Chapter 8 – Lost and Found

I am a wolf but, now I have lost a lot of my fur and look like the people from my memories.

*Sniff sniff*

My sense of smell doesn’t seem to be different.

I can smell some plants and animals.

The place we were didn’t have any smells at all.

It was very stale like there was nothing there.

I can hear the wind moving the grass.

Leader said this is Asgard but I don’t know that place.

I remember the forests near the great tree.

I think the people called the great tree, Yggdrasill.

Ástríðr and leader are talking about something.

I don’t really understand but for some reason I know the words they are saying.

The words are something from my memories but not memories from when I was a cub.

There are some memories I don’t understand.

Memories of being a little human person.

“I got it, Mr. Ninety. Be careful, okay?”

“I will exercise the appropriate amount of caution as the situation dictates.”

Oh. Leader is leaving.

“Take care, leader.”

I think that is what I have to say when someone leaves.

“And you both maintain caution as well.”

Ástríðr goes to the thing leader left behind for her and puts her paw on it.

It changes to a small copy of leader’s…machine?

I think that is what it is called.

How do I know that word?

“Okay Fenris, we have to go to the village and warn them they can be under attack.”

I turn my head and reply.

“Village? We are going to village?”

“Yes. Here let me help you up on the scooter.”

Ástríðr picks me up and puts me on top of the “scooter”.

She then gets on the scooter in front of me and we begin to move like leader was on his machine when we left the place before.

We move away very quickly from the area we were camping at.

There is lots of color here on this Asgard, not like where we were before.

Everything was so brown and gray and white.

This place has lots of grass and flowers and some trees too but not many like I remember from the forests.

I see a few streams too.

After some time, we pass some beasts trapped in an area followed by some people who are doing work cutting some strange plants.

“Ástríðr.”

“Yes, what is it little Fenris.”

“What are those people doing?”

“They’re harvesting the crops.”

“Harvesting? Crops?”

“Yes, they’re cutting the vegetables for food for the village.”

“I see. Why don’t they just hunt. I saw beasts they could hunt for food.”

“There are very few here on Asgard and it will take a long time for them to all come back. These animals are mostly for other types of food. Like the milk you had in the stew Mr. Ninety gave you.”

“That was tasty!”

“I’m sure it was. We’ll get lots of delicious food for you later, ok?”

“Really!?”

“Of course. There are so many new things for you experience and learn.”

“Yeah, I don’t know anything about this place you and leader call Asgard. I only really have memories of the forest near the great tree. But it seems there are other memories I don’t recognize either.”

“I know what you mean. I was the same way too. It’s okay, you’ll feel better after a day or two…maybe.”

Just when Ástríðr finishes what she says to me, we stop moving.

I didn’t notice but there are these things called…buildings?

That’s what they’re called, right?

“Ivar!”

Ástríðr yells out to another person.

“Oh, Ástríðr. Where’s Mr. Ninety at? Who is this with you? Is everything ok?”

“Actually, no. Mr. Ninety told me to tell you to get everyone inside to safety. There’s a large…thing coming our way.”

“I see. I will go to the fields and have them gather everyone they can.”

“Right… Actually, I should go to the fields since I have the scooter. I’ll let you know when everyone is safe inside.”

“That’s probably a better idea.”

“You’ll be at your house, right?”

“Yes, Thordis has not been feeling well lately.”

“Oh no I hope she feels better soon. You hurry up so you can be with her.”

“I will and you hurry as well.”

“Thanks, I’m on my way.”

“Take care, Ivar.”

I reply.

“You take care as well child.”

We leave Ivar and go towards the beasts and the crops.

Every time Ástríðr sees someone she yells out to them.

“EVERYONE! TAKE SHELTER!”

I help her out too.

“TAKE SHELTER!” I yell out as we pass more people.

They all run to a large building and go inside.

One person is not going inside.

They are jumping up and down waving their top legs.

Ástríðr takes the scooter to them.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s my daughter, Elsu. She’s not here.”

“Oh, I remember her from the classes. Do you think she might have gone back to the village?”

“No, she would have told me.”

“I See. We’ll look for her. You take shelter.”

“Okay, thank you for looking for her.”

“Don’t worry we’ll find her. She can’t have gotten too far.”

I take a sniff.

I smell another person farther away from here.

I grab Ástríðr’s top leg.

“What is it Fenris?”

“I smell another person that way.”

I point away from the large building.

“She must be over there. We’ll go get her; you get inside the barn.”

“Thank you again.”

I jump down off the scooter and run toward the smell.

“Whoa! Don’t leave me Fenris!”

“This way Ástríðr!”

She catches up to me and we continue running until we reach a place with many many flowers.

In the middle is a small person making something with the flowers.

“I think you found her, Fenris.”

“Her scent is like the person you were talking to.”

“Elsu, your dad was looking for you.”

“Oh, hello Miss Ástríðr. I found these flowers and wanted to make you a crown with them.”

“Thank you but we need to have you go back to the barn. There’s something coming this way.”

“Oh no! Let’s go.”

“This way, this way!”

I yell to them as I go running off toward the large building.

“Who’s that Miss Ástríðr?”

“That’s Fenris, she’s a wolf girl Mr. Ninety and I found on Midheim.”

We keep running as Ástríðr tells Elsu about me and we make it to the large building.

“Here you go Elsu.”

“Thank you, Miss Ástríðr and Miss Fenris.”

The door opens and the person comes out.

“ELSU!”

“Daddy!”

“Thank you very much for finding Elsu, Ástríðr.”

“No problem Fenris here really found her.”

“Thank you Fenris.”

“You are welcome.” I say.

I think that is what I am supposed to say.

“So, is everyone that was here accounted for?”

“Yes, thank you again.”

“Okay, we need to get back to Ivar and let him know everyone here is safe. Come on Fenris let’s go.”

“Right, I am ready to go.”

Ástríðr helps me back up onto the scooter and we go off to the village.

We stop at a building much smaller than the one before.

Me and Ástríðr get off the scooter and go to the door.

Ástríðr pushes something on the door.

“It’s me, Ástríðr!”

The door opens and Ivar is there.

“Please come in quickly.”

We enter the building and Ivar quickly closes the door behind us.

“Everyone at the farm is safe and accounted for.”

“As are those here in the village.”

“Darling, who’s here?”

“Oh, Thordis! How are you feeling? I heard you were sick.”

“I’m doing better. I’m a little weak since I can’t keep my food down.”

“Oh, that is a problem. Is anyone here a doctor?”

“No none here were doctors previously.”

“That’s not helpful at all.”

There’s a familiar smell in this building.

I begin sniffing around.

“What’s wrong Fenris?”

“I know this smell.”

“Oh? Do you know what it is?”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you who this peculiar child is.” Ivar says.

“She is a wolf child Mr. Ninety and I found on Midheim. It’s a little bit of a long story and I don’t really understand why her and the others became wolf people.”

“There are others?”

“Yeah, but because Fenris here is much younger than the others she woke up first. Mr. Ninety put the others to sleep so we can make a place for them to live.”

“That’s incredible.” Thordis says.

“Indeed, it is.” Ivar says as he comes closer to me to look at my face and ears.

I remember the smell now!

I run over to Ástríðr and pull her top leg.

“Oh, it appears I have scared her.”

“It’s okay, Fenris he’s not a bad person.”

“No Ástríðr it’s not that. I remember the smell coming from Thordis.

“OH! I’m sorry I did take a shower today so I shouldn’t smell that bad.”

“No, it’s a smell when one of the mothers begin to carry cubs in their belly.”

“WHAT!?” all three say together.

“Oh my. I’m…pregnant? I can’t believe it.” Thordis says.

“This is a miracle.” Ivar says.

“Are you sure about this Fenris?”

“Yes, the smell is a little different but my memories were of a wolf mother so people are a little different.”

“You know, it makes sense now that I think of it.”

“How’s that?”

“Thordis, you haven’t been sick, you had morning sickness.”

“I suppose so. I haven’t been running a fever, just my stomach was upset and the smell of food made it worse.”

“Well, I remember in my memories, some women getting that reaction when they got pregnant but, yours seems a little more extreme.”

“Yes, it is odd. I don’t recall anyone having this strong a reaction to being pregnant. I don’t know why I would be so different.”

“If we had anyone with medical experience we could ask them. Maybe we should wait for Ninety to return from his situation.” Ivar replies.

“Yeah, I’d try to look to see if anyone was still in the containment that had medical experience but I don’t know if I can control it and I don’t want to end up like that nightcrawler. Ewww”

Ástríðr shudders when she finishes talking.

“It would appear we just have to wait.” Thordis says.

“Hmm I got an idea. Do you have any bread?”

“Yes, there’s some over here.”

Thordis walks Ástríðr over to the area they prepare food at.

“Let’s see here. I hope you won’t mind me looking.”

“Not at all.”

Ástríðr looks around and grabs a couple of metal items and puts the bigger one on a table that seems different than the ones around it.

“Now then. Turn on the heat a bit to about middle and slice up some bread.”

Ástríðr takes out a knife and cuts the fluffy thing she calls bread and places two pieces onto the larger metal item. She then places the smaller metal item on top of the bread making it go flat.

After a little bit of time, Ástríðr removes the smaller metal item and then flips the bread over and puts the smaller metal item back on.

Ástríðr opens a door above and grabs a glass disc and places it by the large metal item.

Once Ástríðr is done placing the disc Ástríðr takes the smaller metal item off and lifts the bigger metal item up and tilts it making the bread fall out and onto disc.

“Alright, there we go. Just a little bit of toast. It should help settle your stomach a bit. It’s just dry toast. I would have put some butter on it but I remember that fats make the sickness worse. So, it’s just straight carbohydrates for now until I can maybe get you some salted crackers.”

Thordis takes the disc from Ástríðr.

“Thank you very much, Ástríðr”

“No problem. We gotta get you and the little one some nutrition.”

“Yes indeed.” Thordis says as she takes a bite of the toast.

“How did you know that?” Ivar asks.

“I just had a memory of eating some toast while looking down at my grown belly. I don’t know who’s memory but it’s definitely not Michiru’s.”

“Nonetheless it was good that you have some helpful memories. No matter who’s they are.”

“Indeed, I am very thankful and my child I’m certain is as well.”

Thordis reaches down and begins rubbing her belly.

“Now there’s the matter of you, young lady.” Ivar says as he approaches me again.

I crouch down and take a defensive posture with my paws out stretched.

“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you. I guess I really just wanted to see your ears. It’s quite interesting how they’re on top of your head like a wolf’s would be and you have a tail too.”

“I am a wolf.”

Ástríðr tells Ivar, “Yeah, Mr. Ninety didn’t really have a chance to examine her before he had to go. She hasn’t mentioned any human memories.”

“I don’t have any. I am a wolf.”

“And yet her hair is such a strange color matching that of the wolves in forest near Yggdrasill.”

“Oh yeah that’s right no one here in Midengard has black hair at all.”

“There are people like Fenris on the planet Terra Ninety mentioned?”

“Wolf people? No way. But there are parts of the planet with people that have dark hair like hers. Mostly the places where the descendants of Midengard didn’t live.”

“So, people with our hair color on this Terra was only due to our descendants?”

“Well, I think most of Northern Europe was probably because of them but, there were others in Southern Europe that had blonde hair before the Midengardians arrived.”

“I see. This Terra sounds interesting.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I think Midengard is more interesting but, I can see learning about a new world can be mysterious.”

“Indeed, discovering the unknown is always fascinating.”

I hear foot steps outside approaching.

“What’s wrong Fenris?”

“Someone is approaching us.”