Chaos Tales: Wolf Shade
A dark and mystical imagining with a wolf. Inspired by random art. Including more random art! And lots of links to our latest anthologies!
Inspiration from Art
So the inspiration for this story was from a random picture I really liked, posted in Substack notes. However, It seemed odd to repost it when I don’t have rights to it, and when it is unknown to me who made it. So, instead we tried to “replicate” something similar. You’ll see the attempts at this throughout.
Further, we have decided that since this is a writing blog, we are going to try and have more new fiction, even it if it is just flash fiction. Enjoy.
Wolf Shade is a little darker than we normally write - Anna warned Tod “do not turn this into a happier story” when he did his light edits. (Pun intended.)
Story: Wolf Shade
Tala wove her fingers though Istas’ thick, pale fur and listened to the rich songs of the People. The howl of life and sorrow rose and fell carving its way through the snow-covered canyons. Her heart and throat yearned with the need to mix her voice with theirs, but all sounds were locked away.
Her fist clenched. Her powers stirred and shards of ice whipped around her.
Istas let out a low rumpling growl, a reminder that he at least had not deserted her in exile. For all that had cost him his shape, his humanity, and his rightful place.
She forced her fingers to relax one by one, and a single tear rolled down her cheek to freeze on her cold skin.
We will find a way. Tala thought, A way to break our curses, a way to be more than a shadow of ourselves. And make them pay!
Istas pressed his cold nose against her cheek, dashing the frozen drop away. It shimmered, but Tala did not notice, as warmth and acceptance spread through the light touch. Only for her frozen rage to ice it over again.
Her gaze drifted down and their eyes locked, Woman to Wolf and Wolf to Woman. Moments passed and the moon sunk and the sun rose. The fires and songs of the people died away as night become dawn, and Tala’s human shape slipped away with the night. Her magic deserted her.
Leaving her a lone wolf, while Istas become her shadow. Little more than a dark patch on the frozen tundra.
At last, she turned away from the fires of man and frozen echoes of her past.
The Wolf-Woman sighed, her shadow fliting behind her and walked along the edge of the forest unwilling hide Istas in darkness.
Her frozen paw prints barely etched into the snow. No song rose and fell from her lips for all the baying cries of rage and sorrow that echoed in her heart.
Publishing News: Five Seconds of Power
Our first superhero story, In Fine Print, is out and available on Amazon as part of Five Seconds of Power: A Five Second Rule Anthology!
https://www.amazon.com/Five-Seconds-Power-Kristina-Casasent-ebook/dp/B0F319V1M7
Through an accident of alphabetizing, we’re lead author! I guess we’re really Team And More emeritus now! We are joined by our fellow Alpha Merc Sam Robb, who was in the first anthology in which we were published and also published us in Minstrels of the Galaxy.
Based on the 5 Second Rule RPG from Lucky Newt Games.
Live Real Press says:
You are participating in a new study by L&G Inc. Though the compensation isn't very good, they could be the key to your dream of having superpowers. After weeks of pokes and prods, and far more mental and physical tests than should be legal, you are one of the few whose power awakens! The catch?
You're stuck in this facility with a few powered individuals until you learn how to work together as a team of superheroes. Oh yeah, and everyone's power—including yours—is limited by 5 seconds in some way.
So why go through all this?
Because someone mentioned there would be a portal at the end of this training that could take your group anywhere, anytime. And did you catch the part about being a superhero?
Publishing News: Giant Squeeing Robots
In case you missed it, we’re also in Giant Squeeing Robots, with Space Kitten and the Pirate Squirrel Supremacy.
https://www.amazon.com/Giant-Squeeing-Robots-Raconteur-Anthologies-ebook/dp/B0DW8X429B
We’re joined by Alpha Merc
, Hinkley Correia, and under one of our favorite editor Rita Beeman! (Ask us about why she published our first Space Marine story - it’s a perfect storm of perfect choices.)Raconteur Press says:
Just because they're cute doesn’t mean they can’t be dangerous. Imagine tamagotchis gone bad, giant robots with the fashion sense and self-control of a toddler. Or maybe these robots just love you and want to scoop you up and hug you and squeeze you and call you George. Have fun! Play! And remember, these robots can go hypersonic.
Publishing News: Black Cat Tales
In Black Cat Tales, we tell the story of A Press of the Button.
The publisher has a video for the release here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzgHmGZa14U
We have the first story we ever wrote coming out soon - we’re going to say it is our 13th story published (even if it is 11th or 12th) because it’s cooler that way. Oh! And guess what?
joins us here too!From Black Cat Publishing, Black Cat Tales: An Anthology of Black Cats
Available Friday the 13th of June, 2025 from http://www.black-cat-publishing.com/.
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Cat-Tales-Anthology-Cats-ebook/dp/B0DXMXX5JP/
Black Cat Publishing says:
A black cat approaches, do you let it cross your path, or run in the opposite direction? From the superstitious to the unlucky, from a witch's familiar to a soul stealing grave robber, black cats have captured our imagination and remain solidly in the realm of the dark.
Join authors from around the world for never before published horror, dark fantasy and mystery short stories and poems featuring the beloved, feared and mystical black cat. Black Cat Tales showcases a diverse group of authors ranging in age from 17 to 80, some with multiple award winning publications under their belts, for others, this will be the first time seeing their work in print.
Call to artists
If you want to have a story inspired by your art, let us know and we will post a short flash fiction piece, as well as the art (with your permission). I would love to support real artists in ways that I can. So… Let us know and we will figure it out how you want to work this.
Note, we are happy to write something for a doodle or something you have on hand or previous shared.
If you want to check out some amazing wild life drawling’s look at https://substack.com/inbox/post/150135715
Chaos Tip of the Week
Be nice to all those you meet, after all you never know when you will meet your next best friend or worse enemy, and it is best they don’t suspect which you will be at first.
Chaos Question of the Week
If you could have one type of magic what would you wish it was and why?