“Ahoooooooooooo! Help! Where am I? It’s cold here. I’ve only ever known warmth.”

“What are these noises? There are so many! Such clicks and chirps. Where is the squishing, ticking thump that shook my bones?”

“Who are you? I thought I was alone all this time.”

“So did I.”

“My eyes are bleary. I’m used to the dark, but there are so many shapes and colors now.”

“I can’t see anything. There’s a gooey film in my eyes.”

“Hold still. I’ll lick them clean.”

“That tickles! Hahaha, oh my. So this is what you look like. You are so… furry.”

“Well so are you. Funny we’re just meeting. It feels like I’ve known you forever.”

“Are you still cold?”

“Very.”

“Come closer. I will curl around you to keep you warm and make the squishing, ticking thump noise in your ear so you won’t be scared.”

“I… I can’t. When I try to lift my paw, it feels so heavy.”

“How odd. My paw suddenly felt like it was going to float away. Try that again.”

“Oh my! I think… I think we are connected. I think… your paw is my paw. I think… we are one. We must be some kind of monster!”

“So it is! How strange! And yet, maybe we are not cursed. Maybe, we are lucky. For we will never have to take a step alone in this life. We will never come face to face with a fear the other won’t be there to face as well and whisper words of strength in the other’s ear when the hour looks most bleak. Where others must walk lonely paths, we will always, always, always have each other. So come lay your head near mine and maybe we shall even dream the same dream tonight. I of you, and you of me.”

Prep time takes about 20-25 minutes, depending upon how long it takes the newborn murk wolves to fall asleep. (If you do not wait for them to fall asleep, prep time could be much longer as they can be quite time consuming to battle.) Burn your fire down to coals, until embers are glowing and smoking. Swiftly decapitate and toss the soft skulls onto the fire. Cook time: 35 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve!

Murk wolf is the jungle’s most sought after culinary delicacy. After all, two heads are better than one.