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I smelled the fresh air before I found the opening that I’d sneaked in through. Looking back at the way I’d come, I silently sent a thankful prayer to the Moon Spirit for keeping me safe.
I leapt through the opening, finding that the day had passed us by. Telling time was hard underground. The sun had begun its descent into the horizon while darkness creeped along the edges.
Taking a breath, I stood for a moment, contemplating everything that I had learned while in that pit. My left fist clenched as I thought about the power that the Moon Spirit had gifted me. I’m not sure how, but I knew deep down that I would need all the help I could get. My mission was ahead of me, and I knew what I had to do.
I checked to make sure my hood was secured then took off running. I didn’t bother being sneaky. I didn’t care if I was caught on a motion detector or camera. None of that mattered anymore.
I was halfway to my house when the sun set and the moon appeared. My wolf pushed forward, wanting to be let out, which was a good idea.
Stopping by a tree, I quickly undressed then shoved my clothes in a hollow log so I could grab them later.
I straightened, completely naked, enjoying the cool air against my skin for a few moments. It had been stuffy in those caves. Being surrounded by open space was a welcome relief and something I wouldn’t take for granted moving forward.
Once I’d had my fill, I retreated, letting my wolf assume control. She pushed closer to the surface, then the change came over me. My body shifted, rearranging itself into the body of a wolf. White fur covered me from head to toe, and my skin felt raw, like it had just been scrubbed clean with lava rocks.
My wolf shook, banishing the residual itch until it faded to nothing. We flung our head back, looking up at the sliver of moon that graced the sky. Taking a deep breath, we steadied our diaphragm until our lungs started to burn, and then we howled.
The sound felt like it was coming from our soul, full of heartache and pain but also hope and determination. This was our acceptance howl. A signal to the Moon Spirit that we were ready to do her bidding. She had our trust.
When our lungs were empty, we lowered our head and opened our eyes. A pure white wolf stood twenty feet opposite us, its eyes observing me with curiosity.
I tilted my head, unsure if the wolf was the Moon Spirit or someone else. I sniffed the air but didn’t smell anything besides the slight breeze.
Must be her.
I took a step forward and reached out with my mind, trying to make a connection like we did before. The wolf yipped then turned until it was facing the direction behind it. Its head turned back, looking at me with a sort of challenge that I couldn’t refuse.
I hesitated for just a moment. The wolf’s behavior was nothing like what I expected from the Moon Spirit, but maybe it felt freer out here. More playful. I knew my wolf did.
We shook off the trepidation and started after the wolf. The pace was slow at first but gained speed when the trees grew thicker. We rushed through the foliage, dodging bushes and trunks, running as fast as we could.
If I was in control, I would have slowed down, but my wolf was enjoying the chase and the wind in her fur. She rarely got to run, which was my fault. I made a mental note to let her out more. I’d been caging her in, and that wasn’t right.
I promise to be better.
I realized we were drawing closer to the pack house, which was when the white wolf veered to the left. We passed the pack grounds, running back to the north, where my home was located.
By the time we reached a small clearing about half a mile from my house, my wolf was panting, heart pounding by the breakneck pace the white wolf had set.
We stopped at the edge, muscles burning from exertion. The other wolf trotted to the opposite side before sniffing the ground and taking a seat.
I mirrored the movement, sitting down while my tongue hung from my mouth, trying to cool off. Forest scents filled my nose—damp earth, wet leaves, and the faintest scent of wood. It was a scent I grew up on, one that I wouldn’t let go of.
My attention returned to the other white wolf, curious about why I was led here. Clouds moved, letting moonlight shine down, making our white fur gleam in the darkness.
The other wolf shifted, and my eyes narrowed, noticing something that I hadn’t before. The wolf’s eyes weren’t the dark all-knowing blue that I’d come to associate with the Moon Spirit. That could only mean that the white wolf across from me wasn’t who I initially thought.
We stood quickly, studying the other wolf for any signs of aggression. They didn’t react to our movement, just remained sitting, watching us with blue-green eyes that I didn’t recognize.
My left front leg started tingling, and I wondered if the Moon Spirit was trying to tell me something. I felt tingles around Rylan and burning around Ledger. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to put two and two together. Tingles were good and burning was bad.
‘We’ve seen this wolf before,”my wolf said, subtly sniffing the air, but we were upwind.
‘We have?’I asked, wracking my brain trying to remember.
‘The night after.’
Oh, right.
