A Wolf's Affairs

Ash, standing close to a desk, slipped into it and took a seat. Someone jumped over the crowd and slipped right next to her desk. A mop of flaming red hair that earned her a glare for Karlene, who turned and jumped into a chair opposite them. It was Sven beside her, smiling ear to ear.

Slowly, the professor strode into the middle of the room, turning in a slow circle to observe the arrangement. "Not bad. We are here to learn the basics of werewolf anatomy which I am well aware, we all know here. Since it is a compulsory class for you all in the first year, we will do some hands on learning and you can ask me anything you are curious about."

Sven's hand shot up right beside her, almost causing her to jump. "What are you professor? I cannot smell anything from you."

The professor did not have any distinct standardized beautiful features, neither specific hair color, not red eyes. No webs or long lashes or long hair or anything of the sort. His face was unremarkable with distinct features that almost made him humane. His nose was long and straight, twisted at the front as if broken once and his cheekbones were absent, with dark circles under his eyes. He was painfully human. Much like herself, almost unremarkable in her looks. No shapeshifting race would choose a face without harmonious facial features.

"That will be your final assessment test at the end of the year- to find out what race I belong to. Since Sven has asked this question, why don't be start the class with something simple and something that will help you identify me. Any guesses?"

He looked around the room, no one answered. He looked at Sven who frowned, "classification of beasts?"

"More basic," the professor guided.

"Senses and distinct markers?" someone asked curiously.

The professor pointed at the wolf with pattered brown and blonde mane. "Senses. Now what senses?"

Karlene said, "sense of smell?"

"Good. But since your sense of smell does not work on me, what else can you do?" he asked around the room before resting his eyes on her. Ash answered, "use other senses. Taste, touch, hearing, visual."

The professor skipped Sven and turned to the next person, "and what are you most comfortable using after your nose?"

"Eyes." the wolf answered. The professor had a knack for grabbing the attention of the restless wolves. As he went around pointing fingers and getting all the wolves to answer his leading question, Sven leaned sideways, "I didn't think a class on senses could be so interesting."

Of all the student council, Sven was the most friendly but Ash could feel another pair of eyes burning a hole in the side of her head. She would have kept her distance but she needed people on her side, people like Sven and Akiye who could help her with the paperwork readily. She hummed a response. "Pretty interesting."

Truthfully, she was only half listening. She had covered a class on senses at a very young age, trained to fight and navigate the world on limited senses. Werewolf senses were different from a humans. Hers were only slightly better than a human's, nowhere close to a wolf's. Sitting with the wolves, she could only listen and take notes instead of understanding the world like they needed to.

Sven, already growing fidgety, asked, "you coming to council meeting after this?"

Ash gave him a curt nod, eyes still on the professor as he still lead the class discussion on senses, asking the wolves about sounds and taste. "Say, have you ever talked to the dwarfs and goblins about joining the council?"

"Bree has talked to everyone and Vance too. The goblins are impossible to rope in without some solid benefits. The dwarfs and gnomes just turn their backs on us. To them, working on our dorms is like an insult or something."

Ash doubted it was so. Even as she talked to the dwarfs, it did not matter to them who the dorms they were making would belong to. They only cared about work and working conditions.

"Where do the dwarfs live?"

"The third floor on the other side of the dormitory. The gnomes live on the ground floor and goblins on the top floor. It is essential to separate them by a whole floor or they might dig a hole in the ground to bother each other."

Ash frowned. Dwarfs and Gnomes, according to her research, did not prefer living above ground, specially in boxed room with little to no connection to their beloved earth. No wonder they were dissatisfied.

She asked, "I need help with some research. could you help me?"

Sven's eyes lightened up. "An olive branch of friendship. Ask away."

"Could you find if there is any prominent figure among the dwarfs? Someone of influence among their race in the university. And if they hold any representative position."

"I will get you every thing. What they study, where they go, what they eat and how they spend their leisure time."

Ash finally looked over, trying not to look amused. She did not want Karlene biting her head off.

Sven, clueless or acting clueless, smiled widely. Ash had to stop him, "do not smile like that or your girlfriend will kill me."

Sven giggled. A real giggle, shoulder shaking, teeth together, lips curved mischievous. "She is not my girlfriend."

Ash could tell that Sven's usual carefree smile was struggling to stay up, struggling not to slip from his eyes, struggling to stay together. Ash didn't know if this was because Sven liked her back or because things were still ambiguous between them. She was still curious though.

"I feel bad for her now. She has been glaring a hole in my head throughout the class. She must like you too much to do that and yet you deny her."

Sven's smile finally fell. "We. I mean, she and I, it is hard for us to be together."

that part she understood. With her position, even if she had a crush on someone, she could never approach them. Rejection was the best route for her, for all parties involved. What is to say, Sven and Karlene's situation wasn't precarious.

She patted him on the back, a sense of kinship with his situation, "that part I can relate to. It is not each to be together with the one you like. But I still think you are taking the wrong way out. At least the person you like likes you back. Not everyone is that lucky."

Sven looked at her from the corner of his eyes, as the professor turned to face them, pointing a finger at a wolf two tables down, asking him to describe the texture of the table by touch alone.

"Is he human?" Sven asked.

Ash shook her head, eyes on the professor, trying not to look at Karlene who had bared her teeth now.

the professor ignored their personal interactions until they were paying enough heed in class. Like them, a other wolves had their heads together, following the professor's instructions while gossiping among themselves.

"Is he in the university?"

"Do not try to narrow it down. I have been here two day, I don't even know who he is." She lied, partially. She knew him, but she did not know him like the others did. She wasn't part of his friends or acquaintances. To him, she was just an existence.

"three days and I can help you find him." Sven offered. Ash smiled at his kind heartedness. "No need. There is no way forward. Let the matter rest."

Sven sighed. "compared to you, my matter does seem small suddenly."

Ash wanted to laugh at how easily and readily Sven was convinced. She offered her help in return, "if there is anything I can help, do tell."

"I doubt you can. If and Karlene were on good terms, then maybe."

Ash smiled, "try me."

The professor suddenly turned to Sven and said, "the class is finally over and we will talk about whatever subject Sven will bring to the class next time."

The wolves moved, standing stretching, yawning, flexing their muscles and limbs. The professor did not move. "For the next class I want all of you to bring something to the class that we will explore with our senses. The most unique item will get points."

All points throughout the year added into their grades and supported their credits. Ash moved out of her spot at the same time as Sven climbed out. Karn was beside him in an instant. Ash gave him a nod for a greeting and moved on, "see you at the meeting."

She headed out with library in mind. She wanted to look into dwarfs, their history and if any of their special lineage had a link to any of the dwarfs on campus. She texted Mayra to meet after class in the library. Will head to dinner together.

Mayra texted back, start calling it lunch.

Ash looked up at the dark sky and the waning moon that lightened up the lively campus. All creatures were up and awake. Some of them were heading in to sleep while others were heading out to study. It was only in the earliste hours of the morning that the campus looked like dead of the night should.

As soon as she took a step up the stairs to the library she heard a harsh growl right behind her ear. Ash ducked instinctively and turned a circle to swipe her attacker's feet. Her hand reached for her hilt when she paused. With a loud grunt, she saw a mop of short white hair fall on the ground. Ash's hand came up empty and she knew she was in trouble.

A small part of her was annoyed as well. She stood straight and sighed. "Why did you have to sneak up on me like that? Look what happened. You were lucky I didn't have a weapon."

Karlene sat down, eyes red with anger. "who the hell carried weapon on campus. I am going to report you for bullying and assault."

Ash smiled, "and what are you going to say? A human did it or a moderator did it?"

A low growl rumbled between them. Karlene knew her threats were empty but she was angry that Ash knew it too. Since neither of them were talking about what they wanted to, silence fell between them. Ash extended her hand, "apologies. After what happened last night, I have been on edge."

Karlene frowned, "what happened?"

It was Ash's turn to mimic that expression, "Karn did not tell you?"

Karlene shook her head, "not important if you got your ass whooped by a wolf or something. I am here to talk about Sven."

Ash had the urge to rejoice in knowing Karlene's simple thoughts so well. She asked innocently, "what about him?"

"Stay away from him. He is mine." This time when she growled, it was deeper, dangerous, threatening. It would have been a real threat had they not been in a public area with people passing behind them, watching them curiously. Karlene was simple minded and straight forward. She did not have the mind to find her in a secluded spot to render such threats. Ash, however, wanted Karlene on her side. She stepped back, taking the threat seriously. Karlene's lip curled on the side, revealing her cannines.

"I don't like him and I have no intentions of liking him or being with him. We are simply friends. As your boyfriend, you know best that how friendly he can be. We just found a common subject to chat about in class, like kindred spirits."

Karlene's anger began simmering down as her eyes bored into Ash, looking for any hints of deception.

"He might be good looking but he is not to the princess' taste. In fact, she doesn't like your kind... like THAT."

Ash glared at Mayra as she walked past Karlene but Mayra's smile was full of adventure as if she was witnessing her favorite drama first hand. Karlene looked between the two of them, distrustful.

Ash quickly proposed a solution. "you can't kick away all the friends Sven makes. How about some ground rules? We are both on the council and will work together in the future, you and me and me and Sven. I cannot just stop talking to him. It will be awkward and he will know you made me."

Karlene raised her chin, "so what if he does? He will always stand by my side."

"I am sure he will. But are you? You must be a little insecure that is why you go around threatening anyone he even smiles at."

And there Ash had stepped on a sensitive nerve. Karlene pulled back her lips and growled again. Mayra quickly stepped in front of her. Ash put a hand on Mayra's shoulder and tugged her aside. "I promise on the moon goddess that I do not like Sven. In fact, Sven knows this. If you'd set some sensible ground rules, I agree to follow them. Would that work?"

Mayra turned to look at her, still shielding half her body. "Why do you have to be so sensible in the middle of some love drama?"

Ash shot back, "why? do you want to see the live action version of some hair pulling?"

Mayra smiled brightly, "I do but I won't let her touch a hair on your head."

Ash said, "and I wouldn't touch hers," at the same time as Karlene warned, "you think you can stop me if I want to?"

Mayra turned her bright smile to Karlene, and said sweetly, "I have a century over you pup. You wouldn't do that to the poor old me," with a singsong, sad tone in her voice.

"Mayra," Ash called warningly. "Karlene is a friend. And friends have disagreements. I can guarantee you, as an heir to the MoonBlessed, Karlene is the safest person to be around."

Mayra looked back at Ash, mouth pressed into a thin line. She had been on edge too after yesterday's attack. Ash patted Mayra and stepped down to wrap an arm around her friend before addressing a siren-dazed Karlene, "my apologies for my friend's behavior. We had a bad encounter yesterday that has put us both on edge. Right now is not a good time to talk for us. For starters, I promise I will never lay a hand on your boyfriend. How about that? Anymore conditions you can think of, feel free to say them."

Karlene shook her head, eyes pinched together, trying to shake off the daze. Ash quickly turned Mayra around and went up to the library. Before she entered the door, she heard a low growl of, "bloody sirens."