Samhain

chapter one: the part where it begins

i crawl in the moss. it is easy to find god.

she is a cluster of eels beneath my palms.

i ask of her, am i doing any of this life right?

and she, with her many mouths,

says nothing.

_______________________________________

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.

Wooyoung races to catch up, frantically flipping through the thick yellow pages of his spellbook. The chilly breeze bites at him, and he feels doubt begin to sprout like weeds in his chest. It's been ages since the last full moon - well, okay, just a few days - when he last used magic, and the results weren't exactly enchanting.

"Yunho, slow down!"

He didn't even have a chance to tell Yunho about the apocalypse he almost brought onto Earth in an attempt to pass his Advanced Techniques in Charms and Arcane Artistry midterm. Yunho didn't give him any time at all, really. Wooyoung only had a few minutes to rummage through his spell books before he found himself unceremoniously dragged out the door.

Even though he spent the past few hours memorizing the cure, Wooyoung feels a persistent knot of anxiety gnawing at his stomach. He repeatedly scans the instructions sprawled across the pages of the book, praying to the mystical gods and goddesses above that he won't inadvertently summon a swarm of bats or transform his socks into jellyfish.

Wooyoung has always been a confident spellcaster, the kind of confidence that effortlessly landed him a full ride to one of the best universities for magical studies. It was within the ivy-covered walls of this institution that he crossed paths with Yunho, a charming Lore major with an infectious smile who just so happened to moonlight as a werewolf. Meeting a werewolf in the city is as rare as finding a four-leaf clover, and Wooyoung couldn't help but be captivated by Yunho's charm from the very start. They clicked like magic, becoming instant best friends.

Until a few minutes ago, Wooyoung had never even fathomed being introduced to Yunho's pack. The thought of it causes his usual air of confidence to waver. He can't help but wonder how they'll receive him. Wooyoung doesn't necessarily have the most friendly personality, but he promised Yunho he would try to behave. His nervousness isn't just about meeting a pack of werewolves for the first time - it's also tangled up with the memory of the magic mishap that occurred just a few days ago. Wooyoung tries to shake off the unease that threatens to cling to him.

Wooyoung never pried into Yunho's pack - he never pressured Yunho into talking about them, either. After all, wolves and magic users alike had been misunderstood for centuries. He felt a sort of kinship with Yunho for this reason. He never wanted to break Yunho's trust by asking too many questions about his personal life.

Yet Wooyoung's curiosity simmers, almost boiling over as he follows Yunho further and further out of the city.

In hindsight, he probably should have asked more questions.

Nestled on the grassy hills on the outskirts of the city just beyond reach of the forest lay the small suburb that the werewolves call home. Wolves don't necessarily roll out the welcome mat for just anyone; unless you're among the rare, fortunate few to be adopted by a pack, outsiders aren't welcome.

But tonight, there is an emergency.

Wooyoung dashes to keep up with Yunho's pace, whose Eiffel Tower legs cover much more ground with every step. Even though they could have turned the long walk into a quick ten-minute broom ride, Wooyoung couldn't shake his paralyzing fear of heights long enough to get them to their destination safely. As Yunho continues to power-walk ahead, hardly slowing down, Wooyoung can't help but feel a little flustered.