Avenging Luna

The Alarm

I woke with a start, walked to the edge of my bedroom and threw open the window.  I realized It was almost midnight as the moon neared its apex; just a small white crescent glowing brightly.  The night air felt cool on my skin, but underneath, my blood boiled.  Though nothing looked or sounded amiss, I could sense something was coming, something dark and deadly.   As the Crescent pack, this time of the month was sacred. Our legends recounted that the pack was founded by the moon goddess under a waning crescent.  It is the last step each month before the moon disappears and is reborn, and signifies the promise of a new beginning.  Each month during the waning crescent moon we would hold celebrations with music and dancing, and special ceremonies like matings and weddings would take place.  Any wolf that was born under a crescent moon was considered especially blessed, and we would hold ceremonies to thank our ancestors for their many blessings and the promise of more to come. How fitting that the rogues should choose this of all nights to attack. I threw on some jeans and a sweatshirt, as noise began exploding all around.  The alarms sounded as Alpha Rohan took to the intercom, and in a steady voice announced “They’re coming from the East and have already crossed the border.  Get the women and children into the basement and all warriors to your posts!”  Pups gawked with wide eyes as she-wolves shepherded them toward the stairs and down into the basement bunker. Rather than following the attack protocol, I slipped away from the crowd and made my way towards the packhouse porch. While my wolf urged me to join the others in the bunker, I had to see the invasion for myself. The porch faced the east and offered a full view to the eastern edge of our territory.  I knelt behind one of the large support columns to keep myself hidden from view and watched as an army of rogue wolves advanced toward the packhouse.  It was clear that any warriors guarding the eastern gate had been overtaken.  Hundreds of rogues were coming for us, their howls echoing through the forest.