The Moon Wolf

Chapter 39 (First Draft)

Penn stopped short. She gaped at Elder Ruuni. Her appearance was altered to such a degree that it truly startled Penn. So much so that she momentarily forgot about the smoke winding its way up the mountain side and her consuming desire to kill Codax.

"I've dreamt of wolves that look just like you," Penn half whispered in wonder as she began to approach the Orthos Elder.

"Like me?" Ruuni asked incredulously. 

She looked to the twins and they cast her as distressing a look as they had at Penn. Curious, Runni looked down at herself just as Nordin squeezed through the narrow opening behind her and nearly knocked her to the ground. He reached out to grasp her arms and prevent her fall. The two elders stared wide-eyed at each other now.

"I can't believe," Nordin began as his eyes grew as big as the mountain.

"What you're seeing," Ruuni finished with astonishment.

He nodded vigorously before turning his eyes toward Penn. His mouth fell open even further with amazement.

"She's one of them," he whispered.

"And so too, it would seem, are we," said Lofgren from behind them. "Please move aside," he tagged on with a little humour in his voice. "You are blocking the way."

The other elders, Nys, Lind and Arvid, struggled through the narrow passage with some difficulty. They were no longer wolves. But, they hadn't exchanged their furs for their skins either. They were now just like the humanoid wolves who walked on two feet in the goddess' realm. Though, not nearly as tall. 

"What's happened to you?" Penn asked as she reached the little group. She sniffed the air around them and then reached out to gently take Elder Ruuni's forearm. "You look half human and half wolf," she informed them though it was clear that Ruuni and the others could see that now.

"You as well," Nordin pointed out with a hint of a smile when he realized that Penn was not any more aware of her current transformation as she had been of the supernal silver coat she wore in wolf form when she had arrived in Orthos in the middle of the night just forty eight hours ago. How things had changed, he thought with fear and wonder.

Penn now looked down at her own self and let out a soft gasp. She put out her arms rotating them slowly to examine every detail of the fine silver and gold threaded fur that covered them. Then her eyes were drawn to her clawed fingers. She took those same hands and ran them lightly across her face, which was covered in fine fur as well, and then reached for the pointed ears she knew had to be protruding from her hair just as they were from the elders' too. With excitement she twisted until she could see her tail wagging happily behind her.