~*~
The
moon shone down above the meadow where Dad and I stood. Tiny silver filaments
of light filtered through the canopy of trees overhead and gave the night a surreal
feeling. Fitting, if you considered what we were out there to do.
Mom
had taken the older girls deeper into the woods to complete their shift and
left me with Dad to go through mine. The first one for me and, as Dad had
warned, probably the most painful one I'll ever have to endure.
"Come
on, son. You can do it."
I
grunted, scenting the air - searching for something, anything to delay the
inevitable. The wind carried the scents of spring - rotted vegetation, rain and
something else. Something acrid. The smell of fear.
"Brody,
get on with it," Dad urged. "Waiting around and psyching yourself out
isn't going to make it any easier. If you don't shift voluntarily, the moon
will force it on you in a couple of days and then it will be even worse. Now,
come on."
"I
know," I muttered and kicked at a dead leaf. "I'm scared, Dad."
He
sighed and I looked up. I knew that sound. It was his 'I'm trying to be patient
but it's getting old' sigh. I gave him my own frustrated exhalation and
shrugged out of the thick woolen sweater mom had insisted I wear.
"That's
my boy," Dad encouraged.
I
gave him my best twelve year old glare and kicked off my runners as I stepped
onto the blanket he'd provided. There really was no avoiding it. Dad was right.
If I didn't shift now, the change would happen by force. I'd seen it happen to
another kid a few months before and there was no way I was going through that
kind of pain. Not if I could avoid it.
A
lone howl rose in the late night air as I dropped my t-shirt at my feet and
stepped out of my jeans. Mom, signaling her change as complete. My sisters
wouldn't be far behind.
Hurrying
to finish taking my boxers and socks off, I knelt on the blanket and dropped to
hands and knees as dad had instructed before we left the house. I recalled his
instructions and slowed my breathing to calm my heart rate.
With
my eyes closed, I turned my focus inward, searching for the dormant wolf energy
that would bring on the change. Dad had said I'd know when I found the right
thing. It would feel like a long lost part of myself had finally come home.
I
don't know how long it took but when I found the wolf, the elation I felt was
quickly overshadowed by the most incredible pain I'd ever experienced. The
wolf's energy exploded through me, shattering and reforming bones, rearranging
my body to fit the form it wanted me to take. My human mouth screamed, cried
and begged for the pain to stop until it couldn't anymore. Whimpers and howls,
animal sounds foreign to my vocal chords, replaced my pleas for mercy. I knew
there wouldn't be any relief until I was fully shifted, but it didn't stop me
from asking for it.
Fire
raced down my spine, arching my back until my muzzle pointed skyward. I howled,
long and mournfully, as my skin rippled and fur flowed from the tip of my nose
to the end of my tail.
I
didn't know it then but dad would tell me later it had looked like a storm
cloud broke over my skin as my fur grew in. I'd have to take his word for it.
Finally,
just when I didn't think I could take any more pain, it stopped and I was left
to collapse on the blanket in an exhausted heap. The wolf, I could tell, was pleased with
himself but I couldn't care less. I wanted a nap like I'd never wanted anything
else in my life.
Something
nudged my right hand, correction - paw, and I cracked open an eyelid to glare
at who or whatever was interrupting my attempt at sleep. A pair of golden eyes
framed by light gray fur stared back. Dad, great. He nudged me again and, with
a frustrated chuff, I gave him what he wanted. I stood... And promptly crashed
right back down to the blanket.
Dad
yipped, his wolfy version of an order to 'haul ass solider and get back up'. I
barked at him but did as instructed. Unsteadily, I got up on all four of my new
legs and waited for the next nose dive. When it looked like I might remain
upright I tried a few tentative steps, relying on the wolf to show me the way.
Walking on all fours was foreign to me but the animal part of my psyche knew
what it was doing and I let it take over.
The
wolf shouldered me aside just as my older sisters, Moira and Maeve, bounded
into the clearing and bowled me over with their exuberance. We rolled into a
bush together, yipping and snarling as they tried to pin me down. My wolf was
having none of that.
We
were destined to be the pack alpha one day. We would bow to no one.
