“Is Yuki staying here?” asked Akira.
“Why are you asking about her?” Azura countered with her own question.
“I just wanted to thank her. She is one of the people that helped me escape.”
“Right now she is a bit under the weather, so you can’t see her.”
“Oh, if you get a chance could you tell her I said thanks.”
Azura nodded her head and the two were silent for several minutes.
“So what’s between you and Mileena?” asked Azura out of the blue.
The unexpected question caused Akira to start coughing and the water in his mouth. The now lukewarm water sprayed everywhere in front of him as he tried to stop coughing.
“Ewww!” screeched Azura as she received a face full of elder brother mouth water.
“What are you asking weird questions for?” asked Akira wiping his mouth with his sleeve.
“So there is something between you two!” said Azura as she wiped her face off.
“Stop jumping to conclusions. We’re just teammates. We have been traveling and fighting together for many months now it’s only natural that we would be friendly towards each other.”
“How suspicious,” said Azura staring at Akira.
“Now that you mentioned it where are they staying? Can we go and check in on them? I want to see how the two are doing now that they have met up with a few other Nyantails.”
“Hmph! Doesn’t matter to me, but we have to be back before grandfather returns. He will not be happy if we keep him waiting.”
“Aright lead the way!”
“What am I your servant?”
“How else am I supposed to find them?”
“Hmph! Fine, I’ll take you to them. Not because I want to but because you would get lost and cause me problems.”
***
When they arrived at a huge two-story treehouse on the east side of the city Azura stopped.
“This is the place,” said Azura.
“Are you coming in?” asked Akira as he walked up to the front door.
“No need, I’ll wait right here just hurry up.”
Akira knocked once and opened the door.
“Greetings stranger may I help you?” asked an elderly Nyantail man behind a counter.
Akira did a quick scan of the room and found it was set up like the entrance of an inn with its own front desk to greet and take in guests.
“I’m looking for Mileena, Maya, and Varbu who should be staying here.”
“Ah! You must be Akira! I have heard so much about you from the young ladies. My name is Canip. I am Mileena and Maya’s uncle 6 times removed. I am grateful for all that you have done for them. If you need anything just ask and I will see if I or anyone I know can help.”
“Ah… yes… Nice to meet you,” said Akira a little lost in thought as he tried to puzzle out just what exactly was Canips relation between the two girls. Six times removed? What is that!
“They are staying in room 6 and 9 on the second floor,” said Canip.
“Thanks,” said Akira as he walked over to the wooden stairs caved from the same tree the house was built around.
After spending a few minutes checking on the three to see that everyone was doing okay. Akira went back outside and rejoined the bored Azura.
She was staring up at the many leaves that were moving in the slight wind blowing through the many trees.
“Took you long enough,” said Azura as she started to walk back towards their house.
***
Wulfric returned to the house only a few minutes after they had returned from their trip. He didn’t return alone as there were seven older men all with well-groomed gray or white beards following him.
“Akira these are the elders of the Bluemoon clan. Elders this is Wulfric the second’s son and also my grandson,” said Wulfric introducing everyone to each other.
Akira and the elders did not speak for several minutes. Akira just stood still while the elders inspected him head to toe.
“He indeed does look like your son Grand elder. But what about his fighting skills?” asked one elder who had a short pointy beard.
“Fighting skills mean nothing if he can not properly control his transformation. We already have a thousand warriors that can fight,” said another elder with a bushy beard that looked like a cotton ball.
“You both are to short-sighted if he has no skill in leading people properly then so what if he is the son of the former chief,” another elder chided the first two.
“Elders there is no need to guess and wonder. The reason I brought you here was so that you would be able to test him yourself,” said Wulfric.
“Yes, we must see what he is like before making any decisions on the matter of what to do with him. For the sake of the clan we can not make rash decisions just because he is your grandson,” said one of the elders.
“Oedwuf, since you are the eldest why don’t you go first? If you have anything you would like to know or test just ask and Akira will complete the task,” said Wulfric without even letting Akira have a say in anything.
“Young man are you able to do a partial transformation?”
“What’s that?” asked Akira.
“Hmph! It’s what I’m doing right now!” said Azura pointing to her twitching wolf ears and a bushy tail that was lazily swishing back and forth.
“Partial transformation is something like what Azura is doing, but it is not limited to only having the tail and ears appear. They are some of the more common and easy things, but things like only transforming your arms in an instant to provide greater power to an attack, carry something heavy, or only transforming your legs for faster movement can be done but are harder to do and maintain. It requires the person to have great control over their own body. If done right you can boost your power without even transforming fully,” explained Oedwuf.
“I have been able to do stuff like this since I was a real small pup,” said Azura proudly.
“Quiet Azura, this isn’t about you right now,” said Wulfric.
“I never knew I could do something like that. So I don’t know if I can,” said Akira.
“Just give it a try,” said Wulfric.
Akira had no clue how to do something like partial transformation, so he just stood there looking like he had to take a crap, as he tried to make his tail pop out of his rear end.
When a few minutes passed he was stopped by Wulfric for fear he might embarrass himself in front of the elders it looked like if he continued something other then his tail would come out.
Another elder was picked to give him a test.
“My name is Ellair, I heard from Grand elder that you have already awakened so I would like to see your transformation.”
“Well…I can transform just…only at night…” said Akira quietly in embarrassment.
Azura started laughing upon hearing that but stopped when Wulfric bopped her on the head with his knuckles.
All the elders nodded their heads in understanding.
“Well it may be an odd quirk that he can only transform at night but at least he is able to transform without the help of the clan tattoo,” said one elder starting a quiet discussion with the others.
“True, it shows he has better control of his transformation than those that rely on the clan tattoo to transform after they awaken,” said another.
“Interesting… Akira, we elders will allow you to show us your transformation later tonight,” said Oedwuf.
“I am called Neil and would like to know how long can you stay transformed without the help of the clan tattoo?”
“Four hours…I think but I get really tired and hungry if I stay transformed that long,” said Akira.
All movement in the room stopped and everyone just stared at Akira.
Thinking he said something stupid his face started to glow a light red as he was even more embarrassed. He figured the elders must think he was such an insignificant person with his lack of skill.
“When you say four hours do you mean that you can stay fully transformed for a full four hours?” asked elder Neil trying to make sure he heard Akira clearly.
“Yes, but I’ve only done that a few times before, most of the time I only need to be transformed for one or two hours before the fight is over,” said Akira ashamed with his head down looking at the floor and not at the elders.
The room was again quiet for several moments.
“Amazing!” said Odewuf.
“Elder Odewuf is right. The amount of control and stamina needed for staying transformed that long without a clan tattoo is shocking.”
“I had heard that Wulfric the second when he was young, was able to stay transformed for nearly forty minutes without the clan tattoo. The average normal person can only last is 10 to 15 minutes.”
“If this is true then how strong will he be with the clan tattoo?” asked an elder.
“Excuse me, I keep hearing you mention the clan tattoo and have been hearing others talk about it for over a year now but I still don’t know exactly what they are or why they seem so important. Can you explain?” asked Akira interrupting the elder’s conversation.
“Ah! How could I have forgotten to tell you something like this!” said Wulfric holding his hand on his forehead.
“A clan tattoo does two important things. One it works as proof that you are a werewolf and allows others to know what clan you belong to. Each clan has its own different techniques and designs used for the clan tattoo. But the most important thing it does is helping to regulate our transformation allowing anyone that has one to have greater control over it, as well as greatly lowering the stamina needed to keep transformed. This allows even the weakest werewolf to stay transformed for several hours which is crucial for winning fights during wars,” said Wulfric.
“This technique is something rather new compared to the Earth tribes long history. It was created after the first great war finished. The Shamans and Grand elders of that time were the ones that came up with the first iteration as a response to the clans receiving heavy losses due to the war. With the help of the clan tattoos we have not had such a massive loss since the first war and have been able to stay alive this long due to the wisdom of our past ancestors,” said Wulfric.
Akira nodded his head, he kinda understood it all now.
For the next hours leading up to just before the moon rose into the sky Akira was forced to undergo many tests and answer many questions that the elders had. The test ranged from testing his hearing to his skill in smelling while not transformed and other things Akira thought were odd to be tested on.
“Night has come! Let us head outside to see what you look like,” said Oedwuf.
“This is the way to the back balcony,” said Wulfric leading the others out onto the large wide open balcony.
The balcony had an unhindered view of the sky allowing them to see the large moon that was shining brightly without a cloud nearby to block it.
The elders gathered around Akira in a circle to watch and inspect him as he transformed.
Wulfric nodded to Akira and motioned for him to go ahead and transform. He was also just as interested in his grandson’s transformation as the other elders were and hoped that he would be able to have the strength, courage, and leadership skills to take over for his father.
Akira took a deep breath and then started transforming. A black-light covered his entire body as he transformed stunning the elders speechless. This was not normal.
A few seconds passed and the black light soon disappeared to reveal the tall muscular fierce-looking Akira. His black fur blended in with the surrounding dark shadows of the night and when the moonlight reached his fur it gave off an unusual luster.
The aura that was emitted from had a faint majestic but still, overpowering might made it so that anyone who saw him transformed would want to agree with whatever he said.
Although it was faint there was no doubt it was the aura of a leader.
“Akira do you have any unexplainable powers that you can use?” Oedwuf breaking the trance everyone had been in.
Akira was torn whether he should let them know about it or not, but after a minute he nodded his head.
“Wulfric, your grandson is simply amazing!” said Oedwuf.
“Why? Although his transformation was a little odd I wouldn’t call him amazing,” said Wulfric.
“That’s because you do not know what I do! Nearly 70 years ago when I was just about to turn ten my grandfather who was one of the clan’s elders who studied the clan’s history and helped maintain the clan records told me a story before he passed away. I had thought it was just that, a story.
Over 180 years ago during the first great war with the Demigods, there was a Great warrior from the Moon clan the clan that both the Red and Bluemoon clans came from before splitting many years ago. His name was…Akira. In the records, his transformation was described to have a haze of blacklight covering his body whenever he transformed. That is not all he also had many unique and powerful special skills. With his might and power, he was able to unify the clans that were in disarray from the constant enemy attacks.
With him leading the army they were able to hold the demigods off allowing the clans to regroup and find safety. Through the rest of the war, he was able to keep them at bay until the war ended with the disappearance of the demigods.
If not for him we may have never even been born. The werewolf race could have been wiped out like many of the weaker demon clans that are no more or only have only a few hundred people left alive.”
Akira was glad he did not lie since he had already been found out by the elder and would have just become a liar in their eyes. Not a good way to make a first impression.
“Are you saying Akira has inherited such a great power of our ancestor? This is great!” said Wulfric.
“No, although it is an amazing thing for him to inherit the power of our ancestor this is a terrible omen,” said Oedwuf shaking his head.
“Why?”
“My grandfather told me that Ancestor Akira had awoken his great power only because of the great threat of extermination that the whole Earth tribe was facing back then.
I was told that if I were to see such a thing I was to know that it was both a blessing and a curse. The blessing because the person will help to unite the clans and lead us through hard times. The curse because it is a warning that a great disaster is approaching!”
