Chapter 61 - Nature

I wake up feeling the morning sun warm my body. Not that I am cold, the thick fur on my body is warm enough. But it is a nice feeling.
It is a wonderfully beautiful morning. When I look up at the mountain tops, I get the feeling that the last clouds of fog are waving goodbye before the sun’s rays burn them away to make more room for its light. The surface of the lake might as well have been made of glass, it is so still. Like a mirror for the heavens..and for the Gods who live there. I stand up and stretch my muscles before I trot down to the lake eager to drink. The water is sweet and cold on my tongue, it reminds my body of how thirsty I really am..and hungry. I have never eaten in wolf form, the thought of hunting some poor animal down, kill and eat it would normally don't sit right with me, but for now I don't feel like that..I start walking, following the shoreline of the lake. There are a thousands smells, both on the ground and in the air. I can smell the trace of some kind of cat..a mountain lion perhaps? Its fading, maybe it to was here to drink during the night. My nose is telling me a badger has its sett only 10 meters away so I hurry past. Not that I think it would do anything to me, but I’ve had it imprinted since I was little, in the forest you have to be careful of badgers, they bite until it cracks..someone once said that a trick was to stop coal in the boots, I cant remember who said it though..was it even my own memory?.. I keep moving around the lake, my sights are set on the mountains on the other side. I see the tall grass move and before I know it, I’m standing face to face with a bear..a grizzly! He looks as surprised as I am. He is not aggressive and does not seem to feel threatened either. He sniffs the air to try to identify me. I probably don’t look like any wolves he’s seen before.
When his curiosity is satisfied, he wanders off into the tall grass, presumably to try to find his breakfast. Breakfast! Images of Greta’s scrambled eggs and perfectly fried bacon pop into my head..and with that, memories of my breakfasts with Callum. My heart ache at the thought of him, I miss him so much. Before I can lose myself in my memories, a sudden movement to the right catches my attention. It’s a hare, it stops for a second or so to smell the air in search for danger. It is much bigger than the rabbits I usually cuddle with at the zoo. The body is longer and slimmer, but still more muscular. I stand completely still and the hare does not detect me. In its own little world, it skips right past me. Big mistake.

The terrain on the other side of the lake, at the foot of the mountains, is a bit tougher to get through. But I enjoy it. The lack of training lately is soon a thing of the past, because even in my wolf form, my muscles are brought to life by the challenge. I find a passage through the mountains and I am once again captivated by the wonders of nature. I look up into the sky and see a large eagle flying, looking for prey to sink its claws into. Maybe it has its nest up there on one of the mountains, maybe the nest is full of little baby birds screaming for food. Suddenly my minds is flooded with new pictures from Lunas memory.

I’m standing on a battlefield. Everything is calm and still, but the bodies on the ground testify that there has just been a war here. Dead wolves..people who have only had time to shift half way, with limbs twisted out of joint lie with their eyes wide open. The pale tattered vampires are the only ones with clothes on..clothes that testify to what century this took place. Linen shirts, trousers tied at the knees, long thick socks and high leather boots. Maybe the 17th century..which means the memory is neither Aayla’s nor Theresa’s. In my hand I hold a sword, the edge still wet with dark blood. I turn my gaze to the sky when the sun is shaded by something. Up there, about thirty large birds are circling, looking down at the festive buffet laid out on the ground. A few land and start ripping pieces from the wolves’ bodies and I raise my sword, aiming for the feathered scavengers while a loud growl rips from my throat.
“ Okay, so we don't like birds..got it!” I think to my self and shake the scene out of my head.
The sun is high in the sky and shines down on me with a little too much heat for my taste. I continue to struggle through the roughness of the passage. After I get over a tough area of large rocks and loose gravel, it gets a little easier, the surface widens and the passage continues until its walls merge with the mountain slopes. I’m through. The sight before me is magnificent. With the mountains at my back, I look out over a large valley. The grass is green and lush, trees grow spontaneously here and there, a river meanders through the valley before disappearing into the distance. I know this place..I have seen it in my dreams. This is the home of Aayla, that is her river. Searching my memory I soon find the direction to the cave and start walking that way. I don't know what I will do when I get there, I don't know how Luna will react. She was bound when Aayla lived there, her memories was not her own, but Aaylas, and when she came to get her mothers remains she didnt feel any kind of affinity with the place. But somehow I do..I can still feel the warmth from the fire in the cave..and the dance in the rain, the feeling of the drops buzzing on my dry skin.
I pick up a scent, no a few actually..wolves..I can feel that they usually pass here, probably when they go out hunting. There is nothing strange about it, I know there are wolves in this area just like bears, cougars and other predators. But I don’t smell bears or any other animal at all. No..wolves..but not just any wolves. Werewolves..and if they live here nearby, that can only mean one thing. Rogues. Luna perks up in my head, curious about them, wanting to meet them. There is no such thing as a rogue to her, they come from her and that is the only thing that matters.
*Easy girl..we don't want to scare them. You can do a lot of stupid and dangerous shit if you are scared, that goes for both human and animal…we can stay here, and try to call them. If they want to come they will come..okay?*
We lay down in the soft grass. I don't want to be standing up if they decide to show them selves, I don't want them to see my size as a threat. I remember the alpha female at the zoo, calling her pack, so I tilt my head back and howl a low tone. And then I wait and listen. I don't hear anyone howling back..and no wolves or humans is coming to meet us..I try it again, a little loader this time..still nothing. I feel Lunas disappointment mixed with my own relief. Sure, meeting other wolves could be fun..but I’m not here for fun..if I want fun I..no, I cant go back home..
I smell her before I see her. A girl, maybe a few years younger than me. She is wearing an oversized flannel shirt, an old one by the looks of the worn out material, jeans with holes on the knees and sneakers, probably white from the beginning. Her hair is long and braided. The braid goes all the way down to the small of her back. I lay still on the ground, I don't want to scare her.
“ We don't want any trouble..you can just pass, we won't be in your way”..she say in a very calm voice. I really don't want to scare her, so I carefully crawl slow against her until I’m right in front of her, then I put my head on my paws, making my self even smaller. I could link her and talk to her, but rogues doesn’t link so she will probably freak out.
“ You want to come with me?” the girl asked. I raised my head and perked my ears, thats how I remebered the wolves at the zoo react if they got exited over something.
“ I guess its ok..you can probably borrow some clothes if you want to shift, my name is Emma by the way .” She give me a little smile and then turns around and start to walk, in the same direction I was headed. We walk in silence for about ten minutes. I notice that she glances at me from time to time and when she looks away I take the opportunity to do the same. I’m not surprised when we arrive at the cave, somehow I understood that’s where we were going. However, I am surprised by what I see.
There are about fifteen people outside the cave entrance, all in their human form. Most of them appear to be as young as Emma, but one stands out from the group. It’s an older man, my mother’s age, maybe a little older. He stands at the front, a wooden club in his hands. Looking behind him, I see that most of them are equipped with some type of homemade weapon.
“ Its a Luna!” I hear one of the girls whisper. Before I approach, I make a decision…I know its a risk but I think its the best way.
“ Hi, my name is Hope..I mean you no harm and I come alone” I concentrate to only link the older man, he seems to be the leader of the group. The man falls down to one knee, dropping his weapon, he holds his head and grunts as if he is in pain.
“ Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare or hurt you, I just wanted to come by and meet you..Like I said, my name is Hope and I come from.. “
“Can you please be quiet!!!” The man shouted, still holding his head. He didn’t link me, he actually shouted, making the people behind him very surprised. I look around and see a drying rack with some clothes on it so I trot over and pull down the first thing I see and go behind a large rock at the side of the cave. When I step forward, I’m wearing an overall that’s way too big. I walk up to the group again.
“ Let me try that again. Hi I am Hope and it is really nice to meet you all!”