Last night had been
rather a debacle.
Wolfmen - werewolves -
were men that turned into wolf-like monsters at full moon, and very real, and very dangerous. One had tried to
eat Teja, and would have done so had there not been another there, less wolfish if taller, that had either been territorial or in fact defending the human. Teja had spent the night in the forge, by the forge-fire, doors barred and axe on his knees, even though he knew it would be pitifully inadequate against these monsters. There had been more snarls, then brief, strange whines, then silence. All other howls that night had been further off, and different.
Everybody had warned him; that golden-eyed lady
had even warned him against the bad philosophy of feeling secure in his doubt and denial. Fearlessness had slipped into hubris at some point, and he hadn't even noticed. He is no longer in his own time and place where he
knew what was real, at least as well as any other man.
This is uncharted territory, and Teja has made the mistake of trying to fit it to his own maps, and not the other way around.
***
It is morning now, and Teja has unbarred the forge door and collected the abandoned water buckets. He's gone up to the tavern itself and ordered tea and cheese and bread for breakfast. Tearing the bread apart slowly, and sipping his half-cold tea at great intervals, Teja sits by the fire and ponders the consequences.
Some are easy - like not going out after dark on the nights of the werewolves again. Like making himself a dagger of folded silver and bronze before the next full moon, just in case. Like admitting that he had been wrong, had been attacked, and had been entirely at fault for it, if it came up -- for what kind of hollow pride cannot admit that it has mad a mistake?
Some are difficult. Like, adjusting his philosophy and world-view in a way that such mistakes, endangering himself and others - the grey wolfman! - won't happen again. That will require much thought.-