The Wolf and the Wind

A crumbling, old manuscript found deep in a mountain cavern . . .

You would never believe me if I told you I was born three times. No one ever expected that I wouldbe different. Nobody suspected anything of me--Itzal Selene Esen. This name, my life, my identity--all of it was given to me by the stars, the moon, and the wind.

No one believes the tale of my birth.

The moment I first entered the world, I was aware of thousands of sounds and scents from the musky smell of the earthen den to whimpers of the rest of the litter. At the same time,I rested in a nest of branches high in the mountains, crying my arrival to life for the entire world to hear. I also rested in my mother's lap within a wooden hut, grasping her hand with the smooth skin of mine as a fire crackled nearby.

But though I was born to them, I never personally knew my birth parents (six to be exact). No, it was the star, moon, and wind who cared for me. Who I have become is because of them. They watched over me when I was rejected at a young age. My tribe called me unclean and I was ostricised. My pack banished me for not being of "pure blood" like the others. And I was tossed from my nest, left to fend for my own in this cruel, cold world.

Although I survived, I never fully fit in anywhere. No matter which form I took, I always remained the same--my gray hair, fur, and feathers; my pale white orbs like the mountain snow. As Itzal, I roamed under the stars, hoping to find a family to love me but to no avail. The moon teaches me all I need to know as Selene--a ferocious she-wolf, a loner for eternity. With the wind supporting my wings, I, Esen the falcon, search for a mate, avoiding other males who would wish to challenge me. This is the life I live every day. Though I am in different bodies at the same moment, I possess the same thoughts and mindsets in each form.

Forever I shall remain alone and conflicted until in each separate aspect I die, finally acheiving eternal rest. For now, I shall continue to read the stories of the stars, sing my songs to the moon, and soar through the endless sky with the wind. For, as the stars told me, I am the wolf and the wind within my human body. And forever I shall be 'til I am at peace, and I am still.

But, alas, much has changed since those days. I can only hope that one may find this story of my failed human life. Yes, Itzal is now dead; his quest for love in vain. Now, all I can do is search for something to make my life meaningful as Selene and Esen. One day, I shall find acceptance, whether in life or death.

Until that day comes, I will continue to live on in the wolf and the wind.