Chapter 2: The Palace Far Away

Quite a distance away from where the Sandulf Pack dwelt, Salome was seated on a large rock playing with her squirrels -- about eleven of them. Yet, at the same time, had traveled far away in her thought. There were lovely animals and had quickly become her friends since she felt quite like an outcast from her family and pack – and she was not the only one that suffered from the ostracization.

It was as if it was Salome and Beowulf's fault that they were born smaller than their siblings – in fact, smaller than anyone in their whole pack – and her father proudly and strictly ruled a pack of 250 wolves in total. It comprised of the original Sandulf pack plus other smaller packs that had come to join and surrender to Saku Sandulf's rule and protection.

Salome felt strongly that her father would have killed her and Beowulf if he had the chance. She had mentioned it to her mother one day but Luana had rebuked her for harboring such thoughts. Still, it was as if she and her twin brother had committed such a heinous crime that they had smaller bodies than the rest of the wolves. Their father made it well known that he was displeased by them and that made Salome recoil from the world.

Her mind traveled to her brother, who was a recluse just as she was. Salome even thought that Beowulf was worse off – at least she had her squirrels and other animals that she liked to take care of. Beowulf had no one and would not even allow her to be close to him. There was a time when Salome wanted to introduce her twin to the life of animals but he had ended up feasting on one of the squirrels. That had been the first and last time that Salome brought him anywhere close to her precious creatures.

Salome looked up to the sky and her soulful eyes traveled to the sun that was beginning to set in the sky. It gave the whole place a warm shade of burnt orange and it was the most beautiful shade of the color that Salome had seen. She rose up from the rock that she had been sitting on as her attention got drawn to the palace that was far off. Salome could only see the pinnacle of the palace as it was indeed high into the sky -- tall enough that she could see it despite the distance between the palace and where they were.

The palace was a place that her father had warned them about sternly since they were all children. A place that she was not meant to venture to, not even in her dreams. However, the pull that Salome had to that place was inexplicable. Perhaps it was because she had been told never to go there. Now, she wondered what was it about the palace that her father wanted to keep far away from them.

Salome Sandulf sighed and licked her lip. Noticing her elongated canines, she knew that the full moon was near.

Her heart squeezed as she thought of the full moon. Things that she had heard -- things that she wasn't supposed to hear -- bad things were going to happen on the full moon. Salome didn't want to be around the Sandulf Pack when it would all go down.

Salome looked around where she was as if one of her brothers had overheard her thoughts. They were not much older than she was but because of the size difference between them, Salome knew that she would not be able to go scot-free if a real combat ever broke out between them. She couldn't let any one of the three of them find out that she knew what they were planning and she knew when they wanted to execute their evil. She didn't want to die, No, she wanted to live. Salome loved life. One of the things that she wanted to do, and very soon, was to see what that palace was all about. The humans -- what were they about? Why did her father say that they shouldn't be mixed with? Salome was going to find out all that -- and she was going to do it soon.

Somehow, Salome Sandulf saw herself ruling the pack. Was it a dream? She couldn't tell yet but she felt strongly about leading people and being responsible for their welfare. However, her father had told her several times that the ruling class was no place for a woman. How does he even know that? She would always wonder.

"It's all going to shit anyway, " Salome murmured to herself. At that moment, she felt a little pity for Saku Sandulf. Nonetheless, Salome was not going to do anything about it. Why would she? Saku had sidelined her all her life and it was not getting any better.

She thought of her mother -- her dear dear mother -- and her brows furrowed in pain and worry. Salome's hand went to her chin as an idea came to her head. Perhaps she would have to give Luana a hint as to what was going to take place very soon. But would she tell her husband? Salome didn't want that. Somehow, somewhere deep within her, she wanted her brothers to carry out their bad plans.

Her stomach flipped at the thought of her ruling the pack somehow and Salome smiled. Saku was definitely going to be heartbroken when it all unravels.

"That is, if he has a heart in that chest of his, " Salome said to herself with a roll of her eyes.

She threw some nuts to the squirrels that she had secured back into their cages that she had handmade for them.

"I will see you all tomorrow, alright?"

Squeaks could be heard around her and that made Salome smile. Her life was relatively too quiet and she couldn't be more thankful for squirrels.

DING! DING!!

Salome jerked as the sound of the loud bells startled the hell out of her. Moments passed and she calmed her nerves wondering why the humans ring that instrument so loudly. She didn't even know what it was -- it was one of the things that she wanted to ask them about.

"What was that loud thing?" Salome muttered as her eyes stayed fixed on the pinnacle of the palace's building.

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