Moon Shadows

Chapter 3

I grimace as I swallow the rest of the bitter concoction that Hazel has cooked up for me. It's almost sunset.

"Maybe you could add some honey next time?" I ask.

Hazel glares, "You're not done yet," he pulls a small amber bottle from one of the shelves, "Take it once the pain gets worse. It'll knock you right out. Sure, to stop all your whining too."

I lay back on the cot and stare up at the ceiling. Already the pain is starting.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Maple asks from where she sits by the doorway.

I look at the hole in the ceiling, branches peeking in through the hole in the rock, "The sky's getting dark. I'll be fine. You gotta go do you Alpha stuff."

Maple stands and walks over to me, and kisses me on the forehead, "Someday, you'll get to see it, Dawn. The moon is breathtaking."

"Enough with the sappy stuff," I wave her off, "Get out of here!"

Maple smiles, and rolls her eyes at my antic, before walking towards the door.

"Guess I'm not too old to hide in here yet," Hazel grumbles, and follows her.

I sit in the dim firelight, staring at the hole in the ceiling. For years, it's been my only window into the night of the full moon. The sky is a pale purple, beautiful through the branches shrouding it.

Sparks explode before my eyes, and I groan as I feel something fighting against me, trying to free itself.

I shout into the darkness of the room, writhing in pain. Somewhere around, howls echo into the night. I can't tell where anything is anymore, it's all darkness and fire and pain.

"Take it once the pain gets worse," Hazel's voice echoes in my mind. Shit, the bottle.

I reach for it blindly, and my fingers connect with cold glass. I pull it back to me and fumble for the cap.

I tip the bottle back and drink as quickly as I can.

"Clearly no one cares about my taste buds," I cough, choking on the bitter herbs.

My eyelids are growing heavy already. I grimace and try to lift my heavy arms to set the bottle back on the table. Pain sparks through my arm as I hit my elbow on the table and glass shatters on the hard floor. Everything's foggy now, and I sink into the mattress. Even the inky sky seems distant and out of reach from the hole in the ceiling.

"Wow... this stuff, really does... knock you out," my eyes close against my will, and everything disappears into the fog.

A/N

So I changed the title... again.