Smackdown Shorts

Lycan

A/N This was a ton of fun to write. I've had a werewolf story planned for a while now (time is not my friend), and this story is basically an adapted version of the beginning. It got me excited to work on that story again. I hope you all enjoy this!  

The Scottish cave, which was currently Dominic's home, felt cold. Hollow, like his heart. Dom sat cross-legged on the hard ground with a book lying in his lap. The only light falling on the pages was a thin stream of sun piercing through the vegetation that nearly blocked up the entrance.

Dom let out a sigh and flicked to the next page. How on earth could a book on witchcraft be so... useless? He'd stolen it from what he thought was a reliable source, but perhaps the old woman wasn't a real witch after all.

Another page, and suddenly his eye caught something. His heart picked up. The spell was called the Findo curse. According to the text, it was used to split things.

Something inside him growled menacingly, but he pushed it down. Not now, he thought. Not when I'm so close.

He jumped to his feet, balancing the book in one hand. With the other, he drew the complicated gestures in the air which the pages described. "Hoc ente te scindite," Dom muttered, the words echoing off the cave walls. "Hoc ente te scindite. Hoc ente te scindite!"

As the echo died down, Dom felt more and more silly, standing with one arm raised in the air, waiting for something to happen. Mostly because nothing actually happened.

The growl once again reverberated in his chest, stronger this time. It drowned out the wave of disappointment that tightened his throat.

Enough, said the low, guttural voice in his head. You failed. Again.

"I'll figure out a way someday," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Soon."

Not today, said the voice. With that, a surge of pain shot through Dom's body. His own screams echoed through the cave so loud it was unbearable. His bones snapped. His skin was on fire. It felt as though his hands and feet were bound, and something pulled on both sides, stretching him out further and further until he was at breaking point.

And then it stopped, just as suddenly as it had begun. Dom panted, scrambling to his feet... No – his paws.

Conin! he roared, but the wolf had taken over his body. He was no longer in control.

Conin howled, loud and long. Then he ticked his sharp claws against the stone ground of the cave and leaped into the cold night air.

You wanted to get rid of me! Conin growling inside their shared mind.

Shadows of trees flashed by as his paws pattered the soft ground. It was all Dom could see through the angry red haze that clouded their consciousness.

Where is your loyalty, Dominic?

A flock of birds burst up from the trees above their head, startled by the predator racing below them.

Where is your –

The final word of his accusation dissipated into thin air, as Conin slowed. He sniffed the air. The haze lifted enough for Dom to take a proper look around. On the other side of the clearing they found themselves in, sat a girl. She looked about 17, Dom's age. Her eyes were fixed on the ground below her feet, which was why she hadn't noticed them yet. A deep frown jagged her otherwise delicate face.

Who is she?

Conin, what are you doing?

The wolf stepped forward, and a twig snapped under his paw. The girl's head shot up.