Song of the Moon

by BlackWing

Woodland Song (4)

I awake with a start. I did not dream, as I was not sleeping, rather, knocked unconscious by the spell. Looking at my surroundings, I find that I am in a forest very similar to what I was in previously, although lacking the demonic evil which permeated the other.

'Well, at least I am not in hell.' I think. Glancing around the forest I am in, it is quite dark, despite the sun being up. The trees boughs cover the entire sky, allowing very little light, and above that, I can tell that there are extremely thick clouds covering nearly the entire sky, as though it were perpetually in preparation of a rainstorm.

"In my benefit, if I were to stay here, the moonlight would not reach me. Perhaps the thick of this forest is a blessing in disguise? While I would be compelled to find it, I would most likely fail given the circumstance. I shall wait the phase, then try to find town the following morn." I was oddly satisfied at having slain Moira and Flandre. It was inconceivable to me how others could not feel their presences from afar, but then again, neither could I until the fateful night I was bitten.

I travel for a bit, passing by countless trees and bushes. They all look the same, and if not for my lycan sense of direction, I would have gotten lost quite easily. Doesn't help that I was lost to begin with, but at least I was not lost in regards to where I had been originally. I could also hear sounds in the nearby thickets, and catch a glimpse of something or other darting between them. I was being watched by the woodland animals, but I am used to that treatment. After all, what animal in their right mind would sit next to a wolf, save for another?

The sun is setting. It is the second night of the full moon. Tonight, then the next. If I could survive here in these woods for two nights, then I would be safe to find town the next, if civilization even existed in this place.

"Well, this place may be a little creepy, but it has it's charms."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I yelled as I ran through the woods as fast as my legs could carry me. I happened upon a strange beast with the head of a chicken and the body of a serpent. It had looked straight at a deer, at which point, the deer turned to stone. It then turned to me and began it's pursuit with razor sharp claws.

'I was mistaken, I HAVE been sent to hell.' I thought as I ran. I did not dare look back, partly fear of the creature pursuing me, and partly as I did not wish to spend my life as a statue. Brambles and thickets lashed out against my legs as I bounded through the woods, doing my best not to fall as I would break my precious instrument and then be eaten alive by the monster chasing me.

'For once in my life, I need the blasted moon, and I cannot find it due to tree and cloud cover! I can feel it there, but I cannot touch it's light!' I thought as I ran. I didn't look back, but I could hear the beast closing in. This would be the end. Then, it seems fortune had not forsaken me entirely, as I heard in the woods a great howl, which I promptly returned.

"Aaaaaaayeeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo." I stopped in my tracks and called to the heavens. By the sound, I could tell that the beast chasing me had stopped as well, probably curious as to why I had given up fleeing. Then I heard it, a scuffle of leaves, the sound of paws. Wolves. They had come to my aid. Or not.

To my surprise, these were not wolves, but some form of wooden construct that had taken that form. I was expecting assistance against the fiend behind me, but wound up in the middle of a pack of not-wolves. The chicken-headed beast behind me fled the scene at their greater numbers, who then encircled me, growling and barking.

"Excuse me? Who do you think you are? Do you have an inkling of understanding at just who you are barking at?" I said sternly. I'd come across wolves before, and while most were pleasant, sometimes I'd have to assert myself as the pack leader. These apparitions looked at me strangely, then continued their barking and growling. They began circling around me, getting ready to go in for the kill.

'Blast, seems they aren't actually wolves. I was hoping that would work. What's that noise?' I turned to hear a number of clanging pots and the voice of a very elderly woman say, 'The timber wolves are howlin!' in an accent I did not recognize. Then I realized. Wolves made out of tree branches. Timber wolves. A pun? How quaint. At the sound of the clanging, the wolves shy'd away, running back into the forest.

Making my way to where I heard the voice coming from, I noticed a very large apple orchard, with a barn in the distance.

"So, there is civilization here. Good." I was about to make my way towards it when I noticed that the thick tree boughs had ended, and with them, the cloud cover. I couldn't just go to the farm. Even if I could abstain from gazing at the moon, I would certainly be caught in it's light, and I had no desire to massacre my saviour's family. I gently laid my precious violin case against a tree, next to my travel bag, covering the pile with my shirt and tunic. I would have removed my trousers to prevent them from being damaged as well, but that was pointless as they had already been ruined by the thorns of the thicket.

'Why am I always ruining my pants? I only have two more pairs." I said to myself as I looked at the full moon from the treeline. The familiar pain of snapping bone and popping joints filled my body, prompting me to wail in pain. Slowly, my wailing turned to a howl as I felt relief.

'Feels so good. Now, to get something to eat. I'm starved, and would rather not snack on townsfolk.' Running back into the woods, leaving my valuables hidden at the treeline, I make a note of where I'm going so I can return there in the morning. Being in wolf form is strange. It's liberating. The problem is, it's liberation from oneself, one's inhibitions. As a person who always keeps myself under control, always performing with civility and according to conduct, my inhibitions are my closest friend and ally.

As I run, I come across the stone deer. I made my way back here far faster than I thought. I notice next to the petrified deer are two more. A doe, and a buck. They are looking sorrowfully at their lost family member. They are distracted, so they don't even see me coming. I dive at the pair, beheading the foal with my claws as I sink my teeth into the mother's neck. I rip meaty chunks away and devour them. I savour the taste as their blood runs down my jaw, coating my fur.

After eating my fill, I spot another creature, the very same as the one I fled not 2 hours ago. I shut my eyes, going by instinct, sound and smell. As I charge, it notices me, and clearly seeing itself outmatched, it flees. I chase it, just as it chased me. It is fast, and I pursue it for about a half hour by my estimate until it appears to tire. Just as it slows, it flies up a tree to escape. Not having given up, I simply rip the tree out of the ground by the roots and slam it to the ground, ejecting the creature from it. While it is disoriented, I bash it with the tree in my powerful arms before dropping the massive log, charging up to it and clawing at it, leaving a nasty gash across it's chest. It claws me across my left eye, leaving a trio of scratches on my face but my sight unscathed. I then dig my claws into the gash in it's body, feeling the delicate lung tissues be punctured by my razor sharp talons. I then rip the creature in half, it's blood and gibbets are strewn everywhere, coating my fur. I let out a roar in victory, a roar which shakes the trees themselves.

After I gain control of my bloodlust, I begin my return to the place where I placed my belongings. Coming across a river along they way, I roll in the frigid late October waters, cleaning myself of the blood and gore that cakes my body. I shake myself off, brushing my soft, light grey fur. I dispose of my trousers, as they are shredded from my running and covered in blood. I will not be needing them any longer. Drinking from the river to clean my mouth, I return to a ways away from my stash, gather some sticks and leaves, and lay down to sleep. I spot a shooting star.

'Why not? It couldn't hurt. I wish to be free of my curse.'

'I am sorry, but I cannot do that. I know not your curse nor the method of breaking it.' I hear thoughts in my head, thoughts that are not my own. At first, I believe I am losing my bearings on reality, but stranger things have happened. When one is a werewolf, who has met and slain both a witch and a vampire, they do not question such trivial things.

'Then I wish to be rid of the nightmares that plague me.'

'That, I can do.'

I passed into sleep, where I again dreampt of my sister. This time however, was not of slaughter, but of joy. She had been brought into father's store for her first instrument. She walked around, running her hands over them, something she normally wasn't allowed to do. Finally, she stopped by the lyre. She plucked it's strings, and a smile appeared on her face. She began to play, and we all joined in. She wasn't very good, obviously having just picked it up, but nevertheless, we all had fun. The look of joy on her face was priceless. She did everything with that lyre. She practically slept with it.

'A lyre for Lyra. Fits perfectly.' Father said. She played in the music festival with us. Her beaming face brought joy to the entire town. She had been wanting to take part in the weekly session with the other minstrels for years, and finally could. They were all overjoyed to welcome her, as they too had been looking forward to the time when she could begin to play. That was also the day I first set out as a traveling musician. I told her I'd be back in a few months, and if she practiced hard and got really good, in a few years she could come with me. We all had a good laugh as I said my goodbyes and set out with a caravan.

"Sister." I said as I awoke, not shaking or screaming, but crying tears of joy. Fond memories welled up inside me, begging to be set free. I walked naked through the woods, a common occurrence as my clothes usually got torn off when I transformed, and I had not always been lucky enough to strip before I changed. Finding my stash where I had left it, I quickly donned yesterday's shirt and travel tunic, as well as a new pair of pants. I gathered my belonging and headed to a clearing within the forest I had spotted previously.

'I will not ruin this pair, as I only have two left.' I thought as I walked carefully to avoid thorns and brambles. My mood could not be felled. Having been freed of my nightmares by the mysterious voice in my head, I felt the best I had in years. I knelt and gave thanks to whomever had been with me last night. While I may not be religious, I give thanks when thanks is due, be it to nature, man, a pack of wolves that kept me warm at night, or a strange voice in my head. I found the clearing and sat upon a rock in the center. The sun shone down on this little grove, green grass grew, a quaint little river, and some deer and bunnies frolicked.

"It's almost as if the trees themselves cause the clouds. What magic holds sway over these woods?" I ask to myself as I removed my instrument from it's case, inspected it for damage, followed by giving the bow the same treatment. I brought it into position, resting it at my neck, and began to play a song.

I began plucking the strings to begin, followed by drawing my bow. The animals in the grove stopped what they were doing and began to cautiously approach me. I paid them no mind and closed my eyes as I continued to play. For several minutes, I could hear the cautious approach of animals as they came from their dens and warrens to listen to me play. Being surrounded by nature, playing a song only for myself, I felt peace for the first time in what felt like ages. Opening my eyes at the end of the song, I found a multitude of woodland creatures sitting in a circle around me, listening intently. Squirrels, rabbits, possum, various birds, all taking up positions around me. Strangely, they were all silent, and they did not run in fear. Animals were never silent unless they are afraid, and if they feared me, they would have simply run away. It was as though they wished for me to play again, and were waiting patiently for me to begin.

"Another? Very well, if you insist." I began to play again. The animals began to dance in a circle around me. It was the strangest behaviour I had ever seen in wildlife, which made me once again think of the magic that has taken hold in this land.

'It is almost as if nature itself is dancing. Whatever magic this is, it is neither demonic nor fell in nature or purpose. Is this the work of ancient druids, wiped out in the crusades long ago?'

"Angel, wait! Where are you going?" A yellow pegasus with a pink mane, (oh for goodness sake you know who it is) chased after her pet rabbit who ran into the forest. The forest was a dangerous place, even during the day, and she worried for his safety. While the rabbit would normally never set foot within, he seemed determined to enter today, and ran headlong down the forest path, his worried owner in close pursuit.

"Wait, what is that?" Fluttershy tilted her head, perking one of her ears up to hear more clearly. Angel had stopped as well, as if beckoning her to follow him and explaining that this is what he was chasing after at the same time. The pair walked slowly through the woods, hearing the song. It made their hearts light, despite the dark mood the forest gave. They carefully walked towards a clearing, where the music seemed to be coming from. Fluttershy hid in the bushes at the treeline so as not to be spotted, but Angel ran straight in and joined a kind of wildlife conga line that was in a circle around the boulder in the center. Seated on the rock sat the strangest creature she had ever seen. It looked like a monkey, but with far less hair and far better posture. It wore clothing and was playing an instrument, a violin if she recognized it properly. She could not see it's face, as it's back was turned to her. Her eyes widened in horror as Angel hopped right up on to the unknown creatures shoulder. She didn't know if it was dangerous or what, and she didn't like the unknown. Well, it was an unknown, until it spoke in the softest and most caring voice she had ever heard besides her own. The way he spoke also sounded somewhat like Rarity.

"Yet another song? Surely you have grown tired of them by now? No? Very well, but only one more. After this, I must be on my way."

I began to play again, at the behest of a small rabbit on my shoulder. He slowly swayed with my tune. When the song was done, he scampered off into the woods. I paid him no mind. I had played in forests many times before, but never have I had the woodland creatures as a captive audience. I stood, giving a bow to the animals before me from atop my rock. I packed up my belongings and began to walk back into the woods.

"Wait." I heard a voice call from behind me. I turned around and did not see anything, although I did hear a soft 'eep'.

"Is, is anyone there?" I ask softly. I do not receive a response.

'Mind playing tricks on me. First, thoughts that are not my own, now I'm hearing voices in the woods. Perhaps it is a dryad? I have heard legend of the tree spirits, although it is thought they had died out long ago with the druids of Stonehenge.' I muse to myself as I walk deeper into the woods. When I transform tonight, I do not wish to be anywhere near the edge of the forest, as the townsfolk may wander in. I know of several men who hunted wolves in the woods outside Blackwater whenever they heard them howl. Men who one day never returned. I will use the opening in the sky above the clearing for my moonlight. I do not wish to be set upon my monsters like last night, helpless as I was.