Spirit Animal 2: Lone Wolf

Ch. 3: Answering Questions

After the week was done, Anne watched the cast come off with glee.

"Finally!" Anne said, before shifting into her Spirit Animal.

She howled with joy as she stretched in her wolf form, making sure she was limber enough for a quick run now that her side and arm were healed.

"Now hold on Anne, don't go out and run. You just healed." Hop Pop said.

Anne looked down.

"I just don't want you to get hurt again, why don't you go out and hang out in the town, show everyone that you're healed."

Anne whined before turning back, sighing because she knew Hop Pop was right. A small period of hanging out could be good for her.

"Okay, Hop Pop." Anne said as she walked to the door with Sprig and Polly, "Come on guys, let's go walk around town."

"Sure! We can stop by Maddie and Ivy along the way." Sprig said with a smile.

"Yeah... that's not going to be fun."

Maddie, she was just a little too creepy at times but she had a good heart. And Ivy, she was like Sprig except more fearless and hungry for adventure! They can also be a little much, since Anne had a feeling they would be asking her about her Spirit Animal and... possibly things that would help them on their own "Special" interest.

'I better mentally prepare.' Anne thought as the trio walked out of the house and walked through Wartwood.

As they walked through Wartwood, Anne was greeted by the towns people.

"Hey, Anne! Glad to see you're alright!"

"How's your side? I could give you a remedy for it."

"Way to go for showing those toads what for!"

"Wow, that's a lot different than a week ago." Anne said.

"Well, what do you expect, you helped the town from those toads." Polly said.

"You're basically a celebrity now." Sprig said with a smile.

"Man, that's really cool." Anne said, "I finally belong here."

"You always belonged here, as least to me." Sprig said with a smile.

"Thanks, Sprig."

"AMBUSH!"

Sprig was quickly knocked to the ground by Ivy, who seemingly fell out of the sky.

"Ahahahahahaha!" Polly laughed at her older brother.

"I got you again, Sprig!" Ivy said before noticing Polly and Anne. "Anne! You're better!"

"Yep, got full movement of my arm." Anne said, moving her arm to prove it.

"Cool! So, sorry if this is random, but....can I ask you something?" Ivy asked.

'Just like Sprig said.' Anne thought.

"Go right ahead." Anne said to her.

"How does your spirit animal work?"

Anne had to admit... she had no clue, no one really knows where it came from, it's just... been something people have been able to do since long before the Middle Ages.

'I suppose I could try to make something up to sound official or real.' Anne thought.

"Honestly, I have no idea but I have a theory." Anne said as she scratched her head. "Legends says that spirits animals a spirits which help guide or protect people on a journey. Over time, humanity began to connect further with their spirit animals until one day, we found that our connection grew so deep, we were able to become them. For me, my culture is very close and supportive of each other, so our spirit animals are wolves. "It's just... been like that. It has been that way for... thousands of years."

"Whoa!" Ivy said with awe, her eyes wide in wonder.

"That's so cool, Anne!" Sprig said.

'Yeah, it totally isn't made up.' Anne thought.

"Can you tell us what other spirit animals humans can turn into?" Polly asked.

"Yeah, yeah! What else have you seen before?" Ivy asked.

"Well, I really only know my friend's forms." Anne said, "Like I said, my culture/family is a giant wolf pack, but other than that, I don't really know."

"Oh? What do your friends turn into?" Ivy asked.

"Well, my friend Sasha is a bear, and my friend Marcy is a bird."

"Oooh, cool!.....What's a bear?" Polly asked as they continued through town.

"It's a large animal, with claws that could separate your limbs from your body." Anne said, "Something you never want to mess with."

"Cool!" Ivy said, thinking the beast would be cool to see and to fight!

"Tell me more."

The group jumped as they turned to see Maddie standing next to them, not noticing her there at all!

"Maddie, where did you come from?!" Sprig shouted in surprise.

"You just arrived at the bakery." Maddie said as she gestured to her family's bakery.

"Oh, I didn't notice." Sprig said

"So, keep talking, I want to hear all about Spirit Animals." Maddie said.

"Yeah, tell that cool origin story again!" Ivy said with a smile.

'Oh, geez, I have to lie to another child?' Anne thought.

"Alright." Anne said, "Legends says that spirits animals a spirit which help guide or protect people on a journey. Over time, humanity began to connect further with their spirit animals until one day, we found that our connection grew so deep, we were able to become them."

"Fascinating." Maddie said with a smile. "Go on."

"Well, some people can pass on their Spirit Animals to their kids, for example back home, I'm part of a massive pack of wolves."

"How many?" Maddie asked.

"About 80 or so, I haven't counted in a long time." Anne said with a shrug, "And that's not counting the babies and children, or the pack leaders."

"What the pack leaders?" Sprig asked.

"They're the oldest, the leaders of the pack, they make all the decisions of the tribe." Anne said, "Interesting fact, my grandmother is actually the head of it."

"Wow, so you're... royalty?" Polly said.

"I mean... I guess." Anne said, "My mom is meant to take her place within the next year, and then after her it's my turn, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

"You're gonna be a pack leader some day? That's so cool!" Ivy said to her.

"And I'm sure you'll be a great leader, Anne!" Sprig said with a thumbs up.

"Compared to how the rest of them are, I don't think so." Anne said, "They've done a lot of great things and I'm... just not like them."

"Of course you're not. You're you, just be that." Maddie said.

Anne smiled.

"Thanks Maddie."

Maybe she had a point.