It was a cool brisk evening and I was loping through the woods in search of my prey, a small rodent who would make an easy meal. I was enjoying the cool air as it circulated within me, cleansing my lungs carrying blood and oxygen to my muscles. The night was clear and a full moon lit a sky filled with brilliantly shining stars.
While trotting down a long used trail, my nostrils were bombarded with scents. The first was familiar, the smell of a campfire burning in the forest several hundred yards ahead, a smell common to the forest, but as a general rule, not this deep in the woods. The second scent was human, a female, and not an unpleasant scent. It was a clean, fresh, woodsy smell, unlike the scent of other female visitors who camped or lunched closer to the main park gates. I slowed my pace and followed the trail of this scent deeper into the woods into a clearing that housed an old rarely used ranger’s cabin. A small campfire was burning in a fire pit and sitting on a log was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen.
Her hair was a soft golden brown that glowed in the light of the fire. Creeping closer, I could see the warmth in her dark blue eyes as she sat staring into the fire. I sat back on my haunches hidden by an ancient oak and watched her, carefully scanning the site for additional movement. The lines of worry surrounding her face made her appear like her heart was burdened with years of pain and sorrow. She sat for hours pondering her thoughts until the flames died down and only embers remained in the pit. With careful silence, she stood, stretched and poured water onto the glowing embers, dowsing the fire for the evening. When she straightened, she looked in my direction and I felt her eyes piercing the night searching for me. I watched in continued silence as she turned toward the cabin and retired for the night. I sat guarding this beauty and watched as she blew out the lantern and slipped into the bed.
I moved in closer to the cabin, my lungs full of her tantalizing scent. I circled the cabin and was content that my visitor was traveling alone and was secured for the night before I silently padded away.
I ran through the woods for hours enjoying the exertion and feel of the breeze blowing through my coarse coat. A feeling of excitement coursed through me as I pondered questions regarding the visitor, who was she, what was she doing and how long would she be staying deep in these woods? As the sun slowly began creeping above the horizon, I reached my home and walked slowly to the back of the cave, curling into a tight ball before drifting into a dream filled sleep, with my thoughts still focused on the new arrival.
Later that morning after a brief rest, I woke to pangs of hunger. I stretched stiff muscles and began a search for food. My search did not take long as I jumped a rabbit in its slumber and it quickly found itself a prisoner between my strong jaws. The end was quick and as painless as I could make possible. Her sacrifice allowed me to continue another day.
My thoughts led me back to the old Rangers station and to the newest guest of the forest. I approached the cabin slowly and watched as she circled following my paw prints from the previous night, looking intently into the woods. Her searching eyes burned with curiosity rather than fear. Certain she could not see me; I quietly observed her as she gathered supplies into a backpack and headed toward the northernmost trail.
Curious, I followed from a distance as she climbed the rugged trail toward Jackson’s Peak, the highest point in the park and a natural observation point for many miles. I watched as she climbed a pillar of rock and reached into the backpack for a pair of binoculars and a notepad. She sat on the rock and patiently began searching for her prey. It only took a few moments before she located a red tailed hawk and followed it as it soared above the canopy of the forest. She trailed the hawk as it dove beneath the curtain of the trees, pouncing on a small rodent, pausing to clasp it in her strong talons before lifting once again in flight above the trees. She continued tracking the graceful bird until it came to rest at its nest cradled among boulders on a distance rock face.
As the bird dropped the rodent into the nest to her waiting young, our visitor reached into her pack to pull out a meal of her own. My mouth watered as she opened the sandwich. I could smell the spices in the meat wafting across the breeze toward me and I began to miss the seasonings used in human foods. I watched as she hungrily attacked the food and drank sparingly from the canteen of cool water resting at her side, her eyes dancing across the beauty of the valley below.
So many of the mannerisms she displayed reminded me of my beloved Ki. Ki and I had been raised together as pups and young humans. Her golden coat and piercing blue eyes tantalized me from my first memory. Together we grew into adults and bonded together as lifelong mates. We practiced the art of changing until it became an easy task for us both and practiced loving in both animal and human form. We would frequently change into human form, mostly for communication and intimacy, but much preferred to run freely with our wolf pack family. We spent many years together loving each other, sharing every moment and thought with the other.
To my great despair, one fall Ki started to falter as we ran through the forest in search of prey, lagging behind the pack and finding a greater need for rest. I slowly watched as my love succumbed to the wasting disease and drifted farther and farther from me. Soon after that, she was unable to join the hunt and I would bring her small prey in an effort to maintain her strength. I would watch in heartbroken silence as Ki would nibble at the food, but was unable to tolerate anything in her stomach.
Near mid winter, she woke me one night having already changed to woman form and asked me to change also. Ki knew that her time was near and wanted to be held in my arms one last night. I took her in my arms, smoothing the hair that was wet from the burning of her fever and held her close to me. Words were not necessary as the love and pain we shared were communicated with the locking of eyes. I held my love, her body shivering with chills until she fell into a deep restless sleep. I could feel her body expanding and contracting slowly with each labored breath until finally there was no more. I looked into her face to see the most beautiful woman smile I had ever seen and then her body began to change back to the form of a wolf. I lay next to her until the sun came up, stroking the softness of her fur, tears flowing down my cheeks. When the pack awoke, I lifted Ki and carried her into the trees to a favored spot and buried her body, marking her grave with several large stones.
After changing, I climbed to the highest bluff and began my song of mourning, lifting my voice to the wind. The howling that escaped my soul told all in the forest how tormented I was by my loss, the haunting sound echoing throughout the valley. My body sat for hours on the bluff as my mind replayed the memories of our youth and the love we had shared together. Finally at sunset, I climbed back down to the forest floor and ran for hours, aimlessly through the trees trying to expel the ache that had taken over my body.
That night had been six years ago and had been the last time I had taken on woman form, choosing to live the remainder of my life as a wolf.
When the spring finally arrived, the pack decided it was time to move deeper in the woods in search of better hunting. It was then that I decided to remain in the woods where my beloved Ki now rested. As each pack member passed me they stopped to rub muzzles one last time and as the last wolf joined the pack, each lifted their hearts in a song of farewell.
Alone I wandered the forest each day, my heart mending a little more as spring was in full bloom. Trees and flowers were vibrant with new growth and youngsters of all species were abundant in the forest. Each morning began with a visit to Ki before I began my rounds through the forest. It was during this period that I began visiting the north ranger cabin, keeping a watchful eye on the humans who seldom ventured this deep into the woods. Until now, all the past visitors had been men and my heart welcomed the familiar woman scent of this new visitor. Something about it was so tantalizing that I longed to fill my lungs with the aroma.
I watched each day as she trekked further and further into the woods searching out her prey. Each day she would track the many red tailed hawks that lived and hunted the valleys. At times she would track them with her binoculars and more recently she had begun to photograph the magnificent flyers.
At night, she would prepare a simple meal, finish her chores and spend the final hours of her day sitting by the campfire. I could sense her loneliness as she sat for hours sipping coffee and staring into the fire. Many times she seemed to sense my presence and would search the tree line for me.
She knew of me, having seen my tracks on many occasions, but had yet to catch a glimpse of me. On one full moon night, I silently crept to the edge of the shadows created by her campfire. I sat there watching for a half hour before she glanced up and saw me. She was unafraid as she stared back at me across the fire, her eyes piercing through to my soul. She was roasting meat on the fire, the smell making my mouth water and I licked my lips, tasting the heartiness of the meat in my imagination. Together we sat, sharing the beauty of the night in unbroken silence.
After a short while, she removed a sharp knife from its sheath and reached forward to slice a small portion of the meat to test its doneness and flavor. She raised the meat to her mouth, blowing on it to cool it enough to bite into. She moaned aloud as she bit into the meat, juices exploding the flavor into her mouth. Looking directly at me, she offered the meat, my lips were smacking and my muscles were quivering in restraint. I hesitated to move forward, my sense of caution still strong and she gently tossed the morsel towards me. With a quick step forward, I caught the meat in my mouth and turned, trotting back toward the woods. She laughed, a hearty, warm sound, as she witnessed my bashfulness and spoke directly to me for the first time. With a voice that was both strong and gentle she said “Welcome, my protector, come share this feast”.
Had I still been a member of a wolf pack, I would have been chastised for accepting a human handout, but I sensed something more than human in this woman and I once again crept near the fire. She welcomed me back, slicing another portion of the meat, tossing it in my direction. She was content with our distance and made no effort to coax me closer. I enjoyed the sensations of the flavors as they burst across my taste buds, while savoring the warm juices filling my mouth. She continued to nibble on the small pieces she trimmed off the roasting meat and tossed me several larger portions, filling my belly with the tasty feast.
I sat and watched as she stood, removing the meat from the spit above the flame and carried it into the cabin. Unlike canines, humans cannot survive on meat alone and aromas of vegetables cooking escaped the cabin as she opened the door. I watched as she busily prepared her meal and sat alone at a small table to enjoy the food. When she had finished dining and had picked up the kitchen, she returned to the fire, steaming mug of coffee in hand. She smiled when she saw I was still at the edge of the fire and sat down on the log. With a deep sigh, she spoke aloud again saying “Dark wolf if only you could talk and share this lonely night with me”.
Unbeknownst to my visitor, a smile was playing on my face as I began to formulate a plan to soon make her wish come true. We spent the remainder of the evening watching each other in silence, the gears of my mind churning with excitement. I watched until she was safely housed for the evening then turned toward home. I stopped at the edge of the wood and lifted my voice in a song of thanks for the food we had shared and then trotted home.
That night, I dreamed of Ki. We were sitting on a high knoll deep in the forest, like we had so many times when she was alive, buried in conversation. In this dream Ki told me that I had mourned her passing long enough and it was now time for me to begin loving again. In this dream, or perhaps in my reality, I licked Ki’s muzzle and curled up around her body falling into a deep, blissful sleep.
The next morning I awoke with an incredible feeling of being alive as if somehow a burden had been released from my body as I slept. Instead of my now normal routine of trotting off to the cabin to follow the visitor on her day’s expedition, I walked to the stream for a drink of the cool water. I sat next to the slow moving stream and began concentrating on the gentle movement, allowing my mind to focus internally. For a brief moment I was fearful that I had forgotten how to change, shifting forms from wolf to human, and then I felt my body begin the familiar act of stretching. With a slight ache, my body changed and when the transformation was complete I opened my eyes to stare down into the pool at my reflection. I was startled by the figure that was staring back at me. The hair that had once been a raven black was now streaked with snowy white strands and there seemed many more wrinkles around the golden yellow eyes as they glittered with excitement.
Unknown, but for the magic of the change, I always transform fully clothed, in jeans, a soft shirt and boots. I rose to my feet and begin stretching human muscles, practicing movements unused now for so many years. I opened my mouth and uttered a weak hello, startled by the sound of my voice. I clear my throat and begin speaking in stronger and stronger tones as I begin to pace the banks of the stream. After several hours of practicing human form again I change back into the comfort of my canine self and run freely through the woods to pick up the scent of the visitor. It did not take long to pick up her scent as I had become familiar with her routines and knew the general area she would be located on this day.
As each day passed, she trekked closer and closer to the rock ledges that housed the beautiful birds of prey she was studying. Today, while I followed her scent, an internal alarm went off as I was not the only creature now tracking this beauty. My nostrils had picked up a scent of a puma that had begun to follow the trail of the visitor and I immediately broke into a run, praying that I wasn’t too late to curb any trouble this young cat wanted to create. As I neared the rock face, the trails split into two directions and I instinctively followed the woman to ensure that she was in fact safe from harm, relaxing only when I saw her perched on the ledge of a large boulder, snapping pictures unaware of the danger stalking her.
I moved back up the trail, picking up the scent of the cat and followed it to another rocky perch, where the big cat was hunched down eyeing its prey. We were not unfamiliar with each other having tangled previously on an occasion or two and when my growl rose from the pit of my stomach, the cat turned immediately to face me, a wicked hiss spat in my direction. I began stalking towards him, shackles raised high above my spine, my growl growing more fearsome with each step. He started backing away from my approach, swatting those huge, sharp paws as he back peddled away. I dodged his efforts and made a lunge of my own reminding him of how quick and how sharp my jaws could be. He screamed an ear piercing sound as my teeth made contact and turned running quickly for the safety of the forest.
The visitor had turned in our direction during the commotion and had watched the encounter end as quickly as it had begun. With a sense of pride and accomplishment I sat at the edge of the rock and felt a warm rush on my cheek. I had received a shallow cut inflicted during the encounter with the cat and quickly stopped the bleeding with pressure from a paw. The woman noted my wound with a look of concern, but did not make any efforts to approach me with assistance. Apparently, having had enough excitement for one day she decided to pack her tools and start the journey for home.
As she started up the trail for home, she stopped turning to look to see if I was following, and with her pause I instinctively stopped, keeping our mutual safe distance. With a smile, she turned and resumed her journey up the trail and I obediently followed her until we approached the clearing that opened to reveal the ranger’s cabin. At this point, I halted and watched until the visitor was safely within the cabin walls. The brush with the puma had been a close call and I would have to be more diligent in the future to prevent another episode from occurring. With the knowledge she was safely at home I turned and trotted toward home.
I stopped to visit Ki and sat to watch the sun setting, something we had done together a thousand times. My heart began to ache as I thought of my beloved and how badly I missed her. With a heavy heart, I walked the rest of the way home.
The moon started to rise and I could smell the now familiar burning of the campfire coming from the ranger’s cabin, as the cool breeze blew it in my direction. Since sunset, I had paced back and forth inside the cave, second- guessing myself and at one point almost backing away from my decision. With a determined spirit, I quickly changed and began the short walk to the ranger’s cabin in search of companionship.
When I arrived at the clearing, I stopped and leaned next to the ancient oak that had become my resting spot for so many nights now as I watched the lovely visitor. I was not disappointed to find her sitting relaxed on the log by the fire sipping her steaming cup of coffee.
With a deep sigh, I stepped from the concealment and began walking toward the fire. I had walked half the distance before she glanced upward and saw my approach. She seemed very surprised to see another human, but did not appear apprehensive as I continued to approach. Her blue eyes glittered with the anticipation of visiting with another human, especially one of female gender and she warmly welcomed me with her eyes.
With a voice shaking from a lack of use, I spoke a greeting and introduced myself as Kara as I continued moving slowly toward her.
She stood as I approached and said, “My name is Lauren, won’t you join me by the fire?” She took me in with her smile and asked, “Would you care for a cup of coffee?”
I gladly accepted her offer and watched her as she turned toward the cabin and returned after a minute with another mug of the steamy liquid, reaching forward to hand it to me. Our hands grazed each other as she handed the mug to me and I felt a surge of warmth pass through me.
“Thank you,” I spoke, the strength of my voice still weak from disuse.
She motioned to me and together we sat on the log. “I haven’t seen another human for weeks,” she said and asked “What brings you so deep in the woods?”
I said, “I sometimes do some research for the Department of Natural Resources,” and was presently on a much-needed vacation. This I figured wasn’t a total non-truth as I do study the other inhabitants of the forest as I complete my daily rounds.
Lauren said, “I am a freelance photographer, currently on assignment from a popular outdoor magazine to complete a project on red tailed hawks”.
With a growing smile, “I said, well you certainly came to a great spot for hawks, as there was a large population which still inhabited the valley”.
I noticed she kept staring at me, especially at my eyes, which I guess for a human were of a rather unique color.
After several more minutes of studying my form, she said, “There is something very familiar about you, have we met before?”
I told her, “I don’t believe we had met but maybe we had crossed paths in the forest once or twice.”
Lauren asked, “How long have you been in the forest?”
I looked at her and I told her, “I have been living here off and on for many years.”
She was a very curious creature and her intuition kept her headed in the right direction as she leaned forward and traced the line of my jaw with her fingertips down to the small cut I had received earlier in the day with the puma. My body shivered with pleasure from her gentle touch.
“What happened here?”
“I had a small run in with one of the locals and left it at that.”
She did not pursue the issue any further, but stroked down my face to feel the swelling around the cut. Seeing me wince slightly under her touch, she stood and walked back to the cabin. When she returned, she was carrying a small first aid kit and busily began administering a cleansing agent to my skin, which burned slightly. Her touch was very soft and gentle as she cleaned the wound, applying a cream to help speed the healing process.
“This should help to stop the infection,” she said as I watched her closely as she tended the wound and when she finished our eyes met and locked for a moment. During that moment, her mind began to put the pieces of the mystery together. There was mistaking those eyes that stared back at her. “Did I see you earlier in the day?”
I admitted to her that “Yes, we had crossed paths earlier in the day”. I could see the recognition as it washed over her and she made the connection of the black and silver coat with the burning golden yellow eyes, to the woman now standing in front of her. I felt her weaken as the realization of her thoughts rushed through her and caught her by the shoulders, easing her down to sit on the log. She sat for a moment to clear her head of the faintness that had overwhelmed her, the silence hanging thickly in the air between us.
When she had recovered enough to speak, she looked at me and asked, “Who are you?”
“I think your question would be more appropriate if you asked what I am,” I said. I looked her directly in the eyes and said, “As I told you earlier my name is Kara,” she blinked and continued staring at me as I continued to speak. “What I am is a little more difficult to explain.” I took a deep breath and looked directly at her once more. “Your kind would call me a werewolf, but I am better known as a shape changer. I do not depend on a full moon to be able to transform to wolf or human form like the werewolf of myth.” I watched Lauren for a response and while she turned pale she did not seem repulsed by what I was telling her.
She looked at me with startled eyes and said “I thought shape changers were only something in legends, passed down from generation to generation by Native American tribes.”
With a reassuring smile, I told her “We are a legendary breed, one that seldom chooses to make contact with humans, but we are very much a reality.”
When she could once again speak, she asked, “Are you the black wolf who has been visiting me since I arrived and who had spared her from the attack of the puma today.
With a nod, I said, “Yes, the black wolf and I are one in the same”.
Lauren muttered a “thank you” and was again suddenly overwhelmed with the thoughts crashing through her confused mind and chose this moment to pass out. I was barely able to catch her before she hit the ground, lifting her up into my arms and carrying her to the cabin, where I placed her gently on the bed, removing her boots and covering her fully clothed body. I sat beside her on the bed, listening to her gentle breathing, as it grew deeper and deeper as she drifted into slumber. I crept quietly from the cabin and dowsed the fire before leaving the campsite, headed for my own sweet slumber.
The next morning, I returned to the cabin in human form to check on the visitor and to assure Lauren that she had not dreamed of our meeting the night before. When I arrived, she was sitting on the log staring at the two coffee mugs still sitting there as if they were her sole proof that I had visited the previous night. As I broke clear of the tree line she looked up, smiling at my approach.
We spent that entire day talking, Lauren firing question after question at me, until we were both exhausted. She was very interested in the pack and how I had become the last shape changer in the forest. I explained to her how once our pack was strong and plentiful and we lived primarily as humans in a small town hundreds of miles north. We were farmers and craftsmen until one of the townspeople witnessed one of the pack during a transformation and the pack fled. I had been very young at the time, but could remember the cries of terror and hear the crackling of flames as humans burnt down our buildings and crops as we were driven from our homes. Several of the pack, mainly the elders put up an effort to fight to give the remainder of the pack time to escape the mayhem and every one of them perished at the hands of the humans. So, the pack fled south and finally came to rest in the protected forest of the park and remained in wolf form for their survival.
As evening approached, she asked if I would share a meal with her and I gladly welcomed her invitation. As we ate, Lauren asked me about Ki, a subject we had briefly touched upon earlier in the day, and I told her about the love we had shared for many years and that after her death I could not fathom the thought of leaving the forest and traveling onward with the pack. I also told Lauren that it was her scent, so much like Ki’s that had attracted her to me on her first night in the forest and the reason I had been so drawn to her since her arrival.
We chatted until well after dark and I could see a weariness start to sink into Lauren so I bid her farewell for the evening. I felt her eyes watching me as I walked towards the woods and waited for the covering of the trees before I began my change. Once again in wolf form, I ran through the forest feeling a lightness in my heart that had been absent for so many years.
The next day arrived, and I appeared at the cabin in wolf form as Lauren had asked if she could take some photographs of me in both forms. She quickly went to work, shooting several rolls of film in different stages of movement and stills, both color and black and white. When she was done, I walked behind the cabin and returned in woman form. She continued shooting film and soon we were both exhausted. Lauren could barely wait to get into her homemade dark room to begin developing the film, so I busied myself with preparing a simple meal.
An hour or so later, she emerged from the dark room, smiling brilliantly. She came to me and took my hand and led me into the room to view the prints she had hung to dry. One in particular caught my eye as I entered the room and I stepped closer for a better view. The magic of modern photography had allowed her to create a frame with both figures of wolf and woman and it was a wondrous sight to behold. Other than my reflections in the water, I had never really known what I had looked like in either form until that moment. When I turned to look at Lauren, I was surprised to find there were tears trailing down her cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, completely confused by her behavior.
She said, never in her life had she ever shot anything so beautiful compared to that picture. She placed her arms around me and hugged me close, thanking me for allowing her to shoot the photographs. I hugged her back, immensely enjoying the feel of her body next to mine and thanked her for sharing them with me. We broke the embrace, but she continued to drape an arm comfortably over my shoulder as she leaned across me, pointing out highlights of the other pictures.
I was having great difficulty focusing on her words and when I forgot to answer a question she had asked, she turned to me looking me deeply in the eyes. “Kara, are you all right?”
No longer able to contain my desire for Lauren, I leaned forward and brought my lips to hers, my arms encircling her waist. I did not encounter any resistance as my tongue parted her lips and we continued to softly kiss. Lauren’s hands roamed over my back, the kiss becoming deeper and more passionate as our bodies molded together, filling the room with a sudden heat.
My fingers traced the curves and lines of Lauren’s face as her hands continued working down my back to my hips. Our bodies enjoyed the contact in silence, excitement building between us. My hands busied themselves with the buttons on Lauren’s shirt, fingers trembling with anticipation of the soft skin that lay underneath. My heart was pounding wildly as Lauren’s shirt opened to reveal small, beautiful breasts, nipples standing erect. I pushed the shirt off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor around her. Lauren stood before me naked from the waist up and my hands ached to touch every inch of her smooth skin. Starting at her ears, my fingertips moved slowly down her neck, past the pulse throbbing in her throat. I was holding my breath when Lauren took my hands in hers and led them down her chest, placing them on her breasts.
Lauren’s eyes closed as I began stroking her breasts with the palms of my hands, her nipples growing harder under my touch. My body was burning with a need to make love to Lauren, a sensation I had forgotten since Ki’s death. Lauren took me by the hand and led me to the bed and sat me down on the edge as she removed her boots and jeans. My eyes were transfixed on her, unable to focus on anything besides Lauren. She moved forward and began undressing me, her nimble hands swiftly manipulating fasteners, consuming my body with her touch.
I was unprepared for her aggressiveness as Lauren pushed me back onto the bed and laid her body gently on top of me. Our mouths joined and hands began exploring as a flash of lightning told of an oncoming storm. The rain began falling gently on the tin roof of the cabin as Lauren began kissing her way slowly down my body. Her tongue burned trails across my skin as the tension was coiling inside me. As her lips brushed across my hips onto my furry mound, I felt a low growl begin to grow in my belly, becoming louder as her lips and tongue pleased me. As I peaked, I grabbed her head, holding her still as the feral growl was released, filling the room with its eerie sound.
When I opened my eyes, Lauren was watching me intently, a smile growing on her face. I pulled her up to me, kissing her deeply as I rolled over on top of her. My fingers played across her heated skin, relishing the softness of her body. I looked into her eyes as my fingers teased their way slowly down her body, her passion burning hotter the lower I touched. Her breath was becoming shallow as my hand dipped between her thighs and my mouth covered her breast. I caressed her very lightly with my fingertips as my mouth suckled more urgently on her breast.
Lauren’s hands found the top of my head, gently pushing me further down her body as the electrical storm had fully arrived, lighting the dark cabin with its brilliant flashes. I licked slowly down her body, enjoying the taste, smell and feel of my new lover and I took painstaking measures to fully enjoy each sensation as Lauren’s body rode wave after wave of pleasure.
When she could stand no more, Lauren pulled me up on top of her, resting my head on her chest, her hands gently stroking my hair. I looked up into her face to see tears rolling down her cheeks and quietly moved up to capture the salty gifts with my tongue. No words were needed to explain the tears of absolute joy that flowed so beautifully down to my waiting lips.
With a feeling of total completeness, I rolled onto the bed next to Lauren and held her in my arms. Locked in a loving embrace, we watched the storm as it grew and passed silently into the night.
Before the sun broke the horizon, I crept quietly from the bed and left the cabin as Lauren slept peacefully on the bed. The rain had washed the earth clean, but there was a strangely familiar scent in the air. I changed back into wolf form and allowed my keener sense of smell to lead me deep into the woods.
The scent brought me to the small creek where I found tracks in the soft soil. They were wolf tracks and as I smelled the impressions in the soil I knew the pack had returned. I lifted my face to the rising sun and sang out a welcome to my ancestors. My call was quickly answered and I ran at top speed to the sounds of their voices singing in the wind.
The pack had found my cave and was waiting for me there. As I approached, I noticed how much smaller the pack had become since they had left years ago. Katya, a large gray female appeared at the head of the pack and it was obvious she had taken over the role of alpha female. That would have been my role had I chosen to stay with the pack and Katya was well aware of that fact. As I approached, my body was covered with licks and nuzzles from the members of the pack as they welcomed me as family.
Slowly, one by one the pack began to change into human form and I began the change as well.
“It is good to see you again Katya,” I said as I took her in an embrace.
“Too much time has passed since we have seen you my sister,” she said. “I hope that life has treated you well.”
“Life has been good,” I said. “My heart still yearns for the days when we were pups and Ki and I were together, but I have come to terms with my loss.”
Katya turned to face the pack. “We have lost many since last we roamed this forest,” she said sadly.
“What has happened to the pack?” I asked.
“Some fell to disease, but hunters have taken a great portion of our numbers and that is why we are here today.” Katya looked back at me with a look of sadness in her eyes, “If the pack is to survive we must move even deeper into the forest away from the humans.”
I could taste the venom in her words as she spoke the word ‘human’ and knew that our kind would never be accepted as our differences were far too great. Hunters only valued us for our pelts and would mercilessly shoot any wolf that they could get their sights on.
Lauren woke alone in the bed when the howling of wolves brought her from her dream. She could remember holding Kara during the storm and was surprised to find her gone. She couldn’t have dreamed of making love to Kara could she? The ache of her body answered that question as she stiffly climbed from the bed and went in search of coffee. She stoked the embers in the fireplace and added fresh wood, sending a trail of smoke up the chimney.
Katya’s sharp eyes saw the thin trail of smoke rising above the trees. “There are humans here.”
“Yes, one a female living in the rangers old cabin,” I said.
Katya looked at me, her eyes full of suspicion. “Have you revealed yourself to this human?” she asked nearly spitting out the word. “Have you forgotten that revealing is strictly forbidden?” Katya growled at her.
“I have not been a part of this pack for years,” I reminded her. “I have survived on my own and will suffer any consequences my actions may bring upon me.”
“Befriending a human can only bring you misery or death,” she warned.
“Do you not remember we are half human?” I asked.
“I remember that quite well, but it is our wolf half that make us an abomination to humans and is the reason we are hunted and killed.”
“Not all humans are liked that,” I said trying to reason with her.
“There is no good human,” she scoffed.
“I would like to think there is,” I said challenging her statement.
Katya rushed toward me, anger flashing in her eyes. “You have fallen in love with this human haven’t you?”
I stood my ground and met her eyes directly. “I don’t know if I love her, but she is different from the humans you describe.”
The members of the pack circled around them anticipating a physical confrontation. I saw the corners of Katya’s mouth curl up in a snarl as she listened to my words.
“You should be ashamed of yourself for allowing a human to know who you are,” she growled.
“I think it is you who should be ashamed for your display of hatred, that is more of a human trait than one of the wolf,” I said striking a blow to Katya’s confidence.
“I cannot forgive and forget what humans have done to the pack,” Katya said.
“But what you fail to see is that not all humans are the same,” I contended and “Your behavior is no better than those that you hate.”
With those words, Katya’s form began to glimmer and change as she transformed back into a wolf to challenge me in battle. I had no desire to fight her for her role as Alpha, but I believed that her behavior was dangerous to the pack so I accepted her challenge and also transformed.
Teeth were barred as we began circling waiting for the first move to begin our contest. I feigned several moves toward Katya who easily danced away from me. Katya was much thicker through her body than I, weighing easily fifteen pounds more, but with her increased strength came a decrease in speed. Still she remained a formidable opponent.
I was easily able to dodge her lunges and the snapping of her powerful jaws. We sparred for several minutes until Katya rushed at me with all her might. I was barely able to move away from her reach and quickly counter attacked while she was off balance sending her body crashing to the ground. My instincts reacted quickly and my jaws were wrapped around her throat. I could easily have crushed her, but chose instead to hold her into the position of submission long enough for the pack to see that she had been dominated. My voice barked at her angrily as I chastised her for the hatred growing rampant inside her as I released my grip on her throat.
I turned my back on her in victory and Katya took the moment to dishonor the pack by striking out and sinking her teeth into my right shoulder. Pain shot through my body as I shook her loose sending her body flying several feet and I immediately returned to attack mode ripping a gash wide across her flank as she howled in pain. My teeth also found purchase in her front left leg and I felt as well as heard the bones crunching in my mouth. Katya went down and her body was again vulnerable to my teeth. I could have easily ripped out her throat and my actions would have been justified by the pack, but another part of me buried deep within took over quelling the rage that was burning through my veins and I spared her life. I stepped backward releasing her neck but never taking my eyes from her until I was a safe distance away and I transformed back to human.
I was in agonizing pain from my shoulder wound, but I garnered the strength to lift my right arm and point to Katya. “Get this despicable creature from my home,” I said to the pack. “Be gone, never to return,” I said as I glared at her as she slowly began to limp away.”
Myra was the last wolf to leave the cave. She was the eldest of the pack and when she transformed her coat was a brilliant white. “Won’t you please consider joining us and leading the pack?” she pleaded.
“My heart is here Myra and this is where I am meant to be.”
Myra nodded and shifted her body back into wolf form and started down the path to catch up with the pack.
I watched the pack retreat down the path and then I sank back onto a boulder just outside the cave. My right side was on fire from the pain and I could feel the warm rush of blood soaking my shirt as it rushed down my arm. I knew I needed to clean the wound and somehow stop the bleeding before the blood loss became too much and I would bleed out and die from the wound. My first thought was to go to Lauren for assistance, but I knew I would never make the distance in my current condition, so instead I started to the creek.
Lauren had been sitting on the log drinking her coffee when she heard the calamity of the battle between Katya and Kara, bringing her instantly to her feet. She had no idea what all the commotion was, but the fierce sounds reaching her ears made the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. She heard several cries of pain and then a fierce barking and immediately knew she was listening to wolves. Lauren was confused, knowing that Kara was the lone shape shifter in these parts and was concerned for the life of her new lover.
Other than a general direction, she had no clue where the sounds were coming from and the echoes of the woods could have her going in a completely opposite direction from where she needed to go. With her heart pounding in her chest she made the prudent decision to wait for me to return and sank back down to her seat on the log.
When I made it to the small creek I dropped down to my knees and opened the shirt pulling it carefully from my body. A river of blood had flowed down to my wrist and fresh blood pumped from my body with every beat of my heart. I reached into the cold water and did my best to clean the wound and blood from my body, but the wound continued to seep. I took the shirt I had been wearing and folded it as I moved toward a large tree. I placed the shirt over the wound and leaned into the tree in hopes that the pressure would stop the flow of blood quickly draining my body. I closed my eyes and prayed that I would stay conscious long enough to staunch the flow and then my body slipped into blackness.
Lauren tried her best to remain patient, but after two hours and no sign of Kara she decided to strike out on a path to find her. She rushed into her house and grabbed the small first aid kit and filled a canteen with fresh water. As an afterthought she picked up a small pistol and clipped the holster to her belt. She left the cabin and started off in the direction that Kara always seemed to take.
Her heart raced wildly as she crested a small hill and saw large black birds circling in the air. She recognized them immediately as vultures and took off at a full run to see what dying prey they were stalking. Lauren prayed that their prey was not Kara, but somehow her heart new different. Her lover was in trouble and she would have to hurry to save her.
She nearly tumbled down a cliff in her haste and barely slid to a stop before breaching a twenty foot drop. She looked over the edge to a small creek and saw me resting topless against a tree near the bank. She could see the dark splotches against my skin that appeared to be dried blood. Choking back panic, Lauren searched for a path down to the creek and launched her body down the treacherous path to reach me.
As she approached, Lauren could see that I had slipped into unconsciousness and her eyes searched for the source of the blood. When she reached me and knelt down beside me her eyes located the blood soaked shirt. She gently lifted the garment and saw the deep bite that had torn open my shoulder.
“Kara can you hear me?”
There was no sign of recognition coming from me. Lauren gently shook me and was temporarily relieved when my eyes fluttered open. “Stay with me,” Lauren implored as she used her first aid kit to clean the wound for a better look. Lauren knew that Kara was in no shape to walk back to the cabin even with her assistance and that she was not strong enough to carry my weight.
She lifted the canteen of cool water to my lips and said, “Drink.”
“Kara, I need you to do something for me,” Lauren said. “I cannot carry you back to the cabin, but I can carry the black wolf. I need you to change for me. Do you understand?”
I was able to comprehend what Lauren was saying and nodded my head as I lifted my left hand and motioned for her to turn away.
Lauren thought it was silly, but stood and turned her back to me. It took all of my energy, but I was finally able to transform my body to that of the black wolf. The pain of the effort wracked my body and my scream turned into a blood curdling howl as my body made the transition.
Lauren spun around on her heel and witnessed the last part of the transformation as the wolf’s body was covered with the thick black fur. She hung the canteen around her neck and tucked the first aid kit into the small of her back. She stooped down and as gently as she could, lifted the wolf in her arms. Lauren started up the path back to the cabin her feet moving as quickly as possible as she climbed the small ridge. As she walked, Lauren spotted the trail of blood she had missed in her rush and the realization of how serious my injury was struck home. She increased her speed ignoring the searing pain running through her arms and the burning of her lungs as they desperately sucked in air.
My body shivered in pain in Lauren’s arms, soft whimpers escaping my body as Lauren rushed as quickly as she could to the cabin. When she reached the apex of the final hill, Lauren felt hope return as she rushed across the yard and kicked the door open with the last of her waning strength. She barely made it to the bed when her legs collapsed beneath her and both our bodies crashed onto the bed.
Lauren caught her breath then walked to the kitchen to heat some water on the stove and collected other supplies as she waited. She knew the wound needed to be sutured and searched the cabin for items she could use. They were primitive, but she located a fish hook and fishing line and soaked them in alcohol as the water heated.
It would probably be much easier to suture her shoulder in human form and Lauren could have given her a large glass of the strong whiskey to help dull the pain, but she seriously doubted I had the strength left to make the physical change.
She gently dabbed a warm cloth across the wound and cleaned it as well as possible and then dipped the cloth in the liquor and stroked it lightly across the gaping wound. My whimpers grew louder as the alcohol burned the raw flesh.
“I am so sorry to be hurting you,” Lauren said, “but I have to clean this before I can sew it up.”
The wolf lifted her head and turned the feral yellow eyes on Lauren and she could see the pain in them.
“I will try to hurry,” she whispered and she used scissors to trim the fur away from the wound. Lauren worked as quickly as possible to close the wound and grimaced every time she heard the wolf whimper in pain. When she tied off the last of the improvised sutures and clipped it she said, “There, that is the best I can do.” She took the antibiotic cream from the first aid kit and lightly smoothed it over the wound.
My body fell quiet and Lauren saw that I had fallen asleep. She watched the rise and fall off the wolf’s body with each breath and she stretched out on the bed beside me. Lauren’s tears began to fall as her fingers were buried in the wolf’s soft fur and she cried herself to sleep.
Many hours later, Lauren was jarred awake by the convulsing of my body. In my sleep I had transformed back into human form and my body was soaked with a fevered sweat. Lauren carefully cut the shirt away from my body and found her stitches intact. She covered my body with several thick blankets and walked back into the kitchen. She poured a glass of water and shook two aspirin into the palm of her hand. She walked back into the bedroom and lifted my head high enough to allow me to swallow the aspirin.
“Kara I need you to take these,” Lauren said as she showed me the aspirin.
I parted my lips enough to allow Lauren to place the white tablets on my tongue and then placed the glass of cool water against my lips. “Take a slow drink,” she said as she tipped the glass up to pour the liquid into my mouth.
I drank thirstily of the cool water, but it did nothing to quench the fire burning in my body. When I finished drinking, Lauren replaced the blankets tucking them under my chin and sat on the bed beside me. “Rest now if you can,” she whispered as her hand ran through my thick hair.
Lauren watched her drift off to sleep and then walked into the bathroom. She glanced in the mirror at her image and found the front of her body covered in my blood. She stripped off the shirt and washed her upper torso before splashing cool water on her face. Lauren had no idea what had happened to me but she was sure if she had waited much longer I would have bled to death beside the creek.
She checked her watch to find that it was only four in the afternoon, but her body was completely exhausted and Lauren welcomed the comfort of lying next to me. She climbed onto the bed and draped an arm over my hip as she closed her eyes to sleep.
When next she awoke, enough time had passed to allow her to administer another dose of the medication to help break the fever. She quietly left the bed and was surprised to find me awake when she returned with more water and aspirin.
“How are you feeling?”
“Weak, but thanks to you I think I will live,” I managed to whisper.
“You sound like you are as dry as a bone. Drink this and take these and I will get you more water if you think you can drink it.”
I took the pills and popped them in my mouth and washed them down with the cool water. “That feels good,” I said as I handed the empty glass back to Lauren.
“Would you care for more?”
“That would be great.”
Lauren started to move from the bed and my hand grabbed her wrist to stop her. “Thank you for everything you have done for me.”
“I’m glad I was able to find you,” Lauren said as she touched my face and stroked it softly.
“Me too,” I said and settled my head back on the pillow.
“I will be right back,” Lauren said and left the room. When she returned, I had slipped back to sleep. Lauren sat the glass of water next to the bed and climbed back into the bed to hold me as I slept.
The next morning Lauren woke to find me awake and watching her sleep. “Good morning, how are you feeling,” she asked?
“My clothes are soaked from breaking the fever, but I feel good.”
“Do you think you could eat some breakfast?”
“I thought you would never ask,” I answered with a smile.
“I think we are close in size if you would like to shower and dress in some fresh clothes while I cook,” Lauren suggested.
“That’s a very good idea,” I said as I struggled to sit up on the bed. The stitches in my shoulder were tight, but had survived the night without ripping open.
“Are you strong enough or would you like my help?”
“I think I’m good,” I answered.
“Call me if you need help,” Lauren said and left the room.
I managed to shower and dress without assistance and walked into the kitchen just as Lauren was finishing cooking breakfast. I glanced at the table filled with food and smiled back at Lauren. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m starving. I didn’t eat at all yesterday.”
They made short work of the meal of fried ham and potatoes with scrambled eggs and toast. Lauren took their cups and refilled them with coffee.
“That was delicious,” I said.
“I have wanted to cook breakfast for you for weeks now, but every morning when I wake you have been gone.”
“You have filled me with such joy I have to run through the woods singing a song,” I said with a soft blush. “I didn’t realize it meant so much to you that I am here in the morning.”
“It’s selfish of me to want that,” Lauren said.
“Not selfish and not unreasonable,” I said with a smile.
Lauren sipped her coffee and then asked, “Are you ready to tell me what happened yesterday?”
I cleared my throat and looked at Lauren. “When I left here yesterday morning I smelled a familiar scent and I tracked it back to my cave to find my pack had returned.”
Lauren cocked her head in curiosity as she listened to my story.
“They were on their way deeper into the forest and wanted me to join them,” I said.
“What happened that caused you to be injured?”
“Katya is the current Alpha female. It pains me to think that we were once friends, but her bitterness toward humans has warped her mind and because of that hatred we argued and ultimately faced off in a challenge in wolf form.”
“Was I the cause of your argument?”
“Indirectly, but by my choosing, Katya was furious when she found out I had revealed myself and fell in love with a human.”
“Is her hatred of us that pure?”
“Yes, unfortunately you see humans are directly responsible for the death of many of our pack, but when I tried to explain that all humans were not alike she would hear nothing of it. When I chose to remind her that she was half human, her sanity exploded and she transformed to a wolf.”
I took a sip of the coffee to coat my dry throat. “I was always a better fighter than Katya and it was not difficult to defeat her and when she submitted to my dominance over her I made the mistake of turning my back on her.” She lifted her right arm and was immediately reminded of her error. “She dishonored the pack by jumping to her feet and attacking me after she conceded her defeat. I unleashed my fury on her and held no mercy for her after that and made her pay for her betrayal.”
“So by rights you should be the Alpha female of the pack correct?”
“If I chose to take that role, yes, it would be mine, but I chose to remain estranged from the pack and sent them on their way.”
“Is that what you really wanted?”
“I could not leave with the pack when my heart is here with you,” I said as she watched Lauren’s face for any sign of emotion.
Lauren’s eyes filled with tears. “You realize eventually I will have to leave to deliver my assignment,” she said.
“Yes,” I answered.
“Will you come with me?”
“I don’t know to be honest,” I said. “I don’t see how I can fit in to your world, but I will take it under consideration.”
“We still have a couple of months for me to change your mind,” Lauren said as she took my hand in hers.
For the next week, we remained close to the cabin as my wounds healed. When the skin had mended to Lauren’s satisfaction, she decided it was time to remove the stitches. With a quick snip of the scissors and several tugs with a pair of tweezers, the job was done.
“Looks like you will always have a scar, but it was the best I could do,” Lauren said as she kissed the top of Kara’s shoulder.
I accompanied Lauren on her trips to photograph the hawks and showed her several of my favorite spots. One night they sat on the ridge to watch the sun set just as Ki and I had done so many times. “This was Ki’s favorite spot,” I said, with a note of sadness in my voice.
“I can see why,” Lauren said. “The view is breathtaking and I could not ask for better company.”
I kissed her sweetly and we remained silent as we watched the sun disappear beneath the horizon and then walked back to the cabin. When they arrived, I turned to Lauren. “Will you be ok starting dinner by yourself,” she asked?
“Yes, I will,” she smiled. “Go for a long run, My Love. I know it has been awhile.”
I leaned down to kiss Lauren and went bounding off the porch. As I reached the tree line I stopped and concentrated on making the change. It had been weeks since I had taken on wolf form and my body ached for a run through the forest and to have my lungs filled with cool air and an evergreen scent. It took several attempts, but finally my body made the transformation from woman to wolf and I loped off into the growing night.
I ran for hours and my heart soared with each new scent my nose encountered. As the full moon rose from her slumber I reached the outcropping where I had watched Lauren photograph the hawks. I lifted my face and offered the moon my song.
When I returned to the tree line in front of the cabin I stopped to transform back to human form. My mind focused on the change and nothing happened for several attempts. I began to panic when the realization struck me that I may never be able to transform again and there was so much more I needed to say to Lauren. It wasn’t uncommon for a shape shifter to lose the ability to transform and be stuck in one form for the remainder of their life, especially after a severe trauma. I feared the end of my ability approaching soon as I once more focused my mind on making the transformation. I was relieved when I felt the process begin and after several minutes I emerged from the woods in woman form.
I stepped onto the porch and entered the cabin with a heavy heart.
“There you are,” Lauren said. “I waited supper for you.”
“Thank you My Love,” I said as I walked to her and pulled her into an embrace.
Lauren could sense a change in me, but had learned to allow me to talk when I felt ready. She hugged me close and then began serving our meal.
I was quiet during the meal as I contemplated the conversation I would have to have with Lauren very soon. I had so much I needed to tell her before it became too late, but the words were hard to come by.
When we finished the meal and cleaned up the kitchen, Lauren turned to me and said, “Will you take a shower with me?”
“I would love to,” I said and allowed her to take my hand and lead me into the bathroom.
We undressed quickly and stepped beneath the flow of water, bathing quickly before the hot water began to cool down. We dried off and climbed into the bed, lying skin to skin as our mouths joined in a passionate kiss. My body burned for her touch as she rolled over on top of me. Once more the panic threatened to overtake me as I worried that this could be the last time we would ever make love.
Lauren sensed my anxiety and placed her head on my shoulder. “I need to know where you are tonight and what you are so worried about.”
I wrapped my arm around her and lifted her chin with my hand until her eyes reached mine. “I had trouble making the shift tonight and for awhile I didn’t think I was going to make it back to human form.”
“Oh my Baby, that must have been terrible,” Lauren said.
“The worst thing about it was that I was afraid I would stay as a wolf forever and never be able to tell you what you need to know,” I said.
“You can tell me anything,” Lauren said.
I took a deep breath as I looked into her eyes. “It is not uncommon for a shape shifter to lose the ability to change, especially after a trauma. I think my difficulties tonight were evidence that I may be losing my abilities.”
Lauren moved up to prop her head on her elbow as she watched my face.
“I won’t know when it will happen, and cannot predict what form I will remain in, but if it is wolf form I want you to know that I will always love you.” A tear slid down my cheek as I thought of never being able to touch or talk with Lauren. “If that happens, I want you to promise me you will leave here and find happiness with someone.”
Lauren started to speak, but I placed a finger to her lips.
“There will be no hope of ever regaining the ability and I don’t want you to remain alone for the rest of your life.”
“But even if you are frozen in wolf form, I will never be alone or lonely,” Lauren said.
“Eventually you will long to be held in someone’s arms and I will never be able to give you that as a wolf. I hope the day will never come, but I am content to know that we have loved and loved well during our time together, so promise me.”
Lauren broke into tears. “Promise me,” I repeated.
She could not speak the words, but was able to nod her head in agreement.
“Thank you,” I whispered as I pulled her close. “You mean the world to me and all I ever want is for you to be happy.”
When her tears were finished, I rolled her onto her back and made love to her slowly with a renewed passion. My lips and fingertips memorized every inch of her body as I suckled and caressed Lauren through several climaxes, joining her in the last as her cries of pleasure reached my soul.
We made love deep into the night and every night thereafter as we craved one another, unsure of the future and cherishing every moment we could spend together. Sleep suddenly came only as a necessity.
Every day we strolled through the forest hand in hand while we talked and Lauren stopped to take pictures. I quickly became her favorite subject as her interest in the hawks faded. She had plenty of shots for her project, this we both knew but with each passing day she grew more reluctant to leave the forest.
It was on a bright sunny day that we climbed a large out crop of rocks to view the valley below. We had become so enrapt with each other we had become complacent regarding the presence of wild animals in the forest. Lauren had refrained from bringing her pistol along on our hikes and on this day it would prove our downfall. Lauren was shooting photographs of the valley below when I first heard the approach of the puma. We had climbed the out cropping of boulders and there was only one means of escape and that route would take us right into the path of the approaching puma.
The big cat paced anxiously at the base of the path as he weighed his options against two humans as I stared at him and weighed our options. Two unarmed humans against a hungry puma stood little chance of surviving an attack. I knew then that I had no choice. If My Love was going to survive, I would have to shift into wolf form to protect her from the puma as I had once before. I kept my eyes on the puma as I walked back toward Lauren slowly and turned to her with tears in my eyes.
I took her in my arms and whispered to her. “Remember I love you and remember your promise,” I said and then kissed her with every ounce of passion left in my body. When I broke the kiss I turned away from her and focused on making the shift. As my body began to change I began moving down the outcropping and when I reached the halfway point between Lauren and the puma, I had completely transformed into the black wolf. The ferocity of my growls was fed by the frustration of the knowledge that this would be my last shift and I would never again experience physical love with Lauren. I spent my rage on the puma, my jaws unleashing powerful bites that drove deeply into the cat’s body. My own safety was of little concern at this point, as my only focus was to get Lauren safely back to the cabin. My teeth barely missed the cat’s jugular as I moved in for the kill and the cat decided then that he had enough and fled down the footpath. I gave chase long enough to ensure he stayed far enough away for Lauren to make her escape and then returned to find her rushing down the footpath.
I waited for her to catch up and then trotted ahead of her to ensure the path was safe for her to travel. When we reached the cabin she collapsed onto the log and broke down into tears. “What have I done to you?” she cried as I moved next to her and licked the salty tears from her face. She buried her hands in my coat and held me close as her sobs wracked her body.
Later, when she fought for control of her body I broke away from her embrace and walked to the tree line out of her sight. I concentrated with all of my might, but the shift would not come. I lifted my face to the sky and my voice howled my rage and frustration. Defeated, I lowered my head and returned to Lauren.
My heart broke as I watched her sit in shock of the horror that had just befallen us. She moved her mouth to speak, but no words would come out.
We sat there in silent torment until the night began to fall.
There was no hunger to be fed and in her sorrow Lauren decided to collapse onto the bed with hopes her tears would lead her to sleep. I watched as she kicked off her boots and climbed onto the bed. When she was settled on her side, I carefully jumped onto the bed and curled into a ball and snuggled into the front of her body resting my head on her outstretched arm. Lauren draped her arm across me and her tears soaked my coat as she cried herself to sleep.
For several days Lauren walked around in a fugue state lost in the oblivion of her grief and I followed her closely to ensure she remained safe. She made no efforts to pack her belongings to leave the cabin as she had promised and I knew I would have to leave her side before she would make any moves.
With the dawning of the fourth day, I crept from her arms and softly licked her cheek before dropping to the floor and leaving the cabin. I remained concealed in the tree line unwilling to leave her completely and watched as her grief consumed her. She went through her daily routine mechanically and when she sat alone at the campfire each night her eyes searched desperately for me.
My heart ached to go to her, but I knew if I did she would delay the process of leaving the cabin and moving on with her life.
After a week of my absence, Lauren began to pack her belongings and on a cool crisp morning I watched as she loaded her truck and then walked to the fire ring to sit on the log.
I could hear the emotion in her voice as she spoke. “If you can hear me, I want you to know how very much I love you and if I had not made you a promise I would not be leaving today.”
I could see the tears rolling down her cheeks as she continued to speak. “I will return every six months and I hope I can find you. I will always love you Kara.” _________________ Alli
Last edited by Allison on Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:32 am; edited 1 time in total
Sun Aug 22, 2010 5:01 pm
PipSqueak
Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Posts: 987
Location: S.W. England
oh no Alli!!! I've got too much catching up to do.... can't wait 2 get to this! _________________ .............................................................
Previously PurpleUK
Sun Aug 22, 2010 10:14 pm
MysteryGirl Moderators
Joined: 02 Jun 2007
Posts: 3419
Location: I come from a land downunder
Alli, this is terrific. I love it.
Ummyou might want to finish the last sentence in this part or delete it.
Cant wait for more.
HugZ, MG _________________ Be yourself.............everybody else is taken!
Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:12 am
Allison
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 4216
Location: Florida
Thanks Mg, I thought it had all pasted. Here's the rest. _________________ Alli
Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:34 am
Allison
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 4216
Location: Florida
Lauren sat on the log for several minutes, her eyes searching the tree line for a last glimpse of me as confirmation that I had received her message. I lifted my head and howled to let her know I had heard, but I would not approach her. She finally gave up hope and walked to her truck and climbed inside. She started the ignition and put the truck in gear. The drive to the highway was several miles and I loped along beside the truck under the cover of the forest to watch as Lauren drove away. When she reached the highway and turned left to start her journey home, I lifted my voice to the heavens in a final farewell. I watched the truck disappear and then turned to run long and hard through the forest.
Twice now I had lost great loves and while my mind held beautiful memories, my heart ached with loss.
For two years, Lauren kept her promised visits and we would spend hours lying together as she softly stroked my fur and told me of the many adventures of her life. I was always glad to see her, but was sad to learn that she never fell in love again.
It was halfway during her second visit that final year that something incredible happened. I had been noticing that my stamina had seemed to drop off, but I did not dwell on it, I was after all fairly advanced in years for a wolf. When I saw the smoke of the campfire in the air I quickly trotted back to the cabin and was welcomed in Lauren’s arm with a warm hug. For two days we walked through the forest as she talked with me and I dwelled on her every word. At night I would snuggle into her body and we would lie together in a peaceful slumber.
One night after we had drifted off to sleep, I was awoken by a change in my body and when my eyes opened I had returned to woman form and was lying in Lauren’s arms. I knew then that I was dying and the end of my time was very near. The God’s had blessed me with one final change to woman form and I was going to take full advantage of it. I shifted my body to turn to Lauren and gently shook her awake.
Her eyes grew wide as she opened them and saw me lying next to her. She reached out her hand and softly stroked my face to prove she wasn’t dreaming. “Is it really you Kara?”
“Yes, My Love, it is,” I answered.
My hair had turned a silver white and it was obvious to Lauren that I had aged during her absence. Her fingers glided through my thick hair as she leaned forward for a kiss.
When we ended the kiss, she looked into my eyes. “How is this happening?”
“My life is ending and the God’s apparently saw fit to give me one more shift to human form so I could say goodbye,” I explained.
Lauren’s tears fell and she melted in my arms. “Please don’t cry. I have been blessed with two great loves in my life and I wouldn’t change a thing,” I whispered in her ear. “Let’s spend the rest of the night making love one final time,” I said and covered her mouth with a kiss.
We made love for hours with tender abandon fully knowing this would be the last time we shared our bodies with one another. When we finally collapsed from exhaustion I took Lauren in my arms. “I have one final request.”
“What is that?”
“That tomorrow when I am gone and my body has reverted back to a wolf, I wish you to bury me next to Ki,” I said. “Is that too much to ask?”
“Absolutely not, I will be honored to do that for you, My Love,” she said.
Together we fought sleep, but as sleep overtook us, I whispered, “I love you,” one final time to Lauren who had already began to lightly doze.
Hours later when Lauren awoke, my body was back to wolf form and I lie lifeless next to her. She buried her fingers in my coat as tears washed down her face. When she could control her breathing Lauren stood and retrieved a shovel from the cabin and walked to the spot where Ki was buried and dug a grave for me. She gathered rocks to cover the grave and placed them nearby and returned to the cabin for my body.
I was able to watch over Lauren as she carried me to the burial site and with a final kiss to my muzzle laid me gently in the warm earth. Her tears continued to fall as she closed the grave and covered it with the rocks she had gathered.
I watched as she walked slowly back toward the cabin until she slipped from my sight and then I turned into the bright sunlight and took the hand Ki was offering and disappeared from this world to enter the next. _________________ Alli
Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:36 am
PipSqueak
Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Posts: 987
Location: S.W. England
Thnx Alli, that was a real treat. I love vampire and werewolf stories.
MG - are there any tissues in here please, I can't see them..... _________________ .............................................................
Previously PurpleUK
Mon Aug 23, 2010 10:41 pm
Allison
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 4216
Location: Florida
Passes Pip a tissue. Glad you liked the story and it obviously had the right effect on you.
Alli _________________ Alli
Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:03 am
MysteryGirl Moderators
Joined: 02 Jun 2007
Posts: 3419
Location: I come from a land downunder
Umm, sniffles........could you pass me one of those tissues too Alli, I seem to have something in my eye.
How about a follow up story on Lauren? Be nice to maybe see her come back to that spot one day and tell Kara how her life turned out.
HugZ, MG _________________ Be yourself.............everybody else is taken!
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oh no Alli!!! I've got too much catching up to do.... can't wait 2 get to this!
Umm, sniffles........could you pass me one of those tissues too Alli, I seem to have something in my eye. 
