Elizabeth’s cry echoed in my ears as I sat still at the stream. It was a pained cry, full of anger.

I jumped to my feet in an instant.

My mind raced back as I thought of the noise in the bushes. I had smelled someone familiar: Perryn. Now I wondered if he had something to do with Elizabeth’s cry.

I scrambled through the brush, blinded by anger and spurred on by the urge to protect.

I dove out of the brush and surveyed the scene in front of me within a split second.

To my left, Elizabeth lay at the trunk of a tree, her eyes shut in sleep.

Directly in front of me was the person I had expected: Perryn, backed up by everyone else. But I noticed Colten was missing. In front of Perryn, snarling into his face, was the lead she-wolf.

I didn’t often feel comfortable challenging her, there was something familiar about the way she looked at me, but now she was threatening my friends, and I didn’t stand for that.

I tackled her from behind with a vicious snarl, my jaws snapped shut on her neck. As I bit into her throat, I felt the warm taste of blood meet my tongue, but the next instant, she dug her claws into my gut and pushed me off forcefully. She threw me across the clearing, but I twisted in mid-air and managed to land on my feet. Her pale coat was now stained with blood but her body language wasn’t threatening or angry. Instead, she seemed to understand why I had attacked her, and she slowly backed towards the cave entrance and away from the others. I snarled as I followed her, before she sat down stiffly at the entrance and watched me. I huffed as I turned back to them. Perryn’s face was white as a sheet, but he wasn’t looking at me. His gaze was on the she-wolf. I ignored it as I trotted past them to Elizabeth. I nudged her until she growled at me, and pawed my face. I nipped her paw in return and she opened a single eye to look at me.

Finally, after a moment, she pulled herself to her feet painfully. She walked back towards the cave stiffly, sending a growl in the pale wolf’s direction as she passed.

I returned to the group and stalked straight up to Lydia. She was nervous as I approached; I sensed it in her.

I stood in front of her, our eyes locking.

Inside of me, I felt the sudden urge to return to the cave, to get ready for the hunt. I realized it was the sorceress calling us back. Lydia and I gazed at each other for a long time. I had a weird sensation inside of me. I knew who she was, I knew why she had come and I felt her emotions, but for some reason, something was missing. I didn’t feel any emotion when I saw her, and neither when I looked at anyone else.

It was like all my emotions had disappeared, leaving a large hole that was only slightly filled with the instinct to hunt, to protect, and to kill.

In Lydia’s emotions I sensed her want for something. I knew she wanted to reach out, to touch me and to feel if I was real, so I lowered my head, and stepped towards her.

Gently, she placed her hand on my head between my ears.

I closed my eyes at her warm touch, ignoring the insistent command of the sorceress inside of me.

Lydia rubbed my head, a smile lighting up on her face, “You’re fuzzy.” She giggled.

I grunted, lifting my head sharply and knocking her backwards gently. Then I licked her face, to which she yelped and jumped away.

Then I turned towards the cave to follow the call of the sorceress.

The pale she-wolf walked side by side with me as I entered the cave. The gentle footsteps of my friends followed us into the cave, and I stopped. I didn’t want them to be cursed as well. I turned around to face them. I whined as I looked at them.

“We’re coming!” Lydia whispered, mistaking my call for a call of help.

But I grunted and walked up to her. Gently, I took her small wrist in my jaws and pulled her back towards the outside. She frowned at me, still not understanding, “What do you want us to do?”

Stay! I protested, Don’t come in!

But they couldn’t understand me, and just stared back at me blankly.

Turning towards the inside of the cave, I let out a loud bark.

In a few seconds, Elizabeth bounded into view. She wagged her tail playfully when she saw the others, but I growled a warning before she could approach.

They cannot enter. I growled at her, they must stay outside.

She stopped in her tracks, How can we tell them? She asked.

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“Well, hello there.” A sudden voice interrupted our thoughts. Instantly, Elizabeth and I placed ourselves in front of our friends, snarling at the voice. Seeing our anger and distrust, our friends drew their weapons.

The sorceress stepped out of the shadows, smirking, “You seem awfully brave considering I turned your leader into one of my servants.”

My snarl intensified, but the sorceress ignored it. Instead, she flicked her hand, motioning for us to move. I snarled even louder, but her order was clear. I moved out of her way as she approached my friends. It was like I was being held by an invisible chain. I barked angrily as she approached them. Rearing on my back legs I snarled a threat. I clawed the air desperately, but I was stuck in place, I couldn’t move.

“Oh, shut up.” The sorceress snapped at me.

After a moment, I shut my jaws, but continued to whine deep in my throat as I paced away from them.

This display seemed to make them nervous and they backed away from the sorceress.

“We just want to get Serah and Elizabeth back.” Lydia said, glaring at her.

The sorceress ignored her, “Do you like fairytales?” She asked.

No one answered.

“Do you know the story of the elf, Rumplestilskin?” The sorceress continued.

“He wasn’t an elf.” Lydia replied, “He was a sorcerer who got his power from a blade. He was a lonely creature who took pleasure in scaring others. His one love was gold.”

“Good!” The sorceress replied, clapping her hands, “Now you forgot to add one part: He granted wishes to those who needed it.”

“But he required a price for every wish that he granted. Whether it was a single lock of hair or a firstborn child. He was heartless.” Tanner finished for her.

The sorceress sighed, “Never really one to keep your mouth shut, were you Tanner? I’m trying to tell you something. Rumplestilskin an I, even though we’re both heartless, we can be reasoned with. I require a price in return for your leader and that other girl.”

She waved her hand in Elizabeth’s direction, who snarled in return.

After a moment of silence, Tanner spoke again, “What do you want?”

“The Emerald.” The sorceress instantly replied.

I howled in anger, you’ll never get it! I yelled, Tanner won’t give it up!

The sorceress growled at me, “Be silent!”

Her eyes bore into me, and I stiffly sat down, then slipped into a lying position when she continued glaring at me.

Tanner pulled the emerald out of his pocket and looked at it. His eyes met mine before he turned to the sorceress.

“You don’t know how to use it.” Tanner said simply.

“I’ll figure it out.” The sorceress’ eyes filled with greed as she reached for the emerald.

Tanner pulled it away momentarily, “You will return them to their human selves, unharmed. Correct?”

The sorceress waved her finger in his face, “You are a smart one, Forrester. But I’m afraid that I cannot do that.”

“You promised!” Lydia snapped, “In return for the emerald!”

“I said that I can release your friends to you, and allow them to break out of my control. But I cannot return them to their normal forms. However, there is a stream just west of this cave that holds magical properties. If your friends jump in, they will return to their human forms.”

“You promise?” Perryn asked, speaking for the first time.

“I promise.” The sorceress replied, “You will get your girlfriend back and the girl with the raven hair.”

Perryn scowled at this remark, but Tanner spoke before he could, “Deal.”

He held the emerald out to the sorceress who grinned wickedly and reached for it.

With all the power inside of me, I gathered my feet beneath me.

A low growl began deep in my throat and it became louder and louder. When the sorceress turned to reprimand me again, I lunged.

My jaws snapped around the emerald, still in Tanner’s hand, and I rolled away.

Spurred by my outburst, the pale she-wolf saw her chance. She lunged at the sorceress while she was distracted and snapped her jaws around the sorceress’ leg. The sorceress screamed in anger, “Release me!”

The she-wolf released her, but lunged at Tanner next, who instantly threw his arms over his face to try to protect himself.

Elizabeth lunged at the she-wolf again, knocking her out of the way.

They’re friends! Elizabeth cried.

The she-wolf backed away, then spoke for the first time, You could have said that a long time ago.

Elizabeth blinked, Would you have listened?

The she-wolf growled but made no move. Then she turned to me, While the sorceress is injured, she cannot control us. Please.

Her eyes were pleading with me, I’ve been stuck in her army for four years. I lost my sister and I need to find her. Take me with you.

I stared back at her. Only moments ago, this she-wolf had been the mute leader of the pack, attacking anyone who got in her way.

Everyone needs to be free. I replied. Then I lifted my nose to the air, the emerald falling between my paws, and howled, long and drawn out. The she-wolf lifted her nose and howled with me. After a moment, Elizabeth joined us. From the inside of the cave, a single eerie howl replied and the entire pack of wolves came out. Hundreds upon thousands of wolves came running out, barking thanks to us as they ran out into freedom. The she-wolf followed them to the cave entrance and howled after them, “The lake! West of here! You will be human once you feel the waters upon your fur!”

Then we turned to the sorceress, who sat on the ground, her leg a bloody mess. She snarled at us, “This isn’t the last you’ll ever see of me.” She snapped at me, “I’ll make sure you pay, Sherbourne.”

I stopped short. It had been five years since someone had last called me by my last name, and I instantly flinched.

I realized everyone was now staring at me, including the she-wolf.

“What?” Tanner asked finally.

The sorceress grinned wickedly, “Royals are my target most of the time. Usually, I like to capture them when they’re young, when no one will really care if they’re missing.”

The she-wolf was ignoring the sorceress. She studied my face, her head cocked, “Your last name is Sherbourne?” She asked.

I didn’t answer, instead I stared straight back into her blue eyes.

“Serah?” She asked suddenly.

Elizabeth made a whine sound of confusion as she looked at the she-wolf.

The she-wolf began to wag her tail, “Serah!”

I jumped away as she lunged at me. She danced around me, “Serah! It’s me. It’s Sam!”

I blinked, “Sammy?” Then I recognized her bright blue eyes, “Sam!” I howled as I rushed at her. She tackled me, and pinned me against the floor, licking my muzzle fondly.

I pushed her off and continued to dance excitedly around her, echoing her name as I nipped her gently. She pawed my face, but her tail wagged happily.

“What is happening?” Lydia wondered, watching us.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Serah move that much in my entire life.” Henry muttered.

Elizabeth was tired of being left out, “Who’s Sammy!?” She demanded, jumping between us.

“My sister!” I said excitedly.

“You have a sister?”

I ignored her, and jumped over her instead to get to Sam. We tackled each other again, barking gleefully. We had finally found each other.