Identity

Identity (Original form)

Identity

Identity

I was sure that my eyes were glowing with the strangest luminescence possible although I could not see myself. I knew there were fangs sprouting from my mouth and protruding from my lips although I could not see myself. I knew that the new bushy and gray body part was a tail, although I could not see myself. All these things I knew for they came from nagging tugging feelings deep within the soul, and when the noisy white noise from my transformation died down, I knew these were my new wolf instincts.

That was my life a year ago. Or was it? For the days can pass and months can pass and a week will seem all the same. I am part of a pack now. Our leader, Duplicity is as fair as he is wise and righteous. He has led us on the hunt and there has been many an animal we have taken down because of his strategy. The day he found me, Duplicity knew I was human. Apparently, he had been human too, but now we all speak the tongue of the noble wolf. At the time, it had only been Duplicity and his mate, Overcaste, who made up the pack. Overcaste used to be human too. Overcaste and Duplicity changed to wolf around the same time. But, the past is the past and the present is where we are, so I do not concern myself with what is not needed to be known to me. Now we have growing numbers. Although we have never had cubs under paw, Duplicity has time and time again found humans that are now wolf in every new land we arrive in, and time and time again he has let them stay and join our pack. Such generosity is honorable for sure!

"Sage, go with Overcaste and flush the doe from the bush. We must strike while she is weak from recovering from illness. I shall ambush from here and show the new ones how to attack and hunt." Duplicity's order cut through the crisp air.

"Yes Alpha," I responded, respectfully giving a short bow before bursting through the brush, a gray streak, like a wild fire in a dry forest.

I sensed Overcaste before I saw her, and good thing, for she was directly in my way.

"Watch it," she snarled, ripping through a growl the sound of splintering wooden doors. I was an ear's distance from knocking into her.

"My apologies," I humbly whined, bowing my head low.

"May I remind you of your place," Overcaste snapped before she whirled around to face the bushes. "The doe lays 10 paces away. She's drowsy, but I'm not sure if the mate is there too. I doubt it, but you can never be so sure."

"Does Duplicity know?" I yelped in surprise. I knew in wolfdom, the loss of the mate would be unbearable. I was sure all animals would feel this way.

"Of course he knows," Overcaste responded icily. "That's the whole point of this specific doe. We know she has a mate, and if you kill her, the buck will come back for his revenge."

"But he'll be devastated!" I felt so sympathetic.

"The more the merrier as I always say," Overcaste mumbled with sarcastic cheeriness.

I was aghast, but what could I do, for I am Beta while they are Alpha.

"Let's go," she muttered to me gutturally, then darted off into the brush; I immediately followed.

The buck whose mate I was now about to kill did not matter anymore. I was for the hunt. It dominated my blood and life for the few minutes it took. It was exhilarating.

"She will be missed," Duplicity says now. He is standing in front of the dead doe we killed. The buzz of satisfaction sinks into my heart and becomes a lead weight.

"What about her mate?" I ask Duplicity. I know my eyes must be questioning, curious, perhaps even fearful.

"We eat her now, and when he comes for us later, we will take him down too," Duplicity smiles. "This secures a meal in the future, do you not see, Sage?"