The Lone Wolf Ch. 02

Nola

Nola leaves the village behind her as she moves farther into the forest. There are a few miles between her and the cabin she is staying in. Keeping her pace leisurely until she is beyond human eyes, she then starts an easy run that carries her swiftly through the trees.

The urge to shift is strong but she decides against changing. Putting off the change will allow her a few more hours before succumbing fully to the effects of her heat. It also makes the rise of the full moon even more intoxicating. She loves how powerful and fully wolf she feels when she allows the moon to control her shift.

Nola continuously scans the area around her as she runs. She is aware of every creature in the surrounding woods and their reactions to her passing, sensing a wave of fear follow her passage. She did not encounter another person and was soon back at her cabin.

She did a lap around her cabin, trying to sense if anyone had disturbed her quarters while she was away. Finding everything as she had left it, Nola feels satisfied with her security measures and retreats inside.

The cabin has one room that holds a surprisingly clean bed, a couch with threadbare cushions, and a small rocky table. There is a fireplace in the corner and a basin that can hold water.

Nola spends the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the inside of the cabin. Beating the dust off the bed and couch cushions, steadying the table with a bit of folded paper, and generally removing the grime that had accumulated after years of neglect.

She leaves the outside of the cabin in its dilapidated state and is careful to keep her tracks around the cabin covered, though she is aware that her scent is lingering quite heavily in the area. My damn heat is just trying to get me noticed. Well there is nothing I can do about that, let's just hope no one comes sniffing by. The last thing she wants is some human on a hike to discover her squatting in what should be an abandoned building. And even more she doesn't want another werewolf to happen along her temporary lodge.

Nola tells herself that she is cleaning in case she decides to stay for a while. I might as well have everything ready. No need to waste an afternoon chasing my tail. Though she really knows that she is attempting to distract herself from her growing arousal and the irrepressible urge to shift.

Just a few more hours. She is simultaneously flooded with excitement and dread as she thinks about the night to come.

While shifting will relieve one urge she is feeling, she knows she will not be able to find relief for her other desire. Being in heat and not coupling is painfully uncomfortable for her. It will definitely be a long, cold night. But nothing I'm not used to.

Nola finds herself thinking about her past. Her pack thought she was an odd pup for trying to hide away by herself; pups usually love attention and seek can't stand being away from other wolves. Even then she preferred to be alone, seeking moments of solitude in order to escape the emotions of the other wolves from shouting in her head. Her favor for the lone wolf lifestyle only grew when the pack's emotions turned to fear and hatred once they discovered her abilities. The ensuing neglect allowed her freedom to escape on her own even more often, though she was still too young and weak to survive completely on her own.

But once she was strong enough she decided to leave for good. She had informed only her mother and father of her planned departure. They had always followed the way of the other wolves and treated her with contempt and distrust, but she was still hurt when she felt their overwhelming relief at the announcement. She left without a second thought and has never returned.

She steels herself to those thoughts and steers herself to another area of consideration. As she cleans Nola reviews her knowledge of the area again, going over possible scenarios and plans for escape. There are a few cabins around that I haven't had a chance to take a close look at. But I am almost sure that no one lives in them because I would be able to sense their emotions from here. The cabins that she is most apprehensive about are a couple that are even farther from the village than hers.

She had almost decided to stay in the one farthest out because it would put more distance between her and the village. But she stopped at this one when she saw the furnishings it had to offer. No, this cabin was a good choice. I am free to run that way tonight, nothing is keeping me from that. And it has been awhile since I have had a bed.

Nola continues to fiddle around in her cabin until she can see the sun begin to dip behind the trees. It's time. She begins to remove her clothing, forcing herself to slow down her movements and nerves. Taking care to carefully fold and place each item of her clothing on the table, Nola is soon naked and left with nothing else to fill her time.

She makes her way outside to watch the last of the sunset and the rising of the moon. She can feel her skin tingling, muscles stretching and flexing, and her senses beginning to morph closer to that of her wolf. The ring of energy around her, visible only to werewolves but felt by all, is growing brighter and pushing outwards a bit more. Her physical change has yet to take place, but her body is anticipating the shift and yearning to be taken over by her wolf.

This is what makes the full moon different and so intoxicating for wolves. Intentional shifts always happen quickly. There is no chance for them to experience the slow build that surrendering control can give them, and the more powerful release that follows.

Ahhh, yes. This will be a good night. Maybe my heat won't even be that unbearable. The sky is now dark. Nola's wolf eyesight can see a soft glow begin to grow on one side of the forest. A low thrum begins to sound in her chest, a growing buzz of energy. She feels warmth spread to her already heated appendages, and a place deep inside her that she couldn't grasp if she tried.

The colors in her eyes are swirling, slowly at first, and she feels her skin begin to prickle as her coat grows in. The thrum in her chest increases. Her muscles begin to scream for a release that she cannot provide. The glowing orb is steadily climbing into view.

Nola's head rolls back as she feels her ears grow, teeth change, and muzzle begin to form. Her hands flex and feet curl into the ground as her nails lengthen and morph to paws. Her eyes are swirling faster. The thrum continues to grow and shake her very core. Her body grows warmer, the place deep inside of her hotter than anything. The moon rises above the trees and Nola is fully bathed in its light.

She falls forwards on her front paws as her head changes to that of her wolf. Her spine lengthens to grow a tail. The thrum grows. The warmth grows. That spot inside of her grows.

Then it bursts.

Nola's body, now fully wolf, shakes at the release. She can't help herself from letting out a full body howl that conveys all of who she is. Her power. Her freedom. Her heat. Challenging any who hear it.

Cedric

He arrives at the cabin with a couple of hours before moonrise. Cedric's wolf is yearning to be released but he suppresses the urge. I feel much more restless than usual. Maybe I am finally starting to grow accustomed to the lone wolf lifestyle. But I should at least be productive until the shift.

Cedric starts checking the perimeter of the cabin, careful not to leave any tracks of his own. He is also seeing if he can sense anyone in the area, straining to detect any movement around the other cabins. Alas they are a few miles from him and he can't discern much, but he is confident enough that they are uninhabited.

Everything here seems secure. I should have enough room to run, especially if I go away from the cabins. Hopefully the inside isn't in too bad of shape. He enters the cabin, being careful with the old door on its unsteady hinges.

The inside of the cabin looks as if it has been untouched for years. Dust is clinging to every surface and the room has a slightly musty smell. But Cedric becomes pleasantly surprised has he explores the small structure. It consists of two rooms. The main room has a fireplace, a large tub to hold water, and a rocking chair that looks as if it could still support weight. The second room is much smaller, more of a nook in the house, and has a bunking area. There isn't a mattress but that doesn't bother Cedric.

Quite pleased with the cabin he has found, Cedric settles in before the moonrise. He dusts the bed platform off and examines the rocking chair, checking for faults in its structure that could send him crashing to the ground.

Not being able to think of any more tasks and having his wolf rise more by the second encourages Cedric to abandon his busywork in favor of watching the sunrise. He strips his clothes and steps outside into the fading rays of the sun. It's time.

He can feel the thrum invoked by the moon beginning to rumble in his chest and the color in his eyes begin to swirl. Every ounce of him is pressing to shift, but he suppresses the desire and concentrates on enjoying the energy running through his limbs.

Cedric starts to methodically concentrate on each muscle in his body in turn; stretching each and willing the energy to focus there for a second before releasing the hold and moving to his next target.

He is playing with the power of the moon, testing it against his own powers to resist and control it. He is still letting the moon guide his change but is increasing the effect it has on his power.

The moon is almost above the trees now. Cedric continues to test the moons energies even as he is thrown forward onto his front paws. His eyes are a blur of color, the thrumming in his chest is at an all time high, and the moon's energy is rushing through his limbs. He is at the top of a precipice, holding on with all of his strength.

Then he falls.

Cedric's wolf has broken free in all of its glory. Raw, supernatural power runs through all of his muscles. His strength is above challenge. He lets loose an earth-rendering howl that rips through the night air, announcing his presence and dominance to all of the lesser beings around him.