Young Writers Society

The wolf awoke with a start as a clap of thunder boomed echoed through the cave. He let out a great yawn, giving a small whine at the end. Re’ana was still sound asleep nuzzling into his side and hadn’t stirred from where she slept. The rain had stopped, but the lighting still clashed giving a periodic flash of light. Something had woken him up; but, he didn’t know what.

A pain shot through his left leg and his eyes widened in shock. He wriggled out from beneath Re’ana, leaving a few strands of fur between her clenched fingers. The wolf hobbled away, his leg seemingly asleep.

Re’ana awoke from the wolf’s sudden departure. She watched him limping away at a hurried pace. “Where are you going?” she called out through the howling wind. She let out a shriek as a flash of lightning and clap of thunder cut off what she was going to say next. “Don’t leave me alone!” she cried in desperation and scrambled after him, barely managing to keep up.

The wolf desperately tried to get away from Re’ana. The faintly glimmering light of the sun, already barely visible through the dreary cloud cover, was quickly disappearing into the shadows of night. His hobbling form was slowed as he drove deeper into the forest and Re’ana was slowly beginning to gain ground on him. The wolf let out a pained yelp as his right hind leg locked out straight, forcing his body to collapse. He gave out a whimpering whine until the joint in his hip gave a painful crack. His fore legs still pulled fervently at the earth beneath him in a desperate attempt to escape.

Re’ana witnessed the wolf’s collapse to the earth and heard his pain-filled cries. She wanted to help; but, she stood there in horror as she watched the wolf’s body change in front of her. His thin legs thickened and the toes on his fore-paws lengthened, creating new joints in a series of cracks. His spine arched as his tail slowly began to retreat. The once beautiful black coat peeled away like strips of cloth melting off of his skin. Digging his newly formed fingers into the earth, the wolf flung his head back to the cloud covered sky. His shortening snout releasing a pain-filled howl that slowly morphed into a man’s screams of agony. As the changes slowed to a stop, the man laid there on the wet ground naked. Surrounded by the remnants of what had been his skin. Covered in a thin sheen of sweat, the man slowly pushed himself to a kneeling position and let the cool night air sooth his burning skin.

“You?!” Re’ana cried in disgruntled awe as she recognized the platinum blonde hair on his head. “It was you the whole time?!” Her voice began to rise in pitch as she screamed. Vexed at the fact the wolf that had appeared to be her friend was the guard she completely despised.

“You could at least pretend that you’re happy to see me,” Fang replied as he stood up.

“How could I be happy knowing that you had been that wolf the whole time?! You lied to me!”

“I never lied to you. Just because I don’t tell you something doesn’t mean I am a liar.” Before Re’ana could answer his retort, he cut her off. “Princess, I would be happy to have this conversation with you; but, if you haven’t noticed, I’m naked. So, unless you want to watch me dress, I suggest you head back to the cave and wait for me.”

Re’ana, in her anger, had completely forgotten the fact that Fang was now completely nude. A burning blush filled her cheeks and she turned around to march toward the cave. “I expect an explanation when you return,” she growled. She stomped off toward the cave and tried to get what she had just seen out of her head.

Fang chuckled as he watched her storm off. Heading deeper into the forest, Fang paused by a fallen tree that some creature had hollowed out for shelter. The creature now gone, it had been the perfect place for Fang to hide his clothes and sword. “Almost made it two years without letting anyone see,” he sighed pulling on his fingerless gloves. He looked up to the veiled sky, finding the faintest glimmer of the moon above. “I guess it was bound to happen, given the circumstances.”