Sleeping With The Moon Goddess

Gifts From The Moon Goddess

After we finish breakfast, my father heads out to his office and I help my mom clean up in the kitchen.

“See you at 10?” my dad asks me from the door. I must have had a puzzled look on my face because he continued, “We need to go to the Harding's’ farm. John thinks some kids have been messing with his crops. Asked us to come take a look?”

“Right, I didn’t forget about it,” I totally did, “I just forgot what time”. I smiled my sweetest smile at him.

“Sure” he chuckled. “See you at 10”.

I waved him goodbye, “I’ll be there.”

Turning back to my mom, “I think I’m going to go over and see grandma this morning before I head in to meet dad.”

“Sure sweetie, she would love to see you! Here, take her breakfast, we still have plenty. Oh and remind her that I will be by Monday at 11 to pick her up for our ladies' luncheon.”

“Will do mom.” I head over and put on my gym shoes before grabbing the keys to my little black jeep. Mom hands me a bag with the food for my grandma and after a quick kiss goodbye, I’m on my way.

I pull up to my grandma's beautiful cabin home. She doesn’t live far but she lives away from town and closer to the woods near the border. My father doesn’t like her living this far out but she prefers living alone as she would say.

Plus, it’s easier for her to hide who she is living out here. I can’t imagine anyone in our pack who would gossip to another pack about my grandmother being an oracle, but my father would never risk her safety.

Same as my grandfather wouldn’t risk it. Only family knew of her gift. Her little Porsche was parked in her driveway, as usual, my grandmother hasn’t driven in years, but dad still insisted she keep a car if she was going to keep living out here. Such a shame, I thought as I looked at the nice little car probably gathering rust.

I go to knock but find the door unlocked, so I go in.

“Grandma?” I call out. “It’s me, I brought you breakfast”. “Are you up?”

After a moment of silence, I set the food down and head upstairs to her room. After no answer to my knocking, I open the door. Beds made per usually and her room is empty. I check the other rooms upstairs before heading back down.

“GRANDMA?!” still no answer. Ok, weird. “Grandma, where are you?” I said in a mind link . . . . . . . still no answer.

Now a little panicked, I go to her back patio and look outside. Across the field, right at the entrance to the woods, I see a figure. “GRANDMA!” I yell. Nothing.

Suddenly, a howl from the northern side of town rings out. It came from one of the guards. Rogues! Then another howl from the opposite side of town, Rogues there too?! In the next few seconds, guards from every post along the border howl out signaling rogues have crossed into our borders.

My father’s voice comes into my head. “Everyone, Rogues are attacking from the north and south side of the border. All warriors are to head to their assigned location at once. Any men who are able to fight are to go to the edge of the city and keep any stray rogues from getting in. All women and children are to get to a safe house at once!”

“Girls, where are you?!” Came my dad’s voice again, but only to myself and my mom.

“I’m almost to the hospital. I’ll help get as many people as I can down to the basement”. I could tell my mother was running. As Luna, she would always put her pack first and wait until every member was safe before she would join them. “Cam where are you?!

“I’m at grandma's, I think she’s outside.”

“Get her and meet your mom at the hospital!” My dad yelled.

“Please be safe!” my mom pleaded.

“Always am, I love you girls!” he said before cutting the mind link. He must have reached the border.

Now frantic, I begin to run towards the woods to my grandma, shouting at her to no avail. As I get closer, I see that she has a light glow around her. She must be conversing with the Moon Goddess. Really?! NOW!

You would think the Goddess would know that now is not the time! Just before I reach her, I notice something that makes me freeze.

There appears to be a young girl, naked, lying on the ground at my grandmother's feet. She must have just shifted. She was dirty, with her pale face sunken in. The poor girl looked emaciated like her wolf had been running for days; like she had just run through all of Canada and crossed the border into our backyard.

She too, was surrounded by a soft light. Worried she was dead, I took a step closer until I noticed her chest rise with a shallow breath. Thank the Goddess! The glow that covered her slowly began to fade while my grandma began to glow brighter.

“Rest now my child, no harm shall come to you.” those words came from grandmother but they weren’t her own. What in the Moon Goddess is going on?! Glancing back down at the girl, her skin was now soft and tan, lips a soft pink, beautiful Auburn hair that shined against the sun. Her body no longer appeared emaciated, she actually looked healthy. What the . .. . . .

I now realized my grandmother was facing directly at me, eyes white, hair almost floating around her thin shoulders. Her glow was so bright it almost hurt to look at her.

“Grandma, rogues are surrounding the city, we have to go now!”

“My child,” the enchanting voice said. “It is time, I am sorry that you must carry this burden, but know that I am always with you.”

“Grandma, what is going on! Answer me!” I shouted. “We have to go!” The chorus of howls and fighting off in the distance was a brutal reminder of what’s coming.

I turned around to make sure the clearing was still safe. When I turned my head back, my grandmother's hands went to both sides of my cheeks. Staring me straight in the eyes, she began to chant something I couldn’t quite understand.

She was speaking directly to my wolf. I could feel it. I suddenly felt dizzy and light, almost like I would float away. My eyes felt heavy, and I had no choice but to close them and succumb to the darkness.

* * * * * * * *

When I opened them again, I was running; faster than I have ever ran before. Trees flew past me as my wolf tore through the forest. What had happened?

Images of our warriors fighting flash into my mind, rogues, the smell of blood. My father, bleeding and torn, screaming for me to run, my wolf jumping over dead wolves, warriors, and rogues alike, just to escape.

Escape what? The images are gone! I can’t remember now. These images are fleeting just as quickly as they appear. What did I just see? I can’t remember. The last thing I can remember now, I was training with my dad. Maybe the smell of sausage? Goddess, why couldn’t I remember! What was happening to me?

“You will run. You will run as fast as you can. Run until you find them. You will not stop until you find them. Trust your instincts for they will guide you.”

“You will remember everything when you are ready. Until then, you must prepare.”

Prepare for what, and who are them?! Why are we running?! I try to ask my wolf but she doesn’t answer me. Only the words of the Mood Goddess echo over and over in the back of my mind as we continue to run.