Ever since his birth the Wolf recalled a Spirit living in the forest. The Spirit cared for the creatures that lived in the forest, keeping them safe from harm. The Wolf never saw the Spirit's face; all he could see was the glowing light that surrounded him and a long, white gown that covered his bare feet.
When the Wolf had been a pup, his mother had been killed by hunters, and when the hunters were just about to kill him as well, the Spirit saved him, casting the hunters away from the Wolf. As the Wolf cowered and whimpered against a tree in fear the Spirit soothed him and said: "I am the Spirit of this Forest, do not fear me, Wolf. I will protect you and the creatures of the forest for as long as you shall live."
The Spirit placed a gentle hand on the Wolf's head and began stroking its soft fur. "As a pup, you cannot live alone in this forest without a mother. You must go Wolf, as a human child, and find yourself a new family. There, you will be safe and grow into a man. But remember that you are a Wolf, and where you came from. Remember that on the Full Moon, you may come back and be your true nature, just for the night. Remember the gift I've granted you." And with that the Wolf saw that he was a human boy, naked, and that the Spirit had vanished.
And so the boy left in search of a new home and family. He was found and adopted by a young married couple, to a couple who could not bear children. They named him Mathias, and they raised him well. They taught him language and literature. They accepted his true nature as a wolf, allowing him to wander in the forest on his 13th birthday and onward. Mathias grew into a man, and soon he was able to leave his family's house, build a cabin for himself and lived in the forest.
After a night filled with hunting Mathias woke up, finding himself naked in his bed of his cabin. His mouth was dry and the taste of blood from last night's kill lingered in his mouth. Mathias sat up and rubbed his head, groaning. His transformation into a wolf was never as painful as transforming from wolf back into human. His joints ached from running, his teeth were sore from killing and ripping the elk's flesh to shreds. But after a Full Moon's night Mathias always found himself happy, for a Full Moon's night meant that he could return to his true nature.
Mathias made his way to the wash room and leaned over the sink, splashing cold water onto his face. Being human wasn't so bad, in fact, it had its perks. There was much more Mathias could do as a human that he couldn't do as a wolf; for example, Mathias could speak in a language so that others could understand and communicate with him, he could travel to further lands in the world if he wished to and, not to mention, all of the different types of food he could eat that a wolf would never have the opportunity to taste in a lifetime. There was also his work; Mathias was an architect, and he enjoyed building houses with his bare hands. He had built the cabin himself in the forest so that at the end of the day he could be by himself and in his true home. Besides the times he turned full wolf Mathias had adjusted well into human society.
After washing up, Mathias dressed himself in his work clothes and made his way down the stairs to the kitchen, where he cooked himself breakfast. He sat at the small wooden dining table and enjoyed his eggs and bread, and soon he hurried out of the cabin so that he could make his way to the city for work. There, with his colleagues, he designed blueprints for houses and planned how to keep the upkeep of the old buildings. Soon Mathias found himself back at his cabin, sitting by the fire as he whittled to pass the time. The only thing that annoyed him about being human was that his life was all routine and boredom. His life was restricted and lonely without a pack.
"Wolf," He heard a voice call to him. Mathias looked up from his carving and looked around; there was no one with him. "Wolf, come outside." Mathias continued to look around the cabin, confused. "Don't ignore me, Wolf."
"I'm just imagining things," Mathias muttered to himself. "There's no one here." As he turned back to look at the fireplace, he saw a man standing before him. Mathias jumped to his feet, startle, and held his carving knife to the man.
"Wolf, put the knife down." the man said.
"W-who are you? H-how did you get inside my house?! No one knows I live here!" Mathias shouted, jabbing the knife at the air. The man rolled his eyes and the knife flew out of Mathias' hand, getting stuck in the wall next to him. Mathias screamed and turned to run out of the cabin and into the forest. Before he could go far, the man appeared in front of him. Mathias stumbled backwards and fell on his back; the man knelt down beside him and gently put his hand over Mathias' mouth.
"I am the Spirit of the Forest, do not fear me, Wolf," he said gently. Mathias stared at the Spirit in shock, breathing heavily so he could catch his breath. "I came to see how you were doing."
Mathias scowled at the Spirit and sat up. "You're a little late." he grumbled. The Spirit smiled sadly and nodded.
"I know, I apologize, Wolf," the Spirit replied, standing up. "I'm glad you're doing well." The Spirit turned to leave, but Mathias quickly stood up and reached for the Spirit's hand. Naturally, the Spirit could not be touched.
"Wait!" Mathias called out. The Spirit stopped and looked over his shoulder. It was then when Mathias finally had a good view of the Spirit's face. What struck him first was the Spirit's deep, blue colored eyes that could hold an icy cold glare, short, light blond hair that swooped into bangs against his forehead. He had a round face that, despite his high cheekbones, had a beauty and elegance. He had a rather slim figure, and his pure white gown flowed gently in the breeze, forming against his body. "Can you make me a wolf again?" Mathias asked. The Spirit frowned, and looked away.
"I gave you a gift, Wolf, and still you don't appreciate it?" he said, looking up at the sky.
"But you told me to not forget that I'm a wolf, and I want to return to my trueself." Mathias begged.
"You've lived your life as a human; do you really think it would be wise for you to go back to being a wolf, as soft-hearted as you are?" the Spirit questioned.
"Please, I don't want to be a human anymore! I want to be free, like you, like a wolf!" Mathias continued. The Spirit shook his head.
"I cannot undo what has been done, Wolf." he replied.
"Then...stay with me for the night," Mathias offered. The Spirit stared at him, perplexed. "I'm a lone wolf, and I live a lonely life. You must be lonely as a spirit as well." The Spirit smirked and chuckled.
"Do you think spirits have the same needs and wants as animals?" he questioned.
"Surely, you feel something other than care and compassion?" Mathias asked.
"It was a kind gesture, Wolf, but I have other things to tend to in the night." the Spirit said, beginning to fade away.
"My name is Mathias," Mathias blurted. "You don't have to call me Wolf anymore."
"I will call you what I wish, Wolf."
"Then what shall I call you, Spirit?"
The Spirit only smiled as he vanished. "You may call me Lukas if you wish."
A month had passed since the Spirit had come to visit Mathias, and it was the day of the Full Moon. Mathias found himself counting down the days and looking forward to when he would turn into a wolf. Though those days required strict preparation for his transformation. Mathias often left work early, and hardly ate any dinner that evening. As the sun would set, he would sit outside, watching the moon rise as the sun went to sleep. He never participated in any of the crazy stereotypes humans had towards those they called "werewolves". He never howled at the moon or hunted down other humans; he would only run wild in the forest, kill an elk by himself and feast upon it before he went home and fell asleep. Mathias had to be sure he left the back door slightly open so that he could get back into his cabin before the night ended, or else he'd be stuck standing naked outside (it wouldn't be the first time it had happened).
By 8pm the moon had fully risen and spilled her light upon the forest. Mathias had transformed and shook off the pieces of clothing that had managed to stay on. He leapt forward and ran deeper into the forest, feeling the wind sift through his fur. He jumped and dodged obstacles in his path; trees and fallen branches had tripped him up in the past, but he travelled the same paths every time. He knew nearly every nook and cranny of the forest by now. As he slowed down, he sniffed the earthy ground, smelling each fallen leaf, hoping to lock onto a scent that would lead him to some prey. Mathias crept along, slowly feeling frustrated that he could not find a decent scent. His stomach was empty from skipping dinner, in hopes that he'd find something on his hunt. Despite his hopes, there seemed to be nothing.
Suddenly, there was a loud, metallic snap to his right and Mathias jumped back, letting out a small, frightened bark. He whimpered as he continued to slowly back away, staring at the metal bear trap that had been left lying around.
"You've ought to be more careful, Wolf," Mathias glanced up to find the Spirit lying on a tree branch, his fists cradling his jaw. "You almost got you nose torn off." Mathias growled at him. "What? It wasn't me who put that there, it was the hunters. You know how they look for wolves to steal their fur. It's disgusting how humans see animals as trophies." Lukas rolled off of the branch and vanished, only to reappear behind where Mathias stood. He squatted besides the wolf, scratching the wolf's chin lightly. "Tell me, Wolf, may I accompany you tonight? So you do not feel alone on your journey." Mathias did not object; he only snuffed and continued walking ahead. This was most certainly one of those moments when being a human would've come in handy.
"Wolf, slow down," the Spirit called. Mathias stopped and turned to look behind him, only to see dark forest. "I want to show you something; I'm sure you haven't seen it before." Mathias looked ahead to see Lukas' glow far ahead of him. He ran to catch up with him, following the Spirit's illuminating light to a tall tree, with branches that reached out to the sky and roots that ran deep in the ground.
"Come, Wolf, do not be afraid. This is my home." The Spirit glanced at him over his shoulder, gave the Wolf a smile and sat down at the base of the tree. Mathias looked around the area, to be sure there were no threats in the area. "You will be safe here, Wolf; no humans can find this place." Lukas assured, offering a gentle, welcoming hand. "Come, sit."
Mathias obliged and sat down in the spot next to Lukas. The two of them sat in silence for awhile, enjoying to calm rustle of the leaves as the wind blew, bathing in the soft moon light. Mathias grew impatient quickly as his stomach rumbled, and began to walk away.
"Do you know what this tree represents?" Lukas asked. Mathias stopped mid-step and looked over his shoulder. Lukas gazed up at the tree branches, a small smile lingering over his lips. "This is the Tree of Life; the Ancestors of the forest put it here in hopes that the life of the forest could find a safe haven. I was born from this tree, and it was then when I was to be the guardian of this forest."
The Spirit looked to Mathias, who was slightly annoyed that he was hearing some origin story instead of hunting for food. Lukas chuckled. "You're annoyed with me, aren't you? I won't turn you back into a wolf properly, I won't let you hunt…" His voice trailed off as he lay down on his back, staring at the Wolf upside down. "I just wanted to show you where this place was, so if you ever feel unsafe, you can come here. Do you understand?" Mathias huffed and turned to look ahead.
"Do you want to know why I made you human, Wolf?" The Spirit appeared in front of Mathias, who stepped back and began to snarl. "Okay, okay, I'll make this quick; when I saw you as a pup, I knew that there was something special about you. The Ancestors of the forest refuse to tell me what it is, but I knew that you were not to die that day. Your eyes are as blue as ice, the color that I've never seen a wolf possess. And you have a strong spirit, a strong will to live and to be free. I had to be sure to give you a good life," Lukas paused, patting Mathias' head. "You deserve a life that is more than a wolf's, so I made you human."
Mathias took a step closer to Lukas and bowed his head, it was all he could do (without howling or barking) to tell Lukas that he understood loud and clear. It was hard to make any sign of agreement when you are a wolf. Lukas chuckled and began petting the Wolf's soft fur as an endearing gesture.
"I'm glad we are in understanding of each other. Do you trust me? Do you think of me as a friend?" the Spirit asked, scratching behind Mathias' ears. "You don't need to fear me, Wolf; I will always protect you." Mathias took another step forward, encouraging Lukas to continue scratching his head, but he realized that he no longer felt the Spirit's touch. He immediately looked up to see that Lukas had disappeared, and he let out a whimper. Someone who was to protect him shouldn't leave so suddenly, at least without warning.
"I told you not to be afraid, Wolf," He heard the Spirit say softly. Mathias looked up at the moon, huffed and went back on his hunt, not hearing the Spirit's ending to his sentence: "I will be by your side when you need me, or if I need you by mine."