Fate of Fangs, Claws, and Hearts | Marauders Fanfic / Part 1

Prologue

Skepticism

A shadow, it follows us,
relentless and near,
Pursuing with whispers
that breed constant fear.
Close on our heels,
with a blade in its grip,
This feeling entwines,
never loosened its hold.

They claim skepticism keeps us sane,
But what if it conquers,
what will remain?

A heavy veil falls,
shrouding our sight,
True feelings muted,
concealed from the light.
Madness creeps in,
a silent, slow plight.
Only trust can save,
but where does it hide?
Where is it when faith begins to subside?

Where is it, you ask?
Deep in the mind it does lie,
»You must seek it out,«
is the whispered reply.

August 25, 2022
Lithil-RaVen

***

A sharp sound split the ominous silence, sending a cold shiver through my bones. A deep, powerful howl echoed in the still night, reverberating through my skull. My heart clenched, each beat hammering relentlessly, trapped in my chest like a caged animal. There was no escape from the sound - only the frantic rush of blood in my ears.
Ears twitching, I listened to the dead stillness, straining for any hint of movement. And then it came. A low rumble, deep and familiar. My muscles tensed. That sound - I would recognise it among thousands. It belonged to them.
The howl still lingered in the air, a reminder of the one voice I knew all too well. The alpha. The last thread that bound me to the pack, the only family I had left. Everyone else had turned away, terrified of the thing I was.
And who could blame them? No one could love a monster.

The full moon hung in the sky. A cursed night, though beautiful in its own way. Once every month, when the moon reached its zenith in the midnight sky, power surged through me. Unstoppable.
Through the forest underbrush, I prowled, my breath misting in the frigid air. Each exhale sent out small clouds of steam that quickly vanished in the cold. My paws, hardened against the frozen ground, moved soundlessly across the snow-dusted forest floor. This bond with the night, the moon - it should have been beautiful. Instead, it was a curse.
The snow-covered landscape before me stretched out like a pristine canvas, untouched by the violence of the world. Everything glittered under the moon’s light, an ethereal stillness that felt too calm. The scent of frost and pine clung to the air, sharp and fresh, mixing in with the musky tang of earth beneath the snow.
These scents, this wild beauty - it never ceased to fascinate me, though so few truly understood it. Only the inhabitants of that distant castle never changed, always reeking of fear and sweat. I knew this, though I had never seen them myself. I had been told. Humans, he said, were simple to kill. Fragile creatures, blind to the world’s grand design. Incapable of grasping the interconnectedness of nature.

»Only we are capable of that.«

My eyes lifted to the heavens, staring into the void above. Stars shimmered faintly, distant and cold. Wisps of cloud drifted across the sky, momentarily veiling the moon’s bright glow. It hovered there, luminous and untouchable, casting its pale light upon the land. Even the clouds, thin and delicate, could not hide its power.
There was a completeness in these moments. The urge to hunt, to cast aside the worries that haunted me. So simple.
Another howl ripped through the tranquillity, and soon the other wolves joined in. A chorus of voices rising into the night, a haunting symphony of wildness. A family united. But was I truly part of them? Had I ever been?

I don't know...

A song of freedom rose from their throats, sending waves of electricity through my body. I could never forget: wolves are untameable. They can be trained, perhaps. But never controlled.
The howl was a signal. An attack. The prey would be something formidable, something worth the effort. My pack, intoxicated by the scent of blood, thirsted for the kill.
Fear simmered beneath the surface, clawing at my insides. I had to move, had to act. They were my family - my only family. They needed me.
Alone, they stood no chance. A dozen wolves at most, barely enough to survive, let alone win this battle. Without me, they would fall.
Steeling myself, I turned towards the fray, forcing control over the beast within. It was so easy to lose it, to slip into the frenzy of the hunt. But tonight, I needed clarity. Just this once.

Family.
It's been a long time.
Almost an eternity...

The moon, glowing ever brighter, lent me its strength. A pact with the darkness, though not one I had chosen. Yet in these moments, I was grateful for it. Weakness was no longer my burden.
Through the dense forest I moved, leaping over fallen logs and tangled roots. Ravines yawned before me, but my paws, quick and sure, found safe passage. The trees flew past in a blur, and soon, I was upon them. My pack, scattered and wild, ready for battle. I had never seen them so agitated, so eager for blood. The young ones snarled, teeth bared, itching for a fight. They had caught the scent of an intruder, something worth defending their territory against. But would I allow it? Should I? Or was I simply following the path laid out for me?
A shudder ran through me. The thought of losing them was unbearable.

Not again.

The alpha, his grey fur bristling, growled low as he spotted me. Drool dripped from his bared fangs, and he advanced, step by menacing step. Larger than the others, more fearsome, yet he was nothing compared to me. I was different. The rest of them were ordinary.
He wanted me gone, out of the way, so he could lead the pack to the hunt. But I would not let him. If they gave in to their bloodlust, there would be no stopping them. And those who lived nearby - they would die.

Whether out of concern for them or fear of solitude, I could not say. I had never known love, not truly. This existence - was it even real? I did not have the answer.
And I could not change it.
The alpha’s eyes, gleaming with hostility, met mine. I reared back on my hind legs, lips curling into a snarl. But hesitation gripped me for a fleeting moment. What if I lost control? What if I became the very thing I feared?
The moonlight pulsed against my skin, the growl of my alpha a reminder of the choice I no longer had.
With a roar that shook the ground beneath me, I let the sound rip through the night. The grey wolf whimpered, tail between his legs, retreating to the pack. Leadership was mine.
A long, guttural howl tore from my throat, piercing the quiet. Birds took flight from the treetops, their dark wings cutting through the night like shadows. The pack joined in, their voices blending with mine.

The hunt had begun.