Moments

The Luna Queen

"If one day you aren't... I mean..."

"Don't be foolish. I will always be there."

"It's an if, Dani, not a when. What if you aren't there one day?"

"Well...then you get on with life, I guess. Whatever we have left. You can even take ano-"

"Danielle!"

"What? You asked. It's your duty, Anthony."

"I'm not talking to you until you take that back."

Not talk to me... heh heh.

The vultures screeched as the wolf snarled at them with a mad, frenzied glare. Her ears pricked as she sensed another vulture swooping down from behind her. She turned around on her hind legs and sprung forward, capturing the scavenger in her claws. With one careless bite at its neck, the bird's life ended. She spat out its head, drops of blood dripping from her fangs. The yellow in her slit eyes were swirling around chaotically. The fury and the sense of vengeance from her demeanour had not disappeared.

Relaxing her stance temporarily, she turned around to look at the sea of fallen wolves. She trudged to the centre, her paws making soft noises as they walked on the blood-drained soil. The largest werewolf lay there, as if asleep. She dipped her head and hesitantly brought her tongue out. To the observant eye, the swirling yellow seemed to slowly calm down. She dragged her tongue from his neck to his ear. She hurriedly stepped back, waiting for him to wake up. Moments later, she again licked him with a long stroke. Again. Again. And again.

The wolf began to shiver and tremble. The yellow eyes became glassy as one giant drop fell on his closed eye. Rumbles came from her chest – wild and vicious rumbles which terrified all those who watched. All those who were alive. All those who were kneeling in grief for their dead king and honouring their new sovereign. The rumbles became louder as she circled around her mate's carcass repeatedly. Finally, keeping her front legs on his chest, she raised her head to the moon. She stared at the moon unblinkingly. Was she jealous, the goddess? Was she jealous that they had had a smooth mating, and an entire life filled with love and happiness?

Indignation welled up from inside her. Her rumbles seemed to transform into a growl as she opened her maws and howled into the air with three parts rage, three parts grief and four parts helplessness. The howl was infused with all her emotions and her power as the Luna Erregina, the Luna Queen, made all the werewolves alive submit to her might.

*

A hushed thud-thud-thud sound could be heard nearing her. Having lain her snout on her mate's shoulder, she didn't feel like moving. With some difficulty, she opened her eyes. From the approaching wolf's eyes, the Luna Erregina was in a terrible state, no doubt. As she had walked across the grounds, a trail of red had been left in her wake. She was physically exhausted and while he could understand the grief she felt by losing her mate, she had some important things to take care of.

'Noel,' She mind-spoke to him. 'How is he?'

'Your Majesty, I need to disturb you for his sake,' Noel replied, lowering his head with respect.

She purred. As she tried to stand, she tottered unsteadily. Noel rushed to help her with his snout but she growled fiercely at him. A male's touch right after her mate's death? Not a chance. She drunkenly stepped back. Closing her eyes, she growled, 'Lead the way.'

A wary Noel dipped his head and walked back to the palace which was about fifteen kilometres away. Slowly, Danielle picked up the pace as they ran at full speed to the palace. As they neared the palace, they could see the silhouette of the building coming into view. From behind the tallest tower, the sun seemed to be rising, and a pinkish-orange glow lit up the sky like it was Christmas. The pair of them shifted back to their human forms and covered themselves with the clothes that Noel had brought for them. Looking at the auspicious signs, her eyelashes trembled as drops of water threatened to fall off them.