Red, called so for her long, flaming red hair, stands in her apartment, toying with a letter she holds in her hands.
"Gran hasn't written to me in a long time," She mumbles aloud. "I should have done a better job teaching her how to text... though I suppose she has always had a preference for the old ways."
Red sighs to herself, and begins to read [[Gran's Letter]]//Dearest Red,
It’s been some time since you last visited and I miss you dearly. I know I promised you the truth about our family when you were old enough, and I think it’s finally time I kept my word. Come as soon as you can - but be sure to travel after the full moon. The moon breeds danger this far out.
Love, your Gran.
P.S. Don’t stray from the path. The forest is not kind to [[Strangers->Post reading]]//Red sighs again, rolling her eyes in the privacy of her home, "Not the full moon again, Gran." Red glaces at the calendar on the phone, the full moon is on Saturday - tomorrow.
"I mean... I've got a meeting on Monday I have to be home for. Gran said to come as soon as I could, I hardly think that waiting a week is really what she meant."
She chews on her nail for a moment, trying to find a solution that would keep her in Gran's good books. "Fuck it, I'll just go tomorrow. Gran is just old and superstitious, it'll be [[fine.|Travelling]]"Red leaves her apartment with a small travel bag to get her through the weekend. It's a long journey to Grandmother's house, and Red knows she should visit more often.
The train is her favourite part of the journey. Watching the city fade into green and return to nature soothed Red in ways she could not verbalise.
Eventually, she arrives at an empty train platform. It could hardly be called a station, when a single sign denotes that a train stops here.
There are a few houses near the station, but Red begins the long walk to her grandmother's house. Gran never did learn how to drive, so Red and the forest path have become well acquainted over the years.
The length of the walk always surprises Red, and the sky begins to darken earlier than she anticipated. The evening sky without city lights brings an uncomfortable darkness.
In the deep forest, the path becomes overrun with nature and fades. When Red is using nothing but her memory and the light of the full moon to guide her, she meets a Wolf, blocking her [[way.|The Wolf]]The Wolf is larger than Red would expect one to be. Then again, maybe this was a normal size for a wolf. She had never seen one face to face in nature before.
Red takes a deep breath, placing both her hands out in front of her body, as if to both ease the wolf and keep distance between them.
"Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Please don't be dangerous." Red barely speaks above a whisper, trying not to frighten the animal.
"I would never harm you, Child." The Wolf replies.
Red freezes: the Wolf spoke to her?? "You can talk?!" Red splutters, "What… are you?"
"I am the answer to your questions." says the Wolf.
"I- What- What does that even mean?!" says Red.
The Wolf's voice is calm, unaffected by her shock and confusion, "You’ve felt it, haven’t you? You’ve come here for a reason."
Red shakes her head, trying not to show her fear. "I really just want to get to my Grandmother’s house."
"And so you shall." The Wolf watches her for a moment longer, before slinking off into the forest as suddenly as it [[arrived.|Grandmothers House]]Despite the number of times Red looks over her shoulder, the remainder of journey to Gran's house is uneventful.
The house, well, cottage, stands alone in a clearing, filled with overflowing flowerbeds, vines and a massive oak tree. Red takes a moment to appreciate the setting, with the full moon watching above before she heads inside.
At first, Gran's house appears empty, Red call out for her, with no response, only to find the Wolf sitting in drawing room, and Red's Gran no where to be seen.
Red feels her chest tighten in fear. "Where is my Grandmother?" She demands, "What have you done to her?"
The Wolf stands, walking towards Red slowly, still speaking in it's slow, calm voice. "She is always here, with me."
"I- I don’t understand." Red replies.
It almost feels like the Wolf smiles. "We are one. She is I, I am her. As much as she tries to stop it. Tries to control it. She may forget what it means to be free when her mind returns to her, but she returns to me every full moon."
Red stares, unsure how to response. "You… are Gran? You’re my Grandmother."
"You always were a little slow on the uptake, [[child.]]"The Wolf - Gran? continues, with no regard for Red's shock. "Red, my sweet. I want you to be free - to experience this freedom. When your grandmother’s mind returns to her usual self, she will tell you some version of this truth. She will make this freedom sound evil, monstrous. She will offer you a potion to cure you. Instead, I offer you a choice. Embrace the moonlight, become your true self."
Red could hardly wrap her head around what she was hearing. Her Grandmother was a werewolf... and she could be too? "What does that mean? Become my true self? Become a wolf?"
Gran's wolf smiles, "You will be stronger than ever before. Run faster. You will feel more alive."
"But... why would Gran hide this from me?"
The Wolf sighed. "She believes you will be in danger. Hunted for your form. Some believe the irreversible awakening comes at a cost. But the price of living without it is greater." Gran's wolf pauses, looking Red up and down. "Will you embrace your Wolf?"
''Choice:''
- [[Wait for your Grandmother to return human]]
- [[Follow the Wolf outside and embrace your true self]]Red pauses, shocked and excited at the offer. "You mean it? I could be like you?"
Gran's wolf smiles, "You must only unlock it within you."
The Wolf leads Red back outside. The full moon is bright and comforting, lighting up the forest in a way that makes Red feel at home.
She looks up to the [[moon.]]
Red gawks at the Wolf, "Right now?? Go outside and change my life forever??"
For the first time all night Gran's wolf seems surprised at Red's reaction. "Is now not a good time as any?"
"No. I must talk to my Grandmother - herself, I mean. Not some other form of her. I must hear the truth of why she hide this from me."
The Wolf sighs. "Do not turn your back on this path, child, you will always wonder what it means to feel whole."
The Wolf that could be Red’s Grandmother slinks outdoors. Red has no knowledge of how long the Wolf lasts - but when she peaks outside, she sees the Wolf angry and uncomfortable, caught somewhere between a twisted transformation, two halves of a whole fighting against one another.
Red leaves the Wolf to struggle [[alone.]] Unsure of how much time has passed, Red is awoken in the night by her Grandmother, in her human form. "Red... I am pleased you're still here, and that you're still you."
Barely awake and conscious, Red cannot control herself. "Was it all true? Was that really you I spoke with? Are you... a wolf?"
Her Gran sighs. "Oh, my sweet Red. I’d hoped that you would never have to see that side of me. Of us."
"But... I don’t understand, why did you hide this from me?" Red asks.
"That life is dangerous. I am a predator, but I am prey too. I do not know my own mind, and I am a danger to those I care about."
"You did not harm me." Red replies.
Gran takes a moment before responding. "Not physically, no. But will you trust me again? For keeping this secret, for finding out this way?"
Red looks at her Grandmother properly for the first time since she awoke. She doesn't know what to make of her anymore. Everything has changed. "I… don’t know."
Gran nods, understanding. "Trust me one last time, child. Drink this potion, and you will be safe from the monster that [[plagues me.]]"Red looks at her, shocked. "What will that do? Speak plainly, please. I've had another of secrets and hiddening meanings."
Gran looks as though she does not want to, but relents. "Simply, it will kill your Wolf. You will be free of this curse before it ever truly plagues you. You can remain a perfectly normal human for the rest of your life."
Red shakes her head, "How did you come by this? Why would I want that? If it's so bad, why haven't you taken it?"
"Red, please. I have been studying potions for a lifetime to find a curse. You can't think I live out in this forest without a reason. Not to mention, you will need to transform every month. You cannot maintain a job, relationships. You will be a captive of the moon. As for me? I cannot. Once the transformation happens, there is no reverse it. This must be a decision you make before you every experience your Wolf."
''Choice:''
- [[Drink the potion]]
- [[Deny your Grandmother]]Red pauses, thinking over her decision. "Alright. I will do it. I have a life. I cannot give myself up to some unknown."
Grandmother lets out a sigh of relief. "You are making the right choice, my dear."
Red nods, unsure and unknowing if this will ever be right choice, but for now, it makes sense.
She stands up and moves towards the table where the potion sits. Red reaches for it, and begins to raise it to their lips. Red drinks.
THE END.Red looks shocked her Grandmother would event suggest this. "First you keep this secret from me, and now you want me to drink something that will remove it?"
"You don't know what you're saying! This decision cannot be rushed!"
"Okay? So I'll think on it. I don't have to make up my mind right now." Red bites back.
Grandmother shakes her head. "You are approaching your 25th birthday. The transformation will happen unless you cure it before then."
Red gawks. "Even better, so you've given me like, a month, to weigh up the biggest decision of my entire life."
"This was for the best, child. Making this choice too early has dire consequences."
"Stop telling me what's for the best! I get to make that call. Not you." Furious, Red grabs her things and moves toward the door. "I'm leaving. As my own person. I will think this through and make a decision. Do not send for me again."
Gran looks distraught. "Can you at least take the potion?" She asks.
''Choice:''
- [[Take the potion]]
- [[Leave]]"Fine." Red spits. "But don't get your hopes up."
"Thank you, child." Grandmother whispers as Red slams the door behind [[her.]]"No." Red spits. "I will come for it if that's what I decide."
"Red-" Gran starts.
"I've heard enough from you. I'm leaving."
"I'm sorry." Grandmother whispers as Red slams the door behind [[her.]]Unsure and unknowing if this will ever be right choice, but for now, it makes sense.
Hesitantly, Red retrieves the potion, and before she can talk herself out of it, she drinks.
THE END.Unsure and unknowing if this will ever be right choice, but she could not live with herself if she did not try. She had to experience this for herself.
Red travels to a remote area. The city would not be a good place to transform, after all. In the safety of the forest alone, Red steps out and embraces the light of the full moon.
For a long moment, nothing happens.
And then, slowly, painfully, Red transforms into a wolf, with slightly Red fur. She lets out the grandest howl, she is free.
THE END.After a long month, Red weighs up her choices.
Drink the potion that will change her life forever. She will turn into a Wolf once a month - maybe more? She did not really ask. There was a lot going on.
Anyway, Red would be stronger and more powerful than ever. She would be free from every day worries. It could lead her closer to finding out what happened to her parents.
But on the other hand... She would be ruled by the moon. She would be a beast and a monster in the eyes of many at worst, or at best she could never tell anyone her truth. Could she ever trust anyone again?
''Choice:''
- [[Drink the potion|Drink2]]
- [[Embrace your Wolf|Wolf2]]"RED!" Her Grandmother's voice breaks through the forest, shattering the slience and Red's connection to the moon.
She looks around frantically, fearing this was some elaborate trick and her Grandmother would be there, human as always.
Instead, Red sees the Wolf once again, twisted and angry, as if fighting itself from the [[inside.]]
"What... is going on?" Red asks, for the first time feeling scared and unsure.
The Wolf's head violently snaps in an unnatural way, looking directly at Red. It's Grandmother's voice that speaks from within the Wolf.
"My child... PLEASE!" The words come out with some struggle, she is clearly fighting for control.
"Grandmother? Is that really you?" Red asks, too stunned at this new development.
"Red, you... must reconsider this choice..." The Wolf that is definitely her Grandmother says.
"Why!" Red implores, "What can be strong with this?"
"Danger... so you much danger... To yourself, to OTHERRRRR!" The last word comes out as a more howl than human speech, as the Wolf desperately tries to silence her.
"Return indoors!" Grandmother begs, "I will tell you everythINGGGG!"
Red watches in shock as the Wolf howls and shakes, appearing to shake off her Grandmother's [[conscious.]]Red turns to look at the Wolf that is her Grandmother again, "Bring her back!" she demands. "Let me speak with Grandmother!"
The Wolf smiles, "I cannot do that, Child."
"Why not!" Red questions,
"The moon is out. It is my turn." The Wolf replies. "So, will you join me?"
Red stops in her tracks, the appearance of her Grandmother throwing her off from what she had previously agreed.
"I- But-" Red starts, but the disinterested Wolf turns its back on her, gazing up at the moon. She will get no more answers from it tonight.
''Choice:''
- [[Return indoors and wait for your Grandmother|alone.]]
- [[Remain outside and embrace your true self]]
Once again, Red looks up at the moon.
The connection she feels with it is instant, somewhere between an internal harmony and warmth all over. The dramatic apperance of her Grandmother long forgotten, all that matters right now is the moon.
She waits. For a long moment, it feels like nothing happens as her heart beats loudly in her chest.
And then, slowly, painfully, Red transforms into a wolf, with slightly Red fur.
Gran's wolf, ecstatic, nuzzles at her.
Together, as wolves, Red and her grandmother let out a mighty howl of [[joy.]]Red is awoken the following morning by her Grandmother. They both are human, and still outside, where they had slept in the light of the moon.
Gran looks disappointed, "Red… my child. You have no idea what you’ve done."
Red gawks. She knows she should not be shocked at the reaction from her Grandmother, given her fight against the Wolf to warn her. But Red can still feel the joy of being together as wolves, it doesn't make sense. "You’re right," Red says, defiant and angry, "But you knew what you were hiding from me. I know the truth, Grandmother, and I am free."
Gran sighs. She has no choice but to accept what has happened, as there is no turning back now. She leans down and kisses Red on the forehead. "I will protect you no matter what."
THE END