Howl Your Appellations

The ‘Ow’ in Howl

Lissana  Mons

Neel is leading towards, nowhere for now. I only see the same waters and waterfalls, the same bushes and the same tiny fruits for miles. I’m gonna get all pruny and through some unholy circumstance, he’s managed to get my permission to hold my arm. He told me that the waters are deep, but you can never drown there, you’ll just fall forever but never drown. It’s supposed to be a metaphor or something. I look down and all I see is water.

I can’t channel my full form when I’m here too. I wonder what’s up with that. Maybe the waters prevent switching. Hm, I could ask but I feel like he’ll say it’s complicated or something. We’ve been traveling for probably a whole thirty minutes now and he hasn’t opened up a conversation. I’ll absorb the scene a bit more and then I’ll say something.

A few minutes has passed. The dude still hasn’t said a single word but he seems to be enjoying himself. I can hear him faintly humming too, but like, he’s trying to keep me from hearing it.

“What are you humming?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s a tune for a composition I’m writing.”

“Ooh a composition? What…what’s a composition?”

“Composition is, well, an original piece of music. I’m planning on making an album; just a little short story.”

“Oh! Sounds neat! So you still keep your human form after all. Do you know any Were melodies?”

“Were melodies? I’m afraid not. I only hear the songs of my kind of Were. I bet your kind make beautiful music too.”

“Yeah! Well, yeah. Our howls are strong and powerful and our chimes are eclectic since we take a lot of our inspirations from all sorts of elements and Weres.”

“Do you make music too?”

“Me? Well, I howl but I don’t make music. I think some of my members can play an instrument but I haven’t really paid attention. My mom and dad used to make music together though.”

“My parents played together as well! They were in a band. The only person who doesn’t have any musical qualities is my sister. But she’s good at other things. What about you? Have any siblings.”

“I have one but he died so…it’s just me now.”

Why is it so easy to talk to this guy? I don’t really like to bring my brother up ever but I wouldn’t mind talking about him if it’s with this guy. I don’t know; maybe it’s the waters, maybe it’s the caves but somehow, I feel like he’s good.

“Luna, I’m sorry. Were life is tough, but it’s the life we chose to live.”

“Some of us didn’t get to choose.”

“You… well you’re right. There are things as unfair as that.”

“Can I hear it?”

“Hear…my composition?”

“Yea.”

“Sure~”

He hummed a really simple tune, but it resonated with me for reasons I’m not sure I fully grasp. He’s a Mer-Were with beautiful blue scales that remind me of the rainbow fishes in my childhood. He hums and I feel like I’m floating down the sea as a jellyfish.

“How do you like it? It’s about the beginning of a journey of a little anchor.”

“About an anchor? It sounded more like jellyfishes in my opinion!”

“Hahaha! Interpret it how you like. I think it says a lot about you.”

“What do you mean by that.”

“Nothing! Oh, we should take a short break. I’ve been dragging you for a while now and we are getting closer to piranha territory. Unluckily for us, there are no other Mers in the area so I need some time to devise a plan.”

“P-piranhas!?”

“Yes. I can try and reason with them but it’ll be hard since I’m not a piranha.”

“What type of Mer are you then?”

“Oh! I thought it was obvious! I was pretty embarrassed about my decision but my partner told me it suited me. I’m a rainbow fish!”

“Ah.”

“Don’t make any further comments! Here, eat some fruit and give me a few minutes to think.”

It’s almost like he’s sulking. I thought his fins looked familiar. Abalone is known for having tons of rainbow fishes. They even made storybooks and TV shows about it. I bet he grew up with the fishes just like me. f**k, that’s adorable.

“Give me a few more minutes, okay? I’m having a hard time deciding which route is the best one.”

“Alright. I’m just going to keep eating.”

“Hm, you have pretty large canines even though you’re a human. What kind of Were did you say you were again?”

“Me? Wolf! Were Wolf! Er, Wolf Were. Oh, and that reminds me, why can’t I switch to my full form here? Not that I can’t defend myself like this, just curious.”

“Wolf huh. Maybe that could work. And to answer your question, it’s to prevent conflicts. Other cursed Weres also find their way here. Sometimes they don’t get their curses lifted, so Luna probably interfered with the connection. You can still channel at most 35% though. I think that’s enough to survive the caves.”

“Whoa! Yeah! Thirty-five is plenty. I get it now. Luna can be pretty smart too I guess.”

“You definitely need to refrain from saying such blasphemous connotations. It’ll turn into a bad habit.”

Little does he know that it has already become an impregnable vice for me. I can’t go back to just mindlessly adoring Luna. As beautiful and perfect as she is, she can be cruel and incredibly, painfully distant.

“I think I’ve got an idea! I really wanted to overcome this obstacle with just the two of us, so I’m glad you’re a Wolf Were. We’ll do great, it’ll be so much fun!”

“Don’t just decide that! So what’s the plan, rainbow?”

“We have to be underwater for this so practice your breathing. And prepare your loudest howl. ”

“What.”

So apparently, Neel wants me to howl underwater. And he’ll swim us across the shoal of tiny flesh eating fish. I kinda don’t trust his speed and arm strength but who knows! He might surprise me! And if not, then I guess we’re as good as f****d.

“Don’t you worry Lissana. I’ve got a back-up plan just in case one of us draws first blood.”

“You are not making it easy to trust you right now. You better be a fast swimmer!”

“All set! Go!”

Splash!!

I just have to do what I do best, right? Howl like the fate of the moon depends on it. Okay, I see the shoal,

“AAaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo~!”

“Oh! Wait, I think that’s too loud! God, Lissana!”

Just hurry up and swim fish brain. I don’t know how long I can hold my breath for! Oh s**t you really can swim fast!

“Close your eyes! We’re going faster!”

And just like that  we managed to cross a tiny hurdle. That didn’t really seem like much of a problem.The fast rushing water and going against the current felt like a hard massage on the face. But what is this faint metallic scent I smell? Blood?