Witch in wolf's clothing - Namaari

I perch high in the ancient oak, my back against the sturdy trunk, watching as the sun dips closer to the horizon. The world is bathed in a warm, golden glow, and the leaves whisper softly in the evening breeze. My dark brown hair, with its subtle red highlights, catches the fading sunlight, creating a halo of fire around me. "A princess in a tree," I muse to myself, savoring the rare tranquility. For a moment, I can forget about pack rules and responsibilities. Yup, I'm a werewolf. Or, at least, half. The other half of me is witch. My parents are the Alpha King and Luna Queen of a large territory, including my pack, the Moonstone pack. Almost twenty-five years ago, they were chosen to lead several packs now under their rule. Within our territory lie nine packs: Moonstone, Thunder, Eldermoon, Crimson, Bloodflame, Frostweavers, Silverstrike, Steelclaw, and Ravencrest. The Moonstone pack lies roughly in the center, and all other packs are surrounded by dense forests, which gave our kingdom its name—Verdantwood Kingdom. My father, Wakeem, is beloved by all the packs and rules alongside my mother, receiving considerable help from my uncles. I am very much a daddy's girl. Although I'm surrounded by wolves, I feel a stronger kinship with witches. I'd say I'm quite skilled in spells and potions. My mother, Nimué, is a powerful witch, so it's no surprise I inherited her talents. My mother and my great-grandmother, Lavina, who passed away from old age when I was young, founded the Moonstone pack's school for witches, Fawnvale Hazelily Academy. It's located on a piece of land, called Hallowvale, where many witches, gathered by my mother from different packlands, live together. It’s sort of a safe haven in the Moonstone pack where witches can hone their talents and magic. Despite her achievements, many packs are still hesitant about witches. Packs within our kingdom are sometimes skeptical, let alone those outside of it. My mother specializes in healing and communicating with the dead. I've learned many healing spells from her, but I prefer making potions and creating new spells — something not many can do. Maybe that's why I don't have many witch friends at school; they find me odd or are jealous, or perhaps they're just intimidated because I'm not fully a witch but also half werewolf. I can't talk to the dead, or at least I haven't been able to yet, but I can communicate with animals. It's much easier for me to talk to animals than to people. I often escape to the forest to converse with the creatures there. The wolves find this a bit strange. Let's just say I'm somewhat of an outsider, both among werewolves and witches. Suddenly, I am pulled from my thoughts as I feel a familiar tickle on my back. Zephyr, my trusty ferret, scurries over my shoulder and nuzzles into my neck. I laugh, the sound echoing through the trees. "At least I have you, my best friend," I say, stroking Zephyr gently. He responds by rubbing his snout against my cheek, his deep blue eyes shining with a curious intelligence. Zephyr is a small, graceful ferret with a silky coat that is a mix of white and silver, giving him an almost ethereal appearance. He is about 30 centimeters long, including his slender tail, and weighs only a few hundred grams. This makes it easy for him to slip into my jacket pocket or rest comfortably on my shoulder. He is lively, playful, and exceptionally intelligent. I found Zephyr in the forest when I was very young. He had been caught in a trap, and I freed him, nursing him back to health with my fledgling healing skills. Since then, we have been inseparable. Thanks to my extraordinary ability to communicate with animals, I can confide in Zephyr about anything. He shares a deep empathetic connection with me. Despite his small size, he is brave and always ready to help me, no matter the situation. This is especially useful given my rebellious and adventurous nature. As a child, I got into all sorts of mischief, with Zephyr as my partner in crime. Once, while I was brewing a potion and practicing new spells, Zephyr accidentally fell into the mixture. Ever since, he has the ability to turn invisible at will. His scent is also undetectable, both in visible and invisible form, making him a master at sneaking into places unnoticed for mischief. "Remember when you first discovered you could do that, turn invisible?" I whisper, a smile playing on my lips. Zephyr chirps in response, and I understand his meaning perfectly. "I stole all of Nikolaj's candy that day," he says. "Yes, and Nikolaj thought it was me," I reply, chuckling. "He was mad at me the entire day. Luckily, he can't stay angry with me for long. Besides, when he found out it was you and that you could turn invisible, he made you steal candy from Nester's room in return." Zephyr chirps again, and I can almost see the mischievous glint in his deep blue eyes. The memory makes me laugh harder. "We ate all the candy under the blankets in my room until we had stomachaches and couldn't go to school the next day." For me, that was a punishment. I hate lying in bed; I love going on adventures and learning new things. It's no wonder I completed my witch studies with a specialization in Arcane Studies and Spellcraft at the age of seventeen. I've also earned a bachelor’s degree in Lycanthropic Physiology and Transformation Control through home study. This includes lycanthropic medicine, transformation techniques, and physical training. My brothers think I'm a nerd for this, but they also say they're proud to have such a smart sister. Now, I want to start a master’s degree, but I haven't decided what to pursue yet. My four older brothers, Nester, Nikolaj, Naveed, and Nowen, are all in different packs at the moment. "I miss them," I say to Zephyr, my voice tinged with sadness. Zephyr chirps in agreement, then adds, "But not Nester so much. He's always so serious." I laugh at this. "Nester has a heart of gold; he's just not as mischievous as you and me." Zephyr nuzzles into my neck, and I feel a surge of affection for my little companion. Suddenly, I hear a familiar voice calling up to me. "Hey sis, did I hear Nester's name? If you're gossiping about him, I'd love to join in!" I look down and see my second oldest brother, Nikolaj, climbing up the tree. "Nikolaj! You're back!" I shout, excitement bubbling up inside me. Nikolaj, with his dark blond hair and blue eyes, grins up at me. He pulls himself onto the branch next to me with ease. Slightly smaller and slimmer than Nester, he is still athletic and fit, with an infectious smile and a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I'm not long back," he says, settling beside me. "Of course, the first thing I had to do was find my favorite sibling. I figured you’d be up here since there’s no chaos on the ground." I laugh, feeling an immense joy at having him back. Nikolaj has always been the impulsive and adventurous one, constantly seeking excitement and challenges. A bit like me, you could say. Despite his playful demeanor, he is super sweet and is fiercely protective of me. I love all my brothers dearly, but I share a truly unique bond with Nikolaj. Zephyr, sensing my happiness, crawls onto my lap, and I reach out to stroke him. "Nikolaj, you have no idea how much I’ve missed you," I say, my voice softening. "I missed you too, Namaari," he replies, his eyes twinkling. "So, what kind of trouble have you been getting into without me?" "Not much," I say nonchalantly, but then I start listing off everything I’ve been up to. "Let’s see, I perfected a new healing potion, managed to outsmart the pack’s best tracker during a training session, and spent a whole day communicating with a wild hawk. Oh, and I might have sneaked into the Fawnvale Hazelily Academy’s restricted section to read some ancient spellbooks." I finish with a playful grin, "But if you had been here, there would have been real trouble. It’s been kind of boring without you." Nikolaj chuckles. "Sounds like you’ve been keeping yourself busy, but you’re right, the real fun starts now that I’m back." "So, how was it in the Silvermist pack?" I ask, genuinely curious. Nikolaj spent three years there, studying for his Bachelor’s degree in Leadership and Strategy, before he started his Master in Strategic Warfare and Combat Tactics here in our own pack. But in these three years, he became good friends with the triplet sons of Alpha Mornan. They’ll be taking over the pack soon, and hopefully, thanks to the bonds Nikolaj built, they’ll be open to more collaboration with our pack. The Silvermist pack isn’t part of our kingdom; they’re located on the coast. They’re the largest coastal pack, but still nothing compared to the Moonstone pack. However, they’re incredibly wealthy due to their trade. Father wants them to join our kingdom, or at least form an alliance, because of their strategic importance. Mother, on the other hand, is more hesitant. She doesn’t fully agree with their values and norms. All our brothers study in different packs at least until they’ve earned their bachelor’s degrees. It’s always for political reasons or to strengthen alliances. I’m slightly jealous. I’ve barely left our packgrounds. Father prefers to keep his princess close. Nikolaj leans back against the tree and smiles warmly at me. "I did have a great time with the triplets. Kaynim, Tazzym, and Zyméo are a blast. They’ve become my best friends over the years. I am glad that, in between studying, I was able to spend the summer with them. After this year, they will become Alphas of their pack and will have less free time to do fun things. Besides, I will also have many more responsibilities and will need to help Nester with our kingdom." "Hey, I thought I was your best friend," I say, feigning hurt. Nikolaj laughs and ruffles my hair. "You are, Namaari. But you’re also my sister, so you get a special category all to yourself." I laugh, feeling a warmth in my chest. "Fine, I’ll accept that. Just don’t forget about me when you’re off on your adventures with the triplets." "Never," he says with a grin. "You’re too important to forget, sis." Just as I laugh at Nikolaj's joke, Zephyr makes a sound, demanding attention. I smile and translate for him, "Zeph says he doesn’t want to be left out either." Nikolaj chuckles, reaching over to rub Zephyr’s head. "How could I forget a troublemaker like you?" Nikolaj's stomach grumbles loudly, interrupting the moment. "Come on, let's head back to the packhouse. Mom and Dad are probably waiting for us with dinner."