Hour of the Moon

Chapter 11: Deception

I dreamt of her.

It had started out as a nightmare of my brother's death but transitioned into something completely different.

The rain subsided as it gave way to an ink-black night sky, decorated with white stars.

The moon was the sovereignty of the sky, as the smaller stars paled in comparison.

I was in the forest, in wolf form. A beautiful yet melancholic melody filled the forest as the sound of the plan flute and a woman's voice filled the air among the trees.

Waya.

The voice beckoned me as I sniffed the air. It smelled of wet moss, earth, and a familiar female scent. I wanted to stop myself, but I was walking toward the melody as the woman's voice grew louder.

" The song of the Moon compels you, come to me. Let me set you free."

I ran between the trees, dodging in and out of the shadows until the scent grew overpowering, leading me to the shack of Akita's dwelling.

A woman in white was there, dressed like a moon deity.

Her bark-colored brown skin blended within the forest surrounding us, the silky dress molded to her body in perfection, and flowed like water around her.

Her dark halo surrounded her soft features, her intense gaze resting upon me, and I noticed a change in her eye color. They were a vivid white-gray, similar to Akita's but not quite.

Her intense gaze softened towards me, as she motioned with her hand for me to come to her.

Giggling softly she says, " I don't bite, I promise."

I wanted to remain in my place but being a dog was in my nature, and I walked towards her and I nuzzled my nose against her soft hand.

Her touch was warm and gentle, and it was softening me.

" I admit, you still scare me. But I don't think you'd hurt me, would you?" She stroked my fur and I whimpered, enjoying the feel of her hand running across my fur.

I wanted to pull away, but my paws were rooted in the ground. I always detested humans for having pet dogs, yet here I was like a dog enjoying the touch of a woman I don't even know.

Her fingertips glowed white, and suddenly I had transformed, the fur retracting back into my skin as I was in my human form.

Startled, she jumped back and fell, hitting the ground hard.

I glanced down at my form, relieved to see myself in clothes as opposed to being naked. I was wearing white as well, with a loose-fitting long-sleeved tunic and white pants.

" It really was you," She said in amazement and fear, as she wipes the dirt off the back of her dress and stands up.

I take a step back, as she moves closer.

" I had thought wolves were nearly extinct in this area. But how? And more specifically, why you?"

" You're just imagining things, this a dream. It's an illusion, it doesn't exist in the world of the living."

She shakes her head in disbelief, looking around her.

" Even so, I saw you in my dreams. No, there has to be some sort of connection." She places a finger on her chin, lost in thought.

" Do you think we are connected?"

I flinch, my jaw tightening.

" No."

"You're lying," She accuses, her eyes ablaze in anger.

" Do you know something I don't?"

" I told you already the answer is no."

She scoffed in annoyance.

" Whatever you're hiding, I'm going to get to the bottom of it." She stalks off, muttering curses, and heads within the forest.

My body was going at its once pace, as I follow after her.

Catching up to her strides, I grab her arm.

" Wait," Pulling her arm angrily out of my grasp, she turns to face me.

" What? Are you here to just tell me I'm delusional? Losing my mind? I saw you transform into a wolf!"

" Who is going to believe you?" I said, laughing darkly, "It's just folklore. Additionally, you're an outsider and have no idea how this town works."

" So you're threatening me?"

A chorus of animals yelled in the distance, sending a shiver down my spine. I tore my gaze from her as my ears perked up. The weird yelling continued, as I zeroed in on the noise. It didn't even sound like wolves, but something else. It sounded eerily, shrill, ominous. Like nails on a chalkboard and the sound of laughing hyenas.

" We have to go," I state urgently, grabbing her hand.

" Wait, why are we running?" The sounds were coming closer and in my human form, I was slow.

We came to a stop near a cliff, and waves of dark blue water rushed below. We both were panting heavily as Keiran had her hands on her knees.

The laughing drew closer and black fog swallowed the forest whole.

I could hear their footsteps as their stench grew closer. They reeked of sulfur and rotting flesh, the smell so repulsive I felt bile rise to my throat.

"Waya, what's happening?"

" Stay back," I warned her, placing my arm in front of her as I shielded her with my body.

I could feel the fear coursing in her veins, and for the first time, I felt afraid.

Out of the shadows, eyes that glowed blood red held my gaze as a white wolf appears.

No. There was something familiar about the white wolf, and I felt my stomach twist in knots.

We've been waiting for you, Waya.

Keiran lets a bloodcurdling scream as blood streams from her eyes and my vision goes dark.

" Waya! Waya!," Nanye-hi's urgency brought me back to reality, her hands cupping my face. Tears stained her face.

" You were shaking in your sleep and I was frightened. What's going on? Your nightmares seem to be getting worse?"

I grabbed her hands, placing them on my lap.

" I'll be fine, Nani." She draws away from me, shooting me a concerned look.

" No, not like this. It felts different, somehow." Getting up from our bed, she reaches for her cell phone on the nightstand.

" I'm going to call your mother, maybe she can give you some sort of sleeping pills or melatonin mixed with some natural herbs."

I sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of my nose between my forefinger and thumb.

" It's not going to work." Ignoring me, she walks out of the bedroom and speaks to my mother in an urgent whisper.

How I wanted to tell Nanye-hi the truth, and this was going to cause a rift between us.

And it was all my fault. Remnants of my dream played in my head like a movie, unable to shake the fate that Keiran remained in my subconscious along with the white wolf.

Danger and death were on the horizon and had a one-way ticket heading straight for Cherokee.

Ari Abdul- Cursed