Stirrings of War

January 11th 2007, winter

It was dark in that small nameless town in USA, America. That night it was snowing fiercely and already several feet of snow lay on the ground; and large wolf like tracks led into the dark and gloomy forest. Men are following the tracks, holding flashlights and long guns. They want to get rid of the beast to protect their livestock from harm. Already, two sheep have been lost. The blood from the sheep stains the quiet snow here and there, telling the hunters that they are on the right track. Soon enough they hear growling, a deep throated rumble nearby. Excited shouts turn to careful whispers, even though the wolf-creature has better hearing than all of them combined. The wolf-creature knew they were following him hours ago. He waits until the men show their faces, guns all pointed at him, ready to shoot when the lead hunter gives the order. But the lead hunter pauses a moment to admire this truly magnificent creature. The wolf is nearly as big as a large stallion, and the claws are deadly sharp and look longer than a stone of reasonable size that one could pick up. Its fur is a black as the trees tonight and it has something like a thin golden necklace around his neck. But that can’t be right. Wolves don’t wear jewelry. What really unnerves the hunters is that the wolf has blood-red eyes and no pupils. The lead hunter finally gives the order and a shout rings out; and ten guns fire at once, red-hot bullets shooting towards the wolf-creature lying calmly on the two bloody sheep. The bullets bury themselves deep within the wolf-creatures fur. Shouting and cheering erupts from the circle of hunters. And then, one hunter is missing his head. The wolf-creature is unharmed. The foolish hunter who had first lost his head had gone up to the wolf, who for all means was pretending to be dead, and had discovered that the bullets had made mere indents in tough skin that seemed to be more rock than skin. That was the last thing he knew. Soon after, nine more heads lay resting in the snow, and bodies lay slumped on the ground or against trees. It was their mistake, the wolf-creature remarks with a deep-throated voice, for hunting a werewolf.

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July 1st 2007, summer

The summer sun poured down burningly on the town nestled at the edge of the Shenandoah Mountains, Virginia. Most people didn’t even know the town existed. But it was a peaceful town with its own troubles now and then.

A girl with short brown hair rushed down the mountainous path towards the town, carrying water-buckets on her shoulders connected by a long pole. She stumbled down the steps as quickly as she could, heading towards the town that was built into the mountainside carefully, calling out as she went. “Ma! I got the wat-….-er.”  A cheerfully plump woman with short wavy brown hair came bustling out of a house higher up than most of the houses. “Good lord, gal! Whatcha done now?!”  The girl looked remorsefully back at the spilled water and cracked buckets and pole on the steps to her house. She had been almost home! “Oh, Nyx!” The homely woman sighed. “Get some more buckets now, an throw those away. Go get some more water too.Breakfast’ll be late, I reckon.” With another sigh, the woman re-entered the house. “Jeez, Ma.”  Nyx groaned.  Not much later, she trudged up the mountain, with another pole-and-bucket assembly resting on her back. Leaving one hand to keep it steady, she picked at the stuffy red dress and black sash with a moan. “Darn-it, it’s meltin out here.” Nyx whined the last word. Soon enough she came upon the well nestled deep within the forest. Whatever had possessed whoever had built it to put it way out here was beyond her.
Without looking, she knew the odd markings were there on the stones circling the well and the clearing. Supposedly, they had been put there by some crazy old ‘witch’ a few hundred years ago to protect ‘from a great evil’. Well, every town had their ‘ghost story’. This was Shenandoah Town’s.  She began to sing as she drew the water.

”Water of our mothers land,
Let me take from you to-day…
And give thy blessing to mine house,
And stay the hand of evil far away….”

Nyx distinctly remembered sitting in class when she was seven, and learning that song. Each verse, there was seven, was supposed to do something different. Water was to give a blessing to your house and supposedly protect it from evil entering in. A rumble filled the land. She dismissed it as thunder, and then glanced at the sky. Nope- it was clear. So what…? Nyx shrieked as red eyes leered at her from the darkness shrouding the forest’s floor outside the protective stone circle. She began to tremble- it was a wolf! A large one at that. No, no weapon in her dress pocket- “Oh.” Nyx gasped slightly with relief. She quickly unhooked the pole from the buckets; then she noticed something odd. The wolf was pacing circles around the stones. Maybe there was something to that myth. But the wolf was pushing farther in every second. With difficulty, yes, but pushing in all the same. “Oh! The song!” Nyx began to sing the verse so hurriedly it was more like speed-speaking.

“Light of the sun on high,
Take this day to me….
And give unto me thy sweet protection
From this evil come to-day.”

She was blinded for a second before she could see again.Nyx blinked blearily at a figure bathed in soothing light standing in front of her, Hand outstretched. “Who…?” The girl mumbled wonderingly. The wolf leaped with a roar but the light flashed again, effectively blinding Nyx again. The wolf lay on its side, unconscious. “I assume you can take care of it from here, Nyx.” Murmured the tall and stately lady. “H-huh?” Squeaked Nyx.”Who’re you?!”  The woman blinked at her. “Why, Athena of course. Warrior goddess. Don’t tell me-you don’t remember a thing?”  Nyx frowned. “Hey, what?” The tall woman called Athena sighed slightly. “Well, I suppose I’d better not tell you, and I’m rather busy right now. Good-bye.” And with one more blinding flash of light, the unconscious wolf and the girl Nyx were left alone. “Wonderful.” She said with a sigh as she carefully poked the large wolf with the pole in the side. Darkness misted around the girl and the wolf, and when it disappeared, a man with long black hair, an oddly designed shirt, and brown pants and odd markings around the eyes lay there. The next the she noticed was that He also had a black tail and black ears.
“Eeee-ah!” Shrieked Nyx as she scrambled away. “Hnnn….huh?” Murmured the man as he sat up rather blearily, rubbing his head as though he had a massive headache. In his other hand he grasped a red orb. Carefully, once his mind cleared up, he placed the orb so that it sat in a deep indent in the golden necklace around his neck. “Are you the one who saved me?” He said, directing his words at Nyx. The tall mans eyes took her breath away- they were pure red with no pupils. Now that was just freaky. Not knowing what to do, she just shrugged helplessly. A wolf she could handle-sort of- but a wolf turned man? Taking that as a yes he stood rather awkwardly, as if he still had to grow into his long legs. “Then I thank ye, milady. When I am in wolf-form the darkness takes over. It is rather disconcerting.Espically since I can hurt people without being in my right mind…” The little speech just muddled Nyx’s mind more.”Uhm, Huh?!” She managed to squeak out. The queer eyes watched her carefully. Then they shifted to survey the terrain. “Ah….Hemera’s well. Does she still live here?” Hemera…her mother? “Y-yes. I’ll take you too her- the back way….” He bowed slightly. “I thank you milady- but- your name?”  Nyx stopped short in shifting the pole and buckets on her shoulders. “My…..name? Uh….Its Nyx.Yours?” Nyx was starting to recover from all the mornings shock’s and began to act normally again. The man blinked.”Oh.Yes.Its Chr-um, Chronos.” Whatever possessed him to tell her his real name would always be beyond him.

“Hey, Ma! We got a guest!” Shouted Nyx into the house as her little brother came running to greet her. Her mother, Hemera, emerged from the kitchen wiping her hands on her white apron covering most of her poofy brown dress.Hemera’s eyes narrowed as she saw Chronos. “Nyx, take your brothers and sister outside, please.” She said abruptly. Nyx paused, and then nodded. She ran off to fetch her little sister of five years, Atasha and her brother, Farin. Her brothers whined to go in. “No, Farin, Gaderift. We can’t go inside!” Gaderift protested hotly. “But, Nyxie---! They’re talking secrets!”
Gaderift and Farin, of ten and fifteen years, were well known lovers of secrets and all things mysterious. “No, Gade!” She reached out and pulled him by his ear away from the door.”Ow, ow, ow!” He shrieked. “You really should know better, Gade.” Farin pointed out with a quiet laugh.


Inside the warm kitchen the wolf in human form sat on the wooden chair, legs curled under him. Hemera leaned agaisnt a cabinet. “So, what brings you here, milord?” Chronos brightened up.”Ah! That’s an interesting story! You see-“Hemera interrupted. “You don’t know, do you?” Chronos pouted.”Ah, you ruin everything, Hemmie.” A vein twitched in her temple. “I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times Chronos, Don’t call me that!”  The wolf-man sighed. “Well, Hemera.To tell the truth, Black Fang Tarin decided that he should be the rightful king of Werra, not me.” Hemera shook her head slightly. “So now you’re the outcast king of the were-creature kingdom of the world running from your old student. How pitiful. How the great have fallen!
You used to be White Time Chronos! What happened to the man I knew?!”  The man called White Time Chronos sighed and looked out the window. “He’s gone, Hemera.He’s gone for goo-“ He stopped short with another sigh. “It appears your ‘children’ have been listening in.” Hemera narrowed her eyes and slammed the door open. Nyx, Farin and Gaderift fell in the kitchen door in a jumble. Farin and Gaderift on top.Nyx groaned.
“Get off, Gade, Farin! You’re heavy-off!”  They quickly untangled themselves when they felt the two fierce gazes on them. Nyx looked sheepishly at her mother. Hemera sighed. “Well, I suppose you’re old enough to know the truth. Chronos? Care to explain?” He nodded, and when they were all seated at the kitchen table he began. “Well, as I’m sure you heard- I’m the ki-former king of Werra, homeland of were-creatures. I, myself, am a werewolf-" Farin narrowed his eyes. “Why should we believe you?” Nyx punched him in the arm. “Cause Ma does!” Farin fell silent with a glare to his elder sister. “Well, an evil were-fox name Tarin stole the throne with a group of were-creature nobles. But the worst part is, some humans helped too. Government humans.” Hemera nearly jumped three feet into the air.” Government! But, that might throw the planet into an interspecies war!” Chronos rubbed his forehead delicately. “I know.Thats why I shape shifted.” Hemera put her hand to her forehead. “You shape shifted?! Do you know how dangerous that is in your condition, Cro?” She said wearily, using the old palace nickname for him. Chronos rubbed his forehead harder. “Yes, I know. I’d be ashamed if I didn’t, the way the doctors back at the palace drummed it into me how I must not shape shift.” “So why?” She asked quietly. “Well…. It was the only way I could think of to get out of the palace without being noticed too much.” Nyx shook her head. “But how’d you end up way out here?” Chronos glanced at her. “In shape shifted form, I have no control in my
current state-“ Farin interrupted. “What is this ‘current state’?”  A slight strain of anger entered the wolf-mans voice. “That is not for you to know.” Farins hands twirled into fists.
Hemera reached out and touched his hands gently. “No, Farin. Don’t fight.” He protested hotly. “But--! But…what if…I became a were-creature?” Chronos thought for a second. “Well, you’d have to find someone willing to turn you- don’t look at me. A wolf is not suitable for you. Something more…cat-like perhaps. Now, a wolf would suit Nyx over here.” He waved a hand in her direction.Nyx frowned. To become a wolf…no, a werewolf. Should she? “But would it prevent the war?” Chronos murmured something, and then spoke louder. “A goddess most certainly would be useful.” Nyx frowned. “A goddess?” Hemera could have killed Chronos right then and there.”Cro! She doesn’t know!” Nyx looked between the angry face of her mother and the calm and composed face of this strange man named Chronos.”A… goddess…? Ma, im named after a Greek goddess, right? Are you…is he…saying that im not named after her- I am her?” She faltered during her little speech. “She catches on quick.” Chronos observed. Hemera did hit him this time, and he made no move to avoid it.Nyx stared at him pointedly. “But how come I don’t remember anything?” Chronos stood up, arms linked behind him, and stared out the window. “Gods and goddess’ are merely nothing more than people who have learned the secret of immortality and rebirth. Goddess is a fancy term for someone who found the secret to immortality. A god is nothing more than a mortal, who is immortal. In rebirth, the god’s consciousness does not reproduce; also, he merely passes his powers and immortality on. And, it’s never a sure thing who will get your powers and immortality. The first person named after you after you die gets it. Humans have many wrong ideas about immortality also. Immortality merely lengthens the person’s lifespan by a few hundred, or a few thousand years, depending on how strong the spell is, and grants magical powers. The creatures you are familiar with, dragons, unicorns and other such beings are ‘immortal’, in the real sense of the word.” Chronos paused for a second. Hemera shook her head. “This is all too much for the kids too take in, Cro. They need sleep. So do you.” She glanced outside the window. It was a long trek up to the well, nearly thirty minutes.
Nyx protested, “But Ma—it’s only five o’clock!” Hemera looked at her steadily. “Yes, it is. But, please, Nyx, understand…” Nyx stared at her silently, and then nodded. “All right.” She agreed softly. “And Chronos can have my bed. I’ll sleep on the roof.”


Nyx stared at the stars sparkling like pretty diamonds stuck way up high. There were many wonders in this world, computers, telephones, airplanes…but nothing really could compare to the raw beauty of the forest and the stars. The sun and the moon, the river and the mountain. The roof was flat and the bed was tucked in the huge hollow in the rocks side. She took some time to survey her town. The small town was built high up on the mountain, actually very near the tip of one of the mountains, built into rock and earth. The house she lived in was one built in past the earth and into the stone. All the roofs were flat, and the town was layered, going nearly straight up. The path to the well was steep, especially going back up to the town. Eventually, she wasn’t sure when, but she fell asleep, short brown hair covering bright blue eyes.


“Hey, whoa!” Shouted Nyx as she sat up abruptly, breaking away from a freakish dream, and promptly lay back down, clutching her head. The hollow in the rock was wide, but not high. “Ow, ow, ow, ow.”  She chanted mechanically.Soon enough, she climbed out of the warm blankets. Nyx had slept in her clothes, so that wasn’t a problem.Except that she really wanted to get out of the red dress. Groaning slightly, clutching her head gently, she staggered down the stairs to her room.Chronos had apparently already gone downstairs, so that was half of the problem solved. Not much later, the girl emerged from her room wearing a white tanktop with a red heart on it and blue jean shorts. Perfect clothes for hot weather. With a sigh of relief and one Advil later, she was downstairs at the kitchen table with her family. Everyone except the wolf-man. “Ma? Where’s Cro?” ‘Already, she’s picking up on the nickname’; mused Hemera with a chuckle. “Outside, I think.”

Chronos stared at the shady forest under the burning sun thoughtfully.”Hey, Whatcha thinking about?” Came the soft, but insistent voice of Nyx. He shifted slightly on the low wall surrounding the house so that he could see her more clearly. She sat beside him, feet touching the ground on the other side. “What to do.” What his short reply, obviously stressed. “So what’s the deal with your shape shifting?” Nyx asked quietly. He eyed her out of the corners of his eyes. “Im sick, it doesn’t agree with me shape shifting, and that’s all you need to know.” Chronos said shortly.”Hey! If you want my help to prevent this stupid war, you’re gonna have to tell me sooner or later!”
A maniacal grin spread across Chronos’ face. “Well, I guess its later then!” She glared at him, and turned away from him with a ‘hmph’.Then a thought struck her and she turned back around. “Hey, how do you know my Ma?” Nyx questioned suspiciously. “She was my nursemaid at the palace.” He said offhandly, off in another world. Then he realized what he said and clapped his hands over his mouth, glaring at Nyx heatedly. She merely grinned and started humming. Staring at her curiously, previous resentment forgotten, Chronos asked a question. “What song is that?”
Suddenly, Nyx fell silent. He protested. “No, Sing, please.” She glanced at him slyly from the corners of her eyes. “Tell me how old you are and where Werra’s castle is located.” He scooted away slightly. “Say huh?” She stared at him expectantly. “Oh, Fine.” He sighed. “In your humans’ years’ im six-hundred and fifty-two years old. I was twenty-three when I was ‘turned’. As for the castle, it’s a secret.” Obviously uneasy with the subject, he demanded that he had fulfilled his part, now she needed to fulfill her part of their agreement. “Sure.” Nyx agreed readily. ‘Does he really want to hear me sing, that bad?’ She wondered as she broke out into song, well, it was really more of a chant.


“Time over time,
One who is the wolf
One who is the snake,
Tell me of the future
And allow me to shift
The lives of others”

Chronos eyed her oddly as she finished. She held up her hands defiantly. “What?” Nyx snapped. “We all learned that song when we were younger. They all call on gods, supposedly. This one calls on….Chro…nos…” The hands were lowered and she stared at the man sitting next to her.”Chronos?” She questioned weakly.  He jumped off the wall lightly and walked to the edge of the steep path that led to other house down below. “And I am obliged to answer.” He said calmly, holding his arms out. Nyx jumped off the wall and ran to him. “Wait!” She said desprately. “Don’t!” Nyx hesitantly reached out towards him. “Chronos?” He had started glowing white. “Chronos!” She nearly shrieked when she started glowing as well. “Chronos?!” Nyx repeated for the third time. Soon the glow faded, and a new feeling raced through her. She stared at her hands. “H-huh?” Nyx gasped. Chronos slumped slightly, and then recovered; standing straight again.  “You now have the power to shape shift one time only.” He explained, slightly wearily. “Oh.” Nyx said softly. “But- um, anyways. I came out here to ask you about becoming a werewolf. I’d like too…if…you, you know…up to it.” Chronos eyed her steadily. “Are you sure?” She gave a determined nod. “Yes.” He held out a hand. “Your wrist, please.” She held it out and he grabbed it firmly, and a knife appeared in his hand. He raised the knife to his own wrist first, letting go of hers, and slit it from wrist to elbow; having drawn back his sleeve. The blood began to drip, and he hurriedly grasped her arm and did the same thing. He then raised his arm up, and pressed the two cuts together.Chronos cried out, his voice somehow different- somewhat godlier.

“Spirits of my origin
Hear my cry
And take unto thee
This young girl
And let my origin
Be her origin also.”


UNFINISHED