p class="MsoNormal"strongI've had this story idea in mind for a while. The passed full moon this October gave me the inspiration and kick to finally write it up. Plus, the featured creatures of this story align with the spooky nature of the Halloween season./strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strong /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"stronguEnjoy!/u/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Hunters of the Moon/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal"It had only been a few months since Rayla left to search for Viren, since she had to leave Callum. But it was for his own good. There was no way she'd let him come and risk him getting hurt. Though it took consideringly longer to make it back to Xadia, Phoe-Phoe did take them most of the way through Katolis last time. That wasn't presently an option anymore given she was now small enough to hold in your hands. Rayla had already passed through the Silvergrove and made her way to the southeast part of Moonshadow Forest. It was now October, three moons after leaving. Two following the one on Callum's birthday, thinking of him each time. But in the month October the full moon is different. Every other month the full moon is its usual luminescent white, but this month it always takes an eerie orange hue. All Moonshadow children learn the unique fazes of the moon. The blood/harvest moon to which Rayla hasn't had a very positive experience with, the rare blue moon the second full moon to happen a month, and the annual hunter's moon of October. Though no one seemed to know why it was called that. Whether or not it was a secret, or a mystery was impossible to say. 3 days before the hunter's moon and Rayla was soon to discover its origin and its meaning. By meeting the Hunters of the Moon./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Rayla was on her own for this quest, nothing and no one to talk to. Though it was with good reason. Callum's absence was just as hard for her as hers was to him. For the first time in the longest time, she was alone. She had to admit it felt different, having no one to converse with. Not even an adoraburr. So far what she has searched of Moonshadow Forest had turned up fruitless. So, Rayla made her way to the parts where elves rarely go in the forest. If Viren was hiding anywhere it had to be where rarely anyone ever went./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"This part of the forest however seemed much darker and more secluded than the rest of it. There were certainly still plenty of animals around her, but they all seemed to remain quiet. Something was defiantly unsettling. Rayla could feel it, there were eyes on her. She quickly took out her blades./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Is someone there?" She asked. It wasn't long after she said that when she heard a bone chilling howl. That was not a normal wolf. Ava kind of set an example for that. Loud rustling stared coming from all around her. An obvious enough sign something was coming after her, Rayla took her Moonshadow form booked it./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Whatever was chasing her though, they were fast, impossibly fast. Whatever tree she climbed or branch she jumped from; it took only a second to hear them come after her. It was too dark to fully see her pursuers in the rush. Rayla heard a few snarls and growls from them, and given the howl from before, they were defiantly neither elf nor human. But something was off. Creatures so quick and yet they had yet to catch her. Unless it was a- "Ahh!" A net dropped on her. They were leading her into a trap./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Rayla tried to gather herself and use her blades. But her supposed attacker were quick to act and snatched her blades before she could use them, pinning her down. From where she was, she still couldn't see who or what they are. Rayla could hear one of them step forward. That creature leaned down and began to sniff and inspect her. A particular scent seemed to have caught its attention, it stood back up./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Let her up"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Rayla froze for a second. Whatever they were, she wasn't expecting them to speak. The others pinning her took the net off her. When she got up, Rayla finally got a good look at the creatures. They were tall, muscular, two-legged wolves, and their eyes shone an orange amber-like hue. To say she was surprised would be putting it mildly. Especially when one stood forward and handed her back her blades. While sceptic, she took them back./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Who are you?" The one in front of her asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Who or what are you?" Rayla asked back./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""My name is Xytanis." He introduced himself. He is slightly taller than the others, hunched over, and has blueish-grey fur. He gestured to the others around her. "This is my hunting party. And you are?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Rayla." She answered. "Why were you hunting me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You are in our territory. We pursued you because you ran." Xytanis answered and began to circle her. "No one in many moons has come here. What brings a young elf such as yourself to our neck of the forest?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You, could say I'm hunting for someone myself." Rayla crossed her, not taking her eyes off him./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Are they an elf like you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""No. Human"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Well, if there were any humans in this forest we would know about." He stopped in front of her. "But there may be a way we could aid you. If you wouldn't mind helping us with something?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Really, and what would that be?" Rayla raised an eyebrow./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Please. Come with us to our home." Xytanis pointed in a direction. "It would be better if you spoke to our leader on that subject. She can explain everything." He and the others made their way in that direction. "Will you come?" Xytanis stopped./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Rayla was reluctant, but if there was any way they could make finding Viren easier she might as well take it. "Fine." She followed them. "You didn't answer my other question though. What are you guys?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We are werewolves." One of the others answered./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Werewolves?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes." Another across from her answered. "Like you we are connected to the primal magic of the moon."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""That is the primary reason we released you." Xytanis added./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""It is? And why is that?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You are a moon primal such as us." He continued. "We will always connected to her. That also means we will always be connected to each other. It is the way of the pack to see any moon primal as family."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Family?" Rayla was somewhat taken aback by that./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't be fully mistaken." Xytanis continued. "It is in our best interest to first test and see if you worthy of our full trust. The fact you have the moon's power inside you is what grants you our mercy and hospitality. But our leader must assess if you are worthy of it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Worthy of it?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We haven't always had peaceful experiences with other moon primals."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Ah, I hear that."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""This way. We're almost there." Xytanis said leading her to what looked like a cave./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"They reached the entrance to their den. It led them down a slope which took them to a large chamber. Rayla was amazed by the sight of the place. The chamber didn't have a complete ceiling, there were many holes from which the moon's light shown through. Trees were growing from the ground and through the ceilings, acting like supports. There were also other smaller chambers interconnecting with that one where many of other werewolves conversed. Xytanis lead Rayla straight across to another chamber that was somewhat resembling to a throne room. The werewolf sitting on said throne had chestnut colored fur, lighter shaded underbelly, and white fur along her head and back. They approached the throne, Xytanis and the other werewolves knelt./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Alpha Lyndra." He addressed her. "We have returned, with a guest." Pointing to Rayla./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""So, it seems." The alpha now known as Lyndra sighed, getting up from her throne and walked up to Rayla. "You too are of the moon's light. That is reason enough I see for Xytanis to bring you here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""So, he told." Ralya responded, referencing Lyndra./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""But you are not the first Moonshadow elf to be welcomed here. The last one that was betrayed our trust and twisted the path we presented to her. Our ancestors learned the hard way, while one can be born with the moon's power, not all of them grow up to be worthy of it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I see what you mean." Rayla will admit not even elves can always be so trustworthy. She's had her fair share of dangerous or shady elf encounters. "How would you like to test that with me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Luckily our ancestors came up with a way to see the purity of one's heart, after said betrayal." Lyndra answered and headed towards another passageway. "Come." She directed, Rayla and Xytanis followed./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"In the small room they came too had a pedestal in the center with an ornate pair of scales. "These are the Lunar Scales. They will test your heart and show your worthiness of the moon's light." Lyndra explained walking to a side table in the room. While Xytanis guided Rayla to the scales./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay. How does this work exactly?" Rayla examined the artifact./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""The moon is like us." Xytanis started explaining. "She has both a light side and a dark side. And though the moon grants the power of illusion. She is not blind herself to what is in our hearts. Through these scales the moon reveals to us what is in your heart, and which side is dominant."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Sounds interesting." Rayla commented, noticing Lyndra walking back over with two rocks, one in each claw. One black and one white./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""All you'd need do is hold onto the base of the scales." Xytanis instructed. Rayla did as he said and grabbed the scales where they sat. Lyndra stood on the other side./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""All life is born pure with light in their hearts." Lyndra started. "But life tests us and darkness can find it's way into any heart." She brought up the two stones for the scales. "Light and dark there's a little in each of us. The trick is finding balance. The moon embodies this." She placed the rock on each side, and they began to measure. "But when one embraces the darkness too much, it overtakes them, and they no longer turn out a being worth trusting. However, the moon is the perfect balance of light and dark, and now we ask her to reveal how much of each is inside you, Rayla." They watched silently as the scales tipped down on the light rock, weighing most of the way in favor to it./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""The moon has spoken." Xytanis smiled. "Rayla, our sister through the moon. You are indeed worthy of her light and our trust."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""It would appear so." Lyndra agreed, putting up the rocks and heading back to her throne room./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Rayla told us she is on a hunt of her own." Xytanis explained./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""What sort of hunt?" Lyndra asked on her throne./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm looking for a human dark mage." Rayla answered. "He's taken a lot from me, people close to me, and I refuse to let him take anymore."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Dark magic you say? That is definitely inexcusable. And to take others of your pack." Lyndra thought for a moment. "Rayla, we have a proposition for you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Really, and that is?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Xytanis stepped forward. "You know it's like an offer where you do something for us and- "/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I know what she meant!" Rayla interrupted him, while he snickered./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""A lone hunter will have little success finding a single human on their own." Lyndra continued. "We ourselves have been facing a dilemma the past month. If you were to aid us, perhaps we could in turn point you in the right direction?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""What's the problem? And how can I help?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""To fully understand the depth of our predicament, you must first understand us." Lyndra got up off her throne and motioned Rayla to follow. "But time is of the essence, so we must be quick." Lyndra, Rayla, and Xytanis came to what looked like a mural carved in rock and wood./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We were not always the creatures we are now." Lyndra started their story. Beginning at the first mural. "Long ago when Xadia was one land. Our ancestors were a cult who worshiped and served the moon, a cult of humans." She showed the mural of humas bringing offerings and bowing to the moon./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You guys are humans?" Rayla asked surprised./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We once were but no longer." Xytanis answered. "While our ancestry is of human origins, we ourselves have never known what it was like to be human."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Despite their magicless nature, the moon would speak to them" Lyndra continued. "The cult was and even now is known as the Hunter's of the Moon. You must of course know the moon doesn't just have power of illusion, but over the veil between life and death."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Yeah, I've actually been on the other side of that."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You have?" Xytanis asked interested./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We'll get to that later." Lyndra resumed the story. "There has always been a natural order between life and death. It has been our duty as the hunters of the moon, to keep populations from getting too high, and protect the endangered creatures safe. As well as bring food for ourselves and watch over each other. Once a year in the very month of October a special full moon occurs. One very sacred to our people. The hunter's moon!" She showed a mural of an orange shaded moon shining over hunted offerings. "It is on this night our ancestors and we would bring our hunts and kills to her as offerings to show our work and prove our dedication. And she would reward us but enchanting them with life giving nourishment. The meat would strengthen our bones, hone our senses, and increase our life expectancies."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""That's what the Hunter's Moon is all about?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Different occurrences of the moon can have different effects." Xytanis explained./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""But after dark magic came to be, and Luna Tenebris made the order to banish all humans to the west. Our ancestors begged the moon for a way to let them stay and continue to serve the natural order." Lyndra moved on to the next mural. "She answered and told them if they wished to stay, they would have to abandon all ties to their human lives, that their forms would change, and they would have to become hers." The mural showed the hunter's moon, and a stone in between a human and a werewolf. "Some of them fled fearing the change. Most remained and accepted. During that hunter's moon a single piece fell from her light, given to our ancestors was our sacred relic, the Hunters Stone. With it's power the moon changed their forms forever. Giving them lycanthropy, a magical gene that makes us what we are, and their eyes given the color and glow of the hunter's moon. But we have always remained hidden from the world. Human dark mages would surely seek our special essence for their spells and the elves may frown upon our human origins. So, we have hunted across the land in secret from the shadows for many generations." The last mural showing the werewolves prowl the land./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Wow." Rayla was astonished at their history. "That's quite the story."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Of course, using illusion magic we have been able to disguise ourselves to appear both human and elvan." Xytanis added. "Our pack doesn't just hunt in this forest. We secretly have hunting parties in both lands maintaining the balance."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Only 3 days till the hunter's moon and our traditional ritual for it as well as many of our pack is in danger." Lyndra said./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""What? Why are you in danger?" Rayla asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""A creature that does not belong here has been plaguing the forest the past month." Lyndra explained. "It has remorselessly hunted many of the creatures and has even snatched our precious Hunters Stone right from under us. We've had to prioritize protecting the animals of this forest from it over hunting them ourselves. But we've gone on little to eat ourselves. The absence of the stone has also weakened us and our hunting senses. Without offerings for nourishment or a way to effectively hunt during the winter. I fear not many of us will survive till next spring."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""What sort of creature are you dealing with?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""A basilisk." Xytanis answered./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""What?!" Rayla has heard stories about them./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Normally earth dwelling creatures." Xytanis continued. "Some do come to the surface of occasion in small groups. This one is an adolescent, it may have strayed too far from its pack and never bothered to return to the earth with the others. Underground prey is not as free ranged as on the surface, so it has been relentlessly slaughtering any creature that dares cross its line of sight. But it can not take the brightness of the sun, so it has only hunted at night."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Why haven't you guys been able to kill it?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Without the Hunters Stone our strength is diminished, even more so during the day. Even young basilisk is strong and are of tremendous size. We can not fight it without the stone, not without suffering severe casualties. Which we refuse to resort too. We have yet to discover where it has made its lair. It'd be safer to look for it during the day, as it always hunts and is on the move at night. But in our weakened state we have been unable to locate it." Xytanis explained./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""That is where we'd like your help." Lyndra stepped in front of Rayla. "If you can find it's lair and maybe even retrieve the stone. We can launch an attack on it before sunrise when it is at its weakest to slay it once and for all. But it must be done before the night of the hunter's moon. If not, there is little chance, we may survive the coming winter."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Well, what do you say Rayla?" Xytanis asked. "You help us find and slay this creature, and we'll help you in your hunt?" Rayla thought about it, and it was easy to figure. These werewolves had a very noble cause. They were in danger, and she had the ability to help them. It'd be wrong to leave them in their time of need. And they were willing to help her find Viren in return. All to gain and nothing to lose./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm in."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"strongTo be continued./strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strong /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongAnd that's the first chapter! Not sure if this whole story will finish by Halloween but hopefully before season 4 comes out. I've always wanted to interpret werewolves into the Dragon Prince world. They are like my absolute favorite supernatural creature ever! What did you think of their backstory? I figured since the blood moon has its own unique magical properties, why not the hunter's moon? Plus, werewolves have always been depicted as having amber glowing eyes. I figured the color of the hunter's moon was close to it and would explain their eye color in this sense./strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strong /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongPlease leave a review!/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strong /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongPurple-Eyes Out!/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strong /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"stronguEnjoy!/u/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Hunters of the Moon/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal"It had only been a few months since Rayla left to search for Viren, since she had to leave Callum. But it was for his own good. There was no way she'd let him come and risk him getting hurt. Though it took consideringly longer to make it back to Xadia, Phoe-Phoe did take them most of the way through Katolis last time. That wasn't presently an option anymore given she was now small enough to hold in your hands. Rayla had already passed through the Silvergrove and made her way to the southeast part of Moonshadow Forest. It was now October, three moons after leaving. Two following the one on Callum's birthday, thinking of him each time. But in the month October the full moon is different. Every other month the full moon is its usual luminescent white, but this month it always takes an eerie orange hue. All Moonshadow children learn the unique fazes of the moon. The blood/harvest moon to which Rayla hasn't had a very positive experience with, the rare blue moon the second full moon to happen a month, and the annual hunter's moon of October. Though no one seemed to know why it was called that. Whether or not it was a secret, or a mystery was impossible to say. 3 days before the hunter's moon and Rayla was soon to discover its origin and its meaning. By meeting the Hunters of the Moon./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Rayla was on her own for this quest, nothing and no one to talk to. Though it was with good reason. Callum's absence was just as hard for her as hers was to him. For the first time in the longest time, she was alone. She had to admit it felt different, having no one to converse with. Not even an adoraburr. So far what she has searched of Moonshadow Forest had turned up fruitless. So, Rayla made her way to the parts where elves rarely go in the forest. If Viren was hiding anywhere it had to be where rarely anyone ever went./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"This part of the forest however seemed much darker and more secluded than the rest of it. There were certainly still plenty of animals around her, but they all seemed to remain quiet. Something was defiantly unsettling. Rayla could feel it, there were eyes on her. She quickly took out her blades./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Is someone there?" She asked. It wasn't long after she said that when she heard a bone chilling howl. That was not a normal wolf. Ava kind of set an example for that. Loud rustling stared coming from all around her. An obvious enough sign something was coming after her, Rayla took her Moonshadow form booked it./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Whatever was chasing her though, they were fast, impossibly fast. Whatever tree she climbed or branch she jumped from; it took only a second to hear them come after her. It was too dark to fully see her pursuers in the rush. Rayla heard a few snarls and growls from them, and given the howl from before, they were defiantly neither elf nor human. But something was off. Creatures so quick and yet they had yet to catch her. Unless it was a- "Ahh!" A net dropped on her. They were leading her into a trap./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Rayla tried to gather herself and use her blades. But her supposed attacker were quick to act and snatched her blades before she could use them, pinning her down. From where she was, she still couldn't see who or what they are. Rayla could hear one of them step forward. That creature leaned down and began to sniff and inspect her. A particular scent seemed to have caught its attention, it stood back up./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Let her up"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Rayla froze for a second. Whatever they were, she wasn't expecting them to speak. The others pinning her took the net off her. When she got up, Rayla finally got a good look at the creatures. They were tall, muscular, two-legged wolves, and their eyes shone an orange amber-like hue. To say she was surprised would be putting it mildly. Especially when one stood forward and handed her back her blades. While sceptic, she took them back./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Who are you?" The one in front of her asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Who or what are you?" Rayla asked back./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""My name is Xytanis." He introduced himself. He is slightly taller than the others, hunched over, and has blueish-grey fur. He gestured to the others around her. "This is my hunting party. And you are?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Rayla." She answered. "Why were you hunting me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You are in our territory. We pursued you because you ran." Xytanis answered and began to circle her. "No one in many moons has come here. What brings a young elf such as yourself to our neck of the forest?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You, could say I'm hunting for someone myself." Rayla crossed her, not taking her eyes off him./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Are they an elf like you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""No. Human"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Well, if there were any humans in this forest we would know about." He stopped in front of her. "But there may be a way we could aid you. If you wouldn't mind helping us with something?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Really, and what would that be?" Rayla raised an eyebrow./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Please. Come with us to our home." Xytanis pointed in a direction. "It would be better if you spoke to our leader on that subject. She can explain everything." He and the others made their way in that direction. "Will you come?" Xytanis stopped./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Rayla was reluctant, but if there was any way they could make finding Viren easier she might as well take it. "Fine." She followed them. "You didn't answer my other question though. What are you guys?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We are werewolves." One of the others answered./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Werewolves?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes." Another across from her answered. "Like you we are connected to the primal magic of the moon."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""That is the primary reason we released you." Xytanis added./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""It is? And why is that?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You are a moon primal such as us." He continued. "We will always connected to her. That also means we will always be connected to each other. It is the way of the pack to see any moon primal as family."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Family?" Rayla was somewhat taken aback by that./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't be fully mistaken." Xytanis continued. "It is in our best interest to first test and see if you worthy of our full trust. The fact you have the moon's power inside you is what grants you our mercy and hospitality. But our leader must assess if you are worthy of it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Worthy of it?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We haven't always had peaceful experiences with other moon primals."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Ah, I hear that."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""This way. We're almost there." Xytanis said leading her to what looked like a cave./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"They reached the entrance to their den. It led them down a slope which took them to a large chamber. Rayla was amazed by the sight of the place. The chamber didn't have a complete ceiling, there were many holes from which the moon's light shown through. Trees were growing from the ground and through the ceilings, acting like supports. There were also other smaller chambers interconnecting with that one where many of other werewolves conversed. Xytanis lead Rayla straight across to another chamber that was somewhat resembling to a throne room. The werewolf sitting on said throne had chestnut colored fur, lighter shaded underbelly, and white fur along her head and back. They approached the throne, Xytanis and the other werewolves knelt./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Alpha Lyndra." He addressed her. "We have returned, with a guest." Pointing to Rayla./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""So, it seems." The alpha now known as Lyndra sighed, getting up from her throne and walked up to Rayla. "You too are of the moon's light. That is reason enough I see for Xytanis to bring you here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""So, he told." Ralya responded, referencing Lyndra./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""But you are not the first Moonshadow elf to be welcomed here. The last one that was betrayed our trust and twisted the path we presented to her. Our ancestors learned the hard way, while one can be born with the moon's power, not all of them grow up to be worthy of it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I see what you mean." Rayla will admit not even elves can always be so trustworthy. She's had her fair share of dangerous or shady elf encounters. "How would you like to test that with me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Luckily our ancestors came up with a way to see the purity of one's heart, after said betrayal." Lyndra answered and headed towards another passageway. "Come." She directed, Rayla and Xytanis followed./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"In the small room they came too had a pedestal in the center with an ornate pair of scales. "These are the Lunar Scales. They will test your heart and show your worthiness of the moon's light." Lyndra explained walking to a side table in the room. While Xytanis guided Rayla to the scales./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay. How does this work exactly?" Rayla examined the artifact./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""The moon is like us." Xytanis started explaining. "She has both a light side and a dark side. And though the moon grants the power of illusion. She is not blind herself to what is in our hearts. Through these scales the moon reveals to us what is in your heart, and which side is dominant."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Sounds interesting." Rayla commented, noticing Lyndra walking back over with two rocks, one in each claw. One black and one white./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""All you'd need do is hold onto the base of the scales." Xytanis instructed. Rayla did as he said and grabbed the scales where they sat. Lyndra stood on the other side./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""All life is born pure with light in their hearts." Lyndra started. "But life tests us and darkness can find it's way into any heart." She brought up the two stones for the scales. "Light and dark there's a little in each of us. The trick is finding balance. The moon embodies this." She placed the rock on each side, and they began to measure. "But when one embraces the darkness too much, it overtakes them, and they no longer turn out a being worth trusting. However, the moon is the perfect balance of light and dark, and now we ask her to reveal how much of each is inside you, Rayla." They watched silently as the scales tipped down on the light rock, weighing most of the way in favor to it./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""The moon has spoken." Xytanis smiled. "Rayla, our sister through the moon. You are indeed worthy of her light and our trust."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""It would appear so." Lyndra agreed, putting up the rocks and heading back to her throne room./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Rayla told us she is on a hunt of her own." Xytanis explained./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""What sort of hunt?" Lyndra asked on her throne./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm looking for a human dark mage." Rayla answered. "He's taken a lot from me, people close to me, and I refuse to let him take anymore."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Dark magic you say? That is definitely inexcusable. And to take others of your pack." Lyndra thought for a moment. "Rayla, we have a proposition for you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Really, and that is?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Xytanis stepped forward. "You know it's like an offer where you do something for us and- "/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I know what she meant!" Rayla interrupted him, while he snickered./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""A lone hunter will have little success finding a single human on their own." Lyndra continued. "We ourselves have been facing a dilemma the past month. If you were to aid us, perhaps we could in turn point you in the right direction?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""What's the problem? And how can I help?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""To fully understand the depth of our predicament, you must first understand us." Lyndra got up off her throne and motioned Rayla to follow. "But time is of the essence, so we must be quick." Lyndra, Rayla, and Xytanis came to what looked like a mural carved in rock and wood./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We were not always the creatures we are now." Lyndra started their story. Beginning at the first mural. "Long ago when Xadia was one land. Our ancestors were a cult who worshiped and served the moon, a cult of humans." She showed the mural of humas bringing offerings and bowing to the moon./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You guys are humans?" Rayla asked surprised./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We once were but no longer." Xytanis answered. "While our ancestry is of human origins, we ourselves have never known what it was like to be human."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Despite their magicless nature, the moon would speak to them" Lyndra continued. "The cult was and even now is known as the Hunter's of the Moon. You must of course know the moon doesn't just have power of illusion, but over the veil between life and death."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Yeah, I've actually been on the other side of that."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You have?" Xytanis asked interested./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We'll get to that later." Lyndra resumed the story. "There has always been a natural order between life and death. It has been our duty as the hunters of the moon, to keep populations from getting too high, and protect the endangered creatures safe. As well as bring food for ourselves and watch over each other. Once a year in the very month of October a special full moon occurs. One very sacred to our people. The hunter's moon!" She showed a mural of an orange shaded moon shining over hunted offerings. "It is on this night our ancestors and we would bring our hunts and kills to her as offerings to show our work and prove our dedication. And she would reward us but enchanting them with life giving nourishment. The meat would strengthen our bones, hone our senses, and increase our life expectancies."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""That's what the Hunter's Moon is all about?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Different occurrences of the moon can have different effects." Xytanis explained./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""But after dark magic came to be, and Luna Tenebris made the order to banish all humans to the west. Our ancestors begged the moon for a way to let them stay and continue to serve the natural order." Lyndra moved on to the next mural. "She answered and told them if they wished to stay, they would have to abandon all ties to their human lives, that their forms would change, and they would have to become hers." The mural showed the hunter's moon, and a stone in between a human and a werewolf. "Some of them fled fearing the change. Most remained and accepted. During that hunter's moon a single piece fell from her light, given to our ancestors was our sacred relic, the Hunters Stone. With it's power the moon changed their forms forever. Giving them lycanthropy, a magical gene that makes us what we are, and their eyes given the color and glow of the hunter's moon. But we have always remained hidden from the world. Human dark mages would surely seek our special essence for their spells and the elves may frown upon our human origins. So, we have hunted across the land in secret from the shadows for many generations." The last mural showing the werewolves prowl the land./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Wow." Rayla was astonished at their history. "That's quite the story."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Of course, using illusion magic we have been able to disguise ourselves to appear both human and elvan." Xytanis added. "Our pack doesn't just hunt in this forest. We secretly have hunting parties in both lands maintaining the balance."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Only 3 days till the hunter's moon and our traditional ritual for it as well as many of our pack is in danger." Lyndra said./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""What? Why are you in danger?" Rayla asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""A creature that does not belong here has been plaguing the forest the past month." Lyndra explained. "It has remorselessly hunted many of the creatures and has even snatched our precious Hunters Stone right from under us. We've had to prioritize protecting the animals of this forest from it over hunting them ourselves. But we've gone on little to eat ourselves. The absence of the stone has also weakened us and our hunting senses. Without offerings for nourishment or a way to effectively hunt during the winter. I fear not many of us will survive till next spring."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""What sort of creature are you dealing with?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""A basilisk." Xytanis answered./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""What?!" Rayla has heard stories about them./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Normally earth dwelling creatures." Xytanis continued. "Some do come to the surface of occasion in small groups. This one is an adolescent, it may have strayed too far from its pack and never bothered to return to the earth with the others. Underground prey is not as free ranged as on the surface, so it has been relentlessly slaughtering any creature that dares cross its line of sight. But it can not take the brightness of the sun, so it has only hunted at night."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Why haven't you guys been able to kill it?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Without the Hunters Stone our strength is diminished, even more so during the day. Even young basilisk is strong and are of tremendous size. We can not fight it without the stone, not without suffering severe casualties. Which we refuse to resort too. We have yet to discover where it has made its lair. It'd be safer to look for it during the day, as it always hunts and is on the move at night. But in our weakened state we have been unable to locate it." Xytanis explained./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""That is where we'd like your help." Lyndra stepped in front of Rayla. "If you can find it's lair and maybe even retrieve the stone. We can launch an attack on it before sunrise when it is at its weakest to slay it once and for all. But it must be done before the night of the hunter's moon. If not, there is little chance, we may survive the coming winter."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Well, what do you say Rayla?" Xytanis asked. "You help us find and slay this creature, and we'll help you in your hunt?" Rayla thought about it, and it was easy to figure. These werewolves had a very noble cause. They were in danger, and she had the ability to help them. It'd be wrong to leave them in their time of need. And they were willing to help her find Viren in return. All to gain and nothing to lose./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm in."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"strongTo be continued./strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strong /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongAnd that's the first chapter! Not sure if this whole story will finish by Halloween but hopefully before season 4 comes out. I've always wanted to interpret werewolves into the Dragon Prince world. They are like my absolute favorite supernatural creature ever! What did you think of their backstory? I figured since the blood moon has its own unique magical properties, why not the hunter's moon? Plus, werewolves have always been depicted as having amber glowing eyes. I figured the color of the hunter's moon was close to it and would explain their eye color in this sense./strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strong /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongPlease leave a review!/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strong /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongPurple-Eyes Out!/strong/p