“In Love with the Moon re-imagines The Little Mermaid as both werewolf origin story and fairytale romance.”

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Thousands of years before the great cataclysm of Aeschar, the goddess Celestia blessed a wolf pack with intelligence, memory, and magic for saving her child. Generations later, the youngest daughter of the Lupanee wolf king risks it all for the love of a two-legger. Luna trades her wolf song to a witch in order to take human form and follow her heart.

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In Love with the Moon
A Myth World Novel

 

In a land of myth and legend, long before the great cataclysm of Aeschar, life was simple and temples, plenty. One goddess in particular was beloved by her people, two and four-footed alike. The same could not be said for the Goddess of Darkness and Corruption.

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Prologue

 

“Goddess, forgive me. For I control not what the oracle says.”

“Silence!” Nyxora peered into the scrying bowl set upon the temple altar. The black water rippled with the vision of a wee babe lying in a cradle of moss. Smiling and laughing. His skin was as fair as his hair was black. He looked exactly like his mother and Nyxora seethed with rage. She was unable to lay a finger on the spawn of her greatest rival. “Tell me again what Aveste said.”

The priest’s upper lip carried the fine tremor of fear but he obeyed his goddess. “Moonlight cuts through the cold darkness, reflecting off the still pools and spawning anew. The born child, grown, half-soothes the burn of impurity. But if corruption interferes with shadows of blight, all power in darkness will be lost.”

Convoluted. The prophesy was much too convoluted by far but the Goddess of Darkness and Corruption had the very best interpreters translate Aveste’s words and their warning was dire. Nyxora would lose half her followers and temple lands to Celestia if the moon child lived to adulthood. But if Nyxora or her followers killed the boy, she would lose everything.

Nyxora clenched her fist and dashed the bowl from the altar. It crashed against the floor and magic-imbued burning shards flew through the air in every direction. A stone chip struck one of the acolytes standing at attention near an alcove. A dark red line seeped from a wound in the man’s cheek but he remained frozen. Nyxora longed for blood and carnage to soothe her frustration but the small injury was more of an insult than satisfaction.

The Moon Goddess had been a thorn in her side for centuries. There had to be a path forward that would preserve her power without triggering the prophesy.

Crying began somewhere nearby within the temple. She clenched her teeth, unable to think through the noise. “What is that infernal yowling? Are we a nursery now to be taking in babes?”

Her head priest hurried near to prostate himself out of Nyxora’s reach and she smirked. “No, Goddess. Tonight is the new moon and the babe is to be the sacrifice.”

“Where did it come from?”

“One of your followers left it in a basket on the temple steps.”

She scowled as another shriek pierced the air. “Well, the creature doesn’t need its tongue for the ceremony. Shut it up.”

He motioned to one of the acolytes and they scurried from the great temple room. The crying stopped a few candle drops later.

The priest covered his head and chanced a glance upward when Nyxora began laughing maniacally a few moments later. She turned to him and he physically shrank back. “I have an idea that will surely take care of the moon brat for me.” She strode across the room and pulled him up by the hood of his thick, black cloak on her way by, forcing the priest to stumble to his feet to keep up. “This is what I need you to do…”

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After a particularly harsh winter in the mountains, spring had come to the land at last. The weak sunlight shone upon a scene of chaos near the river. A mother wolf stood in the shallows diligently chasing running fish to supplement a litter of hungry bellies. Her dedication meant the pups were thriving despite the fact that deer were slow to return to the upper reach after the long season of hibernation. The river was bountiful. The river was life.

A cry interrupted her wet hunt. The wolf glanced toward shore to see her babes were safe. Ears twitched as she followed the sound of the cries upstream. Something floated toward her, spinning, and bobbing until it got caught up in an eddy near the shallows where the wolf hunted. Different species maybe, but mothers of all types recognized the cry of a distressed child.

She moved closer to the strange object, lunging forward at the last moment as the current threatened to carry it away. Strong jaws, bloody and damp from the day’s catch, closed upon the basket handle and the wolf tugged her new bounty ashore. The strange hairless pup continued to cry, leaking river water from its eyes. The wolf gave the babe a lick of reassurance and suddenly the cries stopped. The child’s eyes widened as it raised a chubby paw toward her muzzle. She licked that as well and the little pup yipped with delight.

Despite the fact that it was spring, the she-wolf knew a pup without fur would suffer in the chill air that nipped at her own nose with the setting sun. The basket was awkward but didn’t weigh much more than some of the fish she’d been catching in the stream. The wolf hesitated until the pup began mewling again, then decided to take the strange babe away from the stream toward her den. She gave a yip and the rest of the litter paced her footsteps.

She didn’t make it far before a flash of light halted her progress. The she-wolf ordered her pups behind her, then moved to stand in front of the strange, helpless babe. The wolf growled a warning at the stranger, protecting something she had no understanding of.

“Fear not, mother. For I’d never harm any creature in this wood.”

The wolf stopped growling and gave a cautious sniff. Perhaps it was the demeanor of the strange animal before her causing the sense of similarity between them. The tall creature was as hairless as the wee pup and the wolf wondered if they belonged to the same pack because their scents were similar.

“I’d like to thank you for rescuing my child. I suspect malfeasance has nearly cost me my moonlight but retribution will need to wait for another day. Today is a day of joy and celebration.”

The babe had gone silent in the face of the newcomer. The wolf picked up the basket and carried it closer before giving the babe another lick and backing away. Her own cubs remained hidden in the nearby underbrush. She began wagging and gave a joyous howl, which was copied by her hidden pups who tumbled out of the thick cover to frolic around her.

“You have your own babes with you, and yet you took a risk to recover mine from the river. Such actions show more courage and honor than that of a typical forest animal. You, my lovely Lupa, are special. Never let it be said that the Moon Goddess doesn’t reward those who follow the night paths with me.”

The tall creature tapped near her mouth with a claw before speaking again. The wolf understood her words, though she was unsure how. The sounds were foreign to anything she’d known before. Strange.

“I will give you and your pack three gifts to carry with you in perpetuity, passing down from generation to generation. The first gift, Lupa, is that of intelligence. You will have the same miracle of thought and intellect as that of the higher races. Humans, elves, and more. The second is magical vitality. You’ll live as long as some of the greater species as well, and be stronger than most. My Third and final gift to you is pack song, so that you may bequeath your stories and history to each new litter born.”

She held up her hand. “You and you alone hold the key to the pack song, a gift that will pass down along your bloodline. For you have the wisdom and compassion necessary to rule your people. But heed my warning. The power of pack song is great. Use it wisely. Go now and tell your pack, for they will be frightened of this new change to their minds.”

The mother wolf, so named ‘Lupa’ by the Goddess Celestia, bent her front half low to the ground in a strange wolf bow. Thank you, Goddess. I will be sure they understand. May I ask the name of your own pup?

Celestia crouched to pick up her child, cradling him in the crook of her arm. She cooed at the boy and wiped river water from his forelock. “He has no name yet. But now that the river has anointed him, it shall be Moonwake.”

Lupa straightened and gave a shake. Then she yipped and said to the Goddess, I’ll tell them all that our pack owes a debt to the Goddess Celestia for her gifts today. She began to turn away but was stopped by the firmness of her Goddess’s voice.

“No. The debt will always be held by me for saving my first-born child, my only child. The Lupanee will remain under my protection until the moons no longer shine in the sky and my power wanes. Until then, go forth and learn the joys of wonder.”

Yes, Goddess. With those final words, Lupa called to her pups and led them back to the main pack. No, they returned to the Lupanee. Her people would need her in the years to come. 

 

 

Chapter One

 

Dellia Lycaon sat upon a blanket watching her son play nearby. Artur was as curious as any four-year-old boy could be and used his time to explore every stick and leaf in the vicinity. She smiled at the way he clutched the little stuffed dog in his left hand, a gift made by his big sister. Dellia kept careful watch to be sure he didn’t wander near the lake. Her husband, Audie, was tied up in a council meeting and Andi had classes so the Queen decided to take a trip to Lake of the Clouds by herself. Soon enough winter would be upon them and she’d be forced to stay indoors.

A soldier approached and cleared his throat.

She smiled up at Temmin. “Yes?”

“My Queen, will you stay out much longer? If so, I can send Borix back to the castle to fetch lunch for you and the young prince.”

Dellia glanced at the other man. Only two had come with her since the lake was on crown lands and posing little danger to them. “I think I will. Tell him to bring something back for all four of us and we can sup together.”

The big man held up his hands. “My Queen, I couldn’t—”

“Nonsense. I may be royalty but we’ve known each other since we were younglings together, Tem. Audie did a good thing when he promoted you to the captain of my guard. I trust you with my life.”
Temmin relaxed. “Thank you. I’ll send Borix now.” He turned and whistled at the guard standing near the horses. Temmin made a few signs then held up four fingers. Borix nodded before mounting his horse and riding toward the castle.

He’d only just gone over the far hillock when one of the remaining two horses gave a whinny. Dellia tensed and looked around, relaxing slightly when she saw Artur just behind her. The horses continued to stamp nervously. Temmin grasped the hilt of his sword and searched the trees where they came closest to the small clearing. She asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure. Perhaps we should head back. I trust a horse to know when something is afoot—” The Queen’s mount whinnied again and jerked its rein from the nearby tree where it had been picketed. It took off toward the castle, as if following Borix’s trail. “Fenwith’s balls! I’ll be right back.”

Temmin bolted toward his own mount and leaped into the saddle, then galloped after the spooked horse. Sensing their afternoon of idle had come to an end, Dellia gathered Artur near with one hand while she awkwardly folded the blanket with the other. She didn’t see the approaching danger until it was upon them.

 

The scene of savagery was one Temmin would never forget. He rode into the pack of wild wolves not caring about the crushed bones beneath Dennin’s hooves. With yells and swinging sword it was easy enough to drive off the ones that hadn’t skittered away with his initial charge. Unfortunately, all his action was good for naught. The Queen lay bleeding upon a crumpled blanket and the young prince was gone.

Temmin quickly dismounted and checked on Dellia. He sorrowed to discover her dead but knew there was still the slightest hope for Artur. He remounted and followed the blood trail into the trees. The trail stopped not far in and he found nothing but the little dog Artur had been carrying before they were set upon.

He dismounted slowly. A weight beyond anything he’d ever known drove him to his knees. Temmin clutched Artur’s stuffed toy and wept for the king, Princess, and the entirety of Menia. It was the darkest of days.

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Six moons later, the nation was still in mourning. King Audric Lycaon wore black, as did his twelve-year-old daughter, Princess Andreia. While she’d always been a shadow to her father, losing her mother had turned the bright and happy girl’s mood solemn like one as well.

Temmin offered up his own life after the attack. When the king refused to consider the sword, Tem attempted to resign his post. That too was denied. After all, it was a freak accident that saw wild wolves attack so blatantly during the day when winter hadn’t even set in. Instead, Temmin was put in charge of the young Princess’s guard, a post that had been empty for nearly a year.

Now the city of Obita nervously awaited the King’s new decree. They’d gone through winter and come out the other side whole and hale as a nation. The port of their capital was lush with both fishing and trading ships. But a pall of fear remained after losing their queen and prince.

King Audric stood on a balcony overlooking the large castle courtyard, staring into a burgeoning sea of citizens. More waited for word beyond the gates, knowing something major was to be announced. Temmin himself stood off to the side as part of his duty since Princess Andi was also in attendance.
The low rumble of the crowd below dimmed to a murmuring hush as the king raised his hands for silence. A royal aid placed a wooden stand with a sound cone in front of him and he began to speak.

“Today is the final day of mourning for my wife and son. As a nation I know you fear the uncertainty this loss will bring and how it will affect me, your king. I stand before you broken-hearted, but strong. I grieve but also carry hope for my people. And most of all, the Lycaon line remains unphased. Princess Andreia remains the first heir to the throne and will begin training for her royal duties within a seven-day.”

He paused, and clenched his hands. Temmin knew the king remained grievously affected by the Queen and Artur’s deaths. Temmin had grown up with both of them and their romance sparked early and burned strong from the time they were but carefree youths running around the bailey below. He knew a loss like that would last a lifetime and beyond.

King Audric refocused his attention on the crowd. “The main reason I called you here is to announce my newest decree. As you know, I believe that royal decrees should be kept few in number, and only used to bring positive change. Today will be a little different.” Murmuring started again and the king raised his hands for silence. “I am officially banning wolves from the Marevisum Valley. That includes all the land between the base of the mountains and the sea. I’ve authorized one gold sovereign for each wolf pelt brought to the guard outpost at the eastern gate. Rest assured; we will have safety again.”

A cry went through the crowd as the king stepped back from the sound cone. A few candle drops later, more cheers could be heard outside the castle wall as word spread of the news. A gold sovereign was a lot of money but Temmin had spent many candle marks in counsel with the king, his long-time friend. The crown could afford it and Audie knew the coins would circulate back into city trade and help to raise the overall wealth of the population. Plus, they’d decimate the local wolf population and bring safety to the farms and steadings in the valley that had reported many attacks over the winter.

But it was also a dangerous decree and Temmin hoped only the most qualified citizens would set off for the trees in search of wild wolf pelts.  He glanced toward his young charge. Andi wore fitted black trousers, boots, and belted tunic, like her father. But she didn’t carry the weight of grief the way the king did. Instead, she stood with shoulders back and jaw clenched.

Princess Andreia had her mother’s dark auburn hair and easy smile but her deeply-tanned skin and height were directly from the king. She was already taller than most women, even at such a young age. Temmin knew she’d grow to be lean and strong with her training set to begin within the moon.
She noticed his regard and said quietly, “I want to be a hunter.”

He kept his voice low as well so as not to disturb the king and other council members standing nearby. “Hunting skills are listed as part of the standard royal training that you’ll begin in a seven-day.”

Andi narrowed her eyes. “No, not hunting skills. I’m telling you Tem, I’m going to be a hunter, the greatest Menia has ever seen. There will be no wolves left to take mothers and babes from their families when I’m finished.”

Temmin peered closer at the princess. Andi should be full of wonder and curiosity, not seeking vengeance for her losses. Finally, he sighed and gave her a nod. Temmin hated to see such determination in one so young but answered her with surety. “I know.” Hopefully that bright smile would return once she achieved her goals.

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Audric Lycaon paced along the castle walls while searching the road out of the city for returning royal rangers. He’d received a pigeon from Andi earlier in the day so he knew they were due before sunset.

Forest Deep reported wild wolves harassing one of the sheep farms a half-moon ago. It was four days of hard riding along the trade road from Obita to the village at the base of the mountains but a promise was a promise. Part of his decree from four years previous meant the crown would send immediate aid when needed. Though she was only sixteen, his daughter begged to go and Audie had no excuse to say no when Tem assured him that she was ready. Of course, Audie sent Tem as well.

At least it wasn’t Ferryton far to the north, or worse, Vostel. The law only stood true for the Marevisum Valley. That was a large enough section of Menia to keep clear of the vile beasts. Though, truth be told, he’d send aid to any of their villages in need.

A glint just beyond the city gates caught his attention and Audie’s heart raced. Since the loss of his wife and son, Andi had become even more precious. But as both father and king, Audie knew he couldn’t keep her safe forever. He lifted the spyglass to confirm that the group riding toward the castle was the lodge sent off days before. Everyone appeared whole and hale and Audie sighed with relief. Then he left the parapet and made his way down to the bailey.

A group of squires was sparring in the courtyard so he stood near his knight in charge of training to watch. “It’s a fine-looking squad this round.”

Kendel gave him a nod then turned her gaze toward the trainees. “That it is, Highness.” One of the squires stumbled and she cupped her hands to yell, “Watch your feet, Seb! And Calli, stop dropping your shoulder on the swing or I’ll put you into cudgel training to strengthen that arm.”

They chorused, “Yes, Kendel” together then reset their form and began again.

She kept her eyes on the squires but spoke to the king. “The Princess is also progressing nicely. Her sword work already exceeds that of our basic recruits and her height and wiry strength work to her advantage in unarmed combat as well. You should be proud.”

He smiled at the observation. “I’ll always be proud of Andi. I only wish her mother could have seen her coming of age.”

“Speaking of that, Highness, I’d say she’ll be ready to test for her knighthood in less than a year.”
That did surprise him. “So soon?”

Kendel nodded and yelled again, “Joss, move those feet!”

He sighed and looked down. “She’s growing up so fast. Some days I wonder if I’ve pushed her too hard, put too much weight on her as my heir.” A quiet chuckle met his words and he raised a dark eyebrow at Kendel.

She finally met his gaze. “Sire, she pushes herself. Always has. I’m just glad she seems to have found her joy again. That little girl was serious as stone when she first began training. But now, Princess Andi has a smile as quick as her sword. She enjoys helping the other squires improve even though she’s naught but a squire herself.” Kendel shook her head and whistled. “And then there is her skill in the hunt. I’d say that’s the one activity where she’s as fierce as can be.”

“I’m aware. I know the loss of her mother to the wolves colored her view of the world.”

Kendel nodded. “Loss does that to all of us. Even now, I can’t bear to see a snake since my pa died. I think she’ll temper more as she gets older. Princess Andi just needs a little more time and experience to see that the world isn’t so black and white.”

“Perhaps.”

 Further conversation was interrupted as the lodge of rangers rode through the gate. One of the horses on the stringer held a massive stag and Audie knew they’d be dining well in the coming days. Two other horses were piled with dark furs.

Practicing squires stopped to watch as the group reined in their horses a few strides from the Audie and Kendel. Audie called to them, “Good hunting?”

“Of course.” Andi dismounted, leaving her horse and the one tied behind it standing near the rest of the rangers. “There were nine in the pack.” She scowled and added, “I slew the last beast myself, but not before it savaged one of Bordal’s lambs.”

“Any other losses?” Audie asked.

The lodge leader of the scout group waved the rest of the rangers toward the stables then dismounted and approached the king from behind Andi and Tem. “Bordal was smart and moved his flock into the barn after the first few attacks. So, nothing they can’t recover from by next spring.” Vellen said.
The king clasped his hands behind his back. “Excellent! And I see you’ve brought back supper for tonight.”
“Oh no, that was all the princess. Remember that if the meat is tough.” Everyone within earshot laughed at Vellen’s joke, including Andi.

Audie asked, “And if it’s soft as a rabbit’s ear?”

“Well then,” Vellen grinned, “it was a group effort.”

Another round of laughter echoed off the castle walls. “Either way, it’s a meal. Thank the lodge for me.”

“And the pelts, sire?”

“Have a few soldiers from the barracks drop them off to the tanner outside the gates. Tell him they need the same treatment as the rest. I believe the ranks have no need for more pelts. Send this batch to the market for a copper each. They’re warm coverings and many citizens could find use for them.”
Vellen nodded. “They are.”

Temmin waved over two guards while Audie spoke with Vellen. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to head for the bath house. I’m not as young as I used to be and could do with a good soak.”

“Go ahead, Tem. We’ll catch up later.”

“Thank you, Highness.” Temmin turned and strode back to his horse. He mounted and called to Andi, “Princess, I’ll drop the stag to the kitchen then take both your horses to the stable with mine.”

She smiled up at him. “Thanks, Tem. Are you sure you don’t want help?”

Laughter met her words. “I’m going to let Brody do that today. Seniority has its privileges and for me it means a quicker trip to the bath house. I’ll have him give Fleet and Swift hot mash and a good rub down.”

“Swift certainly earned it. I’ll take an apple to him in the morning.”

 That left just Audie and Andi standing at the edge of the bailey. Kendel had wandered off to get the squires back to their forms. He studied his daughter for a few moments and was surprised to see she’d nearly gained upon him in height. Where had the days gone? Rather than dwell on the passage of time, he said, “I’ve missed you. Would you care to walk with me for a bit, or are you too tired from your journey?”

Andi’s posture lost some of its rigidness and she graced him with a soft smile. “I’ve always got time for you, Da.”

He cherished these moments with his daughter because he knew that soon enough, time and duties would keep them too busy for a lot of those quiet evening talks they’d always enjoyed. If Kendel’s prediction of her knighting was accurate, his days with Andreia the child were quickly running out. So, he planned to enjoy their time together as often as possible. He knew Dellia would have done the same. Aphora rest her soul.

 

 

Chapter Two

 

Music caught her attention first. Luna could hear the deep drum beats from a league away and knew a celebration would follow. That’s why she dared her father’s wrath to creep closer under the cover of darkness.

A warning call echoed through the trees from above. “Where are you going?”

Luna’s hackles rose as she picked her way through the forest near the village, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. “Quiet, Cor! I don’t want anyone to think something is stirring the wildlife.” They were near enough to the base of the mountains but it was still very dangerous should she be seen.

“I am the wildlife and I’m rightfully concerned given what happened last time you went against the king’s wishes. Daughter or no, he’ll have you by the scruff for this. Besides, it’s not like the humans can understand any of the wild races. Let’s go play chase in the high meadow. I’ll even let you catch me.” Cor settled on Luna’s back and she paused. “These raucous creatures aren’t worth your curiosity, nor is there merit to leaving the safety of the higher reach just to spy on them.”

The truth of Cor’s words regarding the risk were as sharp as his talons but Luna wouldn’t be deterred. She’d been fascinated by the humans since she had found her first trinket and taken it back to her den ages ago. Cor helped her steal even more over the years but it wasn’t just their objects that Luna loved. It was everything about the human people.

Thanks to the Goddess Celestia, her own race felt all the same emotions as the two-leggers. They were just more reserved in how they displayed them. Despite pack magic, life was still difficult living in the high reach. It took a lot of planning to support their community through long winters, as well as keep the very knowledge of their race hidden in a land where wolves were hunted for merely existing.

Luna knew why the law was in place. They all did. Her father was the only one who could understand Humanese and informed them of the King’s decree. He said they’d need to be extra vigilant due to the actions of a wild wolf pack encroaching on Lupanee territory. From that day forward, her people were forbidden from contacting the humans and worked even harder to guard the lands around their den hive as well as the wild ways into the human’s valley. No one wanted the hunters to come into the higher reach.

She thought her father might relax the rule after fifteen years and no royal hunters sent out to scour for wolves. But he hadn’t and Luna was forced to sneak around to study the people of the valley. And study she did.

They were fascinating and diverse from the Lupanee, even discounting physical differences. While both their peoples had music of the voice, humans could create devices to make sound or rhythm. They’d dance and sing long into the night. She wondered if her people had the ability to create such beautiful things like mud rocks, colorful flapping wraps, and birdsong pipes, if they’d frolic with such abandon too.

But Luna had also seen the humans toiling through their days, harvesting tall meadow grass, guiding animals around a dirt patch, and floating on dead tree dens in an effort to get closer to the same fish that the Lupanee catch in the mountain streams. They worked hard and played hard, just in a foreign way to anything Luna had known.

“Luna! Please turn back. If you do, I’ll steal a shiny mouth stick for you to take back to the den.” His offer was tempting but she had plenty of their eating implements.

Cor sat on a rock nearby and Luna quietly whined in his direction while stalking closer to the dark village in a low crouch. “Hush or you’ll give me away. I want to see them frolic.”

She knew the humans rarely wandered out of the small and large firelights once the dark had fully risen. It was especially true on nights with no moons in the sky. It was fortuitous that they were having a celebration on one such a night. It meant that no one could see her black fur in the trees under the cover of darkness.

Luna crawled into a thick bush, close enough to see the activity in the small clearing at the edge of the village, but not so close that someone would stumble upon her hiding spot. Cor landed and walked into the bush with her, ruffling his feathers in irritation. At least he was smart enough to hold his tongue at that point. Any noise at all would bring someone into the edge of the wood to make sure it was safe for revelers. A fact Luna knew from experience.

A squeal caught her attention and she watched as a pack of human pups ran toward an adult, yelling, “Andee.” She wasn’t sure what the Humanese word was, but she guessed it was the tall one’s name. There was something different about that particular human. Female by the scent of her. She was taller than some of the males in the group of dancers. And despite the zealous response of the pups, the rest of the humans appeared subservient.

It resembled the way the pack acted toward her father, or her eldest sister Vulpa, who was the pack’s Canae. Vulpa would lead the pack after her father. Luna and the rest of her littermates were superfluous unless something terrible happened. But this Andee must be a leader. It would explain why Luna had never seen her before. Most people of importance stayed near their large city of stone at the edge of the great water far to the southwest. A place no Lupanee dared approach.

The female raised her front paws, hands Luna’s father called them, and the pups settled. Then she removed the vine from her waist that held a familiar human implement, the shiny fang. No, a sword. Father said their waist weapons were swords. They were dangerous and sharper than winter ice on the paw pad.

With large and small fangs removed, Andee welcomed the pups near again. The sound of human laughter could be heard over the music and beating rhythm. And despite Luna’s love for the dancers and song, her eyes never left that of Andee’s lean form.

Luna was hypnotized by the human that seemed so noble compared to the others. With her short top fur the color of late sunset, and skin a similar hue to the bark from trees found in the sandy meadow, Andee held her attention fast.

Her observation was interrupted by sharp paw pain. Luna looked down and nearly yelped when Cor stabbed her with his beak again. She huffed at him and he gave a low chirp. She knew it meant they should withdraw from the village. Luna cast one last longing gaze toward Andee and backed out of the thick bush. Her body wasn’t built for such an action so it was slow going.

Once they were far enough into the woods to be safe, Luna asked, “Did you see the human leader? The one the pups called Andee?”

“A leader?” Cor hopped around near her paws. “Are you sure?”

“Yes! I may not be in line for rex, but I can read pack structure as well as the next wolf. The humans treated Andee like a rex. At the very least, an heir like Vulpa.”

“She’s young. I’d bet ten of their shiny chips that she is a canae. It makes the most sense if she is a human leader.”

“And did you catch her scent?” Luna pranced excitedly in place. “It was soft like the flappy wraps made from animal hide. But she also smelled of horse, fang, and wood. I found it soothing. Did you like her scent?”

Cor cackled. “I didn’t smell all that. You’ve clearly mistaken me for some sad, flightless wolf. Why are you so fascinated by a single human? None of the others have ever caught your attention in such a way.”

Luna paced around the small clearing. The night was nearly black but starlight was all she needed for sureness of step. “I don’t know. But something draws me to her.” She abruptly sat upon her haunches and huffed. Cor fluttered into the air then landed near her left paw. “It doesn’t matter. It’s unlikely I’ll ever see her again,” Luna admitted regretfully.

“True. If she’s one of the leaders, she probably doesn’t come out to the villages often.”

Luna let out a long sigh of sadness. “I suppose not.” Then she stood and shook herself free from her inexplicable yearning. It was a foolish emotion and one not fitting between creatures of differing species. Especially for a creature that surely hates her kind based on the past fifteen years of human aggression. “I need to race the night to return in time for next patrol. Will you be okay in the air from here?”

Cor cawed. “I’ll be fine as long as I watch for owls.”

Luna nosed her friend and he leaned into her muzzle. Then she turned and raced off into the darkness, headed for the den hive in the high reach.

 

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Luna returned home late the next afternoon. She and a packmate had scented wild wolves during their scouting but didn’t pick up anything less than a moon old. They reported it to her father and he doubled the number of scouts along the wild ways near the northern end of the valley

When she approached the opening leading into her den she stopped. A shiny object the size of a large berry lay on the ground. She approached the thing with caution and a familiar scent assailed her. She yipped with joy. Andee.

Luna looked around and spied Cor sitting smugly in a nearby tree. “Where did you find this?”

“I flew back to the village early this morning. It was on the ground on the outer edge of the fire ring. The human must have dropped it while cavorting with the pups.”

Luna nosed the doodad. An iridescent stone that reminded Luna of their moon goddess glimmered in the waning light. It was the size of a river stone and surrounded by the same material as their shiny fangs. Swords. She inhaled deeply to set Andee’s scent in her mind. It was calming. “What is it?”

“I believe the object once dangled around the human’s neck. There was a broken silver vine nearby but I could only carry one.”

She turned to Cor and opened her jaws to give him her happiest wolf grin. “Thank you! I have just the spot for this. Someplace special where no one can find it.”

He just shook his iridescent black feathers, pleased but unwilling to admit as such, then cawed and flew off. Cor came and went on his own time and Luna didn’t take affront at his abrupt departure. Some thought it odd that her best friend was a raven but Luna had never cared about the opinions of her fellow Lupanee. She liked who she liked.

Luna carefully picked up Cor’s gift and carried it down into her den. There was a dark section near the back wall where the light from the entrance wouldn’t quite reach. It was there that Luna nosed a rock aside and placed the doodad into the space with reverence. Then she nosed the rock back into place.

Luna looked around. The rest of her den was a clutter of human goods and small animal bones. There were flappy wraps, birdsong pipes, shiny mouth sticks, widgets, bits, bobs, and hollow mud rocks they used for holding a variety of special human items. All things discarded or lost to a thieving raven. Perhaps they weren’t worth anything in the human world or the Lupanee, but they were Luna’s greatest treasures.

She was tired from the late night and day of scouting. Having eaten a squirrel on the way back to the den, Luna decided to take a nap. Her dreams were filled with Andee’s laughter and joyous human visage. What a great wolf the human canae would make.

​

****

 

Andi kept her horse steady at the head of the column of wagons on their way home. It was early in the season but her father made sure to keep supply lines open between the capital and the outer villages in the valley, sending wagon trains once a moon in the winter. Villages on the far northern border near Saccerid and Legaria also received supplies but they were much larger shipments with only one to last the season. It took nearly a moon to get to Vostel from Obita, the capital and largest port city in Menia.

Just as the villages and farms supplied food to the capital, the crown also sent fresh supplies and goods imported from other nations back to their people. Because of this cycle of commodities, there were no lean winters in the valley, and goodwill amongst most citizens prevailed. Her father was beloved for a reason. Not for the first time Andi wondered if she would do as well when it came time to sit upon the Menian throne.

She shivered in the night air and grabbed her rolled cloak to pull around her shoulders. She clasped it around her neck and realized something was missing. Andi patted at her chest then looked down the front of her tunic. “Fenwith’s balls!” One of the soldiers riding up the main road into Obita with her, snickered. She glared at him. “What?”

He shrunk back but spoke his mind anyway. He was one of the newest members of the group but already understood that all were equal of thought in their lodge, regardless of title. “You throw that curse around often enough, and yet you’ve admitted to interest in the wrinkly sacks of mortals.”
Andi cracked a smile at his joke. “True enough, Neff. But Aphora wills where she wants and we have no control over the love we seek.”
“If we did, Neff would have found a lover from the tavern by now instead of constantly searching the stables.”
Raucous laughter met the other ranger’s words. Neff defended with, “Hey, maybe my lover is at the stables!” That didn’t have the intended effect and the small man’s face darkened with a blush. “I meant that I’ve met someone there—”

Andi held out her hand. “Nay, say no more. We were just horsing around.”

Groans went around the group but laughter followed. “I regret saying anything at all. You lot are the worst!”

“Give it time, Neff. You’ve only been with the lodge two moons.”

“True enough. Stick around longer and you’ll see that we only get worse.

Andi nudged her horse over to bump into Bern’s. “We’ve all had our laugh now it’s time to leave him be.”

“Ooh, is that an order from our princess?”

She snorted. “No, it’s an order from your knight commander. Because we all know this lot is no place for a princess.”

“True enough,” someone called out from the back of the group.

Neff glanced her way and asked, “So what brought forth the curse that started this entire thing?”

“I lost my mam’s necklace someplace between here and Fox Grove.”

He looked alarmed. Anything to do with the late queen was sacred to all Menians, but none so much as the king and princess. “But that was days ago!”

Deg rode close and kicked Neff’s leg. “A little sensitivity, man.” Then he said to Andi, you were wrestling with the younglings during the celebration in Fox Grove. I bet that’s when you dropped it.”

His suggestion had merit. “Hmm, perhaps. I’ll send a bird to Counselor Garet tomorrow, once I’ve had some sleep.”

“Sleep, I wish I had it right now. I hate travelling all night, especially in the chill of spring.”
“Better than the winter,” another said.

Andi shrugged. “As do I. But that last farm was too small to host us for the night and we all voted to push through to the capital rather than camp along the road. Even you, Deg.”

He held up his hands, horse plodding along in the group without the need for reign or knee. “I know, I’m just saying.”

She nodded. “Besides, father wanted the wagons back as soon as possible. It’s not that much of a hardship. We’ll be in the castle soon enough and you all can enjoy your rest days.”

“Only if the stable is open, right Neff?”

Laughter followed the question and the poor man blushed again. She nodded. “Welcome to the lodge, my friend. Don’t worry, they’ll calm down soon enough. It’s only because you’re new and they’re bored. We’re used to being out in the forest, not escorting a bunch of wagons. But since this lodge is attached to me, you have to go where I go. And father needed an emissary sent to the border village to swear in the newest representative.”

The changed duties came about when Andi hit twenty summers. She’d been a knight for years but spent most of her time in the forest in her capacity as a royal ranger. Once she’d been given command of her own lodge of rangers, Temmin suggested that the attachment could double as her sovereign guard.

Andi was in a unique position where she couldn’t very well take a protective detail with her everywhere. It simply wasn’t practical. After much deliberating with the council, Temmin, Knight Commander Vespin, who was in charge of castle security, and pleading to her father, Princess Andreia’s Royal Rangers were born.

They drew near to the gates and Andi frowned again, pulling the cloak up and over her head to block the wind from the back of her neck. The loss of her mother’s necklace was an emotional blow that she wasn’t equipped to deal with just then. She was cold, hungry, bone-weary, and looking forward to a hot bath upon returning to her suite. With any luck, they’d have a few days of downtime before being sent out again.

The horses sped slightly the closer they got to home. The wagons split off as soon as they were released by guards to enter the large gates. Andi knew the giant wooden gates were more for show than any real defense. As far as she knew, they hadn’t been closed in hundreds of generations. Menia was lucky in that they had the mountain range to defend the valley from the rest of their land.

Legaria to the north were allies and had been so since Andi’s great, great grandmother signed a treaty with their princep. Saccerid only ever cared about their sheep and mage school. Her father mentioned recently that the Wythians were forging across the western expanse, taking over Kulon. The Kulonian king had died leaving no direct heirs. Of course, the Queen of Wyth wasted no time looking to expand her hold over the land.

Traders came through the mountain pass from late spring to early fall. The town they’d just visited, Fox Grove, was located at the very tip of the Toz Habbaht Mountain range and the easiest border to cross. They reported that the annexation of Kulon was fairly bloodless so far. Apparently, the dying king had let his armies dwindle down to nearly nothing. An easy target for the ruthless and powerful queen of Wyth. Time would tell if the Queen would unify the two lands on either side of the isthmus.

Once the horses were stabled and cared for, Andi left the rest of the rangers to their own routine and made her way to the castle. Her first stop was the kitchen where she knew Tanza would already be awake for the day, directing the other cooks to begin their baking.

“Andi! By Cassyn, what are you doing coming in so late?” She paused and added, “Or is it up early for you and your lodge of lackabouts?”

“Late I’m afraid, Mother Tanny. Had royal duties and an escort trip back from the low border and now I’m ready for something warm inside and out, then my bed.”

Tanny patted her shoulder and pushed her toward a table off to the side of the busy kitchen. “I don’t blame you. I’ve got fresh bread and some soup base that simmered overnight.”

Andi smiled up at the older woman, the long evening catching up with her. She sank into the chair, weary and chilled despite the warmth of the ovens. “Thank you. That means more than you can know after the night I’ve had.”

“Was it so hard then, the travel? Weather hasn’t been bad.”

“It’s not that. I found that I’d lost mam’s necklace sometime along the trip. Probably wrestling during the festival in Fox Grove.”

Tanny shook her head. “The younglings all love you. You’ll be a good mam yourself someday. I’m due for a break after breakfast. I’ll go up the rookery then and send a missive inquiring about your necklace.”

Tears pricked Andi’s eyes but she didn’t let them fall. “You shouldn’t climb that far.”

“Nonsense! I’m healthy as that horse of yours, Talon. Now it’s time for you to eat and rest. No arguments.”

“Yes, mother.” The promised food settled in front of her candle drops later. The bowl made a hollow thunk against the wood and Andi wasted no time spooning the fragrant broth into her mouth, cursing her burnt tongue. She paused to let it cool and asked, “Will you sit with me or are you too busy this morn?”

“I’m never too busy for you, lovey.” Tanny patted Andi’s hand and settled her plump backside into the other chair. 

Andi tore a hunk from the still-warm loaf of bread and dipped it into her broth. There was nothing better than the smell of fresh bread. She had fond memories of time spent in the kitchen after her mother died. She knew Tanny saw her as a daughter of sorts and Andi never minded the mothering she got from the head cook. It was nice. “This is really good. Will you be adding vegetables later?”

“Of course. I know how to do my job.” She leaned closer and said, “Speaking of jobs, when are you going to do yours and settle down? You’re nearly thirty and not getting any younger.”

Affronted, Andi countered, “I’m only twenty-seven and plenty young yet. Besides, you know it’s hard to find someone who isn’t just interested in the station. Frankly, if I never saw another empty-headed man or woman with what Da considers ‘romantic potential’ it will be too soon.”

Tanny snickered. “You’ve always been…fussy, love.”

“It’s called discerning. I’m waiting until someone actually catches my attention. I want what my parents had and I’ll wait as long as I need in order to find it.”

“Whatever happened to Dorin? You two courted for nearly a year then—” Tanny waved her hand through the air, “Pfft. You ride out early one morning with your lodge and Dorin went back to Ganza with her escort.”

“I—” The breakup with Dorin was six moons old but still stung a bit. It wasn’t that she didn’t care for the woman. They hit it off well more than any of the others her father and the counselor tried to set her up with. But, in the end, they weren’t well matched when it came to depth of emotion. Something remained missing for Andi and without it, she could not in good faith return Dorin’s declarations of love. A fact that rankled the other woman until it became a regular point of contention between them. Rather than admit all that, she shrugged. “It wasn’t meant to be, I guess.”

“Nonsense.” Tanny swatted Andi’s hand, the one holding the bread. “Chatter around the castle says she declared her love repeatedly and you remained cold to her.” Andi opened her mouth to deny such callous actions but was stayed by Tanny’s hand. “Now love, you know I don’t believe all that. But I’ve known you your entire life and you’ve always had an aversion to opening your heart. Loss does that to a person.”

Andi thought hard about Tanny’s words. She knew them to be true. By Abbad, it seemed everyone did at this stage of her life, past her years of exploration and carousing. In the end, she admitted, “You’re not wrong. But I refuse to say it unless I mean it with all my heart.”

Tanny shook her head and sighed. “I wish all the suitors of my youth had been so steadfast with their emotions. But, alas, I think you’ve got the right way about you, love.” She leaned forward and tapped Andi’s nose, something she’d done to make a point since Andi was knee high to the serving maids. “While I’m glad your heart knows what it wants but I’ll caution that you won’t find anyone of interest as long as you spend more time in the trees than you do with other folk your own age. You’re going to need heirs eventually if you want to continue the Lycaon line.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Andi wiped the bottom of her empty bowl with the last bite of bread before popping it into her mouth. Once she swallowed, she sat back and stretched arms over her head. The lethargy of a long night and full belly already lulling her into drowsiness. “Right now, I’m more interested in getting into my own bed than someone else’s. While I may not be old yet, I’m certainly not young enough to ride through the moons any more after days on the road.”

Tanny chuckled then stood and came around the table to give Andi a tight hug before collecting her dish. “Oh, lovey, ignore everything I’ve told you. I hope you never change.”

Andi rose and shook her head. “Change is inevitable, Mother Tan. A fact we both know well. Thank you for the meal. But now I fear I’m too tired for a bath so I’ll have to settle for a rub down like Talon and search for a good soak after I’ve caught up on my sleep.”

“I’ll let your father know that you’ve returned when he comes down for breakfast in a few candle marks.”

“Thank you.” Andi leaned down and placed a kiss on Tanny’s wrinkled cheek before leaving the kitchen and heading deeper into the castle where her suite of rooms was located.