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“A moment,” Deor interrupted just as we turned away. “I, too, have a question to ask you.”
Ben lifted an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“How long have you been in the area?”
“Only since yesterday evening.”
Deor’s expression was tinged with disappointment. “I see. Then you may not have my answer any more than I have yours.”
“An answer to what?” Ben asked him.
“To the strange lethargy that’s come over many in my clan,” Deor revealed as he crossed his arms over his chest. “They go to bed and awaken in a stupor of exhaustion so great that they’re confined to bed for the better part of the day.”
Ben cocked his head to one side. “Have you perhaps been suffering from a dearth of fog of late?”
“We have, the same as the rest of the area, but those afflicted haven’t mentioned seeing any near them before or after their attack,” he replied.
“And no marks? Especially on their throats?” Ben wondered.
Deor shook his head. “Not a mark on them.”
Ben shook his head. “Then I wish I could say I have your answer, but I haven’t heard anything like that in the general area. However, we’ll keep our eyes and ears open in case it’s happening in town.”
Deor inclined his head. “That’s all I can ask. May the moon shine her favor on you.” His eyes settled on my left hand and a teasing smile graced his lips. “And may your days together be happy and full of pups.”
Ben draped an arm over my shoulders and grinned at him. “I’ll be sure to name one after you.”
“As much as I would like to discuss the matter of guardianship, you had better use your horse’s speed to get you home,” Deor mused as he looked up at the sky. The clear heavens were now dotted with puffy clouds. “I feel a storm in my fur.”
Ben smiled at him. “We’ll have plenty of time to shop and reach Rookwood.”
Deor shook his head. “This won’t be any ordinary storm, my friend. There’s an unease in the air that tells me this will be a rare trouble, much like you.”
“Then we’ll be sure to spur on our horse,” Ben assured him as he bowed his head. “Good day, fur ball.”
“Good day, troublemaker.”
Ben led me out of the woods and onto the open road. Ferox stood not more than fifty yards away to our left.
I cast a side glance up at my companion as we walked toward the carriage. “‘One’ of the pups?”
He shrugged. “I thought we might have one or two dozen.” My eyes widened and my face drooped. He laughed. “No need to worry. One dozen will be enough for me.”
“A dozen?” I repeated as we neared the carriage.
“I do have a lot of relatives who would be disappointed their names weren’t passed down,” he pointed out.
I choked on a laugh. “You mean like Aunt Dreda? What was her full name?”
His face wrinkled into uncertainty as we reached the vehicle and climbed aboard. “Prudence Etheldreda. We may perhaps have to make an exception for her and choose another variation of her name for one of our ‘pups.’”
Ferox’s ears perked up and I grinned at the stead. “Don’t tell meyouwant someone named after you.” The horse bobbed his head. I threw up my arms and fell back against the seat. “I guess we’ll have to have that many kids just to please-” I paused as something wet dropped onto my nose. A quick look above us told me the clouds had drifted closer to our position and one of the loose puffballs had dropped water on me.
Ben leaned forward to catch Ferox’s eye. “To the store, Ferox, and quick as you dare without bashing us to pieces.”
Ferox turned us around and galloped down the road. I held tight to the carriage and Ben held tight to me as we bounced toward town.
A question popped into my head at the mention of names. “So what’s that name the other werewolves call Deor?”
