The girl looked out the window. The sun had not yet set, but below, in the forest, it had been evening for a long time. A man walked past, leading a tall stallion: new guests had arrived at the hotel. A fat black raven walked along the roof of the stable, looking at the man with interest, as if he was expecting something from him.

Yes, mother? - the girl turned around.

The hostess of the hotel - a stately, beautiful woman - cast a quick glance out the window and straightened the strings of her cap, as elegant as a rose.

Take this basket. Take some pies to grandma.

Now? Mother, it’s soon night, and grandma’s house is in the thicket. How can I go alone?

“Don’t be afraid, honey,” the mother answered. - This is a quiet forest, and the animals here are kind.

What about the guests?

I can handle them. Go.

The mother wrapped the girl in a cloak and gently but inexorably pushed her to the porch.

The evening herbs smelled sweet, slightly intoxicating; Fog was spreading in the hollow beyond the river. There was a woodcutter standing on the bridge.

Uncle, take me to grandma's house! Look, dusk has already fallen; How can I go alone?

Don't be afraid, girl. This is a quiet forest, and the animals here are kind. However, if you are very scared...

The woodcutter's face was overgrown with a gray beard, his left eye was leaking, and his closed, wrinkled eyelid was crossed by a scar. The woodcutter's hands, knotted like oak roots, clutched the axe.

“No,” the girl said quietly.

She ran across the bridge - her wooden shoes echoed loudly on the logs - and found herself on a path leading into the thicket. It would be completely dark here if not for the glow of the sunset; Fireflies flickered on the feathery leaves of the fern. Having run to the first turn, the girl stopped to catch her breath.

A raspberry bush half blocked the path, as if offering ripe berries to a belated guest. The girl took a berry from the white stalk and threw it into her mouth, reaching for another. The bush shuddered, dousing the girl’s hands with cold dew. A furry ear appeared from behind a bush; behind it is a long, sharp muzzle.

Lights flashed in the beast's narrow eyes.

“And I know where your grandmother lives,” he said.

“You don’t know,” the girl objected.

But I know! Do you want me to tell you? You will follow this path, turn left, down the hillside, and jump over the stream. There will be a spruce forest there, and in the spruce forest there will be your grandmother’s house. Right?

“Let’s race,” the wolf suggested. - Whoever gets to the house first will eat the pies.

“Come on,” the girl agreed.

The wolf jumped up, waved his tail and rushed to run along the long road he knew. The girl ducked under a raspberry bush and ran down another, short one. She certainly had to outrun the wolf and warn her grandmother about the danger.

The path was blocked by roots and dead wood, but the girl easily jumped over the obstacles; The moon rolled like a magic ball along the jagged tops of the fir trees.

The house hid under the spruce paws, like a snail under a leaf; there was no light from the windows. The tiled roof looked black in the dark. The girl looked back. There was no wolf. She knocked on the door.

Pull the string and the door will open,” a familiar voice invited.

The girl came in.

Grandmother was lying in bed, covered to the tip of her nose with a red quilted blanket. The lush flounces of her cap swayed from her breath.

“Hello, granddaughter,” she said nasally.

Are you sick?

Not really, darling. Come closer. It's dark here, I can't see you.

The girl came and sat on the edge of the bed. Grandmother slightly lowered the edge of the blanket. The dark eyes sparkled like blackthorn berries.

I met a wolf.

How's that?

The blanket slid down a little more. The cap bulged strangely at the side. The girl looked at him intently. The scarlet shuttlecock bent back and a furry ear emerged from under it.

Why do you have such big ears, grandma?

Because today is the full moon, darling.

The she-wolf shook off the blanket and jumped onto the floor. The ribbons of his cap dangled funny under his chin.

Don't touch me! I’ll call the woodcutter,” the girl jumped to the threshold.

I'm here. - The door swung open, letting in the darkness, the smell of wet wool, the sounds of animal fuss. A gray-haired one-eyed wolf blocked the girl’s path. - I'm a woodcutter.

A cunning, narrow-eyed muzzle poked its head over his shoulder. The wolf the girl knew smiled with all its mouth and stuck out its red tongue. The leader pushed him away.

“Don’t be afraid,” said the grandmother. - It won't hurt.

All the animals in this forest are kind. - The leader laughed.

The girl squatted down and covered her face with her hands. The fangs clenched his forearm, piercing into the flesh, tearing the fabric of the sleeve and skin, and blood began to flow.

They cheated again: it hurt.

Something fluffy tickled my neck. Probably a wolf's ear.

The horses began to snore and beat their hooves at once. The girl put the brush down and listened. Mother came in with a bucket.

“I fed the horses,” she said. - There's a fair on Sunday, we'll sell them to the king's soldiers.

Are the horses ours?

The guests had no money; they left the horses as payment.

Previously, the girl had never wondered why people staying at their hotel never had money with them, and whether this was too luxurious a price for one night - horses and all the luggage.

There was a knock on the door.

Open up, honey. I need to do some pies.

The postman was waiting on the porch.

Does Mademoiselle Garou live here?

Yes, monsieur.

Mademoiselle Loup Garou?

It's me, monsieur.

A package for you.

The girl wiped her palms on her apron. Her fingers trembled a little: this was the first time she had received a real package.

Would you like to come in, monsieur? - she asked politely. - We will treat you to coffee and cakes.

Probably with meat? - The postman sniffed and winked at the girl with his narrow yellow eye. - Another time, darling.

What is it, honey?

The girl unfolded the paper. The silk ribbons that decorated the cap shimmered gently in the light.

Grandma sent it.

The girl opened the chest, knelt down and, looking into the mirror attached to the lid, tried on the gift. The cap deftly covered the neat pink ears.

“Red suits you,” the hotel owner shook her flour-stained hands. - Oh, how beautiful! You'll probably only wear it on special occasions.

Yes, mother.

Only on full moons. Just like you.

Shade had never felt so alone. He was very used to Marina, and it seemed unthinkable to him that she was not flying next to him, not grumbling, hurrying him up.

Around Shade saw a bleak world - stunted trees, bare rocks, everything empty, joyless.

Sirocco's words rang in his ears: you will perish with all who are not chosen in darkness. There is no place for him in the future. Nocturna's promise will not affect him: he will never live in the light of day as a Man.

And Marina will be there. And Frida. And his father. It's great for them. Why didn't Frida tell? Didn’t she know or did she just keep it from him because he wasn’t one of the owners of these precious rings? And his father? Why is he not with him when he is needed? He's probably hiding somewhere, waiting to become Human. Shade shook his head. What will happen to him, his mother and other unbanded bats?

Shade looked at the stars - they twinkled as if they were actually on the back of Nocturna's giant wings. As soon as the goddess of bats folded her wings, the night disappeared and was replaced by day.

Shade wondered: what is Nocturna doing up there, all alone? Does he think about him, a little cub trying to find his colony?

The stars remained silent.

May be. Zephyr could actually hear them, but Shade knew he would never have that kind of hearing.

Mountain peaks rose ahead. Will he be able to rise high enough to fly over them? Shade looked east. There was an hour left until dawn, maybe a little more. This night he will not have time to fly over the mountains.

At first he was scared alone at night. Unclear sounds were heard, silvery spots flashed. Dry leaves swirled in the air and turned into Goth, stretching his claws towards him. In a distant cry a name appeared: “Shade! Shade!

He was depressed this night, by the silence of the empty space surrounding him. There really is something terrible in the darkness that he had not noticed before.

Suddenly Shade heard some noise behind him.

Shade turned around and saw Marina - her bright fur shimmered in the starlight and made her look like a golden vision.

What are you doing here? - he demanded.

Hey, I see you're not too happy to see me!

You... You scared me!

I'm flying with you.

Why did you change your mind?

Marina made a circle and sat down next to her.

I just felt like staying there without you would be completely wrong.

It was not bad for me alone,” he said, trying to look annoyed and hide his joy.

Oh, I know,” she chuckled. “But I told them that I promised to find your colony with you and that I would feel free from obligations only when I completed this.”

Shade didn't know what to answer. He was very glad that she returned, but at the same time he was sad that she missed the opportunity to be happy.

Are you sure? - he asked insistently. After hesitating for a moment, she nodded:

They only treated me well because of this thing on my forearm. But it has nothing to do with me. They were like those gray wings, remember? They accepted you and hated me because of the ring. And these bats, on the contrary: they accepted me and hated you because you didn’t have a ring. And this is just a piece of metal.

He looked at her in surprise:

So you don't trust them?

She sighed:

Part of me wants to believe - more than anything else. It sounds so wonderful. And how Sirocco began to change... Do you think this is some kind of trick?

I thought about this. It's like a sound picture - he sang the image to us and we saw it. Maybe everyone in this attic hoped so much... how should I know?

I think about Zephyr's words all the time. Remember, he told us to be careful of the metal on the wings. Maybe he meant those ringed bats? My heart tells me that this cannot be true. And... I don’t know why, but I don’t like the idea of ​​turning into people at all.

Me too! - Shade said excitedly. - Just think what we will lose! I'm happy to be a bat.

I know. Actually, this all seems kind of ugly to me. I didn't do anything to deserve this ring. Why did I receive it and not someone else? Not you, for example?

Exactly,” Shade said. - I thought about this too.

But still,” Marina said and smiled slyly, “you’re not at all as amazing as me.”

Shade laughed.

Not like that, that's for sure! - he confirmed with pleasure.

Marina thought again.

But if they're telling the truth, I can always come back. When we find your colony and your father. However, it seems to me more and more that you are the only one who loves me, because I am me. It doesn’t matter to you whether I have a ring or not, whether it’s good or bad. I've never had a friend like you before.

A wolf howl was heard in the frosty air.

Shade and Marina were already close to the top and were flying very slowly. Vetel blew towards him, each flap of his wings was difficult. Shade looked down and saw a wolf and a she-wolf running up the slope.

They probably have a lair somewhere up there,” he said gloomily. Mom would never have sent him to the wolf's den. He looked through the sound card again and again, carefully studying the images that his mother sang to him. But he couldn’t grab onto anything. - We need to stay the same course.

A faint, barely perceptible whistle made him turn around. The sound disappeared into the air - Shade saw nothing. This was not the first time tonight that he had heard this incomprehensible metallic whistle. Just the wind, he thought, the whistling of the wind in the branches.

His bones ached, his wings became stiff and heavy. Shade stubbornly beat them on the frosty air - up and down, up and down. The wind burned my ears, and the echo images became blurry and came late. Shade understood that they would freeze if they did not fly over the mountains that night. Their stomachs were empty; today they didn’t even come across any snow fleas. How wonderful it would be to wrap yourself in wings and slowly fall lower, lower, lower...

Wake up! - Marina shouted right into his ear, and Shade, shuddering, came to his senses.

Thank you,” he muttered.

“Don’t scare me like that,” Marina said, trembling. - Don't sleep. Talk to me, sing, do whatever you want, just don't sleep.

Shade shook his head to cheer himself up and took a deep breath. The icy air burned my lungs, but my sleep disappeared.

They flew over the jagged peaks, the wind hitting their faces with such force that it seemed as though they were about to rip off their skin.

They were on the very top of the world.

On the other side were mountains covered in ice and snow. His eyes watered from the bright light, and Shade squinted. Through the whistling wind came an animal howl, and he saw a dozen wolves gathered on the steep slope at the entrance to the cave. Shade looked at Marina.

I'm not going down there! - she shouted.

What should we do?

This is suicide!

She sang to me about wolves!

Wolf ears! - Marina suddenly laughed. She's gone crazy, Shade thought. In the end

cold and fatigue broke her.

Wolf ears! - Marina screamed again, bursting into laughter.

And then he saw.

A little to the side one could see two mountain peaks rising to the sky and a deep valley between them. It looked exactly like on the sound map, but these were not animals at all, but a mountain gorge covered with snow, the outlines of which surprisingly resembled the ears of a giant white wolf.

There they are!

The Goth looked around the tops of the mountains. Far ahead he saw Shade and Marina, who were turning into a gorge between two peaks sparkling with ice. The Goth had been following them for an hour, deciding to overtake them at the top.

Now he turned back so they wouldn't notice him. Despite the bone-chilling cold, he felt full of strength. Last night he ate as much as ever. The Goth looked with satisfaction at the rings of shiny metal that hung like garlands on his forearms. New hunting trophies.

Trobb was flying heavily nearby. The abscess on the wing had grown larger and looked much worse than before. Throbb complained that the cold was burning him. Weakling. He disgusted Goth. But Goth's stomach was full now, and Throbb didn't seem all that appetizing. Perhaps later... He focused his sight and hearing on Shade and Marina.

The gust of wind that hit him whistled through the metal rings and carried a short but piercing whistle further across the mountain tops.

Ears
The symmetry of the location of the ears, the correctness of the shape of their individual sections, the severity of the lines bending helix and antihelix indicate the harmonious development of a person. Psychologists, criminologists and anthropologists have long known the fact of great variability in the size and shape of the ears: often even in the same individual, one ear turns out to be different in structure from the other, which usually indicates physical disharmony.
Statistical processing of the frequency of various variations in the shape and relief of the auricles, carried out by German scientists L. Härtem and K. Niebler in 1957 in 606 children, showed that the hereditary and biological characteristics of the shape of the outer ear are suitable for establishing a genetic connection in 88% of cases of establishing the paternity of the studied children.
Eastern physiognomists divide the ear into four parts:
outer rim, inner rim, lobe. Usually the ears determine what a person’s childhood was like. When reading, faces rely on a general rule - a well-formed ear indicates a happy childhood.
In healthy people, the auricle is hard and, as a rule, pink in color; yellowness, blueness and pallor of the ears are considered a sign of malaise.
Based on the position of the ears on the head, or rather their top line, physiognomists determine a person’s intelligence:
a) above the level eyebrows- high intelligence,
b) at eye level - above average intelligence,
c) below eye level - average or even low intelligence.
Of course, science fiction writers and not the most prudent people can rely on the “criteria” of the mind along the “ear-eye” line. This technique is too primitive. Revolting against the impermissible frivolity of physiognomists, we (Velkhover and I) created the clinical-psychological-iridological computer program “Intellecto-motovegetomer”. With its help, not only the level of an individual’s intellectual abilities is determined, but also the characteristics of individual functions of mental activity: abstract, constructive and figurative. We assumed that the use of what we jokingly called a “duromer” would open up opportunities for identifying gifted students, promising applicants, talented scientists and simply capable businessmen. However, the very first tests showed that out of a large group of qualified doctors, only 10% received a good assessment of intelligence, the remaining 90% - poor and satisfactory. This led to the fact that the subjects began to treat the “duromer” very fearfully.
When studying the structural features of the ears of long-livers, we were able to identify an interesting fact. It turned out that in 85% of cases, people over 90 years of age are characterized by three reliable signs: large, somewhat elongated ears, an elongated and thickened earlobe, and a convex ridge of the antihelix. There are so many physiognomists, so many opinions. Some claim that most people prone to crime have small ears, but I have often visited places of detention to study the psychology of especially dangerous criminals and have not noticed small ears in any of them. Changes in the size and shape of the ears are observed in diseases, anomalies and deformities. This is very rich material for research.
Shapelessness and pallor of the outer ear indicate unfavorable factors, and flabbiness and lethargy of the ears indicate soreness of the body, which does not exclude stomach cancer.
Huge ears (“donkey ears” of King Midas), called macrotia, are observed in various personality defects, as well as in mental retardation and Down’s disease.
Moderately large ears with well-defined convolutions indicate musical ability. Protruding, large ears (protruding ears) are quite common and to a certain extent indicate the stupidity and ingenuity of the subject.
Highly set ears (the top line of the auricle is higher than the eyebrows) are a sign of powerful intelligence.
If the tops are at eye level, the intelligence is above average; low placement of the ears (tops below eye level) indicates average and even insufficient development of the mind. Large, thin, protruding ears indicate musical talent, especially if they are also hairy. Small, fat - about the absence of such abilities; pinned ears sometimes betray pettiness, inconstancy, vindictiveness, and deceit. Long, narrow ears occur in people who are disorganized, unable to concentrate, often stingy, and envious. If the ears are also thick, you are most likely a limited person. Gifted people have wide and thin ears. “Wolf” ears pointed upward indicate rudeness and cruelty. The fluff on the ears characterizes the passion of nature.
Pay attention to your earlobe. Its absence indicates rigidity of character. Such people can be excellent conversationalists, well-mannered and polite, but at the right moment they have metal in their voices and an iron grip. The longer the lobe, the longer a person’s life span is measured, the smarter he is. In the East, people with long earlobes are considered sages. A slightly forward lobe speaks of the sincerity of its owner.
The inner rim of the ear is an indicator of emotional self-expression. More hidden behind the outer rim means restraint; convex - impulsiveness. The normal ear color is pink.
Blue or yellow ears are a sign of illness. Dark spots near the front and top of the ear are a possibility of a hidden disease. Hard, firm ears indicate good health and longevity. Soft, flabby ears are a sign of weakness of connective and cartilaginous tissues and poor health. Interestingly, the hardness of the ears varies from month to month, reflecting the general condition of the body.
Protruding ears, protruding ears, and large ears are quite common. People with such ears are considered simpletons, narrow-minded and gullible. However, this is a misconception; in fact, they are very cunning, stubborn and persistent. It should be noted that many maniacs have exactly this shape of ears. Such people are especially cruel, insidious, and ruthless, especially those born in December or March. They are highly vulnerable, and ridicule in childhood from peers can make them bitter, embittered, and vindictive.