Before she could even think to reply to the voice coming from the window, she heard the scraping of claws and saw the great form of the wolf clumsily pulling itself through the small opening.

She looked at him in surprise.

“How did you get up here?”

Once he was steadied on his four legs, he shook his fur and sat down, she thought, looking quite smug.

“I climbed up the vines.”

She wiped her eyes and looked at him incredulously.

“I... may have had some help from the buzzards.”

“Buzzards?” she asked.

“Oh, I’m not the only one the has cursed. Why, there are birds and bats and vermin of all kinds. Felines, serpents and even insects. Some were lucky enough to be killed straight away.”

He rested his head on his great paws and sighed.

“No one lasts long here.”

“Yes,” she said. “I can see that.”

He raised his head.

“I did try to tell you.”

“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

The wolf’s mouth opened into a wide grin.

“That’s alright. I wouldn’t have believed me either.”

She felt as though she was about to cry again, and the wolf must have noticed it, too.

“There’s no need to cry. I can get you out of here.”

“Oh wolf, can you