Wolf Soul

Prologue

Prologue

I was seven years old when Papa took me hunting for the first time. Mama had said that I should be home practicing my spells. But he insisted and eventually won her over. I was elated. I didn't want to practice my spells and potions. Most of all, I didn't want to be kept from the forest.

As we walked through the woods Papa would stop and crouch to the ground pointing out the tracks and what kind of animal they belonged to. He'd show me the broken twigs that indicated an animal had passed through and the tufts of fur left caught in a briar. Papa taught me to breath with the forest, to listen to everything she had to say. I soaked in all his words.

We followed the trail left by the animals. When I pointed out a doe he smiled and told me what a good little hunter I was. "But," he whispered. "We must leave our sister be," he pointed to her left, "See, sister has little ones of her own."

I nodded, wide eyed at his revelation. We left our sister and her young ones behind as we moved deeper to the heart of the forest.

Papa whispered once again. "Listen, do you hear their chatter? Look Antonia, to the tree tops. See the branches that sway?"

I looked up into the green all around us; there in the distance I saw them. "Yes Papa."

"Squirrels are very fast and they dart every which way, even jump from one tree to the other. You can't aim for where they are. You must aim for where they will be." I notched my arrow just as Papa had taught me; then with my inhale pulled the string back. I held the breath as I took aim.

"Good, Antonia, now..."

On my exhale I took the shot but was distracted by a sound to our left. My arrow went flying, like a bird with a broken wing."Papa, Papa there's something there!" I pointed to the thick brush. He took his bow and poked the greenery. A little yelp startled me. "Come on out." Papa coaxed.

A mop of dark wavy hair rose then two golden eyes appeared. Papa reached in and grabbed the boy under his arms, pulling him free. "Now, I wasn't aware I had another student. What's your name?" Papa smiled at him, causing creases to form at the corner of each of his eyes.

The boy, not much older than I, didn't say anything. He just looked down at the ground.

"Can't you talk?" I asked him.

He looked up at me then, "I'm not supposed to talk to you."

Papa stood up straight looking around us, but I took a step closer to the boy.

"What did I ever do to you?" I asked.

He tilted his head to the side. "You're not pack."

"What's pack?"

"My family."

"You're dressed strange." He wasn't wearing a tunic and had only part of a leather hide covering his lower body.

"Antonia." Papa chastised me then knelt down to the boy. "You're a long way from home. Do you need help?"

"No," he took off running only stopping and turning once. "My name's Marcus!" He smiled widely showing sharp teeth then continued running.

I smiled and waved. When he was gone I turned to my Papa. "There's something wrong with that boy."

"No, Antonia, he's one of our neighbors to the east, the wolves."

"No, no Papa he's not a wolf, he's a boy."

He smoothed back my hair, "He's a werewolf, half man half wolf."

"Can I be a werewolf?"

"No, I'm afraid you'll just have to settle for being you." He walked deeper into the woods. I stared off to where the wolf boy had run.

"Come along Antonia," Papa called.