As the sun sank behind the trees and twilight faded and deepened to true night she could feel a warm wind tingling up and down her spine. The small sounds of the forest that she had become so accustomed to over the last hours suddenly ceased. As the full, lustrous moon began to edge its way over the trees the tingling increased. She could feel a presence behind her, and gasping, tensed to turn around and confront it. Sensing her movement before she could complete it he clasped her hands more strongly in his and whispered, “Don’t look away from my eyes.”
Controlling her instincts to confront the unknown, she focused on his eyes. As se gazed into their lambent, green depths she felt her sense grow sharper and sharper. Soon every muscle and nerve was tense and jangling. As the moon finally rose completely in the sky the wind tingling up and down her spine rushed through her and washed her away. When she came to herself everything had changed. In front of her instead of her tall, dark lover was a gigantic black wolf with green eyes. As she drew back in shock her four unsteady legs tangled together and she landed in a heap.
Giving a soft whuff, as if of laughter the great black wolf bent his head down and began to lick along her muzzle and throat. Inside her head she heard a growling yet oddly gentle voice urging her to calm down. “Gently my love, give your self a moment to become accustomed to this form. Then you will find all the wonders of the night spread out before you.” Gradually as she calmed down his gentle caresses turned into nips and nudges, urging her to get up and join him. After a moment she did, gaining her feet unsteadily, she shook her self and settled down on her haunches to gaze wonderingly at him. He was magnificent. Half again the size of a normal wolf he was a deep midnight black on his head, shoulders, and back shading to a silvery gray on his stomach and legs, with eyes an unnatural, brilliant emerald. After concentrating for a moment of concentration she saw herself through his eyes. She was much finer in build, elegant and quick where he was massive and powerful. She was silvery all through her body with a white star on her head and a white tip to her tail, with the faintest edging of black on her ears and muzzle. Her eyes were the same silver, yet different, now glowing with a presence she’d never had before.
He took a couple of steps away and then looked over his shoulder at her. She could see the challenge in his eyes as he took off running. After a bare moment she was following. She could feel the amazing power of her body; it felt as if she could run forever without tiring. Soon she caught up to him and they raced side by side through the still, dark forest. Suddenly he came to a halt, confused she slid to a stop a few paces in front of him. As she stopped she smelled what had stopped him. Just ahead of them was a clearing where a herd of deer grazed. The wind was blowing towards them bringing the scent of warm prey to her for the first time. Her muscles bunched as she prepared to launch herself into the herd but recognizing her tension for what it was he moved in front of her and looked into her eyes. Once again she heard his voice, rough and gentle at the same time, inside her head. “Wait my love this is my hunt. You will learn later but this is my gift.” So saying, he started to glide forward soundlessly. With the wind the deer upwind they had no warning. Coming to the edge of the clearing he saw where the young bucks grazed together at the edge of the herd. Sighting the buck farthest from the rest of the herd he positioned himself and then tensed. With two great bounds he was on the deer. Slashing in he hamstrung his prey and then closed in and closed his teeth on the struggling deer’s jugular. As quick as that the rest of the herd panicked and scattered and the deer stopped struggling. Looking over his shoulder he called his mate. When she reached him he showed her where to bite and they shared the sweet, hot blood of his kill. Then they feasted.