Tavia

The forest floor was an obstacle course of broken branches and thistle bushes, twisting and reaching for civilization to entangle in its limbs. Engulfing everything in glistening ribbons of thorns and moss, the sweet scent of decaying undergrowth and flourishing flowers wafted through the air in a thick blanket, coating Tavia’s skin and senses in exhilarating excitement.

Tavia bounded beside her brother, him on four legs her on two. The thrill of the hunt coursing through her veins as they leaped over rocks and logs together. Tavia’s brother, Falcon, let out a bark of excitement, and dashed ahead of her gaining on the elk they were chasing. His tri-colored fur becoming a blur as he nipped the elks hind legs drawing blood and slowing the large beast down.

The elk kicked out striking Falcon square in the jaw, with such force Tavia heard the snap of his jaw bone from where she was. Tavia picked up speed and dashed past a whimpering Falcon, catching up to the slowed elk with ease. She kicked off with her left foot and landed smoothly on the creatures back. In one fluid motion Tavia grabbed the creatures head and snapped it around, killing it instantly. She tumbled to the ground rolling the elks heavy body so that it caught the bulk of the fall.

Falcon trotted up sneezing as his jaw snapped back into place, healing just as quickly as it was broken. Wagging his tail, he sniffed at the fresh kill, growling he looked toward Tavia. His bones began popping and breaking as he shifted back into his human form. Fur turned to skin as he stood and straightened his back.

“You’re such a show off!” Falcon groaned as he helped Tavia to her feet. ” You don’t even have your wolf yet and you’re a better hunter than most the pack.” he acknowledged running his hand through his thick raven hair.

Tavia shot him a blinding grin as she reached down to pick up her kill. “You wanna help me drag this back to the pack house or are you going to stand there wishing you were me all day?” She teased.

The elk would make a great feast for the turning ceremony. Tonight had to be the night she received her wolf. It was the first full moon after her 21st birthday had passed the week before. This was her last chance to shift on a full moon or she’d be exiled to one of the human cities once the winter hit. Tavia’s stomach churned at the mere thought of having to live in a human city. She loved the wilderness and her pack mates. For her a life without them wasn’t a life worth living.

“Fine I’ll help, but next time you steal one of my kills, you better be able to carry it back home yourself!” Falcon shot back, reaching down and grabbing the other end of the elk.

Tavia and Falcon continued to tease each other all the way back to the pack. Tavia in the lead as they walked into the clearing containing the hide tents that encircled the edge of the village that was their home. Some of the younger members of the pack ran up to greet them and congratulate Tavia on her kill.

Most of the children ran ahead to the ceremony hut, splashing in every puddle manageable. The mud mingled with their pack paint creating tendrils of smeared brown and white vines up their legs. Tavia smirked, knowing that once their mothers saw the mess the children would definitely be scolded and forced to bath for the third or fourth time that day.

She watched as the children chased each other in circles, the sight bringing back memories from when her and Falcon were little. He had grown so much since he received his wolf three years ago. The goofy frail kid that he used to be was replaced by the sturdy well built alpha that she’d grown to love. His wolf ceremony was the hardest thing she had ever had to witness. The memory coursed through her mind as fresh as if it were just yesterday.

Tavia and Falcon stood side by side as the moon rose to its peak. Falcon trembled beside her, his face paler than the morning mist. He glanced in her direction, appearing to force his stomach contents to stay down. Tavia gave him a reassuring smile, reaching over to give his fingers a comforting squeeze.

His face relaxed as some color returned to his face. In the blink of an eye, the peace shattered. Tavia watched in horror as her brother fell to the ground. A blood curdling scream leaving his plump lips. His bones began to twist, break, and reform. With each snap of a bone another agonizing scream would rip from his throat. The first shift was always the worse, the entire pack watched as their future alpha suffered this trial alone. Waiting to see if he’d survive it.

“Hey are you okay?” Falcon’s voice snapped Tavia out of the memory.

She shook her head clearing the last fragments away. “I’m fine. I was just remembering your first shift.” Tavia sighed, giving her brother a reassuring smile. Returning to her thoughts.

Seven other members would be standing with Tavia once the ceremony began. Tavia had stood through Thirty-five ceremonies in hopes that she would receive her wolf from the moon goddess. A majority of the pack members received their wolf on the full moon after their Eighteenth birthday. There were very few cases of ‘late’ bloomers. The history has always proven that no pack member had ever received their wolf after the Thirty-sixth ceremony.

Tavia had to stand in the center of the pack in nothing but paint as she watched her brother, the future alpha receive his wolf. It was humiliating the first few times as others shifted around her and she just stood there, waiting. After the Fifth ceremony Tavia had gotten used to the humiliation of standing in front of the entire pack nude and no longer slouched or tried to shrink away when the ceremonies were over. She merely stood tall and held her head high. She was the Alpha’s daughter, even without a wolf to call her own she was still stronger than most the pack members.

Tonight would be no different. If the moon goddess had forsaken her to live without a wolf, she vowed that she wouldn’t shed a tear. She would live out the rest of the summer as a member of the pack and try to prove her worth for the council of alpha’s. Tavia had pledged to try her hardest.

Falcon was positive that Tavia would get her wolf tonight. He said he could feel it in the air. Tavia however, felt no different and was uncertain that she even had a wolf. Three other she-wolves and Four males were scheduled to shift today. The probability of all of them receiving their wolf was Five out of the Eight in total.

Tavia smiled in anticipation, today had to be the day and she just couldn’t wait to get the night over with. If everything went well, this would be the last time she stood bare in her human skin before the entire pack. Next full moon, she’d be standing as a wolf with the pack.

Tavia and Falcon walked to the back of the tent where a large stone slab set slightly raised from the ground. With her brothers help she slung the huge elk onto the center of the platform. By the time the ceremony starts the entire slab would be full of fresh game. It was the best way to satisfy a new wolfs hunger.

The first change was always the worse. A few people who shift would became feral and be driven out, if they couldn’t control their wolves. A feral wolf is often more dangerous than just a normal rogue. Feral wolves will never shift back into their human skin, because the wolf believes his human to be weak and takes control.

Those wolves will stop at nothing to kill any other wolf who coexists with their human skin. The only thing known to stop a feral wolf is their mate. Though the Fey have taken to capturing feral wolves and using them as guard dogs. The Royal Fey however often chose a wolf with alpha blood from the pack during the Winter Solstice, every One-Hundred years or so. The last wolf they took was Tavia’s great grandfather Eyolf.

The Fairy king Filtiarn claimed her great grandfather after her father was born. Declaring that a wolf who’s name meant ‘Lucky Wolf’ was destined to serve his family. Tavia’s father said that Eyolf had refused the offer and was severely punished once he was captured. Filtiarn goes to the alpha’s council every year to uphold the piece treaty between the fey and the packs. Though small skirmishes still break out every now and then.

Tavia thought that the only thing worse than not receiving her wolf would be to end up a feral wolf or a pet to the fey. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. There was no way she would ever become a feral wolf, she was way to strong for that, even her brother said so.

Tavia left her brother to prepare for the ceremony. Tavia only had a couple hours to wash the mud from her skin and get the ceremonial markings painted on her body. She walked from the ceremony tent to the pack cabins. Weaving in and out between busy pack members, Tavia made her way to her cabin.

Slipping through the door, Tavia flicked the closest light switch illuminating the room in a soft glow. Her cabin’s layout was simple with delicate fur rugs that covered the floor. Tavia had decorated everything in the cabin in soft brown hues to give it an earthy feel that calmed her instantly. Each cabin consisted of a small living and bedroom area in one, with a small kitchen in the back of the cabin that led to a small bathroom with all the newest appliances. Tavia had chosen a large couch that folded out into a king size bed for the tiny cabin. She was quite proud of herself for her brilliant idea of a hide a bed. Most pack members either had a bed or a couch. Not many thought to have both in one.

Tavia tiptoed her way to the bathroom, trying not to track mud into her cabin. Reaching the bathroom, she slipped out of her hunting clothes. If you could really call them clothes. Pack rules stated that if you were going to hunt in your human skin that you had to do so as naturally as possible. For Tavia that meant a cloth that hung loosely between her legs just barely covering her rear, and a small bikini top made from deer hide, all of it strung together and held up by thin pieces of leather with black beads.

Tavia stepped into the shower and turned the hot water on as high as it would go. Her problem with being a werewolf was she was always warm and she could never seem to get the water hot enough to sooth her aching muscles. She lathered her raven hair in thyme and mint shampoo, watching the suds flow down the shower drain before picking up her lavender body wash.

Slowly and methodically she washed the mud from her body leaving no crevice suds free. When she was satisfied that she’d gotten every ounce of forest from her skin, she turned the water off and began dabbing her skin dry with a soft fleece towel. Once dry, Tavia placed the ceremonial oils on the five key points of her body; behind her ears, under her breasts and one dab between her legs.

Tavia then grabbed her paint brush and the white ink jar from her bathroom mantel and began the intricate swirls up her legs, across her intimate areas. and around her neck. When she was finally finished with the paint, her hair was mostly dry and hung down do her waist in wavy untamed layers. Tavia ran a brush through her hair and smiled at herself in the mirror.

Final Ceremony she told herself. Tonight’s the night! She checked the clock on her bathroom wall and saw that she had ten minutes before she had to be back at the tent. Tavia sighed giving herself one final look in the mirror before heading out her door.

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Once Tavia and the others were sitting in the middle of the pack, the drums sounded mimicking their heartbeats. Strong, steady and fast. Tavia’s father padded up to each member resting his dark muzzle on top of each initiates head. When he reached Tavia there was sadness in his amber eyes, as if he pitied her. Tavia hated to be pitied.

She pulled her shoulders back and gave her father a stern look before he set his muzzle on top of her head, letting out a small huff before trotting back to the edge of the pack. The drums picked up pace as the packs healer walked to each member and hung a medallion from their necks. After the healer sat down beside her father, all the initiates stood. One minute until midnight. One minute and Tavia would know her fate. The drums continued to pick up speed until the clock struck midnight, then every wolf in the tent howled.

Three of the initiates dropped to their knees screaming. Their bones popping and stretching, skin turning to fur. Two more dropped screaming. Tavia just stood their and searched the crowd making eye contact with Falcon’s wolf. He nodded to her reassuringly, the fear must be evident on her face as the last two members dropped next to her shrieking. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as the shrieks around her turned to barks of excitement.

Tavia looked over to see that all the initiates except her had shifted. Her knees buckled under her as she dropped to the ground stunned. This was her last chance to become a full member of the pack and she hadn’t shifted. Tavia stared at the ground, she was only brought out of it when she felt something wet stroke her cheek. She looked up to see Falcons wolf standing above her concern in his liquid caramel eyes. His tail drooped, unlike every other member of the pack who’s tail was raised and wagging, welcoming the newest members. Her brother had decided to comfort her instead of celebrating. She got up and ran through the door wiping tears from her face as she bolted to her cabin.

Tavia slammed the door to her cabin and ran straight to her bathroom turning the shower on as hot as she could get it before climbing in. Tavia plopped down against the shower wall, letting water run down her body. Finally letting out three years of hope she began to cry. She couldn’t say how long she had sat there. The water had gone cold. She felt numb.

All her fears had come true. She didn’t have a wolf. She was destined to join the humans in their smelly cities. Her memories would be wiped and she wouldn’t have the slightest idea who she was or where she belonged. She finally stood up and rinsed the rest of her ceremonial paint off her body and turned the water off. Toweling off she walked into her room and pulled out her bed. She grabbed her favorite stuffed animal; a large wolf with bright blue marble eyes. Curling up in the middle of her bed she hugged her stuffed wolf and passed out.