Howling at the Moon - [A Werewolf Adventure]

Who Are You?

His eyes bolted in all directions searching for a way to escape. Panic crossed Jaxon's mind and his breathing began to get heavier with each inhale and exhale. He knew this wolf from somewhere. Jaxon's emotions got the best of him as his mind begin to scramble. He had almost snapped when the wolf in front of Jax huffed and Jaxon immediately froze and slowly drew his gaze upon the slowly encroaching body.

Jaxon stared with bewildered eyes behind his small iron cage. As a wolf pup, he never looked more confused, satisfied, grateful, and mostly scared in his short life. The familiar wolf stepped forward with one paw as if he was asking Jax if it was okay to approach. Jax scooted his furry lower half until he could no longer retreat. The cold bars prevented Jaxon from running away. Another step from the wolf and Jax got the smallest hint that he wasn't in immediate danger despite his remembrance of that whiskered face, with all its courage and kindness. 

Memories didn't cut it for Jaxon. He had to completely analyze the elder wolf before he felt any sort of safety. He decided to use his senses.

Jaxon studied the wolf in front of him who was still slowly advancing on him. He had an appearance of a Northern gray. There was a small white patch of fur on either of his shoulders. Along his spine from what Jax could tell was a darker shade of gray, nearly black. The area around his neck, or mane, varied different colors. Beige, black and gray in a neat and attractive pattern. The paws of the wolf were a shade darker but Jax could tell identify that they were beige as well. He was significantly bigger than any other wolf Jax ever knew, easily outweighing a prime wolf by a dime, Jaxon had thought. This one was even several inches taller as well.

His eyes were an electric blue, with fakes of yellow along the iris and they were staring directly into Jax's own. 

Jax closed his eyes and inhaled a lung full of warm, late-day air. He had been taught that the smell of an individual was always the key to determining exactly who they were. He learned that their scent usually adjusted with their aura. You could never hide your smell with your aura lingering around no matter how hard you rolled around in the mud like a pig. 

Jax's nose was well developed for a pup, far ahead of the others back in the village while everyone else was still alive.

His nose picked up all sorts of scents, both wonderful and not-so-wonderful. They ranged from blood to feces to the pollen in the air. He tried to ignore the unimportant things and he focused on zeroing in on a specific scent. Jaxon lowered his head to the bottom of the cage while slightly extending his neck forward. Within two light sniffs, Jax had a lung full of the smell he needed most. To his satisfaction, it was the smell he knew years ago. The smell he was told that was forced off a cliff. The smell he was informed that didn't survive the fall. The smell reminded him of Auron.

The wolf paused in its tracks and its ears perked up, rising to attention. He sat and panted what seemed to be a sigh of relief. Jaxon tilted his head and seated himself as well. At this point, Jaxon realized that even if it wasn't who he thought it was, if he wasn't meant to hurt, it probably would've happened by now. 

The wolf began to shift. Jaxon figured he was returning to his human state. Hair retracted revealing tanned skin. The pointy ears that once protruded on top of his head sank and replaced themselves with round human ears where they belonged on the side of his head. The tail that swayed to and fro withdrew into his tailbone. Organs resized and moved into place, Jax could hear the slight sloshing like a thick fluid that made a muffled noise as if was behind a wall of bone and skin.

Mystery man pushed himself from all fours and began walking on bare feet, bare feet that were roughly scarred and bruised. Was this guy not allowed to have shoes in his religion or what? The final changes were being made and the realization that dawned on Jax's face made the man before cracking a tiny smile. Walking forward now with what he felt to be safe passage, the man began talking more freely. 

"You know, you were a lot tinier when I last saw you," The man said. He scratched his scraggly beard and yawned, a small tear appeared in the corner of both his eyes which he immediately wiped away with his index knuckle. "You've grown in these past two years of my absence."

Jaxon's ears bent when the man walked to his cage and petted Jax's head, scratching behind his ear softly. The dead poacher behind both of them started releasing his bowels and Jax caught a lung full of stink and he shook his head violently as if that would help him escape the rancid smell but the stench was tenacious and relentless. It unforgivably forced its way into both of their nostrils like a dog crashing its head on the door as its owner released him outside to use the bathroom after being housed too long.

Jax pawed at the steel cage and the man quickly responded. "My apologies, Jaxon." The man unhooked the cold bar from its latch and freed Jaxon and he immediately rejoiced in his release. He hopped around and pounced on the man's leg every so often. His tail swayed rapidly as if the tail itself had developed feelings of its own and waved to its savior. You could see pure joy in Jaxon's bright eyes but then the wolf was brought back to reality and looked up into the man's face. It seemed a lot broodier and wiser since two years ago. As if on cue, the man spoke.

"I'm willing to bet you remember me. If by any chance that is not the case, I shall introduce myself." The man turned his head at just the right angle so the light no longer shone on his eyes. "I am a man murdered by his brother. I am a man longing for the day when he can hold his wife and son again and will tear down and rebuild hell to accomplish that. My name is Atlas Gray and I've come back for my family. "