Gray is worried. It's something of a new sensation for him. As a member of his pack he had a place and was content with it. He wasn't an alpha, but he wasn't at the bottom of the hierarchy either. His place was to be a hunter and soldier. He worked with the other hunters to bring food to the she-alpha and her cubs. As the young ones grew he would teach them the skills needed to track and hunt for the pack. When other packs entered the territory he and the other warriors would drive the encroachers out. His life had been simple before he met her. Now though, life was less predictable, less certain.

He had come across her as she was hiding in some brush just at the outskirts of the forest. Her shape was of the hind-legged predators that he had learned to be wary of, but her scent, her scent was of The Pack. He could also smell her fear and hear the rapid beat of her heart. Her breath caught in her throat when she first spied him, then very softly she whispered to him. The words were unfamiliar to him but the Call was there. It was singing to him, calling him to her pack and he returned it. Tentatively her hand reached for him and he found himself nuzzling the palm. A sound caught his attention and he put his nose into the wind.

Two-leggers coming! They were bringing fire with them. He needed to flee and the girl needed to come with him. He bowed before her and she seemed to understand. Quickly she was on his back and they took off through the forest. She held on as he ran along the gravel next to the stream. Then he waded for a bit trying to keep from leaving a scent trail for the hunters, not that they were very good at following such a trail. Gray took one great leap from the stream and landed on the grassy bank far from the hunt. He slowed to a walk. Occasionally he would stop to listen and sniff the air. He didn't hear or smell the hind-leggers, but that did not mean they had stopped following. He walked all day heading to the far side of the territory where the pack was denned at present. They stopped next to a brook and the girl dismounted. Both drank and then sat near to each other. The girl brought out a pouch and offered some of the contents to Gray. He sniffed at it tentatively, then gave it a small lick. It seemed okay to eat so he gobbled it down quickly.

The girl began to speak softly. Once again the words were unfamiliar but the meaning seemed to come through. Those hind-leggers were trying to hurt her, she was grateful for his help, someday she would try to help him in return. Gray barked with laughter. As if this weak little creature would be able to help him. He stood and again offered his back to ride, but she refused. She merely put a hand on his shoulder and walked beside him in the gathering dusk. When she stumbled in the dark for the third time he put himself in front of her to stop her walking. He nuzzled her hand again and tried to get her to ride on his back. Her voice floated through the air and he could hear the weariness in it. She would probably fall off as soon as she climbed on. Gently he took her sleeve in his mouth and pulled her in a certain direction. After a few steps he was at an old den site. He sat and looked at her expectantly. She seemed to understand his meaning and immediately laid down on the ground. In just a few breaths she was asleep. Gray did a quick patrol around the area, marking it so that others would know he was about, then returned to the sleeping girl. He circled three times to praise the moon goddess and laid down slightly upwind of the hind-foot girl. Then he too fell fast asleep.

Two more days of travel and Gray was finally able to bring the two-footer to the cave he knew existed on the east side of the pack's territory. Though he still didn't know the language that the girl was often speaking to him, he seemed to understand her meaning if only in a vague way. She was looking for a safe place to stay where her differences from the other hind-leggers wouldn't mark her for harm. Gray was sure that the cave would be the best place for her.

He showed her where to get water and helped her find bracken and other nesting materials to make a soft place to sleep. He was going to go on a short hunt to bring her food, but she stopped him. He was confused to find that she did not want any animal killed for her. The look on his face made her laugh and Gray wanted to make her laugh again. She was able to show him some brambles that had berries on them and seemed to indicate that she would eat them for food. He doubted that it was proper nourishment, but he knew very little about the hind-footers so he would let the issue go.

That night the howl of his alpha was calling all of the pack to him, an encroacher needed driving out. He nuzzled the girl till she woke up. Once again the howl rang through the night. It was taken up by a few other voices. She listened carefully and seemed to know that he would have to go. She put her forehead to his and then bid him goodbye. Gray was unsure what that phrase meant, but knew that he was worried about how she would fare without him. She needed a pack to keep her safe, but the hind-footers would not have her. Perhaps his pack would allow her in, after all she had their scent, but that would require the approval of the alphas.

Lucy laid awake for the rest of the night. The big gray wolf had been so kind to her and she would miss him. She spent the night time trying to plan her future, but could hardly get past what needed to be done in the next few days. Well, maybe she'd worry about it once she made it through the next day.

By sunset she had a small collection of berries, roots, and green shoots for food. She'd also washed out her clothes and applied a willow bark poultice to the various bruises she'd received, first from the mob and then in her escape attempt. She laid down that night thinking of resting but one more day before following the water to a place further away from the people that wanted to kill the witch.

Pain and fear were the only things Gray could feel now. The bite on his belly the he-alpha had given him was slowly oozing, and the coppery tang of blood was dripping into his paw steps. Gray could only thank the moon that he had been quick enough to keep the she-alpha from severing his hind leg, something she had taught him to do on larger prey to allow the pack to bring it down, though the leg had not entirely escaped her fangs. He'd had other nips and bites from the rest of the pack as they drove him away from the den. He was a shunned one now. No longer would he hunt beside his brothers and sisters to bring food for the small ones and the elders. He would never join his alphas in defending their homelands from every enemy or go raiding into other areas to try to expand their hunting grounds. No more being practice prey for the older puppies. No more family. No more pack. Shunned forever. And as the loneliness of the thought met with the pain in his body he let out a single wail of mourning.

Lucy heard the howl as it rang through the night and the anguish it expressed brought tears to her eyes. She couldn't stand for others to be in pain and there was so much of it in that plaintive cry. There wasn't much she could do, and in her need to do something she reached for her bag. Clutching what looked to most people like a simple ring of keys, Lucy moved into the moonlight and began holding them aloft one by one.

"Taurus, send them strength," she murmured. A soft glow surrounded the key then faded. "Thank you,"she whispered. She held up the next key.

"Great Crab, Cancer, grant them your protection until they find safe harbor," she asked the sky.

"Lord Leo, put your mighty heart in them, that they may endure well to the end," she pleaded.

At each key she would pray for a small boon from the great ones in the stars and in tiny or gentle ways they would grant them. She always made sure to return thanks as was proper.

When she had completed the circle she held all the keys clutched in her hands. Upon concluding the rite she usually felt some measure of peace and calm, but her spirit was still troubled.

She knelt on the ground and bowed herself three times to kiss the earth. Then she sat back on her heels and raised her arms in a great circle over her head. She searched the sky and when she found the great orb of the night she cried, "Oh Great Diana, Queen of the Night Sky, Holder of the Secrets of the Dark, and Mighty Huntress, please grant…" she wasn't sure what to ask from the Goddess. She had a thought but didn't know how to phrase it in the language of the great ones. She had to hurry as her arms were beginning to tremble. "Dear goddess, please get that poor soul the help it needs," she begged. "If I can somehow be of use to them, please let our paths cross." Her arms fell to her side. She bowed her head. "Please?" she asked.

A great cloud of darkness began to encircle the girl. It entered her eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. There was no taste, no weight or substance to it, but still Lucy began to choke. Lung squeezing coughs followed by several shallow and rapid coughs were being forced from her body again and again. She was fighting for air, for a chance to just take a breath in. When she was about to faint the darkness withdrew from around her. In front of Lucy was a small globe of brilliant light floating in the air. Right before she passed out, Lucy thought she saw the form of a woman with a silvery bow in her hand. As she drew the string back the light was transformed into an arrow and released into the night sky where it was joined by a dozen shooting stars. Lucy felt a different darkness envelop her, but she managed to rasp out a short, "Thank you," before falling to the earth.

Gray was sure that he could go no further. There was a small rise in front of him. He had hoped to have one last glance of the girl that had this strange draw for him, but he could hardly put one paw in front of another. He was about to lay down for his last time, too weary to even turn for the moon goddess, when of a sudden he had a surge of strength. Could he at least make the top? Up the hill he went, legs steadied and courage growing. He stopped to breathe when he reached the summit. Here would be a good place. Down he dropped, dead tired. At least he could see the mouth of the cave in the distance. The moonlight illuminated the girl as she was kneeling and bowing. He put his head down on his paws so that he could watch her for as long as possible, but all too soon his eyes drooped closed.

Lucy awoke with a need to move. Though she felt exhaustion in every part of her body she exited the cave and began to walk. She wasn't sure where she was going as she hadn't had too much time to explore the area, but she walked in the way that felt...right. She found herself at a small pool of water when suddenly seized by the realization of how parched her mouth and throat were. Bending down to scoop water to her chapped lips her eyes caught a tattered bit of familiar gray fur. All thirst forgotten she ran to the unmoving shape. Taking a moment to check for breathing Lucy could see a tiny rise and fall. Immediately she reached for her keys

"Aquarius, Star Sister, Bearer of the Water of Life, I am in need of your wisdom and teaching. Grant me, Mother of Miracles, an audience, I pray," she called and then plunged the key into the water.

Ripples began to stretch across the whole face of the water and the pool began to bubble. A being with a body of pure starlight rose from the frothing liquid. Walking along the top of the now stilled pool she neared the kneeling girl. She lowered the large container she carried.

"What do you want Lucy?" she asked.

Lucy knew that Aquarius could be impatient and liked plain speaking so she dispensed with the flowery language one normally used to importune the gods.

"He's hurt," she said gesturing to the wolf. "Please, help me to help him."

The goddess took in the appearance of the wolf. "It might be better to let him die."

"No!" Lucy looked at the glorious creature with pleading eyes. "He's been a friend to me. He saved my life. Please," she had tears rolling down her cheeks, "please, help me to help him."

She looked more closely at the pile of bloody fur. "There's no way to see what damage has been done," she snapped. "It may be even more than I can help with."

"Please?"

"You know you will have to pay the price," Aquarius stated.

"I do and I am willing to pay what I must," Lucy replied.

"Fine," the goddess lowered the water jar into the pool. "Give me your hands."

Lucy cupped her hands together, and even though she knew how badly it would sting, the pain that she felt upon having the living water flow into them made her gasp.

"Pour it into his wounds," Aquarius directed.

As the water hit the open wounds a smell of burning flesh and singed fur filled the air. Again and again Lucy spilled handful after handful of water into any place she could see blood. The animal began to whine and Lucy placed a blistering hand on his forehead.

"Peace, friend," she whispered. "We're trying to help you. Can you roll over so I can get the wounds on the other side?"

Lucy nearly vomited when she saw the opening in the underbelly of her friend. Frantically she turned back to the Water Bearer. She urgently ferried the water between the pool and the wolf.

Aquarius made Lucy stop when the animal tried to snap at her. "He's obviously healed enough to be miserable," she looked at the girl, "No need for you to be hurt more."

Lucy looked at her blister covered, raw palms. She almost couldn't bear the thought of one more handful of water. "Will it be enough mistress?"

"You know full well that the gift of prophecy belongs to another," Aquarius answered. "But I would think that you have poured enough to heal him inside and out."

"Thank you Star Sister," Lucy said fervently.

"Let's see if your still thanking me after you've lived with him for a few weeks," she said curtly. "He may not thank you much for saving him now that he's been driven from his pack."

But why would they drive him out?" Lucy asked confused.

"Because now that you've been his rider he will fully become who he was born to be."

But he's just a wolf," Lucy declared. "That's what he was born to be."

"Do you imagine you are the only moonchild to ever exist?"

"H-h-h-he's a werewolf, too?" she asked shocked.

Aquarius merely nodded with a smirk on her face.

"Is he," she looked miserable, "is he stuck like I am?"

"Your audience is over," came the terse reply. "He may need to rest for a bit but then you both need to wash off in this puddle." She reached down and poured a tiny stream of brilliant liquid back into the pool. "Make sure it happens before the moon sets."

As the girl and the wolf lay curled together in their nest, their breathing deep and even, two figures of starlight stood watch at the cave mouth.

"I've seen that look before," said one, there was a teasing note to his voice. "What are you thinking Leo?"

The spirit gazed, smiling at the sight they had been called to guard for the present.

"I'm thinking, Aries, that Queen Diana will be well pleased with the events of this night." He looked back at his companion. "And I am glad, too, that these two moon children have finally found their clan."