Sorry it's taken me so long to update!!
claimer:I own everything that is not in eragon or eldest:D
14. –Spirits
The golden morning light filtered down through the vast canopy of leaves as the magnificent sun rose over the horizon, casting the clearing in an emerald light. I had been awake for hours; just lying and watching the day arrive, wondering how we were supposed to go about saving the rider and his dragon from their terrible fate.
Dorran had curled his huge, snake-like body around me to keep me safe or warm, I could not tell which. His enormous onyx wing stretched over my lower half so that I may watch the leaves in the morning catch fire by the suns rays. My head rested on Dorrans' stomach, warmed from the icy wind by the fire that lay inside him.
Today would be the day that we were to begin our quest, although where we should start from, or go to was a mystery to us.
The night colored dragon stirred slightly, then raised his massive head to peer around the clearing with a mixture of confusion and eagerness on his reptilian face.
Well good morning sleeping beauty, I mimicked my grandmothers' voice, repeating what she had said the last morning she had been alive.
The thought that she was actually dead sent sadness throughout my entire body. She had been dead for just over a day now, and the thought that I would never see her again still had not completely registered into my brain.
It just couldn't be true, she couldn't have died.
But somewhere deep down I knew the truth, that she was never coming back, I just did not want to admit that yet.
Dorran uncurled his tail from around me and heaved himself up onto all fours, then proceeded to stretch like a cat would, the sight of which was exceedingly amusing to watch.
He caught sight of the smile on my lips and stopped what we had been doing abruptly, trying to restore his dignity. I chuckled a little, then turned at the sounds of wolves and humans alike waking from slumber.
They all flexed their muscles, smoothing the cricks out so that they would not seize up and cause pain.
Then, as I looked on, all the humans started to elongate, hair sprouting from their bodies with amazing speed.
Their faces stretched to for snouts and their spines lengthened to turn into tails.
In one minute what had been left of the humans had all successfully morphed into huge, sharp-toothed wolves, each supporting a pelt a different shade of the tree bark that surrounded them.
The small clearing was now swarming with giant wolves, all preparing for something.
"What are they doing?" I asked Dorran, curious as to how they were all able to change into a wolf.
"Preparing to hunt." He replied in his deep growling voice, excitement causing his eyes to sparkle like stars in the night sky.
"But how are they morphing like us?" I asked him, bewildered.
His turned his gaze to mine, his dark eyes boring into mine as if surprised that I didn't know the answer.
"We are werewolves." He spoke slowly, as if talking to someone mentally impaired.
My jaw dropped open, werewolves were only meant to be creatures of legends! Not forming secret establishments deep within the Dark Forest, especially so close to my old home.
But then again, normal humans weren't meant to have the ability to shift between souls and change forms either.
The werewolves were gathering around the moon pool, forming a circle on the shore. Even in daylight the waters shone silver, as if the moon had been caught inside.
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Dorrans' form rippling. The giant black dragon that had been there seconds before was now an enormous night colored wolf. But what was strange about that was the fact that he hadn't gone from dragon to human to wolf, as is the way we normally morph.
He sensed the question revolving in my mind and his beautiful eyes regarded mine.
I was a werewolf before gaining another soul. When I am around the pack my wolf instincts overtake and it is as if I only had two forms once again, he explained, and understanding dawned in my mind.
So…are you going to join the hunt? I thought to him, wishing that he could stay here with me and not stalk deer in the woods.
To my dismay he nodded his silky head and gazed longingly at the gathering of the wolves.
I followed his line of sight and noticed a gap in the mass of fur. It was obviously his normal place and by not being there he was feeling left out, out of place.
As if he didn't belong.
Which was exactly what I was feeling while looking upon the many family members gathered ceremonially, all in their own places.
Then something sparked in Dorrans' onyx eyes and he turned to face me, excitement rolling off of him in waves, clouding my senses.
Why don't you come with us? His beautiful voice resounded throughout my mind, thrilled at his idea of making me one of the pack members.
I had to admit, the idea of belonging to something did appeal to me, and the people had been so kind natured.
I grinned at him then proceeded to change into wolf form.
The familiar vibrations wracked my entire body, bones elongating and silver fur erupting from my skin.
Once again the magnificent moon colored wolf stood in the place where my human form had been just a few seconds ago.
With a swish of his tail Dorran motioned for me to follow as he made his way to the empty place in the circle.
He nudged the mud-colored wolf next to him aside to make room for the two of us and we squeezed in between. The icy liquid engulfed the tips of my front paws as I stood at the waters edge, unmoving in the warm wind.
I noticed the pack leader, Tala, emerge from the ranks and step forward into the pool, treading carefully through the crystal depths. The only way I recognised her was by her sun-colored eyes, for she was in wolf form and her pelt was the same dark brown of many of the wolves gathered.
She reached the middle of the pond, the clear water now up to her stomach. She turned on the spot, her golden eyes regarding each and every wolf's eyes individually, resting on mine for the longest.
The butterscotch color absorbed into my silver eyes, as if searching for something hidden deep.
My sensitive ears pricked up as I heard Dorran growl warningly at Tala, his gaze never drifting, his dark eyes locked on her honey colored ones.
She exhaled sharply, as if suppressing a snort, and then hurriedly wrenched her penetrating gaze from mine.
I flicked my pupils over to Dorran, who was not looking at me but straight ahead, avoiding my gaze. I could have spoken to him with my thoughts, but decided not to, sensing his aggravation at something.
When Tala had completed her circling she sat down in the water, the liquid now rising to her chest.
Then, she threw back her silky head, and howled up at the sky, the sound high and eerie.
As one the other wolfs joined her song, the chorus of unearthly music drifted throughout the forest, startling birds in the nearby trees to take flight.
Beside me Dorrans' head was tilted back and he was letting his own tune join the countless others.
Being the only wolf in the whole clearing that was not participating; I lifted my head and nervously tried to partake in the ancient song.
The howl came to me with surprising easiness. The wail a little different than the others, but at least a noticeable wolf howl.
And as I sang, the unique sounds echoing around the woods, I heard strange noises emitting from the forest, as if the trees themselves were resonating their own tunes.
Something lay thick in the air, making the clearing pulsate in rhythm of the plants hums.
I opened my eyes, glancing around at the forest before me, and gasped at what I saw.
Standing between each tree was a swirling vortex of silvery mist.
And as I watched, entranced, the vapor transformed into legible shapes.
The unmistakable forms of wolves stood in the shadows of the forest, emitting a supernatural light of their own.
Their glistening pelts shining like the moon as they advanced into the clearing, their glazed and sightless eyes piercing into mine with every tread their ghostly paws took.
oooooooooh cliffhanger...
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-Firesilk:D
