Chapter 8-Beyond Humanity
~In Varrock~
Damn it, why can't the neighbors keep their cat inside? Zhanna thought, deridingly. For some ironic reason, it rather liked Zhanna and no matter how many times she checked her doors and windows, it managed to make its way inside her house. But, the feeling wasn't mutual and after waking up to see it on her chest staring at her with those beady eyes, she was about reading to leave its skin outside her neighbor's yard on a flagpole. See, Zhanna Ivanov was a werewolf. She was bitten several years before in an unfortunate encounter with a werewolf, an encounter she never talked about as her parents were also killed in it. She was found quite bloody in a pile of hay, by a man. Knowing what had happened, he tediously nursed her back to health, while mentally preparing her to learn to live with her "condition". Still, though he was quite interesting, this man was quite enigmatic and to this day Zhanna still only knew him as Moriz and the fact that he too was a werewolf. From that so-very-fateful day on, Zhanna was his pupil, and he, a learned and experienced tutor. But, werewolves were often frowned upon and shunned. Unbeknownst to Zhanna, Moriz wanted to protect her from this. He as a boy (being born with the disease) had to go through it alone, and it would be very emotionally traumatizing for Zhanna. She had lived for thirteen years in luxury and without having to worry what would happen every time a full moon was out, and going from that to a world of begging and lack of hospitality, she would never make it through emotionally unscathed.
So living in Canafis with its harsh terrain in the middle of a swamp, Zhanna was easily isolated from the rest of society. But being only 16, she was miserable. Never being able to do simple things such as going even to the market, were forbidden. She hated being treated like a dirty secret. So like what any other 16 year old would do, she snuck out. Just because she was a werewolf didn't mean she couldn't have any fun, or freedom for that matter. Each time she left, she stayed in Varrock longer and longer. The longest she stayed before this time was about four days, and that was when she made arrangements to rent out a small flat on the east side of Varrock. She was a skilled planter, so she paid for her board with what she made of her plants and herbs, which she sold at the meager market the other citizens managed to set up since the disaster.
Zhanna shoved the cat off the bed and got up with a stretch. Smoothing out the thin blanket that covered the bed, she wondered why Moriz had not yet started looking for her. She has been gone nearly a week, and the last time she returned home he yelled at her for nearly an hour before giving her triple the amount of work he usually did. Still, she relished the time she did have in Varrock and made no further moments towards finding out what Moriz was doing.
Zhanna changed into warmer clothing (it was nearly the end of fall) and coaxed the fire in the small hearth back to life. The cat started yowling in the corner. Irritated, Zhanna chucked it out the front door, where it landed on its feet with a screech. She then started her ritual of chores she does daily before she goes to the market. Being a werewolf really wasn't that much different from being human, except "her time of the month" tended to be a bit more uncomfortable.
After the market, Zhanna usually goes to what's left of the library to salvage what books she could. Looters left it alone as only a very small percentage of Varrock could read, and of that percentage no one really cared about books. There were more important matters at hand. Zhanna had a small collection of various tomes already on a small shelf next to her bed. Most of them were damaged to an extent, though she did find one preserved in oiled bear skin. That one was most peculiar, and her favorite as it told of Prifddinas, the beautiful elf city that grew from crystal.
Daily duties done, Zhanna donned a warm green cloak and stepped outside into the chilly October air. Waving to the neighbors with a mocking smile, she started walking down the dirt road (which used to have cobblestones, but were cleared as they made the road un-travelable after the disaster). Suddenly, her finely tuned ears heard a rush of wings from above. Looking, she saw it was a small owl. The owl seemed to notice her, and dived. To Zhanna's surprise, he perched himself without apprehension on her shoulder. She asked herself again why she attracted animals so much.
Zhanna noticed there was a note attached to his leg. Untying it, she quickly read the message with growing excitement. Hands shaking, she found a piece of charcoal lying nearby and scribbled something on the back on the note. Tying it again, she told the owl, "Take this back to Dark, little sova." With that, he flew back off into the morning sky, bringing with him what Zhanna hoped to be the saving letter of Varrock and its people.