Full Moon

“What have they done –“ Xena began hoarsely, then dropped to the ground and cradled her friend. “Hush now, hush . . .”

“He said he’d tear me apart!” Gabrielle sobbed. “He said . . .”

Xena’s eyes narrowed and her expression froze. She licked her lips almost unconsciously.

“Tear you apart . . . “

*****

It was to be a full moon, that night.

Gabrielle looked out at the sky warily; the sun was setting, and the moon had not yet risen. The small wooden hut in which they were sheltering was surrounded by thick forest; the dark had already come.

She hesitated at the window, her arm in a sling and the cut across her forehead stitched. Behind her, Xena paced.

“You’ve fought it for so long, Xena.” Gabrielle whispered finally. “You can still choose . . .”

“It’s a part of me I refuse to deny.” Xena snarled, her long fingers curling at her side. “Just as you are. I won’t let that man get away with what he did. I’ll hunt him down for you, tonight.”

“He didn’t . . .”

“Ran like a coward as soon as I approached.” Xena went on, oblivious. She licked her lips again, ran a hand over the skin on her arms. “It’s been so long, now . . .”

She threw her head back, let her hair flow down over her shoulders. Then she cast a quick look at her friend.

“Let me out, now. Lock the door. Keep the fire burning, all night long.”

Gabrielle turned her back on the window and stepped forward bravely, laying her fingers over the long-nailed hand of her friend’s.

“You wouldn’t hurt me.” She told Xena firmly. “I know you. But I’ll do as you say.”

And she shivered, locking the dark out with her friend.

“Who knows what other wolves prowl out there tonight?”

*****

The wood called her. She moved quickly away from the house, and tore off her clothes, pulled off the gauntlets that bound her, the clasps which constrained her.

Turning her back on the light dimly flickering from the hut’s windows, Xena headed deeper into the forest. The moon had not yet risen, but still it called to her. The night was for hunting. She bared her teeth in the darkness, tasting victory already. She could scent him on the wind. His camp was not far off, and she would repay him, and avenge Gabrielle. Tear him apart . . .

She shook, shivering as though her whole skin could be displaced as easily as her leathers. Instead, as though a great chill had come over her, the hairs on her body rose up; and then grew, and multiplied, so that she was no longer white in the moonlight, but silver and black.

The moon rose and so did she, standing up, stretching out, stretching, holding out her arms and watching the claws appear, shaking out her hair until it merged into her pelt, grinning until her face became a snarling howl. She leapt up, and her body became heavy with a beast’s strength, wild with a beast’s fury. Landing on her four paws, she loped into the woods, until the joy of her freedom overcame her; and she bayed at the darkness.

The noise echoed through the night. Again she caught her enemy’s scent, and now her impulse to devour his flesh became too strong to ignore. She moved silently through the undergrowth, bounding through the night. Knowing this was her true form, and feeling the desire of it flow through her, like blood.

He was closer. Her eyes glittered as she halted on the edge of his campsite. He’d been spooked by her howl, but he was facing completely the wrong way. Waving a sword, his back turned from her. She hesitated, then growled softly, ready to howl and scare the life out of him.

There was another wolf.

The man’s sweat ran down his back, soaking his shirt. He wasn’t wearing boots, and his bedroll was undone. So, fear had woken him that night. But it wasn’t fear of her; it was this strange black wolf that confronted him. Mad fury stiffened her limbs. He was her kill.

She leapt forward with a howl that made the man scream in hopeless fear. The black wolf remained motionless. She bared her teeth at the beast, warning it from her prey, her spoils. She wanted his blood.

The wolf stayed just outside the circle of firelight, pacing a little. She thought she could read a wariness in its movements, and she snarled again, before leaping at the man who slashed his sword hopelessly. Ripping off his hand, she allowed him to scream again. Then she tore out his throat.

It was suddenly quiet. She licked her lips, tasting his blood. Then she turned her head over to the black wolf. He was still there, and she knew who he was, and she was glad. Desire still ran through her, and she would allow him to share in the kill.

Blood ran from her snout when she moved forward to him. He remained motionless, even as she approached him, sniffing. Then he pounced.

She snarled, as he grabbed her throat, rolling her over. She bit at him, hard, and he let go, growling softly. Then she saw his tongue tasting the blood, and he attacked again, grabbing the top of her head with his teeth, shaking her, throwing her to the ground. Excited, she jumped up and dealt him a hard blow, sending him flying. Then she seized his fur at his underbelly, and sunk her teeth into his flesh. He howled, and she joined him, before they tussled again, and then went back to their kill.

*****

A loud pounding woke Gabrielle. Sun was pouring through the windows, and she ran to unlock the door.

“Xena!” She cried out. Her friend’s face was a mass of tiny cuts, and her body seemed stiff and bruised.

“I avenged you.” Xena said in hoarse, rough tones, before coughing, clearing her throat, and repeating herself. “I avenged you.”

Gabrielle was crying again, even as she grabbed cloths and water to tend to Xena’s wounds.

“You didn’t have to give into it . . . we could have taken him another way, brought him to justice . . .”

Xena shook off her hand, ignored her words. The craving still ran hard through her veins, and she looked out at the wood, her eyes proud and hard with desire. There would be other full moons, and she would meet Ares again, and be satisfied.

...h.o.m.e...
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