By moonlight's shadow

Chapter 6

When the last sun-rays of the day kiss the heathland, when the greens and purples melt into grey under the moonlight, that's when the warren empties and the rabbits are out to forage and play. They move slowly, lolloping in their ungainly way, grazing as they go. At the slightest noise they're up on their hind legs, black eyes staring in more directions than we predator animals can. Sometimes I watch them for a while, just because I need to eat, it doesn't mean I don't appreciate nature.

When the lake is a mirror for the full moon and the trees have hidden their bold greens, it’s time to move into the shadow less world.

It was the night of crescent moon. The trees are crazy silhouettes against a newly silver sky, its blue hue almost gone until dawn. Their branches sway in the wind, creaking into the gusting air. The first sound of the nocturnal animals comes, a hoot of an owl, a rabbit taking cover in the hedgerow.

Lukas had called the entire pack to the clearing in between the fields, forest and their homes. It was not usual for him to call such an impromptu meeting like this and that too not on a full moon but the situation was also not that usual. The pack needed the assurance of their Alpha and that was what Lukas wanted to do. Dusk comes sooner than expected, the last of the sun's rays cosseted behind soft grey cloud. Slowly the view fades to blackness and the night begins. He came and stood at the edge of the ledge from where his mother had vanished into nothingness just today morning when he have had the revelation that he had the blood of a sorceress running through his veins which meant that his blood was not completely red, it was tinged with blue. But no matter what colour his blood was he himself knew that his allegiance was always with his pack and now his pack needed to know that as well.

“Alpha?” came the voice of his Beta from back.

The wolves were a tightly knit community which meant that they would follow their Alpha even in death and the trust system was absolute, obedience and allegiance was same as well. There were no questions asked ever. That is how they had been the largest pack in the world when all the other packs were dwindling rapidly because of their in-fighting.

Lukas turned back at the source of the voice. He saw that the entire pack had gathered there, even Nina, who had lost her son just today to the hands of his psychopathic sorceress mother. He did not what to say at all, to any of them. He had never been much of a speaker, more a man of actions but today his pack needed him.

“Pack, today we have lost two of our own and not because of any war with other wolves or animal attacks or natural calamity but due to the treachery of one of our own. My mother. I am ashamed to say this but I stand here today in front of you guilty because my heart, nor my mind would let me rest in peace for a single moment for the murder of Credence. He was a good cub and would have grown up to be a great wolf but he would not because my sorceress mother wanted back her powers. The decision rests with you, since I have come to gain the knowledge that my blood is tainted. If you want me to step down from my position as Alpha then I shall step down today without any questions but if you choose for me to stay then there would no mention of this incident except the memory of Credence. But you can rest be assured that I am not going to rest until I find out who is going to be our salvation and change the direction of our destiny and get the curse uplifted. If anyone of you wants to speak, you can speak now,” said Lukas. His voice echoed throughout the valley with a deep resonance just like the bells of the church.

No one spoke for a moment and silence ran across the valley like a thin layer of mist finely covering the ground which seeps up so fast that it can blind you within a moment without you being even aware about the fact.

Nina came up in the middle and said,” I want to say something Alpha.”

“Yes Nina, please, I am guilty to you the first and foremost. I should have been even more careful regarding the safety of the children but I could not. And whatever punishment you want me to suffer, I shall do so gladly,” replied Lukas, his head high and looking straight at the grieving mother.

“No Alpha. I don’t want you to suffer any punishment. And trust me when I say this, no one of us do. You are not guilty and you could not know something that you had no inkling about. Where I come from we have a belief in that place. I know that I am not supposed to remember my past lives but we are also human along with being a wolf,” said Nina, as she paused to take a breath.

There were murmurs of agreement at her words.

She continued saying,” We used to believe that when a child is born he or she comes to this earth with his fate almost decided on this earth along with the number of years he is destined to live. Credence was my first born and he gave me immense joy but I always had an instinctive feeling that he is not going to be with me for long. Even if he was not taken away from me so savagely he might have had an accident and none of us would be responsible for that. You are not to blame Alpha, no one is. But I have just one request if you would grant me that.”

Lukas could not believe his ears about he was hearing. He said,” Nina, if there is anything I can do which is within my capabilities then trust me I shall do that for you. Just say the word.”

“I am a woman who has lost everything which is coveted for a wolf like me. A family, the one which I loved and cherished most. I am not sure if I am destined to have another mate once again but this I know for sure that I am going to be the mother of a child. And my child will be a beautiful one with great strength in her. Alpha, I request you to bring me my daughter, she will be blessed by Aurora herself, does not matter if she is wolf, human or witch. Just give me a child,” said Nina as she broke down into sobs.

Lukas looked at her with his mouth gaping open. He had expected something else along the lines of going back to her own home or something more materialistic but this was something out of the blue but he could very well understand why would Nina ask something like this.

“Very well Nina. You have uttered what you want and I shall grant you this. We shall name your daughter Aurora since she will mark the beginning of a new dawn for all of us. Tonight we run for Credence and in hopes of finding Aurora,” said Lukas as he then raised his head and let out a howl and was joined by the pack almost immediately. The whole forest knew that it was the night of mourning but it was the night celebration as well. A new life was about to be found. That ray of hope was more than enough for the pack to go on a hunt.

Even the shadows now were swallowed by the encroaching darkness. In the gathering gloom the stars and the moon shone brighter in the sky, as if to remind us that even in the darkness there is light.

The nightfall brought a welcome coolness to the land after the sultry day. Lukas recalled that Mama had described it as like 'the breath of God after the fires of a hellish day, soothing us to sleep like a lullaby - refreshing our souls for a new journey in the morn.' His eyes stung with tears forming at the back and a lump formed in his throat but he could not cry, he could not show to his pack that he was weak. He had to be strong.

He started undressing which meant that they were all going to hunt tonight. The starry night above was better than any software imitation. There were lighter patches, clusters of faint and bold light, the constellations altered according to the time of year. These were the same stars that greeted the ancients, the same ones that would be there in millions of years. Lukas shifted into a large black wolf with midnight blue eyes and looked towards the woods. What was a few minutes in untold realms of time?

He ran. He howled and he cried. The howls of an Alpha that too the one in pain was something that the entire forest could hear. The stars could hear his cries of anguish just like the crescent moon, hanging in the valley of the breasts of a maiden wearing a midnight velvet gown. He did not see where he was running, he did not want to know which path he was taking. He veered off on a road which turned towards the city and the town before that. He ran in parallel lines along the road, maintaining quite the distance so that no car would be able to see him.

Finally he reached the end of the forest. The stars hung above them, as if strung in the air by invisible strings. He could hear the beating of a heart, it was definitely not of an animal but something much smaller, much weaker, as if it was struggling to breathe. Lukas stopped and paused to hear more carefully, it could be the dying heart of a fawn as well but his nose told otherwise. It was no animal. The beats that he could hear were those of a human.

The babe was close and now all he needed to do was to track it. He knew that it was risky to track a babe in his wolf form since it was not allowed for the wolves of the Blood Moon Pack to transform into their human bodies before the human beings but his wolf had only one intention and one track which his human brain could not overtake in this form. Lukas relied on his ears and nose. He could feel his pack walking close by. Placing and treading their paws carefully on the soil since they were at the risk of being hunted or getting stuck in booby traps set out by hunters.

Lukas need not have to walk for long. He could hear the erratic breathing of a babe close by. He was sure that this was the child that the Blood Moon pack was destined to come in possession tonight. It was the way of life, death was not the end, but it was only a beginning.

Lukas changed to his human form and so did all those of his pack who were following him. They stood by a church at the end of the town. The wolves could see that there was a small bundle lying on the steps of the church in the dirt and dried leaves. Blood was still matted in it’s hair. Lukas ran towards the babe and picked up the child carefully in his arms. The babe was sick, he could feel that in his heart but what needed to be done was the choice of her mother.

Aurora had been found. Lukas howled out loud, so that Nina would hear his voice and come as soon as possible.