There is much magik to be seen in Middle Earth, one such magik being that of anthropomorphism. Skin-changers were typically Men that could assume the form and abilities of any given creature known to the world, but there were rare individuals among other races that possessed the same ability. And Eryssel was one such individual.
Eryssel was a young elf woman- young by elven standards- that lived in the far reaches of the North. For as long as she could remember, she had no one to call family or friend save for the pack of White Wolves that found her as a babe and raised her among their own. She grew up learning the ways of the Wolf, and in the year 2911 of the Third Age she gained the ability of a skin-changer through the necessity to survive the harshest winter in the history of Middle Earth. From that day forward, she all but forsook her elven form and remained in her White Wolf form.
During the winter of 2911, the ice and snow of the north came at least as far south as the Shire, and with them came packs of the White Wolves- Eryssel among their ranks. They roamed Eriador as far south as the Shire. Taking advantage of the frozen Brandywine River, they were even able to cross into the Eastfarthing, causing much trouble. The Horn-call of Buckland was used to summon able Bucklanders to drive them out. Many of their kind were killed and the White Wolves that survived were driven out or retreated back to the North on their own.
A hundred and seven years later, Eryssel received a call from someone she did not know summoning her to Rivendell to attend some sort of council. Speaking with the elders of her pack, she ventured back out into the world and leaving her home behind. She knew from rumblings on the wind that times were changing once more and not for the better and hoped that this council would give her the answers she sought.
Rivendell was bustling with those summoned to the council and its own people as they worked to accommodate their guests. Grateful that so many were distracted, Eryssel was able to slip in unnoticed and searched for the one who called her there.
"It would be wiser if you took your elven form, Eryssel. You will frighten my guests and my people."
Eryssel turned, immediately on guard, to find an elf standing with a Man both staring at her. "You are the one who summoned me." She spoke aloud, her voice distorted from her wolf form, as she recognized the voice.
"I am. Welcome to Rivendell."
"Why am I here?"
The Man was the one to speak next. "I suggested to Lord Elrond that he summon you here because you are incredibly gifted and your skills will be invaluable in days to come."
Eryssel looked at him. "Who are you?"
"I am Gandalf the Grey."
"The wizard?"
Gandalf nodded. "Yes."
Eryssel sighed and relaxed. "Am I expected to choose one form or the other?"
"Not at all."
"Good, I like this form better."
"We will be beginning soon. Please, make yourself comfortable." Elrond said.
Eryssel nodded, then turned and walked away- wanting to explore the town and get her bearings.
Elrond and Gandalf watched her leave, Elrond sighing. "She's going to cause a stir in that form."
"She is more comfortable in that form than the other. It's possible that she may not be able to turn back."
"It will be interesting to see what role she will play in the days to come."
"Indeed it will."
-o-
Eryssel found it funny seeing the looks of brief fear and confusion etched into the faces of everyone she passed. She found herself a nice quiet spot to sit and enjoy the warm breeze blowing through the trees.
"E-Excuse me?"
Eryssel turned to find a small person approaching her, three others hiding nearby, all of them male. "What do you want?"
"Is it true then? You're the skin-changer from the North?"
"What is your name?"
"F-Frodo."
"You're a Hobbit, like the ones who attacked the White Wolves."
"You speak of the winter of 2911, over a hundred years ago. You were there?"
Eryssel nodded, looking away sad. "When the ice and snow spread further south, we took advantage and tried to expand our hunting grounds. Food was sparse even in the North when we wolves would otherwise have thrived. We only did what we needed to in order to survive. Your people took us as a threat when some of the other packs decided to go after your livestock. We were hunted and killed, with what little of us that survived fleeing back to the North."
"I-I'm sorry."
"Why? I doubt you were even alive then, you're just a boy. There was nothing you or your friends could have done." Eryssel stood, turning back towards him. "Besides, it was in the past. Our future, the future of this world, is more important than any of that. The winds have changed and not for the better."
Frodo knew she must have sensed the darkening times approaching swiftly.
Eryssel walked past him and the other three Hobbits.
"What is your name, skin-changer?"
"Eryssel."
Frodo and the others watched her disappear around the corner and looked at each other.
"Frodo, do you think it's true? That she's an elf when she's not a wolf?"
"That's what Gandalf said when I asked him."
"I wonder what she looks like."
"I'm sure we'll find out soon."
-o-
Night had fallen and Eryssel had turned down a spare room, preferring to find a nice soft patch of grass or moss where she could sleep. She found a quiet spot near the river and settled down for the night. Looking up at the moon, she wondered if her pack was doing alright. It was the first time in just over three hundred years that she had been away from the home she had built in the North with the White Wolves. She had seen eight generations with her pack, knowing no other family.
'Should I have come? What is my purpose here?'