Wolfsbane

The Moon

            

I was waiting in the cool evening air near the forbidden forest for the others. I had to remind myself several times that I was here for Remus, because he had asked. Remus needs me. He needs me here. I need to be here for Remus. Rustling to my left had me turning my head, and Remus popped out of the bushes. It was him alone, the others nowhere in sight, and I hadn't cared enough to pinpoint their scents to recognize later, so I couldn't smell them either.

"Remus. Are you feeling alright?" He nodded, though his brow had broken out in sweat.

"Yeah, doing good compared to other changes. Thank you Nix, this means so much to me." He stumbled as we moved deeper into the forest. I caught him, and he gripped me like a life line for a few moments, before pushing off me to continue hobbling into the darkened woods.

"Where are your lads?"

"Waiting in the forest. I wanted to see how Moony would react if it was just you that greeted him right after the change. I-I can feel it coming on. You-y-you should take on your animagus form now Nix, it's safest this way." I nodded before transforming. After shaking out my fur from the change, I waited patiently as the light of the moon broke through the cover of clouds, and thicker cover of the canopies overhead. Remus let out a pained groan as his body started to change. Even in my current form, it looked painful beyond belief. Claws sprouted from his fingers, his face and lips elongated, and his teeth were replaced with fangs. After several moments, Remus stood as Moony, hunched over as he recovered from the change. I was unsure of how to approach him, and waited for him to acknowledge my presence. His eyes landed on me, and I could see vague recognition.

"Friend." It was a single word, but it meant that I should be safe from harm. I approached slowly, wanting to avoid startling him.

"Yes. Friend. Pack Moony. Find pack." His head tilted upwards, and his jaw fell open as he tasted the air around us, searching for the scents of his more regular friends. He circled the clearing several times before motioning his head for me to follow him. I waited patiently for a verbal prompt, wanting to ensure that Moony wanted me here as much as Remus.

"Run. Friend run! Run with pack!" I shook my head in refusal, knowing that I would throw off the dynamic if I stayed past the initial change. Remus had told me just being present had helped him last time, so I sincerely hoped this would be enough this time.

"Alpha stays. Moony runs." He let out a snort and came closer, before gently nuzzling his snout against my throat, a whine leaving him.

"Alpha run. Alpha come too. Moony wants." The blatant admission from the beast my newest friend had become was a shock. I remained as still as possible as he continued to nuzzle my throat. I had done a little reading on werewolves since Remus had admitted he wanted me present for this, and found that very few ever submitted to anything but another werewolf. Moony was openly showing his submission to me by staying lower than I stood, and keeping his own neck exposed as he nuzzled against mine. I thought perhaps he had done this as a way to show his acceptance of me here. I took several steps backwards, and Moony let out a whine as I retreated.

"Alpha comes then. Short run." Moony let out several excited yips before tearing off into the bushes, on the trail of his pack's familiar scents. I followed suite, though I trailed some ways behind. Scents that I could remember hit my nose, and I recognized the scent of Padfoot as I closed in on Moony's trail. I pushed through a thick set of bushes, that I'm sure Moony had leaped over, and was greeted by the animagus forms of the Marauders. Padfoot was tangled with Moony in a play fight, Prongs stood off to the side, waiting for the two to finish greeting each other before he got his own fill. Wormtail sat perched on Prongs' head, squeaks that could be interpreted as laughter leaving him as he watched the spectacle. I watched too from my crouched position, half my body still hidden by the bush. Prongs lifted his head, muzzle slightly parted, before he turned his head to look directly at me. I could see the open hostility in his eyes, and I knew then that this was as far as I would go. I stood, bowed my head to him, turned, and left as quietly as I had come. I was nearly to the edge of the forest before I was stopped by a huge set of antlers. I reared up and twisted away from the attack, and back peddled several feet. Prongs stood, eyes staring down at me in disapproval, before I heard his voice breach my mind.