Light in the Shadows

Dreams

The thrill of the hunt coursed through me. I padded through the misty forest without a sound, my dun colored fur blending into the fog. I could sense his prey looming in the distance and knew it was unaware of me. If I had been in human form, the creature would have been long gone, but a dryad did not fear a wolf, especially not here.

I padded into the small glen without a sign of hostility, heading for the crystal water flowing over the rocks. My furry body passed by the dryad, brushing its bark like skin. It paid me no attention. Just as I was past the creature I spun, my jaws closing on its narrow neck. It’s body convulsed, its twig-like limbs clawed at the air.

The sweet and tangy taste of the dryad’s sap covered my tongue. The power that flooded through me reminded me of the true purpose of the hunt. The part of me that was not a wolf saw the life of the creature dimming. Its tiny breast moved shallowly in a rugged manner and the turrent of sapplike blood had turned into a trickle.The sap-blood which had flown like warm honey, now felt like pine sap on the back of his tongue. In moments the creature would die.

I was a hunter, that was true, but I was something more. This was always the most difficult task for the beast. It wanted the clean kill and the feast of the hunt, but for the other creature power was the main goal, and the kill was a waste of resources. Anything could kill, but few things could grant life from death, and the act of granting life gave the giver power over the receiver. This power was not to be wasted or abused.

I opened his jaw and dropped the creature that was now too weak to even crawl away or to use its formidable magic. The wolf vanished to be replaced by a young man. The wolf that was a man knelt beside the creature and placed his hand on the rough skin. Life flowed into the creature, not just the life that had been taken, but the life of the boy and every other creature I had hunted. The dryad’s eyes fluttered open as its breathing steadied. Its sap was mixed with the blood of man and beasts. The almond eyes turned golden and the leaves that acted as hair turned from the green of spring to the colors of autumn. After a moment the boy sat back on his heels and studied his newest slave. He said nothing as he stood to leave. He did not need to speak, when he needed the creature it would come.

***

My eyes shot open. The dream had been vivid. I tried to stretch, but I was tangled in my covers. My body felt strange. I clawed my way out of my covers and yelped when I saw my arm...it was a dun collored paw. I turned and stood on all fours and jumped from the bed looking at myself in the fulllength mirror. I was the wolf from my dream.

I didn't know what to do so I started howling and clawing the door. It took a while, but finnally I heard them comming. "What is that noise? Jayla do you have a dog in your room?" My father asked. "Jayla, answer me." He said as he flung the door open.

I backed away from the door, and sat. I would have wagged my tail, but it was stuck down the legs of my shorts. It was uncomfortable, but atleast I was dressed. My father stood frozen in the door, looking at a wolf wearing my pajamas. David walked around the door and started laughing. I growled at him.

"Hey, I said there could be side affects," he said.

I felt a push then a pull inside of me and suddenly I was sitting on the floor on my knees. My father looked at David. "Do you want to explain this?" he asked.

David yawned. "In the morning. I fixed it to where she shouldn't shift again on accident."

My father watched David as he turned and walked down the hall. I could tell that he wanted an explaination now, but he was still too thankful to David for bringing me back from death to press him. I was still tired. I stood and walked to my bed.

"Sorry about that. Next time I'll stay a wolf till morning," I said.

My father smiled. "Sweet dreams."