What Just Happened?

Dahlia stood by the shoreline as her father was more determined than ever. The sun was setting and orange, pink and purple hues seeped into the sky like a water painting. Ethan wouldn't give up, he needed to be one with his wolf again. A month plus had passed by since he last changed. With everything he has gone through, why now does his body fail him again?

Mary and Ethel grew tired and Amelia and Lockhart escorted them back to their tea shop so they could rest for the night. It was promised that they would be updated if anything changed in Ethan's status. Lockhart even dismissed the medical personnel, he told them to go back home and be with their loved ones and to get a good night's rest.

Dahlia didn't try to talk her dad out of his stubbornness. Dahlia knew deep down that he had to face this. A wolf not being able to transform, is almost as unbearable as loosing a loved one. You loose a vital piece to who you are. Not to mention the fear that seeps into your soul, when you're no longer able to shift. Dahlia just stayed quiet watching her dad over and over again, trying to trigger his wolf. In away her heart was breaking for him, but she refused to give in to defeat either.

Darkness, sweep over them and the time was unknown. The only company they had was the moon. "Hey, dad look, it's a full moon tonight, even though its not in full position, you can still tell" Dahlia said with a hint of exhaustion. "If you're tired you can go inside baby girl" Ethan stated to his daughter. Dahlia gave him a smile. "Luckily for you, I took a nap earlier, I guess your stuck with me" Dahlia said with mischief in her voice. "You sound tired though" Her father stated. Dahlia giggled at his comment. "What's so funny?" Ethan asked. "I'm not tired, I'm just bored. What do you expect, we've been standing in the same spot for hours. Why don't we try moving around. That will put some life back into me: Dahlia said with a smile.

"You make a good point. Let's walk a little and I'll try some more later" Ethan stated. Dahlia grabbed her dad's arm and rested her head against it. "You know dad, there's plenty of time to keep trying. You barely just got your health back" Dahlia stated. "I know, I just got scared and because I got scared, I pushed myself to transform" Ethan stated. "You made the elders wait and Lockhart, Amelia and the medical staff. It would have been pretty impressive, if you could have transformed like usual but you need to take it easy a bit, and not put so much strain on your already beat up body. Dont worry, I'm still your biggest fan and I know you have it in you" Dahlia said lovingly. Dahlia's comments seemed to help Ethan relax a little. "You're probably right and you sound just like your mother" Ethan stated with a chuckle. Dahlia gave her father a huge hug, with an even bigger smile.

Ethan and his daughter locked in arms, casually walked down the shoreline, starring out at the ocean, while the moons light danced on top of it. Ethan walked towards the docks with Dahlia by his side. Why don't we put our feet in" Ethan said with a smile. "That's a great idea and a perfect night for it" Dahlia replied. They reached the docks fairly quickly, and they threw off their athletics and walked onto the dock. The old wooden plankets moaned and groaned under the weight of their feet. Dahlia and Ethan chuckled. "This dock really knows how to make you feel good about your weight doesn't it" Ethan said with a grin. "If anything I think that was a protest, we probably should repair this sooner than later" Dahlia said with a laugh. "There you go again, sounding like your mother" Ethan said with a big belly laugh. Dahlia gave him a smile that had a hint of sadness behind it. "I know, I miss her too" Ethan said weakly, with a tear escaping.

"Hopefully, you feel more at peace with her spirit inside you?" Dahlia asked with curiosity. "I definitely feel better, on occasions I can hear two wolves trying to talk to me. I'm not sure what's holding me back from transforming" Ethan stated. "Well, it's good you feel better. I had no idea I could release moms spirit inside you. It just happened in the moment" Dahlia said. "I don't hold it against you, you saved my life" Ethan stated.

Dahlia looked out at the moon and could see it was higher in the sky, indicating it was getting later. The water painting sunset they were blessed with earlier had all but faded into blackness. Ethan looked at the moon ad well. "It's beautiful" Ethan mumbled. "That it is" Dahlia replied with a sigh of comfort. What happened next couldn't have been anticipated. The moon goddess spirit appeared to Dahlia and Ethan. Ethan was quite shocked, but Dahlia has grown used to spirits appearing before her. The moon goddess spoke to Ethan with the help of Dahlia's powers.

"My brave warrior. You've been through so much and fought so hard. Your daughter, shared a piece of herself with you, to save your life. I will grant you this gift, and remove your spiritual block, use your powers for good and continue to protect the ones you love dearly. Know that Dahlia and I are one and we will continue to root for you" The moon goddess said. Dahlia's father was speechless as the moon spirit approached him. She gave him a kiss on his forehead and then vanished into thin air. Ethan was not expecting any if that to happen. "What...just happened?" Ethan managed out. Dahlia was pretty shocked herself. "I actually have no idea but she said she'd grant you a gift? Could it be your ability to transform?!" Dahlia nearly yelled out in her father's face.

Ethan's eyes grew huge as he came to the same conclusion. "Should I try again?!" Dahlia's father said yelled. "Yeah let's give it a go, just be careful" Dahlia said cautiously. Ethan and Dahlia rushed off the dock, not stopping to sympathize with its pains. Ethan reached the sandy shore and he was already in position and only stopped to wait for Dahlia. Sounding more determined than ever. "I'M READY!" Ethan boomed. "I'm right by your side, go for it dad!" Dahlia said cheering him on. Ethan triggered his transformation.

A few minutes went by and nothing had changed yet. Ethan didn't give in to the potential of defeat. Ethan started to grow excited, he could feel a familiar sensation radiate throughout his body. "Dahlia, I can feel the change coming!" Ethan nearly hysterical. "I can sense it too dad" Dahlia confirmed her father's words. Ethan was expecting it to be a quick and normal transformation. How he was so wrong. Pain started to surge in his body, and he could feel every bit of what was happening to him.

"Dahlia, it...it hurts" Ethan said through his gritted teeth. "Everything will be okay dad. I'm right here!" Dahlia said to her father. "Lockhart get your butt out here, my dad is finally transforming!" Dahlia demanded the doctor. Dahlia was felt helpless because she couldn't help him through his transformation, all she could do was encourage him to fight back. "Remember what you told me when I first transformed?" Dahlia asked. "It's hard to recall anything at this...moment" Ethan struggled to talk. "Embrace the pain and breathe through it" Dahlia reminded him. "Right... I'll try that" Ethan said.

Dahlia stood by in horror as her father went through such a slow and torturous shift. Dahlia could hear his bones break and her father screaming out in pain with each affliction. Lockhart finally joined Dahlia's side and was also in shock by what he saw. "What's going on?" Lockhart asked. "The short version is, the moon goddess came and visited my dad and she gave him a gift. It's almost as if he's having a first shift again" Dahlia stated with confusion. Lockhart some how manged to look even more shocked then he did. If his jaw were to drop any further, he'd have a mouth full of sand.

They watched as Ethan's body contorted and twisted. They watch flesh falling off in chucks and him covered in his own blood. In his current state, he looked like a hybrid beast, bridging the gap between man and beast. Ethan screamed at every new sensation of pain. Lockhart was growing worried. Dahlia stayed calm, she remembered her own transformation. Hers was brutal but that's the price when you're blessed by the moon goddess. Ethan screamed bloody murder as his finger tips were torn to shreds as his claws came in. More and more fur started to grow. His appearance was different from before. Ethan's body seem to levitate, pulled up by the moons light. Ethan had a flash of panic show on his face. "It's will be okay. stay strong!" Dahlia yelled to her father.

Lockhart and Dahlia stood in amazement as Ethan's transformation finalized. They listened as Ethan's last blood curdling scream turned into a soul piercing howl. The light beam from the moon gently set him down. Ethan collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Dahlia ran over to her father's wolf. Dahlia growing emotional had tears run down her face like a flash flood. "You're beautiful" Dahlia whispered as she ran her fingers through her father's fur. Lockhart made it to his best friend's side. Lockhart placed his hand on his friends side. "Dahlia, what are we looking at?" Lockhart asked. Ethan managed to get up on all fours and look them both in the face. Whatever wolf stood in front of them, they've never seen before. Ethan's wolf transformation had taken on a whole new appearance.

"His inner wolves fused with the help of the moon goddess" Dahlia said. Ethan stood before them, Like two different wolves. Dahlia could tell on one side was her mother and the other was her father's wolf. Their two halves fused and came together as Ying and yang and they perfectly fell into harmonization. Without further delay, Dahlia turned into her wolf and egged her dad to run with her. "Let's go" Dad said through mindlink. Two giant wolves ran chaos on the beaches shore. Lockhart was so confused by what happened he just watched as they disappeared together into the dark.