In over your head

Chapter 1: In Over Your Head

It all began when someone left the window open.

It was in the middle of the night… or maybe it was the beginning of tomorrow. I could not tell. I was too engrossed with my grandmother’s last gift to me before she passed away. She said that I should open it when she was gone. Problem was I had forgotten it in my closet for a few months after her death. She was three months dead now of course, which was why I was up reading it in the first place. Yes, her gift to me had been a book, an old book that was hand written in a long spidery scrawl cursive and very, very difficult to read. Of course, it may have been the fact that I was used to printing and reading print that made her text seem foreign. To be honest it was foreign in a sense it was written in an older way of speaking, also the book was from a time before even grandmother. It had me enthralled, the particular passage I was reading hinting at something most intriguing:

Take heed, what yee enter, shan’t be turned from lightly

Yee seek a guardian, one loyal and mighty,

Servant to thee unto death.

Be wary, yee who enter this pact.

For death awaits the one who turns back.

Loyal devotion, for shelter and love,

Bitter betrayal rebuked with bitter destruction,

Oath breakers beware.

Loyal love shalt be replaced,

With vengeance blood.

Thou hath been warned.

As you probably may be thinking, my grandmother sounds like a nut. However, one should also remember that this is not her writing. Thinking ahead of her grandsons
Non-Shakespearean mindset she was kind enough to translate with footnotes the same passages translation read thusly:

If you invoke this guardian, he will be loyal to you through out your life just as mine has been to me. However if you do not love him and shelter him in your home or with yourself he will grow to hate you, and eventually if you treat him poorly he will turn on you and kill you, so be careful.

Sounds encouraging huh? Well at any rate, I had gotten to page thirty-seven of this five hundred-page book, when I decided I had the gist of it down and was ready to call on a guardian. It sounded fun and I had it in my all knowing sixteen year old mind that warnings were just there because someone goofed up some where along the line and expected everyone else to be susceptible to the same error as them. Yah right, I thought to myself. Skipping ahead to the chapter talking about what would be required for attracting one loyal and mighty. This chapter was laid out in a systematic recipes sort of format, and I knew exactly what kind of creature I wanted. I was alone in the house, tonight and no one would notice me gathering what I needed. I went to the garden down stairs in the backyard. The book instructed that a garland of lavender jasmine and rose thorns would attract a potential guardian and then all that was left to do was hang it in your bedroom window leaving the window wide open for the creature to enter, my grandmother had her own twists and warnings on this mix however. Along with the three plants, she suggested including a few locks of hair and if you wanted, something extremely loyal to include wolfs bane and nightshade in the mixture. Whether it was coincidence or my grandmothers foresight playing into affect I wasn’t sure but I found all the plants she was recommending and proceeded to get myself a good many clippings of each before going back up to the third floor attic room which was where I slept. The room had been grandmas and still sported her tastes in the corner where my room’s one and only window was located. Aqua marine blue with vibrant green vines decorated the walls a countless numbers of doves rising amidst them. Her old dresser stood by the window as well, and I went to work arranging the fresh cut plants in a hanging bouquet. As I hung the wreath of fragrant greens above the window with some twine, a worry crossed my mind. It lasted for a few moments and I hesitated before opening the window, “what if this is more than you can handle,” whispered the small voice of doubt. I swiftly checked it, telling it to shut up, and that I could handle anything I wanted to. Lifting the window open, the warm summer’s night wind entered into the lofty room, circled once and then carried my invitation out into the night, on its buoyant flow. This would be fun.
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As Fruanc made his way through the evening forests, he sulked at having lost not only his friend Ruall, but also his nephew. It was better this way, he knew that; it really was the only way that his friend could of survived. Still it left Fruanc feeling empty, but better that he feel a whole in his heart with Ruall alive and well than the alternative.

The pack had charged Fruanc with the duty of killing Ruall for harboring the Packs enemy, helping them escape, and then eluding justice by running away. Had Fruanc been in Rualls shoes he probably would have done the same thing. Feeling down and out of sorts after his loss Fruanc just wanted to be alone and seek what comfort he could. The stench of the sea still lay heavy in the air and Fruancs nostrils. He really should have been departing the place of his friends departure and heading back to report failure to the pack leader. He would eventually but right now he wanted to linger. It was a fear of forgetting Ruall for the most part that caused Fruanc to dally. That, and his brother had asked him to check up on some one while he was in the area.
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Slinking through the forest Joey didn’t pay much attention to his surroundings. It had been a long day working in the mines and right now all Joey wanted was to get to his den and collapse for the remainder of the week. Skirting the edge of the forest along the cliff drop to the ocean, Joey gave a passing thought to having seagull for dinner when the breeze picked up carrying something more attractive than a scrawny dinner to him.

A feeling of exhilaration seemingly tingled and pricked over every inch of Joey’s now taught body. Something new was in the air tonight, something that hadn’t been there before. It tugged at Joey’s nose torturing him with a hunger to find where it came from. Some kind of carnivorous lust arose in him making the sweet yet spicy smell all the more desirable. It was a simple mater either he would go and find it or he wouldn’t, he could sniff out the inviting aroma or turn tale and flee from it till it’s vibrant heady odor could no longer be found. Coming to a decision, Joey turned to fixate on the delicious smells origin. Without a thought more he started his trot forward, taking an easy pace to warm up his tired legs, he could start running in a few minutes. It was good to feel the sinews and fibers of his hind and front legs heating up with the stretch of their renewed use. He’d feel the burn and aches in the morning but if this aroma led to what he suspected then it would be well worth the trouble. The smell was not far, three or four miles at worst and he could cover that in minutes if he so chose. Increasing the gate of his stride, Joey was soon shooting through the woods like an arrow speeding towards the bulls eye mark. The countryside was changing rapidly. Slipping from forest to fields, brushed with roads here and there the target remained constant. And so it was that Joey the wind streaking over his fur coat, found himself at the edge of a small town by a large salty body of water. The source of this ambrosia delight that tickled his nose was very near. Individual scents were now discernable in that mixture of sweet intoxication. Roses lavender and a few other things as well, but the most tempting of all even more tempting than the viperous nightshade with the hint of curry, was the minty teasing of the wolfs bane, just on the verge of bloom. Practically drooling now the enthralled Joey continued his approach. The house he came upon was older than the others around it, different in design and appearance from the others. Where most in the area were one story high, this one was three, and where most were of whitewashed brick recently painted from the smell of things, this house was shingled on the sides with faded grey boards. The houses of the town were mostly of a square or rectangular shape and clustered around the towns main road with the property behind them divided up by wooden stake fences making pens for the livestock that some of the town’s people kept. The house that Joey stood before however was of a different shape, like a large L that a second and third story had grown out of, the third story was more like an attic but it had a window. This was definitely, where the tantalizing air was coming from.

The back of the house was home to a good many more plant smells. Flowers of all kinds including those that he had initially come upon could be found in it‘s bountiful selection. A quivering came over Joey just then, starting at the base of his spine and then spreading over him like his very nature had given a shudder of anticipation. Salivating on what savory taste might accompany the arrangement that hung above the wolf made the change. Reaching into the depths of his being the wolf Joey started to feel around for the consciousness in him that was similar to that of the men folk. Finding the man sense in its blissful slumber of repose, the wolf Joey leaned towards it and gave the man sense a gentle nudge.

“Wake up friend its time we met this sweat plant weaver, wake up friend.” The man sense stirred inside of them, their body, which currently reflected the animal side of their combined existence. Giving a playful shove to the wolf the man sense came to wakefulness greeting his other half with the warm embrace that they shared with one another when they chose to run together as one. Their body began to alter so to reflect the new image of them standing together yet at the same time one. The man’s image came into play reshaping the wolfen body to resemble that of a man while still maintaining the wolf’s fur his beautiful paws mixing with the strong fingers of the man. Their hind legs lengthened body becoming erect, expanding into the chest and shoulders of the mans sense, their front legs also lengthened, the wolf hind feet becoming like man feet while retaining the paw pads and sharp nails as well as the look of the wolf toes. The hands did similar as they stretched out into wolf padded and clawed fingers. The hind legs bent forward then popping in quivering ecstasy. Joey’s head remained that of his wolfen side and their tale stayed present wagging, pleased with having tracked down the source of the mystery that had so enthused them both the wolf in particular. Approaching the house in order to make his ascension Joey stopped suddenly to test the air. Catching something not right Joey faded into the shadows of the nearest house, where the white wash smelled particularly fresh and got down on his belly watching in anticipation.

He didn’t have long to wait before he spotted the source of what had set off his senses with a warning. Another wolf was already here. Damn it thought Joey with envy as he thought of what he’d come all this way just to have snatched out from under him. Why did these things always have to happen whenever something good came along? Glaring daggers Joey watched as the other wolf approached the window and began to crouch down to leap up and claim Joey’s prize.
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It was time for climbing to reveal the man creature who had made the inviting arrangement. Hunching down the werewolf Fruanc tested the distance with his eyes judging how much power would be necessary for this jump to the roof of the first level. Tightening down a little more hands on the ground knees bent the werewolf Fruanc began the release. Pushing his upper half off with his hands his legs giving the final momentum propelling him upward smoothly, Fruanc didn‘t know what he should expect. The air passed by him and he was landing on the roof of the first floor soundlessly. Repeating the action again increasing the force even more the werewolf Fruanc launched up to grab the sill, sinking his claws into the wood.

Hoisting himself the rest of the way up to the sill the wolf-man eased in; coming to a rest in a crouch on the bedroom floor.

The room was dark, and the snores just before him indicated the sleeping state of the man creature who he had been sent to look in on. Standing up Fruanc took some time to examine the drying flower arrangement the human had created. The sensually inviting bouquet, was quite arousing actually and the effect it was having on Fruanc increased more than just his heart rate. Knowing it was safe to turn his back on the man creature, Fruanc did just that and proceeded to examine the arrangement further. Turning the flowers about he spied something that wasn’t green, it was hazel, long and stringy putting his nose close Fruanc inhaled deeply the hazel strands were next to wolfs bane. The man creature had put some of it’s own hair into the arrangement. This confirmed Fruancs suspicion the arrangement was designed as an invitation, which meant that this person wasn’t the one Fruanc sought but perhaps a relative. Regardless they were including themselves in the invitation and Fruanc was definitely in the mood for some comforting. This brought great delight to the man in Fruanc and the wolf understanding the new excitement having felt something similar from time to time himself stepped aside letting the mans conscious rule them both happy for his good friend. Loss was always harder on Fruancs human side and his wolf half knew that he would want to loose himself in this. It would help him to cope.

The man named Fruanc stood in the room now the image of the wolf fading deep into his core leaving the image of the man who was Fruanc in his purest form. Going to sleep now, to give Fruanc the advantage of full conscience for this the wolf sense wished him well, just as he would do on the occasions when they were around a she wolf who happened to be in heat. It was a kind of mutual understanding they both had for one another that went past the things that each did which were strange to the other.

“Thanks little buddy,” said Fruanc to his wolfen part. The warm wolf sense resting in him gave a brief swelling of affection for his other half and then reseeded into his deep comfortable sleep. Reaching down to his left calf Fruanc unwound the stretchy cord that held a pair of shorts there when Fruanc was sleeping within the image of the wolf. They needed replacing, the pants that had been the guard of modesty in public. That would have to be later though. Grass stained and worn though they were they covered him decently below the waste, to a point just above the knees. Now to meet the wreath weaver who had ensnared him to come to her bed so masterfully.

The art of inviting wolf-men had gone to the wayside for mankind in the last decade or so and those who would welcome a brother-wolf were hard to find now, yet here lay just a one who would, and from the smell of things, it was a young one who had garnished the invitation. Coming forward Fruanc looked on the smaller figure with his excellent nocturnal vision. The humans back was to him but the hair was long, and lay loosely about the humans head. It was good to be in a female’s presence again with the potential promise of a sharing a few nights in one another’s arms. Leaning down to have a closer look, Fruanc took the young maid by the shoulder and rolled her onto her back. She was flat-chested, obviously not very far into her years of womanhood. Perhaps she would bloom later than most did. Still if she was putting up garlands to attract one like him then there had to be some kind of passion of a fiery nature resting beneath those eyelids that lay obscured beneath some strands of hazel that had fallen over the young maidens face.

At this point Fruanc needed all the fire he could get if he was going to get over Ruall being on his way to a new land. This maid would distract him; yes, even she would probably appreciate a good smooth kiss to waken her. Taking her in his arms, he lifted her towards his face and his eager lips. Something did not smell quite right here, but consumed in his own passion and want for solace, he brushed the thought aside and went for it.

Fruanc Instantly realized his error, something was most definitely wrong with this. The taste in his mouth “Uh,” he felt like puking. This was so very wrong it went against the laws of nature and he’d been the one to brake them. On more than a few levels, this was just plain out wrong. This was no female. This was a male like him! Like Ruall! What the hell was this! Revolted that he’d sought to have relations with “This,” Fruanc pushed the Young man away and scrambled for the wash stand. Disregarding the fact that the guy had been awoken by the tossing down, Fruanc seized the pitcher and taking water into his mouth swished it around furiously trying to get the taste of another male out of his mouth, going to the window he spat out the water and then proceeded to repeat the process. Shuddering then he looked up to see the bouquet, still hanging where its maker had hung it the hair was hazel! And the teenager behind him had made it! feeling the wolf awaken with in him, Fruanc recalled the times he’d bitten Rualls right shoulder for being disobedient but this was something else entirely. Feeling the heat of anger swelling in his chest, the wolf inside him was snapping as if another male wolf had tried to mount him in the dominance act of mating that was for males to do with she’s! Fighting to keep the wolf suppressed, he told it that it was a bad dream and that it had not really happened.

Trusting him the wolf sense relaxed a bit and laid down starting to fade back into sleep warily waiting to challenge and kill the dream if it returned to violate him again. The anger was still in Fruanc, but it was directed at himself partially now, because he had initiated the activity. Turning around after rinsing his mouth out for a third time, guzzling what was left of the water, he turned on the boy who he had mistaken to be a young maid. Was this kid interested in males for mating? Was such a thing even possible in one so young? It probably was possible, and the very thought of it caused fury to rise in Fruanc. Among wolves those that sported such tastes didn’t last long, the moment they made the fact of their fancies known the pack would turn on them and rip them apart. The boy had righted himself, and was looking on with a mingling of emotion displayed on his face. Wonder, fear, uncertainty, and a disgust that was all too understandable. Perhaps this one was all right after all. Still the only way to be certain would be to ask so he did. “What did you intend by this?” Fruanc said indicating the hanging bundle of plants with a jerk of his thumb. For a time, the boy stood there un-answering. Moving his lips in an attempt to make words. Fruanc took a step forward but then stopped, deciding to wait and try to be patient, with the boy.

Finally the kid croaked out an “I don’t know.” Sitting down on the edge of the bed the boy looked away from Fruanc. Fruanc walked over not all that certain what he was going to do with the boy now that he had revealed himself, to him. “Do you know what these generally mean?” the boy shook his head, and scooted farther onto the bed as the wild looking Fruanc approached.
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“What was going on!?!” I thought to myself. Here there was a man in my room who had just kissed me like I was to be his lover. I shuddered still tasting his saliva in my mouth. He was approaching me now, a question he then uttered to me.

“What did you intend by this?” I looked to what his gesture indicated; the wreath that I had made from the instructions in my grandmothers book. I was utterly decided now she had been nuts and I was going to burn that book the moment this guy left. Then another thought crossed my mind. The nagging voice from before, the doubt as to whether this was wise, was back reminding me that it might have been a good idea to have finished the book before attempting anything. I was afraid now. This wild man looked like he could snap my neck if he wished so I decided to be honest with him. I literally had no idea what this thing I’d made was for, and if I lied now he was likely to know it and call me on it, because from the sound of things plus how he’d acted before he had known my sex he knew exactly what these things meant. “I don‘t know,” I mouthed without sound. he started to come towards me then. Forcing air under the phrase again I said “I don‘t know.” It came out a moan, my throat feeling dry; he looked pissed at me. “Do you know what these generally mean?” he said seemingly becoming taller and more menacing the closer he got. Sitting on my bed, I moved farther back trying to get away in the feeble way one does when they know there’s no escape. He was huge, easily twice my size. Sitting down on the bed next to me he looked over at me I turned to look at his face. It was amused in a bitter sort of way. “Well from my experience when a person hangs one of these in their window leaving it open, it’s usually an invitation for one of my kind to spend a few nights with the one hanging it, and they’re usually women if you know what I mean.” I felt the color drain out of my face. What had my grandmother gotten me into? “So you thought I was a girl?” I asked backing up, or trying to. He smiled a bitter smile. “Yeah kid I thought you were a girl.” I felt myself going red now and all I could really say was “Sorry,” he put one of his hands over to me then and gave my shoulder a light punch, causing me to flinch. “Hey kid it’s all right, my fault for not looking before I leaped, and I’m sorry too.” Still a bit red I felt a little reassured that things would be turning out all right. “What was it you were trying to do by putting that thing up there any way?” Shit I thought as the bottom of my gut felt like it had dropped through the floor. “Well, I, uh… I was trying to…” I trailed off feeling his mood darkening. “It’ll be easier to show you than to tell you.” I said getting up and going to get the book from my dresser. Bringing it back over I showed it to him. “Uh this was my grandmothers…” he took the book from me and started thumbing through it. His eyebrows rising at a few of the pages farther in, that I hadn’t read. He looked at me then cocking his head to one side then the other, almost like a dog would. “I guess I should have read all of it.” I said, dreading what ever it was that he’d seen in there. “I’ll say you should have, you know this is a book of sorcery right?” I could only stare at him. “It’s not exactly big destructive stuff, or anything but it still is a form of it.” I felt the guilt rising within me and knew I’d be having to get to confession, for this and soon. The wild man put a hand on my shoulder. “You don’t look like you planned on that.” I shook my head feeling crummy now. “Well how about I take this off your hands, that ok?” I nodded, knowing it was for the best. He took the book from me, and said, “Lie down, try and go to sleep and in the morning this will all be just a bad dream.” I obeyed and in the next few minutes, I was unconscious.

Fruanc waited until the boy had fallen asleep before he performed a mind wipe on him erasing all memory of Myra’s copy of the book of the moon remedies from the lad’s memory. For a time, Fruanc just sat there looking at his older brothers, old lover’s, grandson. Rolf had told Fruanc about her a number of times. He’d also said how he had warned her about that book. Now it was too late. She was dead there could be no mistaking this fact. That her grandson had the book was as good of an affirmation as seeing her grave stone would be the following morning, when he went to pay his respects. As for the book, it was soon after a pile of ashes being scattered over the sea. The wolf that left the town that morning was not noticed by any one accept for the single bird of prey that circled wide over head in the dawn of the new day.

And it all ended with a closed window.

End of chapter oneChapter two

The Other Wolf-Man

But it was not the end.

And The window would not remain closed; no, for now that Joey had received an invitation he could come when ever he wished and unlike Fruanc who new what the weaver was Joey did not. And he intended to catch the weaver for his own possession, after all, he’d gone out of his way to reap what was offered by the invitation, and this was his town.

Biding his time Joey waited for the other wolf to have had his turn and when he saw the wolf leave shortly after arriving Joey tailed him at a safe distance to make sure it was safe for him to go back and have his turn with the human. The other wolf went to a grave yard made a fire and started burning a book of some kind. At any rate he looked like he’d be busy for a while which meant that Joey wouldn’t be interrupted. Returning to the house of the wreath weaver Joey crouched down and jumped up to the first levels roof less than soundlessly springing up from there he caught the sill only to find that the window had been closed. “Damn it!” hissed Joey cursing the wolf who’d stolen his easy invitation. Dropping down to the ground Joey slunk around the house quietly. If he couldn’t get in the original way then he’d just have to bide his time again, the human would have to come out of the safety of his home sooner or later, and when that happened Joey would take his opportunity. Until then he’d wait in the gardens dense bushes and get some rest. He could set up a trap after his nap.
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“Richard time to get up,” I heard my moms voice from somewhere below. It still wasn’t full light outside I thought, and it had been a long night. It felt that way at least. I’d had a weird dream about some half naked wild man kissing me, it had been terrible. I hated nightmares in general but this one had been the worst in a long while. It seemed so real and the funny thing was I could swear that I hadn’t made the bundle of herbs that hung in my window. Had I been sleep walking? “Richard! Wake up and go milk the cow!” Shouted my mother at the first floor stair well. Obediently tumbling out of bed I staggered to my dresser to get a clean shirt. Finding none I absently felt about in my drawer for something that wasn’t there. I had no clue what I was checking for but when I didn’t find it a small pang of regret stabbed through me. Having nothing to connect it to though it subsided. Going down the ladder from the attic down the stairs I grabbed the milking bucket just as mom returned with the eggs from the chicken coup in her apron. “You‘ve finally managed to pry your head from your pillow huh,” said mother in passing, a wan smile on her face that said she‘d already had her coffee. I nodded a yes heading for the path back around the house to the garden and the back grazing fields. “Well, see if you can‘t find your way to finishing your chores before breakfast won‘t you.” I nodded a yes mother before turning to plod around to the back of the house. The crisp breeze that came off the sea this morning had strong bight to it today. This really woke me up shocking me out of my sleepy stupor. Walking through the garden my mind absently strayed to a particular combination of herbs. That was unusual I thought. I didn’t cook and night shade and wolfs bane were poisonous. A chill went up my spine then but I figured it was only the wind. Walking to Bessy’s pasture I gave a moo and a holler to our cow. “Bessy Milking time.” Me and Bessy got on well enough, a lot of it had to do with me delivering, and feeding, her, raising her from a calf, and then mating, and delivering her calves. I guess she thought I was mom or maybe dad. If anyone but me tried milking her she’d kick the bucket and move over to the far end of the field.

Looking up from her patch of grass she gave a moo and started heading my direction. Hopping the fence I strolled over to the stool just as Bessy arrived rubbing her big nose and head she pushed against me in that affectionate way she always did every morning “Good Bessy,” I crooned patting her flank as I went about situating the bucket and stool. This being our morning ritual she went to surveying the ground for more grass to chomp on while I milked her empty for the day. It was still late spring and having recently birthed her second calf, she still gave the highest quality of milk. The calf had weaned two weeks earlier and so Bessy gave us extra milk that mother could churn, curdle, or sell fresh. Finishing with the milking I stood up, moved the bucket, and stool giving Bessy another pat before taking the milk to the kitchen for mother. Next I had to go to the barn and throw the grain for the chickens and geese, fill the water troughs and check on weather or not the stalls needed mucking yet. Fortunately they were still very clean.

Leaving the barn my chores all but done, I headed through the garden again. Passing in front of the large hedge-like bushes I felt the shiver from earlier only more intense. I was just passing in front of some wolfs-bane, and then in a blinding flash of purple light I lost conscious hearing a voice saying. “Finally, you‘re all mine.”
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As the sun rose that morning Joey woke to the sound of “…Milk the cow!” yawning and stretching Joey tested the air he could distinctly detect the scent of the older female who’d arrived later the evening before with her mate. From the smell of things they’d been at a gathering of pack that the man creatures partook in with each other. These gatherings could not compare with those of the werewolves but they were entertaining to crash. Watching the older female Joey waited. He could not touch this one, she had not invited him but the one who had would be out soon and when her elder was back inside he’d set his trap.

When the woman had gone to the barn and returned to the house Joey dashed out from the bush. Drawing a circle in the dirt on the path, the wolf plucked a sprig of wolfs-bane placing it in the center of the circle, he stamped his paw in five spots around the circle. Taking a stick Joey broke it into five even parts he poked one into each print. Then taking five others he broke them into five additional pieces he placed them off the path within four other bushes of wolfs-bane. Taking his last branch he retreated to the safe vantage point of the evergreen bushes, to wait where he had the detonator circle prepared, braking his stick he placed four of the five pieces. He’d place the fifth when he could slip away with the one who’d invited him. Joey Watched as the young lady went about her duties. She wasn’t much of a looker seeming more handsome than beautiful, but he’d waited to long to give up over a thing like looks.Hey Joey,

I like the idea of the curse of a shadowy tattoo wolf moving over his body towards the neck gradually becoming a werewolf inflicting pain on him and perhaps leaving visible scars. the main will have to do something involving a focus sight before the third of the three full moons that comes with the full moon of each month. he'll have one month. And how he will get the curse on him the second wolf who miss took him for a she in a rage at discovering that the boy is a boy, will curse him with the dark wolf curse, then on the new moon when shadow reigns the shadow wolf a werewolf who's committed the taboo of wolfen kind (still not sure what that will be) will be free to seek out a host one who is cursed the shadow wolf will take over the boys body on that night during which time he will tatoo the boys right foot with a black wolf binding them both together. from then on to the full moon the wolf will travel making his way to the boys throat, on the full moon he will have enough solid essence to infect the boy taking his body for his own. until then he will appear in the boys dreams hunting him. If the wolf catches him in the dream he may not need to wait for the last full moon in order to take over the boys body. only dreams that happen at night can the wolf appear in and be deadly though. He can be in a dream during the day but if he does appear he's vulnerable or on equal turf with the boy. So one day the boy passes out from not sleeping and in that dream meets the wolf who's been hunting him only in human form. Thinking the wolf's human form to be just a figment of his imagination the boy confides in it his terror, that he doesn't want to eradicate the wolf which is what will happen if the boy completes the ritual at the focus sight before the full moon ends. The main has an aversion to killing even if it means his own death. confiding all of this in the wolfs human part during the day. When night comes the wolf hunts the boy catching him this time. all the wolf has to do is devour the boy in the dream and he gets the boys body but he's conflicted now, It's nothing personal really but it's life or death for the wolf if he gets ejected from the boy's body he dies his final death. Dreaming they become friends as humans and this leaks over into the nightly hunt turning it into a game. when it comes the full moon they decide that neither one of them will act against the other they do this and remain bound to each other. the wolf has enough essence restored to him that he can solidify partially projecting off of the boys body. when the new moon comes the wolf takes over the boy's shadow thus being reborn as a fade. he can now solidify in a solid form while still attached to the boys shadow.

Thanks for the great Idea joey, I can finish writing this story now because this just created the bones of the eintire story thanks.

let me know what you think and if you got any sujestions.

Patrick J. H.