Taurians have always hunted wolves and foxes for food. Sometimes there was
even a pup that was saved by the Taurians that were grown to be food.
Eventually the wolves became smarter and began hunting us as well, for what we
can only think of as "food" and revenge. Every now and then a wolf would come
sniffing, not causing trouble. Probably unaware about the war between us, it
would be slain upon sight. There was one exception, beginning with one little
girl.

Her name was Ayasha, the daughter of a Taurian Shaman. She was very young,
and just beginning to learn the ways of her people, as well as the ways of
disobeying them. The whereabouts of her mother were unknown, leaving them the
only two people in the family. This also left a very close bond between the
father and daughter, and somehow, an understanding that no one could manage
with a third person. It was one day that her father left her to do some work of
his that she ran off to play. This is where my story begins.

"Dasan! Please will you just teach me?" she begged me, wanting to learn
ecology.
"Why aren't you allowed to learn ecology, anyways?" I asked her.
"Because all we women are suppose to know is how to cook for the family, or
how to collect herbs. Nothing else. We have to serve the males in the family."
"Your father is weird."
"It's not my father! He thinks it's 'Rubbish of all sorts.'" she said, with a
sad attempt to imitate his voice.
"So why won't he let you learn it?"
"He WILL, once I tell him I've already been learning it." she smiled
angelically, as if she already planned all this out.
"Okaaaay," I said frowning. "If he hates me...I'm going to hurt you."
As the elder person, I had to worry about her plans. Most the time I ended up
scolded because of her.
"OOOOH, THANK YOU DASAN!" she squealed, running up to me and throwing her arms
around me in a bearhug.
"I just know I'm going to regret this." I smiled softly to her, as I hugged
her back.

A year later, Ayasha and I celebrated her last lesson with a bit of an
adventurous game. Hide-and-go-seek. She was hiding and I was trying to find
her. Without scenting her out, of course. She scolded me the first few times I
used it. It was just too difficult finding her on my own. But, slowly I made my
way around the forest.
She had been hiding for a good amount of time by now, and I was ready to just
give and scent her out. Just as I scented, she pounced me with a squeal.
"Guess what I found? He's just so adorable, Dasan! I have to keep him!" face
flushed, and eyes sparkling with happiness, Ayasha stared at me holding back
another squeal.
"Slow down and show me or tell me what you found." I said with a grunt as I
began to stand.
"Follow me!" she said and bounced off past me.
After a bit of running in what seemed like circles, she came to an abrupt
stop. I crashed into her, knocking us both down. She spun out of the way of
her fall, away from a wolf pup. Noticing it just at the last minute, I threw my
arms out to stop the fall on the pup.
Just as I caught myself, the little pup backed up. The pup growled and bit me
on the nose, and let go quickly. I howled and jumped up.
"Isn't he cute?" Ayasha giggled as she watched the whole scene.
"Err, aren't you suppose to be thinking 'mmm, dinner!' and taking it home to
eat?" I said sarcastically, and rubbing my nose.
"HEY! I wouldn't be able to do that to a little cutie like this." she reached
down to pet it, and the pup licked her hands.
"Right, what's daddy gonna say?"
"He doesn't need to know till I decide a name for him."
"Ayasha, you cannot keep a wolf in a village where it's the main food course."

"Dasan! You can't be serious? I can't leave him here; his mother may have been
killed! He's so small!"
"I can and am serious. What do you expect to do with it?" I frowned, hating to
sound like a parent in the situation.
"Jaegar." Ayasha said, smiling down.
"What?"
"I'll name him Jaegar! It's perfect. It means chief."
"You're father..."
"Was perfectly fine with me learning ecology, why not be fine with this?"
"He doesn't eat ecology. And it helps you with your knowledge of herbs..."
"You should be on MY side, not my villages...You are MY friend, Dasan! You're
Serenwilder, it shouldn't matter to you." she said, eyes beginning to water.
I grumbled as I watched her pulling tricks. "Okaay, what do you want me to
do?"
"Yay! Watch him for me while I tell my dad."
"How is a Shaman going to allow this...But okay. Fiineee." I sighed in defeat.
"Simple. He'll allow it because he's my father. Well, with a lot of arguing.
He's been too busy as of late...I need some company!"
"Hmph, I'm not enough?"
"Sure you are, but I always want company...And if you ever lived with us my
dad would kill you. Plus, sometimes you’re busy."
"Psh."
"Am I sensing some jealousy?" Ayasha's eyes twinkled.
"Don't get your hopes up, woman. And your pup hates me."
"Does not, just feed him some meat."
"Like I carry meat anywhere on me. I'm no cook."

As I was walking home, the Jaegar followed. We had trouble at first,
eventually he came, and only by Ayasha's word. She had a way with animals, and
this one already was crazy about her. Whining constantly unless I gave it more
meat to quiet it down. I thought that was bad, it just got worse. As soon as I
was half asleep, I was nipped on the ear and awoke with a yelp. All during the
night Jaegar kept me up, to play. I suppose he wanted to be kept busy while he
awaited his next meeting with Ayasha.
Somehow her father said okay and she was able to hide her pup in her hut. This
went on a good while, and Jaegar grew bigger. We continued to run around doing
whatever we could to amuse ourselves, this time with another companion. Years
went by and eventually, perfect happiness has to end. The bond between Ayasha
and her wolf was strong. I almost thought as if they bonded completely. This
was entirely unheard of. The complete bond was only heard to be with owls,
badgers, and foxes. I wanted to discard the thought but it nagged me.

On the way towards Ayasha's village I heard someone scream "Run!" and the
practical stampede of feet. Growling followed as Jaegar bounded ahead of
Ayasha. Behind her, almost everyone from her village followed. I ran along with
her, and grabbed her arm to help her speed up.
"What's going on?" I yelled to her, sweat already forming.
"They found Jaegar and want him dead! We need to STOP them! They don't
understand!"
Jaegar continued, though eventually we all got tired. At the road we stopped,
hoping to have lost her village elders, and... Well everyone else. Jaegar began
to growl towards where we came from, meaning more trouble.
"We have to keep running. Come on, Ayasha."
"I have to make them understand. Not to mention..." She began, panting
heavily. "I can't continue to run. I'm out of breath."
"Where is your dad?"
"Working, as he always is now."
"Right..."
By then, Jaegar slowly began backing up, continuing to growl.
Ayasha screamed something in Taurian.
"What?" I blinked.
"Make them stop, they won't listen. I tell them to go away they are coming
still. Look at Jaegar!"
He growled so hard he looked as if he was foaming at the mouth.
Words I couldn't understand were being yelled back, and slowly we saw her
village members appearing from the forest. Spears were raised and Ayasha ran in
front of Jaegar.
"He's harmless, I taught him! We can't kill him! I love Jaegar--leave him
alone! Just this one wolf is all I'm asking. This ONE WOLF!" she was crying
hard now.
"Ayasha do not be foolish. You cannot keep wolf here. He will die or you and
your father will be punished,” the Elder stated.
"We aren't at WAR with the wolves, why does it matter? We just eat them--well
this one isn't for eating. Leave him alone! If he dies, I will kill myself!"
"Chayton, Maralah."
Two Taurians stepped forward, nodding towards the village elder.
"Take Ayasha away, we don't want her to watch."
"Ayasha, come." Chayton commanded.
"Go away Uncle." She screamed. "Jaegar means more to me then the whole
village. Leave us alone! We'll go to Serenwilde!"
"Stop this foolishness, child and lets go home. This is naught but our dinner
you are rampaging about. Don't be so spoiled."
"Ayasha, I, Elder of our village, command you to listen to Chayton. Go with
Maralah and Chayton and go home.
"I refuse."
Chayton obviously thought he would force her, because he stepped forward and
made a grab towards her. I reached out to stop Jaegar, but it was to late. A
final growl emitted from him as he bound forward and bit Chayton's neck. Blood,
as if coming from a fountain, flowed out of his neck, and a giant chunk of his
neck went missing. His body hit the ground with a thud. Spears flew, along
with the scream of Ayasha.
A loud howl erupted from Jaegar, along with a scream of agony. Every spear
missed, but one. Maralah threw his, and struck Jaegar's stomach. Ayasha
collapsed beside her companion. I went numb all over, and knelt down beside
her.
"Ayasha, are you okay?"
"I feel it...I feel the spear...Oh Estarra help me, I'm going to die." Ayasha
whispered as she gasped in pain, her eyes went distant and she looked forward.
Her voice was utterly changed when she uttered, "To this day, the day of the
death of my dear Jaegar. The death I willingly face, I place a curse on the
Taurian village. Everywhere they turn, the wolves will become smarter,
stronger. They will be hunted in return, the way they hunt the wolves. The
'dinner' they claim the wolves are, will be them in return. The wolves will not
stop coming, whether it be in their physical, or ghost form. Thus there will be
a cycle."
"Ayasha!" I yelled, and looked next to her.
Jaegar, with the spear still protruding from his stomach, nuzzled Ayasha with
care. He lowered his head, and closed his eyes. Just as his eyes closed,
Ayasha let out her final breath.
"Stand, now, Ayasha. Do not be a fool. Your father will surely hear of this
trick you are playing."
"Damn you, Maralah don't you see? It isn't a trick. You and your foolish
village killed her wolf, which she's bonded to. I don't know how she managed
to bond to a wolf but she completely bonded with it and now you killed them
BOTH."
I stood and pointed my sickle towards him, and it grew silent. I looked down
at the two, now at peace. The amount of sadness that struck that night was so
great, I could hardly keep my eyes from watering. I bent down to pick up her
corpse, and tears flowed out from my eyes as if a river flooded. Walking
towards the village, I caught Maralah from the corner of my eye take out the
spear and bend down to pick up the wolf. Everyone followed me back to his or
her own village.

Explaining what happened to Ayasha's father was the hardest thing I ever did.
I continued to visit him, but one day he went missing. From what I heard, he
was seen muttering to himself about how foolish he was and his dream was
correct. He was off to help the wolves. No one believed he could do it,
seeing as the wolves hated all Taurians. I walked out of the village muttering
about how foolish they were believed a Shaman wouldn't be able to help wolves.
After I left the Village I never walked back there. It took some time but I
moved on and stopped sulking around with nothing to do but whine about how much
I missed Ayasha and Jaegar. I decided I needed to do things to keep busy, and
to show Ayasha that I wouldn't live miserably. I'd tell her story and finish
it the way it was meant to be.
Rumors have it that someone helped him with his quest to revenge the wolves.
With the help of all living, dead, and anything else the wolves could be...And
with the help of that someone, they banished the Taurians by using some magic
in a box, and placing it in a tree... But as the curse was placed to help the
Wolves, Ayasha was right. Somehow, there would be a cycle again. Somehow, there
would be a village of Taurians again...And there would be a fight of war between
them and ever-growing smart wolves...And in the end, whichever side got the help
first, the Taurians or the Wolves would be banished from the Taurian Village.
And that was the curse.