into his bones kept at by with the gentle nudge. Even now, even with the still escalating fear in his heart, he smiles at her because she is safe. A shepherd's duty is to protect his flock and protect her he will from a world that did not understand.

It takes him a moment to follow after her and Sorey gives her a pat before heading inside. He goes through the motions stiffly, on instinct more than thought. To leave his home was a strange thought. This was all he knew --- this small hut on the outskirts of a village, with only the sheep to keep him company after his 'grandfather' passed away. That had changed with the wolf's arrival. The walls had felt a little less lonely in her company.

Sorey kneels down in front of the hearth, his eyes watering, but he wears that stupid smile of his. Hopeful despite his apprehension. "Well, I'm leaving, Gramps. I don't know where I'm going or what's going to happen, but I'll miss our home. Maybe once things have settled down I can come back and visit. Please," he bends down, his forehead touching the old floor, "watch over us."

“Well, not really no... I mean, yeah, there are totally sheep shepherds, but THE shepherd is completely different.” Jeez, how was he supposed to explain it to someone who wasn’t raised on the stories? To Sorey it was always something he just knew --- a title that meant so much more. There was never any doubt, never any confusion, so it was strange to be in a position where all that came to someone’s mind was ‘sheep farmer’. 

It did also summon up the mental picture of his seraphim companions as sheep which was pretty funny. 

He gasps when she grabs for him, struggling to stand strong against her hold. Dropping the stick, Sorey turns himself so he can wrap his arms around her thick neck, still addressing the mob as he speaks loud and clear, "If you want to hurt her you'll have to kill me. You'll be the ones with innocent blood on your hands, not her." There were shouts of protests, the cruel and fearful hearts of men showing themselves now to the gentle shepherd who had never seen such darkness before.

'You'll be dead either way, boy!'

'You're protectin' a monster! It's no friend of yours, stupid boy!'

'We're better off without things like that in the world!'

His grip on her tightens. How could they be so cruel when they didn't even know her? Sure, she'd tried to eat his sheep and her teeth were sharp and her claws terrible, but that was just the way she was. She couldn't help the circumstance of her existence --- all she needed was to be understood.

"We'll leave. I'll take her far, far away and she'll never bother any of you, I swear!" Sorey was pleading now, desperate to find a way. He couldn't fight these people, not all of them at least, and he didn't want her to be forced into making herself what they thought of her. He had to protect her, he was a shepherd, it was his job to protect those under his care.