5 What it means to be a werewolf

That night, immediately when I lay down to sleep on my soft bed of leaves, I didn't even have to wait for a minute because in moments I was sound asleep.

I dreamed that glowing golden orbs of light rose up all around me as I walked through a particularly dark part of Dark Forest. But I wasn't afraid.

I was fearless. A fearless warrior of the Werewolf Tribe.

Then my calm dream became a nightmare as glowing red eyes of a huge werewolf emerged from the undergrowth, snarling savagely it emerged from the shadows, and stepped out into the moonlight, its jaws dripping with blood, and its teeth glowing red as it advanced.

I screamed in my sleep and my eyes flew open, and I realized I had actually been screaming aloud. I was breathing hard, and my forehead was sweating in my fear.

And though I was tired, and it must be at least one in the morning, I forced myself to stay awake, in case I went back to that nightmare again, or had another one.

I lay awake for a few more hours I think, so it must be 3 a.m. now. My brain was too tired to think, and I just lay there, struggling to stay awake.

I must have dozed off for at least an hour because at that moment I was jerked awake by the sound of Ausu's determined voice: "EVERYONE, WAKE UP! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

I sleep really stood up from my bed of leaves and rub my eyes, looking up at the faint moon above.

It was still dark, making shadows dance among the trees, concealing mystery within.

And then I saw it: Sitting high above in the branches of a tall, ancient oak tree was a huge black werewolf. Its red eyes gleaming against the stars. On its back was a pair of leathery black wings, and it was snorting sparks.

What kind of werewolf is that? I wondered as my blood turn to ice in fear. Then I got a hold of myself when I saw Ausu standing in a clearing of trees, concealed and shadows, but I could just make out his face. He was staring up at the 'werewolf' as if his life depended on it.

I quickly raced to his side and whispered: "Ausu, what is THAT?"

Ausu looked embarrassed. "I don't... exactly... know... but I think it's some kind of werewolf... dragon?"

At that moment the rest of the tribe arrived, yawning and rubbing their eyes, but they look determined all the same.

"Sooo... should we strike, Ausu?" Evelyn asked, her voice filled with tence excitement.

"No. Wait." Ausu warned her putting his hand out in front of her to stop her from running out into the open where she would be spotted by the 'werewolf,' and their was no telling what it would do to her.

* * * * * * *

"Can we go now?" A voice in the back of Ausu's mind asked.

"No." He told it firmly.

"Now?" It asked.

"No!" He thought irritably.

"What about now?" It asked beginning to get on is nerves. Okayay, not beginning. He had had enough of it a long time ago.

"CAN YOU JUST SHUT UP?!?" He yelled at it in his mind in anger.

"What did I do?" It asked, pretending to be confused, though Ausu knew it wasn't.

"I'm trying to concentrate." He told it.

It sighed. "Okay. I'll leave it to you then."

"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR." The 'werewolf' roared, then flapped its black leathery wings, and took off from the top of the tree, then circled the clearing, high above them, flapping its enormous strong wings.

"Oh no! It can FLY?" The voice in the back of Ausu's mind exclaimed in surprise.

"Of COURSE IT CAN FLY!," he told it in annoyance. "It has WINGS IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED!"

Then the 'werewolf' began to transform, it's I slowly change from red, to blue human eyes with long eyelashes, its snout shrunk into a human face, and its fur became hair on the top of its head.

She was an African-American blond-haired girl with purple werewolf ears.

But the strangest thing about her where her teeth, which were abnormally long and pointy, and her black leathery wings that stayed on her back, instead of disappearing when she transformed.

"Is that a... human slash dragon slash werewolf???" I, Merribelle, asked Ausu in a whisper. "Or is it a-----a...???"

"I am not a human!," the girl announced. Wow. She really has sharp ears, I thought. How else could she have heard me? Well I guess she does have werewolf ears... "I am a dragon that was bitten by a werewolf, and since werewolves are also 'part' human, now I guess I can turn into a human, werewolf and dragon. Why are you here anyway?"

"We came to help you get your 'inner beast' under control, but it looks like you've got it under control, so... we'll just go... then..." Ausu told the dragon girl, not trying to hide his disappointment.

Then I realized something: She had gotten as far as me for learning to control her inner werewolf BY HERSELF! It was incredible. She was extremely focused. Well, I guess she is a dragon...

"Yup. Why would I need you?," the dragon girl asked, and I knew she was being annoyingly selfish. "We dragons are independent, and anyway, if you haven't noticed. We can take care of ourselves thank you very much... let me make myself very clear. I don't need help from ANYONE. And I never will. So go back to your human... uh... human... whatever humans do. Destroying the planet or something."

"WHAT?!? You want us to destroy the planet?" I asked in surprise, as a whiff of fresh night are filled my nose and blew my curly caramel hair out behind me, making me feel wild... and free.