Weekly Wordle - Witches, Werewolves, and...wha-at?

 

 witches ear dolls heartbreak branded scorpion spells

ball werewolf resurrection alone blind hunted

     At the Witches Ball, the blind Werewolf found himself standing alone.  He knew this would happen, but still, he had to shake off, brush himself down, and go out of his den to interact in social situations every now and again to keep himself sane, so here he was.  He could smell that there were a variety of creatures at this gathering, including at least one other Werewolf, which made him slightly less nervous, though he couldn't quite tell who it was...maybe Noel, or Garibaldi.  There were several humans, a few extra-terrestrials, brownies, sprites, nymphs, Greet, some satyrs and maybe a centaur (they could be hard to tell apart), and a couple of elves who were either married, or twins, he wasn't sure.  And there was this other...thing.  Or rather, it was more like a presence that didn't necessarily have an odor so much as something you noticed just after it passed by; a movement in space.
     His ear twitched toward a sound at the edge of the circle as he sensed two Werewolves approaching on his right.  He shifted his weight to the balls of his feet, and curled his shoulders slightly forward as he heard, "Hey ho, Daddy-O!" followed by the sweet aroma of fresh, raw, meat on Garibaldi's breath.  Puffing up his chest, he bobbed in the center of his acquaintance's circling, and nodded his head when he caught on that Noel was present as well.  "Hey guys, what's up?"
     "Just chekin' out some new spells, you know, new spells, because I need to like, get that nymph over there to like me so I can, you know, like, get some...or whatever."  Noel was so weird about females.
     "Dude, what?  What the hell are you talking about?  You're a Werewolf.  What the hell makes you think you could - 'a' do a spell, 'b' do one good enough to put over on a nymph, 'c' not get killed trying to do so by any number of female-respecting members of the forest community...and 'd' you're a moron!  Cheesus, what I have to put up with you new guys...hey, shut up until I tell you you can speak again, Noel."  Garibaldi shook his head, and put his arm carefully around his blind brother.  "Listen, Daddy-O, how you doing, ok?  You need anything out there in your den or anything?  How's the hunting going?"
     Nodding, he assured  Garibaldi that all was well, "oh, yeah, it's good, you know?  I've gotten much better with the traps, and I'm starting to spread out from my den a bit more, maybe a two and a half mile radius, now?  I get a bit lonely, but my den's good - I really dig that loveseat you brought me, it's really comfortable for me in both forms, thanks."
     "Hey, no problem!  I told you, I take care of my friends, Daddy-O, I take care of my friends.  You look good.  Any pain, still?  You need any more of that ointment from Jolene?  Hey, she's right over there - hey Jolene!  Come shout at my man, Daddy-O!"  Daddy-O felt the weight of Garibaldi's arm lift from his shoulders before enduring several 'brotherly' slaps as Jolene was welcomed into their chat.  "Jo-leeene, what's up, girl?  You're looking fine as always, when are you going to let me come swim in your river, huh?  How long we known each other, huh?"
     "Not long enough, Garibaldi.  And before you ask, if we know each other another hundred years, it still won't be!"  Her laugh smelled as sweet as her skin, and Daddy-O had to smile as he felt her light touch on his wrist.  "Hey, sweetie, how are you?  It's nice to see you out."  She leaned in and brushed his cheek with a kiss, and the scent of her made his mouth water.  "How are the eyes, any pain?  Do you need some more of my rush ointment?  Lucky I always have some handy," she said, as she fished in her bodice for a small shell filled with her magical heal-all.  "Hello, Noel, I didn't see you standing there.  How are you this evening?"
     "I'm not supposed to talk until Garibaldi says so, so...nothing."
     "Oh, Noel...whatever.  You don't have to do what he says, you know."
     "Yeah, actually, he does.  He's older than the Dad, over here, who as you know, just recently went blind, and still manages to take care of himself better than this one who hasn't moved out of my den, yet.  He's cramping my style, you know?  Cheesus, I need my life back, Jolene, what's a Werewolf to do without his privacy to brood in?  It exhausts me, mothering him; he's on a deadline, and he needs to get straight before he gets himself hunted.  You hear me, Noel?  You're gonna get yourself hunted, my man, so get it together!"
     "Oh, poo - you're too hard on him.  Be nice!  Listen, it looks like they're gonna start the circle, so I'll see you hairy bastards later.  Dad, honey, save me dance, ok?"
     "Oh, yeah, Jolene, no problem, thanks for the ointment," he called, as the intoxicating scent of her drifted across the meadow.  He felt weak in the knees suddenly, like it had taken all his strength to hold himself up while she was in front of him, but now that she was gone, he was spent by the effort.  "Hey, Garibaldi, can you find me a seat, I'm dizzy all of a sudden..."
     "Yeah, no problem..." Garibaldi sighed as he watched Jolene walk away, then sprang to Daddy-O's side and gently led him to a stump.  "That woman is a scorpion; she's got heartbreak written all over her."
     "Oh...no, Garibaldi, she's not like that at all!"
     "Yeah, what do you know?  How long have you known her, 4 years?  5?"
     "Well, yeah..."
     "I've known her for that, plus a hundred, kid, ok?"
     "I know, but..."
     "Her kind play with men like they're dolls, Daddy-O.  Their souls get branded when they face the trial of the resurrection.  Ugly shit, I'm telling you.  I know I flirt with her and tease her, but don't ever underestimate the power Jolene has to flay you inside out.  You hear me, Noel?  Inside out!  It wouldn't surprise me at all if that ointment she gives you might not just restore your eyesight all together, my man, you know?  All right," Garibaldi said in conclusion, "you hang tight here, I'll come back around to you eventually.  After the ritual, we'll sit together, and I'll make you a plate!"  He slapped Daddy-O's back one more time as he made his way through the crowd to greet some Greet.
     "...but I'm not a man, am I?", he sighed to his acquaintance's non-presence.
     "Yeah...who here do you think would sell me some spells, 'cause I like, really need to get a few, for you know, things.  There's some things I'd like to do..."
     "Noel - seriously.  No one is going to give you a spell.  And if you don't leave me alone, I'm going straight for your neck when the moon rises.  Your blood would be a worthy enough sacrifice from me, so please don't put me in a position where I may be forced to kill you, ok?"  There was no response, but he could tell by the shifts in the air around him that he had made his point, and enjoyed the swirling mixture of scents that filled in the welcome absence.  Yes, this was going to be a good party; he was already glad he came.

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