Feral Bonds

Chapter 59: One with the Wild

The air was thick with the scent of earth and pine as Akecheta and Cernunnos stood on the edge of a clearing deep in the forest, far from the quiet comfort of their cabin. The sunlight filtered through the canopy above, dappling the ground with patches of light and shadow. There was a stillness in the air, a sense of anticipation that clung to every breath Akecheta took. He could feel the wild magic all around them, stirring just beneath the surface.

Cernunnos stood beside him, his presence calm but powerful. Akecheta had grown used to the god's quiet strength, but there was something different about today—something deeper. Cernunnos had brought him here to teach him, to help him heal, but Akecheta could feel the weight of something more, something ancient, stirring in the air.

"I brought you here to show you something," Cernunnos said, his voice low, almost reverent as he looked out over the clearing. "To help you understand what it means to be part of the wild, to be a wolf, and to help you heal from what has been done to you."

Akecheta's chest tightened. He had lived with the pain of the fae's magic for so long, the twisted runes and dark spells that had scarred him inside and out. But here, with Cernunnos beside him, there was a flicker of hope. Perhaps, finally, he could begin to understand what he truly was—and perhaps he could be free from the remnants of the magic that had nearly destroyed him.

Cernunnos turned to him, his eyes gleaming with an ancient light. "There's something you need to understand about werewolves, Akecheta. The magic that allows men to become beasts, it's not something to fear. It's wild magic, the oldest kind. It's primal, connected to the earth, to the cycles of nature. You're not a monster—you're part of that magic."

Akecheta swallowed hard, his heart pounding. He had always feared the beast inside him, the way it raged uncontrollably, the way it tore at him from the inside. But Cernunnos's words held a different truth, a promise that there was more to his nature than the darkness he had been forced to endure.

"Let me show you," Cernunnos said, his voice soft but filled with the weight of centuries. "Let me call the wild magic forward."

Akecheta nodded, though a part of him trembled with uncertainty. But he trusted Cernunnos, more than he had trusted anyone in his life. And so, he took a breath and stood still as the god began to change.

Cernunnos closed his eyes, and the air around him seemed to hum with energy. Slowly, his body began to shift, growing larger, more powerful. Akecheta watched in awe as Cernunnos's form expanded, his muscles rippling beneath his skin as he grew several feet in height. His antlers sprouted from his skull, curving out and up like the branches of an ancient tree. His face became more angular, his features sharpened by the transformation, and atop his head, a crown of a deer's skull with massive antlers settled, its hollow eyes staring out into the forest.

A fur cloak unfurled across Cernunnos's broad back, flowing down to the ground like the pelt of some massive beast. The god's presence was overwhelming now, the sheer force of his power pressing against Akecheta's senses, but it wasn't terrifying. It was awe-inspiring, ancient, and deeply connected to the world around them.

Cernunnos opened his eyes, which now glowed with a soft, golden light. He stepped forward, his massive form radiating calm strength, and held out his hand toward Akecheta.

"Call your wolf," Cernunnos said, his voice deep and resonant. "Let it come forward. It's not something to fear—it's part of you, Akecheta. The wild is inside you, just as it is inside me."

Akecheta hesitated for a moment, the fear of losing control flickering in his chest. But then, he felt the bond between them—the steady, calming presence of Cernunnos, grounding him, guiding him. Slowly, he closed his eyes and let the wolf inside him stir.

It wasn't like the other times, the violent, painful shifts that had torn at his body and mind. This was different. It was gentle, almost like a calling—a beckoning to the wild magic that lived deep inside him. He felt his body begin to shift, his bones elongating, his muscles twisting and reshaping. His skin prickled as fur began to sprout, and his senses sharpened, the smells and sounds of the forest becoming clearer, more vivid.

When the transformation was complete, Akecheta stood in his wolf form, but this time, it wasn't a beast filled with rage or fear. He was calm, his mind clear, and the wild magic inside him felt... right.

Cernunnos knelt beside him, his massive hand reaching out to gently pet Akecheta's fur. The touch was warm, soft, and full of affection. Cernunnos stroked his fur slowly, his fingers moving with care as if he were comforting a scared animal, as if he understood the pain that had been hidden beneath Akecheta's skin for so long.

"You're safe now," Cernunnos whispered, his voice filled with a tenderness that made Akecheta's wolf heart thrum. "No one will hurt you here."

Akecheta's wolf form leaned into Cernunnos's touch, the fear that had always haunted him melting away under the god's careful attention. For the first time, the wolf wasn't something to be tamed or suppressed. It was part of him, and it was being accepted—loved, even.

Cernunnos continued to pet and dote on Akecheta, his hands moving with reverence as he ran his fingers through the thick fur. "I can feel the traces of the fae magic," he said quietly, his voice filled with sorrow. "They hurt you, twisted the wolf inside you. But I promise you, Akecheta, I will help you remove any trace of their magic. You will be whole again."

Akecheta whimpered softly, the sound filled with both gratitude and relief. The weight of the fae's curse, the darkness they had left behind, had haunted him for so long. But now, in Cernunnos's presence, he felt hope blooming inside him. He wasn't alone in this anymore. The god of the wild had made him a promise, and Akecheta believed him.

Cernunnos bent down, pressing his forehead gently to Akecheta's, their shared warmth a balm to the wolf's spirit. "You are part of the wild, Akecheta," Cernunnos whispered, his voice filled with love. "And I will never let anyone harm you again."

Akecheta's heart swelled with emotion as Cernunnos continued to pet him, each touch filled with affection and care. For the first time in a long time, Akecheta felt truly at peace. The wolf inside him wasn't something to be feared or controlled—it was something to be nurtured, to be loved. And with Cernunnos by his side, he knew that he would find a way to heal, to rid himself of the darkness that had once consumed him.

Together, they stood in the clearing, the wild magic swirling around them like a protective embrace. And as Cernunnos's fingers gently scratched behind his ears, Akecheta let out a contented sigh, knowing that he was a part of something larger, more untamed than himself. He was one with the wild.