Despondency

Chapter two

Ai didn't know a single person in the group of 50 wolves. All she knew about them was the sound of their paws and the hypnotizing way they ran, speeding through the packs. Ai was fascinated with the exponential growth of the group. As they ran the never ending race. The female wolves circled through the prompted packs with the certainty the male wolves would be running in a mirrored pattern. It was called the run of halves. The moon goddess inspired the representative of each half where to turn, and where to lead. The she-wolves started to slow until we where far from any pack land. This was going to be the grounds they used this year. Ai hadn't even noticed how quickly the moon goddess covered the land in her blanket of constellations. Ai stretched her neck to the sky. Every one was resting sore muscles while Ai didn't forget the awaited tradition. She would be loyal to the moon goddess. She closed her eyes listening to the stir of the wind and the small creatures the goddess adored. She could only imagine the love of the moon. To provide every creature with hope and light in the darkness of every night with out fail. Ai sighed with love as the residing Luna noticed.
"You must be from one of the more traditional packs." The Luna guiding the young she-wolfs especially said as Ai shifted.
"It has been so long since I heard the tale you know by heart... please tell me the story?" Ai smiled willingly, there was enough time.
"The moon and the sun used to share the blue sky. Until there was life upon the earth, born from their love. With no end to the heat and light their children suffered, lonely and exhasted." The Luna Handed Her clothes which she gratefully put on whilst still speaking.
"So the sun and the moon devised a plan to disappear under a blanket and named the blanket Night. But their children became afraid in the chaos, creating fire to call back the sun and moon. The fires ran ramped and destroyed many children." By now other girls gathered around to listen to Ai. It made her uncomfortable but, she felt compelled to finish. It was the full moon and the moon was smiling down at her tale.
"The moon decided with a broken heart that her children would always need her while they slept. The moon dusted herself in ash so that her children had rest, but would always be able to see light. So while we sleep the moon goddess watches us, casting her tears of stars across the blanket Night. For the sun loved her so much, he dies every night to let her breath. Never wanting her children to be alone, the moon then split our souls so we may never feel the pain she feels. But, every new moon, she disappears to be reunited with her love. And on clear summer days, you can see her stare across the blue sky in a white shadow. Awaiting the arms of her love once more." Some girls sighed while others scoff. It didn't matter the reactions the women gave, it was that the traditional story was told.
In the woman's group they would tell the story of the sun and the moon, while the male wolves would contemplate the parable of the two wolves. Where the grandfather tells his grandson he has two wolves inside him, hate and love, in a constant battle. When the young boy asks which one wins, the grandfather replies "the one you feed".
Ai wasn't suppose to know, but living in home with four boys got you learning a lot of things. Ai sighed suddenly missing her young brothers, Bradley, Conner, Roland and Riley. She loved them all, but Riley was the gentle one. He was like a close friend and teacher more than a brother. She remembered how he would jump out to scare her and how afterwards they would stay up until the wee hours in the night talking, and guiding eachother. He knew so many wonderful and smart things. Archetecture, stategy, psychology... a jack of all trades. But also a master of many. Conner was younger and so arrogant, although he had the most soft sweet side. Roland always got on her nerves easy but never stayed there for too long. He was the oldest, and hardest to relate too. Bradley...was rebellious and rubbed her raw. She used to get into fights with him but since they both matured she just would laugh at his sarcastic whit. She wanted to cry, she might never see them again. She suddenly realized that when the call came, she knew what her response would be.
"Girls! Gather around! It's almost time for the call." Quickly all the she-wolves fluttered over to the Luna, whispering excitedly. The call was when both groups howled to the moon until every wolf was exhasted into sleep. Every wolf chose what their call said until the end of time. It was very rare for a call to change. For most wolves, this would be their first howl. A call to their mate so that they can almost recognize them in the distance. The howl you gave resounded a feeling. It could be strength, grace, light, happiness... abstract ideas that only the heart really knows.
The Luna lifted her once again wolf face to the sky, at exactly to same time her and her mates howl resounded in a harmony. Hers was beauty and her mate's was power. They blended well together. Their call to eachother ended and with her next breath all the she-wolves joined in. Ai waited still. She wanted her mate to feel when she called. She imagined the emotion baptize her from her paws to her snout. She gently raised her head and joined in the chorus, she was quiet at first and allowed her howl to gain momentum. When she ended her call she realized all the she-wolves once again stared unforgiving at her.
Her call, was never used before to her knowledge.
Her howl rang around every ear until they understood what she howled.
Her howl was faith in the moon.
She blindly chose the feeling and had let it fly from her muzzle with abandon. The wolves started up their calls but Ai was already fast asleep with the light of the moon sifting her silver fingers through Ai's cream and black fur.
"Wake up!" Luna Tracey called and went to each girl gently waking them. It felt as if no time had past.
Ai was almost awake already. She was energized by her sleep despite the hours of running and sleeping in her wolf form. She needed to let her fur out to sleep more often. She watched the Luna's gentle nature arouse each girl to the morning light. She loved the Luna's thick black hair and dark skin. She felt herself almost become jealous before she shook her head and changed into clothes. Being naked around the woman wasn't a probelm. It was around the men. Only sleazy woman would throw what belongs to their mate to other wolves.
"That was smart, what you did last night." Ai turned to see a small girl with blonde chin length hair behind her.
"Last night?" The girl nodded.
"Your howl was dedicated to the core belief of werewolves. My brother is usually an expert about keeping our mind link down but it's wide open because of you..." Ai tried to smile and started to pack her things more tightly. Ai wasn't an organized person but she needed to be for a couple weeks, that is if she wanted to keep all her stuff.
"Can... can we do this together? You and me? When the challenges start?" The girl asked.
"What's your name?" Ai said it like a statement though.
"Alice."
"I'm Ai." She pointed her thumb at herself and hoisted her bag on her shoulders.
"What's been eating at ya?" Ai asked and started walking.
"Well, all the male werewolves want to meet you and I was hoping that...that if I stayed with you I'd find him, my mate." Her wide innocent eyes and fragile petite frame reminded Ai more of a deer than a wolf. Ai reached down and plucked a long tan cat tail from the dew ridden grass. She felt sorrow as she pictured her brothers and mom at home. Her brother Riley would have a cattail stuck between his lips. Her mom would be all alone with no other girl to comfort her. She almost stuck the cattail in her mouth to chew on the end but decided with her better judgment. She shook her head and turned her attention back to the insecure girl. She tossed the cattail gently away.
"Then you better keep close." One by on the girls cleared out of the camp site and started to track where the group gathering was. This was the first part of the challenge; to find the flat rock. It was a giant rock about half an acre in diameter surrounded by trees. It was the chosen meeting place for the mating challenge for the next four years. Ai already knew where it was because her brothers helped the other packs move it. So she didn't bother looking and tracking a dumb rock. She was told about something of greater interest. There was a waterfall to the north west side of the forest, something she had never seen.
Luna Tracey approached her before she had a chance to leave the clearing.
"What ever your planning, I don't think I like it much." She drawled in her unearthly black woman voice.
"Please be one of the first girls to the gathering place, for heavens sake, don't be stupid."
Alice's wide eyes gazed up questioning at Ai.
"Luna."
"Aiyana." Tracey tapped her foot, "don't disappoint yourself by rebelling completely." Ai nodded in consent looking toward Alice. How did Luna Tracey know?
She would go to the rock for Alice. Instead of moving directly east like the rest of the she wolves she moved south, the opposite way she wanted to go. The most direct path to the rock according to her senses.