The woodlands was a small cluster of forest with hiking trails and picnic areas for those in the city looking for a nature spot for the weekend. Trees of various seed and age were carefully spaced and neatly indicated with little weather worn signs in front of their trunks. Small insect houses tucked between foliage and tree houses hanging from branches dotted the natural landscape with signs of man right up to the link fence that sectioned off the woodland from the greater forest.
Beyond the fence was untamed growth and wild creatures who made their home at the mountain’s base. Many a beast shared this forest, albeit reluctantly at times and a certain harmony was present in its land. At least until hoards of beasts that had lived in the city among man suddenly tried to join their ranks.
The woodlands was closed when Panda reached the gate. On the wrought iron hung a sign reading ‘Temporally closed by management’ along with a cartoon of a sad squirrel. The cartoon wasn’t the only creature in distress as Panda had heard the chaotic warbling and chittering coming from the back of the park.
Crawling over the fence she headed for the noisy din, wondering if her follower would jump the fence or wait outside. She understood Bandit’s worry and want to protect her but he had to know she didn’t live as a tiny beast for so long without knowing when she was being stalked by a larger creature. Probably best he stayed out for now, things sounded hectic and a wolf’s presence wouldn’t help matters.
Reaching the apex of the noise she found two large groups arguing through a chain link fence. In the woodlands were pigeons, crows, rats, cats, dogs and every other city critter that scavenged and scurried around the feet of man. Beyond the woodlands were foxes, badgers, owls, rabbits and forest dwellers who shunned man’s interference with nature. And my oh my were they upset at each other.
‘THERES NO PLACE HERE FOR YOU!’
‘WE’LL ALL BE KILLED BY THE WOLVES!’
Panda could hardly make out more than two sentences as everyone spoke, or shouted, at once.
Her voice was lost to the noise.
The noise stopped and many beady eyes focused on the small bear making a plausible wolf howl. The howl came to an end and she cleared her throat (in the distance she thought she heard her follower begin to howl but stop himself) waving her paws in greeting.
“Hello everyone. I understand something has you all riled up and fleeing the city. If you could tell me what the problem is I can try and help.”
The silence that followed stretched on until an owl hooted.
‘You’re the bear that speaks with man.’
‘Good. You tell these traitors to return to man in a way they understand!’
‘We can’t return!’ A scruffy stray dog that frequented the bakery by the bank barked out. ‘Not with the man-wolves there!’
‘Man-wolves have been there many cycles-“ A hare with half a winter coat snuffled. ‘You lie of danger to steal of food for the cold!’
More voices squeaked and growled up in agreement and protest and Panda called out.
“Everyone please! Calm down. Take a moment… What man-wolves do you mean”
‘The hot one!’ A pigeon cooed from above. ‘Hottest man-wolf I’ve ever seen!’
‘No it was the cool one!’ A second pigeon from an opposite branch cooed. ‘Never has a cooler man-wolf been in the man lands! Just flying overhead gave me chills!’
The two birds argued back and forth and Panda frowned.
“Uh… you mean temperature right? Like warm and cold?”
All eyes turned to her again.
‘How else would they mean?’ A vole squeaked out perplexed. Panda decided she had spent maybe too long around humans and cleared her throat again.
“Alright, so there’s a hot…man wolf and a cold one and they attacked you?”
‘No!’ Hissed a tabby Panda had seen often lounging on rooftops. ‘They don’t attack. They don’t even see you existing! They walk like they’re above everyone and thing.’
‘My mate was crushed by the hot one’s heel.’ A rat squeaked mournfully. ‘He never even stopped walking.’
Several other animals woefully mewled similar tales of loved ones being in the wrong path at the wrong time. One in particular caught the bear’s attention.
“I’m sorry did you say, frozen?”
‘Yes.’ Sniffed the racoon. ‘My friend and I were seeking dinner and the cold man-wolf froze a man in ice before us. My friend couldn’t move away in time. They didn’t listen to my pleas to save him. They didn’t even pretend to see me!’
Panda felt her fur stand on end. This was worse than she thought.
“So the hot one then can make-“
‘Flames.’ The owl from earlier finished. ‘We saw them come down from the mountain way toward the man land.’
‘You could have warned us!’ Cawed a crow.
‘You made your choice traitors!’ Chirped back a woodpecker.
Before another argument could start Panda spoke up again.
“Alright! I’ll go back and tell my friends about the new man-wolves and we should get the city safe again soon! Please just hold on till then. This place has been closed off from people for now so just, try to stay safe and don’t fight with one another.”
‘Ha! Easy for you to say! You have the big man-wolf to protect you.’ A honey badger hissed.
‘No she doesn’t.’ An opossum corrected. ‘The new man-wolves and the old one are of the same breed.’
Panda tilted her head with a frown. “What do you mean by that?”
‘The night you ran through this forest in the form of man-‘ The owl hooted. ‘The man-wolf had the same scent as these new curs.’
“Ran through…” Panda thought back to the last time she was human and couldn’t recall being near the woods with Bandit. She hadn’t really been near the woods in her human form since-
“…Oh…Oh gods..” Ears high and alert she swallowed and tried not to let her fear seep out. The last time she was in the forest with Bandit he had lost his mind to the red moon and was trying to hunt her down. If these new wolves were the same as Bandit back then…
“I…I’ll let him know. We’ll figure something out. Please try and stay calm.”
‘Bold of you to think you can command us little bear’ A fox sneered.
“You listened to me this much…”
‘Only because we thought the man-wolf was near. His scent is all over your fur.’
Panda blinked and raised a paw to her head. Right, she did hug Bandit’s face before coming here. She hadn’t noticed over the whiskey smell of his office but she did smell a lot like him right now.
“Well… trust in him then. I’ll let him know and he won’t want to treat you all like nothing. Please just hold on..”
Panda turned and dashed back toward the main gate.
Oh this was SO much worse than they thought!
