The Lost Princess - Saving Lupin Borealis

Chapter Two - Lively One, This One

Elise’s POV

The moonlight broke through the sky and suddenly, my skin was on fire. I was breathing deeply, listening only to the sound of Fern’s voice, coaxing me through my shift. “It’s okay Elise, you know what you’re doing. Keep breathing, let nature take its course. The pain will pass quickly”. I could hear the hint of worry in her voice. Honestly, I think Fern is the best friend I have ever had. Suddenly, electricity shot through my spine, pain reaching down every limb all the way to my fingertips. It felt like all my bones were breaking, but at the same time, they felt like hot pokers, jabbing me from within. “Breathe Elise, don’t forget to breathe” and I took a huge breath, forgetting I always hold it back when I’m hurting. I wish there was any other way but this. I felt my fur shooting through my skin, my muscles stretching like a full body cramp I couldn’t stretch out. The night became clearer, my wolf form eyesight far superior, and the smells of the city began to hit me all at once. It was almost over. I shuddered as the last few changes took their place, my claws outstretched, my nose becoming wet above the hot breath escaping my lips. Are they even still called lips? I thought to myself, as Fern burst out laughing. “Yes Elise, they’re still lips” she said, still laughing. “Now, can we finally go for a run?”

I took off in a sprint, deep into the tiny woodlands attached to the common I shifted in. London was pretty sparse for hiding places, I was lucky for my speed as my bright white fur was pretty hard to conceal on the grey London streets. I’ve read that wolf fur helps to disguise them, but unless I was headed to Antarctica wolf evolution had left me pretty short on that side of things. I did think, shyly, that my wolf form was pretty, as far as wolves go. I am bright white in wolf form, with bright blue eyes, an ice blue I’d say. I feel far prettier as a wolf than I do in human form, my human form still feels awkward and foreign, I was only 5ft tall until just before my 16th birthday, when I shot up almost half a foot to 5ft6. I felt gangly and uncoordinated still, my sudden increase in height making me feel clumsy and out of rhythm, although that too is getting better. Fern interrupted my thoughts, “more running!” and noting the excitement in her voice I took off again, harder than before, hoping to help tire her out.

This was my usual routine, shift, run until Fern stopped harassing me and calmed down, then we would explore the city by night, drinking in the new views, smells and sensations. My first few shifts I was terrified, and Fern had to help me with every step, but now I was starting to find my pace. On the morning of my sixteenth birthday, when I woke up to Fern speaking to me, I had just assumed I was losing it. She gently tried to talk to me about shifting, and about what would happen at the full moon, but I shrugged it off, deciding if I could still hear voices in a week I’d see my Doctor for some very strong medication. My first shift happened in the dead of winter, in the back garden of my foster home. I was supposed to be inside, studying, but slipped out for some air. We were not allowed out after dark in my foster home, a rule I rarely obeyed. When the first full moon took me, I had tried to call out for my foster Mother but Fern stopped me. Most of that night I sat hiding in the small plastic wendy house in the garden, terrified, whilst the skies poured with rain. The next morning my foster Father had complained about the stink of wet dog in the garden and had bleached the little plastic play house inside and out, whilst I sat silent in my secret. I knew then that I could never tell anybody what had happened to me.

It was almost 3am when I stopped running, and started picking my way through the streets. Grey and unwelcoming, although it was July and a warm one at that, they felt cold. I took down an alleyway, where I often walk. Despite my huge size, judging from the voices I overheard, I was often mistaken for a fox or some other city dwelling animal. As I walked, I spoke to the moon, venting really. I don’t believe in a God, but I suppose the moon was the closest thing to one for me. Stupid really, but I loved being able to speak to her almost every night, the familiarity of her shape and glow bringing me calm.

Absorbed in my thoughts, I was suddenly stopped by the stench of urine hitting my nose, hot and putrid. I looked up and saw two tramps, staring right at me.

“Hey Ern, look at that!” one of the pair said, pointing towards me.

“Bloody hell Jim, size of that!”.

One of them started to walk towards me, the one I’d identified as Jim “Pretty dog this one Ern, could get a pretty penny for it”

“Or for the fur, I know a shop we could definitely flog it to”

I stepped backwards as they discussed my fate between them, with no idea that I understood every word.

“Here pretty little doggy, heeeere pretty little doggy” Ern stretched his unwashed hand towards me, the scent of cheap beer heavy on his skin. Behind him, Jim leapt out, swinging a small glass beer bottle towards me. It would have been laughable, had I not just realised I had stupidly backed myself into a corner. I bared my teeth, snarling at them.

“Lively one this one Ern”

“Just hit it Jim, one swipe will knock it out”

I let out a deep growl, panic rising in my chest. Fern was begging to take over, but I couldn’t let go of control just yet. I needed to escape and I didn’t trust Fern enough to take over and lead us out of danger. My eyes were desperately searching for a way to run around the men unscathed but my anxiety was rising, my breathing was getting heavier and it was becoming hard to organise my thoughts. I saw a small gap between them and broke for it, but they were too quick for me and one of them grabbed my waist, pulling me backwards. I fell to the floor, the man on top of me trying to grab at my neck. I turned back, snarling and biting his arm, the mixture of the cheap beer combining with his blood in my mouth. The taste of blood was making my hackles raise more. He released me, and I recognised him as Ern, but I couldn’t see the other tramp anywhere. Where was he? I turned to run, when a bottle hit me hard on the back of my head. I saw stars for a moment, and paused to shake my head. I lashed out, biting the air, my mouth trying to find Jim’s flesh. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a dark figure swoop down beside us. I blinked, Ern was suddenly collapsed beside the dark figure on the floor, he looked like his neck was broken. Did I do that? I couldn’t? The dark figure turned towards me, and I saw an amber glow from beneath the figure’s hood. Pain shot through my body. I looked away, what the hell was happening here?

My vision swam for a moment whilst I caught my breath, and I heard Fern’s voice, calm but firm, saying “let me take over”. I gave in, and the world went black.