Chapter 11

Ah, mysteries...

What is our world, if not a coalescence of the unknowable?

Yes, mystery can be found everywhere around us, so long as we dare to take a peek underneath the veil of mundanity that wisely covers it all. Of course, it also exists within us, since life is a mystery unto itself. Why, life could very well be the greatest mystery of them all! In fact, attempting to explain it has always been one of the main components of most faiths through the ages. Regardless, the mystery still stands. No one can claim to know exactly how life began, or why; and more likely than not, no one ever will.

But let's not concern ourselves with that mystery at this time. Instead, let's just focus on the one that lay hidden in the indomitable forest of Lanea, where nature reigned supreme.

Indeed, the forest of Lanea was home to a strange, yet fascinating covenant between man and beast — one that indelibly brought them together under the silver light of the moon. Ever since its conception, that covenant had secretly provided salvation to those whom human society had failed the most. Said salvation came in the form of an unbreakable union between a lycca and a vanni, made possible by the inscrutable mystery of the soma bond.

But what is a lycca?

Half man and half wolf, lycca are an all-male race of fearsome creatures that roam the forest at night. More commonly referred to as werewolves, they silently prowl in the woods on either two or four legs, using their dark coats of fur to blend into the shadows. With their beastly fangs and claws, as well as as their terrifying strength and agility, no one could possibly doubt their position as apex predators.

But monsters they are not, for behind their ferocious exterior lies a shining noble soul that deeply respects the value of life — even if their carnivorous nature dictates that they must still consume the flesh of their prey in order to survive. That said, they do treat their privileged position in the food chain as something to take great responsibility for. Certainly, among other things, they at the very least always strive to honor their prey — mostly woodland creatures — with a quick, painless death.

And what is a vanni?

A vanni is... a human soul who has lost all hope. Often forsaken by a world that has coldly turned its back to them, they trudge through a miserable existence with hardly anyone to turn to for help. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the vast majority of them are women, although male vanni have been known to exist. Regardless, none of them are ever younger than eighteen springs of age, which might be a tacit restriction imposed by the vanni-lycca covenant.

Lastly, what is a soma bond?

A soma bond is the mysterious catalyst of this unusual covenant between man and beast. According to lycca culture, a 'soma' is something that resides inside every living creature, man included. It's the intangible embodiment of everything that makes each individual unique. In that sense, it can be said that the lyccan concept of soma is very similar to the human concept of 'soul,' if not its direct equivalent.

Somehow, lycca possess the ability to establish a lifelong link between their own soma and that of a vanni. Through this link, both the lycca and the vanni become connected on a quasi-spiritual level, resulting in the formation of a mateship that lasts for their whole life. Since lycca are an all-male race, and only human females are biologically compatible with them, this is the one and only way in which they can ensure their continued survival as a species.

But, of course, a soma bond goes beyond simply facilitating the means of procreation to a race that would have otherwise gone extinct in its first generation. After all, lycca don't see vanni as mere females to breed. Very much on the contrary, they see them as celestial beings worthy of worship. Thus, through their link, a lycca werewolf essentially pledges his unwavering loyalty to the vanni he has bonded with, willingly committing himself to protecting, loving, and cherishing her with all his heart and soul.

Every vanni has a story to tell, but few are as harrowing as that of one Natalie Fernández. She, an innocent victim of the corruption pervading the highest spheres of power, endured untold abuse throughout most of her young life. Eventually, she turned to a noose for solace, thinking it the only way out of her hellish existence. However, unbeknownst to her, the call of the forest had already guided her steps towards her salvation.

As the last rays of sunlight cast the canopy overhead in a dark shade of orange, a dark silhouette dashed through the thickets below at breakneck speed. The long snout, lupine ears, and bushy tail unmistakably marked its shape as that of a werewolf's. The unconscious form of a young woman in bloodstained clothes lay limply in his arms. Of course, that woman was Natalie.

At last, the werewolf emerged into a clearing near a small creek, where two others of his kind stood.

“Mother! Father!" he called out to them; his voice trembling with desperation. “M-my vanni— I do not think she is breathing!"

Reacting quickly, the younger male's mother instructed him to lay the unconscious woman on the ground, which he did with great care. Anabelle, for that was the name of that white-furred she-werewolf, then began to check Natalie's vital signs in silence.

“What happened to her?" the father, Darkhowl, asked his son.

“Sh-she was hanging from a tree, Father! By her neck! I— I cut the rope as soon as I reached her, but— I fear I might have been too late!" answered the younger male, anxiously shaking as he watched his mother perform her examination.

At last, Anabelle somberly shook her head and took a step back.

“W-well?" worriedly asked her son, feeling as though there was a lumpy knot in his throat.

“She's not going to make it," the white she-werewolf gravely stated with a heavy sigh. “She isn't even breathing anymore."

“No..." growled the young werewolf, clenching his teeth. “Is there... nothing we can do to save her, Mother?"

Anabelle carefully considered her very next words:

“It's too late. Only one thing could possibly save her now, son," she finally said, looking at him in the eye. “It might mean bending some lyccan rules, but I just see no other way."

The son gasped. “Y-you mean—!"

“That's right," said the white she-werewolf, nodding her lupine head. “I'm afraid your fangs are her only hope."

“My... fangs..." quietly echoed the shocked lycca as it dawned on him just what kind of decision had fallen into his quivering claws, as well as the enormous weight it carried.

Ah, the Offering of the Fangs. Such is the designation of the ritualized bite through which a lycca can bestow the gift of change upon his vanni-mate. It is only through this special bite that a vanni can acquire the ability to don the form of a werewolf, thus truly becoming one with the forest. Notably, the very first transformation also has the unique property of restoring the recipient back to perfect health no matter what.

But the Offering of the Fangs is also one of the three pillars of a soma bond. If there's no such bond in effect at the time the ritual is performed, then one will be instantly established. However, it is written that the acceptance of a soma bond must always be a conscious decision made by the vanni. She has to choose to accept it of her own free will, as per the holy word of Mother Moon. In consequence, to a lycca, the very idea of robbing her of that decision is an unthinkable act akin to heresy.

Natalie, however, was in no condition to decide anything. She was, in fact, actively dying before her would-be lycca-mate. The young werewolf knew his bite would save her life for certain... at the most regrettable cost of making her his soma-bonded mate without her express consent. Just the concept alone left an awful taste in his mouth. It truly was an abomination in and of itself, yet letting her die simply wasn't an option he was willing to even consider.

'Please forgive me, my vanni,' he thought as he grabbed Natalie's arm, 'but you will not die on me today if I can help it! So, then, receive my Offering of the Fangs and live!'

The young werewolf thusly sank his enormous lyccan teeth into the flesh of her arm, sealing both of their fates in the process. Darkhowl and his vanni-mate watched in reverent silence as their son performed the momentous deed. They both could see the gleam of his unflinching determination in his amber eyes as he did it. He had truly channeled the burning flames of his resolve into his fangs to save that poor woman at any cost. Indeed, at that moment, saving her was everything to him. Nothing else mattered.

The wondrous gift of change radiated invisibly through Natalie's body as the young lycca firmly held the beastly grip of his jaws on her arm. Once thirty seconds had elapsed, the gift took hold, thus becoming an indelible part of her soma forevermore. Anabelle's son sensed this, and he promptly released his grip on the girl's arm. Blood poured out of the wound for a few moments, then stopped when the final stage of the process began.

He who yearned to be that vanni's hero watched as the wound he himself had inflicted closed on its own, leaving no mark behind. Still feeling guilty for performing that life-changing ritual without her permission, he once again asked quietly for her forgiveness, even though he knew she couldn't yet hear him. “I did it to save you, my vanni. It is what any lycca would have done," he told himself in an attempt to quell his own guilt.

“Right you are, my son. I would have certainly done the same thing myself," Darkhowl said as he put a reassuring claw on the shoulder of the younger lycca. “It was a life or death situation, and time was running out. Nothing else could have saved her, so no one will blame you for doing what you did."

The process continued as a layer of light-brown fur began spreading along the length of Natalie's arm, quickly moving onto her torso and the rest of her body. Both her fingernails and toenails also grew into sharp claws while a blond tail sprouted at the end of her spine. The structure of her face shifted into that of a wolf's as well, canine muzzle and all. Of course, as her body underwent these changes, it also grew in size and bulk, quickly reducing her bloodstained rags to tatters.

At last, the transformation was complete. Before Anabelle and Darkhowl's son now lay a sleeping she-werewolf with a coat of light-brown fur. Her blond head of hair had translated into a lush mane of the same color, which ran down her spine all the way to her tail. Certainly, the lupine beauty of Natalie's lycca-vanni form could not be overstated.

Anabelle quickly checked her vital signs again, just to make sure everything was alright. It didn't take her long to confirm that Natalie's pulse was indeed normal, and so was her breathing.

“She seems fine to me," the white she-werewolf was glad to report, eliciting a sigh of relief from her son. “She's just sleeping now, I think."

“I was expecting that to be the case," Darkhowl quietly hummed. “Indeed, the last time something like this happened — about twenty years ago — the vanni had also slept through the entire transformation. If I recall correctly, she did not open her eyes until an hour or two later."

“So this has happened before..." said Anabelle as she gazed pensively at the discarded noose on the ground. “Ah, I don't know why that surprises me. If anything, I should be surprised it doesn't happen more often. Not that I'd like that, of course."

“But why is my vanni not waking up, Father? What exactly is this manner of deep-sleep that has befallen her?" concernedly asked the younger male, his ears flicking slightly with worry.

“As far as I understand it, this is simply what happens when a vanni is at the very threshold of death at the time she receives the Offering of the Fangs," the large werewolf explained. “Rest assured; she will wake up when she is ready to. It is only a matter of time."

“Alright, well; first and foremost, we have to take her to Howling Grove," Anabelle stated as she removed the last few shreds of tattered fabric still clinging onto Natalie's transformed body. “This poor girl must have been through a lot. At the very least, she needs to wake up on a warm, cozy bed with a roof over her head."

“You are right, Mother," said the son of the white she-werewolf, nodding his head. “Hopefully, the bed I put together for her will be adequate enough."

Having said that, the young lycca proceeded to pick Natalie up. He did so with the utmost care, holding her sleeping form in his arms as though a groom would his bride. Then, they all started on their way back to Howling Grove.

“So... What happened with that vanni from twenty years ago, Father?" the son asked, turning to Darkhowl as they continued walking. “How did she react to the fact that a lycca had soma-bonded her without her knowledge? Did she... forgive him for robbing her of that choice to save her life?"

“Yes, it all went well for them in the end," the large werewolf answered. “And I have faith that it will be the same for you too."

“But that is just what I am worried about, Father. I mean... What if it can only go well? What if she forgives me simply because our soma bond compels her to regardless of what she actually feels?"

“Ah, now I see why you are so worried," Darkhowl said, stroking his chin. “But your worries seem to be rooted in a misconception. You see, a soma bond is not a chain or a leash. It does not enslave a vanni's heart, my son. All it does is simply help her break free from the perceived barriers separating our kinds. The resulting spiritual bridge, in the end, is still born of our mutual desire to be free together. That is why a soma bond is the cornerstone of the union between a vanni and her lycca: because it is freedom manifest."

“Wh...what does that mean for my vanni? Does she still have a choice?"

“Of course she does!" said Anabelle. “She can still choose whether to keep the bond or not. After all, we know the Grand Alpha can sever it if need be. Although I simply can't imagine why anyone would choose that, as it would mean forgetting everything and going back to the shit-hole that is the world outside the forest... But, yes, that is still an option."

“I see. I must admit I had not thought of that," said the son. “Also, it is a relief to hear that what I did will not override her truest feelings after all, whatever they may be. I would have never forgiven myself if she fell in love with me only because the soma bond compelled her to."

“What, you thought it works like one of those magic love potions you find in storybooks?" Anabelle asked, somewhat amused by the notion.

“N-no, but..." the young male stammered, flattening his ears and averting his eyes out of sheer embarrassment. “But I... suppose I do not actually know what I thought..."

“Well, it's as your father says. The bond simply helps us better see what our hearts truly desire. And, ultimately, the heart of a vanni always — and I mean always desires a lycca, even when we might be blind to that truth at first."

“Is... that so, Mother?" he said, turning to the white she-werewolf with his amber eyes wide and his ears perked.

“Oh, yes," she nodded. “In fact, I'll say that this is a big part of what makes a vanni. Why, it might very well be the mark of vannihood, even!"

“Everything will become clear the moment your vanni regains consciousness, my son," Darkhowl added. “For at that moment you will sense her heart for the very first time. Only then will you truly understand what a soma bond is."

“I see," the son said, humbled by these revelations. “Thank you, Mother, Father, for sharing your wisdom with me. Clearly, I still had need of it."

“Ah, wisdom comes with time and experience, and you know you can always count on us to help you nurture yours however we can. After all, we are still family, and we will always be."

The younger male could not help but crack a smile as the fatherly warmth of Darkhowl's words touched his soma. For a moment, he felt as though he was Littlepaws again. Indeed, the excitable little furball he once was sure looked up to that mighty bastion of alpha-ness with all his heart. Truthfully, even though it had been a few years since he had outgrown his infancy name, he-who-yearns-to-be-a-hero never truly stopped seeing in his father the lyccan hero he yearned to be.

'Oh, but will you let me be your hero, my vanni?' he wondered as he gazed wistfully at the sleeping she-werewolf lying in his arms. 'Please wake up soon. There is so much we must talk about.'

But Natalie wasn't yet ready to wake up, and she was still asleep when all four of them crossed the hidden gate behind the twin willow trees a few moments later.

“Well, we're here," said Anabelle as they all emerged into Howling Grove. “Now go and take her to your den, son. I'll see if I can get Elise and the others to help us explain it all to her when she wakes up. And, oh, Lord, is there a LOT to explain..."

~*~

A void of black...

That deep, silent haze of darkness was all that existed there. Even time had stood still in that arcane realm of nothingness. That is, until the light of her consciousness slowly began to fade in. Indeed, as the dark veil receded, giving way to her waking awareness, Natalie's world began turning again. But where was she? Had she been asleep? She couldn't remember. Whether she was waking from a dream or a nightmare, she could not tell. However, it seemed like she was lying on her back on something soft. A bed, perhaps?

Eventually, the young blond woman realized that her eyes were closed. So she must have been sleeping after all! But, for how long? It certainly felt like her body hadn't moved in centuries, even though that wouldn't have made any sense. Still, those unbelievably sluggish eyelids of hers sure were as stubborn as a mule! They simply refused to open! Regardless, with some time and effort, Natalie was able to win that battle in the end.

So the darkness parted, revealing what appeared to be a ceiling of rocks above her head. She did not know what to make of that. 'Where am I?' the girl wondered while gazing at that cave-like ceiling, which seemed to be tinted a dark shade of orange, courtesy of the dim, yet warm light of a nearby oil lamp.

As Natalie moved her hand to scrub her eyes, a female voice suddenly cut through the silence, revealing that she was not alone in... wherever she was.

“Ah, it looks like you're finally awake!" softly spoke the voice. “How are you feeling?"

Startled, the blond girl hastily opened her eyes again and readjusted herself on the bed to meet the source of that voice. There, at the foot of the makeshift bed, sat a stunningly beautiful woman with long locks of snow-white hair and the fairest skin she had ever seen. Clad in a silky white gown that matched her hair, her beauty seemed almost otherworldly, as though she was an angel or something.

Too stunned for words, Natalie couldn't articulate an answer to Anabelle's question. It didn't help either that she was still groggy with the lingering remnants of her deep, deep slumber.

“Alright, well..." the albino woman continued after a few moments of awkward silence. “Let's begin with our names, shall we? So, uh, what's your name?"

“...N-Natalie..." quietly responded the blond one after a while, still obviously overwhelmed with the disorientating haze of confusion.

“Alright, Natalie. I'm Anabelle," said the angel-like woman in white right before waving an upturned hand towards someone else who was there with her. “And this is Elise. She's a friend of mine."

“Hi, Natalie! Nice to meet you!" said the young, fair-skinned brunette as she flashed her her friendliest smile. Needless to say, and just like Anabelle, she was in her human form too. So was Natalie, for that matter, whose body had changed back on its own only moments before she regained her consciousness.

“Uh... H-hi..." awkwardly ventured the waking girl, not being used to that much niceness. Had she died and gone to Heaven? Was that it? No, that didn't seem quite right. That place didn't look like Heaven at all. It couldn't be Hell either, even with the rocky walls and dim lighting. Also, it didn't really feel like she was dead herself. Her body, as far as she could tell, still felt very much 'fleshy' and alive to her, for the lack of a better word. So just what had happened? How did she end up in that cave?

As Natalie pondered these things inwardly, something else shifted on her bed. It was only then that she noticed the large beast lying on its belly right next to her, seemingly asleep. Her eyes opened wide; she had never seen a dog that big before, or at least not one so close to her! As far as she could tell, it appeared to be the size of a Great Dane, except with a much thicker coat of fur and a bushier tail.

“M-my goodness, that is one big dog!" Natalie, now fully awake, said with a gasp.

“Oh, that's no dog," said Anabelle, smiling. “That's a wolf."

“A wolf??" the blond girl exclaimed, her eyes opening even wider, and with a hint of fear.

“It's alright! He isn't dangerous, I promise!" quickly said the albino woman.

“Yeah, he won't hurt you, Natalie!" added Elise in turn. “Trust me, Hell will freeze over twice before that happens!"

The understandably frightened girl calmed down a little upon hearing these reassurances. Still, she just couldn't believe that there was an actual wolf lying right next to her. 'It... looks a lot like a Husky, except bigger and darker, I guess,' she randomly thought to herself. 'Well, I just hope this guy doesn't suddenly wake up hungry or something...'

As if on cue, the wolf opened his eyes and raised his head right at that moment. Natalie froze in place at once as the beast immediately established visual contact with her. And, holy heavens, those eyes... Deep and inscrutable, those amber eyes seemed to peer directly into her very soul!

For a brief moment, it appeared as though the poor girl had forgotten how to breathe. 'P-please don't hurt me!' she wordlessly begged as the wolf continued to gaze deeply into her eyes. It was such an intense, yet calm stare — one that somehow evoked an aura of mystery beyond her comprehension. Regardless, whatever was happening, she simply couldn't look away.

“He's... looking at me..." she whispered quietly, daring not to move a muscle.

“He sure is!" said Anabelle, smiling as though nothing was wrong.

“Wh...what do I do?"

“Hmm, I guess you could pet him? I'm sure he'd like that."

“...P-p-pet him??"

“Don't be afraid, Natalie!" Elise said, trying to encourage her. “I mean, yeah, he may look big and scary, but I promise you: he's a very good boy! He'll never bite you, although he may lick your hand instead!"

'Well, to be more precise, he'll never bite her... again,' Anabelle thought to herself. 'But we'll get there when we get there.'

Natalie looked at the wolf, who hadn't yet cast his gaze away from her eyes. It almost seemed as though he was trying to communicate with her or something. Oh, only God knew what sort of unfathomable mystery lay hidden behind those oddly fascinating eyes of his. And what about that faint amber glow they seemed to possess? Was that normal in wolves? Or was it more like a trick of the light? After all, she knew for a fact that the eyes of some animals — like cats — also appear to glow in the dark sometimes, so maybe it was just something like that...

Slowly, tentatively, the scared girl raised a wary hand towards the head of the wolf. Despite all of Elise's enthusiastic encouragement, she still approached the animal very, very cautiously, with much hesitation. “Good wolf... Good wolf..." she mouthed quietly, almost pleadingly, as her shaky hand got closer to his head. Meanwhile, except for an ear twitch or two, the wolf in question remained perfectly still. Even as Natalie's hand drew near, his eyes remained fixed on hers, and as inscrutable as ever.

At last, and after what seemed like an eternity, her hand reached his head. Thus, her first act as a mated vanni — to initiate physical contact with her lycca of her own free will — was complete. Certainly, Anabelle and Elise had encouraged her to take that step, but actually doing so was still her choice. Indeed, by choosing to hold onto the belief that the wolf wouldn't bite her hand, even in the face of her own fear, she had effectively chosen to place her trust in him.

'It's a small step, but a very important one nonetheless, even if she doesn't know it yet,' Anabelle thought to herself, happy to have witnessed this development. 'Regardless, this is just the beginning. I mean, we haven't even told her about vanni and lycca yet! Oh, boy, there's still a looong road ahead of us, isn't there? Ah, well, I guess we'll just have to take it one step at a time.'

As for Natalie, she still couldn't believe that she had just touched the wolf lying next to her. Yes, her hand was on the head of that scary lupine beast, and yet nothing horrible had happened! Instead, he had simply closed his eyes slowly before opening them again, as though it was his wordless way of saying 'thank you.' Or at least that's the impression she got.

Slowly, gently, the young blond woman began stroking the fur between his ears. The wolf, in response, closed his eyes again and lazily rested his head on her lap, seemingly very pleased with the attention he was receiving from her. Seeing the enormous beast react this way, she couldn't help but think he was... actually adorable, somehow. It was almost like, in the end, he was just a big, fluffy puppy in wolf's clothing, so to say.

Little by little, as her palm slid along the beast's furry head, Natalie felt her own fears fading away. Her muscles relaxed as the wariness and tension left her body one stroke at a time. She truly had nothing to fear after all, just like Anabelle and Elise had said. Ah, but who could have imagined that petting a wolf could be so... oddly therapeutic?

“Well, there you go," said the beautiful albino woman in white, smiling. “It wasn't so bad, was it?"

“N-no, I... I guess not," responded Natalie, still petting the wolf. “It's... actually pretty nice... and I think he likes it too."

“Like it? He's having the time of his life right now!" Elise chuckled.

“So, um... Is this wolf yours, Miss Anabelle?" the blond one asked, turning to the woman with the snow-white hair.

“Oh, just Anabelle will be fine. We're all like sisters here, you see," she said. “As for the other thing, well... it's a bit more complicated. But no, he doesn't belong to me per se, because he's yours!"

“He's... mine??"

“He sure is!" exclaimed Elise enthusiastically. “I mean, every one of us is paired with a wolf here. They are to be our faithful companions for life, and he just happens to be the one the forest chose for you!"

“I'm... not sure I understand," said Natalie, puzzled. “Um, where am I anyway?"

“You are in Howling Grove; a secret, uh... community that sits in the middle of the forest of Lanea," Anabelle explained. “I guess you can say this is a haven for vann— for severely mistreated women. Here, we can live a peaceful life in tune with nature, away from all the rottenness of the world outside."

“I see..." said the girl whose hand continued to pet the wolf as she took a few moments to digest that information. “Then I suppose I should take it that you found me and saved my sorry life..."

A heavy, uncomfortable silence fell over the room.

“Natalie," Anabelle finally said, “I don't know what happened to you, and I'm not going to ask either, but I can certainly tell that you've been through some of the worst shit mankind can throw at us. Trust me: I know a thing or two about that myself. Still, for now, all I'm going to say is that we'll be here whenever you feel ready to talk about it. In the meantime, I just want you to focus only on the fact that you've been given a second chance."

“Yeah, listen to her, Natalie," added Elise. “Not only are you alive and well, but you also made it here, where no one will ever hurt you again. Not every long-suffering woman in the world can hear the call of the forest, but you did, so that's something you can be glad for."

“Yes, well, it's... actually strange," the blond woman on the bed said, still idly stroking the wolf's head. “I, uh... I very much remember everything that had happened to me. My life was pure hell like you wouldn't believe, and at some point I just snapped. My world then became a sort of downward spiral, and I hit rock bottom. It was... horrible. I hated all that I had become, and couldn't find a reason to keep on living, so I, uh..." she trailed off.

“...So you did what you did," Anabelle hummed, finishing Natalie's sentence for her.

“Y-yeah, and here's the strange part: I remember all that stuff as if it had happened to someone else! I mean, I know that it all happened to me, but it doesn't really feel that way. It's like... I'm no longer the same Natalie who put on that noose at sundown. All that 'fog' that used to cloud my thoughts is just... gone," she said as she tried to make sense of it all herself. “I— I don't know how else to explain it. I'm not crazy, am I?"

“Ah, I know exactly what you're talking about. Something like that happened to me too," the young white-haired woman explained, nodding. “Don't worry, you aren't crazy. Well, you probably were, but not anymore."

“...Huh?"

“Yeah, it's, um... It has to do with the way you were saved," carefully said Elise. “I mean, there are still a few things about Howling Grove we haven't told you about yet, and that's one of them."

“I... don't understand."

“First of all," Anabelle began, “neither Elise nor I found you. My son did. He was the one who saved your life."

“Your son, you say? He saved me?"

“Yes, but you were almost dead when he got to you. You weren't breathing anymore, and your heart had just stopped as well. So, in order to save you, he had to do something... he otherwise would have never done before asking you first. It was a last resort thing; there simply was no other way."

“Like I said, our little community holds many ancient secrets," Elise continued. “For example, there's something called a 'soma bond.' To save your life, Anabelle's son performed a ritual that had the side effect of soma-bonding you to him."

“A soma bond? W...what does that mean?" asked Natalie, genuinely not knowing whether to be concerned or not.

“It means my son and you now share a spiritual connection that lasts for life," Anabelle replied. “Then again, and as outlandish as it may sound, the very fact you're here now is proof that you two had always been destined to be soul mates. In other words, you were always meant to come to us, Natalie. Because, even though you weren't consciously aware of it, you heeded the call of the forest Elise mentioned before; a silent call that works in mysterious ways not even we can explain."

“I know this is all a bit difficult to process, but I promise everything will make sense once you talk to him," Elise added, making sure not to reveal certain things too early. “Don't worry; Anabelle's son is a very good boy. There's not a single bad bone in his body, you'll see."

“O...okay, well..." said the overwhelmed woman on the bed. “It's not that I don't believe you, but, uh... This is a lot to take in. And, to be honest, I don't know how I feel about this... this whole soul mate thing. It's all just so, uh, sudden, to say the least..."

“Oh, yes, I know. I'm sure it all must sound like crazy talk to you, and I honestly couldn't blame you for it. But still, I just want you to give us a chance. I promise you won't regret it. I know I didn't."

“And if you still feel like this isn't for you..." Anabelle said with a somewhat saddened look, her gaze downcast as though she really didn't want to utter these words. “There are ways to sever the soma bond. But doing that would mean going back to the world outside while also losing all your memories of ever being here. It would be like none of this ever happened."

'Going back to the world outside...' Natalie echoed inwardly, deep in thought. Ah, yes, the world she had escaped from. That was the world that unrepentantly treated a certain orphaned child like dirt. It was the same putrid world that gleefully crushed her in every possible way an innocent girl could be crushed — a cruel, unfeeling world ruled by inhumane monsters like one Mr. Raoul. Oh, but who in their right mind would want to go back to that world? Certainly not her.

“Alright," she finally said after a few moments of contemplative silence. “I can't say I'm fully convinced, but I suppose it won't hurt to give this a try. After all, I do owe you my life, I guess."

“Oh, you'll love it here, you'll see!" said Elise with a big joyful smile.

“So, uh, where's this son of yours, Miss An— I mean, Anabelle?"

“Ah, he's... not far from here," carefully said the angel-like albino woman. “I'll, uh... introduce him to you once I feel like you're ready to meet him. It's just that there are a few more things about Howling Grove that we need to tell you first."

“Okay, well, I'm listening," said Natalie as she continued petting the large wolf resting his head on her lap. “I mean, it's not like there's much else I can do with such a big, lazy boy pinning me to the bed like this, right?" she added with a little smile. “What's his name anyway?"

“Oh, he doesn't have one right now," Anabelle replied. “Well, we used to call him Littlepaws back when he was a cub. But I think you can see why that name doesn't really fit him anymore."

“Heh, yeah. These paws are anything but little, aren't they?"

“Oh!" suddenly exclaimed Elise, drawing everyone's attention. “I've just realized; you haven't named him yet, Natalie!"

“Oh, yeah, that's right!" the one in white exclaimed in turn. “You see, since it's your wolf now, you have to give him a new name. It's, uh... something of a custom we have here."

“A name, huh?" said the blond one, turning to the wolf just as he opened his eyes again.

“Yeah, but it can't be just any name. Remember that he's going to be your faithful companion for life, so it's important to give him a name that actually respects the unconditional loyalty he will always show you."

“Basically, the name you choose has to come from the heart," added Elise, placing a hand on her own chest for emphasis. “It has to mean something to you."

Natalie gazed into the wolf's eyes, which were locked onto hers once more. 'What should I name you, big boy?' she thought to herself as she contemplated the deep mystery that lay hidden in plain sight behind those amber eyes of his. 'Ah, yes, your eyes... They really are something else, you know? They're like two setting suns at dusk; quiet and serene, but with a dash of passionate fire prowling about. And your gaze... so uniquely striking, almost as if it was born of dusk itself...'

“Dusk itself, prowling about..." she repeated in a whisper as though she had just been hit with an epiphany.

“What was that?" asked Elise, leaning forward a bit.

“Ah, n-nothing, I just... I think I know what to name him."

“Oh? Do tell us!"

“Duskprowler," Natalie said as she gently petted the wolf some more, longingly looking into his lupine eyes. “I don't know, it's... Well, something in his eyes reminds me of dusk — like a prowling fire of sorts, if that makes sense. So, um... Would that be an acceptable name for him?"

“I think it fits him like a glove," Elise said with a friendly nod of approval, smiling. “Right, Anabelle?"

“Yeah, it's perfect," said Anabelle as she tried her best not to betray just how happy she was for her son.

“Then Duskprowler it is! Right, boy?" Natalie proclaimed as the wolf began to lick her hand affectionately. “Heh, I'll take that as a yes."

The young woman with the angelic white hair couldn't help but feel her eyes tearing up a little bit. 'Ah, you've come so far, Litt— No, Duskprowler,' she thought to herself as she proudly watched him licking Natalie's hand. 'Just look at you, already bonding with your fated vanni and putting a smile on her face. You're finally realizing your lifelong dream, my son, and all without uttering a single word! But don't worry, I feel like your girl is almost ready to learn the full truth. Soon now — I promise — you'll be able to talk to her as I'm sure you're dying to.'

“Oh, by the way, I was wondering..." said the vanni in question, turning to the other two. “I had noticed that I'm not wearing anything under these sheets, so... What happened to my clothes?"

“Ah, yeah, your clothes," Anabelle began, somewhat surprised by the unexpected question. “I'm afraid we had to throw them away. They were... unsalvageable."

“Huh... I suppose they were," the blond girl admitted, remembering that her clothes were little more than rags. 'Not to mention that they also had blood all over them, from when I stabbed Mr. Vert in the neck with a fork...'

“Ah, but don't worry!" quickly added Elise. “Anabelle and her son covered you with that sheet as soon as they brought you here, so no one saw anything!"

“Oh, then I guess it's fine. Those clothes belonged in the trash anyway."

“Also, here's a gown you can use as a replacement. I brought it myself just for you!" Elise told her while pointing at said gown, which lay neatly folded over a misshapen stool next to the bed.

“Thanks," Natalie said, still gently stroking the wolf's furry head. “I guess I'll put it on once Duskprowler lets me out of bed," she joked.

“Oh, that reminds me: there's one more thing we need you to do before we can tell you exactly why you're here," Anabelle stated, standing up.

“Um, alright... What is it?"

“Just repeat after me: I, Natalie..."

“Uh... I, Natalie..." she repeated, unsure of where Anabelle was going with this.

“...grant everyone in this room..."

“...grant everyone in this room..."

“...permission to speak my name."

“...permission to... speak my name?"

“Yep, that's it! Perfect! Glad we got that out of the way!" the young albino woman exclaimed.

“But, I... I don't get it! I mean, haven't you all been saying my name anyway? And why would you even need my permission to— uh... Wh— I don't understand!"

“Don't worry about it!" said Elise, shaking her head briefly. “It's just that here in Howling Grove, the name of a vanni is—"

“She doesn't know what a vanni is yet, Elise," Anabelle said, interrupting the jovial brunette.

“Oh, right! Sorry, I forgot!"

“I, uh... Dare I ask?" tried Natalie, her puzzlement mounting.

“Yeah, well, that's fine. I suppose we can begin with that," the woman in white muttered as she made up her mind about how to proceed. “Okay, 'vanni' is a word you're going to be hearing a lot around here. For the most part, it refers to women who have heard the call of the forest, like you or me."

“So... I'm a vanni?"

“Yep, and so is every woman you'll meet here; we're all vanni!" Elise added with a smile.

“Just think of it as a title of sorts," continued Anabelle. “There's more to it, of course, but that will do for now."

“Okay..." quietly said the confused girl on the bed.

“So, what's next? Shall we move onto the other word?" Elise asked her albino friend.

“Yeah, I suppose it's about time," the latter nodded. “Alright, Natalie. It looks like we've gotten to the part where things may get a little... hairy, I guess you could say. Regardless, I assure you that—"

“ANABELLE! ELISE! QUICK, COME WITH ME; IT'S IMPORTANT!"

Everyone turned their heads towards the entrance to the cave at once, where they could see a woman with unruly jet-black hair standing outside just out of view. Only her head was showing.

“Uh, we're in the middle of something here, Rose," said Anabelle, arching an eyebrow halfway between annoyance and bewilderment. “Can it wait?"

“No. It cannot wait," stated the huntress, very pointedly stressing each word.

The young woman in white sighed and turned to Natalie.

“It looks like we'll have to go see what she wants," she said. “Don't worry; you have Duskprowler to keep you company while we're away."

“We'll be back as soon as we can, I promise!" Elise added in an apologetic tone.

“That's okay, I'll be fine... I think," said the blond girl sitting in bed.

Thus, both Elise and Anabelle exited the cave and left with Rose. Natalie watched them leave without saying another word, and then turned to her wolf.

“Well, I'm not sure what that was all about, but... I guess it's just you and me now, huh," she said to him. “I hope they come back soon, though something tells me it will be a while."

The wolf simply watched her in silence with his mysterious amber eyes.

“I wonder who that lady was," Natalie continued. “She looked like the kind you don't want to mess with, or at least that's the impression I got. Could she be a 'vanni' too?"

Pensively, she then turned her gaze back towards the entrance to the cave.

“Ah, well, I suppose there's nothing to do now but wait," she sighed.

Outside, the full moon shone high above the secret grove of the wolves, watching over all of her children with its silvery light. As Natalie silently pondered over all that she had been told thus far, her gentle hand kept stroking the fur of her lupine companion for comfort. It was just so relaxing... But that wasn't all. Somehow, she also felt as though the large beast could understand her in ways she couldn't truly explain. Something in his eyes kept telling her so.

Little did Natalie know that her life had already been changed forever in more ways than one. But she would soon find out. After all, with only her soma-bonded lycca by her side, and the rest of the night ahead of them, it was simply inevitable...

To be continued...