Red Moon Hunting

Wolf Ball

Wolf Ball

I ran into the gym after classes ready to play. Today was the start of volleyball try-outs. I was a strong player last year and worked really hard at camp over the summer so I couldn't wait to have my go.

I recognized some of the girls as I walked to the bench. They talked lightly and hi-fived me when I joined the group.

"Hey Jenn time to step up our game this year." Harriet, my setter said smiling.

"Don't worry I'm ready. Camp this year was amazing. One of the coaches is an olympian! This year we are taking gold!" I said pumping my fist into the air. For the last seven years our school has been in second place, so I'm trying to bring up our title.

"Come on show us some stuff you learned at camp!" one of the girls said. I smiled wide and handed Harriet my ball.

"Set me?" I asked even though I already knew her answer. I ran quickly to power and stooped low. "Shoot me a 33!" I called out. She nodded and one of the other girls tossed her the ball. She shot it just over the top of the net by six inches right into the third lane.

If there was something harriet could do that was set a perfect ball. I did my quick steps to the net and came up high on it. My whole body lifted into the, my chest reaching the top of the net. My hand came down and pounded the ball the slap of skin on rubber bounced around the room as the six girls watched the ball bounce just inside the attack line.

Behind me someone was clapping. It wasn't one of those claps that made you feel good about what you've just done. I squeezed my eyes shut and turned to face the three seniors on the team. They clapped with slow sarcasm.

"You know it's uncool to show off on the first day of try-outs." one of them said in a baby voice. She was the smallest if the three, our libaro. I smiled big and sarcastic.

"At least I have something to show off." I said. The gym was filled with ohhs and ahhs. Most of the jr. Girls stayed out of it, but the most of the team was on my side. Harriet stepped up beside me.

"You have to be good to play this year. So bring the game to the court." she said. I knew she was on my side but she was also a sr. So she had to play the middle man... Or girl.

"I'm fine with that." I said walking off the court. "Till next time." I called to the other sr.'s

"Till next time." they hissed back.

Coach came in with the last of the girls ready to try out. I didn't see any girls from the pack enter the room. We all crowded around the bench and coach numbered us off. "When I call your name and a number repeat it back to me." he called.

"Stephanie 1."

"One!"

"Jennifer 2."

"2." I called and stepped out of the group. I stood to an open wall and set the ball to myself over and over until all 14 girls names were called. "Evens on this side of the court odds on that side! Steph, Jenn your captains choose your lines." coach called.

"Right coach." I said and turned to my team. I had Stacy, sadly, she was the other setter on the team. She was okay, but I would prefer Harriet. "Stacy you set, Mich front middle." the two girls sneered at me before hitting the court. I had one second year and three Jr.'s. "Sam you still want to be libaro?" I asked. A huge grin spread on her face. "Back middle." she smiled and skipped to her spot on the court. "What positions do you girls play?" I asked.

"I want to learn power." one girl said.

" alright go front power." she grinned and ran to her spot. Stacy and Mich scowled as she ran past.

"You two?"

"I don't know the positions." one of the girls said. I tried not to groan, she wouldn't last long.

"Go offside. It's the spot behind the power, you go power behind Stacy. When the ball goes to their side of the court you two need to switch sides." they nodded, but I knew the didn't understand what I said.

I looked over at step's team. She had made a Jr. Sit on the bench so that she could play. I should have known she would do that. Coach checked the players and tossed my Jr. the ball.

"Serve it." she stared at it blankly. I stepped up beside her and walked her through the steps. She smiled and tossed the ball into the air and smacked it. I gaped as the ball sailed across the top of the net perfectly. She ran to the other side of the court where the other Jr. stood in awe. They moved around and the girls settled into a game play.

They played a quick game to 15. Steph's team won, which she so gloated around. I just laughed.

Coach called her off and made two new teams. The took out one other girl who had been acting unsportsmen like. I stood power with Harriet as my setter. There was a couple of Jr.'s behind me and Mitch was playing libaro. "Serve!" coach called and tossed it to the other team. Someone turned on some music and we started to play.

It was mostly harriet, Mitch and I, but that didn't bother me too much. The new girls would scream and duck when the ball got too close to them.

None of the girls on the other team could return my hits, coach told me to turn it down so that we actually got some practice in today.

After volley ball I packed my stuff and headed out to the school parking lot. An ever familiar ford focus was waiting on the street corner. I wondered over to Al's window and tapped it. "I have to go home." he nodded and and unlocked the door.

"You can't walk home alone. Don't you have a car?" he asked.

"No, I usually walk."

"Not anymore. Get in, I'll drive you home it's too dangerous for you."

"I wasn't a werewolf before." I mumbled getting in the seat next to him. Chuckling he drove away, tires squealing against the pavement. I could see the sneers from the other girls as we sped away.

"Have you shifted yet?" Al asked. I glanced at him, he was only watching the road from the corner of his eye.

"No." I mumbled slumping down into my seat. "I don't want to." I said a little louder.

"You can't just suppress you wolf like that. You have to shift." he growled.

"I'm not suppressing my 'wolf', and why do you act like its another being. Human or wolf I'm still Jennifer White." I said.

"We treat it like another being because you wolf will act how you normally don't. All of your emotions it will act on, anger, fear... Lust. You have to understand the only way to learn to control these things is by shifting."

"Fine! But not on school nights. I don't want to be running around for hours and have to go to school the next day."

"Thank you." he said returning his full attention back to the road.

It didn't take ling before he pulled up to my house. "No one home?" he asked. I shook my head and got out. "Be careful, call me if anything happens!" I grunted as a reply and headed into my dark house.

Sometimes I hated it when my parents went on their yearly vacations that lasted months, but with this whole wolf thing I'm happy for freedom.

I wondered around my house, keeping the lights off and closed the curtains. I liked wondering around my house in the dark. It always made it seem a bit more exciting, scary almost.

But not since my change. Because of the new wolf abilities it wasnt as dark as it usually was. It actually made me really sad.