Shape-Shifter's Promise

Chapter 1

*Part One: The Promise*

The night was falling quickly in Montana and the pack was in a hurry to get to the cave. Maria, the Alpha-female, was in a hurry to get her cubs to safety.

“Mother, how much farther?” asked the darkest cub.

“I don't know, Mercy. Var, I'm curious myself. How much farther?” asked Maria.

“Just another half-mile. Just past the drop in the river,” panted Var.

The four cubs varied in colors; Mercy, the oldest, had a pure black coat. Meredith, the second oldest, had a coat the color of mahogany. Kira and Kari (pronounced as Car-ee), the youngest, were twins with cloud gray coats, tinged with red. Maria was gray and had white feet and Var was a darker cloud gray with a proud strong face and a darker gray streak down the middle of his back.

As they ran, Mercy looked around for the drop in the river that Var had talked about.

“Is that the drop over there father?” asked Kari.

“Yes! It is! Good job, son.” exclaimed Var.

Maria looked proudly at her only son. Kira, who was falling behind, looked jealously at her brother. They ran and ran until they came to a stop at the river. Var's dark gray streak shimmered in the moonlight. Mercy, almost completely invisible against the black night that had fallen just moments before, looked for the way to cross the river. The only thing giving her away was the silver shimmer that moved with her sides as she breathed and her yellow-gold eyes . As the twins caught up to their family they seemed to look like their mother, Maria.

“How do we get across father?” asked Kira.

“I...I don't remember where the way to get across is,” he replied nervously.

“Over there!” yelled Mercy, pointing her muzzle in the direction of a little path of stones that lead across the narrowest point in the river.

“Thank Mora!” exclaimed Maria, thanking the great wolf Goddess.

“And Fren,” added Var, thanking the great wolf God.

The little pack hurried across the river and soon found the cave that had been obscured by a huge towering weeping willow tree. The pack had soon gotten far enough into the cave that they felt a sudden sense of peace and talked amongst themselves. After about an hour they were falling asleep one by one. Kira and Kari fell quickly into a dreamless sleep and then, so did Meredith. As the two alpha's watched their three youngest cubs fall asleep, they didn't notice that Mercy was still awake, and watched them sleep. Mercy, who was wedged between Meredith and a cave wall, saw her mother look proudly at her mate and then, that pride turned into a loving gaze. Mercy suddenly felt a longing tug at her gut. She had often dreamed of finding her true mate. Though she didn't know what he would look like. She knew that it would take a lot to find him. Later, after she had fallen asleep, Mercy had a very vivid dream.

* * *

She was running faster and harder than she had ever run before. Suddenly she skidded to a stop in front of a old set of boulders that had formed to look like a table. She heard an odd laugh and cringed into a bush behind her. The laugh got louder and dropped in pitch and was now a strange giggle-like laugh.

“Who's there?” Mercy called.

Suddenly, there was an old tan wolf wearing a boar tooth necklace, the boar tooth necklace was the symbol of the most powerful gypsies and fortunetellers or Tsingalla the wolves called them, appeared on the stone table with a great Snowy Owl beside her.

“Who are you?” asked Mercy as she slowly crept out of the bush.

“I am Jeara. I am the great fortuneteller from beyond the great stone face. And this is Maldor, the wise,” replied the old wolf.

“Why am I dreaming of you?” asked Mercy.

“ Because I have called upon you, dear one,” answered Jeara.

“As have I,” said Maldor in a higher pitch, but the voice was clearly male.

“Why? What do you want with me?” asked Mercy.

“We know what you seek,” said the owl.

“You seek your true love.” said the old fortuneteller.

“How did you know? Do you know him? Can you help me find him?” questioned Mercy.

“All your questions can be answered, but you must go beyond the stone face and come to us,” replied Jeara and Maldor in unison.

Mercy thought that was creepy and it sent a chill down her back. She shivered.

“How do I get there? I have never been close to the stone face,” said Mercy.

Suddenly Maldor jumped onto Jeara's back and stood between her shoulders and Jeara walked forward and beckoned Mercy forward. As Mercy walked forward Jeara held out a paw and as soon as Mercy got close enough Jeara reached out and touched her in the center of her forehead and Maldor opened his great wings. As soon as that touch was made Mercy's vision clouded and she saw the cave she was sleeping in, behind the great weeping willow tree.

“Follow the hidden path behind the cave you have rested in and once your on the other side of the mountain you shall find a waterfall. The waterfall is part of the great stone face. After you have gotten to the waterfall go west for three miles and then you shall come to our stone table where we await you,” explained Jeara.

“Once you have found us we shall help you find him,” finished Maldor.

As Mercy watched the pathway to the fortunetellers, she listened closely and memorized the entire dream. Suddenly, Jeara howled a strange howl and as soon as she started to howl Maldor screeched and earsplitting screech...

* * *

Mercy woke with a start. As she took in the dream she had just had, she got up and walked to the mouth of the den, sat down and stared up at the moon and her eyes sparkled with hope. After a while she felt tired and went out to the giant willow tree and went under its veil and slept, completely hidden by its leaves. Through the rest of the night Mercy slept a dreamless sleep. Maria felt a emptiness an hour after Mercy left to sleep under the tree. She woke up and looked around and didn't see her oldest daughter. Scared, she woke Var.

“Var? Var wake up!” she whispered

“What is is Maria?” he answered sleepily.

“I can't find Mercy,” Maria whispered .

Var sprang to his feet.

“What?!” he almost yelled.

Maria and Var looked farther into the cave and outside around the cave and by the river, with no luck.

“Mercy!” called the Alpha's.

Meredith and the twins came out of the cave wondering what all the yelling was about.

“What it is mother?” asked Kari.

“Where is your sister?” asked Var.

“We don't know,” they answered in unison.

“Maybe she's under the willow tree,” suggested Meredith.

“Of course!” exclaimed Maria, “Let's go check.”

They ran to the willow tree and checked under the green veil that looked white in the moonlight and there she was, sleeping soundly. Her mother licked her dark muzzle softly and she blinked awake.

“What?” she said, groggy from sleep.

“What are you doing out here all alone?” asked Maria sweetly.

“I had a dream and couldn't go back to sleep, so I came out her and I guess I fell asleep,” she replied.

“Come in the cave. It is much safer,” Var said.

“Yes father,” sighed Mercy.

They went into the cave and quickly went to sleep.