2. Chapter One: Sundays.

[Someone Awesome...]

"Sunday." I breathed, only moments after my eyes had opened. Not that it mattered what the day was, really. I think it was more or less the feeling of a Sunday, every one just seemed... Happier. It was the only day of the week that the vast majority of mundane people dedicated to the three 'R's'. Rest, Recovery and Relaxation. I, on the other hand, had different plans.
Slivers of golden sun rays coated the roof of the Motel room as they escaped the stronghold of dirty light brown curtain that lined my window. I stared up at them as I remembered the story I had heard from a drunken man at the bar the previous night.
"I was makin' my way to the the river today. Wantin' to go fishin, Y'know. I hadn't bin since my wife got 'ome two weeks ago. Anyways, I had all me gear with me as I got out of the car I saw a man had already beat me to me favourite spot near the bridge. He was standing just by the rivers edge." He spoke to his friends. "I thought he was fishin when I first saw 'im . Then I noticed that he didn't have a fishin' pole. I had to wonder what he was doin' all the away out there'. Still, he could'a been crabbin' "
His friend had but in then and punched his arm. "But there aint no crabs in Ryosha Henry."
His other friends laughed. I watched as the man I now knew to be Henry, frowned in annoyance. Obviously, he didn't seem to find it nearly as funny as the rest of them did.
After a brief moment of relapse he continued in a louder tone, trying to hush thier laughter. "Anyway. He was tall, with hair white as snow." He had taken a swig of his brew, and I watched him, listening intently to his words from across the pub. He had sounded so true with his story that he had pulled me into his words and I wanted to know more. I wanted to know where he was going with it, it just didn't seem like one of those stupid stories that had no point. The men around him began snickering and whispering things in each others ears, I leant forward, trying to listen to their soft murmers but I was too far away.
The man continued, ignoring his friends. "I was about to ask what he'd caught. Y'know, as ya' do. But I took one step towards him, he must'a 'eard me com'n or someth'n because he turned so quickly and ran into the bushes. It seemed a bit silly really. What was I gonna' do to 'im? At fist I thought that maybe he was doin' sum'n illegal and he thought I was the coppers. But there was nothin' around that looked suspicious. Anyway, after about half a minute a massive white wolf burst from the trees and ran across the bridge." He paused and there was a confused silence from the men around him. I knew exactly what he was thinking and his silence lead me to guess he had been thinking of a better suited explanation, but I don't think he could find any altenative solution. "I think.. He..." Another brief pause and he pursed his lips. "... Turned into a wolf. It's fur was so white, the same color as 'is hair. Maybe he was a ghost. Ye' Must'a been. You don't get wolves of that sort 'round 'ere and I aint never seen a wolf of that size before. Size of a bear, he was."
The silence sat for a few more seconds before suddenly, the other men burst into an echoing laughter. It was so loud I'm sure you would have been able to hear them from across the street. I suddenly felt sorry for the people who lived near by. They began prodding fingers into his arms from either side of him, shouting much louder than had been needed "Sure you weren't on a drunken rampage again, Henry?". That had made me laugh. I sat back in my bench knowing the story was over and tuned in to my beer and my thoughts. I for one, believed the man. Even if he was the town drunk. He had sounded so sure of himself and it was not nearly as hard to believe as the other men had made it seem.
There is much to be said about the world, so much is hidden from mundane eyes in the way of glamor, stubborness or just plain stupidity. This 'wolf man' was a shifter and this particular shifter had slipped up. He would surely be moving on by now, he could not stay here when the people of the town now knew about him. I certainly wouldn't. People these days would catch you, chain you to a pole and use you as a tourist attraction. I had planned to find him today and perhaps, we could travel to the next city together. I was so certain I could catch him, even if he did have an entire days run ahead of me. I had never met anyone that could out run me.
It would be nice to have a male companion for a change; Providing he was indeed a carefree person and wouldn't try to anihilate me on site. As much as I play with it, I do value my life.
I slapped the plain sandy quilt back with an almighty push and with a groan, yanked my body up. As I raised my arms high above my head, I could feel the stretch through my back and stomach. I arched my neck to carry the stretch further. This was my favourite part of waking up. It was all to satisfying.
Slipping from the bed, the wooden floor was cold against my abnormally hot feet, I curled my toes a few times trying to get used to the cool ground more quickly. I moved my way over to the old oak dresser and looked into the gigantic mirror. I had been here a few days now and I must admit, I only realised then that it was a little over sized, covering most of the wall behind it. It occured to me only then that maybe this room was meant for the faminine type of person.
The deep green eyes that stared back at me were brighter than usual today, they looked more like emeralds rather than the normal green sea water, probably because they were no longer shadowed by a heavy dark ring around them. It was nice to have spent a night in a bed for a change. The earthy ground just seemed to grow more uncomfortable with every night I lay down.
Sighing softly, I ran my slender fingers through my rough, dark chocolate hair, trying to smooth it out. Quite pointless really because it didn't work. My fingers kept getting caught in the small knots. It had not been washed for many days and was beginning to look more like a birds nest than actual hair but the bright cherry red flecks still shon like tiny licks of fire, untouched by the dirt. I mused at it's messy array sitting just at ear length.
I ran a hand over my chest, tangling my fingers into the small glass pendant that hung on the end of a black piece of rope tied around my neck. Curling my hand around the pendant, I twisted its tubular shape in between my fingers, the miniscule flame inside flickering like it was of a candle. A light hit of pride fell over me and I smiled.
After I had taken a hot shower and dressed myself in some board shorts and a tight black tank shirt, I slipped on my sneakers, slung my small backpack over my shoulder and headed down the stairs for some bacon and eggs.
Sitting at the table in the small resturaunt, I was there no longer than two minutes before the young waitress sauntered to my table, a cheerful smile on her plump pink lips. She had been serving me every morning and afternoon since I had arrived. I was sure she had a crush on me. "The usual? Sunny side up with an OJ." She chimed in her soft singing voice, blue eyes glistening like warm saphiresn against her silky pale skin.
The left corner of my muth curled and I smiled, nodding once. "You know me so well, we should just get married already." I joked, leaning in on my elbows. I'm not sure if she knew I was kidding though, the blood rushed to her cheeks and I could tell she was considering it. Or, thinking about it at least. I should probably tell her I will be leaving today. Maybe. Quickly, she turned and skipped back to the kitchen. I picked up my bag and rumage through it for my pad of paper and a pencil to write a letter to my mum.
After I had left home almost six years ago, the day after my eighteenth birthday, I had promised my mum I would document every step I took and write her letters every month. She was the most caring woman I had ever known, the sort of person that would put a bandaid on your cut and kiss it twice. Once because that is what all mothers did and the second time, just to give it that extra magical touch. She had always looked for the best for my brother, Soul, and I. My family wasn't rich. Poor, actually. My father was a blacksmith for a small town in the middle of Illiaria. He didn't recieve a pay check at the end of every week. Instead, the entire village would share it's rations around. Clothes, food, water... All the essentials. Everything was so scarce; Yet, they still found a way to raise us two boys as healthy as ever and we were just as happy as any child. It's true when they say money doesn't buy happiness.
They died in July, just over four years ago, almost two years after Soul and I had left home. A war had broken between my town and the nieghbouring town for land. Mine had been slaughtered.
I remember the day I had read that last letter from home. The memory was as fresh in my mind as if it had happened yesterday. Sometimes, I wish it wasn't.
I had kept up the letters every month and sent them, as promised; But because I was always on the move, I never had a stable return box, so it was hard to know when returns were coming and to actally recieve them was a nightmare. I would send mum my next address in every letter and only hope I could make it there by the time her replying letter had arrived. I always did.
This particular time, it had been a few weeks since I had recieved a reply from her, but I stayed at the same motel waiting for it. I had found a job in the grocery store as a packer to keep up my income.
The letter had arrived with the bulk mailing on the 25th of August. I looked at the dirty, tattered envelope, turning it around in my russet colored hands. It read the same name, Benjamin Blaze Nekishu. My name. Different address as last time ofcourse, it was the hand writing that confused me. It was so foriegn, neat and tidy. Curly in all the right places. Nothing I had seen before from anyone I knew; And written in ink. My mum had always written in charcoal, her way of saying, 'dad's here too', I guessed. I moved over to my bed and took a seat so I could begin reading.

Benjamin,

I am writing on behalf of your parents. You and I have not met, but I have been recieving the letters you and your brother write to your mother. I am a Sargeant of the Illiarian Forces. A war struck between the two tribes of Illiaria, land has grown scarce with crops and no rain has blessed the land in a desperate amount of months. We were sent to help control the situation when it had spiralled out of control; But by the time we had arrived, the Kumari Tribe had been slaughtered.

I had paused on that last sentance for so long, reading it over and over again that the sun had had enough time to set bringing darkness to my room. It stared back at me with it's words of corruption. I remember thinking there is no way it could be right... It just didn't seem plausible. I just kept thinking, it must be a prank. I wracked my brains for an excuse. But as I continued reading those same lines, I just couln't come up with any explanation for this man playing a joke on me. With this realisation, my breathing excellerated dramatically, I raised to my feet and I found my eyes reading faster than my brain could manage to keep up.

It saddens me to inform you of the death of your parents. The way you write, I can see you hold them dear to your heart.
My deepest sympathies to you and your brother.

My hands had begun to tremble, vibrations waving through my entire body as I tried not to burn the letter to complete cinders in my hands. The paper crumpled under my fingers, my hands balling into fists as I tried to remain in control of the element I held, desperatly licking at the surface of my skin, just begging to burst free with flames of rage and regret.
Tears threatened me with their mask of blindness. I faught them as best I could closing my eyes so tightly it hurt, but I could feel the lump in my throat continuing to grow larger and harder to contain. With my eyes so tightly bound, I thought of my mum, standing beside my dad in his dirty work clothes as I left home. The last memory I had of the two people I had only ever loved besides my brother. The image was too much or my heart to handle, tearing it into pieces. The lump in my throat broke free and I dropped to my knees in defeat. Salty tears stained my cheeks but I did not bother to whipe them away as they were accompanied by whimpers of silence.
I had kept my promise, still; But I did not write letters every month, instead, I wrote them weekly. If it was the only thing I could give my mum in her death, then that is what I would do until my heart stops beating. I was always moving around, so I had much news all the time. Creatures I had met on my travels, things I had learned, places I had visited and things I had done an accomplished. Only, instead of posting them in the mail, I would set them alight and watch the ashes float up into the sky and dissapear into the heavens. I knew she was reading them, I felt her presence in the wind around me, blowing fingers through my hair, caressing my faceas she did when I was a boy and kissing my cheek. Twice.
I stared at the blank piece of paper for a long moment. When I had come back to reality, I realised my breakfast was steaming infront of me. Weird that I had not smelled it. The waitess must have brought it while I was deep in my reverie. I lifted my head to look around for her, but she was nowhere to be seen. I guessed that she was probably back in the kitchen.
My eyes went back to the paper and I let out a gentle sigh. I had done nothing this past week, no travelling. I had lived in the motel and caught up on much needed sleep. So I wrote:

Dear mum,
I miss you. Take care of dad.
Love you.

Benjamin.

Folding the paper four times into a neat little square, I placed it in the pocket of my shorts and finished my breakfast post haste. I savoured the tasteof the bacon as it's fatty residure hit my tongue. This would b thee last cooked meal I would eat for some few days, perhaps even weeks.
I walked to the counter to pay for my meal and was greeted by a burly man, around the age of fifty. He was wearing a baby blue collared shit and black trousers. His hair was balding. "Mornin' Blaze. What's the plan for today?" He asked me as I handed him my money.
"Well Jonah, I'm heading off today. Out to explore the next city."
His brow furrowed and his face suddenly changed, screwing up. A worried expression I realised. It was strange to see Jonah in any other mood other than happy, he was constantly smiling. "Probably not the best time to be heading anywhere into those woods without a gun. I heard a few stories of wolves in the area. Big ones, too."
"Wolves? As in, plural?" I asked raising a brow, intregued. "I heard last night that a man had seen one."
"Yep. Heard from a few fisherman and hunters they seen 'em around. You know those beast move in packs."
Not the beasts I know. So there is more... I let my shoulders shrug and took my change. Giving a crooked smile. "Nothing I can't handle man."
Jonah's furry gray eye brows lifted and he gave a small smile. "Just you be careful aye. Don't need to hear of a friend to go missing." He held out his hand, it was quite a bit larger than my own. Scarred and wrinkled with old age.
Friend. I smirked at the word. Aquaintance, maybe. Friends you intended on seeing again. He was friendly enough though. "Ah, don't worry old man." I laughed and took his hand meeting his chocolate brown eyes. "I'm tougher than I look."
He gave a chuckle. It reminded me of a little boys laugh. "Let's hope so. Take care eh'." His fingers wrapped around my entire hand with a little room to spare and he gave it a gentle shake.
"Yeah, you too." With that spoken I gave him a short smile before turning around. As I walked out, I didn't take the time to look about the old kitchen again, it was like any other diner you would have seen. Tiled floors, wooden benches equipt with salt and pepper sitting on the same wood table top. The bell chimed as I opened the door and I could feel those baby blue eyes watchng me as I made my retreat down the street.
The way was not a long one and before I knew it, trees lined the side walk. I couln't believe I hadn't seen this part of the town before now. Normally, I felt drawn to the wilderness, as if it were calling my name but for some strange reason I had felt nothing.
I kept a watch on my back, turning to see how far away I was from the prying eyes of town. The city scape just could nt dissaear fast enough and I began in a run, excited about my find.
The trees began to grow thicker, the canopy of hard leaves creating a barrier between the ground and the sun, letting only glittering lights lay the floor. Through the thin beams of sunlight, I could see dust and small bugs dancing in it's warmth.
Satisfied with how deep I had come into this wonderland, I hunched my shoulder and I stopped. The strap of my backpack fell down my arm and fit snuggly into my hand.
I took a knee and reached into my back pocket, placing my bag down. I felt the folded piece of paper in my finger tips and pulled the letter from my pocket. When I stood, I took a step away from my backpack and looked down at the letter. Clenching my fists, I felt a surge of energy flourish through my viens and my entire frame burst into a golden array of flames turning the paper instantly to cinders in my hands. I threw my arm into the air, oe ning my hand and let the ashes go. I felt the warmth of the flames licking at my skin, it was a neutral composition to me, my body temperature naturally flared off the chart due to my element.
Before a few mere seconds had passed, the tearing flames had dissapated without so much as a cloud of smoke and instead of a man, stood a great dark chocolate brown beast, his eyes burned at roughly chest hieght of an average man. Cherry red flecks of light seemed to race through his dence coat.
I lifted my head in greeting to my supressed form and watched the remains of the letter ascend through the scarce holes the roof the trees had created over the woodland floor with new eyes. I could see every small speck of ash as they twirled and danced towards the sunlight. Each dancing to it's own song as it dissapeared through the wall of darkness and for a moment, I felt a gentle pang of hurt deep in my chest accompanied by the feeling of longing.
Sighing softly, I took a minute to think about my parents, both of them; And Soul, my brother. I wondered where he was right now, what he was doing. He was much like my mum; Always wanting to help someone. I had always pictured him in the perfect household, a veil of green vines covering a two story cottage house somewhere in the subburbs, a wife with whom you could see a glow of the love and affection they shared for each other, as if it were bouncing between them like a liquid object and two, maybe three children running at their feet.
I was different. I needed no woman, nor did I care for one. Not one that I would keep as my own, save myself for and slave the rest of my life to anyway and children; Well, they were fun to play with, but to actally have to take one home at the end f the day. No. I don't think so.
With a mighty heave, I wrenched my neck forward and shook out my thick pelt. I felt I had neglected it for too long. Opening my eyes, they glinted like golden orbs in the night. The white and Iris of my eye ws a golden phoenix color and if you looked close enough, you could see that the pupil of my eye was indeed white, though the two colors blended so well you would not have noticed. They looked more like small clones of the sun than actual optics, though they wouldnot burn you nor did they shine brightly enough to emit any actual light.
Looking aroun with my wolven eyes, the world had suddenly grown a new meaning once again, everything was as clear and crisp in my new vision, my human comparison just did not seem justfied any longer, even if it was above the mundane standard. My large auds could pick up sounds from the neighbouring town as they swivelled utop my crown. I could hear the bell chime from the old diner I had eaten breakfast and dinner at every day for the past week or so. Cars that stopped in the parking lot at the SuperMarket across the road from my Motel and the doors as they opened and closed.
Lifting my maw into the air, the thick black leather on my nose twitched as I took in the new scents, my jaws parting slightly to taste the air as I did so. The dust and mildew hit me first, but I did not find it at all repuslive. No. I welcomed it after my long absence, it made my brain scream 'HOME'. I could taste a small animal, it's fur dusty with wood. Probably a squirrel I guessed, though I couldn't hear it at all. I realised then that the woodland was a very quiet place, a little too quiet. I shrugged it off quickly. I was here, that was reason enough for them to be as quiet as they were.
I looked at my bag on the floor and leant forward, taking the strap gingerly between my dagger like teeth and began in a slow trot. I could feel my terse shoulder muscles rolling under my flesh as I moved, they had been rarely used for so long and I felt more excitement than I should have to have them as relaxed as they were. I had no idea where I was headed but I kept my nose infront, trying hard to pick up any other scents of interest that might change my course.
The ground seemed so soft under the thick hide on my paws, I barely noticed the twigs as they snapped. I was more focused on the beauty this piece of the world had to offer me.
The sun beamed through the thick canopy of spruce trees, thier branches long and intertwining in each other leaving little glimmers of rays to shine down and litter the floor in the small spaces the leaves had left. Ofcourse nothing grew on the floor with the sun supressed like tha, it was covered in a thick carpet of deep green moss. An orange mushroom like fungus had planted itself in the wet wood of fallen trees and branches and leaves had fallen absolutely everywhere from the trees above.
I had been walking for what seemed like, at least half an hour and still I had no sign of any other wolves in the area. I was beginning to think that this 'Wolf Man' had in fact been made up by the town drunk on one of his rampages, just as his friend suggested. I sighed in dissapointment. My shoulders slumping.
Still, he had had a day start on me and perhaps I was not looking in the correct place. The drunk had said he had thought the man was fishing. All I had to do was search for a body of water. Filled with my new hope, I broke directly into a gallop.
The wind ran invisible fingers through my course coat as I sprinted. I was reminded of my mum and if I could have, I would have smiled. The feeling ran deep, willing me to carry myself faster still. No matter how much speed I could build up, my eyes did not fail me, I could see everything that crossed my path just as easily as if I had been walking at a slow pace. My ears wroked wonders with the increasing sounds, I could hear the sounds of the trunks Whooshing past my ears, growing with a greedy haste. Whump.. Whump.
As I rocketed forward, the sounds melted into one long note of sound and I could now only hear the wind as it bellowed into my ears. I felt so free and careless, my ears turned back, lining my skull to block out the gushing wind that filled them with a hard impact. I could now hear the soft thumps of my feet as they touched the ground momentarily with such a rythm, I found myself listening to it and enjoying the music of my freedom. The zip on my bag made a soft noise as it dangled and hit the metal thread of it's design. It sounded as if someone had been constantly hitting a small instrumental triangle in an irregular pattern.
I could feel my muscles contracting as they worked; Heating up intensly fast. My chest began to feel lighter and my tongue slipped past the small gap my teeth offered, lolling from my mouth as I took in long, heavy breaths, pacing myself.
The taste of woodland hit me at an alarming rate, so many fragrances set my taste buds alight. I was so in tune with my own body that I had not noticed the growing light of day. The small tunnels of light soon became massive plumes as the trees began to spread further apart. Small flowers writtled the ground and the soft chirps of birds fell upon my ears.
I had to have come at least a few miles from town by now, though I had not found myself the slightest bit tired. Slowing my pace enough to enjoy the gift of this glorious day, I took the time to look around for the first time since I had broken into my hastily run. The scenery had changed so very much in such a short amunt of time. Indeed it was the most beautiful woodland I had seen. No longer did the trees hug each ther, they had grown so far apart now that there was enough sunlight to make my eyes glitter a golden hue. I could see the spectrum of colors as I looked up at the sun, shrouding it like a field of protection. Every color of the rainbow, reds, yellows, blues, greens and every color in between. As I squinted my eyes a little more, a color that I was not familiar with came to visit my sites as it always did. I had wished for a name for this beautiful phenominon for so long now, but I had never foundone. So entranced by the show of color, my legs absentmindedly began to slow and within seconds, I had stopped.
My chest was rising and falling at a slow momentum as I took in strong breathes. The perfumes and colognes that were ignighted by the different wild flowers surrounding me seemed to be broken, by a musky, dry taste that I had not noticed before now. It drew my attention away from the spectrum of light immediatly and my head dropped to look directly forward, my ears instantaneously flipped to stand at attention on my cown and my body stopped any sign of movement. My breathing became shallow puffs of air, just enough to keep my blood oxygenated. Anyone who had been watching might have thought I'd turned to stone had it not been for the wind dancing through my thick chocolate pelt. I listened with such an intensity that I had not noticed my head creeping forward, yearning for any sounds. I dared not blink as my golden orbs darted from left to right.
Taking in a careful breath, I rolled my tongue, pulling it into my jaws and ever so slowly, I leant my head down; Eyes still darting around, and placed my back pack against the floor in a crouded patch of flowers. I felt a thick and uneasy tention race through my entire body.
The woodland aound me was so intensly quite, could have heard a pin drop amongst a bed of cotton wool. I was not sure hwmany seconds minutes had passed, but the uneasy feeling that had befallen my every whim could not be shaken. I ws thick in the air and I suddenly realised I was being watched.
I took in a deep breath, filling my cavernous lungs with as much air as they would possibly handle. As I breathed out my chest rumbled with a growl of warning to whom ever the intruder was that had set eyes upon me without exposing themselves. I had not moved an inch since setting my bag down, my head still bowed forward and my teeth clung gently onto the same strap, now soaking with my saliva. I wished for just a moment that I could shift and tell who ever was watching me that I meant no harm to them but I knew, that in doing so I would leave myself unprotected and that who ever this being was might very well have the oposite intentions for myself.
I was not a scared man and I would not let this... Thing, fool me into any false pranks. I felt my tail falling into a neutral state, sompleting a vivid line the arch of my back and very slowy, I raised my head. I managed a small tilt in my neck and in doing so widened my range of both site and smell. I breathed in the scent again, this time, examining it; Deviding the smells into individual samples.
There were so many. They all seemed to blend into one thick strand. One that I could pick up the most amount of was a loose and, almost entrancing taste of musk. I felt compelled to know more about it's fragrance and where it was coming from. The raw black leather that covered my nose twitched infintismally as I tried to reach deeper into it. A touch of... Sulphur? I was cut short by this find and my head was drawn up with a fast gesture. At almost exactly the same time, I heard a rustling behind me and two hard thumps against the ground. One of my ears turned backwards and in the same fluid motion my body joined it, lips curling up to reveal two rows of sharply pointed daggers; But the way was empty. Only golden rays of light splashed the floor. Nothing at all had changed.
I held my frame statuesque still again. For a second, I thought I must be imagening this whole scenario and perhaps I was so caught up in this new world that my sences were over playing themselves, but that was quickly intercepted as a dark blurr caught my vision to the right. I wrenched myself forward, my mind reacting to the movement before I had a chance to realise wat my eyes had seen and an ear piercing snarl flew over my tongue, tearing through the air.
I had taken two massive leaps intent on finding this illusive intruder before a almighty pain shocked my ribs, the blow smashing me into a tree a few meters away. I was on the floor for a mere thirtieth of a second when I realised what had hit me. I scrambled to my feet asfast as I could, my nails digging into the ground beneath me and the muscles in my hind legs coiled to spring. My torso ached from each side and every inhale I took sent a shock of pain on the left side. It felt like knife had punctured my body but I ignored it; For with each breath I drew, the delicious taste of musk layered my tongue thicker and thicker. I had found it's beholder or rather, she had found me.