HOWLING HALLOW

Chapter Two

"Vampires, goblins, werewolves? What sort of planet is this?" Max said when they were far enough away from the booth. "You brought us to a planet of supernatural creatures?"

"Not necessarily," the Doctor said. "They could be a superstitious lot much like humans on Earth. Just because they have a medallion to protect against Dracula doesn't mean Dracula isn't real."

"What about Howling Hallow then? Is that real?" Rose said.

"You're asking me like I would know. I said I've never been here before. I did say that, didn't I?" the Doctor said to her. "The TARDIS brought us here for a reason so I'm assuming at the moment there is a Howling Hallow. We just have to find it."

"But what about that thing," Rachel said, pointing to chest. "That's not a real werewolf pelt, is it?"

The Doctor handed the chest to Rose and opened it after she took it. He took the pelt out and scanned it with his screwdriver. He read the results.

"This is authentic, it's not a fake," the Doctor said. "Now, whether this is a real werewolf pelt or it's just a wolf, that I can't say."

"And you purchased it because…" Rose said.

"Because I want to run with the wolves but I don't want to make the full commitment," the Doctor said.

The pelt had leather strips on either side of it that had been fashioned into a belt with a metal belt buckles and holes on the other side. The Doctor put the pelt around his waist and fastened it. He then stood there, pointing to it while Rose glanced at her friends.

"And you honestly think that'll work," Max said.

"One way to find out, wait for a full moon and if I get really hairy, you'll know."

The Doctor could tell Max wasn't amused and he sighed through his nose, wishing the man would lighten up and not get so defensive about anything to do with werewolves. He took the pelt off, put it back in the box before Max said something and took it from Rose. He told them he was going back to the TARDIS to put it in his lab for further analyzing but something caught his eye and he slowed down. He handed the chest back to Rose and strolled off towards a booth.

"What's he doing?" Ian asked Rose.

"God only knows," Rose said. "But that booth is selling clothes."

They watched while he purchases several traveling cloaks. Once he was finished, he brought the cloaks back to them.

"Here you go, so we can sort of blend in," he said, passing them out to everyone.

"I thought you didn't bother with blending in," Rachel said.

"Well, considering these people are a bit anti-werewolf, I think it's best not to stand out too much. Besides, traveling cloaks are cool," he said, taking the last one, a brown cloak with a hood, and putting it around him.

Rose set the chest down on the ground and fastened a purple cloak around her. When she was finished, she raised the hood. She looked at the Doctor when he started singing Edge of Seventeen to her. He grinned.

"Sorry, this is very Stevie Nicks," he said, fingering the hem of the cloak. "Especially you with your blonde hair and Britney also looks like her. It's a nice look."

"I like it, I feel very mysterious this way," Rose said.

"Well, I'm glad you like it because they didn't come cheap," the Doctor said, picking up the chest. "So…everyone back to the TARDIS."

"Are we going to that fair tonight?" Ian asked.

"Well, I was planning on it, especially if they have a werewolf in a cage, figured you lot would want to check it out and see if it's a real werewolf or not."

"But if it's a full moon, we'll change and they'll see us for sure," Victoria said.

"That's why I enquired about something that can temporarily suspend the change so you won't be seized the moment you start sprouting fur," the Doctor said.

"So, you want to visit this sorceress?" Victoria said.

"I think so. Perhaps she has some information about Howling Hallow. Catchy name, by the way. If it does exist, is that what the werewolves call it or is that the name this lot came up with. "

"Maybe they hear howling coming from somewhere and called it Howling Hallow," John said.

"But are they werewolves or just wolves?" Britney said.

"That's what we're going to find out," the Doctor said. "So, do you lot want to try to find this sorceress and see if she has some answers as well as something to control your transformations?"

Everyone nodded.

"Let me put this chest in the TARDIS then. I'll take the pelt to Alphaga and see if she can confirm if it's werewolf or not."

"I hope she doesn't turn us into toads or something like that," Victoria said to Rose.

When they reached the TARDIS, the Doctor went inside and set the chest down at the top of the ramp. He took the pelt out and carefully threaded it down into his trouser pocket until it was completely inside it. Then he went over to his monitor while everyone else came inside. He typed something in and stood there looking at the monitor for a few minutes before coming back towards them.

"According to the TARDIS, there's a waxing moon tonight so it should be safe for you to go out tonight," he said.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"But…if they have a werewolf at the fair, he or she won't change either, isn't that a bit of a letdown?" Rachel said.

"I'm sure they won't care as long as they make their credits," the Doctor said.

"Probably stole a child in infancy and keeps it locked up and slaps a wolf skin on it wherever they go," Max said with a snort.

"If they did, then the child will mysteriously disappear tonight," the Doctor said as they stepped outside. "Werewolf or not, I'm not letting a bunch of carnies keep a child captive for the amusement of others. So…" he added, taking the parchment out of his pocket. "On to Alphaga then?"

They nodded and the Doctor read the translated directions before they headed into the forest.

"So, who here is a natural werewolf and who was created?" the Doctor said, looking over his shoulder.

"Victoria and Ian are the made ones," Max said, "everyone else is natural…I'm assuming you weren't including Rose in this."

"And the lot who are nautral werewolves, are you descended from Queen Victoria?" the Doctor asked.

"Um, I don't think so, I'm from India originally," John said.

"But Queen Victoria ruled over India and the British had a strong presence there," the Doctor said.

He told them the story of the Scottish werewolf while they walked and everyone listened in fascination until he finished his story.

"Um…" Max said, when he finished. "I'm descended from werewolves and our line goes back to at least the 1600's. Not saying that one of her descendents or someone her descendants might have changed didn't mix with my family but my family's far older than Victoria."

"I'm not sure about my family but they also go back a few centuries," Rachel said. "My mum and dad are from Lebanon though and came to England before I was born so I'm sure we have nothing to do with her."

"I think my mum and dad are the first lycan in my family," Britney said. "So it might be a possibility. I'd have to ask them if I ever see them again."

"Not sure about my family," John said. "It wasn't discussed because my mum's family were shocked when they found out and tried to cover it up. My dad married a non-werewolf but my dad's family line goes back for at least a few generations, maybe more."

"So, you're half werewolf?" the Doctor said to him.

"Yes, but I still change," John said. "I take after my father."

"What about you two," the Doctor said to Victoria and Ian, "how did you become werewolves?"

"Was out on holiday in the woods with my family," Victoria said. "We were sleeping in tents and I wasn't used to that and went for a moonlight stroll to try to tire myself out so I could sleep and I ran into one along the path. He bit me before I could get away but that was it."

"My friends heard about this werewolf that lived in the woods near Surrey where I grew up," Ian said. "We were teenagers and you know how teenagers are…they dared me to go with them to try to find it. Well, we found it alright and we scarpered but I got bit on the leg before I got away."

"And you know my story," Rose said.

"I do?" the Doctor said to her. "Who are you, mad woman? I never seen you before in me life!"

Everyone chuckled while Rose gave him a playful shove.

"If this thing inside this boy was an alien werewolf, do you think it might have come from here?" John asked the Doctor.

"Possibly, there are several worlds that have werewolves on them, including Earth."

"And these daft monks were worshipping him?" Max said.

"Yup. Wanted to put a werewolf on the throne," the Doctor said.

"And they might have done since Victoria suddenly got a rare blood disease and her children had it as well," Rose said. "She was looking at her wrist and when the Doctor asked her about it, she told him it was nothing."

"So, Prince Charles might be a werewolf?" Ian said.

"Never know, eh?" the Doctor said, looking over his shoulder.

Ian looked at the others and there was a titter of laughter.

"If William's a werewolf, I want him," Rachel said. "He's well fit."

"Nah, he has Kate, remember?" John said.

"So, they had mistresses, didn't they?" Rachel said. "I'll be his werewolf concubine."

"So…is that why they named the other kid, Harry? Hinting at the wolf within?" Victoria said.

Another fit of giggles came out among them and the Doctor grinned at that.

"So, any chance I'll be made an honorary werewolf then?" he asked them.

"Um…you mean, you want to become a part of the pack?" Victoria said.

"Well, if you'll have me. I have the pelt now so I can become a werewolf. Plus, I know a werewolf so I have street cred there," he said to them.

"Well, we'll have to have a vote," Ian said.

"Vote away, I'm a patient person," the Doctor said.

He checked the parchment and stopped a moment. He pointed to a large boulder by the side of the trail and told them that they needed to go off trail at the bolder and head right. He beckoned to them and everyone followed him as he went off the path and headed deep into the woods.

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