Achilles Heel

The Sun and the Moon

Mira's POV

'All of you, welcome to the pack,' a voice said.  I looked up to the rockface where not only members of my pack stood, but the elders and visitors as well, 'It is now that we invite you to become a full member and shift so that you may enjoy your first hunt.  Let your wolves come forward and enjoy their first night of glory.  Shift.' 

Studying the faces, I could see that the voice clearly matched an elder in a black robe with white hair.  He had a stern look on his face as he glared down at us all.  Around me, I could feel the energy changing.  The others in my group had begun their shift, and I wanted to do the same. 

'No man or beast can control us,' Skye said in an authoritative tone, 'I will shift when I am ready.' 

'Skye,' I pleaded, 'I want to.' 

'That's his aura trying to force us,' she replied, inspecting her paw, 'we will transform once we are ready.' 

I took my eyes from the elders and watched the rest of my pack shift.  They changed so drastically.  While I'd known that shifting often hurt I was surprised that none of them were howling out in pain.  Normally this part of the ceremony was uncomfortable to watch, because the first shift is the most painful.  

'We are protecting them.'

'What?' I asked. 

Skye smiled, 'when we shed our blood on the fire, the moon goddess recognized us.  Just as she saw us earlier.  You remember the promise she made?' 

I shook my head, and it felt like I was transported back to earlier.  Janna was on the floor and I was laughing because the moon goddess knocked her out.  

"Little one, you know who I am...but do you know why I am here?" 

"No," I said, shaking my head.  I felt slightly dizzy from the peyote, "why did you knock Janna out?" 

"Your gifts are untested," she replied swiftly, "if you shifted to fight her, she would have died.  I spared her life." 

"I can't shift yet." 

"Skye would have taken over," she commented, "just as she had taken over when you protected your father...and again with the beta of the visiting pack.  She tucks you away to protect you and does what is necessary." 

"She wouldn't do that." 

"Your wolf is a gift from me," the moon goddess smiled, "a most loyal one at that.  You still have so much to learn about her...she is confident and strong, but will not be controlled by anyone, even you.  The second soul within you is hers.  While you are intertwined, she is still her own being.  Never forget that.  Love and honor her." 

"Of course I love Skye," I said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "she's my best friend.  She's always been there for me." 

"You are about to embark on a journey," she smiled, reaching forward so that her hand went over my heart, "tonight you will begin that journey.  I want you to know that I promise to always be with you and Skye, but it is your responsibility to follow through in learning to control the gifts I give you.  I cannot control your will, but I can warn you of the consequences if you seek the wrong path." 

"What are you talking about?" 

"You will see..." she smiled, fading away from me, "just keep your heart open and honest, and do what is best for your people." 

'I COMMAND YOU TO SHIFT!' 

I was woken from my stupor.  Everyone had shifted as they looked at me.  I felt my eyes glowing, and my voice turned hollow, "You do not command us." 

'What are you doing, Skye?'

'Trust me,' she said simply.  I felt a wall go up, and I couldn't communicate with her.  

The elder looked to my brother and then the shaman who continued on with the ceremony, blessing the wolves and saying that this would be the first night of the rest of their lives within the pack.  

'Skye, do something,' I pleaded into the emptiness, 'they are treating us as if you aren't here.  The pack is going to think I cannot shift.' 

The shaman said his final blessing and blew the horn, and the pack wasted no time in running off into the wilderness.  I looked up at the elders in terror.  My heart felt like it was going ten thousand miles a minute.  Both my brother and Alpha Achilles looked at me with confusion laden eyes.  The rest of the pack disappeared, and I was left with just them.  

'Skye, please...' 

Nothing.  

"Miracle, please come up here." 

I looked to the woman in the group of elders.  She looked displeased.  

My heart jumped into my throat as I nervously made my way up to the rockface where they were standing.  My brother looked at the elders and he looked pale.  Whatever was happening wasn't good.  

"You did not shift." 

I looked to the elder who'd commanded me to.  It wasn't a question.  It was a fact, clearly stated for the rest of the group.  

"No." 

"Why?" 

"I-I don't know," I stuttered, "my wolf-Skye, she told me that she wouldn't and she just--I can't talk to her now.  What's happening?" 

One of the elders looked amused as he stepped forward, "Miracle, is it?" 

I nodded, "Yes." 

"I am elder Kai," he said kindly.  His dark blue robe was almost black.  His tanned complexion matched my own, and I knew that he was Native as well, "do not be afraid.  I know of Skye, Moon, and Shadow.  The moon goddess has blessed you...this much was proven by the fire-" 

"Kai we do not have time for your stories," the first male elder spoke.

"This is a story you would want to hear," the wise man stated, "Anton I know that you would not understand, but there is something bigger at play than the Lycan power struggle.  This is as old as the world can go.  The moon goddess was one of us...long, long ago.  She had fallen in love with a man.  She thought he was a man, anyways.  But he was one of the gods.  A powerful, and kind one.  The sun god.  But he was already married to a goddess.  She was the goddess of the air...well, when she found out about the affair between the woman and the sun god, she turned to a jealous rage.  She tried to kill the woman.  As she lay dying, the sun god found her.  He kissed her and took away her pain, saying that he would make her a goddess so that she could be immortal just like him...the goddess of the air was so mad when she found out, they made a compromise, as it was against their laws to kill one of their own.  She became cursed to be the other half.  As the moon goddess she had to hold the moon every night, and keep it in the sky, just as the sun god held the day.  They were doomed to never see one another again." 

"What does this have to do with the girl?" Anton growled. 

"As a way to see one another, they created the wolves," Elder Kai smiled, "A shadow in the night to watch over the moon, and the Skye in the day to revolve around the sun.  Snow was her way of making sure she got time to see the sun.  Winter was her way of reminding him how alone and cold she felt without him, just as a shadow, the dark warmth, was a way to remind her how he cared for her, and would always be there." 

"That is stupid," Anton growled, looking from the younger elder to me. 

"He's right," the hollow voice replied, "I came to my mate during the ceremony.  When the fire went out, I saw my shadow..." 

"So now the girl is speaking in riddles," Anton scoffed.

"What?" 

"YOU! he growled, pointing at me, "stop with your games!  None of this is helping you."