Chapter 3 - House Party

Royston, Roy…. where is that man”
An exasperated Vicky with a  trestle table under her arm, dropping it on the floor of the great hall. 
“Ahh Carver, get Nero and bring in the rest of the trestle tables,  if you see your dad tell him to stop hiding and get his backside into the hall. The villagers will be here on the dot at 5pm . We have so much to do. Where is Jobe? Oh wait, don't answer that one he will be in the study emptying a bottle of whisky. Sighing Vicky viciously pulled the trestle table up, the legs locking into place with a snap.
“Ok mum I’m on it, don’t get too stressed we will pull it all together in time, we always do”
Vicky, smiling at her eldest son, patted him on the back.
“Thanks Carver, I know you're right but you know how it’s so important we get this right, keep the village sweet at all costs!! Ok phew big breath and let’s continue, call butler as well. I want to discuss the sitting arrangements. Don’t want the same problem as last year with the Nettle family sitting next to the Yales after being in dispute all year over a hedge boundary between their houses that got decidedly troublesome last year. Took all of Dawns and mine diplomatic skills to get them to calm down by the end of the night.”
“Yes mum of course it will be fine, l’ll go now get Nero and Butler and if I see dad I’ll let him know you’re on the warpath!”
 Giving his mum a small salute and a grin Carver disappeared.
With a smile to herself, Vicky picked up her list and ticked off tables just as Flint walked in. 
“Ok mum I’ve got the two large deer and the two smaller boar pelts where do you want them?”
Looking up from her list Vicky could see Flint carrying some luxurious furs over his shoulder, two deep red furs brushed and cleaned looking radiant in the early morning sun, also two giant wild boar skins with the shorter wiry hairs. 
“They look stunning son, I can see you soaped them and brushed them to perfection, nail the red deerskin up over the buffet tables at the end at an angle to each other. The boar ones, one on each side of the south facing window. Ahh here’s Nero and Carver with the tables.”
For the rest of that morning the Ludovic family all pulled together to get the hall ready for the annual village party, it was an initiative set up by Vicky and Roy early on when Roy moved in. A good way to curry favour with the villagers. It has become an important part of the calendar for the last eighty years. Royston at first found it unsettling as year on year he would see people from the village who he would get friendly with age and eventually die, whilst he and Vicky stayed relatively unchanged. A little greyer round the edges, a few wrinkles, but on the whole Roy looked the same as he did the night he was reborn as a werewolf. Vicky did warn him don’t get too close to the villagers they will age and die leaving you feeling disquieted. Roy eventually realised the truth in that sentiment and kept his distance, be polite, welcoming but don’t get involved.
Eventually at around 3pm, Vicky declared the hall was ready. The buffet table was groaning under the weight of food goods. The tables were dressed up and the sitting plan sorted. Vicky made sure any families in dispute with others were well separated this time, memories of the Nettles and Yales dispute which led to a full wine glass being up-ended over the head of John Nettles by Mike Yale was still fresh in her mind. This time they got all possible information on those attending beforehand from the workers in the house who all lived in the village. 
Flint was feeling excited, he had his birthday the day before the village party, he felt a flush in his face. A feeling of blood fizzing through his system. He knew the full moon was only a week away and every night now he was feeling more and more alive, senses heightened, he wanted to run and jump everywhere. He didn’t even care that his elder siblings kept teasing him saying things like ohh look who thinks they are ready to run with the pack. Flint is going into top speed now, there will be no stopping him. He just wanted the change to happen.
“Right everyone positions, come on Roy, the villagers are pulling up now”
“Ok ok Vicky I’m here - remember lads, don’t let the local men try to rile you, you know how the younger ones think it’s a sign of bravado if they get one of you to snarl at them! Nero no armwrestling, you nearly ripped Dan Hammers arm off last time! I heard he couldn’t work for three months and still complains of shoulder pain”
Nero looked down at his shoes, Jobe smirked 
“And you young man keep away from the girls, especially the Johnstone twins, I don’t want an irate dad saying you were showing them how to howl like a female looking for a mate, he said they were driving him nuts with their blessed howling!”
This time Jobe looked chastised mumbling under his breath they were such a lovely pair of howlers.
“ Flint I know your blood is fizzing out of you, you are very close to first transition please remember your strength this week is greatly increased so keep a very cool head the boys you play with if they get over boisterous just step back, you could do them some damage”
Flint eyes darting all over the place felt his feet jiggling under him. He knew what his dad meant, his strength this week had taken him by surprise, he was prepared for extra power but he was lifting easily with one hand over his head, weights that before he would barely lift a few inches off the ground, and the speed he could run now without any fatigue. So yes he must heed his dads words not to get too over excited, he would hate to hurt any of his friends from the village.
At last the villagers arrived in the horse and coaches that Roy and Vicky had ordered to pick them up. Lots of hand shaking, back slapping hellos and laughter as they all trooped in. The villagers always loved these do’s. They weren’t stupid, they knew why the Ludovic’s invited them up year on year, they knew how important it was that the village saw them as a benevolent force. 
It made the village feel powerful, thinking they controlled such a powerful entity. A bit like a lion tamer with a group of lions who could easily rip them to pieces but stays for now subservient. The young bucks in the village liked to test their strength against the Ludovic boys. A foolish game they knew they wouldn’t ever beat any of them but still egos made them have a go. Obviously the Ludovics took it very easy on the young bucks, inside laughing at their ridiculous attempts but also aware of the group mentality that if they all ganged up they may indeed do them some harm, they kept up the pretence it was an equal competition, to save the face of the village boys without causing too much friction.
Flint enjoyed the meal, chatted to his mates. They were all impressed with his new found strength, realising he would soon be up there with Carver,Nero, Dawn and Jobe. A force to be reckoned with. His friends soon cottoned on to the fact that there was a member of the group who could be a massive asset in the future, no gangs would mess with them! Out in the garden Flint was chatting with his best friend from the village Johnny Fry, a large blond haired boy a year older than Flint. Flint had known Johnny since birth, his mum works in the house as a kitchen aide a petite girl with the darkest hair Flint had ever seen so the shock to see her next to this large hulk of a lad with the blondest of hair seems impossible that she is his mum, until you meet Johnny’s dad then you go ahh now that makes sense. George Fry; six foot five and as wide as a barn door with the thickest blondest hair. Johnny absently picked at his feet after taking his shoes and socks off.
“So not long now Flinty, you will be a Ludovic wolf, running the forests chasing the wildlife.”
Pausing and looking over to his friend.
“You do know things will change then don’t you? I mean we are now basically the same age but as we all know when you turn your ageing slows right down. Hell look at your mum, what is she two hundred odd years old yet she is still stunning looking”
Flint looked at Johnny sharply
“Only joshing with you Flinty but you know what I mean your mum and also your dad should be laying in a coffin decades ago, so the same will now happen to you, you will stop ageing. I and your other mates won’t, we will get older and older until we are mouldering in our coffins and you will continue serenely on, you’ve got to see how things will change”
Flint threw stones at a rock several feet away with unerring accuracy, stones pinging off as they strike the rock surface.
“Hell Johnny I’m not stupid I know what you're saying, but let me say right now as long as you are breathing and are standing I will be here for you. Age doesn’t matter, I will be your friend”
Johnny looked doubtful but slapping Flints leg stood up 
“In that case let’s catch up with the others, and see if there’s any of those delicious sausages left in the hall.”
With all thoughts of ageing and losing friendships put to the back of their minds as they caught up with the other lads in their group. Flint gleefully tells them how Johnny called his two hundred year old mum stunning! Much laughter as they ribbed Johnny mercilessly although secretly all the boys except Flint there would have readily agreed with him. 
Just as they all crashed into the hall, Grail came running out pushing the boys out of the way with red eyes and tears streaking down his face.
“Grail what’s wrong, it’s me Flint, what happened?”
Grail stopped seeing his brother and looked like he was going to say something but noticing Flint's friends he just shook his head and ploughed on blindly into the garden. Flint started to turn but Johnny held his arm.
“Let him go mate, let’s get some sausages whatever the problem is let him just go and calm down, he’s old enough now to look after himself”
Flint dithered by the doorway looking back at where his youngest sibling had just crashed through, thinking Johnny probably right, let Grail cool his head then find out what happened. Looking back on the events that will unfold, Flint couldn’t help thinking in retrospect would things have been different if he had gone after Grail and spoke to him at the party, it was a question that would haunt his dreams for several months after the terrible events that would soon engulf him and his family. 
Spinning on his heels he ran after Johnny and the rest of the gang, putting Grail to the back of his mind he caught up with the gang at the buffet with a huge smile he saw that there was still plenty of sausages and other treats on the long table. Looking up he saw the large red deer pelts he had nailed up earlier closing his eyes he held his head up and drew a large breath in through his nose. Visions of two deers looking up at him until turning and crashing their way through the air above his head. Flint spinning on his feet as the vision crashed out of sight, opening his eyes, he realised the gang was looking at him. Flushing red in the face he tried to explain. The others laughed.
“Come on wolf boy, let's get the sausages and eat them outside, unless you prefer to chase imaginary deers through the rest of the house!”
“Alright Johnny sorry just getting carried away, come on let’s grab and run”
With that they grabbed a handful of sausages and ran out into the garden. 
Later that night Flint did catch up with Grail, asking him what the problem was earlier.
Looking up at Flint, from the book he was reading Grail sighed.
“It doesn’t matter now brother, I was teased and taunted by the odious twins Donny and Jack Mcpartlin. That’s what they do isn’t it? Find the weakest in a pack and then isolate them, until they crumble”
“Oh I’m sorry Grail, I didn’t know. I can speak to dad and he will chat with their parents. I’m sure after dad impresses on them how it had upset you they won’t dare do it again”
Grail with a stare that unnerved Flint stated simply 
“Oh don’t worry dad I’m sure in fact I know they won’t be a problem soon.”
“Ok if your sure Grail, look I am sorry I haven’t been around to play with you recently, let’s do something together soon”
“Oh not to worry Flint. Look what is it a week till the full moon you must be so excited. I hope everything goes well for you. I’m really excited to see you on that night”
Flint smiling but feeling a little worried, wasn’t sure what Grail meant by that last sentence but presumed it was nothing,
“Ok Grail, I mean it though. Let me get through the transgression and then we can go out and do something, whatever you want”
With that Flint stood leaving his younger brother to burrow his head in the book. Glancing back, Flint could see the cover of the book, noting it was one of Mums, written by her granddad. That surprised him, it wasn’t like mum to let anyone read her.books and it wasn’t the usual book that Grail would normally read.
Satisfied that all was ok with Grail, Flint went up to bed. After washing he settled into bed looking up at the ceiling, remembering the vision of the red deers as they thundered over his head in the hallway, feeling a little melancholy about Johnny’s conversation about Flint outliving his friends. It was something all the other family members warned him about but now it was something that was going to happen. It did upset him to think about losing Johnny’s friendship somewhere down the line. For one wild moment he thought I could bite him, turning him into one of us, but as soon as he thought it he immediately discounted it knowing the villagers would never forgive them or trust them anymore. Who was to say Johnny would want anything to do with him after the change, he may resent him for the rest of his life. Finally closing his eyes, ready for  sleep Grails face appeared to him saying
“I know they won’t be a problem soon” and “I can’t wait to see you on that night”
For some reason those two sentences kept crashing through his subconscious, stopping him from sleeping for a while. Eventually sleep did take him but with the drawback of enduring some vivid dreams of going to his friends funerals and Grail laughing saying see they all understand now don't they?