Once, the world was very different. There were no cities, no towns, and no villages. Humanity instead used campsites, moving from place to place. Or they lived in caves, sheltered by the rock around them. Sheltered from the elements, predators, and half-formed things that lurked just out of the reach of firelight in the darkness of the night. Giant herds of creatures like mammoths and woolly rhinoceroses roamed the steppe like environment while predators such as sabretooth lions hunted them. Vast sheets of ice covered the north, massive bluish white cliffs seeming to be the edge of the world to any that traveled far enough on hunts or otherwise to see them.
In this day and age, a wolf, a she-wolf, stalked through the brush. She was young and strong and fast. The wolf was larger than any modern wolf, able to crack bison bones in her jaws. Powerful muscles moved under a thick pelt that protected her from other predators that could attack her. Just recently she had borne Cubs...
But they had been killed a week before in a cave lion attack, and she was driven from her pack by her mother in the aftermath.
Thus, coming across the scent of blood, the hungry wolf had followed it. Finding that it came from a cave, she paused to listen. But there was no sound coming from it except the wind, though she could scent, just barely, the smell of smoke. Silently, she padded into the cave and a distance inside paused. There, looking in the darkness was a carcass of a cave bear. Freshly dead, the blood barely dried. So too, was there a dead female human, her guts torn out by the bear, which had died as it began to eat her from wounds it had suffered in the attack. The woman's sightless eyes stared forward at its killer.
A scraping sound made the wolf pause for a few moments before coming around the two carcasses. There, in a crack, was a fur wrapped bundle. From inside, two eyes looked out at her before waving two arms towards her. Stalking forwards, the wolf regarded the small thing. It looked like a man, but was too small to be one. Human eyes met those of a ferocious wolf for several seconds, no fear in one, and hunger in the other. Eyes narrowing, the wolf reached into the crevice and pulled out the bundle. It took only moments for it to rip the fur covering the infant apart...
Eating it's fill, the wolf snapped up one last bit of meat before turning and laying down next to the human-cub, which in its mind was what it was, the wolf shifted as it whined a bit. Nudging it with its snout to move the young human, the wolf watched as the infant realized what was in front of it. With two pudgy hands, it grasped the fur and pulled itself close before it began to suckle, hungrily drinking milk. Laying it's head on the cave floor, the wolf huffed a bit.
Yes, it may have lost its original cubs and pack. But now it had a new cub. And while strange, it would protect the small thing. With that animalistic thought, the wolf drifted off to sleep.
Days slowly turned into weeks. During the days, the she-wolf hunted in the vicinity of her new den. Never straying far to keep her new Cub safe. Whenever it was hungry, she fed it. During the cold nights, she kept it warm with her thick fur, the young one snuggling deep into it. One day though, she could hear odd sounds and smell humans on the wind. Straightening, she growled at them as she spotted them at the entrance to her den. Not having expected that, they jabbed forward with their sticks as they shouted at the She-Wolf, which was when her Cub awoke and began crying.
For some odd reason, that seemed to shock the humans even more. Yelling, the jabbed their pointy sticks forward even more, some waving around sticks that had fire on them even as the she-wolf snarled, moving to protect her Cub. Out of nowhere, a loud shout made the humans stop. They turned and noises were made before they moved aside to reveal an older man dressed in furs with a necklace of bones and teeth while two antlers were upon his head. His face was covered in markings made of soot.
Both the strange man and the she-wolf stared at each other. Then, he looked at her Cub which had quietened down. As normal, her Cub was hungry and began to nurse even as she guarded it, which made the other humans step back and murmur. All but the Antler Human. Slowly, he smiled before motioning them all back. Once they were far enough back, he followed. After they settled down at the mouth to the cave, the she-wolf calmed down and laid on her side so that her Cub could continue to nurse it's fill from her teats.
It turned into an odd standoff, the humans at the mouth of the cave and her at the back with her Cub. Every time she strode forward, the humans would pause for a time. But then, one of them would toss her a hunk of meat that she would take back. The whole thing was frustrating, not being able to hunt properly, but her Cub needed her and she would not abandon it, not now.
Time passes and her Cub began to move around the den area, which she allowed under her watchful eyes. At this point, the Antler-Human would stand off at a distance and make noises at her Cub. Over time, her Cub copied these noises himself. Something that pleased the other human. Eventually, her Cub was able to walk about on two legs like the other humans. And one day, she walked out of the den at his side...
Years passed and the She-Wolf grew old as her cub grew and grew. Strong and hale as well as tall. Her Tall-Cub. When odd things happened around him, the Antler-Human took him aside and taught him things. How to use his ability to help the pack. He became a great hunter, even helping to bring down one of the giant Tusked-Things in a grand hunt!
In her own, animalistic way, the She-Wolf felt proud of her Tall-Cub for being such a good hunter even as he fed her meat from it.
Other wolves joined them, one by one. She taught them all their place, of course. But they began to work together, her Tall-Cub and the other humans with the wolves. Together, they were able to hunt better. And the wolves told the humans of predators. But that was not the important fact in the She-Wolf's mind.
No, more important was that her Tall-Cub now had a Mate! The female cub of the human pack leader. Said female was strong and healthy, which the She-Wolf approved off. The female would give her Tall-Cub many healthy cubs in turn.
Shortly after her Tall-Cub took the female as his mate, the female began to change. She grew around her middle and from the scent, The She-Wolf knew that she was with cubs herself. One day, the female stumbled and there was a scent in the air. The Antler-Human took the female out of view of the others with some of the older females as her Tall-Cub waited outside. All the while, cries could be heard from inside before it went silent.
And then, her Tall-Cub went inside that place and returned before gesturing her forwards. Coming in, her attention was drawn to the female and a fur wrapped bundle. Her Tall-Cub took it from the female and held it out to her, inside, even with her failing eyesight from advanced age, the She-Wolf could see an infant. Sniffing, she felt a bit of surprise!
Her Tall-Cub now had a Cub!
Something must have shown as he nodded to her, before the She-Wolf began to gently clean her Tall-Cub's cub. Such silly things not to do so properly. Thus, she had to do it herself.
Thus things went, until one day a few Moons later. Her Tall-Cub and the other hunters were gone. While she was old and unable to hunt as well, the She-Wolf patrolled around the dens. On one of the patrols, she paused as a scent tickled her nose. It drew up a memory, an old one.
From before she had met her Tall-Cub.
It was the scent of a lion! The very same one that had killed her own cubs! Quickly, she followed the scent and found it leading to the den. And she reached it in time to hear a scream that came from her Tall-Cub's mate as well as the crying of their Cub. But it was the roar of an old lion that sent a chill down her spine.
Without even hesitation or thinking it, the She-Wolf exploded into motion. She just burst into the den to see the lion about to pounce at her Tall-Cub's mate when she leapt and slammed into it as various humans there screamed. One of them ran for the cave mouth waving their arms as they made noise. Neither of the two predators paid it any mind though they stood off, the She-Wolf growling with her head held low between the lion and her Tall-Cub's mate and Cub.
She could see that age had not been kind to the other hunter. It was old and worn as she was from the years. Like her, it was covered in scars and moved slowly. Obviously due to its age, it was unable to hunt as well, and so had to go for easier prey. Prey such as her Tall-Cub and his mate and Cub.
And she was not going to let it.
Finally, with a roar, the lion leapt at her and she snarled back as she met it partway. The two met and they fought, old foes and rivals. Powerful jaws ripped and tore flesh and fur while crushing bone. Sharp claws sliced through hide and muscle creating grievous injuries. Neither let up, the lion as it needed a meal to survive and the She-Wolf to protect her pack. However, the larger predator's paw slammed into her head, knocking her to the ground. Disoriented, the wolf looked up into the bloodied lion's face as it prepared to finish her when it howled in agony.
Her Tall-Cub had returned and stabbed it with his sharp stick! Snarling as well as any wolf, he pushed it further into the lion, but it was not finished yet. One paw lashing out, it knocked him to the side, claws cutting furrows in his flesh. Turning, the lion focused its full attention on her Cub... no...
NO!
NOT THIS TIME!
With a surge of energy, the She-Wolf got to her feet and lunged, jaws clamping around her foe's throat. She bit down harder and harder even as the other predator struggled to throw her off. Even as its claws sliced her apart, one eye gouged out, she did not let up, only bit down harder. This time... this time she was not going to lose her Cub to this creature!
There was a crunch sound and the big cat suddenly weakened. Another crunch as the She-Wolf tightened her grip and it went fully limp. Waiting until she was sure that it was dead, the wolf let go and staggered back.
Blinking, the She-Wolf found herself on her side looking up, not having felt herself fall to the ground. At the same time, she whimpered as everything hurt. It hurt so very much, though for some odd reason it was also fading as she got colder and colder. And weaker as well...
Between one blink and the next, she found her Tall-Cub above her. His eyes were wide and he was shaking his head while water came from his eyes. She could also feel his paws at her side, grasping for some reason with bursts of pain as he did so. He pulled back his paws to show them red with blood as he made noises at her which she could not quite understand. With one hand, he stroked along her head which relaxed her.
But even now, as weak as she was feeling, she raised her head jerkingly to look in the corner. Her Tall-Cub also turned and blinked at the sight of his mate and Cub, both fine though scared with water running down their faces as well. They... were safe. When he turned back to her, the She-Wolf nuzzled his chin and gave one last lick of his cheek before her head fell to the ground.
She... was so tired. That fight took more out of her than she had expected, but it was good. Her pack was safe, and that was what mattered in the end. Vision darkening, she closed her eyes and breathed out...
And didn't breathe back in.
Finding herself floating in the air, the She-Wolf looked down at the sight of her Tall-Cub shaking a wolf. The body of said canine being badly torn up with none of its pelt clean of blood. With some shock, she realized that the wolf was actually her! And she was also shocked to realize that she had realized that as well.
But she kept her attention on her Tall-Cub as he shouted at her body and shook it. Until, that was, the Antler-Man walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. When her Tall-Cub looked at him, the older human shook his head and then bowed his head, tears dripping from his own cheeks. The other returned hunters did much the same.
For several moments, her Tall-Cub just stared at them before he dropped his head with shaking shoulders. Then, he whipped his head back up and let out a howl. A howl of sadness, grief, and despair. Unknown to him, his adoptive mother did the same as she realized what this meant. Even though he could not feel her, or see her or touch her, she came up beside him and licked his cheek as she had done so many times.
The She-Wolf watched as they gently picked up her body and carried it to the back of the cave, where years before she had nursed her Tall-Cub. She continued to observe as they dug a pit that they placed stones around the inside, and which the females and young ones lined with bright coloured flowers. Onto these, they placed her corpse gently, and put more flowers on top. Some brought feathers that they placed onto her while the leader of the human placed a sharp stick between her paws, the one that her Tall-Cub had used, blood covering the stone from the lion.
When it came to him, her Tall-Cub, he was silent even as the others chanted. Reaching up, he removed his necklace of beads made of stone, bone, horn, and ivory. A necklace that he placed around her neck. Water continued to drip from his face the whole time, even as his mate embraced him from behind. Then, gently and carefully, they placed dirt on top of her even as they chanted and outside the wolves howled. Once there was a mound on top, her Tall-Cub went back and returned with the head of the lion, which he set at the foot of the mound.
Thus... the She-Wolf passed into legend for the tribe, a guardian who saved the most helpless of them out of love.
But...
That was not the end.
As the years went by, the She-Wolf's spirit kept watch over the tribe. Sometimes, they glimpsed her glowing form between the trees and brush as she lead them to prey. Other times, she would warn them of danger. Sometimes with a growl next to their ear, sometimes appearing before them before fading away. The tribe came to revere her spirit, seeing her as their guardian even in death.
One day, years after her death, the Cub of her Tall-Cub was now tall like his father. The Antler-Human, having grown old, taught him more than he had his father, so that he could take his place. Which brought him to a spot outside the den. In front of him was a fire that he was staring into while the Antler-Human danced around and threw things into. The rest of the tribe watched and waited.
As did the She-Wolf, who feeling a tug walked through the flames to the other side. Gasps met her and even the Antler-Human seemed surprised. She glanced at them and then at her Tall-Cub, now with several Cubs around him. But then, she focused on the one before her, whose life she had given her own for so many years before. Him, she felt a connection to.
Slowly, she padded forward before nuzzling him and stepping back. The young human's eyes widened and turned gold as he threw his head back. Fur burst from his skin as nails turned into claws and his face pushed out into a muzzle while a tail grew from his spine. His yell became a howl as what was once a man, was now a large wolf.
For several moments, the two stared at each other as the bright Moon which was whole shone above. Then, she walked over to her Tall-Cub and nuzzled him before running off, her cub's Cub following. Throughout the night, she taught him how to be a wolf. To hunt and act as one. And come the rising of the Sun, he transformed back with a large grin as she faded away.
And he was only the first.
Generations passed and more and more of the tribe became able to become a wolf. Some managing a mixture between such and human even. Her Tall-Cub eventually passed and she greeted him kindly, for he had become a wolf as well. All the time, they continued their partnership with the wolves. They also began to leave small things at her grave, and doing such things as burning meat, which she tasted upon the smoke and felt her belly fill with. And, slowly, the She-Wolf also changed. Eventually, she started standing on two legs at times with her forepaws lengthening. And her body became more and more human shaped.
Until one day, she appeared before the newest Shaman not as a wolf, but as a woman clothed in furs, but with the head of a wolf.
More time passed and one day, her tribe left to meet with others. And she accompanied them as they did so. Thus, there, upon the shores of a lake with the area one day to be under the surface of what would be the Baltic Sea, did her tribe meet with others. Things were traded back and forth, with many amazed by how her tribe had wolves with them, though they were less wolves now and... more something else. And they told stories, stories of the She-Wolf with them transforming to show the gifts that she had given them. Others told their own stories of guardian spirits.
But while her cubs traded and conversed, the She-Wolf had other business. Above the meeting tribes, various beings floated. The She-Wolf could see many others, most weaker, far weaker, than she. However... there was one that stood above them all.
It was in human shape, though not a human. Not with the proportions shown which were slightly wrong. The Other appeared as a woman, heavily pregnant. Bangles and beads were around her arms while necklaces hung from her neck. Upon her head were her more threaded beads in a head covering. Besides her slightly exaggerated proportions, there was one difference that made sure that one could not mistake her as a human woman.
That she had no face.
Instead, there was a smooth plain of flesh, with no details at all. Completely and utterly blank of everything that a human would have. Despite that, it could still speak as shown when it faced the She-Wolf. No sound was made, no vibration of the air. But it still spoke.
Mother, it identified itself as before demanding to know the She-Wolf's name.
Mother, the She-Wolf replied back with a soft growl.
Even though it had no eyes, it stared at her intently. As if weighing the She-Wolf. And something that she did right back. Both of them were powerful, the strongest there. None of the others were sure who would win in such a fight. Briefly, everyone had the image of what would result. The land shaking apart as the sky was torn through their mighty blows. Everything scorched and frozen as existence was rent apart.
And then, everything was back to normal and the two relaxed as the Other gesture to the She-Wolf's tribe. Mother, she said without saying.
Lips turning upwards, the She-Wolf nodded while showing her teeth and gesturing to tribes belonging to the Other. Mother, she growled.
With that, the two turned and walked away from each other.
But there was something else as well. Something spoken of in feared whispers by the various tribes. In the direction that the Sun disappeared in, they said, was an land across the Great Waters. On it were men, powerful and wealthy. They would come and with the help of powerful Shaman, kill many tribesmen. Others they took back to their land with them. Tales were told of strange men they sometimes brought with them, that were part human and part beast. Powerful beings.
The She-Wolf and her tribe took note of such things, though their land was far from the Great Water. But best to be warned of possible enemies. And so they listened and learned even as they traded.
As the Moons went and the weather turned colder, they returned to their homelands. And many seasons would pass before they would meet those from across the Great Water. They warred with them, but always the She-Wolf's tribe was strong. With the ferocity and strength of the wolf and the intelligence and cunning of a human, they won time and again. As they had been told, strange creatures were used. Such as things that were a Herd-Runner to where the neck would be, but human from the waist up above. Humans that had the wings of fliers as well as other such things. She softly snarled as she could feel that they were confined, controlled by the Shamans of those strange folk.
Yet, thankfully, time and again the tribe managed to repel them. Sometimes alone, sometimes with the tribes under the Other helping. And so both grew stronger as others joined them.
But one day, a sickness spread among the tribes, killing many and weakening them. It took time, but the source was found, a spotted big cat that with its breath spread disease. The first was killed, followed by the second. But the third was harder.
And then... it arrived.
Part of the She-Wolf had expected it, the massive lion-like being across from her. The spirit of the lion that she had slain at the cost of her own life. Somehow... it had become a spirit too, feeding upon the tales of it that had been told, upon the fear of it and those akin to it which still stalked the shadows, though less and less often as the years went by. And become strong by such. It also had allied itself with the Men across the Great Water.
All for the chance to kill her.
The lion was not the only one, for there were others as well. Spirits, some weaker than it, but others just as strong. But the She-Wolf and Lion only had eyes for each other. Thus, when they clashed, neither allowed for anything to fight in their duel. Lesser spirits were torn apart as thunder and lightning tore apart the heavens. Mountains crumbled and holes were gouged with super heated steam and ash bursting forth as they fought. No quarter was asked nor none given between the two. Below and around, tribesmen fought those from across the Great Water.
It was only when the exhausted She-Wolf stood above her hated foe that the trap was sprung. A ritual was finished and the She-Wolf howled in agony and dismay as metaphysical chains were put around her. The only pleasure she got was how the ritual consumed the now betrayed Lion Spirit to power it along with other spirits that they were using. Another good thing was how the Other managed to escape, wounded but not dead or captured.
Bound, the She-Wolf was dragged back to the land of the Men across the Great Water with her captured people. There, she was sealed within a rock, her power now used against her Cubs. She watched as the survivors, captured, were twisted by the Shamans of the Island Men. All with her captive power used to do so much to her internal agony.
Where once wolf and man stood as equals, in partnership, they were now set against one another. Her Cubs when transformed now in pain, were made to hunger for the flesh of their fellow man. To become slavering beasts when transformed. Once, her Cubs could transform whenever they wished, now only able to when the Moon was whole. The metal like the Moon was made into a weakness, to control them. Worse, they made such an affliction able to be spread where before it had been a gift.
Oh, how she howled about what had happened to her Cubs, which made her Captors laugh. Now they used her Cubs to attack the other Tribes. When the Moon was whole, they would release them and watch as they tore their former allies apart to their amusement. However, they grew too arrogant, too confident. One day when their other slaves rose up elsewhere, the She-Wolf managed to get enough of her chains loose, that she transformed her Cubs before the Moon was whole. Even though it hurt them, hurt her to do so.
They tore her Captors empire apart as her actions weakened the other metaphysical chains holding the other slaves under control, until all that was left was the island in the sea. For that, they bound her ever tighter in their anger and rage, but the pain and agony was worth it. She watched as their once mighty nation fell apart. And then, she felt it.
Far away, the Other has done something and she began to laugh. She was still laughing when her Captors noticed the Great Waters pull away from the land while far out, a wall of water climbed. And she was laughing as they panicked and tried escape as the water covered everything. Being as she was a spirit, she did not need the air to breath any longer. Thus, she was alive though still bound when the Other arrived.
The two rivals turned allies stared at each other. But nothing needed to be said. Weakened from the previous battle, the Other had spent nearly all it's power to do what it did. In her mind's eye, the She-Wolf could see what happened. An entire mountainside slipping into the sea. Because of that, the Other was unable to break her free as it did not have enough strength.
Much to the surprise of the Other, the She-Wolf accepted that.
She had failed her Cubs, she explained. Failed them in the worst way and now they would suffer for as long as she lived and she would suffer alongside them bound as she was. Even now, her power was drawn off by them as they went about their lives and transformed others through their bite. If she could not be freed... than she deserved it, to suffer alongside them for her failure.
Understanding as only fellow mother could, the Other bowed its head and left her under the sea.
Millennia passed, and the She-Wolf howled in agony with each night that the Moon became whole, for her cubs suffered. She could feel it through their connection, with which she took on what pain of theirs she could. The water around her became deeper and deeper as the ice caps melted, signs of what existed there fading with time and sediment. Humanity continued on, as did the other races. But while mostly forgotten, she was not entirely forgotten. Tales similar to her was passed on, sometimes she gave a nudge such as to a similar she-wolf that lived where there were seven hills, it was all that she could do. As well, the wolves her tribe once used, and had helped other tribes by giving them to, changed. From them and others, dogs sprang forth. Man's companions, and a connection that still kept her formed.
Then, one day... something changed.
From far off, she could hear bangs, like thunder. And looking up from her prison, she could see floating things made of steel. Many of them. Some, shattered in fire and sank beneath the waves. Beneath the sea, on what was once a hill, she could feel the explosions as well as many dying above. She wondered what was going on so far above.
And then, one of the large, steel things that they were shooting like slings hit the water and touched down next to her prison. When it did, the shell exploded. It was not enough to destroy her prison, as for as old as it was and as brittle as the magics were, they held up. But it was enough to crack it.
Hopeful, the She-Wolf used what power she had work at it. The battle above eventually calmed and time went by. Decades later, she could see an odd, underwater vessel pass by. The men inside speaking some sort of guttural language with a strange symbol that reminded her of a comet she had once seen, long ago. But her attention was elsewhere. For someone had taken her Cubs and made things even worse for them, twisting them still further.
Her rage knew no bounds and she worked all the harder to get free, to help her Cubs. Even if it took her a thousand years more, she would do it. Now, when she was so close! Once that happened, she would help them, her cubs! And with her prison cracked, she could also slowly learn what the world was like through her connection with her Cubs.
Yet more decades went by as she worked at her prison when her attention was caught by another battle above. Some of those fighting were the steel vessels. But others... they looked like humans, and steel vessels at the same time. They also tasted foul, wrong, to her senses. Like badly rotted meat unfit to eat.
Her metaphysical eyes widened though as one of the Steel Vessels (Ships, her mind supplied her with the knowledge that had seeped through the connection with her cubs, warships) exploded as it broke in half. The stern drifted away, but the bow...
The bow was sinking right for her prison.
It hit the seabed almost right at her prison, skidding along before crashing into it. Briefly, the ancient spells held against the mighty blow... and than shattered. The bonds fell away from the She-Wolf and she rose from the seabed, the mud, silt, and the like exploding outwards. Breaching the surface, she stood there looking around as ships burned and the Foul Ones fought with humans. One of them, attached to a large, man-like thing, pointed at her and the guns fired...
Only for the She-Wolf batted away the shells like they were insects. Everything seemed to go silent as she turned to the Foul One. It pointed at her and shouted something, only to choke as she was right there, tearing out it's throat before ripping it in half. After that, it was one fight after another as the She-Wolf tore her way through the Abyssal Fleet. One after another fell to her claws and teeth. And more than one sailor claimed that an odd, wild looking woman with claws and a wolf's head had saved their lives.
Soon, once she was out of the battle, the She-Wolf left for the continent to rest.
Her surroundings blurred as the countryside sped past. So much had changed since she had last been freed. Now humans had grown strong and tall, like her Tall-Cub had. Eventually, she reached a place in Germany, a cave, not seen due to the opening having collapsed. But the rocks at the entrance were no issue for her, as she passed through them. Transforming into a wolf, she padded along until she reached the back, where she was buried. And barely sticking out was the skull of the lion, it's jaw dislocated, while nearby was the grave of her Tall-Cub.
And said spirit, that of her Tall-Cub, appeared, much like her and gently cleaned her as she laid down. Rest now, Mother, he said. Something that she agreed with fully, as she closed her eyes and slept. Around her, other spirits danced, all wolves and men and man-wolves. For Mother had returned to her home at last.
Meanwhile, around the world, all the werewolves felt a tingle as for the first time, their wolves calmed as if hearing something that they could not.
Years passed and the She-Wolf regained her strength. Waking, she stood up and, with her Tall-Cub following, left to see more of the world. Upon leaving the cave, she paused and looked to the south, feeling the Other was also stirring. For several moments, she stood there, feeling the world as it now was. There were less wolves now, far less. But there were also far more of her other cubs, the dogs. Throwing her head back, she howled and around the world, various dogs also howled as did dog-like creatures. In Japan, various Inugami howled in their places as they had gained their abilities from a cub of the She-Wolf.
Leaving her home, she began to travel, both in the physical and metaphysical. At one point, she came across a white haired man missing an eye with a younger one beside him with reddish hair. The two were facing two large wolves that were snarling at them, something about their father, but upon seeing her, they froze. The two wolves dropped to the ground and rolled onto their backs as the old man took several steps back, terror on his face as a single word escaped his lips...
"Primordial..."
However, the She-Wolf ignored that and soon continued on her journey.
When the Moon was whole, this time she took stock of all her cubs. Some, she approved of, others... she did not. One of the ones she did not attacked children out of perverse glee. And she was there to meet him when he died, him and those of his pack that followed him as one of the Sea Beings, shipgirls, killed them. It filled her with amusement that the creature had reacted to seeing a massive wolf, larger than a Battleship snarling at him when he passed on...
But that thing did not matter to her in the end as she tossed his soul once she was done to the true hunters.
No, what did matter were her true cubs. For them, she was ready to work to make their situation better. While the She-Wolf was unable to fully undo what had been done to them, she was able to slowly chip away. Things like lessening the pain when transforming, allowing for them to keep more of their mind when in said form. Decreasing the hunger for human flesh, little by little, transformation by transformation. Adults were hard, but some she focused more on others...
Above Wales, there a Full Moon shone down, the first of the New Year, twenty fourteen. Inside a bunker like structure, odd looking wolves slept. For the youngest, they dreamed of a wild looking woman. She was strong and powerful as shown by how she had corded muscles throughout her frame, but her body was also that of a mother. And in their wolf forms, they felt safe and secure as she gently ran her clawed hands through their fur, comforting murmurs coming from her mouth.
Somehow... Mother, seemed to be the only word to describe her.
Chests rising and falling as they slept on, she continued to comfort them. And they were not the only ones as the Moon trailed across the sky, and those in other places transformed, the children dreamt of her and a few adults. To the north in a castle that was in the Scottish Highlands, Moony dreamt the same thing, as well as somehow knowing that she felt pride in him. His lips on his wolfish muzzle curled in his sleep.
When day broke, all of the werewolves were more rested and relaxed. And the She-Wolf came out of the dreaming realm into the physical in one forest in Scotland, not far from the castle. Her gaze met that of an elderly seeming man in a cloak, who she recognized as the spirit of the forest. Not saying anything, he moved aside and bowed to her as she passed, her returning the gesture. Soon, she reached her destination.
There, in a clearing within the woods were a large pack of wolves. But they were not ordinary wolves, no, these ones were different. Their eyes shone with a human intelligence, and the She-Wolf bent down and placed one hand on the side of the muzzle belonging to the pack leader. Her magic seeped into the wolf, and it's form shifted, just a bit. Not much...
But enough.
For now.
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AN:
Yeah, I know. But... every once in a while you get the urge to write something a little... different. And this has been in my head for a while now.
