The Wolf and the Owl

There was once a wolf, who saw the full moon once a month and howled. When the blue glow cascaded across his forest home, he felt the sound rise up from his throat, and into the sky.

On one frigid winter night, the wolf’s eyes met with the full moon once again; a bright silver coin glinting down at him.

A long, deep, continuous howl erupted from the wolf, filling the forest with an eerie hum. Several birds in the shadowed trees ruffled their feathers.

Still, as the stars continued to shine, the wolf continued to howl. Hot breath billowed from his mouth, spilling over his teeth with a visceral similarity to the blood which often graced his tongue. He paused only to draw more icy air deep into his body.

“Will you SHUT UP?”

The wolf’s jaw snapped shut with an audible click. Silence filled the voids between the tree trunks and branches once again. He looked up to one of those branches to see two perfectly round yellow-ringed eyes glowing back at him. He squinted his own eyes to adjust to the darkness surrounding the intruder; the shape on an owl appeared around the eyes.

“Excuse me?” the wolf questioned the bird, unafraid.

“I asked if you would kindly shut your mouth,” the owl replied sharply.

The wolf was stunned by the owl’s forthrightness. He had never heard a hoot out of one of them before, let alone full sentences. They were famously silent in these woods, especially when hunting.

“Why do you feel the need to howl at every full moon? What does it achieve, other than telling any nearby prey exactly where you are? You are a foolish wolf!”

The wolf did not respond, he simply turned his back to the owl and sat facing the moon once more. The grey sphere reflected in his eyes.

“It helps.”

“Helps what? Certainly not any of your forest-mates sleep!” As if to emphasise the owl’s point, several creatures rustled in the scrub.

“It helps me grieve.”

“What does a wolf like you have to grieve? You are in the prime of your life.”

The wolf huffed, and drew a deep breath in.

“Hey, don’t…”

The wolf began his howling once more.

The owl didn’t think much of that encounter for many months. In much the same fashion, the wolf continued his howling at every full moon, for all the forest to hear.

Then, the owl lost his partner to sickness, and he felt a deep bitterness grow inside of him. His partner had been his love, and nesting partner. There would be no replacement or comfort.

The full moon after his partners death brought the two creatures together once more.

“Are you here to tell me to shut up?” the wolf asked, almost playfully. He seemed brighter than he had been in their first encounter.

“No,” the owl sighed, “I came here to see if it really did help with grief.”

“My howling at the moon?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll have to try it to find out.”

“I’m not sure I can,” the owl laughed sardonically.

“Then I’ll howl and you can join me when you’re ready,” the wolf said calmly, turning back to the moon and vocalising again.

The wolf’s steady hum spread through the owl. He felt comfortable letting out a soft hoot. It felt good not to be silent at night for once – and that moon was beautiful.

The wolf drew breath again, taking up another howl. This time, the owl let out a longer, harsher hoot that turned into a wild screech. It burned it’s way out of the owls gullet, releasing something into the air. A small puff of visible breath floated up toward the moon, and joined the wolf’s in the sky.

“Well?” the wolf asked when he was done.

The owl considered his grief for a moment. It wasn’t gone, by any means. It still drilled a deep pit in his chest. But he felt more comfortable carrying it around.

“It helps,” the owl said in astonishment.

“I know,” the wolf said with a sad smile.

Moral: Letting emotions out in some way can be the only way to feel comfortable with them.

A/N: The fables are back! And just in time! I would like to unofficially annouce that I will be publishing the first physical copy of my writing through amazon at the end of the month!

Very Vocal Fables Volume 1 - Available on Amazon: 31/03/2025!

I will, likely, publish an official annoucement here before then but in case I don't, the book will feature the first 10 fables, with exclusive author's notes detailing my thoughts, processes, and insights in regards to each one!

(And don't worry, I won't flood all my works with self advertisement! Just enough to keep everyone updated!)

-TWW