Wolf Stone

Prologue: Rainfall in the Night

-Unknown-

The girl gasped as she came to, the sharp intake of air causing her body to recoil in pain. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she realized was the ice-cold water falling from the dark sky above.

"What happened?" She moaned under her breath as she tried to focus. Wet, cold, and raining, her surroundings were all unfamiliar. Where am I? Wait... Who am I? Her mind was blank. She attempted to move, only to have her body seize up in flashes of searing pain that pulsed through her entire body, each muscle screaming out in protest to lie still.

Something wasn't right. Lifting her head, the girl looked down at herself. What she saw was not what she expected. She forced herself to stand and found a puddle of water nearby. The girl stumbled on all fours awkwardly to the standing water. Peering down at the shimmering surface, the reflection of a silver-gray wolf looked back up at her.

No. This seems wrong. She shook her head, a throbbing ache reverberating through her skull. Everything was slightly blurry, with a blueish-green tent. The harsh streetlight seemed far starker than it should have been.

I'm a human, I'm... I know! My name is Emma! Emma Grayson...

That was right; her memory was finally coming back. She lived in a small town named Oakville with her father, Kenneth. She was a straight 'A' student at Oakville High. Emma remembered who she was, her family and friends, but her memories did not help explain where she was or how she got there. For that matter, she had no idea how she was now a wolf.

Emma stood in the back alley for a long moment, staring at the image mirroring her movement. The last thing she could remember clearly was a soccer match. Vaguely, she could remember running from dogs, a splitting headache, and a bright light. Then nothing. Everything else was hazy.

The rain began to fall harder. Gazing upwards, the newly made wolf wondered what to do. No one was around. The cold water clung to her silver-gray fur, causing her to shiver.

This can't be real, Emma thought to herself, her numb joints stiff and unresponsive as she wandered out of the alley, her paws protesting each step. The streetlamp's yellow hue reflected off the wet cement, their electric hum contrasting the pitter-patter of rain. Each sound felt overtly acute, putting the wolf on edge while she headed across the road. A car sped by, causing her to move even faster, diving into the bushes across the way.

Searching for some shelter, Emma scanned the surrounding houses, finding one with a window ajar. Under normal circumstances, she would never have snuck into a stranger's home, but this was no longer normal; she had no idea where she was, and her newly acquired instincts had more influence at the moment than the possibility of judgment. She was merely a wolf seeking shelter from the rain.

Using her nose to pry open the window wide enough for her to get through, Emma crawled into the dark room beyond. It wasn't very warm, but at least it was dry. She shook off the water clinging to her fur and looked around. It was someone's bedroom, the owner occupying the bed in the far corner. Emma then noticed a familiar scent flooding the space. Sniffing the air, she recognized the smell... Robin?

The befuddled wolf was surprised that she didn't distinguish the residence as his from the outside. Robin was her best friend, and this was her second home. The irony of ending up at his house, in his room, was nerve-racking, but she didn't care at that point. Emma knew she was somewhere safe and familiar. She wagged her tail a little, knowing Robin was nearby. Sore, tired, and disoriented, more so than she could remember ever being in her life, Emma skulked into the closet. She curled up amidst the mound of clothing and miscellaneous items piled inside.

As she lay there, huddled in a wadded blanket, the thought crossed her mind: How will I explain this to Robin? That worried her, but being too tired to care, Emma surrendered to her exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep.