The Fall of Gilneas
Chapter 13: Old Friends, New Bonds
I stood alone in the darkness. Above me was the clear night sky. The light from the moon was particularly bright and magnificent. I looked down at the ground in equal wonder. The ground was reflective, like I was standing on the surface of a perfectly still, glassy lake.
I bent to inspect my reflection. Though I could see my long furry snout between my eyes, my reflection showed me, furless and very much human. I squatted down, staring in awe at what I saw in that reflection. I couldn’t believe it; it was…me. Tentatively, I reached down, taking painful notice of the dark fur on my hand and arm, and pressed my palm against the surface of whatever I was standing on. At the same time, my human reflection did the same on the other side.
The moment my hand touched that surface, a quick ripple pulsed from my fingers and traveled across the entirety of the glassy surface. As the ground rippled, I watched my reflection change. By the time the waves stopped, my reflection as the worgen me. At that moment, I noticed my hand and arm changing; the fur thinned and disappeared into my skin. My hands shrank and the claws receded to normal fingernails. I could feel the rest of my body changing, becoming smaller. Crossing my eyes, I basically watched my snout pull back.
“I…can’t believe it…” I gasped, standing and touching my furless face with my human hands. Somehow, I had switched appearances with the strange reflection cast on this mysterious ground. I stared down at my wolfish reflection and then back at my petite hands. I think I got the message.
The light from the moon shined brighter and brighter, drawing my attention to it. It was a pulsating pale light. “Child…” a benevolent voice resounded. The voice was smooth, warm, and distinctly female. The pitch was lower, similar to Belrysa’s, but much more…I don’t know…motherly and supportive.
There was a blinding flash of light from the moon. When it was over, there was a glowing form standing in front of me. She was bathed in light and it was difficult to make out her features, but her silhouette was obviously that of a night elf. For all I knew it was from her that the night elves were originally shaped. I didn’t really know what was going on, but I knew I was standing in the presence of a divine being.
“I am Elune, a goddess to the Kal’dorei and protector of nature,” she introduced. “It was with a heavy heart that I watched as the curse that had once afflicted my children befell you. It was for that reason I directed my children to your small country.”
A goddess? I didn’t feel worthy. “Why would you show yourself to someone like me?” I asked incredulously. “I’m no one…a commoner among my people.”
She smiled. “But your soul is far from common,” she responded. “I have watched every noble deed, every noble thought. To you, I must express my deepest regret that you had to bear the responsibility of such a tragedy. It did warm my heart to see you reunited with your young friend. She called to you often.”
“How do you know that?” The question didn’t sound as stupid in my mind. She could probably read our minds or something.
“When her body was claimed by the curse, her body retreated into the Emerald Dream…a dimension of my own making…Azeroth untouched by the mortal races. Druids have always had a deep connection to the Dream. Through that realm, she reached out to you, calling you and guiding you to your salvation, whether she was aware of it or not.”
I blinked a couple of times. I guess what I heard made sense. I tried to imagine what Azeroth would look like if there were no mortals there. A strange question bubbled into my mind. “Excuse me, um…your highness?” I stammered uncertainly.
“Speak, child,” she invited without correcting how I had addressed her.
“How did the curse get to Gilneas? If it was a night elf affliction, how did it cross the Great Sea?” I inquired. I was genuinely curious.
I heard what might have been a laugh escape her lips. “Sometimes I forget what your kind do and do not know. Allow me to show you,” she responded lightheartedly.
Show me? How could she show me? That question was answered almost immediately as the world around us began to change. In an instant, I found us in the middle of a battle of epic proportions.
“Many millennia ago, long before your kind ever began to appear on this planet, the demons of the burning legion, led by their creator – the fallen titan, Sargeras – tried to obliterate all of Azeroth. The Kal’dorei and the ancient spirits fought against them in the shadow of the World Tree, Nordrassil,” Elune began. There were hundreds – no, thousands – of night elves locked in combat with an endless tide of demons. “This struggle is known to your history as the War of the Ancients.” The demons were a diverse collection of the most terrible creatures I had ever laid eyes on.
The night elf sentinels dodged and ducked around the massive great-axes of the lumbering, armored felguards. Gigantic winged doomguards with swords the size of trees cut through the night elf phalanxes like a warm knife through butter. Even larger still were the pitlords with their glaives that would have dwarfed even Koroth. Their blades met against the stone of the humongous mountain giants and the bark of the ancient, animated trees that fought against them.
There was a massive turtle standing between some of the larger demons and the comparably puny night elves. The giant wolf, Goldrinn, I had seen upon drinking from the Well of Fury was darting through the battlefield, tearing demons apart with ease. Alongside him was an equally massive stag, goring whatever Goldrinn left.
Behind the night elf forces stood Nordrassil. The trunk of this mighty and magical tree extended into the heavens so far that I could not even begin to see the leaves. From what I had read, Nordrassil had been the life essence of Azeroth until its power was drained over a decade ago.
The skies opened up and flaming meteors began to rain down on the elf forces. Once the meteors crashed into the ground, they stood up as animated, flaming rock creatures – the infernals. The night elves were struggling to push back the onslaught of the Legion. I watched on in horror as the war waged on.
“The outlook was grim. With each passing hour, the legion pushed closer to Nordrassil,” Elune continued. We flew across the battlefield to a cave near the base of the World Tree. “In their desperation, the druids of the pack forsook their oaths to balance and allowed the beasts to overcome them.” I watched as the night elf druids transformed into monstrous worgen – much larger and seemingly much more powerful than I would ever be. “With their aid, we were able to hold off the Legion long enough for a solution to present itself.” I watched as the worgen tore into the demons as they charged into the fray. They fought with such amazing ferocity. But I knew first-hand that they were no longer druids. They were feral beasts…’killing machines,’ as I’d been called…that thankfully seemed more intent on killing demons than elves.
“Though the war was won and the Legion repelled from Azeroth, the druids of the pack were lost. They had to be removed from Azeroth. As a merciful reward for their contribution during the war, I decided to banish them to an eternal sleep within the Emerald Dream where their rage would be soothed and they could sleep until the end of time in peace. That was the origin of the worgen curse,” Elune explained.
The world went dark around us and was replaced with the same night sky and glassy ground as before. “Though the demons were largely pushed back, their corruption scarred the planet beyond healing. Pockets of demons remained and multiplied near Mount Hyjal in a place that soon became known as Felwood for the corruption the demons sowed there.” I don’t know why I was surprised the story didn’t end there.
Again, the starry night disappeared and we were in a dark forest near a mountain pass. This place was magnificent, with colossal trees sporting the most brilliant shades of purple and green leaves. I couldn’t help but feel that this was how the Blackwald was supposed to look. The grass was a lush green; everything here seemed alive and peaceful. I looked up the pathway to the north and my face fell. The ground was brown and dead and the trees were diseased beyond redemption.
“For thousands of years, the Kal’dorei were able to hold off the demons of Felwood from spreading their despicable influence to Ashenvale. They kept the demons at bay, but were never able to do more. Then, a few short years ago, just before the plague ravaged the lands to the east, the Kal’dorei decided to make a change.”
“A change?” I threw in, wanting to feel like I had some interaction with the goddess’ story.
“A priestess of the moon by the name of Velinde Starsong was granted an army of sentinels and charged with ridding Felwood of the demons for good. Velinde was one of my most loyal servants and dutifully accepted what was required of her.”
I saw a young-looking, blue-haired night elf leading a large force of troops, all women and all riding on the back of massive moonsaber tigers. “They used the Shrine of Mel’Thandris, a sacred place on the border between the two territories, as their base camp.” We floated with them up a mountain path and into a little hidden enclave. I saw Velinde pouring over maps of Felwood, surrounded by a few of her troops. “It was there that she developed a strategy with her lieutenants to extinguish the flames of the Legion.”
The war planning faded and I was suddenly in Felwood. “But it was no use,” Elune stated solemnly. I watched as the sentinels clashed with the demons. It seemed like for every demon they felled, two of Velinde’s soldiers were lost. It was a brutal slaughter that made my stomach churn and wretch.
The battle went black and we returned to the shrine. Velinde was there alone in front of the altar. “That was when she asked for help.”
She knelt down on one knee and bowed her head. “The numbers of my companions dwindles, Goddess, and my own power shall soon be insufficient to hold back the demons of Felwood,” she admitted in a very defeated voice. “Goddess…grant me the power to overcome my enemies! Hear me, please! My need is desperate and my cause is just!” she pleaded. It sounded as if she were sobbing.
“I took pity on my devout servant. The demons of Felwood were more formidable than anyone could have imagined and I feared that none would be able to curb their spread if left unchecked. And so, I sent her a gift,” Elune informed me.
A bright beam of light descended on the altar and the Scythe of Elune materialized out of thin air. It hovered in the air above the altar. Velinde gazed up at in in amazement. “What…what is this?” she gasped, reaching for the weapon. “Could this be the answer to my prayers? Elune has granted me a weapon – this scythe – to defeat the demons!”
As the world around me went dark once again, I heard Velinde’s voice. “Elune has granted my wishes. The lives of my fallen comrades will not be in vain, and I shall avenge their deaths using the Scythe of Elune,” she declared resolutely. “It is an ancient thing that could be older than even the Kal’dorei. I can feel the power of the goddess flowing from it.”
Velinde appeared in the darkness, holding the Scythe. “For many hours I examined the tool that the goddess granted to me. It is no ordinary weapon, that is for certain, nor is it a simple magical implement. With it…it is as though the barriers of time and space are weakened,” she observed. It was odd, I was hearing her voice, but the Velinde in front of me wasn’t moving her mouth. It was like I was hearing her private thoughts. “Holding the Scythe in my hands, I received a vision of chaos. Wolf-men…the worgen…battled an incredible enemy.” A rift opened in front of Velinde and I could see the worgen fighting the demons during the War of the Ancients on the other side. “The worgen fought savagely, as fit their primitive-looking race,” she observed.
“And that was when I realized the true power of the Scythe. By focusing on it, I became able to communicate with the worgen. It was not speech I used to contact them, however. It was something different…I could not describe it. What mattered was that the worgen heard and understood me. By further channeling the energy of the Scythe, the barriers weakened more, and I was able to draw the worgen into our world. A score and a half I was able to summon in my first attempt,” she recounted triumphantly. I watched as Velinde cut rifts in the air with the Scythe and worgen stepped through. She had summoned a new army.
The next thing I knew, we were back in Felwood and I watched the worgen tearing through the opposing demonic beings. “Velinde began to push back the demons with the help of the worgen. She continued to summon them to Azeroth and they fought alongside her, obeying the will of the one who wielded the Scythe,” Elune explained while I watched the carnage. “All seemed to be going so well, until…”
I could see worgen running free around the forests. They weren’t fighting anything; they looked like they were hunting. They looked like my pack had a couple months ago. “My Goddess; a pack is lost. I sent the worgen to range through the forest and identify areas of demonic infestation, but they did not return. I begin to worry about the leaders I have entrusted control to. They are of simply mind, and this small amount of authority I have given them, they stretch it to the utmost. Am I losing control? Perhaps I shall cease summoning additional worgen for the time being,” I could hear Velinde pray as I watched the small pack of worgen roam the wilds.
“So she began losing control,” I realized.
“That wasn’t where it ended. Before long, she prayed to me again,” Elune pointed out.
The pack we watched grew and grew in number. “Goddess; though I have not summoned additional worgen, their numbers continue to increase. It is as though the Scythe no longer requires my intervention for the summoning process. This is troubling. I have gathered as many of the packs as I could find, and ordered them to remain at the Shrine of Mel’Thandris. Meanwhile, I have searched the libraries in Darnassus and consulted with the Circle of Ancients in Darkshore. There were none who could…or would…tell me about the worgen. I have heard reports, whispers, of a wizard of the Kirin Tor named Arugal. From what I have heard, it is possible that he also has contacted the worgen. I would consult with this wizard – distasteful as it may be – and see what he knows,” Velinde continued. I saw her riding, alone, atop her moonsaber with the Scythe attached to her back. “Beloved Elune, your gift gave me the strength to defy the demons of Felwood. But the worgen are dangerous and I wish to stem the tide. On the morrow, I will trael to the port in the Barrens and book passage to the New World. Please grant me your blessing until my work is done.” Velinde, still carrying the Scythe boarded a large merchant’s ship and sailed east.
“What happened to her?” I asked.
“She reached the southern tip of the Eastern Kingdoms and traveled north with a caravan. Soon, she came to a forest known as Duskwood. The caravan came under attack from black riders from Deadwind Pass. She escaped the skirmish and hid in a nearby mine. She continued to pray to me and channeled her focus into the Scythe. Finally, Velinde Starsong was summoned through the Scythe into the Emerald Dream,” Elune explained. “It is there that my loyal servant remains. The Scythe was found some time later and traded hands many times until it ended up in the hands of the Archmage that Velinde sought. The rest, I think you already know,” the goddess concluded.
“If the Scythe couldn’t keep control of the worgen for good, why would you give it to her?” I wondered, hoping I didn’t sound to accusatory.
Elune did not look the least be perturbed by my question, like she knew I was going to ask it. “I had witnessed firsthand how swiftly the worgen could fight the demons. However, though they used to be beings of balance and justice, they are now creatures of chaos. Even with my foresight, chaos still surprises even me,” she explained. “Ever since the disappearance of Velinde, I have guided my people to fight the curse the worgen inevitably spread and restore balance to the souls touched by it.”
“So, my soul is balanced?”
Elune nodded her shining head. “The beast can no longer try to control your will.”
“But I’m still a worgen?” I looked down at my hands human hands. It was so great feeling like myself again. I didn’t want to wake up from this dream.
“You are a human…and a worgen…you are you,” Elune responded.
My body began to tickle all over. Looking down, I watched the dark fur sprouting all along my arms. “No,” I gasped. “No, no, no, no!” I could feel my body growing and reshaping. Before long, I could see my furry snout again. I fell to the ground and buried my face in my large, clawed hands.
“The druids of the pack abandoned balance because of the power they could obtain to fight their enemies. The strength and ferocity of the worgen is a great gift, even if you cannot see it at present. For the rest of your natural life, you will reap the benefits of this gift without worry…without fear that the beast will take it from you,” Elune commented calmly. “Of course, the choice of how you live your life is up to you.”
I let out a long, frustrated sigh. “So what happens now?” I inquired.
“Now, you wake. Your people will surely need their hero back,” Elune responded. “Go forth, young Naomi, with my blessing and never forget who you are and the path you have walked.” With that, there was another blinding flash of light and Elune disappeared.
I was left standing alone, staring up as the moon shined brilliantly down upon me.
***
My eyes snapped open and I found myself staring at the underside of Tal’doren’s mighty trunk. I could see my snout in front of me and I knew how my body looked. I’m still a worgen. But I couldn’t feel the curse any more. I could feel anything that wanted to turn me into a beast.
Slowly, I sat up. Darius sat on a boulder nearby. “It is done then, Naomi,” he commented, standing when he noticed my movement. “You are one of us now.”
I didn’t respond, I just nodded. I gazed around. Vassandra stood nearby, but the other two elves were nowhere in sight. There were still many worgen inside the tree, but none of them seemed to pay me any mind. Gwen lay beside me, still asleep.
“What did the goddess say to you?” Vassandra asked curiously, approaching and kneeling down nearby.
“She told me about the origins of the worgen and…someone named Velinde,” I responded.
Vassandra nodded. “A tragic tale, indeed,” she commented. “You are among the fortunate few; Elune does not present herself to many outside of the Kal’dorei. I hope your mind is at peace.”
“It’d be a lot more at peace if I wasn’t a fur-ball,” I grumbled.
Darius began to laugh at my response. My embarrassment started to rise. “I can tell you, I know the feeling,” he chuckled. “At least at first. I used to try to stay human as long as possible, but I eventually discovered there were benefits to this form…and nothing to be ashamed of.”
Something he said confused me. “What do you mean ‘stay human?’” I inquired.
Darius stood up straight and threw out his arms. Before my eyes, his fur began to disappear and his wolfish features shrank away until the Darius Crowley I had met in Gilneas City was standing before me. “Mastery over the beast has granted us mastery over our form,” he informed me.
My mouth hung open in disbelief. “How…?” I couldn’t finish the question; my brain wasn’t working right. I need to learn how to do that.
“To take a human form, it takes concentration. It requires you to contain a great deal of power. Your body wants to be in the form it is in now, so it can become…difficult to stay as a human for long,” Darius explained. “With time and practice, it becomes easier…like building a muscle; but when the going gets rough, the wolf will try to come out,” he added. Then, his wolfish features returned, changing him back into the formidable worgen that led this pack.
“So it’s not permanent?” I asked, someone crestfallen.
“You’ll always have control, if that’s what you mean,” Vassandra cut in.
“It is your choice whether or not you want to work towards making your human form nearly effortless. I, for one, have come to embrace being a worgen,” Darius explained. “There’s so much power and freedom in it.”
“Can you teach me how to change?” I requested earnestly.
Darius looked slightly disappointed, but he acquiesced and began to outline the process as best he could. Some of it was a little vague, but he explained it like flexing a muscle. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to explain to someone how to move their muscles. It’s just something we do.
I tried to follow his instructions. I closed my eyes and tried to focus. Come on, change! I kept chanting it in my mind. I controlled my breathing while I tried to focus on transforming. It took several frustrating attempts before I could feel my body starting to change in any way. My eyes snapped open and I saw my arms moving into an awkward stage between furry and normal. I started to get excited. It’s happening! But my excitement broke my focus and the fur grew in thicker.
“Damn,” I grunted, annoyed.
“It takes some time. You have to maintain your concentration until the transformation is complete. After that, it becomes easier. But if you get too…emotional…well, you may find yourself accidentally changing back,” Darius warned. “Keep working at it. You’re a strong lass; I’m sure it’ll become second nature to you in no time.”
Another question popped into my head. “Um…am I…still, you know…contagious?” I inquired uncertainly. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know the answer, but I knew I needed to.
“Do you mean can you infect other people with the curse?” Darius clarified. I nodded. “The curse, as you know it, is gone. So no, you cannot pass the curse on to another. Once we have cured every worgen in Gilneas, the only way to make new of our kind is to use the Scythe,” he explained. “So if you want to take a bite out of someone, chomp away,” he laughed. That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.
I felt movement to my side. Gwen was starting to rouse. I shifted around and leaned over her, staring down into her face. I placed my hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes peaceably. “Naomi?” she muttered groggily while I watched her eyes focus. She sat up and stared at me.
I threw my arms around her, nearly tackling her back to the ground. A moment later, I felt her hands on my back. “I’ve missed you so much,” I told her quietly. We separated after a long time. “Why…why didn’t you stay in Duskhaven with the rest?”
Gwen looked away. “You left me all alone,” she responded sullenly. “Whether you were alive or dead, I had to find you.”
“Well, I’m here now,” was all I could think to respond to that. I paused for a moment and ten hugged her again.
“I can’t believe the nightmare is over,” I heard her murmur quietly. I couldn’t help but think about something Darius had said to me earlier: one nightmare ends, another begins. It didn’t seem like an appropriate time to fill her in on the ongoing dangers in Gilneas. Again, we separated.
I nodded. “It took a little longer than we thought, but we survived the curse,” I responded. Finally, I decided to stand up, staggering a little bit before catching my balance. I offered a hand to Gwen and helped her up onto her paws. I couldn’t help but notice her nudeness. I guess she finally had an excuse to run around naked. I made a mental note to comment on it later.
“It figures you were Naomi’s druid friend,” Darius commented, still standing nearby. “Only someone who spends that much time with nature could have evaded my trackers for as long as you did.”
Gwen appeared oddly proud of that statement. She gave him a sheepish grin. “I know my way around a tree,” she shrugged nonchalantly.
“And your way around a claw,” Darius pointed out. “You took down some good hunters in your time.”
This time, she didn’t look so proud. “I’m sorry…I couldn’t stop myself.”
Darius clapped his hand on her shoulder. “As far as any of us are concerned, you did nothing wrong.” He looked back and forth between us. “While we are not related by blood, you are both our sisters, now. The pack is a family. Welcome.”
I looked over at Gwen. It was already easy to think of her as a sister. My heart swelled at the thought of having this special connection with her now that so few Gilneans would understand. She was already unofficially family; but I felt a new level of affection for my friend.
“Father!” I heard Lorna’s voice call out, excitedly. We all turned; sure enough, Lorna was standing at the entrance to Tal’doren. She stared directly at her father; somehow she knew that she had picked the right worgen.
Darius’ face visibly lit up. “Lorna!” he gasped. She started running towards him. At the same time, he took a couple long strides towards her before wrapping his arms around his daughter. He looks like he’s strangling her. “My child; thank the Light you’re safe!”
“I can’t believe you’re alive!” I heard her respond, voice muffled by her father’s fur. Seeing them reunited brought tears to my eyes.
“I wanted to find you the moment I returned to myself, but I had a responsibility to my men…to the others who were cursed,” Darius apologized.
“Crowley!” came an unpleasantly familiar voice. It made my skin crawl. I turned my gaze from the father and daughter, locked in a warm embrace, back to the entrance to the sanctuary. There were several new people there: Lord Godfrey – clad in his signature top-hat and great coat –King Greymane, and a small force of soldiers carrying rifles. Lord Godrey stepped forward, pushing his spectacles up his nose. “You and your elven allies are hereby ordered to serve along the king’s army,” he declared, not even trying to hide the spite from his voice. I had a sinking feeling I knew what sorts of missions he would have for us.
Darius stepped around Lorna, eye fixated on Godfrey. He didn’t respond and just stared the aging man down.
Lord Godfrey did not seem intimidated. “Cursed or not, you are still bound by Gilnean law! You will serve your king or be executed for treason,” he threatened. Under Godfrey, serving is an execution sentence.
Darius let out a threatening snarl. That made Godfrey take a tentative step back. With a grin, Darius turned his eye to the king. “Does this toad speak for you, Genn?” he growled. “Do you come to our dwelling as a friend? Or do you come as a tyrant?”
I surveyed the soldiers. They all held their rifles as if they were ready to use them at a moment’s notice. Would they gun us down if the king commanded them to? I doubted King Greymane would actually give that order. What if Godfrey gave the command? Would they listen before the king could stop them?
King Gerymane stepped forward, past Godfrey, and stopped a few feet from Darius. “No, old friend,” he responded in a tired voice. “I’ve come as an equal.” What is that supposed to mean?
The king huddled over. I heard what sounded like a strained groan. His body started to grow gradually. His fine clothes seemed to be struggling to stay intact as his size increased. No way! After a moment, he flung his arms out and arched is back as fur sprung up all over his body. There was a very audible rip as his clothes tore. His face elongated before our eyes. My king…is a worgen? I wasn’t sure my eyes were actually working right. It was phenomenal. Even as a giant humanoid wolf in tattered clothes, he looked rather regal. His fur was largely gray, consistent with his hair at his advanced aged.
“Impossible!” Lord Godfrey gasped in disgust. The color had drained from his face and he stared at King Greymane with complete disdain. He took a couple of steps back before turning and sprinting out of Tal’doren. I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. Lord Godfrey hated my kind. What is he going to do now?
I quickly looked over the soldiers to make sure we were still safe. They looked confused – some actually afraid – but they stayed their weapons and stared at the king. They were probably wondering what to do now.
Darius bridged the gap between him and the king quickly and held out his arm. The grasped each other’s forearms and held them there stably. “Aye, Genn…It is not law that binds us. It is something far stronger,” Darius affirmed, voice filled with respect. “First, politics separated us, then the curse. Now, old friend…we are brothers once more. My men are ready to give their lives under your command,” he promised.
King Greymane nodded. “It is decided, then. We will unite all Gilneans and drive the Forsaken from our lands!” he declared. “It is a load off my mind to have you on our side, my friend.” The king turned towards me and fixed his eyes on my incredulous face. He let out a chuckle and gave a strong nod. “I must go rally our people. We will meet again in Tempest’s Reach,” King Greymane stated. After another couple of minutes, he left with his soldiers.
I still stood there, stunned at what I had seen. I still wasn’t sure I believed it. Darius walked up to me, amusement on his face – probably from my expression. He let out a long sigh. “It’ll be a long time before our nation comes together again,” he commented realistically. “The old political divisions pale in comparison to what divides us now.” I thought about the reactions people had had to me when I woke up. I wondered if the worgen would ever get fully reintegrated with the rest of Gilneas. “However, if there was ever a time for us to come together and unite against a common enemy, it is now.” He placed both hands on my shoulders. “And it is you, Naomi, who have proven able to bridge the gap between our people.”
I shuffled a bit. “I don’t know about that,” I muttered.
“Know it or not, you have done wonders for our time. While you are undeniably a member of the pack, it is time for you to return to the rest of our people.” He reached down and grabbed my left forearm, holding my left hand up. “Return to your loved ones,” Darius added, obviously referencing the ring.
“What?” Gwen blurted out suddenly. I shrugged; this was something I was going to have to explain at some point.
“When you get to Stormglen, tell them it is safe to go through the Blackwald on their way to Tempest’s Reach. We will take care of any Forsaken who follow them,” he vowed.
“I’ll let them know.”
“I’m coming with you,” Gwen declared.
“Are you sure? The humans might not…” I started.
“I’m not going to let you leave me again,” she interrupted stubbornly. “We only just found each other after so long…If you’re going somewhere, I’m going with you.”
I thought about arguing, but I could see she wasn’t going to budge. And to be honest, I didn’t want to be separated from her again, especially not so soon. Finally, I just nodded. I looked from Darius to Vassandra and Belrysa. “Thank you…all of you.”
“You never need to thank us, young one,” Belrysa assured me calmly.
“We should be apologizing to you for allowing the curse to come unto you in the first place,” Vassandra added. “Go in peace, child.”
I looked over to Lorna who stood beside her father. “Are you coming back with us?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I’ll be along eventually,” she responded. “But not now.” I understood.
Gwen and I left Tal’doren together. She stayed very close to my side as we made our way into the trees to the south. “So… you’re getting married now?” Gwen blurted out after a minute.
“No…yes…I don’t know,” I responded uncertainly.
“Huh?” she grunted, understandably confused by my response.
I let out a long sigh. I spent some time explaining the situation. “I love him; he loves me…we’re committed to each other…but who knows if we’ll live long enough to actually get married,” I concluded. I realized something: one of the reasons I was so hesitant about this engagement was gone now. I couldn’t wait to tell Daniel.
There was a visible change in Gwen’s demeanor. She became sullen and withdrawn while her ears fell. Her head turned away from me and she slowed her pace, starting to fall behind. I stopped and turned to her. “Is…something wrong?” I asked.
“Oh no, everything’s fine,” Gwen responded, a frustrated tone of sarcasm in her voice. She wouldn’t make eye contact with me.
“Gwen!”
She was silent for a moment. “When I woke up, I left immediately…I went to go find you,” she finally started. My chest tightened. I think I know what’s wrong. “I went through hell…I lived a nightmare for so long…angry, alone, afraid…
“Gwen, I…”
She shook her head fervently. “No…I was so alone…I needed you; I called out to you. But you took so long to come after me. You let me suffer so you could play out some fantasy?” she accused, tears accumulating in her eyes. She looked beyond betrayed.
Before she could react, I closed in on her and threw my arms around her. I fought back tears of my own; my nose stung fiercely.
“Let go of me!” she snapped, struggling to try to free herself. I could feel her arms flailing behind me. Then she dug her claws into my back.
I whined and whimpered as I tried to ignore the pain. “I’m not letting you go,” I told her softly. “It isn’t like that,” I claimed seriously. “I wanted to come after you the moment I found out you left Duskhaven…I wanted to search for you immediately.”
She stopped struggling, but she was still tensed up. “Then why didn’t you?”
Not releasing my embrace, I explained about the potion. While I was free, I was a captive to Krennan’s serum. I couldn’t leave until I had enough to last for a few days…or else I would turn back into…that thing. Then the Forsaken showed up and I had to fight to survive. I didn’t throw anything back at Gwen while I explained. “When I reached Stormglen, I was exhausted…too tired to even hope to find you. It was last night that Daniel proposed to me. It didn’t matter to him that I only had a week of the serum left, he still talked me into it,” I finished. “Then…this morning, I used every last drop I had.”
“Why? Why would you do that?” she questioned, voice wavering.
I took a deep breath. “I would rather spend my last few hours of sanity with you than a few more days with Daniel but without my closest friend,” I admitted. That may have sounded wrong, but it’s true.
I felt Gwen’s body relax. She broke down and began sobbing. “I’m sorry,” she wailed.
I bent back a little bit, keeping my arms on her side. I pressed my forehead against hers, the tips of our long noses touching. “I love Daniel…I really do…but he and I will never share what you and I have had…what we now have,” I assured her as compassionately as I could muster. It’s like Darius said; we’re sisters.
We stayed there like that for some time before Gwen had settled down enough to continue. Finally, I turned so that we could start moving on; I flinched a bit as a jolt of pain shot across my back. “What did I do?” Gwen gasped. I felt her hand gently press against my back and I winced again as her palm touched where she had clawed me a little while earlier. She went quiet and her hands started to feel warm against my back. The area went numb and then pain was gone completely. I spun around quickly in time to see a greenish glow disappearing from her hands. “I just started studying restoration magic before Gilneas City,” she explained timidly, staring at me apologetically. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Ain’t nothing to worry about. It’s easy to forget what these bodies can do,” I responded. “Come on, let’s keep going.” We continued back through the trees. Gwen seemed to bounce back pretty quickly, though I could still occasionally pick up an ashamed aura about her.
We walked for a long time; I had forgotten how deep into the Blackwald Tal’doren stood. My stomach began to rumble. I haven’t had anything to eat since breakfast, I realized. It seemed like I was ravenous more often than not these days.
“Did I hear you say he had to talk you into the engagement?” Gwen asked suddenly, a playful tone in her voice. And she’s back.
“Yeah, he did. I didn’t see the point of it all, given what’s going on,” I replied, going on to explain that conversation in more detail.
“I didn’t know he was such a cork-brained sap,” she giggled.
“He really is,” I laughed. We shared a very lighthearted moment. “He’s terribly romantic. It’s sickening sometimes.”
“I guess one of you needs to be girly,” Gwen teased.
“Hey!”
“No judging…I’m sure you’ll make a lovely couple. I hope he looks better in a dress than you did.”
I sighed. “Glad to have you back, Love.” She continued to laugh. “Speaking about clothes, I bet you’re feeling…free,” I commented.
“More than you know,” she grunted while stretching out. I felt something brush against my legs. Gwen had grown out her tail again. She looked incredibly odd with her wolfish body but tail of a large cat. “I told you before all of this happened…if I could keep my thumbs and communicate, I would never leave my forms,” she added. She let out a long sigh. “It was so awful when the curse had control, but now that I’m me again, I like how it feels,” she admitted.
I thought about Darius’ words; his choice to remain a worgen. “I don’t know if I do,” I responded. I couldn’t deny I was faster and considerably faster in this form. It had been so long, I barely remembered what it felt to be human, but I still didn’t really feel comfortable. I was quite a bit better than a few days ago, and it would probably get easier, but it was still hard.
I heard Gwen’s stomach grumble. Mine echoed it. “Do you think there will be food for us?” Gwen inquired hopefully.
“There should be,” I replied. “Though it might not be much. They have to start rationing everything out more.”
“Is it much further?”
“You’re the one who knows these woods,” I shot back. Before long, though, the run-down mill came into view. We are so close. Before long, we reached the gate to Stormglen. “Welcome back to civilization,” I told her as we stepped into the town.
It was a bit livelier than when I left. It looked like the citizens from Duskhaven had found their vitality again. Though it was getting dark and thick clouds had rolled back in, there were people about, walking from building to building. Some carried crates towards the inn. I could see smoke rising from the forge and I wondered if Daniel was there, working away.
Some stopped as soon as we showed up. After a moment, I realized they were staring at Gwen. They were used to seeing me, but a naked worgen was the sign of a feral worgen. They seemed uneasy, but the fact that I was there may have helped keep them from devolving into panic. Taking a deep breath, I led Gwen through the town and made our way towards the inn.
As I had hoped, Mayor Armstead was there, directing citizens to busy themselves with various tasks. All activity ceased when we entered; the mayor looked up from what she was doing. She eyed Gwen for a moment, then me, then she gave us a wide smile.
Mayor Armstead crossed the room swiftly. “I see you found the person you were looking for,” she greeted cheerfully. “I knew you had an ulterior motive for going into the Blackwald this morning. But you were gone so long, we were getting worried.” Our stomachs roared in tandem. “Please, come and eat. We saved some dinner for when you returned,” she invited.
She led us over to the table and instructed us to sit. Mayor Armstead returned a couple of minutes later with a couple of plates containing a small portion of pork and some chopped potatoes. Again, the amount of food was less than I would have liked, but it was better than nothing.
“So, tell me what happened,” she requested. While we ate, I recounted much of what had happened. It took a while to go through everything. Of course, I left a lot out, like my dream conversation with Elune and the fact that the king was a worgen. I figured if she already knew, I didn’t have to say it; and if she didn’t know, it wasn’t my place to reveal it. “Crowley wanted me to tell you to lead the people through the Blackwald to Tempest’s Reach. He said they’d take care of any Forsaken that tried to follow us,” I concluded.
“We’ll start moving in the morning,” Lady Armstead responded nodding. “We have confirmed there are survivors up there. Back it up a bit…are you saying you’re not cursed anymore?”
I nodded. “It’s gone…I can’t feel it,” I confirmed.
“We’ll have to tell Krennan. I’m sure he’ll be beyond relieved. I know he’s been stressing out about it all day.”
I looked around the room from person to person. “Where is my father?” I asked, moving past the conversation. I was tired and didn’t really want to have to explain much more before I saw the people I cared intimately about.
“We put him to work at the forge with your boyfriend,” Lady Armstead responded. “The king was talking about reclaiming our city. It’s crazy, but everything these days is crazy. I’ve had to put everyone to work in preparation,” she explained.
“Oh.”
I heard a thunderous boom outside. It was followed moments later by a constant, low-level sound of water. Another storm approached. It rains entirely too much in this country.
I heard Gwen let out a long sigh. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had shelter from the rain,” she realized aloud. She was staring out the window. It was really coming down out there. It was hard to believe these storms came so quickly, without warning.
“Oh…where are my manners? I should get you some clothes,” Mayor Armstead mentioned quickly when she glanced over at Gwen.
“That’s not necessary,” Gwen denied. I smiled in amusement.
Mayor Armstead laughed. “I’m afraid it is. You may not like to be clothed, but you’ll scare people if you’re not. They know not to trust a naked worgen.” She stood up and walked towards the stairs.
“I really don’t see what the fuss is about,” Gwen grumbled.
“Oh, hush. Just take your clothes off when you get to a bedroom,” I responded, rolling my eyes.
Gwen whined in frustration, but accepted the bundle of clothing the mayor offered when she returned. She stood and slipped the clothes on and the sat back down, dejectedly. “Well, with this rain, I imagine your father and friend will be along soon. They probably won’t be able to keep the forge fires going much longer.”
“That’s good. Um…is there another fresh set of my-sized clothes? I’m not sure if I want to wear this for the rest of the evening,” I requested hopefully. It wasn’t practical to wear all the time.
There should be a couple of sets up in the room you slept in last night,” she said tentatively. “And we’ll arrange things so that your friend gets the room beside yours,” she added. “There are a few open cottages down the road we can move people to.”
“That would be lovely,” I responded. “When my father and Daniel return, can you please tell them I’m upstairs?”
“Of course.”
I rose from my chair. Gwen shot up as well. She’s probably never going to let me leave her alone at all any more. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some alone time with Daniel! “Thank you for the food,” I told the mayor; at the same time, my tummy rumbled again. I was still quite hungry.
She laughed. “Well, if we’re going to be moving on in the morning, I’ll see if there is any more food we can send up. You’ve earned an extra little treat, I’d wager.”
I thanked her and excused myself, with Gwen following at my heel. I trudged up the stairs, my legs feeling a bit tight as I ascended the steps. It wasn’t far down the hall to the room. As soon as I walked in, I let myself fall onto the bed and let out a long, loud sigh.
“Gwen…we’re in for some rough times ahead,” I stated, staring at the ceiling.
She plopped down next to me. “As long as you don’t run off on your own and do something stupid, we’ll get through it. Things only seem to go wrong when you leave me behind,” she responded.
“Maybe you have a point there.” I lapsed into silence and continued to stare at the ceiling while listening to the rain.
After a couple of minutes, I sat up with a grunt. I’d better change out of this armor. I stood and began to unlace the leather bands around my arms. The fur beneath them was compressed while the areas that weren’t covered were puffed out a bit; I imagined it probably looked very silly. I ran my hand up and down my arms to even everything out. I found a simple pair of pants and shirt on the desk nearby and snatched it up before taking off the rest. I let out a satisfied sigh as I took off the cuirass, letting the girls free. Before long, I was in the loose-fitting clothes and feeling a bit more liberated. I think I can understand Gwen’s objection to being dressed.
I stacked the pieces of the armor up on the desk and then returned to sit on the bed. I closed my eyes and started try to focus on changing form. The only way I’m going to get this is to practice.
Gwen must have noticed my lack of motion and controlled, even breathing. I felt her sit up next to me. “Are you okay? What are you doing?” she asked quickly.
I groaned, keeping my eyes closed. “I’m trying to focus,” I told her.
“Focus on what? The rain?”
“I’m trying to focus on turning into a human again,” I elaborated. “I’m told we can do that now that we got rid of the curse.”
“Oh…like this?” she inquired curiously.
I opened my eyes and looked over at her. Gwen was, indeed, furless and back to her old self; of course, she kept the ears and tail. She stared at me innocently. She looked quite awkward, being her normal size but sitting in worgen-sized clothing. I thought she was going to slip out of the neck of the shirt.
Frustration surged through me. “How did you do that?” I demanded. Why can she change so easily?
Gwen smiled. “It’s sort of the same thing for me to switch to other forms,” she claimed. Before my eyes, I watched her body change into the familiar giant cat she liked to turn into. Then, she went back to her worgen appearance. “See? It’s not too hard when you get used to it.”
“Show off,” I muttered. Yeah, maybe it’s easy for a druid… She giggled. “Now let me try.”
I closed my eyes again and went back to work. Damn it, Gwen…you make this look so easy. Maybe I’m just stupid. I should be able to do this…at least a little bit. I need to be able to. I want to be me again. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I do it? I couldn’t quiet my brain down. My breath wavered a bit and I clenched my eyes tighter. Focus, Naomi. Focus! But I couldn’t stop myself from dwelling on my frustration.
I felt Gwen moving around the bed. In a moment, I felt two powerful arms wrap around my midriff and a furry chin rest upon my shoulders. “Don’t think,” Gwen whispered.
I don’t know why that helped, but it did. My mind went blank and I couldn’t formulate a complete sentence in my head. The only thing that showed up was a mental image of me…what I used to look like.
I could feel myself shrinking in Gwen’s arms; she quickly towered over me while embracing me. My whole body tingled as the fur receded. What was even stranger, still, was the sensations I felt as my face and paws started to change shape. I could hear popping and cracking, but it didn’t hurt.
I opened my eyes once it felt like everything was done. I stared down at myself. The sleeves of the shirt now completely consumed my arms. I swiftly yanked them back to reveal a pair of furless, very human arms. “It…it worked!” I exclaimed, feeling my smooth face and petite nose. I stretched out my legs and inspected my small feet, wiggling my toes. By the Light, it worked!
I freed myself from Gwen’s arms and hopped to my feet. But the moment I stood, my pants succumbed to gravity since I didn’t have the size to hold them up any more. The shirt covered everything – mostly – but I could feel myself glowing with embarrassment as I bent to collect them from the floor. Gwen just started laughing. I had to hold on to them to keep them from falling again.
While I was ecstatic to be back to my normal self, I felt strange. It was like there was an odd pressure all around my body…like something was trying to burst through my skin. I knew what it meant: the worgen was trying to come out. I had to concentrate to keep it contained. A brief jolt of disappointment shot through me. No matter what I do, my body will always try to go back to that. Eventually, I’d have to stop seeing myself as human…my body’s new natural state was worgen.
“You did it!” Gwen congratulated. I couldn’t help but suspect it was half-hearted. “You should probably find a way to take care of those clothes,” she advised.
I nodded and twisted so that I could tie up the side of the shirt to tighten it. As for the pants, I grabbed the leather belt from the armor and snaked it around my body, pulling it as tight as I could. There wasn’t a hole available. I guess they did make it with my bigger body in mind.
Gwen stood and wandered over to me. She reached forward and bored a hole through the leather with one of her claws, allowing me to use it in this body. She stood there, almost a foot-and-a-half taller than me. It was so odd…I vividly remembered being just a little bit taller than her most of our lives.
“Thanks,” I said with a smile. “I can’t believe I look normal again,” I sighed. I could feel the pressure building. Either that, or it was just getting harder to hold back.
“I don’t see what it matters how you look,” I heard Gwen grumble, turning away slightly.
“You can’t seriously think I looked better like…that!” I declared in disbelief.
“We were always a pair of cork-brained bitches,” Gwen shrugged. “Now we finally look the part.” She turned her back to me completely.
“Oh, you dirty…” I growled playfully, pouncing onto Gwen’s back. She lurched forward as I collided with her and climbed onto her shoulders, draping my arm around in front of her like I was going to choke her.
“You want to do this, little lady?” she retorted, laughing. She twisted and grabbed at me, but I ducked away from her grasp. Finally, she was able to get her furry hands on my arms near my shoulders and she whipped me over her head and dropped me onto the bed.
I bounced a couple times before coming to rest on the mattress. I was laughing for a moment when I stopped. My skin began to tingle again. I had lost it…I stopped monitoring myself and released my new ‘muscle.’ Crap! I scrambled to untie my shirt and undo the belt before I changed and ruined yet another set of clothing. Before long, my body sprouted dark grey fur and the wolf came out.
I laid on the bed, panting. Why am I so exhausted? It couldn’t have been from today. I wasn’t nearly this tired a moment ago. “Damn it,” I gasped between breaths. I couldn’t keep my human form for very long…or maybe it was the excitement of jumping on Gwen. The moment I stopped monitoring it, I paid for it. Well, at least I still have my own mind.
Gwen popped into view. She was upside-down and her face was incredibly close to mine – inches, actually. “There’s my favorite bitch,” she stated fondly. Before I could respond, she licked me right between the eyes.
“Ewww,” I groaned, rolling to the side and wiping my forehead. “What’s gotten into you?”
Gwen giggled. “Nothing’s gotten into me,” she claimed. “Can’t I just be excited to see my friend?” She flopped on the bed. “Not like I’ve had too much to be excited about lately.” Her freedom must finally be sinking in. Gwen let out a long sigh of her own. “Look, I know why you want to be human again, but I like you like this,” she told me seriously, turning her head so that our eyes could meet. “How many people do you think there are like us in the world?”
“I guess,” was all I could think to say. There was something in her wild eyes; the way she stared at me so earnestly. There’s more to it than that. I could see fear behind her stare. “What’s this really about?” I finally asked boldly.
Gwen let out a soft whimper. “I don’t know,” she responded. “It’s just that…before…you started spending so much time with Daniel. We were always so close, but you never introduced me to him. It was like you were ashamed of me…”
“Gwen, it wasn’t like that,” I protested.
“And then I found out you were with him for all those days leading up to today,” she continued. “I know you could explain that away, but…I don’t know…I’m afraid that we are drifting apart. I just thought…maybe being a worgen could give us something no one else had. Maybe we could get that old bond back.” Her voice was quiet and reserved. There was a visible drop in her mood.
I opened my mouth to say something and then stopped. “Gwen…I’m sorry,” I finally apologized. “I know how it looks and I can see why you think that. I don’t have an excuse for why I never told Daniel about you before. All I can do is tell you that I love you like a sister and…I guess I took you for granted and I’m sorry.” It was my turn to be bold, I leaned forward, and pressed my snout to the end of her nose; my tongue automatically sticking out and giving her a tiny lick.
She grinned and giggled. We scooted close to each other. We didn’t talk; we just laid there. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay there for long. There came a cautious knock on the door.
“Who could that be?” I groaned as I forced myself onto my paws. Daniel or my father would have just come in. I marched across the room to the door and threw it open.
There was a young woman there; she bowed when I opened the door. “Lady Armstead told me to bring you two some extra food,” she announced uneasily, presenting a sizeable covered platter. I wondered what, specifically, was putting her on edge. It must be the strange new worgen in town.
I thanked her, she bowed, and left us alone. I walked back to the bed with the platter and set it between us.
“What did they bring us?” Gwen asked hungrily, rubbing her hands together. I shrugged and removed the cover from the platter to answer the question. They sent us a chicken…a whole chicken! And some bread. Gwen’s eyes widened in excitement.
We ripped the chicken in half and began to scarf it down. I was feeling considerably more satisfied after we demolished the treat. I leaned back and let out a satisfying sigh, watching Gwen gnawing on a chicken bone to pick off the rest of the meat.
“Gwen, I need you to do me a favor,” I requested suddenly.
“Hmm?”
“If it ever feels like I’m drifting away again, I want you to hit me and remind me of how much of a cork-brained bitch I really am.”
Gwen giggled. “Can do!” she promised. I knew she’d relish the opportunity if it ever arose.
A couple of minutes later, the door swung open and striking the wall on the other side with a loud bang. Gwen and I both jumped. Daniel and my father stood in the doorway. “Naomi,” Daniel sighed in relief.
I hopped off the bed and ran up to throw my arms around both of them. “I’m back!” I declared. “And I have wonderful news!” I became aware of some serious body odor coming from both of them. Though they had obviously been out in the rain, they still had ash or…something…smudged all over them.
“I’m glad you’re back and safe. I was beginning to worry,” my father commented. He looked past me. “Is that…” he trailed off. I followed his eyes and could see him inspecting Gwen. “Gwen Forrestier…is that you?” I must really be terrible at identifying worgen. How can he tell so easily?
Gwen nodded. “It is, sir.” I never knew why, but she always found my father to be intimidating. Maybe she reminded him of someone. Who knows? But she was always very formal with him.
“Get over here!” he invited. She complied and scurried over. My father broke away from our hug to give her her own embrace. “It’s about time we got you back,” he commented. “The family didn’t feel right without you.”
“Hey, Poppet; where’s your ring?” Daniel inquired quietly.
“What do you mean? It’s on my….” I held out my left hand to prove it, but the ring was gone. Oh crap! “Where is it?” I exclaimed, spinning and looking around the room, frantically. It has to have fallen off when I transformed.
“What’s going on?” I heard Gwen ask.
“I can’t find my ring!” I nearly shouted as I dropped to the floor. I searched the wooden floor; I couldn’t find it. Where did it go? I can’t believe I lost it already! I kept mentally beating myself up.
I couldn’t see what Gwen was doing. “Here it is,” she announced. I looked up; she was leaning over the bed. I could see the ring in her hand. “You should be more careful with this,” she taunted before tossing it across the room.
Snatching it from the air, I quickly slipped it back on my finger. “Thanks,” I grumbled.
“Why did you even take it off in the first place?” Daniel asked.
“I…um…it’s hard to explain,” I responded, rubbing the back of my head. I didn’t want to tell him what happened…not quite like this. I had other plans.
“I see…” He didn’t sound like he wanted to drop the subject. “So…this is your friend you were telling me about?”
I nodded and formally introduced them. I didn’t make any mention of the fact that they had technically already met once before. That led into an explanation of the day’s events. “And so…we’re not cursed anymore!” I concluded happily. “Kind of. We can’t lose control now!”
They were both exceptionally excited. We kept talking about it for several minutes before my dad declared he had to leave. “Gw-I mean Mayor Armstead told me she has business she would like to talk with me. I had better go see what she wants,” he stated. I gave him a sheepish smile, recalling what that really meant.
Gwen let out a massive yawn shortly after my father stepped out of the room, echoing my own feelings. “I think it’s time to turn in,” I declared. I stared at Gwen. “I’m not pushing you out, but can I ask…”
“Yeah, yeah…I’ll go next door for the night. But you’d better not try to run out on me. I’d track you down,” she responded, wandering out of the room and leaving Daniel and I alone.
“She seems nice,” he commented awkwardly.
“Just wait until you get to know her.”
He walked up to me and threw his arms around me. “I never would have dreamed that you would be able to get free of the curse,” he mentioned warmly. “Looks like the future’s getting brighter.”
He leaned in to give me a kiss on the side of my face. Again, his stench hit my nostrils. I recoiled a bit. “Um…I’m sorry…I need you to go wash yourself off,” I demanded. “You stink.”
Daniel laughed. “Sorry; busy day at the forge,” he apologized. “Is it that bad?”
“Just go.”
“I’ll be right back, then.” He wandered towards the door. “Then we can…sleep,” he added before disappearing.
I rolled my eyes and then sat on the bed. It felt like a lot of my strength had returned, especially after a much more satisfying meal. Closing my eyes, I worked to clear my mind and concentrate on changing. It was substantially easier this time and, in seconds, I could feel my body changing. By the time I opened my eyes, I was human again. Immediately, I could feel the pressure again all over my body, but I was able to hold it back, for now.
My ring slipped easily off of my finger. I picked it up and looked at it for a moment. There’s no way this would fit anymore. I slipped it on my thumb; it was still loose, but I hoped it wouldn’t fall off like before.
I sat on the edge of the bed and I waited, trying to imagine Daniel’s reaction to seeing me like this. I smiled as the images came to my mind. Before long, I heard footsteeps coming down the hallway. “Okay, I washed up,” he announced, pushing the door open. “How do I…” He stopped the moment he saw me. His mouth hung slack. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and had a towel draped over the back of his neck. “N-Naomi…” he finally stammered in disbelief.
I gave him a warm, inviting smile.
“H-how is this possible?” he gasped, taking a few tentative steps into the room.
“It’s part of the ‘cure,’” I explained, still grinning. “If I focus, I can make myself look like this Do you like it?”
He nodded fervently. It took him a surprisingly long time to get to the bed. I stood as he made it there. Just like before, my pants immediately fell around my ankles. Daniel stared down at them for several seconds. “I…have that effect on people,” he joked, regaining his goofy side.
I burst out laughing. “You wish!” I giggled. I actually had to look up at him to meet his gaze. I stood on the tip of my toes and planted a kiss on his lips. “You’re such an idiot.”
“Maybe, but you’re the idiot who agreed to marry this idiot,” he taunted back. Daniel pulled me in for another kiss. “So what now?”
“You know, I’m not contagious. I asked,” I mentioned coquettishly. Calmly, I grabbed his hand and gave a gentle tug. “You coming?” I invited, moving over onto the bed.
He nodded and excitedly scrambled into bed with me. One thing led to another and we began making love that night. It was so wonderful; I got lost in the sensations. It had been way too long since the last time… As things were really starting to heat up, my body began to tingle. I was getting lost in the pleasure. As my arousal hit its climax, a howl starting to build. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late to stop it.
Come on! Not now!
Mind of Malm 