Under The Full Moon

New Threats

Gale shivered in fear as she watched from the branches, the Wizard threatening to set the tree ablaze. "Broin... please..." Gale whimpered, the Wizard looking up toward the tree, a vile sneer crossing his face.

"Yes, Broin... please..." He mocked Gale, the end of his staff beginning to glow. Reluctantly, Broin lowered the bow. "Good boy, now, throw it aside. We are merely here to have a bit of a talk if you will..." Broin didn't let go of the bow right away, not trusting what the man was saying. The Wizard rolled his eyes. Tapping the staff forward in the air, a shot of lightning left the staff, striking the ground near the tree. It hit the dirt with a loud pop that made Broin jump. Gale screamed, nearly falling from the tree in fright. 

"Alright!" Broin shouted, moving to set the bow aside. The Wizard's eyes followed him under his hood, keeping a close eye on Broin's movements. Gale didn't move from the tree, having righted herself on the branch she had been perched on, hugging the lower hanging branch above her tightly. Positioning himself under the branch that Gale was standing on, he watched the Wizard in a distrustful manner. He didn't like the way the man was smirking under his hood, his teeth glinting faintly with the purplish light that came from the end of his staff.

"Now then... now that all of the unpleasantries are out of the way..." He started, moving toward the tree and Broin a little, the beast that now stood beside him giving a low growl at Broin. This was silenced by a wave of the Wizard's hand. "Easy, child, I just want to talk to our friend's little toy here," The Wizard taunted. With a disagreeing hiss, the beast moved to settle itself in the dirt, though it took interest in one of Broin's bags that he had settled nearby. The Wizard made no attempt to stop it as it began to tear into the bag, eating the jerky and other food items that the bag contained. "How long have you been coming out here to this little patch, hmm?" 

"That's none of your concern..." Broin growled, his eyes narrowing. The Wizard stopped where he was a few feet from Broin, his eyes still watching him coldly from within the hood. 

"On the contrary, it is every bit my concern. You see, that creature in the tree above you is mine... and I don't like it when others come in and try to take what is mine," 

Gale didn't have to be on their level to know that this had angered Broin, a shiver rushing up and down her body from her toes to her head and back down again. "Broin..." She tried to speak to him from where she was, though he was beyond hearing her.

"She is the property of no one..." Broin spat, taking a step toward the Wizard, who showed no sign of being intimidated. The beast lifted its head from Broin's destroyed bag and gave a warning growl, baring its teeth at Broin as it took a step forward. The Wizard raised his hand again, stopping it from coming any closer. This didn't stop the low, threatening growls that left its maw. Broin continued, stopping close enough to the Wizard that, if he wanted to, he could reach out and slap him. "You took her from her family, a father that cares about her... and to do what? Turn her into a toy for your own pleasure?" 

The Wizard's smirk turned into a sneer. "I haven't even begun to use her for what I have planned for her..." His voice came out in a silky, vile manner. Almost as if he were egging Broin on. "She has a great future here as she is... if she behaves I may even let her have a bit more room to grow," He spoke. Lifting his staff, it emitted a different glow. This one matching the glow of the gem in the center of her collar. Broin caught this detail, his heart seeming to stop in his chest for a moment when he heard Gale scream. Turning to the tree, he could see a bright light in the branches where Gale was hidden away. Rushing over to the tree as she began to slide from the branches, Broin caught her before she could hit the ground. Her screams only grew in volume as the light grew brighter, her teeth beginning to sharpen behind her lips. 

"Stop! Leave her alone!" Broin shouted at the Wizard, though his pleas were ignored. The glow grew enough to the point where Broin had to look away, Gale's agonized screams making his ears ring. Even with his head turned, the light from her collar made his eyes hurt behind his closed lids.

"Let this be a lesson to you for thinking you can come in here and make like you are the Alpha in this situation... her time as a human has come to an end until the next full moon," The Wizard turned to the beast, motioning for it to come close to where he stood. "You may come to see her, but after this, I doubt that she will want you around," He added, getting up onto the beast's back before it turned and started back into the woods where it had come from. 

Ignoring the Wizard, Broin tried to calm Gale, though to no avail. Tears streamed from her eyes as her skin began to take on a paler color, the fine hair on her arms becoming thicker and turning into fur, tufts forming at her elbows. Getting up, he lifted her and started toward the lake with her. If it was any comfort to her, he would take her to the lake where she could relax in the water after the transformation was complete. About halfway there, Gale began to grow heavier, the buds of wings forming against his forearms as they began to push through against her clothing, which had begun to meld away itself. He had wondered how she had been clothed, but now he understood. Much like the collar, the clothing had been bewitched itself. Broin had to struggle after a few minutes to try to get Gale to the lake, her body having seized up and her back bowed as she began to take on more dragon-like features. 

Growling through her screams, Gale tried not to thrash, though the sprouting wings and tail didn't make this easy, as they tried to right themselves. "Easy, Gale, easy!" Broin spoke, his voice strained as he carried her a little further. However, just outside the brush and trees that lead to the lake, he had to set her down, her size and weight as well as the size of her wings making it all but impossible to carry her any further. He watched helplessly as the transformation continued. Unable to stop herself from thrashing around any longer, Gale lashed out at the nearest tree, her claws sinking into the bark and her teeth snapping at one of the low-hanging branches. Her back feet dug into the dirt, her tail thrashing to the side. Broin had to stumble out of the way in order to keep from being struck. 

By the end of the transformation, Gale had torn up the tree's bark, torn down a low branch, and dug a furrow on the ground with her back feet. Panting heavily, Gale slid down the tree side, her body hitting the ground heavily. Cautiously, Broin moved to approach Gale, moving around her side away from her wings. "Gale?" He started, waiting a moment to see if she would answer. When she didn't, he moved a little closer. When he tried again, he was met with a low growl. Stopping where he was, Broin didn't push his luck. Slowly, and in a pained manner, Gale began to rise to her feet after a few minutes, starting toward the water. "Gale... I... I didn't know he would..."

"Broin... don't..." Gale mumbled, her head low and her tail dragging on the ground. "It's not your... not your fault..." Her voice was tired, ragged, and full of hurt. Broin couldn't help but feel that it was. Had he just done what the Wizard had asked, kept his temper in check... 

Broin shook his head, starting after Gale, wanting to stay by her side as he had promised he would do. She walked toward the water, stopping a little ways from where she had transformed. Turning around, she dropped heavily into the water at the shore, her wings open to rest on the surface. Laying her head on the dirt at the water's edge, Gale closed her eyes. Broin moved over to sit at her muzzle, reaching out to gently place a hand between her nostrils, which expanded for a moment, then contracted again as she took in and released a breath. Gale's eyes opened when she felt Broin's hand smooth over her muzzle, her expression tired.  He watched her softly, feeling about like he did when he was scolded for something as a child. "I am so sorry..." he whispered. 

Gale gave a slow shake of her head. "I told you... it's not your fault..." She began. "He pushed you... knew what to say to make... make you angry," She stopped after this, a slow whine leaving her throat. 

"Shhh, relax," Broin said softly, moving a little closer to her muzzle. Gingerly, he ran his hand up between her eyes, his touch soothing to the large dragon. Doing as he had said, Gale allowed her aching body to relax, soon falling asleep under his touch.