The Brightest Night

## Content Information

Arsling lay under her bed sheets, she hadn't left her bed all day, fear consuming her being, it was finally time, she felt the beast so strongly, hell even without the moon up yet she could feel its pull on her, its supernatural tug of power pulling on her.

She was waiting for her mentor and friend Didi to arrive at the window, she had asked for Tamzen and Xander to come with her, she rolled in bed wrapping herself up only the top of her head and feet sticking out, she had an outfit to prepare for this, a cheap dress that she bought for herself because quite frankly she doesn't want to destroy the pirate like outfits she's been wearing the last 2 days .

Fluffy arrived at the open window, leaping up to rest her paws on the sill.

“We must go. I’ll warn you one last time that having your outsider friends there is more likely to traumatize you and them than to improve this experience for you.”

Arsling unwrapped herself staring at the doggie on her window and sighing "they're coming with me, I need them, people I know without any doubt I love" Arsling stands up looking at the dress on her in the mirror "at least this thing gets torn to shreds" she says contempt for the outfit on her face.

“Let’s hope that’s the only thing,” replied Didi under her breath as she dropped down from the window to lead the way. It was a clear evening, and it would be a beautiful night under the moon and stars. But she hadn’t been this nervous about a full moon since her first.

Arsling looked towards the sun hanging low in the sky, her humanities eleventh hour drawing to a close as soon she'd be all werewolf, she jumped threw the window and followed Didi her body filled with fear and nerves thinking to herself *"I hope this hurt's, I'd deserve nothing more"* she kept that thought locked away from the world "so, how many packmates are their? I never thought to count the howls".

“It’s a complicated question, since people do move away… but in the year-round local pack, you’ll be number sixteen.”

A familiar scent met Arsling’s nose, and soon Broc trotted out of the darkness to join the other two.

“Hey Cutie!” he said, running up with excitement to run a little circle around her. “Ready for your big night?”

"Nope but I don't have much of a choice." Arsling smiled enjoying Broc's excitement even if she herself were dreading it "is Tamzen and Xander there? The nerd and the guy with the green hair."

“Yeah, we’re here...sorry!” Tamzen and Xander hurried up the trail to meet Arsling. Tamzen was dressed for a hike, and quickly crossed over to wrap her arms around her friend. “Are you *sure* you still want us here, Linny?” she whispered in her friend’s ear as they embraced.

Arsling whispered back "yeah, you're my emotional support human" Arsling says trying to bring some levity to the stress although definitely failing to calm herself before leaning out of the hug and smiling gently.

“I should have gotten a vest…” Tamzen teased, before releasing her and stepping back to stand besides Xander, who protectively wrapped an arm around her. “We’ll do our best to stay out of your way…” Tamzen said, in Fluffy’s general direction.

“Good, because this is a bad idea,” replied the wolf. “If you follow my directions and keep at a distance when I tell you, then I can guarantee your safety. Otherwise, at best you’ll make this a very traumatic night for Arsling. At worst, you won’t come back down from the mountain. Understand?”

Tamzen nods sharply. “I’m only here because Linny wanted me here - trust me, we are in agreement with this being a bad idea.”

Fluffy looked at Arsling with the obvious question in her eyes: *Are you sure you want them coming along?*

Arsling sighed "yes I need to know some of my feelings are real here, now please stop second guessing me, let's get this fucking over with" her inner frustration rising to the surface.

Broc seemed completely taken aback, while Fluffy bit her tongue rather than retort. There would be room for her feelings another time. Right now she needed to help Ash get through this.

Without further comment, she led the way. For Arsling, the further they went, the richer the air became with the scents of the pack, warm and welcoming, thrumming with excitement for the new pup and for the ensuing hunt. She could smell the question in the air over the companions.

At last they approached a clearing, where the enormous black wolf Pitch stood at the center, with at least a dozen more wolves playing and chasing one another and wrestling. Broc immediately broke from the group to join them, and Fluffy turned to the other three.

“The moon rises soon,” she said, in that staccato cadence that seemed to be shared by werewolves in their animal forms. “There won’t be much ritual that you’ll be able to see before the transformation. It will happen and then Arsling will be as deep in her wolf as she ever will be. Whatever occurs, whatever she says, stay here, stay still, and do not approach. After the transformation, we will go north to hunt. Once we’ve gone, you can return the way we just came. Understand?”

Xander gave a thumbs up to her.  “Tell us if we need to do anything differently.  Otherwise, we’re not going to move an inch until you’ve all left.”  Turning his attention to Arsling he gave a confident smile.  “Good luck Cap’n.”

Tamzen smiled at Linny, one hand reaching over to intertwine her fingers with Xander’s. She said nothing, and hoped her presence would be enough.

“Good.” Didi looked to Arsling with more tangled feelings than even she could have named. They could both feel the pull of the moon, the inexorable tide that had brought them to this moment and would bring them through it and past it into the unknown.

She turned to lead the way towards the rest of the pack, greeted by howls and wagging tails and sniffs and licks -- a frenzy of joyful, canine energy.

The excitement was almost infectious as Arsling let her packmates greet her before standing in the middle of the cleaning feeling the seconds tick by as the sky got darker and darker Arsling closed her eyes breathing steady before looking over at Tamzen and Xander smiling warmly at the two of them and mouthing "I love you" to the both of them, before suddenly her back arched and she took a deep breath, feeling the moon's light pierce her through the forest and her humanity as the moonlight seeped into her soul being the final ingredient to mix Arsling and Cútie together, Arsling showed an attempt to resist on her face before just letting the moon take her as her mind filled with fog.

Arsling felt her body change but couldn't see it, their vision filled with light and bliss, a primal joy ran threw her veins washing out the fear Arsling had experienced before, her memories becoming harder to access her own name falling out of her mind and just what was happening around her as she lay on the ground, a ginger wolf with light grey splotches of fur around the eyes, smaller than most of the werewolves there but still bigger than a average wolf, they didn't recognize names of the people around her, the scent of her packmates strong, the she wolf turned towards three distinctly strong smells, a packmate she loved, a human she adored and a snake she also liked, surrounded by her siblings of wolf kind she stumbled to all four of her feet confusion clear on the new wolf's face.

Fluffy and a couple of other wolves stood between Arsling and the observing pair. There was a beautiful white wolf with long fur, the smaller wolf who had arrived with Fluffy and Arsling, and a thick-set wolf of darker grey, shorter than Fluffy but just as massive.

The enormous black wolf sat opposite, watching the transformation with joy, and eagerness, and obvious care. Her golden eyes flicked to Fluffy when it was done, and the grey wolf rested her snout gently on Cútie’s for the space of a single breath, then howled up at the moon, soon joined by the others in a chorus of celebration and welcome and warning for any who would violate their territory.

The wolf howled with them feeling the moon on her fur, a sense of welcome felt, the wolf walked over to the human and the snake licking their hands in an attempt to thank them, although she didn't know what for before turning to her senior a big smile on her face her tail wagging so fast it looked like they could be propelled by it.

Tamzen stayed perfectly still while the newly-changed wolf walked over to her, giggling when her hands were licked. She squatted down until she was eye level with the wolf, hands carefully tucked into her lap. When she smiled, her teeth were carefully hidden behind her lips, but her eyes shone. “Hello Linny… you did it. Now, go have fun with your pack. I’ll see you when you come home.” She kept her voice low and soft, and held one hand out in a loose fist, in case Linny wanted to sniff her hand.

Xander was a bit more cautious, keeping a hand on Tamzen’s shoulder ready to pull her back in case anything went sideways.  Though as his hand was licked, he eased a bit.  “Gods, if anyone was going to manage to pull off this transformation and still be in control... I guess it would be the most reckless person I know.”  He gave a chuckle and stood there.  “Go kick ass tonight.  We’ll see you later, and you can tell us all about what you manage to get yourself into.”

The wolf was confused by the two, she understood the words as clear as any bark or howl but who was this Linny, the human was referring to, was it her? That didn't sound like her, she was a wolf after all, Linny is too human to be her name, regardless she sniffed at the two, giving them both licks to the face before walking to her pack.

*Meanwhile…*

In a small concrete bunker, close to the forest, a Beast was chained to a wall inside of a cell. An hour ago this Beast was Lily Pond, a freshman at Monsterhearts University, and a werewolf. The situation she was now in was one she was used to, having spent one night a month chained up in much a similar way almost all of her life. It was a precaution, as the nights she had failed to chain herself up had commonly resulted in injury, or even death, to people she knew.

Looking over to the pile of clothes she had left for when she changed back, Lily let out a relaxed sigh, happy that tonight seemed to be one of the rare full moons where only her body changed and her mind remained in her control, though she knew that it would only take a little stimulus and some carelessness on her behalf for the wolf to take over.

The chains rattled as Lily once again shifted her body around, trying to keep comfortable as best you can when shackled to a wall. The bunker and bindings that protected the populace from The Beast had been supplied by the university's faculty, a resource spent to help house individuals with ‘special needs’, a fact that Lily had been most grateful for.

However, this night would not be as uneventful as Lily had hoped. Despite the distance and concrete walls that surrounded her, Lily’s sensitive ears caught a sound that shook her to her core. It was a sound similar to dogs or wolves howling at the moon, but there was something… *different* about it.

A feeling welled up inside, a feeling that scared her. It was the feeling of the Wolf, rising out of it’s slumber, fighting for control of the body they shared. A fight that Lily was losing. Thoughts rushed through her head, thoughts of others like her, of a pack.

The Wolf let out a deep growl as it strained against the chains keeping it locked up from the pack. The creaking of metal filled the room as the chains started to break apart. A loud ‘Crack!’ reverberated around the cell as the chains snapped in half, releasing The Wolf from it’s captivity.

Easily smashing through the cell door, The Wolf rushed out of the bunker with shackles still around it’s wrists. Once out in the fresh night air, it does something it had longed to do all it’s life. It raises its head, straightening it’s back, and answers the call.

Up on the mountain, the pack turned in unison towards the unexpected cry, then looked to Pitch. After a moment, the enormous black wolf threw back her head to howl and the rest of the pack raised their voices in unison, calling out a single message.

*Join us in the hunt.*

The Wolf heard the response much clearer now that it was out in the open air. Without a moment's hesitation it launched itself forward, using its massive, powerful limbs to charge through the undergrowth in search of others of its kind.

The pack was moving swiftly to the highlands where the bison could be found, calling the animal wolves to join in, to meet the new member of the pack, echoing the calls of this stranger werewolf.

When that newcomer finally approached, Fluffy and Storm looked to Pitch and the great black wolf nodded to one and then the other. With Storm at her side, Fluffy went to meet the newcomer, while Broc, Misty, and Pitch kept Cútie close and safe.

And so when Lily the Wolf approached, she was met by two grey wolves who smelled joyful, curious, and excited.

“You are welcome to hunt with us tonight, as our guest,” said the muscular grey, holding her head high as she approached to sniff the newcomer. Smelling the iron on her limbs, the wolf gave a growl of solidarity. “Someone tried to bind you.”

The Wolf was confused. The strangers smelt correct but they looked different. While they just looked like larger than normal wolves, The Wolf was a mix of man and beast, yet more than the sum of its parts.

Deciding their smell was enough, The Wolf tried to answer. However, it had never communicated with others of its kind before, and while it could understand them well enough it seemed unable to put the same meaning behind its growls.

Fluffy and Storm shared a look, then grew into their halfwolf forms.

“Whatever’s the matter,” said the smaller grey, the one who knew the most about the moon’s magic. “Let the moon heal you. Let the hunt nourish you.”

The larger one gently reached to take the Lily-Wolf’s wrist. “You’re not alone.”

Upon seeing the others shift, The Wolf quickly backed away startled. They *were* like it, but they were in control somehow. A small part of Lily that remained at first felt overjoyed, but upon hearing the word ‘hunt’ started to struggle against The Wolf’s power. The beast raised its hands to its head, letting out pained yips as the war for control started up once again.

“She’s fighting her wolf, Fluffy,” said Storm, unnecessarily.

“Hey!” Fluffy barked, taking Lily-Wolf by the shoulders and trying to cut through her turmoil to reach her, looking into her eyes. “We’ll help you through this. Our prey is bison tonight -- strong, worthy, savory, bountiful. Like Storm said, the full moon hunt will help.”

Hearing that the prey they sought was non-sapient, Lily felt a rush of relief, a rush the The Wolf took advantage of to take control back fully. Lily screamed out in her mind, but The Wolf was in charge and wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

Once in power, The Wolf slowly nodded. Its jaw hung open slightly, already salivating at the thought of a good hunt for once.

“Good!” Fluffy slapped her on the back. “Come meet the pack.”

The Wolf nodded once again, leaning forward on all fours, ready to run wherever the hunt may be. The three wolves ran quickly, much faster than the mundane could move. The wind rushed through their fur and The Wolf couldn’t help but let out sounds of joy. It didn’t take long for them to reach the clearing where the rest of the pack lay in wait.

Cutie? That was what her packmates kept calling her, sounded right, although they cared little for their ‘name’ only the joy from being around her packmates they approached the hybrid wolf recognizing them as friendly but not pack “Hi! Are you going to join us?!” The wolf said almost delirious with happiness tail wagging rapidly, they smelled of newness and inexperienced but they had the spirit at least.

The pack re-formed and continued the run through the woods to the highlands, joined by the newcomer werewolf and then by a pack of regular wolves, animals who would share in the hunt and the celebration.

“Fluffy, Cutie,” said Pitch, in a low rumble. “You’re point for the kill.”

Fluffy picked their backup, a couple of other pack members and the newcomer. They’d never had a guest before, as far as she knew. It seemed polite… and Cutie had a lot less bloodlust than she’d expected.

The other pack fanned out to isolate their target from the herd so that the new wolves and the rest of the kill team could go in and take it down.

Cuties thoughts were very one track, they needed to impress their pack, she could feel the lighting in her paws and legs twitching with anticipation, mouth drooling staring at her prey, the beast was bigger than her but her spirit stronger.

The Wolf looked on at the pack’s target. It wanted to charge ahead, to take down the hunk of meat that would satiate it’s hunger. But it could feel an unspoken hierarchy in the pack, and it was lowest. Exhibiting more control then Lily every thought The Wolf was capable of, it waited for the pack to lead the hunt.

With over 20 wolves working together, and with werewolf cunning, the prey was isolated, ready for the kill. With a look, Fluffy urged Cutie on, moving to support her and trusting the wolf’s instincts that she’d already seen time and again.

Cutie darted ahead, moving insanely fast, seemingly making up for her lack of mass with speed, leaping upon the the bison’s back digging their claws into its side and descending her teeth down on it’s neck attempting to snap it’s neck and pierce its jugular, her heart raced with excitement the glow of the moon on her back only encouraging her savage attack.

The Wolf charged forward, slower than its more wolf-like companions, but with a force unmatched. It rushed in, using its weight to hold the bison in place as it bit down on a forelimb while it’s claws dug into the bison’s hide. The thrill of the hunt was here, and The Wolf had never felt so alive.

The two newcomers were *hungry*. Instead of bleeding the beast, they were crushing it in one bloody assault. It was risky, but it was Cutie’s choice and Fluffy backed her up.

As enormous as the wolves were, the bison was far larger, its horns potentially deadly. Fluffy came in on the far side from Cutie, barking and snarling and giving the beast a target as the rest of the hunters struck, experienced wolves bleeding the beast and latching on to slow it down.

Cutie began twisting hard as the beast weakened under the assault of the pack, her claws dug into its sides and its neck was beginning to tear blood oozing onto her teeth and tongue, feral satisfaction in it’s taste.

Upon tasting blood the wolf's eyes glowed with excitement as with one final twist the bison's neck snapped the loud noise heard by all the wolves especially Cutie, riding the bison as it slumped to the floor, Cutie howled pride filling her being as she sank her teeth back into the beasts flesh, ready to feast on the kill.

The Wolf released it’s hold on the bison as it fell, feeling pride in acting as part of a pack. Raising its head to the sky, it let out a howl of accomplishment before digging into the beast’s flesh. A worthy reward for such a task.

The howls of the pack and their companions echoed through the mountains and Fluffy could feel the moon’s pride -- and her own -- as she watched Cutie feasting on her first kill. She met the wolf’s eyes with an expression that said ‘well done,’ before tearing into the beast herself.

*Later Post Feast*

Cutie lay by the dead bison, the feast was done, what was left of the bison would be allowed to become part of the hills, she couldn’t recall before this afternoon but she also can’t recall a reason to care, she felt alive and proud, she’ll have to thank her mentor Fluffy for...something, something from before that had upset her but was good in the end, she just had to remember what Fluffy had done for her “Fluffy, thank you?”

The grey wolf had gotten gory with the blood of the kill, a scent to be proud of. Even now, Broc and some of the others were playing literally inside the creature’s rib cage.

Fluffy licked the top of Cutie’s head and then lay next to her, proud and relieved, hoping this would be a happy memory for the pup. She yawned and laid a foreleg over the pup in a canine hug, relaxed and happy, then she stretched her neck to peer around for the newcomer who had helped them.

The Wolf’s curiosity peaked. ‘Fluffy’? That was a name. The Wolf knew what names were but they didn’t have one themself. The other one that shares this body with them, ‘Lily’, calls them ‘The Wolf’, but that’s not a name, that's just what it is.

The Wolf gently pads over to the two wolves cuddling in the grass and lies down a little away and lets out a soft whine. It wanted a name and this was the only way it could think of to get one.

Cutie leaned into the cuddle nuzzling her mentor, meaning to ask Fluffy if they knew why Cutie should be thankful the thought is interrupted by the guest “HI, you were awesome back there...uhhh what’s your name?” Cutie sniffs at the guest being friendly to them.

The Wolf whines again, annoyed that it can’t seem to get them to understand it. It paws at its muzzle and growls in frustration.

Misty the long-furred white wolf got up from her cuddles with Storm and joined the group. “I don’t think she’s able to talk right now; somehow she’s never been accepted by her human part, not even on their first moon.”

“So you don’t have a wolfname yet,” said Fluffy. “Well… you were pretty stealthy coming up the mountain; how about the name ‘Pad’? Do you like it?”

The Wolf, now known as Pad, quickly jumped up and ran around the pack in excitement, letting out short barks of happiness as it did. It loved the name, and it loved that it now had a name. This was the best night of it’s life!

Even as full as she was, Fluffy couldn’t help but join in the excitement, bouncing up to Pad and doing a play bow to invite the other to chase and play.

Cutie joined her friends disregarding her question, "*it could wait til morning*" she thought, tail wagging happily, not a care in the world.

*Morning*

The sun rose out from the horizon illuminating Night Falls as quickly as it was plunged into moonlight, Cutie shifted in their sleep fur becoming skin once again, Arsling opened her eyes slowly as they shifted from canine to human, the last thing she remembered was that sound, the sound of a beast’s neck snapping in twain, she felt a sense of pride knowing of the kill but felt confusion at not remembering anything else from the night prior, except the bliss.

She raised her head of the dirt, glancing around at the pack,all in rest not dissimilar to the one she was just in, she glanced to her side seeing an arm around her waist, her eyes followed the arm to its owner, seeing Didi lay peacefully in dream, her friend she thinks although her feelings for her turner were confusing.

Regardless Arsling shuffled around raising a hand and flicking Didi on the nose. “Morning.”

In response, the other girl rolled over, letting out a groggy series of noises that might have been intended as words but might just as easily have been wolf sounds, garbled by sleep. It took a little more pestering before she blinked awake.

“Cutie…” she said, with one blue eye open.

Arsling smirked, leaning her head down in front of Didi's vision. “You rang?” she seemed...happy, unusually so as she put a hand through Didi’s hair. “I don’t remember anything y’know? Just that I was happy.”

Didi reached up to hug the redhead. “I’m so glad; you deserve to be happy and safe and the memories will come back over time. You were even sweet with Tam and Xander, even when you didn’t remember who they were.” She held her tighter. “Next time you won’t forget. This was the hardest part and you made it through.” With that, she planted a kiss on Arsling’s brow, then held her close again.

Arsling was shocked by the kiss before relaxing in Didi's arms. “So I guess I can just shift now? Anxiety notwithstanding?” Arsling looks into Didi’s eyes “Can’t really return to the dorm in the bare can I?”

“Of course not,” said Didi, with a mock serious expression. “You’re a wolf, not a bear.”

Arsling snorted “Who knows, maybe I’m also a werebear.” Arsling winks before nuzzling her face into Didi’s shoulder before sniffing up, detecting an unpack scent. “Is somebody ...unpack with us?” She says, confused at the idea a none packmate would be among them.

The animal wolves had gone; it would just be Pad, now.

“A guest,” Didi replied, looking towards the scent. “And I’ll be very curious to talk with them.”

Pad had yet to wake up. It was sleeping contently on its back, and every so often one of its ears would twitch, or its back limbs would give a small kick. For a creature with such an imposing form, it was strangely cute.

Arsling hopped to her feet. “Why haven’t they shifted back like us?” Arslings sniffed at them curiously. “They don’t smell like a werewolf from around here.” Arsling leaned down gently rubbing Pads shoulder. “Good morning.”

Pad slowly opened its eyes, waking up from its deep sleep. However, as soon as it had a chance to wake up, it clutched its head and let out a pained yowl. Without the power of the full moon strengthening it, it was no longer able to keep control. It stood up, still clutching its head, and managed to growl. “G… Gi… Give me… ba.. ck… mY BODY!”

The relaxed mood of the pack instantly gave way to alarm, most of them shifting back to beast forms as they turned to regard Pad’s distress.

Didi approached, still human-shaped. “It’s okay! Calm down!”

Arsling backed away from Pad almost instinctively shifting but managing to stop herself, Arsling tried to put herself in Pad's view “Hay, hay it's okay, we’re friendly!”

The internal war continued despite their pleas. Pad let out a few more pained yips before it was clear that it had lost. The werewolf’s form quickly changed to reflect the victor, shrinking down and hair disappearing back into their skin. In only a few moments, where once stood a beast, was a young woman. She looked around at the pack, clearly exhausted, before promptly collapsing.

All was simply silence for a moment, before Didi went to kneel beside the now-human stranger who had joined them for the hunt.

“I think I’ve seen her around campus,” she said, her brow furrowed.

Arsling also kneels down beside the girl. “Jesus, she’ll be okay right?” Arsling looked worried, even though she didn’t know the stranger. “They said something about getting their body back?”

Misty joined them, back in wolf form. “Pad and her aren’t sharing their existence, they’re fighting each other.” She nuzzled Arsling, fur soft on the bare skin. “It’s one of the things we help new wolves through, but I don’t think she had anyone to help her.”

“That’s Lily,” said Broc, joining the others around her. “She lives in Carter, I don’t know what floor…”

“Well,” said Didi, looking to Arsling. “We’re not leaving her in the woods. If she lives in Carter, let’s get her to the spare bed in my room and I’ll look after her. Doing the walk of shame down a floor or two is a lot better than wandering out of the woods naked.”

“Yeah definitely, so how do we intend to get back? I’m pretty sure I locked my window.” Arsling says mentally preparing to shift into Cutie again.

“We’ve got some clothes in bags a little ways away, so we can get dressed and go back and shower and stuff…” She studied Arsling’s face. As the other wolves went about their business, she asked, “How are you feeling about… all this?”

Arsling attention turned from shifting and to Didi. “Well…” She looked around the pack. “I don’t know. I can feel the connection, not emotionally but well spiritually. I don’t have much of a reference for that, the closest I got to that is my pa but well, that's not much of a reference, after all that's just one man. This is an entire group of people I connected with over a night I can’t recall. I still need time to work things out. I wanted to leave, hell when I was freshly turned I wanted to be a pain in the ass but now...I don’t know, feels like…” Arsling looks contemplative for a few seconds. “...I don’t know, I’m gonna try working more stuff out about tonight regarding my powers at least.”

“Good,” said Didi, as she digested what Arsling was telling her. “We’re here for you, as much as you want.” She looked uncertain before continuing. “I’m here for you.”

Arsling smiled before saying warmly with affection in her voice. “Thanks, you’re my favorite ex girlfriend.” Arslings voice wobbles at ex clearly uncertain about the term. “So when do I get my eyes back? They ever gonna be green again?”

“Pfft, I’m your ``only`` ex… ex-whatever-we-were…” It had been so damn complicated, Arsling falling hard while Didi was smitten but scared of her, plotting to turn her, and unsure which of her feelings were fae magic. She ran a hand through her hair. “Your eyes… I don’t know why they’re still yellow.” She cracked a smile. “Maybe you just had such a good time you don’t want to let go.”

Arsling smiled back a small blush upon her face. “Maybe, I guess I’ll remember in a few days what happened… I know I killed something.” She looked up at Didi, still conflicted due to still being unsure of her feelings and whether it was real. She hoped to find her answer soon, the moon had talked to her before to help her avoid an attack from the Leachmouth a few nights ago, she was just hoping that tonight she'd be able to talk back.

Arsling sighed trying to steady herself her anxiety about shifting still close to the surface, after all she had only shifted once and she was forced. She said “Okay I guess we should head back to campus.” Wind picked up around Arsling’s feet as a grey and green light started to twist around her as before stopping suddenly. Arsling breathing heavily put a hand up to Didi. “I-I'm fine...I got this.” She refocuses again this time being consumed by the twisting light, a silhouette twisting within the light into Cutie.

The arcane light faded. Left where Arsling stood was a panicking wolf trying to calm themselves down. Internally Arsling was both shocked they managed to shift and freaking out because they managed to shift.

“Ooh, that was pretty!” Didi said. “Cutie, you’re like a magical girl!”

“Yeah I definitely feel magical.” Cutie said sarcastically as they tried to calm themselves down. “Name stuff still feels weird, that start as a werewolf cultural thing?” she said her brain racing with panic.

“It’s for safety, mostly,” said Didi, moving closer to put a hand on her arm. “Like if we go to a monster party, we’ll use our wolfnames, that way they can’t find us in the dorms or whatever.”

Cutie relaxed at Didis touch. “Yeah that makes sense, I guess. Although I guess the bright yellow eyes, big neck scar and the fact I’m ginger in both forms are probably dead giveaways, that and the accent.” she chuckles and lent her wolf head against Didi’s hand, her big canine eyes looking up at Didi's face. “So, let's find some clothes.” She walked ahead. “Also do we like, have a pack headquarters?”

“Z and some of the others rent a house on the woodland side of town, that’s Pack HQ,” Didi said, as they walked. “Plus they have three grills and a meat smoker and make jerky and… ahem. Various amenities. I’ll take you ‘round. And people will introduce their humansonas, too, like they’ll find you and say hi.”

Arsling fell into full blown wolf laughter at ‘humansonas’ almost keeling over “I-I can’t wait! Both to be taken to HQ and to meet their ‘Humansonas’ as long as they’re not too OP.” She snorted before eventually turning quiet. “Didi? What do I tell my dad?”

The question took Didi aback. “Uhhh… I didn’t tell my parents anything, but I guess your dad knows about supernatural stuff already? I don’t know…”

“My dad deserves to know… I don’t know, we were never really that close but he says he's saving up to come pay me a visit. I can’t hide my eyes and neck from him for long, he’ll ask questions and start calling me little-lin like I'm still six. Probably wouldn’t be happy that сука is an accurate descriptor for me”

“How do you think he’ll react to the truth?” Didi asked, with a frown. It was way too soon after the full moon to be thinking such hard human thoughts, but it was important.

“I don’t know, Pa loves me we just never connected. Stoic man, hard workaholic, seemed to think providing for the people he loved was better than hanging out with them. If дедушка...grand dad, has been in his ear then probably less accepting. That old bastard has had it out for me since I liked my irish side more than my russian… He wouldn’t kill me if that's what you’re worried about. He's in his late fifties and never been more than average shape, doubt he would even try if I'm honest”

“I mean, I’m glad he won’t try to kill you, that ought to be a low bar, but…” She shook her head. “If you think he’d react okay, I suppose you could tell the truth. I would never, with my parents. They just think college turned me gay and I started working out more…”

“If college turned you gay I’d say you owe your letcherers some thank you money.” Cutie says jokingly. “Yeah, just have to make it clear it never gets back to дедушка, he’d flip his shit. When I was a kid he’d tell me tales of monsters from russia, particularly about Volkolak, russian werewolf, often made them sound like cultists and serial killers. I'm like sixty percent sure he believed what he was saying and not just trying to entertain little Arsling.”

The other wolf frowned at that, then sighed. “For all I know, they are. There’s nothing stopping us from getting into organized crime or whatever. Some of the people who leave join other packs and… I guess we’re as varied as humans, even if we have some different things in common.”

“Yeah, to be fair Volkolak don’t spread threw bite, they choose to be turned. I don’t know, I’d have to ask the old prick myself… Or could ask Pa when he comes to visit, might have to show him to that korean BBQ” Arsling smiled as they finally stumbled across clothes.

“Oh, this is a problem we can solve with tasty meat?” Didi said, grinning. “Why didn’t you say so!”

“Ah yes, you’re hired for the reveal. Didian BBQ sounds great for telling my dad that I’m a werewolf.” Arsling said as she shifted back into human form grabbing a pair of jogging bottoms and large loose jumper.

\*\*\*

They dressed Lily and carried her back down the mountain. It was still quite early, but there were some others out and about. By Night Falls standards, a few students returning home dirty and bloody, with an unconscious friend, was just another morning.

Didi set Lily down on the spare bed and tossed a blanket over her, then washed up. The hospitable thing to do would be to make breakfast, but they were both completely gorged on bison, so she settled on heating up water in the kettle so she could pour the girl tea when she woke up.

She yawned and settled down on her own bed, resting her head for a moment.

About roughly an hour after she had passed out, Lily startled awake with a scream. She clutched her chest and felt her heart pounding away, faster than was healthy. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, but faltered when she noticed she was in a stranger’s room.

Didi had nodded off, but the scream made her bolt awake and throw her bedding in all directions.

“What!” Her wide, blue eyes settled on Lily. “Oh, Jesus, Lily! You-- are you okay?”

“Wh-where am I?! Who are you?!” Lily yelled as she backed up against the wall, using the sheets of the bed as a sort of shield against her apparent kidnapper.

“It’s Fluff--er--Didi. I’m Didi…” She blinked the sleep from her eyes and sat up, trying not to look threatening given Lily’s distress. “Whoever chained you up, we’re not with them, if that’s what you’re worried about. You got yourself free and found us and we didn’t want to just leave you naked in the woods.” She rubbed her brow. “Do you want some tea?”

“I GOT FREE?!” Lily screamed in terror. “Oh no… Oh fuck… What if I hurt someone? What if someone *died*?!” Lily clutched her head as the panic started to become unbearable. This was the worst possible thing to have happened, why did everything have to go so wrong?

“No no no, Lily, you didn’t hurt anyone, you didn’t have any blood on you or anything when we met up, and then we went hunting bison together.” She leaned forward and pointed to the crust of blood in Lily’s hair. “That’s just bison blood.”

Upon seeing the blood in her hair, Lily gagged. “Oh fuck… That’s disgusting…” After a few moments to calm herself down, Lily realized something. “Wait, you said we hunted together? Are… Are you a werewolf too?”

Didi swallowed, then nodded, not sure if Lily’s fear of her own wolf would extend to her.

“Have you been on your own?” she asked, softly. “No pack to help you?”

Lily swallowed deep, and confessed. “If… If you really are a werewolf too, then you are the first werewolf that I have ever met…”

Didi’s protective instincts were kicking in to their full extent. “What about the one who awakened you? They’re supposed to take care of you, to guide you through the changes.” She had so much sympathy for the poor girl across the room. Werewolves were social creatures, after all. “Being alone must have been… so hard.”

Lily looked towards Didi in confusion, though her body language had relaxed as she dropped the bedsheets. “What… What do you mean ‘awakened’? The only people who know are my parents and I guess now this school and you…”

“We call it awakening, when a werewolf awakens the wolf in someone,” said Didi, cocking her head. “My mentor turned me the summer before freshman year, with a bite… but then she was there for me. She’s still there for me. We have a pack…” She looked to Lily with an uncertain expression. “You joined our hunt last night, and you were so happy…”

“I… I was born a werewolf. No one ‘awakened’ me.” Lily replied, her expression growing dark. “And I wasn’t happy. *IT* was happy. That *monster* is not me.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that could happen.” Didi was completely perplexed, but the born-werewolf thing wasn’t the most urgent thing to address. “We don’t hunt people, to be clear. You were afraid of hurting someone, but if she hunts with us, that won’t happen.”

“It won’t happen because next month the chains, which *I* put on my own wrists by the way, will be twice as thick.” Lily said, almost growling. Her hatred of her other self only fueled the fire however, and the hair on her arms started to grow in the exact opposite manner that it had disappeared an hour ago. “I will *never* let that monster be free to harm anyone else.”

Didi’s spine chilled at the phrase ‘*anyone else*.’

She stood to go to Lily’s side. Quietly, she asked, “What happened? What did she do?”

Immediately, the change that had started up her arms halted, and then receded. Lily paused, and before she was able to respond tears started to well in her eyes.

Didi closed the distance to sit beside her on Burg’s former bed and offer her a wordless hug.

It took a while for Lily to clear her head enough to talk. She wiped some of the tears from her eyes and looked up at Didi. “It… It happened when I was eleven. I was going to be staying over at my best friend’s house. Her mom had come in to tell us it was bedtime so we bundled up for the night. It was just me and Molly in the room and she decided she wanted to say goodnight, so she climbed over and kissed me on the cheek.”

As Lily kept explaining, the tears started up again. “I… I don’t remember what happened but I woke up in the bush, covered in blood. And… and Mo…” Lily couldn't finish her sentence as she broke down, clinging onto Didi as she bawled.

The story broke Didi’s heart and she found herself tearing up alongside Lily, holding her tight. She stroked Lily’s bloodstained hair and tried to calm herself, to fight the bile rising in her.

“I’m so sorry, Lily, that’s the worst thing I’ve ever…” It seemed absurd to try to respond with words, and she trailed off, just holding the other girl tighter and rocking slightly from side to side. “I’m so sorry.”

Lily nodded in response, trying to choke back her tears. “The s-story that got told was that we were both kidnapped. But… but my parents and I knew the truth… They pulled me out of school and home schooled me until this year. They discovered Monsterhearts and well, here I am…”

The other werewolf could only nod in response and keep holding her. She only broke the hug to grab a box of tissues from the desk nearby.

She gave a deep sigh. “Your parents weren’t werewolves? You don’t know why you are?”

Lily gratefully accepted the tissues, cleaning up the mess that her tears had caused. “I was adopted. We think that my bioparents might have been werewolves too.”

“That would make sense. I’ve never heard of a born werewolf, but it *would* make sense. Someone in the pack probably knows more.” Didi let out a long breath. “None of us have been through what you have. It’s exactly the thing everyone fears their first moon.” She managed a wan smile. “You’re not alone, Lily.”

“I… first moon?” Lily asked, confused. “I’ve been chained up so I didn’t hurt anyone since I was five.” She let out a sigh as she slumped down onto the bed. “But maybe you’re right. Talking to other werewolves would probably help.”

Didi nodded. “We were all awakened as teenagers, a few each year. There’s a lot of weird stuff in Night Falls, as you probably know, and some of it is dangerous. The town is in our territory and we patrol to try and protect people. The first moon is hard… the wolf takes over and needs to hunt, so the pack takes the new wolf hunting up in the highlands, away from people. Last night we had a pup on her first hunt, in fact.”

“Why… Why would you ever turn someone into… this… on purpose? It’s horrible…” Lily asked, bewildered. “I wish I was just normal. That I could have friends without fearing that I’m just going to hurt them. But I can’t, because The Wolf always tries to fight me.”

The question knotted Didi’s stomach. “It’s complicated,” she said, her voice cracking as if she might cry again. She found she couldn’t speak, not just yet.

Seeing Didi choke up over her words, Lily felt like shit. “Sorry. I… I don’t fuckin’ know honestly…” She lent over and wrapped her arms around the only other werewolf she had ever known. “You sounded pretty happy to be a werewolf. I guess yours mustn't be so out of control.”

With a few more deep breaths, Didi found her voice again. “You couldn’t have known.” She wiped away a tear, taking the tissues from the other girl. “The past couple of weeks have just been overwhelming. Some of it was good but--” She sniffed. “Turning people… awakening them…” She bit her lip to keep from sobbing. “I turned someone for the first time. She’s the one who was on her first hunt.” Didi held herself and leaned into Lily’s arms. “It’s not going to make any sense, I promise it’s all true but it’s just so fucked up.”

Lily felt conflicted, on one hand she’d spent the last half of her life hiding away from others to protect them, but on the other, this person was also a werewolf so she could probably protect herself from her. That and, while Lily hated that her mind jumped to this, she was pretty attractive. “Look, I mean you listened to my ‘backstory’. I’m down to listen to whatever you’ve got in there. It’s only fair.”

A little chuckle made it through Didi’s tight throat and she wiped her cheeks again.

“She had this curse on her that drew people in, people who could change her into supernatural beings… vampires, werewolves, fae... I didn’t know until after she approached me and we hooked up and--” She swallowed. “I don’t *think* it was her curse thing that drew me to her, but it’s fucked up that I can’t know for sure.” Holding herself, she sniffed. “As long as supernatural people were drawn to her, she was killing them. Two whole packs of werewolves, more others than she could count. But it would stop if she turned into one of us. I think it was the right thing to do, but I broke both our hearts doing it, I lost a good friend, and I couldn’t *stand* getting congratulated for it.”

“... You’re right, that is fucked up.” Lily said matter of factly. “I honestly don’t really know what to say besides ‘that sucks’.”

Didi nodded. “So… that’s why I awakened someone, but I sure as hell didn’t leave her to fend for herself. And for me, being a werewolf has been a big improvement. I like who I am now a lot better than who I was before. I don’t know if somehow they knew when they chose me...” She shook her head and didn’t delve into the part where they changed her without her consent, too. It had worked out, at any rate.

“Well at least you’re better than my bioparents. They could have at least left an instruction manual.” Lily said, clearly bitter and sarcastic. Before she continued, Lily’s eyes glanced over at a clock on a desk. “Oh fuck! I’ve got class soon!” She quickly jumped up and patted her sides, only now realizing she wasn’t wearing her own clothing. “Fuck, my phone’s probably still in the cage!” She turned back to Didi and smiled apologetically. “Sorry, but I have to run. Talk to you later about more wolf stuff?”

“Absolutely,” said Didi, relieved to get some of that off her chest and to be there for the new wolf in town. “Oh, and don’t forget to shower!” She gave a sheepish look. “Y’know, bison blood…”

“Shit! Right.” Lily looked around for a bathroom, panicked. “Um, I don’t know how long it takes to wash blood out of your hair. Do you think you’d be able run and grab my clothes and phone? They’re just in the large concrete bunker thing just off campus.”

The other werewolf looked stricken at the prospect of going there. It always smelled so… sad. But she nodded and forced a smile. “Just let me know where to meet you.”

“Um, how about the toilets in the IT building? That’s where my next class is.” Lily said as she jumped into the bathroom and started getting ready to get clean.

“See you there,” Didi replied, stifling a yawn and reaching for some socks and shoes.

Lily stuck her head out of the bathroom, using the door to cover the rest of her. “Hey! Um, thanks. Also, I’m Lily by the way.”