Legend of the First Werewolf

Long ago, beneath the silver glow of Sister Moon, I awoke in the heart of the great forest. The scent of rain lingered in the air, mingling with the whispers of the earth; damp moss, fresh pine, and the murmur of a nearby brook. My senses were sharpened beyond human understanding; I could hear the rustle of unseen creatures and feel the heartbeat of the land itself. I wandered to a still lake and gazed into its mirror like surface, where I beheld a form both familiar and strange; a great black wolf with streaks of gray running through its coat, and eyes as golden as the first light of dawn. I tilted my head, and the reflection followed.

Then, from beyond the trees, came a sound unlike any other...a voice, soft as mist, singing a song that wrapped around my soul and pulled me forward. I did not think to resist. I moved as if drawn by unseen threads, each step carrying me closer to something unknown yet longed for.

Through the trees, I glimpsed a house that did not belong in this wild place. A two story dwelling, painted in shades of earth, with a balcony adorned with trailing vines. My nose led me to the source of the song, and there, in the window, stood a maiden. Her hair, dark as raven’s wings, cascaded past her shoulders, and her eyes gleamed with the color of warm honey. She wore a gown the hue of twilight, sheer as morning mist, and her scent; roses after the rain, rich with something deeper, wilder; filled my lungs and set my heart aflame.

I yearned to be near her, to breathe her scent at my leisure, to see if her voice was as soft upon the lips as it was upon the ears. But I was a beast, and she was human. I lifted my gaze to Sister Moon, pleading in silent desperation. And she answered.

“My brother Wolf,” came a voice, gentle yet vast, as though the night itself had spoken. “Do you wish to be with the one who calls to your soul?”

“I do, Sister Moon,” I confessed. “Never have I desired anything as I desire her.”

“I can help you,” she whispered, “but the path is not an easy one.”

“There is no trial I will not endure,” I vowed. “No pain I will not suffer.”

“Are you certain?” Her voice held the weight of warning. “Once chosen, the path cannot be undone.”

I looked toward the maiden, willing her to return to the balcony, to see her just once more before I cast my fate. But she did not appear. Instead, the waters of the lake shimmered, and in their depths, I beheld a vision; a woman with hair of flowing moonlight and eyes deep with sorrow.

“It is my wish,” I said, my voice steady. “Tell me what must be done.”

Sister Moon wept a single tear, and as it touched the earth, a small pool formed, glowing with an otherworldly light.

“Drink, my brother of the forest,” she bade me. “And take the first step toward the one you love.”

I hesitated only a moment before lowering my muzzle to the shimmering pool. The liquid tingled against my tongue, a taste like morning frost. Then, pain; terrible and unrelenting; ripped through me. My howl shattered the quiet of the night as my body twisted, reshaped, and burned from within. My legs buckled, my breath came in ragged gasps, and still, the torment did not cease.

I looked to the sky for mercy, but Sister Moon was fading, yielding to the golden touch of Brother Sun.

“Why does it hurt so, Sister Moon?” I pleaded. “I thought you would help me!”

Her voice, distant now, carried on the wind. “I am helping you, Brother Wolf. Love’s path is not an easy one. This pain is but the first of many trials. Endure, and you may yet claim what you seek.”

With that, she was gone, leaving me to the dawn, trembling and forever changed.

And so my journey began, the path uncertain, the trials unknown. But in my heart; in my heart I held fast to the vision of the maiden in the window, the song that had first called me forth, and the promise that somewhere ahead, she awaited me.

Now, my dear grandchildren, this is why our family changes into the wolf of the forest every fortnight, to pay homage to Sister Moon. It is in her light that our bond was forged, and in her glow, we honor the love and sacrifice that brought our lineage to be. And so, when next the moon is full, you too shall run beneath her gaze, as I once did, as all who came before us have done, and as those who follow will do until the end of days.