The following night was the night of the new moon.
Selene found herself running in an unfamiliar forest, panic rose in her chest. She could not make the change. The acrid stench of blood filled the silent woods. There's no escape. The sky was slowly turning red, and the trees started to shrivel like they were caught in a wildfire. Animals that had lived in the forest stopped dead in their tracks. Selene wanted to scream, but her throat would not allow her to break the terrible silence.
On she ran, until suddenly the dying forest came to an end, and she was forced to stop. A clear freshwater stream ran through the destroyed forest. Selene watched in horror as the river slowly started to run scarlet with blood. Suddenly she was drowning in it, panic rising, all sight of the charred forest was long gone. And a voice rang out over the chaos in her mind. It did not break the silence. You will be destroyed. Your blood is mine!!
Selene woke screaming as she fell off her bed. It had only been a dream. It was about 3 A.M. She almost regretted not going along with Astarte to Emily's house for a movie marathon. Sarah had tried so hard to get her to come, instead of spending the night alone.
There was a tap on the window and she snapped out of her silent reverie. Phillipe was standing on the roof outside her window, waving his arms frantically. Slowly, unsure if she was just imagining it, she walked to the window and unlatched it. Phillipe came tumbling into the room, panting slightly.
She scrambled to his side, horrified. Blood was pouring out of a gash on his leg, and his eyes were beginning to glaze over.
"W-what happened?" she choked out, as her eyes began to cloud.
Phillipe struggled to find his voice, and it came out in a hoarse whisper. "T-the river, we were attacked. D-d-dono...v..." his voice cut out, as he winced in pain.
Selene was crying now, as she cradled Phillipe in her arms. Fresh blood spilled out of a dried wound on his neck. He attempted to speak again, but the only word she could make out through the gurgling in his throat was... dying. The young wolf's body began to spasm, and the words from her dream echoed in her mind. You will be destroyed. Selene shook her head. This was not the time for dreams.
Artemis heard the racket and came running into the bedroom as Phillipe drew in another ragged breath. He exhaled once again, shaking.
"What happened?" Artemis asked her daughter.
"He mentioned the river. I'm not sure exactly." Selene said.
"Run now! Our kin are weakest on this night." She commanded.
Selene nodded at her mother as she turned her back on her. Artemis began chanting to the goddess. She would not let his life be lost.
Bones crunched as Selene took her new form, a wolf black as the night stood in her place. A single white patch of fur formed a star on her left flank. Selene bounded up over the windowsill, and into the forest.