Werewolf Origins

~*~ Great mother, Mahdis, bless your humble servant, Koren, this night. I give thanks for your guidance and wisdom. Alarn's crop is now doing well and he has shown his gratitude by supplying the temple with the surplus. Now we will not go hungry during the winter. Praise be to you! The festival of the Singing Moon was beautiful. I believe many saw your glory this night. I was carried away in the dance and could see nothing but the starry heavens as the steps took me across the temple grounds in a whirl of silken robes and ribbons. It was a very magical night. Thank you, Mother! ~*~

Theron sat watching the procession of priestesses with a jaded eye. It was all the same year after year. They would dance and sing praises to Mahdis for the growth of the crops, for the birth of the babies and the peace of the land, but it was the warriors of Dahris that made it all possible. There was peace here in Arhdis because soldiers like himself protected the city with blood, sweat and steel.
He was about to turn away from the festivities in a mixture of boredom and distaste when he saw her. She danced like a ray of moonlight across the water. Her skin was so pale and perfect, as if it had never been touched by the sun's harsh light. Her eyes never found his own; instead they were lifted up to the moon, and they were the colour of the darkest night, perfect reflections of the starry sky. Her raven hair, gaily adorned with ribbons and flowers, tumbled in loose waves down her back. She was perfect, so like a fragile flower that he ached with longing to pluck her from the temple stage.
Who was she? He must know.

-X- Powerful Dahris, your faithful soldier, Theron asks for your aid in catching a most delicate prize. The prey I am after is more elusive than any I have sought in the past. I need your guidance as I seek to woo a lovely priestess of Mahdis away from her vows in order to make her my bride. Surely such a difficult task would be looked upon with favor by the Great God of the Hunt. -X-

Koren walked quietly through the market. The stalls were dark, empty shapes in the faint light of the crescent moon. She could see well enough; Mahdis had blessed her with excellent vision in order to allow her to perform the temple's tasks in her presence. She had just attended the birth of twins, where her herbs and prayers were needed for the mother and her children. Mahdis proved kind and all were sleeping peacefully when Koren left the modest home.

There was a sound. Koren turned to find a man. He appeared to be one of the soldiers of the city by his dress. She nodded her head to him and turned to leave but his hand upon her arm stopped her. He dared to touch a priestess of Mahdis?

"I have a gift for you, lovely maiden of the moon."Â?

Koren turned back in bewildered surprised to find a battle scarred hand stretched out before her. Cupped inside was a delicate pearl and amethyst comb that gleamed whitely against the rough brown hide of the soldier.

Gifts were nothing new to the priestess but they were given in gratitude to the Goddess for the grace she gave her followers and the services provided by her servants. Why did this gift seem different? Was he praising Mahdis for something that she did not know of? He should speak his gratitude so that she could send his thanks to Mahdis in the temple. Perhaps it was a delicate matter?
Smiling at him in understanding, Koren bowed slightly and plucked the comb from his hand, then continued on toward the temple.

~*~ Great Mother Mahdis, Your humble servant, Koren, begs your forgiveness in her harsh judgment of the soldier she met this night. He was merely wishing to give you praise with his gift. I ask that you bless him for his thankfulness and look kindly upon him for his goodness. ~*~

Koren added the bejeweled treasure to the other gifts that adorned the base of the gleaming alabaster statue of Mahdis, Goddess of the Moon, Mother of Maidens, Patron Goddess of Arhdis.
The priestess had taken his gift and smiled at him. How that smile lit up the sky like the moon itself! Theron was encouraged by her acceptance of the comb to continue his efforts, though to be honest with himself, even a refusal of the gift would not have halted his pursuit. He expected this task to be more difficult.

-X- Powerful Dahris, you look kindly upon your diligent follower; the most delicate flower has not turned away from my hand and I feel that it is only a matter of time before she is willing to come away with me. What woman does not want love? A home? Children? She may be mine before the year is out! I thank you for guiding my actions. -X-

~*~ Great Mother, Mahdis, I do not know what to do! The soldier that I encountered not long ago continues to plague me. He meant his gift for me, a humble priestess, and I took it in your name! Now he believes me willing to listen to his advances. Do my vows mean nothing to him? I belong to you, Mahdis, please help me! ~*~

Theron continued to pursue the priestess that he envisioned to be his perfect mate. She was a compliment to everything that he was, graceful where he was strong, demure where he was bold, naïve where he was cunning. They could take over the kingdom with that kind of coupling and rule it in the names of their gods. Theron sent letters and gifts to the temple, and though he heard no word from Koren, he was not deterred. He would wait until the next moon festival and speak to her again.

-X- Where is she?! They have hidden her away. Do they think that will stop me? Powerful Dahris, the weak servants of the moon have stolen my bride out of fear! I will find her! Help me find her, where ever she has been hidden. Show them your power! There is nothing you cannot track! -X-

Koren sighed happily at the foot of the temple's statue. It was not the capital city with it sea of faces but it was peaceful and remote. She was still doing the work of the Goddess. They needed a new high priestess here and it had long since been time that she take that role. Perhaps some day she would be able to return to Arhdis.

~*~ Thank you for this peace, mother. You always provide for your children. This child is most grateful for your wisdom and kindness. I know that the man, Theron, was perhaps complimenting me with his attention but it... was against my vows. He was not deterred by anything that was told to him or my unwillingness to speak to him. This is for the best. He will forget me in time. ~*~

Theron reveled in the power and speed of the form that had been given to him by the mighty Dahris, God of the Hunt. He was the largest wolf he had ever seen. The animal most associated with Dahris and Theron was honored to be given this form to use whenever he so willed.

He could sense the priestess with his supernatural abilities and had been tracking her. He seemed to be able to run tirelessly through the cities, the farmlands, the woods. She was steadily getting closer and he paused to howl his triumph to the moon. There will be victory, Goddess! Your priestess shall be my prize by the might of Dahris!

~*~ It is him! Somehow I know that it is him. The beast who's howling gets ever closer to the temple. I must run, Mahdis but now I know that he will not stop until he has caught me. He is a true follower of Dahris and this hunt will never end! I will leave the temple tonight. Please help me, mother, save me from this monster. I only seek to serve you in peace. ~*~

Theron sniffed the wind; she was close... so close! She had not moved for days but now he felt her moving, running away from him! He growled his anger and began to run once more. The priestess was moving swiftly, surely her Goddess was helping her but that would not change the outcome. He would be victorious. It had become a near madness; Theron would possess her.

He looked up towards the moon to howl his defiance in the face of the Goddess herself. The full round orb in the sky... it seemed to stare back at him with a serenity that mocked his mortal ramblings. It was all nonsense. Theron howled in pained rage; how could he have been so foolish as to think that -he- could challenge a goddess? She was laughing at him. It was like the tinkling of bells and it was everywhere, the night filled with the sound just on the edge of his hearing. Laughing, Mahdis was laughing.

Theron ran. He snapped at the air, howled his rage but through it all he ran. For three nights while the full face of Mahdis watched him with her maddening calm, he ran. When she turned her face away from him the priestess Keron was gone. He was never to have her. He should have never challenged a Goddess for what was hers.

Theron vented his anger in the hunt. He chased anything that sparked the slightest bit of interest but it was too easy. Always too easy. Dahris' gift took the thrill and challenge out of hunting. And worse, the Goddess continued to curse him with her laughter. At her full power for the three days she shined the brightest, Theron found that a madness came upon him. He was an unthinking, wounded beast, hunting and killing anything in his path.

Years went by, yet he did not seem to age. Theron eventually returned to Arhdis hoping to atone for his crime where it began. It was then that he sensed her. Theron knew it was her at once, but how could it be? Keron should be no more. In helpless disbelief he followed the trail to its end. It was there he saw the truth. Keron was before him as radiant in her beauty now as she had ever been. She was bent over some worker who slumped over unconscious as she stood.

"Peace be with you."Â?

She placed a silver coin of Mahdis in the man's hand and turned. Blood stained her lips and that too was beauty. Awed, Theron stood silent there before the prize that he had so coveted those long years ago.

Keron smiled sadly at him. Her teeth as she spoke were a hunter's fangs, not the innocence he had seen the night she danced under the moon.

"Do you see now why my life belongs to Mahdis? This is how it must be. You were given every chance to turn away. I know your hunter's heart because I have one of my own. You have chosen your fate even as I chose mine. Goodbye, Theron of Dahris."Â?

She turned from him then... and flew away. A great white owl, symbol of the Goddess Mahdis.

((Prayers in colour to Mahdis in blue and Dahris in red. ))