Lockhart opted not to give Ulwazzi a hard time about the bread. It may have been as he said, that others were responsible and he would find out who. Of course, no one expected him to find out before the travelers left in the morning, so they let it slide and enjoyed a good meal.

It was ten o’clock before Mingus had the strength to resist singing about the seventy-six trombones for the seventy-sixth time. “I swear, if he started on ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall I was going to hit him,” Decker said.

“Major!” Katie was inclined to scold her commanding officer again, but stopped when Lockhart took her hand.

“I would rather listen to Elder Stow snoring,” Lincoln agreed.

“Stop it,” Alexis laughed softly.

“Roland, Decker and Elder Stow take the first shift,” Lockhart spoke up. “Katie Boston and I will take the middle. Alexis, Lincoln, and Mingus, if he is able, can have the wee hours before dawn. Three hours on duty should give us six hours sleep.” He went to lie down by the fire where it was plenty warm, now that the rain had cleared off. He never let go of Katie’s hand, so she had to lie down with him.

“Do you mind?” Lockhart asked. Katie pulled herself up on his chest to where she could touch her lips to his. It was her way of saying she did not mind at all. “Good,” Lockhart returned the brief kiss. “I want to keep your rifle close.” Katie slapped his belly and then got comfortable in his shoulder.

The wolf came at midnight. They all woke to the screams in the workers huts and tents down the hill. One man, Puzziya, started the exodus by running to the strangers. Everyone else who could, followed. Elder Stow was right there with his equipment, and he looked at Lockhart who said, wait a minute. They had marked out roughly where the screen would project, and Lockhart wanted as many men inside the circle as they could get.

“Wolf coming,” Decker said, having his night goggles on.

“Flare,” Elder Stow warned, and sent one overhead as he had the night before. A few men screamed at the sudden light and some others picked up their feet when the wolf became visible.

“Elder Stow, now.” Lockhart said, and bit his tongue to keep from shouting, “Now already!” The wolf ended up outside the screen, but just barely. A few men also ended up outside the screen, but when they found their way blocked, they scattered for the buildings.

Puzziya screamed the first ten times the wolf raced up and threw itself against the screen with no affect. The wolf howled and started to dig, but Elder Stow assured everyone that the screen was a sphere, not a dome, so there was no way the wolf could dig under them.

After a while, the wolf went off, perhaps to hunt the men trapped outside the screen, or to see how far around the screen went. Elder Stow had set it to take in the building where they had supper, several out buildings, and the pen for the horses, thus keeping the horses contained and safe. He said, realistically, it would lose strength if he stretched it too far.

“If I could have made this whole mountain camp safe, I would have, but it is very big, and the werewolf appears to have some natural mystical properties that make it difficult to judge how strong it really is.”

“It is resistant to magic,” Alexis agreed. “Fortunately, not resistant to the poppies, but I could not guarantee it would sleep after it became human again, as I told you.”

“So now we all sleep?” Decker said, and Katie looked at Lockhart like she thought it was a wonderful idea.

“No, same schedule,” Lockhart insisted. “With all of the men up here, we have to double watch the horses and our equipment. Especially Elder Stow’s little screen maker. We don’t want someone innocently tampering with it and accidentally turning it off.”

People nodded and went back to bed, or got up for their turn, even as Ulwazzi staggered out of the big building followed by several men and a couple of female companions.

“It is the wolf that does not exist,” Puzziya said, and men began to babble many things. Ulwazzi put his hands up to hold them off and quiet them, but his eyes shot straight to Elder Stow’s equipment. Katie caught the look, even if no one else did, but she was going on watch and volunteered to watch the camp.

Boston and Lockhart wandered out to the edge of the pen. Boston’s horse Honey came over to greet them. “You know, night feels very different as an elf than as a human. I don’t know if I can explain it. It’s like I belong in the day and I’m an interloper in the night. As a human, night and day blended together much more. Maybe I was not as aware of when the sun went down and came up, especially the went down part.”

“But then, we are all more aware of these things, traveling the way we have been,” Lockhart agreed. “I was never much for campouts and cookouts as a kid, but you adjust.” He shrugged.

“Yes,” Boston grinned. “And I noticed you aren’t freaking out so much every time a little one shows up. ‘Course, I can’t say completely what you might do if we run into an ogre or something, but elves and fairies and dwarves and even dark elves don’t seem to freak you out as much.”

“Dark elves are still plenty creepy,” Lockhart admitted, and they looked out over the pen for a time while the full moon rose behind the distant hills. After Honey went back to the herd, and the horses settled down, like they knew they were secure for the night, Boston started again.

“I think in some ways being human is like a dream for me. I remember being human, but it feels sort of strange and ethereal.”

“I think this whole journey feels something like a dream for most of us,” Lockhart admitted.

“It does, but not like that,” Boston shook her head. “I mean like I was always supposed to be an elf. It feels right and natural. I can’t explain it, but it’s like I was born human by mistake, or maybe I’m like a changeling and got put in a human’s place, and now I am back where I belong. I mean, I love my parents and brothers, don’t get me wrong, but it is like all that time blends into a kind of dreamy state, now that I am who I should be.”

“Alexis said you were already mostly an elf even when you were human.”

“No not like that.” Boston paused and thought for a time before she continued. “There are lots of things I need to learn about being an elf, about culture and society and all that sort of thing. I missed out on a lot by not growing up elf, I know. But as far as being an elf, I feel like I am finally the way I am supposed to be, the person I am supposed to be, in my mind and in my heart, and, oh, everywhere.”

“Like you finally fit in,” Lockhart suggested.

Boston rolled her eyes. “I always fit in, and I never really fit in anywhere. I don’t expect that to change. But, yeah. I zoomed through school, looking for someplace to belong. If you had not come along and grabbed me from my doctoral program, I don’t know what I would have done. I can’t imagine what I would be doing right now. I never want to leave the Men in Black. That is my real home on earth, but now I am dreaming about Avalon, because that is my real home, and I think I knew that way back when we went there in search of Lincoln’s wife.”

“You did enjoy yourself much more than me,” Lockhart kidded her. “I just couldn’t figure out how to make your eyes get smaller and get you to stop saying wow every time we came around a corner.”

“Ha, ha.” Boston stuck her tongue out at him. “I never used to do that as a human, but now I’m allowed.” She paused again to think before she added,” but why would I not say wow at everything I saw?”

“Still, I have seen you change more than maybe you realize. What about the Kairos? That has to be different, now having a god you answer to.”

“And one I can love. Not so very different,” Boston said. “I thought Glen was the most wonderful and special awesome person in the world, and now I feel like I was proved right, that’s all.” There was gunfire in the camp, and Boston and Lockhart ran back, Boston arriving in almost no time. Lockhart took a bit longer.

************************

Next Monday and Tuesday, Avalon, episode 3.12 will be the final posts of the episode and of the season.  Don’t miss it.  If the travelers survive the night, there is still one more night of the wolf moon.

“What kind of a name is Puzziya?” Lincoln asked.

Puzziya spoke over his shoulder from where he was riding behind Lincoln, once they convinced him to get up on the beast. “Hattic?” he said, not sure what he was being asked.

Lockhart helped the man get down. Lincoln turned his head toward Katie and said, “Sounds Hittite?”

“Hattian,” Katie shook her head. “Though it sounds Luwian. The Hattians lived in this land long before the Hittites arrived. The Indo-European peoples are just now moving to the edge of the area, Hittites, Luwians, Hurrians, Mitanni and so on. The Hyskos are being pushed out of southern Syria and Lebanon, like dominoes, but that will all take the next five hundred years or so. The Hattians, or Hattic are the people already in the land, and they refuse to move, so they sort of get absorbed by the Hittites. Some believe the Hittites form a ruling class over top, but then the Luwian language becomes widespread in the south and west of Anatolia and—”

“We got the picture,” Decker interrupted. “And we got company.”

Men were coming from the huts and buildings on the high ground overlooking the endless poppy field. Puzziya went running to the men and told them all about the beast of Lelwani and the death of Hatusti. He pointed over and over at Alexis, Mingus, Elder Stow and the rest, and no doubt said something about people of power, which the travelers were getting used to.

The inevitable delegation of men came with questions. “Puzziya says you caused the beast of Lelwani to sleep among the poppies, but Puzziya may have been confused. Perhaps it was a simple beast of Inara, lady of Inar. Perhaps an ordinary, hungry wolf?”

“Inara, goddess of the wild animals,” Lincoln read from the database.

“It was neither a creature of Lelwani nor a beast of Inara,” Alexis said. “But a man, who for three nights when the moon is full, becomes a wild and ravenous wolf, driven to kill and eat men.”

“The full moon is tonight,” one of the men spouted, but the first speaker scoffed.

“You speak of a werewolf, but there are no such things, just stories to frighten children. And there are no Were people here.”

“But I saw with my own eyes,” Puzziya defended his story, but the man was not listening. He was already examining the horses and equipment the people carried with his own eyes.

“I am Ulwazzi,” the man said. “Come. The day is hot. You may eat and rest with us this evening, and sleep safe under the moon.” He laughed and led the way to the side of one of the bigger buildings where he suggested they make their camp. There was a pen beside the building which had several horses penned up.

“I don’t know if our big mustangs may hurt their ponies,” Decker said.

“Horse is not one to get along well with others,” Mingus agreed.

“Father, you named your horse?” Alexis asked.

“My horse’s name is horse. That’s it.” Mingus responded grumpily.

“Double watch tonight,” Lockhart decided. “One to watch for the wolf and the other to keep an eye on the horses.”

“Maybe triple watch,” Katie suggested. “The third to watch the camp and our equipment. I didn’t like the way Ulwazzi was looking at our things.”

“Mingus, Roland and Boston, keep your glamours up while we are here.”

“Yes,” Roland said, “And how would he know there are no Were people around here?”

Lockhart nodded to Katie. “Triple watch,” he said. “Mingus, Roland and Boston watch separately so we have your ears available all through the night.”

“Boss!” Boston objected and grabbed her husband like she did not want to let go.

“Elder Stow, please take the middle watch so we have your scanner available in the night.”

“Would you like me to set a screen around our camp that the wolf cannot break through.”

Lockhart shook his head. “But set one for quick activation, in case we need it.”

“Boss,” Boston came up with her eyes on her amulet. “We got way off track coming here,” she said. “We should be moving in that direction.” she pointed.

“I know. But I figure if this is the night of the moon, it isn’t a matter of if the wolf will come, but when. It has followed us through every time gate, but it has hunted Puzziya, and I imagine it will want to finish that hunt. Wolfy has his scent.”

“You mean Bob,” Boston said. Lockhart looked at Alexis

“Bob,” she said, as if everyone knew it.

“Bob,” Katie said and shrugged.

###

About an hour before sunset, Puzziya was sent to fetch the travelers for a supper made especially for the strangers.

“But I heard talking about your horses, and Ulwazzi was extra interested in the things you call sadlies.”

“Saddles,” Lincoln corrected the man.

Puzziya nodded. “They mean to have them, and I do not know what to do.”

Decker spoke up. “I think Mingus and I may stay and watch things here.”

“Perhaps I should stay,” Elder Stow suggested.

“Elder Stow,” Alexis got his attention. “This may be a chance to have some more vegetables, and a little less meat. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Can you detect opiates in the food?” Lockhart asked Mingus.

“Yes, what are you suggesting?”

“Nothing, necessarily,” Lockhart said, “But my old police instincts are flaring, like some part of this operation may not be strictly legal.”

As they went inside, Roland asked Decker how Ulwazzi knew anything about saddles.

“Maybe he just saw them and judged their usefulness,” Decker said, and Roland offered a thought.

“We will have to watch that to not mess up history by introducing saddles too soon.”

Decker said nothing. He just checked his rifle.

Inside, Mingus went straight for the table that had been set up. He checked for Opiates by tasting everything. Alexis scolded him, but he said it was the only sure way. The meat and vegetables were fine, he said, but the coarse grained bread was soaked in the stuff. After Mingus tried it, he excused himself and went outside. Alexis got out her wand and a golden mist spread out around the table and settled on the bread.

“So, Ulwazzi, what is the idea?” Lockhart kept his voice calm, while Boston reached into her side pack, around her Beretta, to pull out some bread crackers.

Ulwazzi’s eyes were big on being discovered, and they got even bigger when Boston heated up some water in her hand to turn the crackers into fresh, steaming bread. “I do not understand such things you are doing?” Ulwazzi said, feigning innocence.

The travelers sat while Boston and Alexis made a big plate’s worth of food for Decker and Roland.

“What about Father?” Boston asked.

“He will be busy for a while,” Alexis said, and she tried not to grin. Outside, Mingus was singing away and trying hard to keep his feet from dancing. “Opiates have a strange affect on elves,” she explained. “It liberates that portion of the brain where the music is stored. He should be all right in a few hours.”

“I should have some of that,” Boston said with an elf grin.

“You don’t need it,” Alexis responded with a bit of a grin of her own. “Obviously, you have music in your head all the time without drugs, and dance and wiggle even when there is no music playing.”

“True,” Boston agreed.

“It wouldn’t be so bad,” Decker said. “If he could carry a tune.”

Alexis got snippy. “Despite the P. R., not all elves are happy-go-lucky little sprites who like to sing and dance at the drop of a hat.”

Roland wisely kept his mouth shut.

************************

Tomorrow, the third post, bringing the first half of the story to a stopping point.  Serious things happen in tomorrows post including the werewolf attack.  Don’t miss it