Thorns and Tides

iii.

The howls push my sleep-ridden eyelids up and out of my slumber. It was coming from outside, most likely being produced and reproduced by the hunters. They were ready for the hunt, whether they liked it or not—whether I liked it or not.

   I sigh through my nose, rubbing my eyes as I pushed myself up from the bed, too small to hold my feet from underneath me.

   Werewolves were immortal but not invulnerable. Knowing an ultimate demise wasn't across the horizon for me, made this large expanse of loneliness deepen and widen. Living with absolutely nothing to live for except for the faith the Moon Goddess, Artemis, has bestowed in me, I realize I might as well be living with no purpose. Natural caused death was a thing of the mortals and I'm not one of them. It's either slay or be slain in this world.

   Cora was the first person I saw after I had gotten ready for the day, in the kitchen. She was seated at the breakfast table having a bowl of fruit salad, her curly brown hair—just like mine—had been tamed into smooth ringlets that rested on the top of her head. She looked up when she saw me and with a mouthful, attempted to say something like "good night, basically."

   I offer a tilt of my head and make to fix myself a snack. Sleeping all day didn't do any favors for my appetite. Her voice, less muffled, appears from next to me. "I forgot to mention earlier, before you went to sleep, that you were also invited to the brunch tomorrow." She places the bowl in the sink.

   As she leaves the kitchen she calls after me. "Don't forget to dress nice. Fix your hair up for once, will you?"

   I guess I'm meeting my sister's fiancé tomorrow. And the Alpha King. Oh, Moon Goddess.

♛ ☾ ♚

The hunt was in an hour. I dressed in simple clothing that I didn't care much about, knowing it would be ripped after shifting soon enough. A long-sleeved tee and sweatpants that were no where near irreplaceable in abundance.

Milo was at the pack house, having a sleepover with some of his friends. He wasn't old enough to shift. Mother and Father had to join the Alpha as Beta Male and Female, and I was to stick with Cora. And Violet. I really didn't like Violet.

She had come mere seconds after my nondescript conversation with Cora, solely to handwrite some save the dates for a wedding that they had not yet started planning. Nevertheless, Cora agreed and began to draft the pointless letter that was, in theory, an announcement warning you of an announcement soon to come. I didn't understand weddings. But they put me to work, writing save the date after save the date until the joints in my finger were rubbed raw and my entire hand ached from not being able to catch up with my quick-paced mental repetition.

This went on for nearly an hour, my hand was given a break after the door was swung roughly from its hinges, revealing Milo. "What are you guys doing in here, the hunt is about to start?" He says with a strange authority that he only recently decided to use when he turned a decade old—he thought it made him seem more mature, controlling. Son of a Beta.

"What are you doing here?" I retort, shaking the agony out of my hand. "Aren't you supposed to be with your friends having a sleepover and doing whatever children do?" I honestly didn't know.

"Dad told me to grab you and Cora. And apparently Violet." He turns to look at Violet, seemingly now realizing her presence, and lifts a hand in a brief wave. His cheeks flush a deep scarlet when Violet gives him a smile in turn. Pre-teens.

  Cora rises, brushing virtually nothing from the front of her skirt and Violet follows. "Coming?" She asks tilting her head to the side towards me. I give a curt nod and push myself up from the floor where I resided, abandoning the warmth of the hearth. I quickly trapped the warmth as I slipped into my winter coat and boots. I sighed knowing full well that I'd soon have to shed all of the layers.

Stepping out from comfort made me realize two things: the moon was extremely large for a full moon and had a blinding intensity to it, I had to squint. It was as bright as the sun on a hot day, I could've sworn that heat was radiating off of it. My snow boots were rendered useless after a single step when my feet sunk a few inches into the ground. I walked in lunges—winter came strong this year. It's funny how as a wolf, the cold wouldn't affect me.

I let out a small growl in frustration. Cora seemed to be having a similar problem because she also growled in unspoken agreement. A conversation between our wolves, who were bonded as siblings.

Many minutes of trudging later, we arrived at the pack house and at the Beta's quarters. Although my father lived with us in our own family home, he still had his own quarters in the pack house. Customary among our kind. Mother was lounging on a plush chair while father sat at his desk, they both looked up as we entered. Milo quickly exited, his job completed. Violet stood confidently at the front, as if she were presenting herself as my parents' spawn. She deflated when my father dismissed her the second he saw her.

"I need to speak to you girls," my father starts as if it isn't apparent. But we both nod, knowing better than to insult someone of higher rank, even if he was our father. "I know that this is not your first hunt, but this hunt will be slightly different. I shouldn't be telling you this, but you are my daughters and it is my job to protect you."

He paused for a breath before continuing, "Strange behavior has been recorded around our pack borders. Lights and peculiar flashes of color. If you encounter these lights, be careful, we don't know what they are yet. Have a bountiful hunt." He stands from his desk after speaking such monotonous words and mother follows as they make a semi-dramatic exit.

It was time for the hunt.

♛ ☾ ♚

Violet caught up with us—Cora—as we made our way to the edge of the forest. She had been waiting outside the room, in the Beta's quarters. Curiosity killed the cat; I wonder what would happen to the wolf. I spoke nothing and conveyed nothing. Even as animated conversation came my way, I shut it off. I caught silvery eyes looking at me, Ella. I made a gesture of acknowledgement and turned forward, blending into the crowd.

Silence became of all the conversation. Alpha Felix was here. There would be no speech, this was an event for the wolves. Let them run free. He stood in front of the crowd, his pack, as he turned. The moonlight made his features lupine and he took the form of a wolf. He faced away from the pack and ran into the forest. We were expected to follow.

   I took off my winter coat and gave control to my wolf, she yipped in excitement. My clothes became tatters and strips of nothing as the wolf—as I became the wolf. My nails elongated into claws and my hands followed, becoming paws. I sprouted hair everywhere.

   The wolf's only plea was to follow her Alpha and feast on the products of her hunt. Her Alpha let out a howl and like the rest of the pack, she reciprocated. She ran and ran and ran deep into the woods until she could no longer see any of her pack mates.

   Scents became heightened and it wasn't too hard to stalk her first prey. A rabbit hopped gleefully, unaware of all the wolves. It was just too easy. She slowly took step after step towards the rabbit, who was munching on grass that had peeked up from under all of the snow. Her coat had turned white with the winter in hopes to blend in. But the wolf's keen eyes had spotted her.

   And she pounced. Digging her claws into the rabbit's sides and reaching to end her with a bite to the throat. She bit down, taking pride in her kill, albeit small. Blood stained her muzzle and the rabbit became limp after a moment's struggle. Although the wolf feasted quick on the rabbit, it did very little to subdue her growling stomach. She ventured deeper into the forest, leaving the empty carcass behind.

   That was when she saw the flame.

   Floating and flickering. The source of the flame was no where to been seen. It was just floating there. The wolf followed the flame and the flame moved. As if it were teleporting from place to place, flickering in and out. It was showing her where to go, was the heavy realization. Perhaps it would lead her to more prey. She couldn't tell if the feeling in her stomach was the weight of the rabbit or dread.

   The flames then replicated, lighting up a path.