A/N: After Moira takes over the story, I am using the dialogue adapted
from the comic book The New Mutants. I don't own the characters; I just
had to use it for this story.
Werewolf
Rahne:
"Come, Rahne, ye'll be late t' school again!"
I fell out of my warm bed into the chilly morning. My mother was standing at the doorway to my room, her hands on her hips. I glanced at my clock. 7:30! I had thirty minutes to get ready and walk to the schoolhouse, which was thirty minutes away!
I was not going to make it.
I jumped up and grabbed some clothes. I put on a butter-yellow dress.
I ran out into the living room, where my parents sat, watching the morning news.
"Have t' go, I'm late!" I called as I closed the front door.
"Wait! Ye forgot your lunch!" called my mother.
I didn't hear her. I just sprinted as quickly as I could towards the school, on the other side of the little village.
Here on the wee Scottish isle known as Muir Island, we only had a few children, so the school was small. I only had one friend my age, an American boy name Jamie Madrox.
I reached the school right before the bell rang. I burst through the door and into the schoolteacher, Moira McTaggert.
"Ye were almost late again, Miss Sinclair," she said.
"I'm sorry, Milady. The streets were crowded today," I lied. I did not want her to know that I had overslept again.
"Aye, very well, but do nae let that happen again. Take your seat, and we will begin."
I sat down at a small table next to Jamie. He leaned over and whispered, "Oversleep again?"
I nodded.
After looking around and quickly counting heads, the teacher noticed that someone was missing. "Where is Samuel?" she asked.
The red-haired 16-year-old was not in his seat. His partner at the table spoke up. "He's sick today, Milady."
"All right. Let's get on to today's lesson."
Moira McTaggert was the local doctor, but she was the only person on the island qualified to teach the few children that we had. She had taken the job, though reluctantly. The town council had finally convinced her only a few weeks ago.
She began the lesson on dividing fractions. "Everybody, please pay attention to this problem: three-fourths divided by one-sixth. If ye all will look at the rule in your Mathematics Book, page 64, ye will see that it is impossible to divide fractions…"
As she droned on, my mind began to wander. I looked out the window at what Jamie told me was beautiful landscape. I had never left Scotland, so I didn't know what any other land looked like. He said that America had a few pretty areas, but nothing like here.
I had to take his word for it. I was never getting off of this island.
After a while, a bell rang. Ms. McTaggert put the minute bell back down on her desk. "Students, it is time for recess. Ye may go outside."
Everybody jumped up and hurried outside into the sunshine. I walked with Jamie and we talked.
"So, why do you keep oversleeping?" he asked.
"I keep having these nightmares. They wake me up and I cannae get back t' sleep."
"What are the dreams?"
"I am running through the woods near my house. It is very dark, but there is a full moon. Suddenly, I feel this strange sensation in my hands. I look at them, and they are hairy! They look like wolf's paws. I fall to all fours and then continue running. My dress slips off and I trip. A huge crowd of people run up to my fallen body and grab me. Then I wake up."
"Weird. What do you think they mean?"
"I'm not sure, but--"
I was interrupted by two older lads. They were both 16. "Look, it's little Rahne and Jamie," said one.
"Aye. What do ye think we should do to them?"
"I don't know. Maybe we should just have a little fun with them."
The first one began to punch me, first in the arm, then my face.
"Stop it!" yelled Jamie.
"What're ye goin' to do, cry to McTaggert?" asked the second bully.
"Leave her alone!"
"Why should we?"
Jamie jumped in and pushed me out of the way. The bully's fist hit him straight in the chest. He fell back and hit the ground. As he hit the green grass, he split into five other copies of himself!
"What are ye, some sort of freak?" asked one of the lads. They ran off, scared of his splitting into multiple parts.
"Jamie, are ye all right?" I asked, kneeling down beside one.
"I…think so…" said several voices at once. They were all speaking in unison!
"What the…?" they asked. The closest one stood up, followed by the others, and looked at each of its pieces. "Oh, man!"
They all pulled back together. "What's happening to me?" he yelled, then turned towards the woods and ran as fast as he could towards them.
"Jamie, come back!" I said, but he couldn't have heard me. I ran after him into the trees.
After wandering around for I don't know how long, I sat down, fatigued, against a tree. I looked out into the foliage and saw nothing.
"Jamie!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.
There was no reply. I called again, but there was still nothing.
My red hair was drenched with sweat. It hung down in front of my eyes. I had let it down that day, so there was nothing to keep it out of my sight.
I heard thunder, and rain began to fall. I was still extremely tired, and I could not get up. I reached up to cover my head and saw my hands.
They looked exactly how they had in my dream!
I felt hair beginning to grow up my arms. I tore off a sleeve to see. What was going on?
It was then that I noticed that the sun had set. It was night. I looked up and saw a lantern through the rain and shadows. Someone was looking for me!
"Rahne!" someone called.
"I'm over here!" I tried to say, but the words would not come out. I felt my face with a paw. It was the shape of a dog's!
Or a wolf's!
The light moved closer. It was Reverend Craig and a group of men. One of them pointed a flashlight in my face.
"There she is! That's the dress she was wearing!"
"But look at her!"
"She's a witch!"
"She's possessed by a demon!"
I heard a shot, then felt a pang in my side. I forced myself up and ran. I couldn't get onto two feet, and had to run on all fours. Amazingly, it was easy! I wasn't crawling, just running. I felt my dress get caught on a thorn, but I continued to run. It tore off.
I was completely wolf!
All I could do was keep running. I leapt over a ridge, into a meadow. As I landed, I fell over, too weary from my wound.
I looked over and saw Moira sitting against the ridge.
"M-milady… help…"
Then the shadows overtook me…
* * *
Moira
"What the blazes?!?"
Something leapt over my head.
A wolf--? But they had been extinct in these parts for generations. Wait! Something was happening!
No ordinary beast, that's certain. It was a shape-changer!
That was a nasty fall. It may have been hurt.
No "it", either, but a girl. And fairly young by the look of her.
"Easy, lass. Don't try t' move. I mean you no harm. I'm a doctor."
"M-milady…help…"
She spoke English, and knew me. Her transition wasn't complete. Her features were still shifting, becoming completely human.
Oh, my, I knew her, too! I had delivered her, years ago, and she was in the school. It's Rahne Sinclair!
She'd been shot! Only a minor flesh wound, she would be all right.
Then I remembered… her blood had had an anomalous DNA matrix. I had tagged it for further study but had never gotten the chance to follow up. She was 14, puberty, just the right age for any powers to manifest themselves. She could have been a mutant!
"There she is! There's the witch! But see who's with her! Reverend, it's Lady Moira!"
A group of men, led by the reverend, ran out of the woods, carrying guns and lanterns.
"Stand aside, Milady. We've no wish t' trouble ye. 'Tis the girl we want," said Craig.
"This is Kinross land, Reverend Craig. You're trespassing. State your business," I said angrily.
"We do God's work this night, lady. Rahne Sinclair is possessed. The Devil speaks through her."
"You're daft, old man," I countered.
"Mock me at your peril, Moira McTaggert. Daughter of Lord Kinross though ye may be, our intent is t' save the child's soul, to drive the demons from her."
"With a bullet?! Och, what brave, noble men you are, t' so threaten a child. She's under my protection, Mr. Craig. If you want Rahne's life, you'll have t' take mine as well," I said, covering the girl's naked body with a blanket.
The rest of the men turned and left, but the preacher stayed. "We are not butchers, lady, merely honest souls doing the Lord's work. Beware, woman! His will cannot be thwarted." He shook a Bible at me.
"I'll take my chances."
The ignorant man turned and left.
I took up her unconscious body and hefted it over my shoulder.
Rahne was safe, for now, but the sooner she was far away from that place, the better. Poor dear, I wonder what she makes of all this, I thought. Probably scared stiff.
There was one place that I could take her. One person that could truly help her…
Werewolf
Rahne:
"Come, Rahne, ye'll be late t' school again!"
I fell out of my warm bed into the chilly morning. My mother was standing at the doorway to my room, her hands on her hips. I glanced at my clock. 7:30! I had thirty minutes to get ready and walk to the schoolhouse, which was thirty minutes away!
I was not going to make it.
I jumped up and grabbed some clothes. I put on a butter-yellow dress.
I ran out into the living room, where my parents sat, watching the morning news.
"Have t' go, I'm late!" I called as I closed the front door.
"Wait! Ye forgot your lunch!" called my mother.
I didn't hear her. I just sprinted as quickly as I could towards the school, on the other side of the little village.
Here on the wee Scottish isle known as Muir Island, we only had a few children, so the school was small. I only had one friend my age, an American boy name Jamie Madrox.
I reached the school right before the bell rang. I burst through the door and into the schoolteacher, Moira McTaggert.
"Ye were almost late again, Miss Sinclair," she said.
"I'm sorry, Milady. The streets were crowded today," I lied. I did not want her to know that I had overslept again.
"Aye, very well, but do nae let that happen again. Take your seat, and we will begin."
I sat down at a small table next to Jamie. He leaned over and whispered, "Oversleep again?"
I nodded.
After looking around and quickly counting heads, the teacher noticed that someone was missing. "Where is Samuel?" she asked.
The red-haired 16-year-old was not in his seat. His partner at the table spoke up. "He's sick today, Milady."
"All right. Let's get on to today's lesson."
Moira McTaggert was the local doctor, but she was the only person on the island qualified to teach the few children that we had. She had taken the job, though reluctantly. The town council had finally convinced her only a few weeks ago.
She began the lesson on dividing fractions. "Everybody, please pay attention to this problem: three-fourths divided by one-sixth. If ye all will look at the rule in your Mathematics Book, page 64, ye will see that it is impossible to divide fractions…"
As she droned on, my mind began to wander. I looked out the window at what Jamie told me was beautiful landscape. I had never left Scotland, so I didn't know what any other land looked like. He said that America had a few pretty areas, but nothing like here.
I had to take his word for it. I was never getting off of this island.
After a while, a bell rang. Ms. McTaggert put the minute bell back down on her desk. "Students, it is time for recess. Ye may go outside."
Everybody jumped up and hurried outside into the sunshine. I walked with Jamie and we talked.
"So, why do you keep oversleeping?" he asked.
"I keep having these nightmares. They wake me up and I cannae get back t' sleep."
"What are the dreams?"
"I am running through the woods near my house. It is very dark, but there is a full moon. Suddenly, I feel this strange sensation in my hands. I look at them, and they are hairy! They look like wolf's paws. I fall to all fours and then continue running. My dress slips off and I trip. A huge crowd of people run up to my fallen body and grab me. Then I wake up."
"Weird. What do you think they mean?"
"I'm not sure, but--"
I was interrupted by two older lads. They were both 16. "Look, it's little Rahne and Jamie," said one.
"Aye. What do ye think we should do to them?"
"I don't know. Maybe we should just have a little fun with them."
The first one began to punch me, first in the arm, then my face.
"Stop it!" yelled Jamie.
"What're ye goin' to do, cry to McTaggert?" asked the second bully.
"Leave her alone!"
"Why should we?"
Jamie jumped in and pushed me out of the way. The bully's fist hit him straight in the chest. He fell back and hit the ground. As he hit the green grass, he split into five other copies of himself!
"What are ye, some sort of freak?" asked one of the lads. They ran off, scared of his splitting into multiple parts.
"Jamie, are ye all right?" I asked, kneeling down beside one.
"I…think so…" said several voices at once. They were all speaking in unison!
"What the…?" they asked. The closest one stood up, followed by the others, and looked at each of its pieces. "Oh, man!"
They all pulled back together. "What's happening to me?" he yelled, then turned towards the woods and ran as fast as he could towards them.
"Jamie, come back!" I said, but he couldn't have heard me. I ran after him into the trees.
After wandering around for I don't know how long, I sat down, fatigued, against a tree. I looked out into the foliage and saw nothing.
"Jamie!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.
There was no reply. I called again, but there was still nothing.
My red hair was drenched with sweat. It hung down in front of my eyes. I had let it down that day, so there was nothing to keep it out of my sight.
I heard thunder, and rain began to fall. I was still extremely tired, and I could not get up. I reached up to cover my head and saw my hands.
They looked exactly how they had in my dream!
I felt hair beginning to grow up my arms. I tore off a sleeve to see. What was going on?
It was then that I noticed that the sun had set. It was night. I looked up and saw a lantern through the rain and shadows. Someone was looking for me!
"Rahne!" someone called.
"I'm over here!" I tried to say, but the words would not come out. I felt my face with a paw. It was the shape of a dog's!
Or a wolf's!
The light moved closer. It was Reverend Craig and a group of men. One of them pointed a flashlight in my face.
"There she is! That's the dress she was wearing!"
"But look at her!"
"She's a witch!"
"She's possessed by a demon!"
I heard a shot, then felt a pang in my side. I forced myself up and ran. I couldn't get onto two feet, and had to run on all fours. Amazingly, it was easy! I wasn't crawling, just running. I felt my dress get caught on a thorn, but I continued to run. It tore off.
I was completely wolf!
All I could do was keep running. I leapt over a ridge, into a meadow. As I landed, I fell over, too weary from my wound.
I looked over and saw Moira sitting against the ridge.
"M-milady… help…"
Then the shadows overtook me…
* * *
Moira
"What the blazes?!?"
Something leapt over my head.
A wolf--? But they had been extinct in these parts for generations. Wait! Something was happening!
No ordinary beast, that's certain. It was a shape-changer!
That was a nasty fall. It may have been hurt.
No "it", either, but a girl. And fairly young by the look of her.
"Easy, lass. Don't try t' move. I mean you no harm. I'm a doctor."
"M-milady…help…"
She spoke English, and knew me. Her transition wasn't complete. Her features were still shifting, becoming completely human.
Oh, my, I knew her, too! I had delivered her, years ago, and she was in the school. It's Rahne Sinclair!
She'd been shot! Only a minor flesh wound, she would be all right.
Then I remembered… her blood had had an anomalous DNA matrix. I had tagged it for further study but had never gotten the chance to follow up. She was 14, puberty, just the right age for any powers to manifest themselves. She could have been a mutant!
"There she is! There's the witch! But see who's with her! Reverend, it's Lady Moira!"
A group of men, led by the reverend, ran out of the woods, carrying guns and lanterns.
"Stand aside, Milady. We've no wish t' trouble ye. 'Tis the girl we want," said Craig.
"This is Kinross land, Reverend Craig. You're trespassing. State your business," I said angrily.
"We do God's work this night, lady. Rahne Sinclair is possessed. The Devil speaks through her."
"You're daft, old man," I countered.
"Mock me at your peril, Moira McTaggert. Daughter of Lord Kinross though ye may be, our intent is t' save the child's soul, to drive the demons from her."
"With a bullet?! Och, what brave, noble men you are, t' so threaten a child. She's under my protection, Mr. Craig. If you want Rahne's life, you'll have t' take mine as well," I said, covering the girl's naked body with a blanket.
The rest of the men turned and left, but the preacher stayed. "We are not butchers, lady, merely honest souls doing the Lord's work. Beware, woman! His will cannot be thwarted." He shook a Bible at me.
"I'll take my chances."
The ignorant man turned and left.
I took up her unconscious body and hefted it over my shoulder.
Rahne was safe, for now, but the sooner she was far away from that place, the better. Poor dear, I wonder what she makes of all this, I thought. Probably scared stiff.
There was one place that I could take her. One person that could truly help her…
