The Change

A 13th century setting of a boy becoming a werewolf.

The year... 1321

The Altai Mountains. A range with snowcapped peaks, plush green forests, rivers, and all manner of wild game and birds of flight. It was a place teaming with life. It was a world that touched many worlds. Mongol. China. The Soviet. Yet its center was distant, uniquely different, hidden, and most of all, safe. It was a place to call home, for that is what it was to Yosev and Micah.

Their Father and Mother had traveled here many years before to flee persecution, for it was difficult for the wolf-kind to live in the open among normal men. Because in time, suspicion rises, and with suspicion comes fear, and with fear comes death. And this was the way of it. They were never able to stay in one place for long, always moving from one town or village to the next, crossing the many lands of many people with many languages. They were always fearful, until now.

Many others had found this haven as well, others like them. When those of the wolf-kind find others like themselves they stay together as one. A pack. Living together, hunting together, and sharing together, for there is safety in numbers. It was in this communal setting that Yosev and Micah were raised. Six families were in this group, each member having their own duties for the benefit of the whole. They were fishers, builders, tillers, tanners, and hunters, the last of which fell to Yosev and Micah’s' family. Hunting is what each member of this strange group was adept in, if merely for the sake of survival, but it was their Father who had excelled in this category having never returned from a hunt empty handed. They all ate, and they ate well.

Micah, the elder of the two boys by a few years, had already made the change to his wolf-form and was able to accompany Father. Yosev would have to wait though. He could not do it, not yet. He would stay close to his Mother in this well hidden village of wolf-kind and wait. Wait until the day came when the change would take him, and then he too would participate in his family’s duty of hunting. Soon, he would learn to smell the different scents of prey. He would learn to see with different eyes, and hear with different ears. He longed for the change to come. He longed for his part in life. But for now, he would have to wait.

And while he did so, he spent his time playing with the other two children in this wilderness home that were his age. One was a boy with dark brown skin, dark hair and round eyes. And the other, a girl, slightly younger with pale smooth skin, blue eyes and curly brown hair that lay over her shoulders. They would play by the river skipping rocks, climbing trees higher than what would seem safe, and racing through the wood as fast as their young legs would carry them.

It was during one of these races, to which Yosev had always led, that he began to fall behind. His legs began to hurt and his breath was labored. He was suddenly afraid, for never before had he felt like this. He knew that he could run for the whole of the day and never tire. And now, bent and holding his side, he began to sweat and was hot like fire. He had felt just fine moments ago, and now he felt as if he would faint from exhaustion. And that he did, as all went dark.

When he awoke he was in his parents dwelling made of earth and wood from the forests. He was on his bed and he could smell the pounded earth floor, as though he lay face down on it. Yosev thought he could hear the water moving on the river but he was too far away for that, wasn't he? He could feel a breeze blowing across his skin, carrying with it all the smells and sounds of his small village. When he opened his eyes his mother was there.

Mother- 'There you are. You gave us a start. Are you feeling better?' fussing over him the way she always did.

Yosev- 'What happened? I feel... different.'

Mother- 'You got the fever. We all get it just before the change. But you got it more than most. You've been down for days. You've worried your friends as well. They'll be glad you’re up again.'

Yosev- 'Where's Father and Micah?' sitting up now.

Mother- 'They'll be in soon. Father will be taking you out with him tomorrow. He's very proud of you. We all are.'

Yosev did not fully understand what was happening to him, but surely Father would explain. What he did understand was that his wait was finally coming to an end...

*****

Watching Father and Micah transform into the wolf-like creature was the most amazing thing Yosev had seen in his entire life. He had known about it, they all did. They had even talked about it at home from time to time, but Yosev had never really watched it, not 'really' watched it.

Father and Micah disrobed and lay their clothes on the ground next to a tree. And then it began. They dropped to their knees, and started to change. The chest widened and heaved under their heavy breathing. Hair began to grow over their body, and the skin became dark to match its color. Micah’s color became a dark coal grey, with glints of a lighter grey around the mane. Father was black, black as the night, the color of a leader.

Bones seemed to grow and shrink and thicken as the muscle mass began to increase around them. The ears began to elongate and come to a point. The face, from the chin to the bridge of the nose, slowly stretched into a muzzle and teeth grew long and sharp. The feet stretched and became like giant hind paws, while the hands, though different in size, remained hand-like, except for the short claw-like talons that extended from each fingertip.

And though they ran on all fours, they could stand upright like the man. When they bared their teeth, or when they growled, they were something to be feared. Even Micah, head and shoulders smaller than Father, seemed menacing. No wonder man was afraid. No wonder he hunted them… wanted their kind dead. The wolf-kind struck fear into their hearts. To them they were monsters, creatures of the night, the eaters of flesh. Man did not understand, so they sought to kill them.

Father was already one of the tallest in the village, which only made his wolf-form that much more frightening. But Yosev was not afraid, because for all the difference in appearance one thing remained unchanged… the eyes. In and of those blue eyes Father could be found, and there, he was always the same.

Father returned to his man-form, his black hair sticking to the sweat on his face.

Father- 'Your turn little one.'

Yosev- 'But I don't know what to do.'

Father- 'Close your eyes. Concentrate. See the wolf inside you. Feel the forest. Hear its voice. Smell the leaves, the grass, the trees. Hear the wind blowing through the branches. See the wolf inside you. Feel it. Listen to it. It wants to run. It wants to hunt. It wants to be free.'

Yosev- 'But what if mine doesn't want to come out?' he said closing his eyes, trying to see his wolf, hoping he would look like his Father.

Father- 'You and the wolf are one and the same. It is the other part of you, the part of you that has been in our blood for centuries. The wolf 'is' you. And you want to run. You want to hunt. You want to be free.'

Yosev could feel it happening. He could feel the change begin to take him. His heart was beating faster and he could feel it pounding against his chest, threatening to burst through the very skin. His ears began to stretch and point. His face pulled forward and he could feel his teeth become long and sharp against his tongue. His skin became tight as the muscles underneath began to grow. His bones, shrinking and growing and moving, began to hurt and he felt as if he were on fire. Tears were blurring his vision so he closed them, and then… all was quiet.

When he opened them again he was on his side. Father was back in his wolf-form looking down at him. Micah was there also. And then sound came. He could hear his heartbeat. He could hear his breathing. He could hear... everything. He could smell everything. He could feel everything. All his senses crisp, like he had never imagined they could be.

Micah- 'Good job little brother.' he said without making a sound.

Father- 'You have become a man little one.' he too speaking without sound.

But they weren't speaking. They were… thinking. Their thoughts were moving back and forth to each other. They were communicating with each other in a way that only the wolf-kind could… with their minds.

Father- 'Ready to try those legs little man?' looking down at me.

Micah- 'Yeah, come on. Let's run!' and he looked as if he had a grin.

They turned and started off into the wood. Yosev would soon be right beside them. But before he went, he looked down at his hands, and just as he had hoped... they were black as the night...

Reviews

[Cherrie Palmer]

I entered this contest also and I really liked this story :) nice twist on a old tale.

[Star Wolf]

A really nice tale of coming of age as the boy matures and becomes a wolf and can hunt with the others. I think this is a really enjoyable tale. You described everything in this so very well.

[Sean M. Addams]

very cool story ..liked the detail in this alot..great job on this and good luck in contest

[Larry Dyson]

very well written ..deserves first place!

[Lorren Pierce]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. ;)

[Daydreamer54]

Wow loved it! Great descripition! I love werewolves and u did a great job eith th story! I ooved how u described the chnge and I loved how his fasther told him about becoming a wolf! I absolutly enjoyed it!

[Cassandra D.]

I had fun reading the descriptions! It was pretty cool.