The Wolfsbane

Chapter 2 - The Awakening

I raised with a scary elegance. I stood at least 7ft tall, and must've weighed at least 200kg. Wobbly on my new and vaguely familiar legs I fell, face first into the hard flooring. With a disgruntled snort I crawled back up onto my hind legs. There I waited, until the wobbliness had passed and I could stand unassisted. I walked slowly through the underbrush, sticking my snout upward I inhaled deeply. My brain sorted through the smells within seconds, I followed the one smell I knew the best. The smell of the river.

As I closed the space between myself and the river, I saw something. I saw everything. Everything was so clear and bright, I stopped and looked up towards the large trees. They towered over me with such dominant grace and beauty. I saw in undefined detail all the bumps and cracks of the rough grey and brown bark. The way the indentations swirled up the trees like winding rivers and canyons.

I tilted my head to the left and stood staring at the leaves waving slightly in the gentle breeze. The moons light casting small shadows on the fragile surface. I could see the dimness of the green in the night, I focussed on the sounds of the rustling leaves, the creak of the trunks and the soft kiss of the air as it slowly passed my ears.

I continued forth towards the river, as I tried to not let my senses overwhelm me. It wasn't long before I broke into a clearing. And there in front of me was the most beautiful river I've ever seen. The crystal blue, green water shone with the reflection of the moon. The water rippled lightly, creating a dramatic calming effect. I stumbled to the edge of the river bed and fell to my knees. I stared at my reflection with an unwavering fierceness.

My eyes, which were once a soft pastel blue, now shone like red rubies. The bridge of my nose was widened leading down to a snout like mouth. I lifted my lips and stared at the immense size of the teeth that now crowded the inside of my mouth. Slow strings of drool ran down out the corners of my mouth, I wiped it away with the back of my hand, accidentally cutting myself on one of my claws. A sharp sting pierced the corner of my mouth and I watched as a drop of blood hit the water. It dispersed like red dye, leaving a slight swirling cloud in the water.

I sat back on the river bank. I gazed out across the river, taking in all the crisp new details. There were numerous large rocks jutting out of the water here and there. The water lapped around the sides, making gentle splashes as it flowed passed. To my left there was a large log resting in the muddy bank, it leaned up on one of the rocks out in the water.

I could see moss seeping up the side of the rock. I focussed carefully and could see a beautiful little red lady bug, resting precariously on top. Weeds could be seen sprouting out in between the rocks, moving ever so slightly in the breeze. The river bank itself was covered in sprouting's of grass and weeds. I inhaled deeply, a rush of scents filled me deeply. I marveled at how powerful my sense of smell had become.

I smelled the freshness of the forest, the richness of earth and the scent of nearby deer. My stomach grumbled, and spit slowly ran down my face. I was starving. I rose with grace. And took one last sniff. I stopped dead. A very familiar and threatening scent over powered my nostrils. I whipped my head to both sides staring around, searching the darkness for the source of the smell.

And then it hit me. I knew that scent, it was the huntress. A lone female werewolf who had a bad reputation. She was one of the largest and most dominant wolves. And killed without mercy. I took a protective stance, and put out a low growl. A rustling could be heard from behind. I spun around, ready to defend myself but saw nothing. A harsh laugh rained down from above. I cranned my neck upwards staring in disbelief. There the huntress sat, perched, arms dangling in front of her. Her fur was as dark as shadows and her teeth as large as daggers.

She curled her lips in an intimidating smirk, fresh blood gleamed in her mouth in the moonlight giving her a bloody smile. Her eyes glowed a bright green, hardening her gaze. With one swift movement she leaped from the branch. Landing in front of me with a loud thump. She drew herself up to her full height, and snarled.

"Welcome to your awakening"....