The Mystical Chronicles

Under the blood moon

Moonstone City is home to thousands of werewolves, those who were born with the condition as well as those who had been turned and left for dead. In fact, almost everyone in Moonstone City was a werewolf... almost everyone.

Yonis was actually a human in this werewolf-ridden city, a fact he had been trying to keep a secret for the past decade since moving in, unbeknownst to the fact that this city was a werewolf haven. Under the full moon, when everyone else undergoes their transformation, Yonis hides out in the basement of his home, claiming a little white lie that he "is still afraid of his form after having been turned." At least that was until a werewolf had been killed under the blood moon last night.

"There is a traitor among us," the pack leader, Daniel, announced to his pack of Moonstone City. Yonis felt the air thicken around him. Who could've killed their friend? No one new had arrived in the city recently, or rather, at least no one he'd noticed. His attention spans back to Daniel who continues, "As you all know, anyone who tries to harm another of our pack is eliminated immediately. If anyone knows anything about the events of last night, I urge you on behalf of all our safety to come forth and present your ideas."

Everyone began to murmur among themselves until someone spoke up. Someone Yonis didn't know yet had seen on a few occasions strode over towards the alpha and spoke, "I have a suspect, your grace, if you may allow me to speak." Daniel nodded in response and gained everyone's attention before allowing the fellow pack member to speak.

"As you all know, my friends, we all turn to our true selves under a full moon. However, there is one person we have never seen in their turned form. In fact, we don't even know if they actually have a werewolf form. Isn't that right, Yonis?" Everyone gasped and turned to Yonis, waiting for his reply.
"I've already explained, I am still insecure with my form," Yonis replies as bravely as he could manage.
"Or you don't have one," the pack member said.
"That's enough, Torvis," Daniel said, clearly annoyed. So that's his name, Yonis thought to himself. His attention spans back to the alpha who continues, "It is completely normal for a new werewolf to be insecure for a while before getting used to his form. Unless you have solid proof, I suggest you return to your place."
The male, Torvis, returned to his place in the crowd, muttering, "Oh don't worry, I'll find your proof," causing a shiver down Yonis' spine. I guess I'm going to have to be more careful from now on...

~~~

A few days had passed and a full moon was out. Once again, Yonis was hiding in his basement, away from the hungry eyes of his pack who were likely out and about hunting for game to satisfy their cravings. Just until morning, he thought to himself as he munched on his crisps. He had a hoard of snacks in his basement for these nights: various packets of crisps as well as popcorn, yoghurts in the mini-fridge, crackers and other biscuits in the cupboards hanging on the wall. There was no light, however, in order to mask his presence as there was a small window where the moonlight could shine in.

The night was peaceful, or so he thought, until he saw a flash and heard a click of a camera, followed by heavy footsteps scurrying away. A wisp of fur fell through the slightly ajar window, alerting Yonis of what had happened. No way... he thought. He had a strong sense that his perpetrator was the werewolf, Torvis. He couldn't let him get away with the evidence of him being a human.

He scurried up the stairs and out of the basement, slid on his coat along with a scarf and a pair of furry gloves (fake fur of course) to mask anything that would give away his true self, and hurried out the door after the lycanthrope that had passed his basement window and was headed for the forest. It was fast, much faster than Yonis, but he had to make sure no one found his secret.

It felt like hours had passed before he reached the forest. Yonis took a deep breath before entering, knowing that most other werewolves would be around hunting. He strode deeper and deeper, looking for any signs that could tell him where Torvis had gone. He was beginning to lose hope until he heard leaves crunch behind him as a deep voice called out, "Cat got out of the bag, huh?" This was followed by a nasty cackle as Torvis showed himself from behind a tree, a werewolf built well and as grey as the dark clouds on a stormy night.
"Just give me the camera, Torvis," Yonis pleaded, "I'm not a werewolf, you know that now. But I wasn't the killer either."
"Ah, but no one was there that night," Torvis pondered aloud. "You're the only one who isn't one of us, how can you not be the murderer?" His eyes seemed to harden and glow as he continued, "It was because of humans that we've hidden ourselves for so long. At least until the making of this city where all of us were free to roam in our turned forms. But then that night, we realised our lives were at stake all over again."
Yonis felt too shaken to speak. Of course, he would be mad. He only wants to bring peace back to his kind who were hunted and killed because they were seen as monsters. These survivors deserve a place to call their own.

"Because that's all you demons deserve," a voice bellowed from behind Torvis. A large man wielding a gun stepped forth, shocking them both, and continued, "You already proved that when you decided against an innocent man. But it was I." He aimed for Torvis' head and pulled the trigger, killing the werewolf instantly. A howl in agony erupted from Torvis before it faded away with his soul.

The man grinned at Yonis and said, "You're a crazy fella, you know. Living around these freaks for so long. But I guess you must've been gaining information on their ways," he shrugged before asking, with a glimmer of interest in his eyes, "Name's Gareth, by the way. So tell me, what have you learnt, chap? Anything useful against them?"
Yonis could barely speak above a whisper, "You killed him," he said.
The man guffaws before stating, "Well of course I did! He tried to frame you and kill you for his meal, didn't he?"
"These werewolves never asked for the lives they got. They are not monsters. Yet you hunt them like animals. You hunt my friends like animals because of your false beliefs on their ways."
Gareth was no longer laughing. If anything, he was angry. Really angry. "You think this life is a game? These freaks kill without mercy-"
"Yet they've never touched me," Yonis mutters. "Their sense of smell is heightened to the point they can smell what is and what isn't from a mile away." Yonis then slightly gasped, they would've known the whole time he wasn't a werewolf. "They must have known about me the whole time yet never asked more from me."

"Because none of your actions were ever ill-intentioned," Yonis recognised the voice as the alpha's. Daniel appeared from behind the bushes stating, "You are not welcome here, foreigner," to Gareth, whose gun was locked and loaded.
"Alpha Daniel, please. He's armed, he's already killed Torvis." Yonis tried to change the alpha's mind into leaving but he wasn't having any of it. He was furious; though he didn't show, it could be seen in his eyes.
Daniel looks to Yonis and smiles warmly, "This is going to get messy, son. You should get behind the pack."
Yonis notices the rest of the pack behind him and nods his head before leaving.

"A little battle? Ha! Alright then-!" But the man was cut off by the resonating howl of the alpha. The werewolves all attacked at once, the man's screams were drowned out by the ripping of flesh and crunching of bones.

Thunder boomed across the sky as rain began pelting down. Streams of blood reached Yonis' feet; the man was dead, and the pack were safe.