Hollow Moon

"Come on, Kaera! We don't want to be late!" Lumi opened the flaps of my hut and peered inside, her eyes shining with anticipation. Her face was painted with the markings of her clan: vertical lines under her chin. She looked at the markings I made on my face -- thick dashes across my eyes, nodding with approval. It was the time of the Ves'ther, the annual ritual our tribe held to honor the Wolf Mother, mother of all children of the wolves. It marked the coming of age of those who participated in it, and this year, after the ritual, Lumi and I would be 'of age'. "Let's go!" She said gleefully, pulling me out of the hut. I lost balance as soon as I got out, almost stumbling. I straightened out my clothes, made of the same cloth as everyone else's, and studied my surroundings. The moon bathed our huts with its bright silver light. The forest we lived in kept us apart from the other tribes, and it had been decades since we last heard of any news from them, long before I was born, said my grandmother. The trees around us were lined with the moon's silver glow as well, and fireflies floated along the edge of the forest. The air was still, and wisps of embers floated gracefully from the fire where some of our tribe had already gathered. I dusted my clothes off, anxious, but I followed Lumi as she walked towards the clearing. My head had been throbbing painfully these past few weeks. As a child, I had been fascinated with the Ves'ther, until when I was a little older and found out what the men and women did afterwards when they ventured further deep into the forest. To think that I was going to do the same made me feel strange. I wondered whether the headaches would go away after the ritual. I sensed animals gathering around the clearing as well, drawn by the fire's warmth. It had been a rough winter for all of us residing in the forest, but the smell of pine was fresh in the air and the invitation of spring felt irresistible. The howling began, signaling that the ritual was about to begin, and I hurried down the clearing. Lumi had already taken her place in the midst of the clearing, along with others of our age. They had begun to join in on the howling. I slid to her side and howled with everyone else. The drumbeats followed, and the elders began to dance around the fire. Everyone else followed suit. I felt the ground beneath my feet as I danced. The grass which had barely begun growing again felt soft. After a few rounds of dancing, the drums began to settle, and a distinct howl pierced the forest. It was the voice of my grandmother, and as she did every year since I could remember, she sang the Lindoriand, a song about the history of our tribe. The Wolf Mother, Seran, mother of our tribe, was nursed by the Wolf Gods themselves. She lived amongst them, and when she had her own children, she raised them with the Wolf Gods as well. The song went on about the betrayal of Aered, the Wolf Mother's lover, the founding of the wolf tribes, the wars between the tribes, and how they scattered across the continent. My head was pounding excruciatingly. Lumi's voice brought me back. "Elder Miale is amazing, isn't she?" she whispered beside me, her eyes fixed on my grandmother, as she moved her arms while singing to tell the stories of our race. "Mm," I grunted in response, trying to endure the pain in the temple of my forehead. I concentrated on my grandmother's figure behind the fire, watching her move gracefully as she chanted. It was an esteemed position in the tribe to be the Songstress of Memory. Every thirty years, the tribe would await the moon's blessing for the arrival of a new Songstress. The tribe's elders would choose a new Songstress, who would be taught to memorize the Lindoriand by heart, and when she was old enough, she was allowed to add her own words to the song. I knew the song like the palm of my hand, simply because my grandmother sung it to me every night to sleep when I was little. I never derived the pleasure my grandmother did from chanting the Lindoriand, but the stories of our race amazed me. As the song was about to end, right on cue, I howled along with everyone who knew the Lindoriand by heart. As the song finished, the elders signaled that the ritual was about to commence. The drums beat once more, played by the adults of our tribe. I joined the circle of youths around the fire who began dancing. We danced in pairs, swapping to the beat. Lumi seemed to be enjoying herself. She smiled radiantly at every boy who came to her, and danced with them cheerfully. As the drums fell silent, I faced the male in front of me, whose arms I locked with as the dance finished. I looked him in the eyes, and I recognized him as someone from the Qvok clan. "Hessarion," I said softly. "Kaera," he answered in acknowledgement, nodding. He was curt and his face was impassive. I studied his features -- a chiseled jaw, eyes that were cold and impatient, an aquiline nose. He exuded a quiet confidence, and he looked at me questioningly when he noticed I was staring. "Yes?" "Oh, nothing." I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. He let out a soft chuckle, which brought warmth to his eyes. He was a few inches taller than me, but I was taller than most girls my age. He was lean but muscular, and from his build I knew he was agile, and was probably a good companion in a hunt. I realized that I knew little about Hessarion. I preferred to hunt on my own, which is why I seldom spent time with others from the tribe. I snuck a peek at Lumi to see who she paired up with. It was a boy who was often rowdy and drunk after a hunt. I was surprised he was our age; I assumed he would be older. Lumi caught my eye and she winked at me. I smiled a little, nervous about what was going to happen next. An elder approached the fire and beat the drum he held thrice. Hessarion, and all the males within our circle, answered in howls. He looked at me. "Ready?" "Yes," I answered breathlessly. Other pairs began darting towards the woods, by themselves, Lumi and her partner included. Hessarion led me to the edge of the clearing, my hand in his. The moment he let go, he looked me in the eyes and nodded. I nodded back to him in comprehension, and we both broke into a run. We sped into the woods without stopping. I listened for sounds of anyone else nearby, but we seemed to be alone. The Ves'ther was an initiation into the tribe, an acknowledgment that we were going to be adults. Hessarion slowed down at the edge of a small clearing. "Here should be fine. What do you think?" He asked, walking to the center of the clearing and turning to face me. The moonlight shone on his face, but the light was soon covered by a veil of cloud. "Sure." I began loosening the threads that tied my tunic at the back. "No, don't." He held my hands to stop me from undressing. "Let me," he offered. His hands brushed my hair away from my nape. Although I could feel the callouses on his hands, hardened by years of hunting and practicing with his bow, he tugged at the threads gently. His finger traced my shoulder, and a tingling sensation came with it. "Pretty," he murmured. I looked over my shoulder, expectant. It was just a rite, I told myself. It was something that all adults in my tribe did. His lips grazed my neck as he held me. "Nervous?" His voice whispered behind me. "Hmm, I don't know." He was done fiddling with my tunic, and it hung loose on me. He turned me to face him. "We don't have to do this if you don't want to, Kaera," he said reassuringly. "The elders will know," I answered him. I cupped his face in my hand. "Thank you for your concern, but it has to be done." He looked at me intently, as though puzzled with my answer. He let out a soft laugh. "That's a different way to look at it," he said. He brushed his hair back and brought my face closer to his. In an instant, his lips were on mine. His tongue was in my mouth, and I wrapped my arms around him instinctively. His hands traversed the length of my body leisurely, and my body felt strange. He tore off my clothes with his teeth, letting out a soft growl. I grabbed his hair as I purred with contentment. He surfaced, gasping for breath, and held me. We went on like this, our lips and hands inch by inch over the other's body, until our bodies melded together. It seemed as though the world faded away, albeit just for those moments. It was peaceful to lay in these arms, beneath the stars. I hardly felt the pain in my head. Hessarion stroked my hair and looked at me. His lips curled to form a tiny smile. "I'm glad it was you, Kaera." he said quietly. "How so?" I asked him, curious. "I can't quite say. I don't know why myself," he answered, looking up at the sky. "You've always been so... elusive." "I don't see much of you around either, but the ladies would swoon whenever they spoke of Hessarion, saying how fine a mate he'd be." I replied, laughing almost to myself. There was a change in his eyes when I spoke. He looked almost sad, and remained quiet. After what felt like hours, I began to feel restless. By the moon's place in the heavens, I could tell it was almost midnight. The ritual was almost over. I wondered how Lumi was doing. I hoped she was having a wonderful time. At least as much as I did. Howls echoed in the forest. It was time. I looked at Hessarion, and he nodded in agreement. We both stood up and got dressed. I felt wobbly, a little from the pleasure I was introduced to, but more so because the throbbing in my head had returned. I regained my composure, but I had to lean on Hessarion. "Are you alright?" Hessarion asked me, steadying my stance, looking a little worried. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired, I suppose." "Were we too rough?" He pressed further, his anxiety clear across his face. "No, it's not that," I replied, almost laughing. "I've had these headaches since I was a child." I stood up on my own and looked around, massaging my temple. "We should go back," I told him. I entered the dense forest and he followed close behind me. It was the last part of the ritual. "One more step," I reassured myself. We ran towards the grove at the heart of the forest, where smooth, large rocks were scattered. Hessarion and I were the first to arrive. In the middle of the grove were two large slabs where each of us had to stand tonight. These rocks in the center had strange, engraved markings, too smooth to have been done with crude tools. It was where we brought offerings to the Wolf Mother. I made my way to the center of the grove, and traced the markings with my fingers. The markings began glowing. I stepped away, startled. I looked around to see Hessarion's equally dumbstruck expression. He approached me and touched the rocks himself, but they made no reaction to his touch whatsoever. He stepped up on the slab. Down on all fours, he howled for his life, his neck craning out towards the moon. The pain in my head contined to pulsate. It had never hurt like this before, but now it felt like my head was going to explode any second. I needed to get on the platform. "Let's just get this over with," I thought. I remembered asking my grandmother why these rituals were necessary. "Seran and Aerad were lovers, but Seran was not bound to him. Our tribe honors her strength, and it is something expected from all of us," she answered gravely. Hessarion stepped down, observing me cautiously. I got on the slab and crouched down on all fours, aware that the engraved markings were glowing, and trying to keep myself composed despite the pounding in my temples. I howled like never before -- like it was for my life. The pain that had just been in my head seared towards all over my body -- to my limbs and even to my fingertips. I heard the wind rage with me and felt it against my skin, but the pain was becoming too difficult to bear, so excruciating that death would have been a relief. Light flooded my eyes, and I couldn't see anything. I felt exhausted, and I succumbed to the fatigue. "My child," my Grandmother's voice echoed. My eyes snapped open. I felt as though I were a stranger to my own body. I looked at my Grandmother Miale, her eyes gleaming with pride but also laced with worry. "What happened?" I tried to speak, but I only heard a soft growl coming out of my mouth. I felt my eyes widen at the realization. "You've awakened."