The Longer I Live

Chapter 13: Yeah, I Think It's Called Lycanthropy

Tendrils of branches, roots, and leaves surrounded him. Nothing but darkness around the forest, as the brown-haired boy pushed away the brush to get through the foliage obstructing his path. Separating a drooping vine nearby, he saw it. The reddish, small fox sitting up and gesturing for him to follow, Stiles responded and slowly approached the creature.

"Come Stiles! Do not be afraid!" He heard voice emitting from the fox.

Stiles got closer to animal that started to back away. Sprinting across the dirt path, he raced after it, jumping over fallen logs and darting across grassy fields until finally it stopped.

Lifting his gaze, he finally saw the fox's destination. A tall, ivory oak tree with yellow and purple flowers and extended roots touching silver minerals in the dirt, on full display in front of the teenager.

The fox sat up, waiting for him to follow.

"I don't understand," Stiles said. "What does this mean?"

"All will be explained in time," said the fox. Walking behind the trunk, the animal disappeared, allowing a tall, handsome Native American man in tribal clothes to come around the bark of its thickest trunk. Bright sunlight glowed from this individual leaving the young man to guess who he was.

"Wi?"

"Yes, it is I, Stiles Argent," said the ethereal being.

Staring at the sun god's features, he noticed that left side of his face had been disfigured while the right side showcased his handsome dark eyes and structured, sculpted portrait. Long black hair fell across the mangled part of his visage as he smiled down at the young man.

"What happened?" Stiles questioned. "May I ask?"

Wi nodded. "It was from my great battle with Kalona, the Ravenmocker. The result of his banishment to the underworld, but not before leaving me this vengeful scar. But do not feel sorrow for me, Stiles Argent. Beauty is simply a mask. It teaches the nature of humility when you are faced with physical flaws."

"He's right."

The voice came from someone feminine. Stiles shifted his back to see a gray wolf meandering behind him. With gentle ease, the animal vibrated transforming into a beautiful, native woman with long black hair, wearing a tribal dress.

"Hanwi!" He greeted.

"Yes, Stiles Argent," smiled the moon goddess. Moving to her husband, she held him tight as she placed her head against his shoulder. "What my husband, Wi, had mentioned. Flaws merely add character. They make a person even more powerful than they realize. I could not love my husband even more after the Ravenmocker disfigured him."

"That's all well and good but why am I here?" Stiles wanted to know. "Is this some sort of new religion you want me to join because I have to tell you that I'm non-denominational?"

Hanwi laughed. "No Stiles. We respect the fact that there are humans who follow Christianity. Believe it or not, the wolf spirit is alive in every culture. Like our people, magic is present everywhere and each culture has a guardian spirit protecting humanity."

"Christianity has their cherubs. The Japanese have their kitsunes. South America has their kanimas. Egyptians have the mai. Africans, their aggasous. Basically, there are guardian spirits everywhere in disguise of human forms."

"It still doesn't explain my presence here," noted the young man.

Wi put a hand to his shoulder. "Believe it or not, Stiles. You have an important role to play in the upcoming battle with the skin-walkers. As I mentioned before you are a part of me. You are the fox."