The Moonlight Chronicles (Book 1: The First Bite)(Complete)&Book2: (teaser)

Chapter 6: Lone Wolf

I stare deep into the expanse of darkness as my eyes attempt to adjust to the lack of light within. Eventually, I give up and clumsily retrieve my flashlight from inside my backpack as my claws seem to get in the way of both opening the bag and working the switch on the flashlight to bring its small bulb to life.

As I step up to the cave entrance I realize that it is only a few inches taller than me and I hunch over a bit as I enter. I run my claws along the smooth stone as I wander deeper into the cave. After a few feet it opens up into a larger expanse and the sound of trickling water can be heard. I slowly maneuver the beam of light around the cave as I search for the water making the sounds. Tara scoffs at my want for unnatural lighting, but it brings me comfort as I continue to wander about the cave. Eventually my body shifts back to human as the moon’s light cannot penetrate the thick stone walls and handling the flashlight becomes easier.

I explore two random tunnels that dead end in small chambers after a few yards of winding tunnels before finding the source of the water which was echoing into the larger chamber. When my flashlight shines over its flowing surface I am awestruck. I was expecting a trickling stream, but what lays before me is much more than that.

With the beam of light, I trace the water’s path as it crosses the chamber. It begins at a small rock shelf near the top of the wall, barely out of reach, and trickles down the smooth stone of the wall into a 3 foot wide, mostly circular, pool formed within another rock shelf. From there it spills over the side and down into a large pool formed into the floor. I am uncertain of its depth though I can clearly see the bottom through the crystal clear water, but it has to be at least five feet wide. From their I trace it’s path as a small stream runs through a worn down channel and into a small hole in the wall which looks like it may have been only a small crack in past years before the water expanded it through continual wear.

I am in disbelief that such a thing could form naturally and I approach with caution as Tara remains on high alert for possible danger while I inspect it more closely. I touch the water that trickles down the wall and sniff it. After a deep inhale Tara reports that not only is it not foul, but seems to be fresh water as well and most likely safe to consume. Then I look down at my reflection in the small pool of water and am briefly shocked by the sight. My irises are glowing a bright blue color as if they themselves are emitting light.

Freaked out, I quickly click off my flashlight and hold my hand in front of my face to see if my eyes were in fact glowing. Tara of course laughs at me saying, “What you were seeing was an effect of the light reflecting off your eyes and not them actually emitting light. While you feel human, trust me, you are not. On nights like this one your body will never take on a fully human state no matter how human you feel. You should realize this as all your senses have been heightened since the moon’s light first shown on you. That effect with the light is just a physical representation that you can see to signify the changes that have happened within you.”

Feeling a bit foolish I prepare to turn on the flashlight once more when Tara says, “You have had your chance to explore this cave as a possible home for us; now it’s my turn.” Before I can object, she places the flashlight on the ground and has begun to shift into our wolf form. The change happens quickly and smoothly. My body feels a lingering warmth from it, but for some reason the usual pain from the change wasn’t there. I wasn’t about to question it or complain, but I was startled when Tara forcefully took control and began sniffing around the cave and each of the four diverging tunnels which all ended in dead ends. She seemed completely fine with navigating without the aid of artificial light as the vague shapes shrouded in deep shadows and grayscale vision seemed completely normal to her in this low light. She ends her tour with the last tunnel which I had not gotten to previously explore. It has a small crack in the ceiling through which the moonlight streams onto the floor. After her 10 minute investigation of the cave she seemed thoroughly satisfied and calmly said, “It would seem this cave is vacant and has been for some time. There are no fresh scents of predator or prey…only a few stale scents from long ago.”