《The Amber Balance》


 Prologue + Chapter 1

    Prologue


    The steady thump of marching and clinking mail broke the silence as the convoy made its way towards the capital. Jaron Iren, captain of the royal guard, lead the procession. His vibrant blue eyes swept through the trees on either side of the hard dirt road. The forest was quiet. No birds sang. No crickets chirped. His features tightened. He was on edge and the men could tell, shuffling anxiously as they marched, purple and gold livery unmoving in the absence of wind. His gaze slid to the man in the center of the square formation, Crown Prince Gene. He rode surrounded by his retinue, swathed in finery even during travel. He was less an upstart than the finery might suggest, but only slightly so.


    In times of peaceeven the crown prince didn''t usually have such an escort as forty royal guardsmen, but although there was technically still peace between the neighboring kingdoms ofLearsthroneandCaprith, skirmishes and raids were frequent. Of course, each kingdom maintained plausible deniability, for neither wanted to be the one to start the inevitable war.Soit was a game of sorts,withthe stakesa little dubious moral high ground in the coming war. It made for good recruiting ifitcould be pitched as defending their homelands.


    With a shout from the trees whistling filled the air. Arrows fell upon the men at arms and three of the mounted retinue around the prince fell from their horses, bristling with arrows. Screams of pain and rage quickly replaced the orderly sound of marching. Jaron, standing just outside the prince''s retinue in thesquare¡¯s center, burst into action.


    "Stay in formation! Get the prince down off that damn horse!"


    The royal guardsmen on the outside of the square turned their shields to face outward while the inner of the two rows prepared their spears to repel any charge as they had been trained. Before his retinue could help,theprincerolled off horseback to land on his hands and knees in the mud, splatteringhis goldembroideredpurple cloak.With the princeno longeran easy target,Jaron focused on the battle.


    Can''t be many this close to the capital. But is it few enough that we couldtake them in the trees with our numbers?His gaze slid back to the prince.No, we can''t leave the prince. Even if it is only a dozen.


    "Second. Crossbows up!"


    Placing their spears inside the square behind them,the second row unstrapped the crossbows from their backs and loaded bolts.


    "Place your shots. Keep an eye on the trees. Any bowmen high enough could get a shot on the prince."


    Shield-bearers and spearmen went down with arrows in necks or eventheir backs from archers on the other side of the road.


    Why hadn''t the scouts sounded a horn?


    Almost every arrow was well placed, finding the tiniest of gaps at the neck between helm and mail,hitting the leather seam at the back of the kneeorbarely scraping the top of a shield to enter an eye just below the edge of a guardsmen''s helm.Apiercinghowloverrode the sounds of battle, followed by another and another until a chorus of howlsdrowned out everything else.


    Sudden screams came from among the trees and the rain of arrows stopped abruptly. Men in mottled brown and green tunics rushed from the undergrowth headlong into the guardsmen only to be cut down or get a bolt to the chest and fall into the ditch at the side of the road. Eerie silence reigned for a moment and Jaron went to speak and steady his men.


    "Brace yourself. You need only look to the man on your left to-"


    Bestial roars broke out just before large,seven-foot-tallbipedal wolves leapedfrom among the trees at the front line. The sheer force of their impacts splintered theshieldwalland thebeastsset to tearing apart the nearest guardsman.


    What manner of demon are those!


    As only abattle-hardenedcaptain can, Jaron read the situation in moments. Turning to the prince- who miraculously still had hold of his mount- he yelled, "On the horse!" The plate-clad knights around the princemade roomas Jaron gave Prince Gene a boost. Staring at the clearly terrified young prince, Jaron spoke quickly.


    "You must flee. Up the road. Tell your father thatCaprithhas invaded. These demons can''t be merecoincidence,I''m certain they''re to ensure your death." Giving a quick glance to the mounted retinue, he slapped the horse''s flank and it took off as fast as it was able without any other prompting. Jaron, looking back to the few of his men that remained, knew there was nothing else he could do. With a prayer for his wife and son he drew his longsword, its pommel engraved with the sigil of theLearsthroneroyalguardandcharged a monster about to disembowel one of his men.


    Far down the road, a figure cloaked all in black smiled and began tracing dizzyingly complex lines of sparks in the air and with a muttered word, disappeared.


    Chapter 1


    Air whooshedabove meas Old Joe''s wooden training spear swept the spacemy head had occupied barelya moment ago.Thrusting the blunt end of my own spearforwardfrom my crouchedposition,I aimed for his right kneeputting everything I could into it.I hopedto at least get a solid strike in this time. Aiming fortheold man''s knees mightbeconsidered poor form since I knew they stiffened in the coolautumnair, but after having my assthoroughlyhanded to me a few too many times in a row, I was willing to take any advantage I could get.Displaying his skill, Joepushedhis right handforward,releasinghis spearwith one hand only to grab the shaft of mine just below thebluntend, yanking it away from me to his side. I tumbled forward, desperatelytrying to keep hold of the spear. It was futile and I ended up withnothing buta mouth full of grass.


    "Keep your back foot grounded! If you''re going to thrust you''ve got to put enough into it to do some damage true, but if your back foot comes off the ground you lose control and one quick graband you''reeither dead, or you''ve lost your spear andthenyou''re dead."


    He tapped me on the head with a calloused hand to emphasize his point. June and Pieter sniggered from where they were supposed to be sparring nearby. They''d been training longer and had clearly already had this lesson.Looking up, I foundJoe''sgrizzled,weather-beatenface smirking down at me as I spat dirt and grass back where it belonged.Glaring over at June and Pieter, they broke out into full on laughter.


    Taking Joe''s offeredhand,hepulledmetomy feet;my shoulder length auburn hairplasteredto my neck with sweat from training. AtseventeenI''m a bit of a late bloomer and only just had mygrowth spurt, shooting up tofive-foot-eight; just a bit taller than the average woman, but by no means an amazon. What it really meant was spear and quarterstafftraining from Old Joe since I was now tall enough to do it properly.


    "Hey Joe!"


    Finn, a young, straw blonde man a few years older than me shouted to draw our attention. He stood among the apple trees between us and the road west of the village, hair flopping about in the wind.


    "Get to Brady''s, the elders need you."Anuncharacteristicallyworried look marred his usual carefree demeanor. Finn''s something of the town jokester, although we just call him the town joke instead.


    Joe frowned and nodded.


    "Looks like that¡¯s it for today. Grab your apples and we''ll head back to town."


    It''s harvest week, so we, meaning June, Pieter and I, were out picking apples until our haversacks were full before training with Old Joe. Everyone in the village had basic spear and quarterstaff training. We aren''t particularly vulnerable being only four or five days from the duke''s city, but with the constant threat of war withtheCaprithto the east it had become common practice around the kingdom.Learsthronehas been at war or on the edge of it since a decade before I was born. We''re just lucky to be a long way from the front.


    Liftingmyhaversack,I winced as I joined theothers inthe center of theclearing where we usually trained,I''m sure I''dhave anewbruise or two tomorrow.We walked through the orchards a short distance to the road to make our small trek home.


    "So,Alihowwas the grass? Looked like you were enjoying it from where I was standing!" Pieter grinned as June laughed.


    "You forget Pieter, I''ve watched you eat grass from the sidelines over and over again.NowI''m tall enough I look forward to feeding it to you myself!"


    "Ho-ho, fighting words. May the best manwin." His grin grew even wider.


    "I may be a woman but I''m both a better man, and woman,thanyou''ll ever be. You''re more of a flea-ridden dog, or perhaps a dung beetle."


    June was content simply to laugh along as Pieter and I traded friendly insults all the way back to the village. Normally Joe would laugh along with us but today he was subdued and fondled the hilt of his short sword as our banter died down. As warden of our village, Old Joe was an advisor to the village elders. He was a big man with a grizzled face sporting a few obvious battle scars and greying hair;intimidating until you got to know him. There was only one reason the village elders would call for him urgently, something must''ve happened that required a warden''s touch, and that was never good.


    We enteredGlimmerdale, our village,just as thesky began to darken.Glimmerdalesitsin the center of adip in the land, creating a reasonably sized valley looked down upon by the surrounding hillsbristling with trees. Just oversixtypeople made it their home,of which my father and Iaretwo. The townisshaped in a cross.Thatch roofedbuildings clustered around themain road to the duke''s city. It runsright through the village centerbefore continuing toJaksonvillea few days east.We''rea bit better offthan most small villagesthanks to a decent income and educated folks such as Mayor Thompson and his wife Serena, who taught all the village children as many words and numbers as we showedaptitudefor.


    Joe left us to enter Brady''s house, one of only two multi-story buildings inthevillage; a benefit of being the carpenter who builds the houses I suppose. June, Pieter and I stashed ourtrainingspears in the village hall and went our separate ways, but not beforethey foistedtheirhaversacksoff on me.Theyclaimedthat since I was going to the brewery anyway I could take theirs for them.We all had things to do, in my case, it''shelpingFinn and my father withbrewing thecider.


    Unlike most villages we didn''t grow foodstuffs like turnips, beans, potatoes, carrots or even grain or barley. We grew apples. Our main source of income iscider;it''sactually whereGlimmerdalegot its name. Our cider is known for its sweet, richflavourand how the light reflectsoffits surface.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Opening the door to the brewery, I quickly dumped thehaversacksbeside the large mechanical press taking up the center of the room. Counters and shelvescluttered with brewing utensils and measuringimplementsfilled the space along the right wall while the left was filled byalarge brewing vat.


    "Hey dad. Finn."


    My father,Rasard, stoodwith hishead down at the desks while Finn tinkered with the mechanical press.


    "Hey sweetheart." I blushed. I wish he wouldn''t call me that in front ofFinn.


    "Hiya Ali." Finn seemed to have found his grin again.


    Dad looked pretty good for his age atthirty-nine.Short, raven black hair reflecting the light from the windows as he straightened and turned to face me with that special smile he reserved just for me.


    "You''re early but there''s even moredirt andgrass stains than yesterday! Joe really giving you a hard time?"


    I scowled, looking down atmyself. I wore simple work trousers and a plain green blouse which partially hid thestains.


    "He''s too fast! I can''t even land a hit on him."


    "Don''tworry Ali. TookmeandFranklin afull year before we even scratchedhim."Finnpiped up.Finn, his parents and baby sisterjoined the village when I wastwelve. They weredisplaced by bandits, although they were sure it was actuallyCaprithsoldiers indisguise. They still retained their easternaccentsandtrademark straw blonde hair.


    "Sowhere are we up to today?" I askedwith a sigh.


    "I''ve stillyettokegyesterday''scider."Dad said turning backtothedeskwhere he was inspecting an open wooden keg."While I finish this,you twopulpenough apples to fill the press. OnceI''m doneI''ll join you and we can get today''s batchover with."


    I nodded even though dad wasn''t looking and turned toFinn.


    "Same as yesterday?"


    "Sure."


    Finnwalkedto the back of the room,grabbinga wooden bucket almostbigenough for me to bathein.While he was doing that,Imoved thehaversacksaway from the door;stacking them with the rest in the front left cornerof the large room.


    "What did the elders want Joe for?"


    "Peddler came through, demanded for the elders to see him. Whatever he said rustled them something fierce. Pale as ghosts they were." He frowned, a rare occurrence; he even smiled while being punished after he and his buddy Franklin''s inane pranks. It certainly didn''t sound good, maybe full on war''s broken out again?


    Finn being Finn,didn''t shut up the whole time weworked.He talked about his plans forhiseight-year-oldsister, Maria''s,birthday.Apparently,he''d made a deal with someone to makecandied apples just for her.


    Meanwhile dad bustled about quickly draining the contents of the vat into kegs and sealing them ready to be stored behind the brewery in a room just for that purpose.


    After we pulped as many apples as we thought we could safely lift we hefted thebucket,pouringeverythinginto the mechanical press. We repeatedpulping applesuntil the press wasabout half full when dad finished keggingyesterday''scider. Wetookturns struggling withthe wheel on thepress until the pulped apples weresquashed tonothing more than a liquid,thendrained everythinginto the vat.It tookthe next hour repeating the process until all the apples harvested that day were pulpedand pressed.


    "That should do it for today.Ali,you take the haversacks back to the village hall while Finn and I clean up. I''ll see you at dinnersweetheart."


    "Okay dad. Bye." Grabbing the piledhaversacks,I made my way to the village hall. Dumping mycargo,I left to go find June before dinner.


    June was at home assisting her mother and Serena, Mayor Thompson''s wife, patching clothing. Looking at Anita, or Mrs.Marietto us ''kids'', showed where June got the tall, sleek figure and shiny,black locks. I''m pretty sure she''s carrying a torch for dad but he''s completely oblivious to it. Serena was blonde and curvy and being the mayor''s wife, she had that same slight, stuffy, high society air that her husband gave off even after living in the villagelonger than I''ve been alive.


    "Hi." I greeted everyone.


    "Hello Alison. How are you?"Asked Mrs.Marietas she looked up from her sewing.


    "Good thanks."


    "And your father?"


    "He''sfine, just cleaning up with Finn.Thought I''d comefind Junebefore dinner since we finished early because the elders needed Joe."


    A worried look flashed across her face.


    "Any chance I can steal June?"


    Serenaspoke for the first time.


    "Dinner is in aquarter-glassanyway Anita and wearealmostfinished here as it is."


    Mrs.Marietnodded.


    "Okay girls. I''ll see you at dinner."


    June leapt up from her seat and hustled out the door behind me.


    "Phew. I hate sewing." Grumbled June.


    "That¡¯s what you say everyday June.Come on." I grinned at her as I knelt to scoop some lose rocks from the side of the road.


    Rushing over to Pieter''s house we discreetly opened the door and poured rocks into Pieter''sshoes where theysat in the entryway,desperately trying to contain giggles the entire time. Closing the door behind us we dashed back to the center of the village before bursting intolaughter.We got a couple of strange looks and smiles from people as they enteredthe village hallin front of us.


    Following them inside,we found our usual spot and sat. The village hall served a number of purposes, one of them being a communal dining hall and kitchen. Long wooden tables with chairs on both sides were laid out end to end,enough to seat just over eighty peoplecomfortably. Delicious scentsofroasting meant and vegetableswaftedin from the kitchen through a door in the northern wall. Some kind of meat, pork I think and theever-presentapplesauce. We weren''t exactly wealthy by food was one thing we always had in abundance.


    The rest of the village filtered in slowly until it looked like everyone was here.Iscanned the hall assteaming hot platterswerebrought in,I don''t think most people knew anything was going on,although theabsence of the village elders was a telling sign. I saw dad talking toMils,the gentle,soft-spokenchefwhoran the kitchen most nights. It went smoothly mainly because no onewantedto let her down; she''s like the town mother or something.


    Digging into my food, I hoped that despite whatever''s going on Old Joe would be up to a story tonight. Some of the adults thought listening to his stories at my age was undignified, as if stories of battle and adventure were reserved for the little ones who, in their childish innocence, would imagine outlandish fantasies such as going on grand adventures themselves while I was old enough to know better.


    They didn''tunderstand, I don''t want to spend my wholelife inGlimmerdale.Dadtoldme how mum left uswhenI was justa baby. He said shehad wanderlust.Icouldn''t bring myself totellhimI thoughtI had it too.I wanted to try newthings, to explore new placesto do something dramatic and exciting!


    My introspection wascut shortwhen I felt someone''s gaze burning holes in me from across the table. Looking up, I found Pieter glaring at me.


    "What''d I do?" I tried my best to bethe very embodiment of innocence.


    "You put rocks in my shoes! Again!" He exclaimed, red faced.


    "It was all June''s idea!"


    Loud splutters of indignation interrupted Junes laughter next to me.


    "It was not! I''m not the one always picking on poor Pieter and I wouldn''t lower myself to do something so petty."


    "Lower yourself? Really?" I raised an eyebrow looking at June.


    June shrugged.


    "Best I could think of."


    "Hey now, I''m not letting you distract me into forgetting this time." Interrupted Pieter.


    "We weren''t trying to distract you, were we June?" She nodded her agreement."In fact, I believe you just implied that we''re dishonest."


    "Ohnoyou don''t! You''re not going to turn this back on me either.I-"


    Withaloudbangthe large main doorsclosed behind thefour village elders,followed closely by Old Joe.


    Brady the carpenter, a big, blonde, clean-shaven man and one of the town eldersbellowed, "Quiet! Mayor Thompson has something to say."


    The Mayor, a tall ganglymanwith spectaclesandpatchy beard steppedup.


    "Thankyou,Brady. Most of you know that PatrickHeronssonpassed through with his caravan today. You may have noticed they barely stopped to chat, let alone do any trading." Thompson paused a moment and grimaced before gathering himself to speak again."Pat had some disturbing news. He and his caravan had just come fromJaksonsville.He says it was empty, not a soul to be found."


    "Empty? What like everyone just up and left?". Myfather saidincredulously.


    "No...", Thompson replied quietly, "Like they''d been taken. Or at least their bodies had been. According to him there were definite signs ofaviolentstruggle.Blood,torn clothing, shattered tools,broken down doors and the like."


    Silence reigned for what seemed like a long time before everyone began yelling at once.


    "Quiet!",bellowedThompson, "Stay calm. Weeldershave discussed the matter and decided thatJoe will take a small group consisting of himself and his currenttrainee''sto the duke''s city to ask for aid. This and the roads is why we pay taxes after all.Duke Lorrin can''t refuse us in this. I have written a letter requesting his protection and an investigation into the whereabouts of the people ofJaksonsville."


    Old Joe stepped forward to the left of the mayor looking more serious than I''d ever seen him. His eyes seemed hooded, full of dark memories. Nodding towards Joe,MayorThompson continued.


    "Joe and his group will leave at first light and we expect a response will take up to atenday.Meanwhile,Rasardas Joe''s second will set a watch schedule until they return."


    Dad nodded from where he sat.


    "As you can see we are taking action and everything is under control." He looked around at each of us."Pat also mentioned hearing howls at night so we''ve almost certainly got some wolves around. As such-"


    Finn interrupted from further down the table, "No pack of wolves would attack a whole village."


    Clearly irritated at Finn''s interruption, Mayor Thompson scowled and faced him.


    "Did I say that?! No. We don''t believe wolves attacked the town. It must''ve been some bandit''s or slavers; probably deserters from the army. We all know war betweenLearsthroneandCaprithis likely around the corner." Thompson turned back to look at the rest of us, "As I was saying, no one should go far from the village, and although no one should be picking the harvest alone anyway, now would be a particularly stupid time to do so." Thompson glared at us as though he thought we were particularly stupid and likely to go alone just because he said not to.


    "Thank you for your attention.Please do asRasardsays if he asks foryourhelp onwatch."He finished with a gesture towards my father.


    Dismissed, I turned to face Pieter across the table, he looked as scared as I felt. June next to me had a green cast to her skin as she spoke.


    "I can''t believeit. Ihope aunt Molly and uncle Raz are alright. I better go check on mum."Her chair scraped across the floor as she stood and hurried over to her mother a few places down the table.


    Being the closest village toJaksonsvillea number of people had family there, fortunately I wasn''t one of them. We also buy most of our food from them on their way through to sell produce at the duke''s city.I wonder where we''ll get most of our food now?


    Looking around, dinner seemed largely forgotten in the wake of the news as people yelled and cried. A group clustered around dad, probably discussing watch shifts. A thump sounded beside me and I turned to find Old Joe on my other side.


    "You three might as well stay at my place tonight so I won''t have to collect you come dawn. I''ll have packs prepared so no need to worry about that. Rush home after you''re done here and get travel-worthyclothes enough for three days,then meet at my house."


    "We''re going to see the city?" Asked Pieter, his expression a strange mix of fearful, excited and anxious. Neither Pieter or June had ever been to the city with its rough stone walls and towers. Nice stone double-story buildings crowded before the keep itself, transitioning back to more common wooden single-story houses as you got closer to the wall. I''d been with Finn and my father once when they went to get a wagon full of new kegs for the cider.


    "Alison."Alarge rough hand landed on my shoulder.


    "Hey dad." I looked up into his stormy grey eyes, different from my own. He liked to say my eyes held the storm from hisbut got their green from my mothers.


    "You be careful going with Joe alright. Stick close to him at all times. Especially in the city!" I nodded. "City-folk aren''t as easy going as us. I''m taking watch now with Finn", he rolled his eyes, "so I probably won''t see you awake again ''till you get back;assuming I survive Finn twice in one day of course."


    Knowing that Finn wouldn''t shut up for a moment, I chuckled. His eyes softened andhisface crinkled around the edges, "I love you Alison. Be safe." Bending down he pulled me into a tight hug.


    "You too."I replied,hugging him back. With a smile for my friends he released me, walking over to collecthis watch partner.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Rushing home, I found myself filled with worry. I''d given June a hug after she returned from comforting her mother and I think that''s when it really hit me. We were actually in real danger.I hope dad will be ok on watch.


    Our house wasn''t anything special,a little squat wooden thing with a stone chimney poking above the simple sloped roof and asinglefront facingwindow into the main room.Many similarhouses lined the road as it stretched away from the village center where all the important buildings were. Opening the door directly into the main room, weaving around the wooden table set, Ientered the cramped hall that linked the main room to the master bedroom and my own. With no siblings I got a room all to myself. It was just me and dad like always.


    I quickly grabbed everything I''d need from my worn dresser. Two more shirts, a few pairs of underwear and my only other pair of woolen trousers. Theylookeda little threadbare but would have todo.Giving my room another quick glance I turned and left, snatching my brown cloak from where it hung behind the door. Making my way outside, practicallythe whole town were out and about after the Mayorsannouncement.I nodded to Finn and Brady carrying wood toward the east side of the village;littleMaria skipping along behind Finn with herstraw blondepigtailsswinging through the air.


    "Hiya Ali!" Maria waved,pigtails bouncing merrily.


    "Hi Maria." I smiled and waved back.


    Walkingover to Joe''s place on the northern end of town,Iknocked beforeenteringinto a room nearly identical to the one in myown home. June, Pieter and Joe satat the table as Joe looked over fourlarge worn leather backpacks. They looked up as I entered.


    Joe spoke, "Good. Now you''re all here I''ll tell you the plan. We''ll be up just before dawntomorrow,getsome travel clothes on and make our way to the village hall to get something to eat before we leave. Best get as much sleep as you can now. We''ve a hard few daysahead.June and Alison, you''ll be sleeping in my spare room. Sorry Pieter you''ll have to make do in front of the hearth here."Joe said and grabbed Pietersome blankets and a pillow. "Right then, I''ll see you lot in the morning."


    As Joe closed the door to his room I turned to June. "Well, let''s leave Pieter to his rightful place on the floor and turn in."


    June put her nose in the air and spoke haughtily, "Why of course Lady Alison", looking at Pieter she continued with a huff, "Peasant! I bid thee good night."


    Miming grabbing a long dress and lifting the hem from the floor, she shuffled out of the main room into the spare bedroom. I couldn''t help laughing at Pieter''s offended expression before following June to the bedroom; he just made it too easy.Curling up on the bed next to my best friend, I fell asleep quickly despite my anxiousness about what tomorrow would bring.


    The next day cameswiftly.


    "Riseandshine everyone. We''re leaving in a few minutes so get dressed in travel clothes."Joe''s voiceyelled throughthe door;clearly,he didn''tcare muchabout waking theneighbors.


    I yawnedandJunegroaned,rollingaway from meandtaking the blankets with her. With an irritated sigh,Istumbledmy way out ofbedtoputon a pair of trousers and asimple creamblouse. I was about to leave the room with June still cocooned in blankets so I decided to return the favor and steal them, ripping them away fromher,throwingthem into acorner as she yelpedatthe sudden cold.In the main room Pieter and Joe sat at the table waiting,ourpacksstacked neatly nextto the door. Pieter looked a little stiff from sleeping on the floor and scowled at me as I entered.Givinghim a half apologetic smile as greeting,Ijoinedthem at the table.


    "June''s just getting dressed, she''ll be out in a minute." I made sure to speak loud enough that I was certain she would hear me.


    Joe nodded and stood to buckle on his sword belt. "We want to be gone just before the sun comes up so we''d better leave June to catch up. Let''s go." Joe likewise spoke loudly to be sure June would hear but without his customary smile. Clearly Jacksonville was still on his mind. Scooping up our packs and cloaks on the way out the door, we stepped into the predawn light. Damn it''s freezing this early.I usually get up early, but not this early.


    "You''ll be warmer after eating and once we get on the road. Probably be too hot after walking a few hours." Joe noticed my shivers.


    Banging sounded from behind us before we were more than twenty feet down the road. Looking back, June ran towards us pack over one shoulder with her cloak trailing behind.


    "I''m coming! I''m coming."


    Once inside the village hall June and I sat as Joe and Pieter went to get food from the kitchens. They must have a night shift runningfor the watchmen to get food as lanterns still burned in the kitchen, light spilling from the doorway. Joe returned placing bowls and a large pot of steaming oatmeal with apple slices in the center of the table. Pieter following his example with mugs and a pitcher of water before sitting.


    "Eat up. We''re leaving ina quarter-glassand mark my words you''ll regret it if you don''t eat heartily now. We won''t be stopping until midday for lunch and a short rest. Then on ''till nightfall."


    "Will we get to meet the duke?" asked Pieter.


    "Probably. But I''ll be doing the talking," replied Joe.


    Eating quickly, we thanked the kitchen staff, which turned out to be none other than Mayor Thompson, before preparing to leave. He and Joe had a few quiet words and we each grabbed a wooden spear, these ones with sharpened points, from the back of the hall as we walked out the door.With the sun just barely breaking the horizon, it was still dark and cold enough that I pulled my cloak tighter around my shoulders. Reaching the western edge of the village we stopped to say our farewells to Brady and Franklin, a gangly young man and Finn''s partner in crime.


    "Morning." Brady nodded to us.


    "Hi Brady. Franklin. Everything quiet so far?" Said Joe.


    "Yeah everything''sfine. Nothing out of theordinary.Don''t usually get trouble this close to theduke''splace but thenagain,I would''ve thoughtthe same all the way out toJaksonsville.We''llneed more wood the next few nights, might even have to chop down a few of the apple trees since I doubt anyone wants to go too far from the village right now."


    "We''ll hurry.Wouldn''t want to lose too many. Stay safe."


    "You as well. Best of luck with the duke."


    Patting Brady and Franklin on the back, Joe continued down the road with June, Pieter and I following closely behind.


    "How long before we reach thecity?" Pieter asked.


    "At least four days. Likely closer tofive unless we really push it."The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "What do youthinkhappenedtoJaksonsville?" I askedJoeas we continued to walk.


    "I doubt it''sbandits,theywouldn''t take the bodies. Maybe slaversthough, but they''d haveto be either bold ordesperateto come this close to the duke''s city.It could be something else, a beast of some kind. We haven''t had anything like that happen in decades though.Ihate to say it but I hope it''s slavers. At least then some might still be alive when the duke''s mencatchup to the scum." Joe growled.


    We walked awhile in silence, hurrying along the road toward to edge of thevalleyin front of us.Just as we began ascending the small slope out of the valleyJoestiffened ahead of me, placingplace both hands on his spear.


    "It''s too quiet."


    Now that he''d mentioned it Irealizedhe was right. No birds tweeted. No owls hooted. Not even crickets chirped.I gripped my spear tighter as June, Pieter and I clustered behind Old Joe.


    The hair on the back of my neck prickled as we rushed to crest the rise out of the valley. Glancing backwards, the sun breached the horizon directly up the road on the other side ofGlimmerdale.The trees projecting long, thin shadows along the ground, coupled with the relative darkness and lack of wind lent the air an oppressive weight.


    I looked down upon the whole valleyfrom where I stood. Sudden movement drew my eye in the orchards near town. No one picked apples this early. Perhaps the watchmen had started patrolling? I caught more flashes of movement, large shapes dashing among the trees. Closer to us this time.


    "Joe. Someone''s in the orchards." My voice betrayed my fear and anxiety. He was beside me instantly, deep brown eyes searching. Opening a pouch at his waist he withdrew a smallpolishedhorn, raising it to his lips.


    A single howl split the silence, quickly joined by others until a chorus echoed through the valley. As the howls faded the trees nearest the village shook violently. Fear and adrenaline shot through me and my heart began battering at my ribs. Joes face was the far paler than usual as he replaced the horn at his waist, unblown. His eyes darted across the orchards once more. A sudden rush of movement behind me grabbed my attention and I turned just as Pieter brushed passed in a sprint towards the village, spear held tightly to his side.


    "Pieterwait!" Joe grabbed at his cloak as he flewby,dragginghim to a stop.


    "We''ve got to go back! They need our help!"


    "Wolves'' don''t attack villages unless they''re starving! There''s plenty of game around here.Something''s not right!"


    Behind Pieter,a couple hundredmetresaway,something bounded onto the road and started loping towards us.


    "Helmwatch over us." Joe prayedquietlyeven as June screamed.


    Some kind of huge black wolfrantowards uson two legs like a man.Itstood almost eight feet tallandclosed the distance between us at an impossible speed.We''d never out run it. While I was focused on the wolfman another one had sprung from the roadside further behind it. "Form a line! Spears front!" Joe bellowed as he took charge, clearly coming to the same conclusion I had.


    Scrambling close to Joe I emulated his stance, a half crouch with a two-handed grip on my spear pointing back down the road. Pieter stepped back towards us and took up the same stance on my right while June, a little slow to respond, did the same shakily on Joe''s left. A distant scream filled the valley and my heart pounded with fear.This couldn''t be happening! I must be having a nightmare. Creatures like that were talked about in fanciful storiesand legends told by passingtravelerswith an air of fiction. Joe said they were real but that he''d neverseen any real monsters.Ibroke out in a cold sweat as the first wolfman closed on us until I could truly see it in detail for the first time.


    It was definitely a humanoid wolf.Pointed ears sat atop a sleek, muzzled head filled with fangs andamber eyes glowing like beacons. Powerful, toned muscles flowed under its thick black pelt giving the impression of great strength and agility. The wolfman didn''t seem the least concerned about our spears, sprintingdirectly towards upatanimpossible speed. Amusement seemed to dance in its eyes as it closed to the edge of our spears. Just before it would have impaled itself the wolfman crouched and leaped, sailingthrough the air above us.Turning mid-air to face us,itlanded on all fours on the hard dirt of the road,skidding across theground leavinglargegougesmarringroads surface at least threemetreslong. Faster than I thought him capable of,Joe spun and threw his spear. The wolfman danced almost effortlessly to the side, the spear missing by mere inches. With a ''shing'' Joe drew his short sword and stepped forward, his face grim.


    "Shit." He exclaimed at how easily his throw was evaded, his voice tinged with horrified disbelief.


    "June, Ali, keep the other one away with your spears while we deal with this. Use your reach and keep your feet on the ground! Pieter give me a hand with this thing." Joe sounded steady, confident even; only his eyes betrayed his fear.


    "O- Okay." I hated the quiver in my voice.


    Pieter stepped back to help Joe while June and I resumed our stance against the other one.


    This one was smaller, maybe only six and a half feet tall and not as broad. IheardJoe tell Pieter to keep his back to us before I focused intensely on the smallerone. Unlike the largerwolfmanthis one slowed as it neared, stopping a few feet away. He¨Cfor it was definitely ahe- stood slightly hunched forward,drooling. Narrowing bright ambereyes,he licked his lips in a slow, deliberate manner;revealing a mouth full of razor sharp fangs. His fur was lighter, more of a muddy grey than the dark, almost blackcolourof the larger one.I heard June hyperventilating beside me and realized I was as well. A snarl sounded behind followed by a thud and coughing. The wolfman in front of us chose that moment to attack.


    Dashing in towards June, shescreamed andthrust her spear forward. With a swift sidestep he dodged her thrust while also moving away from me, around Junes other side. She tried to retract her spear but the wolfman threw itself at her, knocking her to the ground. I stabbed out, desperate to help June. My spear point glanced off his head as he lay on top of her and embedded itself in his shoulder instead. Scrambling backwards with a pained roar, he raked his claws down the sides of Junes torso as he withdrew. June''s shriek was filled with palpable agony. The move backwards threatened to pull my spear from my hands. Joe''s recent lesson fresh in my mind, I''d kept both feet fully grounded for my thrust and managed to pull it from the wound before it was ripped out of my grasp. Placing myself between June and the beast I gripped my spear white knuckled.


    A roar of pain and fury sounded from my left where Pieter and Joe were dealing with the big one. A glance to the side showed Joe had the point of his short sword embedded in the larger wolfman''s lower torso, but he never got a chance to retrieve it as an enormous clawed hand gripped his shoulder, dragging him closer. Joe struggled and tried to pull his blade sideways spilling his opponents''guts, but another hand closed around his own on the hilt of his sword, holding it in place. Bending down slightly the monster bit down on Joe''s free arm as he raised it, trying in vain to push away the descending muzzle and he couldn''t hold in a choked grunt of agony. Pieter rushed in, spear held forward only to be backhanded so hard his feet left the ground. He crashed into the roadside a fewmetresaway, continuing to roll almost into the trees from the force of the blow. I needed to help Joe but I couldn''t leave June. Making a snap decision, I reared backwards and threw my spear one handed at the larger wolfman. I didn''t wait to see if I hit but snatched June''s spear from where it lay on the ground.


    By the time I returned my full attention to the smaller one in front of me he had recovered and was already rushing in, claws reaching for my throat. I braced myself in myhalf-crouchedposition at the last moment. Letting out a surprised yelp, blood ran fromhismuzzle as my spear-point entered his torso dead center.The force ofhischargepropelledme backward and off balance. Trying to pull my spear back proved impossible, the wolfman had followed the largerone''sexample, gripping my spear where it entered his body and even gravely injured, he was still too strong. His other arm clawed the air towards me furiously as he howled in pain and rage.


    Abandoning my spear, I turned, dashing to where Pieter lay unmoving on the side of the road. Blood ran down his face and his jaw hung unnaturally off to one side, obviously badly broken. Panting from the fear and exertion, I searched franticly for his spear. It wasn''t here! I couldn''t find it. Glancing back to the road revealed I was out of time. The smaller wolfman was pulling the spear slowly fromhischest whimperingwhilethe big one stood directly in front of me, looking down into my eyes. I froze in fear, paralyzed as I tried desperately to think of something, anything I could do. He glanced down at the wooden spear sticking out from his thigh and pulled it out as I watched. Tossing the spear to the side. He continued to watch the gaping spear wound. I couldn''t believe it; the wound began closing right before my eyes.


    Apparently satisfied, he looked calmly back down at me. His glowing eyes snapped me out of it and I tried to jump backwards. Just as my feet left the ground he once again showed that impossible speed, gripping me by the head with his right hand and my upper arm with his left. Pulling me close I struggled desperately as he yanked my head to one side. Opening his muzzle wide, he bit down on my shoulder between my arm and neck. I screamed in agony as I felt teeth slice through my skin and into the muscle beneath. The nerves in my shoulder pulsed with liquid fire that dripped down my entire torso. Sudden tears blurred my vision and with a crunch of bone, everything went black.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Pure agony pulsed through my left shoulder as I started awake. Opening my eyes, I couldn''t hold back a groan of pain. The light stung and I quickly shut them again. Something soft tickled the bare skin of my arms. The scent of wet dirt, earth, filled my nostrils. Opening my eyes more slowly, giving myself time to adjust, I went to sit up. The excruciating pain flared into agony and I stopped. I felt weak. What happened? Why was I so weak?


    "We got another live one! Pretty too." A deep voice spoke from nearby.


    "You know what Jaron said, no playing with the humans. We''ll have some bitches of our own soon enough." This voice was higher and further away.


    A large bald man leaned over me and grinned showing yellow, slightly crooked teeth.


    "Hello missy. I''ve got a feeling we''regonnaget to know each otherrealwell."


    His eyes slid down my body. Revulsion washed through me and he must have seen it on my face because his grin widened as he responded.


    "Hah! You''ll change your tune soon enough little flower, and I''ll be there when it does."


    What was I doing with these men? Everything was so fuzzy and I couldn''t think through the pain. Actually, the pain was a good place to start. Despite the flare of molten agony, I rolled my head to the side to look at my shoulder. Even with the light stabbing at my eyes I couldn''t help but widen them in shock. I couldn''t see much other than my shoulder caked in dried blood and my shredded blouse streaked crimson all the way down the left side of my torso. Suddenly I remembered flashes of huge teeth and June screaming.June...Joe, Pieter! Dad!


    "Where are my friends?!"My voice was urgent but filled with fear.


    "Ohthey''re around I''m sure. Most worse off than you though,youlucky bitch-to-be!"


    The higher voice laughed from further away and I glanced towards the source. A thinner, almost gangly man with long scars down his left ear and cheek was rummaging through my pack.


    "I hear you got Jaron with a spear! He must have been in a good mood. I''m surprised you''re still alive and he didn''t even ruin that pretty face of yours." He shook his head side to side as though amazed. "If it''d been anyone else you''d be in a lot more pain right now, or perhaps, none at all if you catch my drift." He made a throat slashing gesture."That I guarantee. Anyway, it''s ''bout time we put you with the others." He grinned sadistically, "This isgonnahurt."


    Placing a hand either side of my torso, he lifted me with apparent ease and I shrieked as my vision swam with pain.I felt bones grinding together unnaturally in my shoulder and after a few stepsthe pain grew distant andeverythingwenthazy.


    "I think you broke her. Look, her skinspracticallygrey!" The skinny man said.


    "Naw.She''s just in shock is all. Surprised she didn''t pass outt''behonest."


    A yank on my hairpulledmy head backwards and a scream from my mouth as I was forced to look up into the bald man''s eyes. I could see the sadistic pleasure in them.


    "You go on back to the village.Jaron''llbe searching for any stragglers. I''lltake her to the others."


    Skinny nodded with a grin.


    "Is that just an excuse to get a quick taste of the goods before anyone else?"


    "''Course not!Jaron''dhave my hide if I did an'' you know it. ''Sides, she''ll be begging for it soon enough."


    With a sinister chuckle Skinny left the clearing.


    I knew I was in shock, but it was a distant knowledge, barely seen through the fog in my mind.Bringing my legs up to my chest I wrapped my good arm around them as great sobs shook my body and tears rolled down my cheeks.Flashes of Joe being mauled, June''s skin being shredded by giant clawswhileher blood spilledacrossthe road,filled mymind''seye.


    I''d always played at adventure, listening to Old Joe''s stories and imagining myself in his place, exploring the world and fighting allruffiansand bandits,even such farfetched things as a dragon or two,but I''d never imagined what happened if I lost. Now I didn''t need to imagine.


    I must have inherited my senseof adventurefrom my mother. I''d never met her,but dad said shewas part of a travelling mercenary company and although I was a happy accident to him, for her it was a different story. Caring for a daughter would have meant having to settle down and accept the simple life with my father. Apparently brewing cider and picking apples wasn''t exciting enough for her.As soon as sherecovered from my birth,she left us to rejoin her friends.


    I don''t know how long I sat there, sobbing into my knees in the near darkness. By the time I came back to myself the light had just begun to fade from the sky. My mouth felt like rough bark and I had a hot aching sensation all over that mingled with the pain radiating from my shoulder. Surprisingly, I hurt less than I expected, the pain was still sharp but far less mind blanketing than before. Instead, a tingling heathad replaced it,fizzingstrangely inside my bones.


    Wiping my eyes against the short sleeve of my blouse that wasn''t covered in blood, I looked up. Glancing around, others from my village were similarly placed against trees or just lying on the grass covered in blood. About a score -twenty - of us in all. I guess we know what happened toJaksonsville.We''re all going to die.


    We must be in the orchards. Apples littered the ground like a storm had swept through. One nestled up against my right knee, close enough to grasp without bending forward. Licking my dry, cracked lips I grabbed it and took a bite, focused on sating my hunger for the moment.


    "Ali! You''re back with us. Where are the others who went with you? Did they get away?" Mayor Thompson spoke quickly from where he was propped against the tree to my left.


    He waslackinga few fingers on his right hand with clear bite marks on his forearm. One knee bent at an unnatural angle, swollen and bruised and his spectacles were missing;he looked strange without them. Suddenly feeling a little nauseous, I swallowed and shook my head gently, placing the apple back on the grass.


    "No,wenever had a chance.Didanyone get away from the village? What about my father?"I asked anxiously.


    Thompson grimaced and I knew immediatelydad didn''t get away.


    "He''s around somewhere. Damn!" he exclaimed, punching the earth with his good hand. "We''ll just have to hope that Pat and his caravan get enough of a response to send some men as soon as possible." He didn''t look or sound at all confident of that. Probably because small caravanners and peddlers don''t exactly have a reputation for accurate storytelling, more the opposite. Thompson looked like he was debating something for a moment before he spoke up again, his voice low, filled with grief.


    "Ali...your dad was on watch when the howling started. He and the other watchmen are the worst off...most of them didn''t make it,but I know Finn and your dad were at least alive last I time saw them." I felt sick at the thought of my father lying among the trees, dead or dying, the grass stained red around him. "Brady''s dead...and Serena...my beautiful Serena." he continued, swallowing heavily as tears filled eyes already red.


    Old Joe''s pained voice sounded from the other side of my tree, out of sight around the large trunk, "Thompson, there''s no chance any real help will arrive and you know it. Our only chance is to get our message to the duke. I don''t know why but it''s clear they want us alive;most of us at least. If I had to guess... Well, those teeth aren''t exactly made for eating vegetables."


    "Joe!" Relief washed through me at the sound of his voice before being quickly replaced by concern."Are you alright? Where''s June and Pieter?"Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "I''ve been better, but surprisingly I''ve also been worse. June was hauled off somewhere closer to the village. Pieter''s there too. I don¡¯t think he''s woken at all since that blow to the head. They seem to be taking themostinjured over there." From his grave tone it was obvious he feared the worst; especially after his earlier comment. Glancing around once more I couldn''t see any of the wolfmen. Perhaps we could escape, before they killed the rest of us.


    "Where are they?What, are they?"


    "They''re around and I have no idea. Listen,we need someone to get our letter to the duke, otherwise we might as well be dead already. Can either of you walk? I''ve got atorn-upleg else I''d go myself."


    "I can''t. My knee is completely broken. I don''t think I''ll ever be able to walk again." Stated Thompson,distracted from his tears by Joe.


    I bit my lip.


    "I can."


    "Good."


    Joescalloused hand appeared around the trunk of the tree at my back, holdinga blood splattered letter.


    "Grab Finn and anyone else who can walk.Follow the road west until you reach the city and give the letter to the captain of the guards at the gate."


    Deceptively lightfootfallsnearby grew louder until a broad shouldered, raven haired man with long jagged scars running down his left arm from under his sleeve stepped into view.I quickly stashed theletter underneathmy thigh.Hehad on a threadbare shirt thecolourof new leaves and rough brown pants. I''d never seen him before and from the looks the others were giving him no one else had either.He walked right up to me hand outstretched.


    "The duke doesn''t care about you. Trust me, I know." He voice was firm and filled withauthority. He motioned with his hand. "Give it here."


    Staring at him, I was unsure what to do.


    "Give. It. Here. Now." His words took on a sharp edge.


    A sigh sounded behind me.


    "Give him the letter Ali. It¡¯s ok." Came Joes voice.


    Handing over the letter, he tore it into pieces right in front of us before walking to the clearing center.


    "What a Pitiful defense. Barely a fighter among you." He looked disgusted, his voice dripped with scorn. "I honestly expected hardy farm folk to mount some form of resistance." He looked around at us once more and as his dark amber eyes met mine I could see disappointment, like we had let him down. "Then again, it''s not like it''s a surprise." He sighed and looked away. "Ah well, at least some of you have the will to fight, unlike the last town." Gaze turning back towards us he continued. "Those of you that survive will serve me and you will learn. I am the alpha of this pack. You may call me Jaron."


    "This pack?", Mayor Thompson spoke up, "You work with those things?! Those monsters! You let them attack our village? And Jacksonville?! People are dead because of you! You betray humanity to these demons!" Glancing at Thompson I could see him practically frothing at the mouth and gnashing his teeth in rage.


    "Lives are lost in war. If their lives must be paid for justice, for vengeance, then gladly will I pay them. I would pay any price!" Jaron''s words grew steadily louder as he spoke. His face twitched, clearly struggling with some deeper emotion and after a moment he abandoned his failing attempt to hide his fury. His next words were frenzied, steeped in rage, "I sacrificed everything. Everything! Even my life and the lives of my men. My friends! All to protect his son and he covers it up! I understood he needed to avoid a panic, keep the faith of the people or they''d turn on him. Couldn''t let them know ''monsters'' were loose in the lands. Couldn''t let the fuckingCaprithknow how close they came to capturing his son. He''d lose face, seem vulnerable!"


    Jaron''s rage red features twisted until they reflected nothing but grief, a broken man. He continued quietly, almost as though he was talking to himself. "I could''ve understood,could''vewent quietly into the darkness for the best of reasons. But...but-" He paused to gather himself, wiping the beginnings of tears from his eyes, taking a deep breath and schooling his face before speaking again.


    "Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? Someone you trusted with your very life and the lives of your loved ones? I have. We all have whether you know it or not. His oath, his word and hishonourare empty. He owes me and mine a debt of blood.He owes all of us!" He stared straight at Mayor Thompson. "I didn''t betray humanity to ''these demons'', humanity betrayedmeto them!"


    With that Jaron gripped the collar of his shirt and slid it off in one movement revealing his well-muscled arms and torso with raised pale scars running in jagged lines until they passed out of sight. Gasps of horror could be heard around the clearing. He looked like a man who should be dead;one who had survived long hours of torture, being flayed alive or worse. As I ran my gaze over the horror someone had made of his body the crunching of bone broke the fearful silence.Swiftly glancingaroundI sawothers doing the same. It wasn''t immediately clear wherethe soundcame from, only when Jaron groaned did all eyes return to see his ribs straining stark white against his skin,head thrown back towards the starlit sky beyond the treetops. His skin seemed to slither and split, growing out from his frame. His muscles following a moment later, bulging outward.


    What the fuck!?Never in any story had I heard of this!


    With a low grinding noise his jaw began to shift and push outward below glowing amber eyes as his ears grew pointed. He appeared to grow before my eyes as dark hair -fur- began to sprout from the new skin until it covered him head to toe, eventually hiding even his myriad of scars. Where before he''d beensix feet tall now he stood at least seven. With a series of cracks and pops his spine curved forcing him into an almost hunched over stance and he dropped to all fours. Freshly grown long black claws dug into the grass and dirt as he stretched his new form towards the sky and howled through what was now clearly a muzzle rimmed with inch long fangs.


    Icy fear shot down my spine, no longer postponed by disbelief as whimpers and screams filled the night. Adrenaline flooded through me. Ignoring the pain in my shoulder I lurched forward grasping the rough bark of the apple tree behind me with my uninjured arm and shoulder, using it to pull myself to my feet. Turning to flee I stopped before I''d even taken a step as moreof themstepped out from the trees, surrounding the clearing. Each raised their muzzles to the sky, joining Jaron''s howl until it filled the valley. There was nowhere to run. The hot ache I''d been feeling in the background ever since I awoke grew stronger until it suffused my body and I broke out in sweat, suddenly gasping for air.


    Turning back to Jaron I watched as he raised himself onto two legs, standing hunched forward, knees slightly bent. Rolling his head, he took a moment to breathe deeply.Was- washesavouringthe scent of our terror?!With something akin to a sigh his muscles went limp and he began shrinking back to his original size with an orchestra of cringe inducing cracks and pops. As his muzzle finished receding into his skull his mouth took on a small smirkbrimmingwith confidence, arrogance.


    "And so, the sheep see that a wolf is among them. A wolf in sheep''s clothing just like all the stories say. You need not fear little sheep, for a wolf you may yet become. You see, all it takes is one bite and on the next full moon the sheep becomes both man and wolf.Awerewolf. Or dies." His rage and grief vented for the moment Jaron smiled at our terrified, disbelieving stares. "It''s true and what''s more, the full moon is only one night away. Most of you will die, but even a handful from every village will add to our numbers, until not even the garrison ofLearsor the mages in their vaunted academy can offer thathonourlesscretin asylum. Those of you who survive will join me and leave your traitorous humanity behind. You shall be my soldiers. The instruments of my vengeance and we shall take everything from him as he has taken everything from me!" The aching heat faded into the background once more, seemingly in time with his return to humanity.


    "You''re even more of a musclebound oaf than you look if you think anyone will join you after killing our family and friends. I''ll join them before I join you monsters!"


    Instead of anger at Joe''s outburst,Jaron looked to my right wherehewas and laughed with a sharp, sinister edge. "Oh, you''ll join me. You will find new purpose and pleasures. Your old lives will mean nothing and as your alpha, youwillobey me." He smirked. "Just wait and see."


    His gaze shifted to meet mine and the dark amber of his eyes glowed, "You too little spear-girl. A fine throw that was. I expect both you and the old man to survive the first transformation. I could use your fighting spirit."


    Irealizedit had been himon the road!Hewas the one who bit me.


    With a finalglance around the clearing Jaron began to make his way back towards our village, grabbing his shirt from where it lay upon the grass.


    "Enjoy your apples. It''s all you''ll be getting tonight."


    Even with Jaron gone the clearing was still silent. A darkness beyond simple nightfall had fallen over it. Frompeople''sexpressions most were in shock.I wonder if mine is the same. Just the prospect of becoming one of those monsters, werewolves Jaron had called them...is it truly possible? That a bite could do such a thing? I''d never have believed it before,but after seeing a man transform into a monster before my eyes I couldn''t shake the feeling that it was true. Old Joe and Mayor Thompson clearly didn''t know as they were just as silent as the rest of us. Finn was sobbing against a tree on the other side of the clearing, clutching at bloody gouges in his chest; a strip of torn, blood splattered fabric grasped in one white knuckled hand. Finn! He was on dads watch shift! Pushing off from where I still leaned against the tree I walked slowly so as to avoid jolting my shoulder. Even so I could feel the bones grinding against each other slightly and instantly felt nauseous.


    Standing over Finn I could hear his breath rattle. The bloody cloth he held so tightly was clearly the ruffled sleeve of a dress and his sobs resolved into faint whispers of ''Maria'', the name of his eight-year-old sister. Suddenly seeing through tears, I placed my hand on his shoulder and his face turned towards me. It took a long moment before recognition sparked in his eyes. "He- he said they had no use for children.That- that it was a mercy to save them from this world." His voice was choked, lips trembling.


    Tears filled my eyes as I thought of little Maria, Brady, Serena and all the rest who''s fates I didn''t know and I fought back sobs of my own.How could this happen? We were a simple village who grew apples and made cider. This is a nightmare.Finn must have realized what I''d come over to ask as he continued through his sobs, "Y- Your dads alive." He paused to gather himself a moment, "He lost an earand''neye, but was alive last I saw him."


    Not trusting myvoice,I nodded my thanks and knelt next to him, cradling his head with my good arm, back against the tree. I cried along with Finn until finally he fell into sleep and I followed soon after.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    Something shifted next to me and I slumped sideways onto the ground. Snapping my eyes open at the sudden pain radiating from my shoulder, I sat up. Surprisingly I hurt far less than the last time I''d awoken, but the hot ache had only grown stronger. My skin felt tight and the texture of my clothes brushing againstwasvivid and raw. Finn had stretched out along the ground to grab an apple and woken me. Hunger gnawed at my stomach as well so following his example I gathered a few myself. Looking to the sky, I grimaced. Sunset. I''d slept almost a full day. A faint thumping grew steadily louder and Jaron strode into the clearing followed by a dozen people I didn''t recognize along with the big bald man, Kelber, and the skinny man from yesterday. They all dressed in clothes clearly looted from our village and carried people I did recognize.


    "Dad!"


    He was unconscious over the shoulder of a largebrown-hairedman with dark eyes. Dried Blood coated his face and a crude attempt had been made at bandaging his eye and ear. His pants and shirt were stained red but I couldn''t make out anyinjuriesother than a badly torn legunder the mess of his clothing.


    Our fellow villagers were dumped in the center of the clearing raising a chorus of groans and whimpers. There were fewer of them thanthereshould have been. Out of near sixty of us there couldn''t be more than thirty left. Rushing todad''sside I checked his wounds. Besides the ear and eye his worst injury was his ankle,which was bent to the side unnaturallywiththe whiteness of bonevisible up against the skin. His breath pressed faintly against my face. He was alive. Silent tears slid down my cheeks as I held him.


    "Ali!"


    "June!Mr''sMariet! I''m so glad you''re alive!Where''sPieter?"


    June''shappy expressionat finding me alive soured, replaced quickly with angerfollowed immediately by sorrow.


    "Just there." Shepointed to the edge ofthe gathering. "He''sbreathing,buthe hasn''t woken up atall, noteven when they triedhurtinghim!"


    True to her word Pieter lay on his back upon the grass. Laying dads head gently back on the groundI movedto kneel beside Pieter. His jaw slanted wrongly off the one side, clearly badly broken, and the entire right side of his face was a mottledpurple and black.


    Fury filled me. My glare found Jaron. He stood off to the side, his people at his back and Kelber at his side. They laughed and milled about completely untouched by the suffering around them, suffering they had caused. We were in the grasp of true monsters;monsters who apparently wanted to make us like them.


    With that thought my fury was joined by an equal amount of fear and I turned away. Finn and I tried to make everyone as comfortable as possible before we sat together with June, each being careful not to jostle our injuries.Shouldn¡¯t I be in more pain? Icould still feel the pull on the torn skin of my shoulder every time I moved,but it was just pressure and the tingling hot aching.


    "Is this everyone?"Finn asked June.


    "I think so."


    They both lookedextremely paleand I¡¯m sure I was the same.


    "Where- What are they doing with the bodies?"June¡¯s voice was quiet and quivered slightly, as if she didn¡¯t really want to know the answer.


    Looking over to Old Joe our eyes met and he answered simply.


    "You meanthey''re not in the village?"


    "No."


    "Then don''t think about it. It''s not important right now, just keep doing what you can for them." He nodded to the worst off in the clearing center.


    "Oh gods!How can this be happening?!" June exclaimed.


    "Hah. Youain''tseen nothing yet girlie. The real show''s about to start."Looking up we foundKelberleeringdown at us.Hegestured towards Joe, Mayor Thomas and the others propped upnext to the trees. I couldn''t seewhat he was getting at and just as I went to look awaypale moonlightfelluponthem.With sudden gasps twin beacons of amber lit upthe faces of everyonewhoseskin thelight touched. A sudden cacophony of cracks andgrindingbone drowned out theirgroansa moment later.


    "Time to cull the weak from the strong!" Jaron''s exclamation was met by cheers from his people that quickly grew more guttural, but I was unable to tear my eyes away from the spectacle in front of me.


    My friends, the people I''d grown up with, were transforming into monsters before my eyes. Old Joe started coughing, convulsing violently on the ground. A few moments later he spasmed and went still, his face towards me. I watched as life faded from his eyes, followed soon after by the amber glow that had taken it from him. The ethereal light crawled across theclearingtowards me. The aching heat I''d been feeling grew to an infernoas it crept ever closer, shining upon the grass.June struggled to stand, screaming, while Finn remainedstaringslack jawed.


    Leaping to my feet, I grabbeddad under the arms. Ignoring mypain,Idesperatelydraggedhim away from the moonlight.


    "Finn! Help June!"


    With a shudder Finn seemed torealizehe should be doing something, but it was too late. The same amber light spilled from their eyesand they joinedthe others frantically pulling at their clothes, choking on screams.


    "Youucan''ttrunnnfrommtheemoooooon-lighhtttspearrrgirllll"


    Ignoring Jaron''s twistedtaunt,I pulled with all my strength once more, dragging dad another few feet. He was too big, too heavy;and my leftarm wouldn''t work right, theagony in my shoulder too debilitating. The lightonly gained ground despite my efforts, sliding over the edge of dadsscuffed leatherboots onto the bare skin of his injured leg. His eyes snapped open shininglikeallthe rest.Letting go,I stumbled backwards,falling to one side on the grass.


    "No. Stop this!" I pleaded without knowing who I was pleading too.


    Large, clawed hands closed around my shoulders, pulling me to my feet, facing me towards the light. The moonlight fell upon my face and a bolt of energy raced through me. Like feeding oil to a fire, the inferno inside me exploded outwards and I felt my skin stretch, unable to contain it. The grip on my shoulders released and I fell to my hands and knees screaming. My ribs flexed outward as muscles twisted, bulged and grew taut. I felt my jaw crack and begin to push out, growing fangs forcing my teeth apart. Pain filled every nerve but even it was not left unchanged,thefire inside consumed it,the pain evaporating into a strange sense of release. Staring down at my fingers in front of me among the grass, I watched with burning eyes as long black talons sprouted and grew. My new claws dug into the soil involuntarily as my hands shifted and changed, becoming almost paws but with longer more dexterous fingers. Light brown, almost red fur erupted all over and my poor shredded blouse finally ripped completely. With a series of cracks and pops I felt my spine curve, forcing me to hunch further forward on the ground.


    Panting, I realized it was over. A sudden howl started behind me and new, alien instincts pushed me to add my voice to theirs. Others joined the howl and it built until Ineededto join in. Thrusting my head backwards I howled for all I was worth. As it died down a large black werewolf, Jaron, growled.


    ''Follow. Hunt.''


    Somehow, I understood and adesire, aneedto obey the alpha of the packovercame me. New alien thoughts and feelings mingled with my own. Part of me realized I wasn''t thinking straight, that I''d changed, but an equal new part of me feltnothing but exhilaration.


    Jaron took off up out of the valley and we followed into the forest beyond. Air rushed through my fur, filling my ears as they twitched and swiveled strangely atop my head. Sounds and smells filled my mind with new explicit detail, atapestrythat had always been there just beyond my senses.The darkness barely hindered my vision as I ran, following the pack. New instincts guided me and flexing powerful muscles I leapt over a fallen log, dashing swiftly through the underbrush. A sense of freedom filled me. Moonbeams filtered through the canopy; shafts of light dancing with the movement of the leaves above. It felt right, like I belonged with the pack among the trees and brush. Yet at the same timea small sense ofwrongand fearatthe back of my mind persisted despite my new feelings.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Suddenly we changed direction and I smelt something warm, something alive; the scent offreshly kicked up dirt and wind beneath the trees. The new part of me that reveled in the strength was suddenlyravenous, flushed with the desire to hunt, tokill.Rushing through me it took full control as the thrill of the hunt stole what little focus I''d retained and the chase overtook me. We approached from downwind of our quarry, silent but for the soft pad of paw on grass. Loping swiftly, we broke from the trees with such speed that the small herd of grazing deer next to a large, clear pond never had time to truly escape. We allowed them to run for a few moments, drawing out the hunt, before Jaron leapt upon a large buck. Immediately I pounced upon the nearest prey, an older doe, bringing her to the ground with my jaws closed on her neck. Whipping my head to the side, I bit down hard. A single sharp crack and her struggles ceased beneath me. A quick death. Warm blood filled my mouth, running between my fangs. It was delicious, a rich tapestry I''d never tasted before. I was starving. Ripping and tearing I ate my fill, seeking the parts that smelt the best to my new senses.


    Once sated, I raised my head to gaze out upon the rest of the pack among the trees and my elation at a successful hunt faded. Deer littered the groundand a sense of unstoppable power filled me.Some of the othersdancedaround a pair of adolescent fawns,taking turns swiping them with their claws, reveling in their pain and fear, in their own strength.A feral desireto join them and show my own strength washed through me, but at the same time a sense that this was cruel,wrong occupied the same space. Frozen in place I tried to reconcile the conflicting thoughts fighting for control. Behind the urge to join in, a small sense of confusion came from the new part of my mind.Hunting was for food, drawing out the prey''s pain and death waspointless. Watching a moment, the sense ofconfusiononly grew.Leveraging theconfusion, the sense of wrongness won. Some control returned and suddenly what they were doing was repulsive.They were torturinghelpless fawns,getting off on it,and I''d wanted to join them?I felt sick.Tasting blood and feeling it covering my fingers I looked down at my furred paw-like hands.I''d changed more than just physically, that much was clear. From what was happening in front of me it wasobviousthe others had as well.


    Staring at my sticky, red stained fur, a bottomless pit opened up in my stomach, I felt empty inside.I¡¯m a monster.


    Raising my head, I found a brown furred werewolf pacing toward me. Sniffing the air out of instinct, his scent identified him as Kelber. My new instincts rose up again, only this time in complete agreement with my old self. Crouching, I baredmy teeth, a growl rumbling up my throat involuntarily. Stopping a few feet in front of me he stared into my eyes, seeming enraged at my reaction.


    ''Submit.''


    I felt no need to obey him as I had Jaronand ifhe thinks I''m letting him anywhere near me he''s got another thing coming.


    My growl continued unabated and Kelber stretched himself up to his full height, advancing claws outstretched. His muscles tensed just before he charged, attempting to knock me to the ground. From my crouched position it was easy to dart forward, thrusting upward into his stomach with my claws. The strength of my new muscles surged and his feet left the ground.Forward momentum from his rush causedhim to fly a short distance before slamming headfirst into the trunk of a largetree. He recovered quickly, scrambling up in only a few moments;although he continued shaking his head as if to clear it even after he gained his feet.


    Kelberbegangathering himself for a second charge when Jaron stepped between us, human once more.


    "Looks like we''ve a fight on our hands." His gazeflickeredover me from head totoe, grinning. "Littlemissspear-girlwon''t go easily to hands and knees like a good bitch ayeKel? I''m not one to turn down free entertainment. Go on then." Hestepped back.


    Rage rose within me, along with a feral anticipation for the fight to come. I''d show him who the real bitch was here.


    We stared at each other, neither making a move. If he wanted me, he''d have to come to me, so I waited. This time, he approached slowly, takingcautioussteps forward until he stood just beyond my reach. Lightning fast he jumped forward arms outstretched, attempting to grapple metheground. Yet I was faster still, as he began to move I saw my opening and took it.Withhis arms raised to encircle me I simply leapt directly at him. Colliding with his torso, the force of my leap knocked him onto his back with me directly on top of him.


    Not wasting anytime,I swiped furiously at his neck. The scent of blood from the deer already saturating the air grew thicker as I rippedbloodychunks from his throat with feral glee. Kelber bucked upwards and threw me to the side. I felt to the forest floor, jumping back to my feet the moment after impact.


    Spinning around, I found Kelber crouched low, one hand clutching his throat, the blood pulsing from his throat had already began to slow as his unnatural healing kicked in. I howled in furious joy and scenting his fear, his weakness I pressed my advantage. Darting forwardIwent to rake my claws across his face but he blocked with a forearm and backpedaled. I matched him step for step growing more and more angry as he deflected my swipes with his arms until finally Ithrew myself at him. He didn''t waste his chance. Thrusting his claws outward, the force of my own leap worked against me. His right hand glanced off bone but I felt my ribs crack and his left -hand claws dug deeply into my upper right torso. My own blood joined his on the air, pain washed through me and I was suddenly short of breath as blood bubbled up my throat. Then I landed on him, crushing him to the ground with my weight. Gripping his arm, I ripped his hand out of my chest, ignoring the flash of agony thataccompaniedit. Opening my jaw wide I crunched down on his hand savoring his blood as it ran across my tongue. I felt his bones breaking and he roared in agony, desperately gripping my muzzle with his free hand, trying to pry me off. Releasing his hand, I gripped his shoulder, raising one arm, swiping downwards with all my might towards his face.


    "Enough!"


    Powerful hands stopped me mid swing, liftingmeoff the whining, whimpering little bitch and threw meto the side. Slamming into to the ground a second time, I was slower to recover, panting desperate for air as my right lung failed me. Crawling to my hands and knees, spitting blood, I looked over toKelber. Jaron stood between us, staring at me. Sliding my gaze off himI found a blood covered lumplyingonthe grass behind him.


    Jaron stared at me and all thoughts of continuing, fell away. Still, I''d won.I felt the urge to howl my victory but didn''t have the air to do so. I relaxed. Now that the fight was over the pain I''d been ignoring came to the forefront and I looked down. Fuck. He had made a ruin of my torso. It looked as though I''d been impaled on a spear and I was utterly drenched in blood;his blood from when I tore his neck open, and mine from the gaping hole in my chest. The anger returned and placing a hand over the wound I glared over at Kelber once more. I wanted to kill him, but Jaron wouldn''t allow it,that much was clear from the way he watched me as he stood between us.


    I couldn''t get enough air, but as I sat panting it slowly grew easier and I could feel my lung healing. Glancing around I found the others watching me, bloodlust shining in their eyes.


    "We''ll return to village to sleep and get some clothes. Then I hear there''s some peddlers on their way to the city with news of our attacks, giving away our location." He grinned at ussadistically."We can¡¯t have that.¡±


    We all watched as Jaron shifted into werewolf form in front of us.


    Forcing Kelber to his feet, howling a successful hunt and with another''Follow'', he entered the trees.Pressure toobeyhis command filled my mind, growing by the moment. I fought to resist howling and succeeded in releasing only a quiet whine. Instead I took what small rebellion I could and dashed to the pond where the deer had grazed.


    The splash of cold water brought me fully back tolucidityand I found myself filled with a raging hurricane of emotion. I hated Kelber. He just expected me to submit to him simply because he wanted me and thought himself the big strong man and me the weak little girl. I''d showed him just who was weak and I felt nothing but satisfaction about it.Bright sparks of bloodlust and desire mixed with confusion,horror and revulsion at the others torturing helpless fawns and getting off on it. And finally, I felt fear. Fear stemming from the fact that I didn''t understand some of my own thoughts and emotions, knowing that I''d never have felt like this before. Fear that I was and forever would be a monster. Even that was tinged with confusion, the new part of me not understanding why I''d feel that way.I¡¯d torn outsomeone''sthroat without the slightest hesitation and all I¡¯d felt was glorious bloodlust driving meforward.Finally, there was Jaron. A disturbing mix of fear, hatred, awe and submission came to the forefront as I thought his name. He''d done this to us, killed so many...and yet he was the alpha, wasn''t it his right?


    The whirlwind of emotion tore at me, threatening to tear me apartand I whimpered, covering my eyes a momentas Itriedto regain control of myself.


    --------


    Running through the treeswasa different experience now that I''d shakenoffsome of the instinctsoverrunningme during the hunt. I still felt the power, the freedom, but they were outweighed bymy growing knowledge that Jaron was right. I had changed in both mind andbody, and so had the rest ofGlimmerdale; those that survived anyway. It happened so quickly, one moment I was a human girl, the next a ravenousbeast.Amonster.


    I caught up to the others back at the clearing amongstthe apple trees, just outside town. Jaron had become human again and was putting on clothes. While everywhere werewolves dragged corpses away. I hadn''t realized so few of us survived, the bodies of my former townspeople littered the ground.


    Stopping beside Joe''s twisted corpse I stared down, crying silently. He lay curled up in the grass, a frozen expression of agony upon his face. Jaron was right again, the weak had been culled from the strong. Only, the strong died instead of letting themselves become monsters,and Joe was the strongest of us.


    Looking up from Old Joe my gaze passed over lifeless faces but I couldn''t find my dad. Relief filled me but it came with an equal amount of guilt and uncertainty. I was so happy he was alive yet also uncertain if this was a fate worse than death.Either wayguilt plagued mefor having our little family remain intact while so many others were shattered or wiped out entirely. On top of that, shouldn''t I feel more grief? There was sadness,but it was distant, an entire lifetime ago;the change had taken it too, leaving a dull achefar less raw than when I''d sat with Finn just yesterday.


    ¡°Guess he was weak after all.¡± Jaron spoke to me from the clearing center before addressing everyone."We''ll burn the bodies tomorrow before we leave." His lips spread in a sinister smile. "We''ve places to be."

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    I bounded among the trees, paws pounding against the soft earth as I chased my prey. The doe stood no chance but I let it run, drew out the hunt until I could hold back my excitement no more and leapt upon her back, forcing her to the ground. She squirmed and struggled underneath me and I swiftly bit down and broke her delicate neck between my powerful jaws. Sweet blood filled my mouth, spiced with fear and adrenaline from the chase. I howled my superiority before bending back down to partake of my kill, only to find it was a doe no longer. Glassy eyes stared up at me from Maria''s small blood covered face, surrounded by a halo of matted blond hair. Her accusatory, unblinking gaze pierced to my core and I stumbled backward trembling. Rough calloused hands grabbed at my fur.


    "You killed her! You''re nothing but a killer now! An evil demon." A broad male form loomed above me silhouetted against the night sky as he screamed at me. The moonlight reflected off the blood pooling below me and I caught my first glimpse of a face twisted in hate and fear, Old Joe.


    "You can''t help it can you? The killing. I''ve got to stop you before you kill again!" Joe reared back drawing his short sword from it''s usual place at his waist. "Die monster! DIE!" I scrambled backwards, along the ground before rolling onto my paws. With a yell full of insane fury Joe ran towards me slashing wildly. I dashed into the forest and sprinted for all I was worth. The sound of him crashing through the brush nearly drowned out by his continued screams filtering through the trees, building upon themselves until his words were a palpable pressure upon my skin. An impact shook the ground behind me and pain pierced my heart. Glancing down, Joe''s blade dripped crimson where it extended from my chest. He stepped close until I felt him pressed against my back, blade hilt flush against my skin, lips caressing my ear.


    "You''re nothing but a monster."


    I bolted upright gasping, drenched in sweat. The world spun around me. Sounds seemed to echo in my ears. Scents, muted compared to last night, but like a flawless vista compared to all the days before, spread across my mind like a tapestry. Even the bark and leaves looked more detailed and vibrant than I was used to with thin veins and ridges running across their surface. Pulling my legs in I wrapped my arms around them and placed my head between my knees panting.  It was a dream! Just a dream. I would never hurt Maria!


    Slowly the world stopped spinning and refocused around me and I realized Mayor Thompson was speaking nearby and I looked up to find him, Finn, June and Mils standing in a group.


    "The bloodlust. The hunt...it was..." He seemed unwilling to continue but his eyes shone with predatory need. The others all nodded silently, except Finn. Now that someone else had started he was unable to contain himself. His eyes glowed bright amber as he spoke.


    "It was good...too good. The strength...the power!" He exclaimed, following with a whispered, "...the blood on my lips..." He shuddered in what was clearly pleasure. Glancing around the others they licked their lips, fists clenched with equal fervor. I stood frozen, horrified at what I was hearing, yet his words stirred an answering desire to hunt again within me.


    "What is wrong with you?! The hunt was- was-", I scrambled for words, but I couldn¡¯t find one that fit. The problem was a piece of me agreed. I had enjoyed the hunt, yet I also realized I never would have felt that way before last night. I was more in control of myself than then but I''d definitely changed more than just physically. That thought filled me with the same terror as it had at the pond.


    "You felt it too Ali! I know you did. I saw you bring down that doe, and we all saw what you did to Kelber!"


    "I did, but I didn''t play with it like some kind of chew toy like you did!" I ignored the part about Kelber, not sure how to respond to that. I felt no remorse for anything I¡¯d done to Kelber.


    Mayor Thompson, Mils and June all looked down uneasy, looking vaguely ashamed while Finn sneered in response.


    "Stop living in denial Alison. Embrace the freedom, the power, that¡¯s been given to you."


    "They killed us Finn. They killed Maria and your mother and turned us into monsters like themselves. Don''t you care?"


    Finn''s eyes began to glow and veins stood out starkly visible at his temple, throbbing.


    "Of course I care!" He roared. "I loved my family, but Jaron is the alpha, he has the right and he''s making us stronger and you can''t get stronger without sacrifice! Why don''t you understand that? We''ve been given a gift Ali. One you can''t refuse. We''re top of the food chain now. No one can stand against us."


    "You''re not thinking clearly Finn. Listen to yourself! You''re trying to justify the murder of your own family!"


    Feral growling rumbled up Finn''s throat and he threw himself at me. Adrenaline pulsed through me and I felt my eyes burn. Strength flooded my muscles and reacting quicker than I ever could have before, I clasped both hands, slamming them down on his head. Instead of tackling me as he''d intended, my blow forced him face first into the hard dirt, where he lay groaning.


    "We have to get out of here, while Jaron and his lackeys are gone."


    Laughter bubbled up from where Finn lay on the ground at my feet.


    "Pathetic. Run away from the truth, from yourself. No disobeying the alpha. Something else I know you feel, the need to obey him. To submit."


    A chill ran down my back. He was right about that, the need to obey Jaron at least. It never even crossed my mind to not follow him after shifting the day before. Sure, I''d gone to wash in the pool after the hunt, but that was more because he hadn''t told me not to than because I''d resisted his command.


    "Shut up Finn."


    I valiantly resisted the urge to kick him and looked towards the others.


    "You know we have to leave. Think of what they''ve done to us! If we stay, we''ll be forced to do what he says."


    "We- we can''t Ali. I can barely even think about leaving." Came June''s quiet voice. "And it feels so good." She continued in an even quieter whisper. "I want it. I want to hunt, to kill. I want to feel that again."This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Her eyes shined and she shuddered, but her voice was filled with a conflicting mix of fear and desire.


    She had a point though, every time I thought of leaving, an almost physical pain filled my skull, forcing my thoughts toward Jaron and despite knowing intellectually I shouldn''t feel anything but hatred toward him, I felt an overwhelming submissiveness. It felt natural to want to stay and obey him. I mean, he was the alpha.


    I shook myself.


    "No! June, he''ll make us kill people! Next time it won''t just be deer."


    "We need to stay. Even if we did try the others will just kill us!  It''s our only choice." She gripped her arms tightly, a rough growl entering her voice.


    These weren''t the people of my village. Mayor Thompson''s grief at Serena''s death seemed muted or forgotten. Gentle, soft-spoken Mils biting her lower lip in desire as she listened to the others talk about the hunt. Finn, who''d just lost his only family to these monsters, seemed to have completely changed and become enamored with his new form and the strength that came with it. I remembered Jaron''s speech. He said we''d find ''new purpose'', ''new pleasures'' and it seemed he was right.


    "Where''s my dad?" He''ll talk some sense into them, I was sure. Last I saw him he''d just begun changing in my arms.


    "He''s around." Said Finn with a twisted parody of his old smile. "I''m sure he''ll set you straight."


    Jaron''s laugh boomed as he stepped out of the trees into the clearing much as he had yesterday. "If he doesn''t then I certainly will." He stared at me a moment, causing the hair on the back of my neck to prickle.


    "You all felt it. Tasted it. Freedom and power like nothing you''ve felt before. The rush of the hunt, the glory of the kill. You are all pack now and you will obey me or be punished." He met each person''s eyes and one by one they looked to the ground and nodded until he met mine a second time. His glare grew more intense, he was alpha of our pack. I resisted a few moments until his eyes began to glow. The longer I stared the need to obey grew, became an almost physical pain until it was too much and I slumped like the others, nodding as tears tracked down my cheeks.


    I felt like I was going to be sick. I was just as bad as the others, who was I to judge them?


    Shame washed through me back and forth like waves. Rough, calloused fingers gripped my chin and raised it until our eyes met again. "You show spirit spear girl. More than these other simpering fools. Hold onto it and you''ll be an asset to the pack." Releasing me he glanced down to where Joe''s body still lay just beyond the trees at the clearings edge and scowled. "Too bad. It amazes me how some coward weaklings survive the transformation but strong fighting men perish."


    How could I submit to this monster?


    "It has come to my attention that a caravan is headed towards the city with news of our attacks and therefore, our general location. We can''t have that, now can we?" He gave a sinister smile. "Gather some clothes from your houses. We leave in half a glass!"


    ------------------------------------------------------------


    Returning to Glimmerdale really drove home what had happened. There were no bodies, Jaron''s people had clearly already moved them somewhere, just like they must have done at Jaksonsville. Still, many buildings we passed had shattered or splintered doorframes and dark stains were scattered among the buildings and on the dirt of the road. My new senses found the air saturated with the rusty metallic scent of dried blood.


    Passing the village hall, the ground around the entrance was a deep, muddy red. I dared not look inside. Gathering there was the first thing we were told to do if we were ever attacked. It must have been the site of our last stand. No person could have done this. Whether man or beast, they were all monsters.


    Returning to our house I found dad rummaging through his dresser.


    "Dad!"


    I ran and hugged him for all I was worth, pressing my face into his clean shirt.


    "Hey sweetheart. I''m so glad you made it."


    Arms closed around me and a large hand stroked by hair. For just a moment I let myself forget and feel safe.


    Opening my eyes, I looked up at him.


    "Where have you been?!"


    "After the hunt yesterday, Jaron told those of us who were with him to clean up the village and I fell asleep right here at home."


    "Dad we''ve got to get out of here. The others have all gone crazy."


    He looked at me quizzically.


    "What do you mean gone crazy? And we can''t leave, we''ve got to stay with the pack."


    My joy at finding him froze inside me.


    "Jaron just wants to use us! He knows about the caravan on its way to the duke''s city. We- they are going to kill them all! We need to get out of here!"


    "We have to obey the alpha Alison." He looked pained as he said it. "We can''t just run away, we''re part of the pack now and we''re all in this together. Family. I admit a part of me wants to leave but I don''t think I could even if I wanted to. Besides, this isn¡¯t so bad is it? Didn¡¯t you feel the hunt last night? It felt right didn¡¯t it?"


    No. Not him too.


    The frozen joy melted, seeming to drain out of me, leaving me feeling empty, hollow. I twisted myself out of his arms to stand a few feet away. Tears pricked at my eyes.


    "No... but...he killed all our friends, he''ll make us kill people. Please dad. Please." I begged him to listen.


    He gazed down at me, a troubled look upon his face.


    Speaking softly, he reached for me. "Don''t cry Alison, you''re shaking like a leaf. This is the way things are now. We''ve got to make the best of it, together. Like we''ve always done."


    My vision blurry with tears I turned and rushed into my room, slamming the door behind me.


    "Ali..." I heard his sigh through the door.


    I let myself slide down to sit at the foot of the door, trying to hold back sobs. They all seemed so defeated, like we had no other choices now but to stay. After all they''d done to us, all they''d killed...


    To be honest, I couldn''t blame them. I understood. They were all right. I had felt what they felt, at least up until the fight with Kelber. Even asking them to leave I wasn''t sure I actually could. A large part of me wanted to hunt, to kill again and it, I, knew that Jaron would give that to us. This was a losing battle. I clung to the fact I''d never have felt any of this before.


    Wiping the tears from my eyes I stood to find a clean set of clothes only to realize all my travelling clothes were still in my pack, wherever that was.


    "Ali we''re leaving, Jaron says to get back to the clearing now."


    Opening the door, I brushed passed dad without a reply. We walked in silence back to the others.


    The scent of burning flesh reached me far before we entered the clearing. In the center, the bodies of our former neighbour¡¯s lay piled, engulfed in flames. I couldn''t look, I had to get out of here.


    As I turned to flee Jaron''s voiced reached me.


    "Stay. Watch."


    Again, I felt the pressure build inside me and I resisted until I shook with the effort.


    "Look. At. It." This time his words were edged with violence.


    I turned my head until the flames flickered in the corner of my vision and the pressure eased.


    "Good enough. With a bit of tempering I think you''ll make a good soldier yet."


    Kelber stepped up beside him, pure hatred clear in his eyes as he looked at me while speaking to Jaron.


    "We gotta leave now if we want to catch ''em before the city can see."


    "Right you are." Jaron replied. Raising his voice, he addressed all of us. "Shift forms and follow me. Carry your clothes with you, we might need them yet."


    I gasped. With his command given I felt my bones begin to shift and quickly shrugged out of my clothes. The agony started swiftly changing to a sense of release as my skin stretched and muscles bulged just like the first time.


    As I finished changing Jaron bounded off into the trees, heading west parallel to the road. The freedom and power flowed through me, washing away my worries like nothing. Anticipation of the long hunt ahead began to build; why was I so upset again? As we reached the lip of the valley I glanced back towards Glimmerdale for perhaps the last time, the only home I''d ever know now an eerie empty shell. A surge of grief and uncertainty from deep inside almost overcame the feelings of power and freedom, before fading quickly into a dull sliver of emotion buried behind everything else.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    We travelled for hours, setting a pace that even horses would have had a tough time keeping up, only stopping once to rest and drink our fill of a shallow stream. As the sun began to dip below the horizon I spotted some movement on the road in the distance.


    A group of haggard people trudged doggedly down the hard-packed dirt below us. They were clearly exhausted from their hurried flight; my new eyes could see that even from this distance. They continued on anyway, propelled by fear. Patrick''s caravan, although caravan had always been a generous term, was really just him and his family. They catered to the needs of small towns like ours with tools, cloth, seeds and provided a means to sell small goods further on at the city.


    I pictured the faces of Pat and his family. His wife Milinda, a grumpy, rotund woman and his two sons Rafe and Dorin. They had a few other tag-alongs as usual; there was safety in numbers after all. They had one large covered wagon, almost a carriage really, it carried their wares and doubled as their home while the others mostly slept beneath the stars.


    Jaron shifted back to human form. Everyone turned to look at him, backdropped against the helpless caravan in the distance.


    "Now that the full moon is passed there''s no point keeping anyone alive. Kill them all but we won''t play with them too long as we''re too close to the city. It''s unlikely anyone else will be on the road but keep alert. Let''s do this quietly. Hunt." He shifted back, to lead us quietly down the hill through the trees.


    Even knowing it was coming the command hit me like a blow. My hackles rose. Jaron had commanded us and I had to do it. Flashes of the chase, the exhilaration, the feral pleasure at killing the doe and the intoxicating power rolled over me, but...I wouldn''t do this. I refused to kill them simply because Jaron wanted it and some new twisted part of me desperately wanted it. Warring emotions and desires welled up inside me. My refusal to kill Pat and his family clashed with my own twisted desires and the pressure to obey once more, but this time there was more than my pride and disgust at submitting on the line. I realised while I¡¯d been standing frozen, fighting with myself the others had begun creeping forward through the underbrush. A few hesitated a moment before following, those I recognized as June and Mils in particular. I glanced at Dad, he seemed to sense me watching and met my eyes. A grimace sat heavily upon his features, as if he didn¡¯t like it but it had to be done. The others didn''t seem to have any qualms over killing innocent people and marched forwards seemingly unconcerned, they had lost themselves to Jaron''s influence. Even begging my own father to leave he refused, acting as though we didn¡¯t have a choice. We had a choice! Watching them stalk forward filled me with fury and my gaze locked on Jaron. He had done this. I thought of everyone who¡¯d died, building my anger further and tempering my determination not to simply submit. I used the rage pulsing in my veins as a weapon to beat down my craving for bloodshed and fight Jaron¡¯s command.  I stood staring, my gaze locked on the caravan in the distance, fighting with myself until a thought came to me.


    I am not part of this pack.


    Something shifted. A great weight lifted from me. I felt no desire, no pressure to follow Jaron''s command any longer. I am not one of them because I am not like them, and there''s no way I''m just going to allow this to happen. Thinking quickly, there was no chance I could fight them all so I did the only thing I could think of.


    Raising my muzzle to the sky, I howled as long and loudly as I could. Jaron''s head snapped around to glare at me from the head of my former packmates as they crept through the underbrush towards the caravan. His eyes glowed with rage. Unable to help themselves some of the others joined my howl and looking down upon them from the hilltop I saw them abandon all attempts at stealth and bolt towards the road. Grabbing the two closest to him Jaron bared his fangs at me and gestured, growling something I couldn¡¯t hear. Deciding it wasn''t in my best interests to wait around I turned and took off at full speed into the forest.


    My paws pounded against the earth as I sprinted faster than I ever had or ever could have before all this. Low hanging branches slapped and tore at my fur as I dodged between the trees but I felt little more than dull painless impacts on my pelt. Ignoring them I ran on, feeling my ears swiveling atop my head as I focused my hearing backwards, trying to pick out sounds of pursuit. There, very faintly under the air rushing by, the sound of panting and pounding footsteps on the forest floor. I wouldn''t allow myself to be stopped. I wouldn''t allow myself to be under Jaron''s influence again or whatever else they might do to me or force me to do. I ran, faster and faster, leaping fallen logs and babbling brooks, forcing my way through the underbrush.


    The sounds of pursuit continued as I ran for some time until breaking from the trees onto an open road. With all my attention focused behind me on the pursuit I had failed to see the road wasn''t empty. A sharp whistling sound then pain exploded suddenly in my left calf. I yelped and lost my footing, falling directly forward to smash muzzle first into the hard-packed dirt of the road, sliding forward from my momentum. Glancing at my leg an arrow stuck out from the side. Raising my eyes, I met the gaze of a band of heavily armed travelers standing before what was clearly a merchant''s wagon. Every eye was locked directly on me.


    Atop the wagon a young woman screamed, gripping the man holding the reins beside her with white knuckled hands. Covered in dust, it was clear they had been on the road for some time.


    A huge, broad shouldered man stood at the front, as big as me even in my wolf form. He held a red and blue painted kite shield before him, strapped to one arm like it weighed nothing at all. His other hand gripped the haft of a ball headed mace and a large hilt protruded over his right shoulder. Strong features betrayed nothing but calm caution as he stared at me warily from beneath short black hair.


    Behind him stood a brunette woman who was probably beautiful underneath all the grime of hard travel. Wearing simple travel worthy garments under a bright blue cloak that appeared to be the only thing in sight clear of road dust. To her side and slightly forward was a short, stout man with a neatly trimmed blond beard. He hefted an almost comically large two-handed hammer and, much like the large man at the front, he wore a dull mail shirt. Finally, just beyond the woman, a hooded man stood with a large curved bow mid draw. He was in profile to me, swathed in leathers, his body radiating tension like a coiled spring.


    With a now familiar whistle he finished his draw and released a second arrow. I threw myself forward further across the road in front of them but wasn''t quick enough. I felt the arrow pierce my back then nothing but a fiery agony worse even than Jaron''s bite. Reflexively I tried to draw air to scream but released only choking gasps instead. I lay in the cloud of dust that burst up around me from impacting the road a second time. Burning, furious pain wracked my entire torso and somehow robbed me of strength. Wheezing, I was stunned a moment and could do nothing but watch as the large man at the front took a step towards me. Stolen novel; please report.


    The sounds of my pursuit grew loud enough for the travelers to hear and all but the archer turned towards the tree line I had arrived from. He notched a third arrow and I realized I was going to die unless I escaped this very moment. Fighting back the pain induced paralysis, I used my good leg to launch myself forward to the far edge of the road just as his third arrow left his bow, stabbing into the dirt I''d lay upon a moment earlier. Gathering what little strength I had left, I raised myself up on my arms and dragged my feet underneath me. Forcing myself into a lopsided standing position, I dashed with all the speed I could muster off the road into the trees. Roars erupted behind me. Not turning back, even when flashes of bright blue light filtered passed me through the trees, accompanied by the crackle of lightning and the scent of burning flesh. Stumbling through the underbrush in stark contrast to how easily I''d passed through it earlier, I continued forward away from the sounds of battle.


    Leaning on trees and crawling over roots I continued, unable to think of anything but getting further away. Eventually, bubbling water reached my ears. A wide river split the forest before me. The current was fairly slow, and it didn''t look so deep that I couldn''t touch the bottom all the way across. Collapsing at the river edge, I took a few minutes to regain some strength. Looking down, I grasped the arrow shaft sticking from my calf and with a deep breath yanked it out swiftly. Tossing the arrow to the side, I felt barely anything compared to the excruciating pain radiating from my back. Clumsily reaching behind me, I attempted to grasp the arrow spilling streams of fire into my body. It proved futile. The arrow was lodged in my upper back where I could only graze it with my claws, nudging it just enough to send shivers of fresh agony through me.


    More bright flashes filled the sky until suddenly all was quiet but for the river rushing by innocently beside me. Someone must have won, and I don''t fancy the traveler''s chances. I need to keep moving.


    It was either stay here and die or try to cross the river and probably drown in my weakness. Not much of a choice really. Using what little strength I''d recovered, I pushed myself into the freezing cold water until I was able to stand without too much difficulty, the water itself taking most of my weight.


    Wading further into the river, I struggled forward. Each step the riverbed sloped further away until water lapped at my neck. Desperately I dug my foot-claws into the riverbed, forcing my way through the water. Going to place my foot back onto the riverbed, I met empty water. In a dark forest, barely lit by what little moonlight filtered through the canopy above, I''d misjudged the depth of the river. Grinding my teeth, I had no choice. Pushing off from the riverbed I began to swim. Bolts of pain shot through me as I forced my arms to propel me forward. Not even the freezing water of the river numbed the pain of torn muscles clenching around the arrow burning in my back.


    Gasping in agony I inhaled water. Panic clawed up my throat as I kicked my feet desperately trying to keep my head above the water while choking. I was drowning. Leaves and branches passed far above my head as the current carried me downstream, silhouetted against the moon which bore silent witness to my plight. The current pulled me under and for a few terrifying moments, nothing but water surrounded me, completely opaque, pitch black in all directions. I couldn''t tell which way was up. My lungs burned for air and only found water instead.


    The village flashed before my mind''s eye. My friends and neighbors running from monstrous werewolves only to be caught, torn to pieces and killed; or worse, becoming monsters themselves and hunting their friends and family; my mind filling in the blanks for things I hadn''t been there to see and making up others, bringing my worst fears to life. Jaron stood in the background watching it all. He was using us, them. His own personal vendetta more important than our lives.


    My hind-paws met smooth, solid river stone and my visions ground to a halt.


    I will not die here!


    Using the tenuous grip I had on the riverbed, I launched myself forward with strength fueled by pure panic. I repeated my actions twice more before finally breaking the water''s surface to grasp the long grass of the river bank. Digging my fingers deep into the soil I clawed my way up out of the water, to lie choking on solid ground.


    Convulsions wracking my body, I coughed up streams of dark water. After a minute or so I finally stopped coughing, drawing in ragged breaths through burning lungs. Completely spent, I lay in the darkness just breathing, trying to ignore the pain.


    How had I ended up here? Was it only a few days ago I¡¯d been helping dad with the cider, training with Joe and talking to Finn about his plans for his sister''s birthday? Lying dazed from exhaustion and pain everything just seemed so surreal. Perhaps if I just slept for a while I¡¯d wake up and everything would be a dream, a horrible, excruciating nightmare.


    My ears perked up. Leaves crinkling underfoot announced that I was being watched. Surreptitiously I sniffed the air. Immediately I could smell a single human upwind of me, a man. Has the archer come to finish me off?


    There was a long moment of silence as I focused my ears, not even having the strength to raise my head. A few minutes passed and just as I was beginning to think I was imagining things, soft footfalls began further up the riverbank. Some kind of wrapped sandals made of a thin, wood-like material entered my vision. Well-muscled calves flexed as the man bent down until his tanned face appeared before me, his features only barely visible in the darkness. He had high cheek bones with prominent laugh-lines around his mouth and bushy eyebrows below dark hair the colour of mud.


    "What have we here? Looks like you''ve had a very bad day." He spoke in an almost jovial manner. "I''ve never been quite this close to a werewolf before. From my admittedly limited experience you should be trying to rip me to shreds right about now." His gaze traveled over me as he spoke, evaluating. After a moment he returned to looking at my face, vivid green eyes staring deep into my own. The strange man didn''t seem the least bit afraid of me, a seven-foot-tall humanoid wolf lying less than a metre from him.


    "You seem far more sedate than any werewolf I''ve met before, not that it could really be said to be meeting them so much as them wanting to ''meat'' me." He grinned, clearly happy with himself when I narrowed my eyes.


    "Now, I can''t be sure as I''ve never really tried to read the facial expressions of someone with a muzzle before, but it seems you understood that entirely and don''t much appreciate my sense of humor. Perhaps it''s the arrow in your back? No? Do you not have the strength to even growl?" His eyebrows rose in what appeared to be genuine curiosity. I bared my teeth, a growl rumbling up my throat. "So you do understand me! Fantastic!" He ran his eyes over me once more.


    "Hmm. Less a wolf and more a pup I think." His gaze left mine and he raised his head to look across the river.


    "Don''t suppose you''d mind telling me about those flashes of light earlier? It''s clear you had something to do with it." His head turned back to me. "Although, you don''t appear to have any injuries sustained by magic." He paused, head cocked to one side curiously.


    "What to do with you then." He asked, tapping a finger to his lips theatrically. "Are you a threat or aren''t you? Are you one of the group who left tracks all along the southern edge of my forest?" Pausing a moment, he continued.


    "I''ll let you live, but you have to promise not to attack and tell me what happened." He stared at me until I nodded my head as best I was able. With that, he stood and stepped forward to grip the shaft sticking from my back. As soon as he touched it I whimpered, fresh agony rolling across my nerves.


    "A warning first. If you do attack me or attempt harm of any kind in my presence you won''t live to regret it." He spoke without the jovial tone of earlier, instead his voice was hard and without emotion.


    Giving me no further warning, he yanked hard and fast, ripping the arrow from my back. I yelped and shuddered in pain as it jerked violently from my abused muscles. I could feel fresh blood well from the wound, adding another coat to the half-dried mess of my fur. The scent of burnt flesh filled my nostrils. With the arrow removed the pain dulled and I relaxed, feeling my body begin to shift back into human form as exhaustion finally overtook me.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    I awoke lying on what felt like a mound of large vines, a cool, light breeze caressing my face. Cracking my eyelids, I saw smooth, silver roots extending into a crystal-clear pool in front of me. Feeling weak and like I could still sleep a while longer I sat up groggily, blinking traces of sleep from my eyes. Something metal clinked as I moved. Looking down I found myself clothed in simple dark breeches and a too large shirt under a grey, rough-spun woolen robe of some kind. Thick metal manacles tightly imprisoned my slender wrists. Adrenaline shot through me and suddenly I was wide awake. Why was I in chains?! I spun around, groaning as the motion pulled at the wound in my back. Although no longer the sharp, burning pain it had been it still ached fiercely, spreading like a spider web across my torso. Behind me a great ridged silver wall rose into the sky. Looking up, it split into branches at the top, each sprouting equally silver leaves dancing like tiny mirrors far above.


    A tree...the largest tree I''d ever seen. Disappearing around the sides were two lengths of chain placed at shoulder and ankle height connected by a small section of links directly the manacles on my wrists, and those I hadn''t yet noticed settled around my ankles.


    Using the tree as a crutch I forced myself to my feet. Desperately attempting to slip my hands through the cuffs I found they were far too tight, digging slightly into my skin. The fear I''d been holding down since realizing I was chained up bubbled beyond my control. I was chained to some giant freak of a tree and only the gods knew who did it or what they wanted with me.


    Hyperventilating, I tried pulling at the chains but it was futile. Anger flashed through me, consuming the fear like so much kindling. Rage flushed my skin as the new part of me that had appeared when I''d first changed took control. How dare someone chain me up like nothing more than a mongrel hound! I was far more and I''d kill whoever did this!


    The hair on the back of my neck prickled and my eyes began to burn. I was beginning to change. Throwing my head back I released a furious scream, giving away to a roar as it ended. My skin began to stretch and my arms and legs bulged against my chains. Pain flowed up from my wrists and ankles as bone began to crack against metal. I yelped in agony, falling to my knees on the bright silver roots. The pain just fanned the anger further.


    Wrapping my fingers around the chains and ignoring everything else I roared again, throwing myself backward away from the tree. The chains snapped taut and stopped me midair throwing the robe from my shoulders, shattering my wrists and gouging my hands with the force. Falling back to lie on the roots below me I cried from the pain. The change finished as I lay stunned, whimpering at the base of the tree.


    "That was quite the performance. I don''t suppose you''d care to repeat it? I''ll wait." The voice brought back last night, next to the river, the blonde-haired man.


    Swiveling my head, I glared at him, instinctively baring my fangs, growls rumbling up my throat as I simmered with impotent rage.


    "Come now, you didn''t really think I was just going to sit you down for a chat over a nice cup of tea did you?" He snorted, looking vaguely insulted. "I''d prefer to keep my skin intact and getting mauled by a werewolf might ruin my boyish good looks."  He looked up at the tree trunk above me. "Then again, chicks dig scars, or so I hear anyway." He shrugged.


    Great. Chained up by some lunatic living in the middle of the woods with his fucked up giant tree. The world seemed to have gone completely crazy. Now that I knew I couldn¡¯t escape, or both parts of me knew, my rage faded into embers leaving fear and suspicion.


    "Would you mind changing back into the half-drowned young woman I carried back here last night? Much easier to talk if you can, you know, " He gestured, waving his hand back and forth a little, "actually talk."


    I continued to stare at him suspiciously. What could have possessed him to keep me alive? Only one thought came to mind and my eyes widened in fear. He wanted to sell me. I''m sure some people would pay good money for a caged werewolf.


    A sigh filled the silence.


    "You do know how to shift back right? And stop staring at me like that, I don''t want to hurt you unless I have no other choice alright? You need to prove to me you''re in control of yourself and not out to do harm."


    Another moment of tense silence followed.


    "Look, I''m going to cook some lunch. If you''re looking a bit less furry by the time I come back there''ll be enough for you too okay?"


    With that he stood from his crouched position and turned around, walking over to a small stone cottage with a wooden roof sitting on edge of the glade backed against dense forest. Disappearing inside, my ears twitched picking up faint sounds of clanging pots.


    Rumbling rose from my stomach. I hadn''t eaten anything since hunting what must be two nights ago now and the thought of food filled me with hunger. With the man out of sight I looked back at my chains. I couldn''t break them so being in this form was causing nothing but pain. Sitting up I tried to relax and will myself to change back. Ignoring the pain from my ankles and wrists and being chained up really didn''t help I tried to force myself to shift back and failed. How had Jaron done it? He made it look so easy and could make the rest of us shift with nothing but a word. Eventually I gave up and simply lay where I was, the cool light breeze ruffling my fur. I was at a loss, where did I go from here? He said he didn¡¯t want to hurt me but how could that be true? The people on the road attacked me on sight, the scent of their fear lingered in my mind. Why would he be any different than them? The wound in my back still hurt but the one in my ankle had disappeared. I needed to find that archer and make him pay for hurting me. I¡¯d break the fingers he¡¯d used the bow with before tearing him apart! The urge to hunt rose within me but looking down at the chains imprisoning my limbs I felt nothing but raw anger and frustration. Realizing where my thoughts had gone I shook myself, filled with shocked horror and self-loathing. Finding my jaw clenched and my claws digging in the palms of my hands I took deep breaths, forcing myself relax.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    That wasn¡¯t me! I wouldn¡¯t have thought that before... would I? Doubt and confusion plagued my thoughts. Was I remembering things right? He had hurt me; didn¡¯t that mean I deserved vengeance? No, we¡¯d have done the same thing the moment some monstrous wolf creature entered Glimmerdale. With that sorted out the doubt and confusion left me, leaving a hollow fear in its place. If I couldn¡¯t trust my own thoughts and emotions, sooner or later I was going to do something I¡¯d regret and could never take back.


    Finally, I felt myself beginning to shift. Once back in human form I looked down at myself and grimaced. I''d almost completely torn what I assumed to be his clothes. Tingling suffused my wrists and ankles as they began to heal.


    Scooping up the robe from where it had fallen, I wrapped it around myself and stood. Now that I was fully awake and the panic had passed I glanced around. I stood on a small rise is the center of a perfectly still, crystal clear pool of water in the very center of a large glade. The water wasn''t deep and I could see silver roots running out from the great tree at my back in every direction, covering the entire bottom of the pool in a flawless circle of shining silver threads. For a moment I forgot my precarious situation and stared in awe, turning to look up at the tree from which they all emerged.


    "Magnificent, isn''t it?


    Startled I spun around in a jangle of chains. The same man stood on the bank above the pools edge, a steaming pot hanging from one hand. Wariness in his eyes belied the broad smile on his face and I hadn''t heard him approach.


    "This is the center of the forest. It", he nodded toward the great tree behind me, "is the embodiment of the forests spirit and this," raising his arms, he spread them to encompass the clearing, "is its grove. I am Bast, keeper of these woods." He gave a theatrical bow, one arm out straight with the other clasped to his chest, but always with his bright, jade green eyes on me. It looked kind of silly in his long grey robe, identical to the one I currently wore. In the light, he was younger than I''d thought, perhaps only halfway through his third decade and tattoo¡¯s, broad lines the colour of new leaves marked his cheeks, wrapping around until they disappeared behind his neck.


    "Bast?" I asked, incredulous.


    "She speaks!" He exclaimed, chuckling. "Short for Bastion. And you are?"


    I felt rather uncertain about this, but I didn''t really have a choice now did I?


    Talking to strange men in the woods. This is exactly the kind of thing dad warned me against.


    "Alison. Ali."


    He ran his eyes over me, catching on something below the neck.


    "I see you''ve torn my clothes. How inconsiderate of you."


    I blushed.


    "I didn''t mean to!" I responded automatically. Shaking myself I tried to focus. "Let me go! I haven''t done anything to you!"


    He shook his head.


    "I''m afraid I can''t do that."


    Visions of rape, torture and everything he might want to keep me fore danced before my eyes. My rage returned along with a feral desire to rend him limb from limb and I found myself speaking through clenched teeth, half healed hands and wrist outstretched in claws toward him.


    "If you so much as touch me I''ll kill you!"


    Looking pained he held up a placating hand, palm forward.


    "Calm down. I want nothing of the sort, I swear."


    "Then why won''t you release me?" A little fear slipped through my anger, causing my voice to quiver a little more than I''d like. Hopefully he took it as fury.


    Being careful to keep the pot out of the water he stepped off the bank, ripples emanating from him as he began wading toward me.


    "No stay back!"


    Fear and the change bubbled up inside me once again, rising higher the closer he got. The moment he got to the edge of the thread-like roots rising from the water I couldn''t hold back my instincts any longer. I screamed as I changed once more, rebreaking the barely healed bones in my wrists and ankles. He simply watched, a pitying look on his face.


    I lay half propped up against the trunk of the great tree, a low growl rumbling up my throat. I didn''t know anything except that I couldn''t let him get any closer. One more step, maybe two and I''d have him.


    "That''s why I can''t let you go, because you''re dangerous. You seemed very lucid at the river despite your injuries, otherwise I might have killed you on the spot. Unless I missed my guess, you haven''t been a werewolf very long have you?" He took another step and I threw myself at him, ignoring the spikes of agony from my ankles. Once again, the chains snapped taut, catching me a fangs-length from his throat, just beyond reach of my chains. Falling to the roots at his feet I dragged myself backwards toward the trunk as fast as I could.


    It wasn''t supposed to be this way. I was the predator here! He should be the one cowering and alone.


    Bast


    Damn. Her instincts and emotions were all over the place, bouncing from anger to fear and back again at the slightest provocation. He was a threat and getting close while she was so vulnerable had proven too much for her instincts to handle, wiping out any trace lucidity. She was definitely deteriorating. Still, the mere fact that she had the degree of control she did was a minor miracle as I understood it. I''d been hoping for too much. Glancing up at her where she huddled against the great tree it was hard not to feel pity. She was young, barely passed her second majority unless I missed my guess. Anyone being afflicted by the curse like this was terrible, but one so young...


    I felt bad about her manacles, now smeared with blood and nearly invisible amongst her auburn pelt. From the way she cradled her hands it was clear they were so tight they''d broken her wrists, but what else could I do? I knew what the others of The Circle would expect. I was supposed to kill her, kill any were-creature I came in contact with. They were our responsibility, the direct representation of our faults and failures and the perversion of all our ideals. Killing her wasn¡¯t something I could bring myself to do, at least not yet, not until I¡¯d tried to save her and proven that it was impossible. Still, I couldn''t risk her getting away, she was dangerous and I needed information. How many were there? There had to be at least a few more judging by the fact she hadn''t been a werewolf very long, that much was obvious just from how together she still was, and the tracks I¡¯d found at the edge of the forest indicated at least four or five. Best not to tell The Circle about her until I was sure or they¡¯d kill her out of hand. Refocusing my gaze where she cowered against the trunk I decided it would be best to leave her to calm down and let the situation sink in before asking her any more questions. I doubt she''d be able to shift back in her state anyway.


    "I''ll talk to you again tomorrow. Good night."


    I walked back to my cottage deep in thought. Beyond the information, I wanted to help her. I shouldn''t really. I was supposed to kill her immediately to stem the curse, but...she wasn''t too far gone yet and to be honest, it was more our fault than hers. She didn''t deserve this- not that anyone ever did. I don''t think she''d even killed anybody which made helping her a lot easier or perhaps even possible in the first place and was likely why she was still mostly sane. Reaching my cottage, I looked back one last time. Glowing amber eyes stared back at me from the glades center. Stepping inside, I closed the door softly.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    I found myself standing on the lip of the valley, gazing down onGlimmerdaleas ash rained from the sky. It gatheredbelow me,coatingthe ground and growing thicker by the moment. People streamed up the road toward me, running from the ash and I could just make out Maria¡¯s pigtails fluttering behind her as she ran.


    Ihad to help them.


    Stepping forward I yelped in agony as the ash burnt and blistered my skin, leaving it charred and blackened.I blinked to banish the tears from eyes and suddenly the ash was falling thick and fastuntilit filled the entire valley,swallowing the people within.


    The crunch of crushed ash sounded behind me.


    Glancing over my shoulder, Jaron loomed over me. Dad, June Finn, Mayor Thompson and Mils stood at his back.


    Clawed hands clasped my shoulders.


    ¡°Isaid I¡¯d separate the weak from thestrongdidn¡¯t I?¡± came hisgutturalvoice from behind me.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± said June, pointing past me.


    Returning my gaze forward, in the distance a silver sapling grew out of the blackness pooling in the valley. It grew swiftly, spreadingbulgingroots in all directions until it filled the horizon. Dad stepped up beside me.


    "Where did you go Alison?¡±emotions flashed across his face; rage, disgust, disappointment, loneliness. Each hit me like a spear to the soul.


    Vine-like branches snapped out, crossing the distance between us in the blink of an eye, wrapping around my wrists and neck and dragging me out over the lake of ash toward the tree, away from everyone else. I struggled desperately, the rough bark tearing at my skin as I tried to free myself as dad¡¯s voice whispered in my ear.


    "We always had each other Ali. No matter what, we always had each other...we still had each other."


    I awoke gasping for breath and covered in sweat. Early morning light streamed down from above, blurry through tears. I¡¯d been crying in my sleep.Blood smeared my wrists around the manacles and the nightmare left me feelinghollow inside. Hadn¡¯t I been through enough without these nightmares plaguing me? I sobbed into my hands until the tears stopped coming and I was drained of all emotion. Wiping the tears from my face,I took a deep, shuddering breath. I guess this was the first real moment I had to stop and grieve and everything had hit at once.


    Putting myself back together took a few minutes and eventually I looked up and couldn¡¯t hold back a mildly hysterical giggle. My first moment to truly stop and let it all out, and I was chained to a tree? I sighed. What was I going to do now? Even if Bast could help me what kind of life would I have? Could, I have? Spending every minute of every day hiding and alone didn¡¯t sound like much of a life to me. Looking around, rays of sunlight poured from the heavens to play upon the flowers at the glades edge, and the stunningly clear surface of the water around me.Everything was at odds with how I felt. There was suchlifehere, suchbrightness;a stark contrast to the desolate wasteland inside of me.


    The day continued on while I sat quietly at the base of the great silver tree, thinking about the past, the future and how nothing would ever be the same. Eventually I grew restless and took towalking as far around thesilver tree as the chains allowed. I¡¯d never seen anything like it. The entire glade was like something out of a fairy tale, more marvelous and magical than even the most outlandish of Old Joe''s tales. What exactly did Bast do here anyway? Hiding away in the middle of the woods. Igave a sadsmirk,perhaps I could follow his example and live as a crazy hermit and people would tell stories about me.


    At middaythe smell of cooking meat wafted over from thecabin andBastwaltzed over grinning like he hadn¡¯t a care in the world.


    ¡°Lunch will be ready soon. You¡¯ve got to be hungry by now, I¡¯m sorry about the lack of breakfast. I had to scrounge up some extra food since there''s now double the mouths to feed¡±, his grin morphed into a frown for barely a moment. ¡°I went to the road hoping for some indication the travelers youencounteredyesterday survived. You really ran quite a distance to get to the river, it took me all night to get there andI only just returned.¡±


    I didn¡¯t really know what to say to that so I just stayed silent.


    ¡°Look, here''s how things are. In your current state I think you''re a danger, both to yourself and others. However, I think I can help you get pastthat, or at least I can try.¡±


    ¡°Please! I never want to turn into that monster again¡±,a tiny, desperate hopebloomed in my chest.


    "Sorry, but that¡¯s not how it works. You will be forced to transform every full moon whether you like it or not and as yesterday''s proven, you can shift other times without meaning to."


    "Then give me that powder. It stopped me from ''shifting'', as you call it. Unless you can cure me?" I asked, pleaded.


    "I don''t have an unlimited source of wolfsbane and I''m afraid there is no cure for lycanthropy, the technical term from what ails you. It''s a form of curse."


    "Then I''ll go to atemple.Priestscan break curses.It''swhat they do!"I shouted.


    Hisexpression grew more sorrowful.


    "Not thiscurse they can''t. Itwasbestowed by a goddess,and more than just a curse, it is a splitting ofsomeone''ssoul."


    ¡°A goddess, seriously? Which one?¡±


    "Merith, goddess of nature, keeper of balance."


    ¡°She¡¯sreal?!¡± I asked incredulously.


    ¡°She is¡±, he said firmly.


    I just stared at him a moment trying to digest what he was telling me. I¡¯d heard of her, but our small village didn¡¯t have any shrines or anything. The closest we got was a rare visit from a traveling priest.


    ¡°But mysoul? Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something you did personally, but rather than seeing us as individualsMerithsees humanitymuch the same way she sees nature, as a collective, a whole.¡±


    Bast glanced around the glade, his eyes tight and a slight frown upon his lips.


    He sighed, ¡°Let me explain.A long time ago a sect of her priests, or druids as we are known today, became disillusioned with her and forsook their duty to keep balance. Instead they began to corrupt and defile nature in order to gain power for themselves. For their betrayalMerithsplit their very souls in two, cursing them to forever seek balance between their two halves. If theyfailed,they would begin to deteriorateandbecomeslaves to their new instincts and desires."


    "Then how can the curse be spread? I didn''t do anything to harm nature."


    "Everything comes back to balance. The corruption the disillusioned druids created is like a living thing. It grows and spreads to this day. One of my duties here is to keep watch that it doesn''t take root in this forest", he gestured to the surrounding trees, swaying softly in the wind.


    "The curse is designed to mirror that corruption. Jaron may seem in control but he isn''t. He is acting out his desire for revenge without giving any thought to anything else, especially the things he usedtohold dear. The curse has changed him from the man he once was. He is out of balance and because of that, his bite spreads the curse, corrupting humanity as humanity corrupted nature. Do you understand?"


    I noddedslowly. Tears pricked at my eyes before gathering to roll down my cheeks.


    "Then I¡¯ma monster forever. My friends, my dad-"


    Arms closed around me and I found Bast cradling me in his arms, offering comfort. Clutching his robes in my hands I sobbed into his shoulder, my need for comfort overriding all other instincts for the moment.


    "You''re not a monster. You are whatever you choose to make of yourself. You just have an extra hurdle that¡¯s all."


    "But- but I am. The people on the road attacked me on sight. A woman even screamed as soon as she saw me! A monster is all they see, and they''re right",I replied bitterly.


    "No, they couldn''t be more wrong. They might see a monster, but that''s their problem, not yours. It''s true that pretty much all werewolves lose themselves to the curse, but you have not, not yet. And you don¡¯t have to! You''re in enough control that all you need is some guidance. You didn¡¯t even flinch at me coming closer this time.Even if you were distracted, it¡¯s still progress."


    A small shock raced through me. I hadn¡¯t even noticed and I didn¡¯t feel more than a strange, slight pressure inside me, coupledwith the tingling heat I was growing familiar with. Raising my head, I looked at him and he gave me a small smile.


    "But how can I live like this? As a half person",I asked, ending with a whisper.


    "That''s the problem right there. You must accept what you are and come to terms with what has happened to you. By fighting one half of yourself you force yourself further out of balance until eventually you''ll lose who you areand things you love and care about will simply stop meaning anything to you.¡±


    I understood what he was saying, but accepting what had happened to me seemed impossible at the moment.Pushing away from him I wiped tears from my eyes and sat against the trunk behind me once more.


    "As for the other survivors fromGlimmerdale, I''m sorry, but it is unlike anything can be donetohelp them."


    My head snapped up sharply.


    "Unlikely? I don''t care how unlikely it is!How? How can we help them?"


    He frowned, his eyes filled with compassion.


    "Calm down. Remember what I said about your emotions?¡±


    I nodded acknowledgement and tried to relax. Bast waited a moment before continuing.


    ¡°When I say unlikely I mean it. They''ve been party to murder now.Their human selves, beingthe good folkthey were, will hate themselves for what they''ve done and that makes it practically impossible for them find balance even with help.How can they reconcile what they¡¯ve done with who they were?"Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "But maybe?"


    He gave me a sad smile.


    "I admire your spirit,but don''t get your hopes up.I don''t want you spiraling out of control if they''re too far gone."


    "I have to try. I can''t just leavethem."


    He looked down at me, a hint of his boisterous smile returning already, but the steel in his eyes made it clear just how serious he was about his next words.


    "Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves. I need to be sure you can maintain balance before I let you out of my sight.


    "You really think you can help me?¡± my voice shook with a strange mix of hope and fear.


    "Like I said, all you need is a little guidance. I''ll help, but you have to listen to me. Starting with, having lunchwithout ripping me to shreds¡±, he looked up at the sky, tracking the position of the sun visible in glimpses beyond the silver canopy above us. ¡°Whoops. Hopefully everything¡¯s not burnt by now.I¡¯ve left things cooking a little longer than I should have."


    Launching himself upright, Bast splashed his way through the water to the bank, getting himself thoroughly drenched in the process and I couldn¡¯t help butsmile at his antics.


    Perhaps I could have a life despite all this? If I was really lucky, we might even be able to save Dad, June and the others.


    Bast returned with two steaming wooden plates.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what Iwould¡¯vedone if you couldn¡¯t eat vegetables. I only catch the occasional small game with a snare or two.¡±


    He watched me closely as he approached through the water and I couldn¡¯t help but grin sheepishly at him. He didn¡¯t seem quite as threatening anymoreafter comforting me, but clearly the moment had passed as Ifound my back pressed against the silver tree, my fists clenched and held tightly to my chest. My skin prickled and flushed with the tinglingheatand pressure I was coming to associate with thechange. I forced it back and found myself panting as he stepped up onto the smooth silver roots.


    Watching me just as closely as I was him, he knelt, placing one plate as close to me as he could reach.


    The heat rushed up and down my body like a wave, and as he sat stock still, it slowly ebbed. Confusion filled the back of my mind, coming from the new side of me.


    Sitting down slowly, I pulled the plate toward me.


    ¡°Thanks¡±, I said, glad he didn¡¯t comment on my obvious struggle.


    The meal consisted of grilled rabbit and some kind of bird.Alarge helping of roasted root vegetables, all seasoned with various herbs.


    We ate in silence, studying each other. Being slightly taller than me I had to look up to see his short but messy blonde hair whose fringe didn¡¯tquitemake it to bright green eyes filled with a cheerful sort of mischief. He had lightly tanned skin, the kind clearly from birth and not just time spent under the sun. Lightly toned muscles spoke of a good amount of exercise and laugh lines surrounded his mouth. Strangely, he was immaculate. There wasn¡¯t a spot of dirt on him despite living in the middle of the forest with the hem of his robe swirling just above the grass as he walked. Just how did he manage that? Hewas definitelyyoungerthan I¡¯d originally thought.Finally,hisgreenline tattoos flowedin green linesfrom his cheekbones,underneath his ears to disappear behind his neck.


    Icontinued eating as my mind whirled.


    How couldI help Dad, June and the others? Perhaps if I gotthem away from Jaron somehow, they''ll listen to me. Maybe Bast could tell them what he told me about the curse? How is he going to help me anyway? He said I needed to accept what I am and what''s happened.


    I grimaced as I chewed.Iwasn''t sure I coulddo that.


    Thoughts of what might happen to me if what Bast said was true and I did lose balance filled my mind. Icy chills climbed up my back and I tried to force the image of Maria''s face and the taste of her bloodoutof my mind.


    Thankfully I''d finished myfoodbecause my stomach suddenly felt like a dead lump in my chest.


    "You ok?"something must have shown on my face because Bast looked at me concerned.


    "Fine. Just dreams you know¡±,I answered quickly. I didn¡¯t want to talk about them right now so I continued. ¡°So how are you going to help me?"


    His concerned look didn''t dissipate but he refrained from asking any further questions, although I had a feeling he wouldn''t just forget my comment despite my attempt to change the subject.


    "Have you ever tried meditation?"


    Imust have looked confused because he continued without prompting.


    "Perhaps I should askinsteadif you haveever heard of meditation?"


    "No."


    "Well, mediation is the practice of clearing your mind and seeing beyond the immediate into the true nature of things, pushing everything from the forefront of your mind so you can see it clearly in relation to everything else. It can help you keep balance within yourself and is the first thing I am going to teach you."


    I nodded. I didn''t really understand but I was sure Bast would continueas he took on a similar pose to Old Joe as he was about to tell a story.


    "All druids are taught meditation as it helps us commune with nature and understand the natural order of things. This is what allows us to help keep balance as when we sense something is outside the natural order, we know and can then do something about it. To start with we should get to the most peaceful place we can, which just so happens,¡± he pointed at the tree behind me, ¡°to be here.¡±


    He was right.The airwasheavy with a sense of age and memory, making everything else seem lighter in comparison, even the chains on my wrists. Things suddenly seemedslightly less daunting. Not because they weren''t still terrible, but because sitting underneath the silver leaves put it all in perspective. Some things I couldn¡¯t change and I¡¯d find a way to deal with them as best I could. As for everything else... Bast didn¡¯t seem to have much confidence that Dad, June and the others could be saved, but I had to try. I chuckled to myself. The tree really worked. Perhaps there was something to living alone in the middle of the woods after all?


    Looking up I found Bast staring at me with awrygrin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get started before we get sidetracked. What I¡¯m going to teach you is a very specific type of meditation. One designed to help overcome your instincts. I want you to close your eyes and focus on your other senses, banishing all thoughts from your mind. Then, drink in the moment, everything about it you can hold in your mind.¡±


    I did as he instructed, pushing out all the thoughts plaguing me as best I could. Air brushed against my cheek, a light caress carrying birdsong and the whoosh of wind through leaves to my ears. Bast breathing nearby and the rustle of his robes in the slight breeze.Scents fought for attention; the water and wet earth of the pool, the rough wool robe retained faint traces of smoke and sweat, the scents of various animals, some I recognized and some I did not.


    "Now think about who and what you are, what you really are",his voice took on a note of tranquility, a quiet yet strong tone only matched by the smooth unblemished surface of the pool around us.


    My brow furrowed. I was a young woman. Alison fromGlimmerdale.Rasard''sdaughter.


    Memories of dadlayingbloodied in my arms, struggling as he began to shift, forced their way to the forefront of my mind.


    "Deep breaths. Focus on the tree at your back. Think about whatyouare. Not about why you are that way or anything else, push everything else away to deal with later.Remember the moment."


    I let the memories go, refocusing instead on the solid presence of the great tree and the awe itinstilled. Mybrow smoothed once more and my breathing slowed.


    "Good. NowI want you to take all the things you collected about this moment and paint a picture in your mind of this moment at the brightest itcould be.¡±


    Sunlight piercing the leaves above in rays so bright you could reach out and touch them, feel the heat upon your skin. Trees old and young, fostering animals and underbrush beneath their strong branches. The water, so calm and cool and shining withethereallight bouncing off the reflective root¡¯s splayed alongitsbottom.


    ¡°Answer these questions to yourself. Simple answers. Don''t worry about the reasons why. Are you a predator? Or prey?"


    A powerful response rushed through me, drawn from the instincts I had yet to fully explore.


    "Are you human?"


    This time the response was quieter and contained a sense of fragility.


    <Yes>


    "Are you a wolf?"


    Two responses, equal in strength clashed in the center of my being.


    <No>


    <Yes>


    My eyes snapped open anda tidal wave ofself-loathing rose withinme.


    I am not a wolf!


    But even as I thought it furiously at myself the heat flooded my veinsandmy eyes burned.


    A gentle hand gripped my shoulder and I shook it off. I needed to stand, to run!


    "Alison!"


    Bast''s voice washarsh andfirm,grabbingmy attention.


    "Keep control. Focus on the first two responses. Focus on what youknowyou are."


    I froze crouched on the balls of my feet. This was worse than after my latest nightmare.Swivelingto face the tree,Igraspedat its trunk, digging my growing claws into it in an attempt to ground myself. I felt my jaw crack and begin to push out as my skin stretched.


    Screwing my eyes shut as tight as I could, I felt the smooth bark underneath my palms. Its strength resisted the attempts of my claws to pierce its surface. My own panting filled my ears. Forcing myself to breathe slowly, deeply, I did as Bast said, focusing on the fact that Iwashuman and that Iwasa predator, even if I was unsure I had been before all this.


    The changes stalled before receding slowly. Thankfully I hadn''t changed enough to ruin my robe.


    Once only the burning in my eyes remained I open them again, releasing the tree trunk and turning back toward the cottage, slumping to the bark underfoot. I looked at Bast.


    "Your eyes are still glowing",he said, his voice wary.


    "It''ll go away in a minute",I drew in a deep lungful of air and expelled it in a huff. "This didn''t happen before I met you, you know.I only changed when Jaron commanded it and to run away."


    "I have that effect on people. They just can''t help but turn into huge bipedalkilling machines",his reply came with a sardonic grin. "Seriously though, you weren''t forcing the two halves of yourself to clash then."


    "That''s whatwe''redoing? Why?! That¡¯s the complete opposite of what you said about accepting all this!"


    "But that''s just it.Don''t you see? They''re only clashingbecauseyou don''t accept it. Now we know you accept part of what you are. You know you''re a predator. Whether that''s always been thecase under the surface or the curse brought it out I couldn''t say.Perhaps that''s why you were able to leave when the others weren''t. Accepting more of your new natureallowed you to keep more of your humanity intact."


    "No way. Dad is a good fighter, second to our village warden.He''d have left with me when I begged him to if he''d been himself,I''m sure of it."


    He shrugged.


    "Just a thought. Anyway, now we know exactly what you''re having problems accepting. To be honest, I expected you''d have trouble with both the predator and wolf questions." Hegaveme a searching look. "Anything you want to tell me?"


    "No? I don''t think so",I sounded just as confused as I felt.


    He let me stew while he stared at mea moment before continuing.


    "Well, you need to accept that you are no longeronlyhuman. Your soul has been split between human and wolf and you need to accept that you are indeed part wolf."


    I bit my bottom lip.


    "But, I''m not going to shift unless I have to.I''ll be human a lot more often that I will anything else."


    Bast shook his head. "It doesn''t work that way and I think you knowit. Yoursoulis both, no matter what form you take you willstillbe both even if you would wish it otherwise."


    I looked downatmy lap. It was a hard thing to swallow. I didn''t want to be anything other than human at all. In the back of my mind I''d hoped I could get away with hiding my other side from everyone, even myself, as much as possible. Flashes ofkilling Maria once again flittered behind my eyes,butif Bast was right, and I had no reason to doubt him, then I''d be lying to myself with possibly disastrous consequences.


    "Okay",I swallowed the lump in my throat.


    "Say it."


    Our gazes met.


    "Say you''re part wolf. If you can''t even say it then you''re definitelynotgoing to be able to accept it. Besides, it''s not such a bad thing is it? Being part wolf on its own is nothing bad, it¡¯s the loss of self that comes with being imbalanced that''s the real curse."


    He was right, I knew he was, and yet accepting being part wolf would mean accepting I was less human.There was a long moment of silence before hegave a heavy sigh.


    ¡°You need to do this Alison. Even I you don¡¯t really accept it now, you have to say it.¡±


    "I''m part wolf", Iwhispered.


    Histoothy grinreturned and he looked up towards his cottage.


    "A goodstart. Just don''t let it go to your head. I don''t want you blowing my house down."


    Despite myself I burst out laughing. It was a welcome break from the serious, somber tone permeating the air.


    "Just consideryourselffortunate it''s made of stone, otherwise I''d betempted to try." I shot back.


    We satmeditating awhile longer beforeI began to tire and struggled to keep thoughts of the others stuck with Jaron out of my head, especially Dad and June.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. You¡¯ve come as far as possible today I think.¡± He stood, brushing off his robesand triggering renewed wariness on my part. He looked down at me with a frown.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about leaving you chained up here, but I just can¡¯t takeanyrisks.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± I nodded in responsewhile stifling a yawn. I really did.


    Placing my plate as close to him as I could, he gathered them up and made his way back to his cottage.


    Unable to stop another yawn, I clearly hadn¡¯t recovered from the last few days. Wrapping myself up in the thickrobesas best I could, I drifted off tosleep.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    I was awoken by the breeze, cold despite the early morning sunlight filling the sky. Birdsong drew my eye to the canopy above and I was partially blinded by the reflections coming off the metallic leaves. Blinking to clear my vision, I sat up, extracting my limbs from the tangled mess of robes and chains. Compared to waking up yesterday I felt much better, less desolate and defeated, and more just lost and alone. Looking around at the glade through the ethereal light reflecting back up through the water from the silver roots was undoubtedly something I¡¯d remember for the rest of my life.


    I spent a minute taking it all in before Bast appeared out of the trees on the right side of the clearing with a bulging leather satchel over one shoulder. He strolled closer giving me a grin and a wave when he noticed me watching. I waved back half-heartedly as he approached, stopping on the bank of the poo around me and the great tree.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± he exclaimed with boisterous enthusiasm and giving me what I was coming to realised was his usual broad grin. ¡°Sleep well I hope?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d sleep better if I wasn¡¯t chained to a tree¡±, I gave him the best glare I could muster.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you would. As I said last night, I can¡¯t take any risks¡±, he still looked vaguely chagrinned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering, yesterday you said something about dreams. Care to elaborate?¡±, he changed the subject as he placed various wild roots and vegetables into a black iron pot hanging over the hearth.


    I¡¯d really been hoping he would forget about that.


    ¡°Just some stuff about everyone who died and the survivors. Dad.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow pointedly, clearly not going to let it go.


    ¡°Stuff such as?¡±


    ¡°Such as leaving them behind, becoming one of the things that killed them.


    ¡°Sounds like survivors'' guilt¡±, at my look he continued. ¡°Asking yourself why you lived but not them? Everyone who survives such a tragedy faces it, from soldiers to simple townsfolk.¡± He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault they didn¡¯t survive and it¡¯s not like you brought the wolves to your doorstep. As I said last night, you were caught in the middle of something you had no control over. These dreams are just you tormenting yourself. Trust me, I know.¡±


    A shadow flitted across his eyes and I realised I didn¡¯t really know anything about him. He just seemed so friendly... I''d been trusting him because I wanted ¨Cneeded- to. I didn''t have anyone and I had no idea what I was going to do, so when he''d appeared out of nowhere saying he wanted to help despite knowing what I was, I''d been more than willing to just accept him at face value. Or the human part of me had anyway. Narrowing my eyes, I tried to pierce him with my gaze.


    "Why are you helping me anyway? I don''t really know anything about you aside from that you''re a strange man in the middle of the woods who claims to be a druid. What do you get out of this?"


    His expression became a little sheepish.


    "Can''t I just want to help another living being? And I am a druid."


    "No. There''s more to it, I''m sure you''re not telling me something."


    He sighed. "I want to help you because you need help. Because none of this is your fault and you didn''t deserve it."


    I sensed there was more to it than that.


    "And?"


    "And the Druidic Circle is directly responsible for what''s happened to you. It''s our fault even if it is in the past. If you can be saved from the curse then it is my duty to do everything I can despite what the others would say.¡±


    He seemed sincere. I relaxed.


    "Fine, but you have to tell me more about yourself."


    He nodded with a smile.


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°How did you become a druid?¡±


    He made a show of sitting on the bank, dangling his feet in the water.


    ¡°My dad was a travelling scholar, going out documenting the world as he saw it and getting by selling his services as a scribe to the nobility. He was away often but always sent money and my mother and I would work at the bakery, always up at dawn to start the day¡¯s work before everyone else got up. We lived on the edge of a great elven forest far north of here in one of the Free Cities. While my dad was away one year he met and befriended a man, a druid named Tolvir, or uncle Tol as I came to know him.¡± His gaze drew distant and he smiled fondly in remembrance.


    ¡°He was a druid from the nearby forest, living in a small community. As time went on, he¡¯d come check on us for my father and let us know how he was doing. I loved his visits. He¡¯d teach me things about the world and our place in it, show me small magics and help when it was needed¡±, old sorrow filled his voice and his smile faded. ¡°Like when my mother died.¡±


    Looking up at the shining leaves above us, he took a deep breath before continuing.


    ¡°One day some men in chainmail, clearly still drunk from the night before stumbled into the bakery as my mother went in to start work. I wasn¡¯t there. I¡¯d taken the buckets home the night before so instead I went down to the well to get a jump on the day¡¯s work. By the time I got there...¡± He grimaced. ¡°You don¡¯t need to hear how I found her, just know that she died and I was lost.¡±


    ¡°The owner of the bakery, a nice man who wouldn¡¯t begrudge me a pastry every now and then kept me on to help but I couldn¡¯t stand to be there, working where she died. I stayed home and grieved, crying myself to sleep every night until only a few days later the woman who owned our house showed up with some people. Since my mother had died and my father wasn¡¯t around she was giving it to them for a few coins a day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s horrible! How could anyone kick a child out onto the street?!¡±


    He looked at me, a weathered kind of pain in his eyes.


    ¡°Some people, especially those in the city, have very different values. Gold is often worth more than a life there. I was twelve, not quite a child, but neither was I a young man.¡±


    Bast¡¯s gaze turned firmly to the fire.


    ¡°Suddenly, I was homeless, jobless and at that moment may as well have been an orphan. Tolvir saved me. I spent two days on the streets before he showed up. He went to our house and found someone else living there. Then he went to the bakery where he learned of my mother''s death, but of course I hadn¡¯t been back since so they didn¡¯t know my whereabouts. Eventually he found me battered and bruised. Half-starved and trying to hide among some barrels out the back of the tannery. The smell kept most people away, including the other street children who hadn¡¯t taken kindly to me sleeping on their turf.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    His eyes returned me across the table.


    ¡°He took me away, into the forest to live with him and the other druids. He informed my father of what had happened but I never saw him again.¡±


    He¡¯d had it just as bad as I had.


    ¡°I understand what it¡¯s like to be lost and alone, but things do get better.¡± A ghost of his smile returned, never banished for long it seemed. ¡°Just look at me now! Esteemed owner of a tiny cottage in the middle of the woods. How far I¡¯ve come!¡± he threw his hands up into the air. ¡°But seriously, if I learned anything from my past, it¡¯s that things are never truly hopeless, no matter how much it seems so.¡±


    I admired him in that moment. He¡¯d been through some terrible times and still managed to put it all behind him. t gave me a little hope.


    ¡°After all that, I trained with Tolvir and he taught me far more than I¡¯d ever dreamed of knowing. Eventually I became a druid like him and got my tattoo¡¯s. While I¡¯ve travelled around a bit since then, watching over the Greenrock woods is my first actual posting¡±. Bast looked both proud and sad as he mentioned that. ¡°I¡¯d have come to Glimmerdale eventually. I planned on visiting all the towns and villages bordering me here in the Greenrock Woods, but only got around to seeing a few, mostly those to the north and east so far.¡±


    We sat in silence a moment as we both pondered his past.


    ¡°Anyway, enough getting side-tracked! We have things to do! Meditation to teach.¡±


    Slipping into the water he began wading toward me much the same as he had the last two days.


    I began panting as the tingling heat and increasing pressure that brought on the transformation built inside of me, only this time it wasn¡¯t as powerful as the previous days. Stepping up onto the mound of roots serving as my tiny island, Bast sat, watching me carefully the entire time. While I still felt vulnerable, and was panting and flushed, I didn¡¯t feel any of the urgency that usually accompanied his approach. It seemed my other half still didn¡¯t know what to make of him, but no longer felt he was a major threat.


    Following Bast¡¯s example I sat.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t seem as bad as yesterday.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡±


    He gave me a smile.


    ¡°Progress is progress. Now, we¡¯re not going to push things today. Instead we¡¯re going to work on strengthening your focus. Cloe your eyes and we¡¯ll start.¡±


    He had me do the same thing as the day before, drawing the moment in and pushing everything else away. Examining it in the greatest detail I could and locking the picture and feel of it in my mind.


    ¡°Now make it more real. We don¡¯t want a still image anymore, we want a living, breathing moment with birdsong, wind, light and life.¡±


    Doing as he said, I added a wave to the grass in my mind, a flutter of wings in the canopy and even Bast himself sitting on the bank of the pool, dangling his feet in the water as he had been only a minute ago. As I added things others slipped to the side and vanished, Bast would be there but the grass wouldn¡¯t move, or the cottage chimney spilled smoke into the air but the sunlight didn¡¯t reflect off the pools surface.


    I felt my brow furrow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry if you can¡¯t get it perfect. The point of this exercise is to improve your ability to focus, holding a full moment in your mind takes time, training and effort but we¡¯ll get there.¡±


    We continued this way until midday, when Bast went to make us some lunch.


    He returned with still sizzling plates of roots and vegetables much the same as yesterday.


    ¡°Sorry we don¡¯t have any meat. I¡¯ve set more snares but no luck yet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯d have offered to help but, you know¡±, I jingled my chains.


    We began eating but I had to ask a question that¡¯d been plaguing me for a while now.


    ¡°Are you sure this will help me? I mean, it¡¯s nice just to take in a peaceful moment, but I don¡¯t really understand how this is supposed to help.¡±


    Swallowing his mouthful, he replied, ¡°There¡¯s two reasons for what we¡¯re doing. One is getting you to the point where you can truly hold a moment in your mind; a living thing, rather than just a static image. The other is for you the know this place and these moments intimately so you can return to them even when surrounded by chaos and confusion. In a way, you¡¯re learning to use them as an anchor against your emotions and instincts when you feel they might overwhelm you.¡±


    That kind of made sense. One other question sprang to mind.


    ¡°What did you mean when you said you¡¯d help me ¡®despite what the others would say¡¯? Who are the others? Why wouldn¡¯t they want you to help me?¡±


    He sighed, looking down at his food.


    ¡°We were taught that were-creatures were to be killed on sight. That finding balance between their two halves never happened as inevitably there is some disconnect between them.   Because of the disconnect they are unstable kill those around them, beginning a downward spiral where their human half loathes themselves while their wolf half feels just the opposite. Not only that, but some believed that even if one was to find balance they would lose it again eventually and we simply can¡¯t risk spreading the curse. It¡¯s our duty to prevent it, seemingly at all costs.¡±


    When he put it like that, perhaps they were right to kill us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I obviously don¡¯t feel that way and you shouldn¡¯t either! ¡°


    He must have read what I was thinking from my expression.


    ¡°Believing in the worst outcome just makes it come true.¡± His sincere belief in what he said was obvious as he spoke firmly and with passion. ¡°Also I think the meditation is helping. Just the other day you were bouncing between rage and fear at a light breeze and you said yourself your struggle earlier wasn¡¯t as bad as yesterday. Don¡¯t lose faith in yourself just because someone else feels you¡¯re a danger. The king might order the villages around his castle pillaged and burnt to the ground, but that¡¯s not justification for taking his life. It is the person and what they do that matters, not what they might do.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but I...what if they¡¯re right. Even if I get through this who¡¯s to say I won¡¯t lose it later? I can¡¯t help but be scared of what might happen.¡± Visions of me in Jaron¡¯s place sauntered before my eyes and rage stirred within me. I¡¯d never do the things he did.


    ¡°Alison calm down. Your eyes are starting to glow.¡±


    I blinked. I hadn¡¯t even noticed, the heat pooling behind my eyes had snuck up on me as if to emphasize my point.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°You''re right to be scared, but don¡¯t let the fear consume you. We¡¯ll get past this. Give me your plate and we¡¯ll get back to work.¡±


    Sliding my plate over to him, he picked it up and placed it on top of his own beside him.


    ¡°This time we¡¯re going to do something different. You¡¯ve gotten very good at drawing in a moment already. Now I want you to focus on your instincts. What are they urging you to do? What does it feel like?¡±


    Closing my eyes, I relaxed and turned my thoughts inward. At first, I felt only the same constant tingling heat in my veins and the pressure hiding within my bones. Focusing on the pressure I realised I could sense it building, growing ever so slowly even when at rest. Pushing my awareness into it I was surrounded by a familiar feeling, something I recognized deep down from all the times I¡¯d shifted or been overrun by my newer instincts. It was myself, the other part of myself. I¡¯d crossed the split in my soul. Now I was aware of it I could feel it inside me, a chasm separating two distinct parts...and it hurt. Each side reached out toward the other with jagged edges, scraping and gouging and I felt it all.


    Snapping my eyes open I fell forward onto my hands covered in sweat and gasping for breath.


    ¡°Alison! What happened?!¡± Came Bast¡¯s voice from nearby before swiftly being swallowed by the rushing of blood in my ears.


    Deep pain welled up from inside. All I could do was pull myself into as tight a ball as possible, shuddering as what felt like blades stabbed at my insides. I heard frantic movement and the splashing of water but was unable to turn and look. Minutes or moments later, I couldn¡¯t be sure, a new scent filled my nostrils washing across my mind like a wave. It didn¡¯t help but it gave me something else to focus on than the pain.


    Slowly the edge on the agony dulled. It grew more and more faint, as though gradually slipping back into the depths of my soul and I found myself lying on the smooth silver bark of the great tree for a third time, completely and utterly exhausted.


    ¡°Alison.¡±


    Rolling my half open eyes toward him without moving my head, Bast stared back with his brow furrowed and lips in a grimace. He held a small wooden bowl spilling out powerfully sweet smoke.


    ¡°You¡¯re back! Can you move?¡±


    I tried to unravel myself but my arms barely responded.


    He grew visibly more concerned at my lack of response. Conflict flittered across his face a moment before his expression grew firm. ¡°I''m taking you inside.¡±


    Placing the bowl at his feet, Bast drew a metal key from within his robes. Gently taking my left arm, I heard a sharp ¡®snicht¡¯ and the manacle fell free. Once he¡¯d removed all of them, he slid his arms under my knees and back, lifting me to his chest. Carefully wading into the water, he carried me towards the open door of the cottage. I couldn¡¯t help but groan as he jostled me stepping up onto the bank of the pool.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°-s¡¯all right.¡± I mumbled, barely a whisper.


    ¡°What happened?¡± his head tilted closer to hear.


    "-split...in soul.¡±


    He turned a little paler at that, but it didn¡¯t stop him from taking me inside and depositing me directly on a bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Don¡¯t go anywhere¡±, he rushed out of the room and I drifted into blackness.