The Episode After the Trial

Context: the trial started in Ep.4 of my wolf haven series has just finished and connor has been determined as not the beast.

After the trial, Connor and the Pack Leader are walking in the forest towards the portal.

“I pray you do not mind a small indulgence on my part, Connor,” the werewolf Connor understood to be the pack’s leader said. Connor and he walked in the forest, presumably towards the portal home. It was late in the afternoon, and the sun warmed the air, though its rays could only sporadically poke through the trees.

“I didn’t think I had much of a choice,”Connor said. He kept his hands in his pockets and his body in human form. The Pack Leader was in his half-wolf form with his arms held loosely behind his back. 

The Pack Leader twisted his face quizzically. “Why? What did you suppose I would do had you declined?”

Connor shrugged. “I don’t know. You have claws, fangs, and an entire guard at your disposal.”

The Pack Leader tilted his head from left to right as if weighing what Connor had said. “I concede with you on that last point, but you also have claws and fangs.”

“That i don’t know how to use,” Connor said, “I might as well not even have them. They haven’t done anything good.”

“You’ve only known that you’re a werewolf for less than a month. It’s not unreasonable for you to have little control over your powers. I suspect that with time you will develop a control over them that mimics the control you have over your body now,” The Pack Leader responded.

Connor kept silent. The Pack Leader paused for a moment seeming to expect a response. None came, so he continued. “That isn’t why I had asked to speak with you, though I suppose it does offer me a good introduction to my proposal.

“Control over you beastly side can be gained by self-discipline alone, however, it would likely prove beneficial for you to receive guidance. I can’t imagine your first impressions of this place have made you very fond of it, but I would like to believe that you haven’t developed an irrevocably resentful attitude towards my pack. 

“My offer to you is twofold. First, I would like to offer you training from one of my pack so that you may master the potential of your werewolfhood to the fullest. Second, I would like to extend an invitation for you to become a member of our pack,” the Pack Leader finished and turned to face Connor. 

Connor looked back, a look of suspicion unhidden on his face. “There has to be something in this for you.”

The Pack Leader let out a small chuckle through the jovial smile on his face. “Indeed there is. Were you to accept, I take on the responsibility for the well being of another member of my pack. While I certainly would welcome and value your presence as a member, I would also find myself in a sea of official documents needed to make you an official member of the pack. One is not a part of the pack simply because they wash up on the beach.

“And there is the added benefit of bringing in a werewolf any pack would be proud to call their own.”

Connor looked at the ground. This Beast thing made his mind foggy, but he was sure that most any pack would not want a member with “accused of being a homicidal maniac” on their resume. “How would I be a member to be proud of?”

“Today, you proved that you exemplify the traits we value most in our pack. You proved that you are courageous, loyal, wise, and honest. I know of few packs that don’t value these four traits,” the Pack Leader said.

Connor looked up at the Pack Leader in disbelief. “You think I’m all of those?”

“Do you think you’re not?” the Pack Leader asked back. 

“I already answered this. I’m not courageous; I’m just trying to stay alive. I’m not wise; I just made decisions that sometimes worked out. I’m not honest; I wouldn’t even give your seer a straight answer,” Connor stopped. He didn’t have anything to to prove that he wasn’t loyal. One out of four was still a failing grade.

“Yet in ‘just trying to stay alive,’ you entered a burning building to save people knowing full well it was unlikely that you would make it out alive. In ‘just making decisions that worked,’ you used all available resources and asked questions that would give you as much information as possible before you made a decision. And did you lie when you said that you weren’t willing to hurt those that helped you?”

“I wasn’t exactly telling the truth,” Connor answered, shrugging. 

“Are you then saying that you are willing to reveal the names of those who helped you, even if it may cause them harm?” the Pack Leader asked.

“No!”

“Then your response was honest. You passed through the trial, a ritual which has been used countless times in the past and has yet to fail. To all who saw, that is sure enough confirmation of your innocence. I know you may not understand much of what took place today, but I assure you, you have proved your worth, not just as a werewolf, but as a person,” the Pack Leader said, laying a hand on Connor’s shoulder. “I have not known you long, but even in this short time, I have seen that you are well raised. The youth that make a proud family are the youth that make a proud pack.”

Connor thought briefly. Joining a pack was a large decision, and he certainly knew little to nothing of what it would entail. “Can I have time to think it over first?” Connor asked.

“Of course,” the Pack Leader answered. “Even had you an answer ready for me this moment, I still would have recommended that you give it thought. No binding matter, no matter how trivial it may seem, should be entered into lightly. The portal between our worlds remains open for when you decide. 

The Pack Leader turned away from Connor. “Speaking of, I’m sure you have a certain eagerness to return home. Follow me.”

------------

Upon returning home, Connor discovered a note from his parents informing him  of plans they had made to go out for the evening with friends. They had left him some money for him to order some food if he so desired. Connor decided it would be best if he waited until evening to order. In the meantime, he had homework to complete and had already lost a day to his other matters.

He was fairly productive that afternoon and finished his homework in less time that he had expected. This gave him plenty of time to think about the Pack Leader’s offer. He needed to training. He couldn’t afford to go through another full moon like his first. He couldn’t kill another innocent man.

On the other hand, he had little understanding of what it meant to be part of a pack. What if it did come to hunting and killing innocents. They had a portal that could take them to a world full of humans who would never suspect a werewolf to be the reason behind a mysterious series of disappearances. Town legend had it that wolf howls could at one time be heard anywhere within ten miles of the town and that few of the early settlers stayed due to circumstances other than death. At one time, that seemed like just stories, but in the light of recent events, these storied held a stronger tone of truth. 

But nothing about the pack that Connor had seen indicated that they would do such things. Why would their prized characteristics be honesty, courage, wisdom, and loyalty if they practiced acts that required characteristics of body such as strength and speed?

This was probably something he should talk about with someone, but he didn’t have many options. His parents he had no intention of telling that he was a werewolf. Ty he also wanted to keep in the dark, plus he wouldn’t have any advice, just questions. He had no way to get in contact with Moon Eye or the rest of them from Wolf Haven. That left Nick. Connor wasn’t thrilled about the idea, but it was his best choice. Connor pulled out his phone and made the call. 

----blah Connor and Nick talk, COnnor goes to bed, dream sequence go.

The Sea spread out before him. Waves crashed against the rocks at the foot of the cliff. Lightning reflected off the black waters, briefly turning them white. Limbs shook on the trees, with leaves revealing the waves of wind rippling through them. Howls of both wind and wolves rang through the night. Cold rain streaked down his face and soaked his pants, the only clothing he currently wore.

A sharp howl rang out behind him. He turned around. A wolf stalked out of the darkness of the woods into the clearing around the cliff. The wolf’s target was a teenage boy only a few feet away from the wolf who was slowly backing away. He looked familiar. “I swear it’s not me! I don’t even know what a ‘Beast’ is!” the boy stammered out. 

“Liar!” the wolf growled back. He edged forward, teeth bared, ready to strike. “You know exactly what the Beast is because you are the Beast.” The wolf’s eyes glowed white, a piercing stain in the darkness. 

The boy was beginning to cry, sharp intakes of breath with sobs shaking his frame. He held his hands in the air as if trying to show that he was unarmed. “I swear it’s not me! It can’t  be! This is my first night as a werewolf. I didn’t even believe they existed until now!” He was dangerously close to the cliff’s edge. One more step would send him to the roots below.

Light came from the wolf’s eyes like molten white fire erupting from a whole deep within the earth. “It takes more than a false disbelief in your own kind to prove such baldfaced lies. Who do you think you would fool?” He took more slow steps. 

“I’m not trying to fool anyone! It’s the truth! I’m-”

He took the final step and fell backwards over the cliff. He screamed. The wolf with fiery white eyes charged forward, changing into a form that was half human and half wolf. He dove at the edge of the cliff and landed face down, his chest handing barely over the edge. He snatched the falling boy by his wrist. The boy stopped screaming for a moment, breathing heavily. He couldn’t tell if he was supposed to be relieved and grateful or awestruck and fearful.

His question was soon answered when the wolf’s lips curled into a smile that spoke little of favorable intentions. The wolf used his free hand to grab the boy’s shoulder, claws digging in deep around the bones. The boy screamed and grabbed at the wolf’s arm. The wolf released the boy’s wrist and used that arm to stand up. He held the boy above his eye level and the abyss below. Lightning continued to flash, occasionally illuminating the wolf’s gleaming fangs. The wolf stared at his prize, clearly fantasizing about what he intended to do.

The werewolf turned away from the churning sea and marched closer to the forest. A rock stuck out of the ground with a large flat top. The werewolf stopped in front of it. He glanced briefly downward at the rock and then immediately back to his victim. His smile came back and it gleamed in the light burning from his eyes. The boy struggled to free himself from the werewolf grasp. The werewolf lifted the boy higher and slammed him against the rock. A sickening crack sounded from where the boy’s spine collided with the solid surface. Another scream rang out. The werewolf moved slowly, savoring every moment. He took his free hand and plunged the claws deep into the boy’s abdomen. He ripped up and through, further tearing the skin and revealing bloody pink organs. The wolf leaned in closer, his smile unwavering. He finished ripping out the boy’s intestines and cast them aside. The boy, drenched in rain, sweat, and blood, let out a faint gasp. As his final breath left his lungs, his head rolled to the side. 

Connor froze upon seeing his own dead eyes staring back at him. He watched as the werewolf shifted to a less beastly form, but still halfway between wolf and human. He stepped away from Connor’s corpse, his fur still wet with blood. The fire was slowly dying, revealing normal, almost human eyes. The wolf’s chest rose and fell with his breathing. His eyes were half closed. The transformation had clearly taken a lot out of him .

More wolves ran out of the shadow of the forest. The first one with pure black fur. His eyes widened. “You fool!” he said. “What have you done?”

The wolf who had killed Connor shook his head. “I- I - I don’t know,” he stammered out. “I don’t remember.”

“You’ve only delayed the coming of the Beast,” said another female wolf. 

“Come on,” said the black wolf. “We’ll all have a report to make now. I’ll make sure someone is sent out to take care of this mess.” He turned around and walked back into the forest. The other wolves followed behind with the attacker taking up the rear. 

Connor stood transfixed by his own body. He was vaguely aware of the wolve’s departure. His own stomach opened before him, empty, large like a canyon. Blood ran down the rock towards the grass where even more blood pooled with his abdominal organs. 

“Strange, isn’t it, to witness your own death,” a voice behind Connor said. Connor turned around and saw a glowing wolf. It was about twice as large as the wolves Connor had just seen, coming close to Connor’s eyes. He realized it was the same wolf who had appeared to im during the trial.

“I know you,” Connor said.

“Do you?” the wolf asked. “Odd seeing as I’ve not introduced myself.”

“I mean I recognize you. You were at my trial. Except you were a lot bigger.” Connor noticed that the rain had stopped, along with the wind. The storm hadn’t passed, though. Everything was frozen around him, limbs from trees still bent and waves stopped at their crest.

“In that moment, I also was serving a different purpose. I was meant to be your judge. Now, I come to you as a messenger,” the familiar wolf said. 

“What’s the message?” connor asked apprehensively. “And who’s it from?”

“You have already witnessed a part of the message. The rest is for the author himself to tell.” The wolf took a step to the side and revealed a second wolf behind him that Connor recognized as the wolf that had just killed the other him. Connor stepped back. 

“Don’t be afraid,” the wolf said. “I won’t hurt you.”

Connor looked at him sideways. If what he had just seen was a message, it had a stronger tone of death threat than of reassurance. That had been a fairly brutal death. He glanced back at his body and then returned his gaze to the wolf.

The wolf returned a small smile. “I see. Admittedly, that may have been a little over the top, but it certainly captured your attention,” the wolf said. “I must ask, do you recognize me?”

Connor peered closer. The wolf looked familiar, but he couldn’t place him. His mind pulled up fleeting images from around Wolf Haven: the forest on his first night, the council chamber, his cell, the infirmary. None of these ghostly memories helped him at the moment. He shook his head. 

The wolf nodded. “Maybe my name will ring a bell. Do you remember the Pack Leader mentioning Iron Tail?”

Connor’s eyes widened. It now made more sense. After all, why wouldn’t the person you murdered wand you dead. He looked away, not wanting to meet Iron Tail’s eyes.

Iron Tail smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m not angry. I knew that when I chose to pursue duties as a member of the Wolf Haven guard that I might die. I admit, I hadn’t expected to be at the hands of a recently turned adolescent, but one must be ready to face the strangest of circumstances no matter what path they walk. Anyways, I have not invaded your dreams to wax philosophical.”

Connor returned his eyes to Iron Tail. He felt difficulty in returning his gaze as if two magnets being forced together at similar poles. He held firm, doing his best to show the respect he felt compelled to give.

Iron Tail continued, “My primary reason in coming tonight was to extend my forgiveness. I understand that in those moments you had no control over your actions. That is the nature of a werewolf in high moon: the term we use for when a werewolf loses control during a full moon, evidenced by the eyes glowing white as you saw just now. You need not feel guilty. You have much to learn and less time than is beneficial to learn it. Though this advice may seem heavily biased, I suggest that you listen to the Pack Leader over your friend. Both may have your best interests in mind, but your friend has no experience with magic. The Pack Leader has spent years watching others go through the process of learning control as well as learning for himself and teaching the art. He didn’t become the Pack Leader because of charm and good looks. He understands what he is doing.

Connor nodded. “What would happen if I chose to ignore your advice?”

“There is certainly a chance that you can learn control on you own. The process will take longer and involve more trial and error. You should keep in mind that any errors could be fatal to those around you.”

But it’s possible, Connor thought. He could stay away from that island, and as far as he was concerned, that was all that mattered.

“Connor, look at me,” Iron Tail commanded. Connor looked back at him. “Think through your decision. Use your mind, not your heart.” Iron Tail stepped back and the ghostly wolf from Connor’s trial stepped in front, hiding Iron Tail from view. 

“He had good advice,” the wolf said.

“You still haven’t introduced yourself,” Connor answered, avoiding the topic. As far as he was concerned, his decision was already made. 

“Yes, that’s true,” the wolf said. “Well, I suppose now is as good a time as any, considering we will be seeing each other more in the future. I am the Great Wolf Spirit, the embodiment of all werewolf souls of the past. I speak to werewolves for the gods. Some call me Baluno, although I don’t truly have one name. And I am familiar enough with you to know I need no introduction from you.”

Connor stopped for a moment as he realized something that the Great Wolf Spirit had said. “So the werewolf I was just talking to, Iron Tail, he’s a part of you?” Connor asked him.

“Indeed, as well as all other werewolf souls who have passed on,” he said.

“But then-”

“My time here is finished. It is time for me to return to my world as well as for you to return to yours.”

Connor opened his eyes to his dark room. His sheets were cold and wet with sweat. He reached out his arm from under his covers and grabbed his phone. He squinted at the time, which read 2:35 AM. He set his phone down and rolled over onto his other side. He shifted in the sticky sheets to find a comfortable position. It wasn’t working. That combined with repeated recountings of his dream to himself kept him from finding a way back to the depths of slumber.

Eventually, Connor sat up. He tossed the sheets off and switched on the lamp beside his bed. He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his elbows on them, his hands on the back of his head. For all he knew, everything he had just seen was fake, a cruel trick played by his own mind. But on the other hand, if it had been real, then he ought to heed Iron Tail’s warning, right?

Author's Note

Most spelling/grammar errors I feel confident I can spot myself, but if you feel like pointing them out, go ahead. Mostly I'm looking for feedback on how the story feels while you're reading it and any plot issues you notice.