The Sorrow of Gray Fur
In a fairy land that fairies have forsaken
Sleeps a golden child who never can awaken.
Until the bitter curse is lifted from the sleeping
She’s guarded by a Wolf, oath and vigil keeping.
In age before demise, in time before the sorrow,
Ruled the regal creatures guarding their tomorrow.
Hawk and stag, fowl and furred, gave their counsel sylvan.
But respected above all was the Council of the Wolven.
Thus it came as great surprise when a daring gambit thrown
Resulted in the checkmate and the wolves were overthrown.
Nik, the steel-eyed eagle, had in darkness sought the skills
Of those who eat their children and sundry other kills.
His mind was smeared with madness, his eyes wide and manic
His every clack and scream threw the woods into a panic
He longed for all dominion, and struck the weakest wild.
He called for the destruction of Gray Fur’s feral child.
“It isssn’t a real creature,” Nik clucked in mad display
“Abandoned by its owners, should have let it die away.”
Gray Fur groaned and circled the toddler to imply
He’d never let them hurt her, or if he failed, he’d die.
The human baby growled and bared her pearly maws
Amused animal laughter went through the council jaws.
But the pity of the forest went to the tragic sight;
The emaciated aged guarding the pup he called Daylight.
Nik realized that no one was taking seriously his words
Til he opened up his beak and released the curse of evil birds
“By cluck and claw I bind you, by scream you are defiled
Your nest to death I send you, Gray Fur’s foreign child!”
The blue eyes closed
The pack rose
The Wisest of the pack heard this dreadful curse
But did not fear the power inside the bloody verse
Instead she whispered softly an ancient promise rune
That rose in grander volume as she sang unto the Moon.
The forest watched
Finally she spoke
“The Moon has given counsel and granted us her power
To seal the fate of evil and protect us in this hour
We do not spill the blood of our precious children
We do not take the legacy of our ancient brethren.”
She turned to Nik
He fidgeted
“The evil that’s inside you will keep you in its coils
You won’t escape its clutches through death or mortal toils
You’ve bound the nest of Gray Fur, but your soul is bound as well
You must repent your words and deeds or live in endless hell.”
Gray Fur moaned the agony of a parent still bereft
Then barked in startled joy at the risings of her chest.
Collectively a gasp went round the Wolven keep.
The Wisest One had fallen dead to alter death to sleep.
“I’ll kill it yet, she’ll die by me,” claimed the rabid fowl
And at that fateful moment a Wolven law was howled
One warrior to guard the pup, to keep her from all harm
Until the workings of a conscience obliviate the charm.
Nik lives a life of torment and always feels the eyes
Of the Wisest One’s upon him and curses his demise
If once he will regret the evil deeds he caused
Daylight will awaken and the vigil will resolve.
The legend’s told to pups when they’re drifting into sleep
To remind them of their honor and the promise they must keep
Most think it a quaint story and forget it when they’re grown
But once a year a wolf is chosen to make that trek alone
Past the silver forests that need a dose of polish
Through the dusty trails the goblins have demolished
Into the fairy land that fairies have forsaken
To guard the little child who might someday awaken.
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