| abstract
| - Humans are rightly afraid of the dark. Lacking the more refined senses of other species, humanity must carry light into shadows to drive away the things that dwell there. The dark places in the Hedge are even more dangerous. Instead of holding some imagined boogeyman or a thug that wants your wallet, the shadows in the Hedge hide creatures at home in the murky twilight. Hobgoblins howl as the sun sets and are only noticed out of the corner of an eye, vanishing when light is turned upon them. Shadow wolves hunt the broken trails of the Hedge in the dark of night, sleeping during the day and hiding from painful light. They travel in packs of three or more, their noses to the ground sniffing for the scent of travelers in their territory. They prefer their meat flavored with pain and horror and are known to play with their food. Shadow wolves hold a particular hatred for changelings of the Summer Court, who illuminate the blessed darkness with the light of a false sun. Hobgoblins tell disquieting stories about changelings that lose all reason when faced with a pack of shadow wolves and go haring off into the Hedge in chase. Very few of these foolish Lost are ever heard from again and the hobs swear that the pack grows each time. Normal wolves rarely attack humans, unless they are rabid or starving. The majority of wolf attacks are the result of humans too stupid to back down when they come too close to a wolves’ den or after they’ve trapped or injured one of the animals. But shadow wolves hunt for pleasure. They enjoy the feeling of chasing frightened prey, of ripping into soft flesh with their black teeth. Shadow wolves do more than just hunt prey, however, they terrorize. The wolves leap from shadows to nip at flanks or barrel into their victims from behind, knocking them to the ground. Again, though cruel, these tactics are no different than any number of similar fae predators that can be found in the Hedge. Shadow wolves are much, much more than simple predators. The eyes of a shadow wolf are listless orbs of black that refuse to reflect any light. To stare into the eyes of the beasts is to become lost in them and open the way to your soul. When a pack first catches the scent of prey, the pack alpha glides forward to scout. If the prey turns out to be a single victim, the alpha howls for the rest of the pack and the hunt begins. If, on the other hand, their prey travels in a group, the alpha will slink around that group until he manages to catch the eye of one of the travelers. As soon as the alpha makes eye contact, he leaps, becoming pure shadow, and attempts to invade the body of the prey. If the possession is successful, the alpha uses the body to lure other members of the group off one-by-one to his waiting pack. If not, the alpha races away to reunite with the pack, running just slow enough to make sure the prey is following. Hobgoblins know better than to chase anything through the Hedge. Changelings can’t seem to resist. The battle between pack and prey becomes a running fight, with shadow wolves popping out to attack before running off again. Eventually the prey will tire, from fatigue and blood loss, and the pack will slow the pace to move in for the kill. Usually. Sometimes, the pack continues to run, always staying maddeningly just out of reach. At first the chase is a voluntary one, with the pursuer eager to catch and kill his attackers. As the chase wears on, though, the victim feels as though he’s being pulled along. His shadow stretches out in front of him, dragging him through the Thorns like a dog on a leash. As he tires, the victim begins to stumble, cutting himself on the thorns of the Hedge over and over again until he bleeds from a thousand shallow cuts. When he finally collapses, ragged beyond all endurance, his shadow continues to run, pulling his soul clear of his body. The shadow begins to take on the shape of a wolf and soon it joins the pack, the newest member leading the way back to fresh meat.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)