I am one such cross. My name is Valeriah. My mother was a werewolf. Now werewolves aren’t what you think over here. Your movies make me laugh. A werewolf isn’t forced to change by the moon. They take wolf form when they choose. Of course, as a hybrid, I have never been able to change at all. But I am still driven by the moon. It’s not a ravening madness, though. It’s more like a manic energy and, of course, a craving for raw meat. Every werewolf has to find a way to deal with the energy the moon brings out in us, the wild blood. Now, I’m not denying that some werewolves get violent at the full moon, especially young males. But most find other ways to cope. Myself, I run. A tired werewolf is a good werewolf, even at the full moon.
But I’m more than just half werewolf. My father was a hybrid, too. His father was the wizard Azander and his mother was a unicorn, Elsibel. Now, werewolves and unicorns are about as far apart as you can get in Chimeria. And this does cause me some problems. At the new moon, when my unicorn nature is strongest, I’m a vegetarian. But at the full moon, I prefer very rare red meat.
Other than the compromises I have to make to balance my nature, I know very little about werewolves or unicorns, so don’t ask me. Grandmother Elsibel was disowned by the unicorns when she married my grandfather. And mother never had a chance to introduce me to the werewolves. Both my parents and my two brothers were murdered when I was five. I was only spared because my father fell on me and the killers didn’t find me. They seemed to be in a hurry and didn’t look too hard. I know they used a portal, because I saw them step out of thin air. But the portal had been closed by the time Grandfather found me.
That portal is the only clue I have to find those who murdered my family. My werewolf blood won’t let me forget. I have to avenge them. But, after twenty years, the trail has gone cold, even for a werewolf to follow. Grandfather refused to tell me about the portals, so I left to find out for myself as soon as I came of age.
I found work as a member of the Portal Watch. We protect Chimeria by preventing people from the ordinary, non-magical world, from blundering in and finding out about us. Sometimes, we also act as bodyguards for the members of the Council of Magical Races when they cross over to your world. I get that duty a lot because of the strength, agility, and instincts I inherited from my werewolf mother.
It’s not easy being a female in the Watch. There are precious few of us. It took a couple of years for me to convince the male members of the Watch that I wasn’t available for the taking. Every now and again, I still have to show a new recruit how I got my reputation. I can take any one of them in a fair fight--and have, often enough to make them respect me. I stay in the Watch because it’s the only way I know to find out more about the portals, and track down whoever killed my family.
Does it conflict with other areas of your nature?
The unicorn side wouldn't approve, I'm sure, but the werewolf is much stronger on this. My non-werewolf cousin doesn't approve, either. And my grandfather thinks that seeking revenge is going to get me into trouble. But it's not something I can just forget about.
If I can just get the scent, I'm sure I can hunt them to ground.
For the rest, it's hard to know what's real anymore, after twenty years. I think some of my nightmares have gotten twisted up in it. I think they were all wearing green shirts. I don't think that came out of the nightmares.
The portal is my only real clue, though. I have to find out who could make a portal like that and then close it. It's the only way I have to find the murderers, now.
The five authorized portals that we guard are all ancient. I haven't even found any legends about who made them or how.
Grandfather won't let me use his library for my research. I don't know what he's afraid I'll find there. That's why I left to join the Portal Watch.
He doesn't approve of my desire to avenge them. He thinks it'll get me into trouble and I'll get killed, too. I know he's scared for me.
That doesn't mean I'm not frustrated that he won't let me use his library. If he won't help me, at least he could let me do what I have to do on my own. That argument is the main reason I left and haven't been back to see him or my cousin in eight years.
I'm a lone wolf.
What kind of hobbies do you take up? Do you read? Do you keep a journal?
Would you seek companionship? What if you found someone who let you be you, but also gave you strength and at times something to lean on?
[This message has been edited by macmicool (edited June 12, 2010).]
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So, you run when the wolf blood gets to boiling, but what do you do durring a new moon? What things does the unicorn inside you drive you to do?
I don't take up knitting, if that's what you're driving at. I am a vegetarian at the new moon, which is sometimes inconvenient, but my stomach just won't accept meat at that time. I heal faster, then, too.
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What kind of hobbies do you take up? Do you read? Do you keep a journal?
The only reading I do is for my research. I have to find out who can make and close portals. That will lead me to the ones who murdered my family.
I'm still a member of the Portal Watch and a bodyguard, no matter what time of the moon it is.
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Would you seek companionship? What if you found someone who let you be you, but also gave you strength and at times something to lean on?
I've never had any luck with that. Gave up trying several years ago. I don't need to lean on anybody, though I don't mind working with a partner as part of my job. That's just what it is, though. Nothing else.
I can tell you are a bit hard and your walls are up, what setting would you allow yourself to relax with someone, anyone? How would someone earn that kind of trust with you?
How would you treat your family's killer if they stood 10 feet from you right this moment with what you have on you right now? Would you be quick, slow, or would you bring them to justice through a court system? Finally, if did decide to extract your own justice, how would it effect you later? Would it help?
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Another question, have you ever used anyone, would you, and what for?
I have no need to "use" anyone. I might accept help, under the right circumstances.
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I can tell you are a bit hard and your walls are up, what setting would you allow yourself to relax with someone, anyone? How would someone earn that kind of trust with you?
I relax with my cousin Crystal. And I used to be able to relax with our grandfather, who raised us. Now that I've established myself among them, I relax with some of my comrades in the Portal Watch. In the beginning, I couldn't afford to, until I'd taught them to respect me. That, I suppose, is the key: respect.
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How would you treat your family's killer if they stood 10 feet from you right this moment with what you have on you right now? Would you be quick, slow, or would you bring them to justice through a court system? Finally, if did decide to extract your own justice, how would it effect you later? Would it help?
When I find the murderers, I will kill them. That is what my werewolf blood demands. I generally carry a belt knife, but I am quite capable of killing without it, need arising. It would probably be quick--and bloody.
How would it affect me? You didn't see the bodies. Mama's throat was slashed almost to her spine. I saw the sword point come all the way through Daddy's back. My brothers were ten and eight. Martin was almost cut in half and Cullen's skull was crushed. Do you think I would regret anything I could do to avenge that? It's all I live for.
It can take days. I ran for three days straight (no breaks, except to slow to an occasional walk) once. And I was still irritable at the end of it. Of course, I was also dead tired, which has its own effects on my disposition.
That's not very usual though.