Cloak as Red as Blood

Chapter 18: Madame Poe's Traveling Freak Show

We've been on the open moorlands ever since leaving the Loxley brother's relatives. Continuing 

in the direction that Darcy Loxley had sent us.  I have to admit the moors were a bigger place 

than I had originally imagined. With no sign of a forest in sight, just the open plains. I continue 

to train with Puss while the boys struggle to keep themselves entertained. With my new wand 

my lessons have become easier. Puss warns me however not to become too reliant on the 

wand's power. "If you come too dependent on that thing, I fear that your own power will 

diminish."  His words made me wonder if it really was my magic or the Stag's powering the 

wand. To be honest, it was hard not to find things to use it for. The power was addictive, I had 

even begun to use it to help me get dressed in the morning. But I tried to heed the words of my 

familiar and did my best to do things myself. When we would stop I would do the laundry and 

pack a lunch for us all to enjoy outside. But every now and then I could hear the power of the 

wand calling to me.

Things weren't much better for Hunter. The beginning of Moonstime had arrived. Like last time 

Hunter's hair grew longer and his fangs and claws returned. If that wasn't enough, the constant 

roaming has made his already on edge wolf temperament even worse. He went back to locking 

himself in his room and avoiding the rest of us. Him shutting me out again kind of stung, but I 

knew that he needed space. When he would come down for meals I did my best to stay out of 

the way. I knew that he'd never hurt me, intentionally, but the Moon makes a wolf do strange 

things. 

On the night of the full moon Hunter went outside as usual. As much as I hated Tava, a part of 

me was grateful for her lessons. I hated chaining Hunter up when his transformations first 

started. Leaning in the doorway  where Hunter left his clothes  I looked out at the Moon shining 

over the moors. Suddenly I got the urge to run out there with Hunter, and feel the light of the 

moon on me. Then a thought hit me. I had could change forms with fluidity now. Closing my 

eyes and clearing my mind, I saw in my mind what I wanted to become. Breathing in and out I 

felt a familiar power rush over my body. When I opened  my eyes I was on all fours. With out 

second thought I rushed out into the night air letting nature guide my paws.

The feeling of running free under the star, and across the plains was euphoric. I was faster in my 

wolf form, but probably not as fast as Hunter in his. I actually came across him sitting on the 

shore of a lake, staring out into the distance. His wolf form dwarfed mine by a long shot. When I 

looked at my reflection in the water I saw a she wolf with silver fur and blue eyes staring back. I 

must admit, I felt more beautiful and majestic in this form than in my human form. I padded up