by SJ Himes
He dismissed the battle scene, and put out his hands, collecting the smoke. He created a solid black wolf that rested easily on his palms, the tiny form visible despite its size. A small orb of light burned from within its chest, as bright as a star in the clear night sky.
“Who amongst you, my little cubs, knows what the Great Mother did to rein in her wayward children?” Gray Shadow asked quietly, peering intently at the tiny faces turned up at him, the shadow wolf shining like a rainfall of obsidian dust.
“The shamans!” a lilting young voice piped up from the rear of the council chamber, and Gray Shadow chuckled indulgently. It was the same little one he sought, knowing he’d know the answer, as he was taught at Gray Shadow’s knee.
Kane started where he sat, and Gray Shadow bit back a laugh as the Heir stared in consternation at the tiny cub not too far away from where he sat. Kane had spent the entire tale as fully absorbed as the cubs, the cub’s shout had snapped him out of it. His face heated as he caught Gray Shadow looking at him, and the shaman let him off the hook by nodding in approval to the tiny cub who’d spoken.
“Yes, cub. The shamans.” Gray Shadow leaned forward, and whispered through the taut silence that held them all together, every eye focused on him and the tale he told. “When the power of the Alphas grew too powerful, and war was inevitable, our Great Mother reached down from her silver throne, and tore in two the soul of command and spirit that resided in each Alpha.”
Gasps and whispers reached his ears as Gray Shadow leaned back. He raised his hands, releasing the shadow wolf, and the cubs all jumped as the tiny star burning in its core was suddenly torn in two. Another shadow wolf appeared next to the first, smaller and sleeker than the original. The sundered half of the orb hung in the air, waiting.
“The Great Mother, in her everlasting wisdom, removed the spiritual and mystical powers from the Alphas, and gave them to the gentlest and meekest wolves of each clan. The abilities that left the Alphas an absolute power were stricken from them, and given to those among the clans who did not seek violence or domination. Once the rift was final, she returned to the Alphas their powers of tooth and claw, strength and command. The wolves that were granted the gifts of the soul and spirit were the first Shamans among our kind.”
The sundered half pulsed, so bright it was nearly too much in the shadows of the council house. It settled gently into the chest of the smaller shadow wolf, and flashed once more. Both wolves now had a star burning brightly where their hearts should be, pulsing together, one with a reddish and black hue, the other, gold and silver.
“So, with that, all-out war with the humans was avoided. The Alphas, bereft of the gifts they had abused, turned then to the new Shamans for assistance in conquering the humans. To their vexation and shame, the Alphas learned their ability to order the total obedience of any werewolf of their clan was useless against the Shamans. No Shaman can be coerced by an Alpha, and so the Shamans were spared the horror of being forced to battle. The Shamans were gentle souls who sought only peace, love, and the care of their people. They used their abilities to instead care for their clans, as was the intended purpose of the Great Mother. The Shamans are found now in all the major clans, and for those packs that are too small to warrant a shaman among them, we shamans travel from pack to pack, so all our people may be nurtured.”
He paused, and breathed deeply. “So the threat of war faded, and we as clans blended into the world of humans, hidden yet separate. We now strive for peace and harmony, within ourselves and with the rest of the world.”
Gray Shadow lifted his hands, and the shadow wolves with the starry hearts dissipated, the cubs moaning softly in complaint, shifting as the light show ended.
“Tell them about the girls!” A little voice shouted out again from the back, and Gray Shadow grinned. He knew that voice, for it belonged to a small cub dear to his heart. His grandson was one of the few cubs here in this room who knew their histories as well as Gray Shadow. “Tell them why we don’t have female Shamans!”
Kane jumped again, and Gray Shadow found it harder this time not to break out laughing. The alpha glared at him, but soon gave him a wry smile of amusement as the tiny cub not far from him practically started jumping with excitement where he sat.
“Yes, I’ll tell them about the girls,” Gray Shadow said to the little cub, smiling, before addressing the room at large. The serious part of the history was over for now. “Our Great Mother, her wiles sharper than those of her bloodthirsty Alphas, put in place a measure to prevent any Alpha from abusing the power of a Shaman.”
Gray Shadow waved a hand, and the cubs cheered as the shadow wolves returned. He made them slightly larger this time, one a male, the bigger muscles and frame proclaiming it an Alpha, complete with a red aura indicative of an alpha’s power and gifts. The other was smaller again, but now female, a delicate yet still formidable example of a beta in her prime, mother and warrior in one.
“When we mate, my cubs, there are two types of bonds. One is the most common, referred to as a mating bond. This is akin to human marriage, vows and promises of fidelity and loyalty. This can be a love match or one of convenience. Historically, this is also the only mate bond that can be abused. If one of the pair was dominant or ruthless enough, then a mating could be forced upon the weaker of the wolves. This is very rare, and has never lasted long, as a shaman would never tolerate such an abomination in his clan, and has the power to dissolve an unwanted mating. The magic of a bonding ceremony can join the wolves involved at a very deep level, especially if one of the pairing has a strong spirit. For instance, a female beta, one mated to an alpha with the Voice, can manifest a lesser version of her mate’s ability. The stronger the bond between the pair, the more likely gifts will bleed across, and more powerful the shared ability. This happens in most pairings, all that varies is the depth of the connection.”
The female beta glowed red when a thin cord of red light wafted out from the male, weaving through the female beta, her new aura nearly the same shade as the male’s, just not as vibrant.
“This can also work in reverse. If a female is born an alpha, a beta male can access alpha gifts through the mate bond. The birth of a female alpha is very, very rare, and has only ever happened five times in our history.”
Gray Shadow twisted his hands, and reversed the power flow, the male this time receiving it from the female wolf. Several cubs gasped in shock, scandalized, and Gray Shadow knew this was because not many shamans taught this part of their history, considering it legend. If he hadn’t seen a female alpha with his own eyes as a child, he would have thought it legend, too.
“This side effect of the mating is usually not under conscious control. The alpha cannot completely stop his powers from being accessible, at most he can inhibit the majority of it if he’s strong enough, if he has mastered his abilities. The beta female can also choose not to use the power available to her as a result of the bond. Because this is a phenomenon that can’t be totally controlled, it is why the Great Mother placed one condition on the new Shamans when she made them. If a male alpha mated to a female shaman, then the alpha could conceivably develop access to shamanic magic through the mating bond. Having access to that power in the first place is what drove the ancient alphas mad with bloodlust—and that, my cubs, is why there are no female shamans.”
Gray Shadow saw the nods of understanding from the cubs, and Kane was enraptured as well, even though he was an alpha, and the topic at hand wasn’t quite flattering to his class.
“Now, for the next type of bond. The soul bond.” Gray Shadow erased the wolves, and re-crafted them, mere silhouettes this time and not as detailed. Each had a tiny star shining in its core, and they floated above the cubs, drawing every eye in the room. Even Kane was taken in, charmed by the magic show.
“A soul bond is a bond between a male and female wolfkin without the benefit of the mating ceremony and its magic forging a conne
ction between the pair. A soul bond occurs when two wolves meet, usually when both are adults or near enough, and their souls join at a level past all manipulation by shaman, alpha, or ceremony. It is a natural and powerful event, unstoppable once the process begins, and the two separate souls of the wolves involved….become one.” Gray Shadow focused his will, and the twin stars pulled the wolves together as if affected by gravity. Each star throbbed as one, their lights joining, until the flame of one was indistinguishable from the other.
“The more contact between the two wolves involved, the faster the process, and it can only be broken by death. When this type of bonding occurs, my dear cubs, it is a gift from the Great Mother, a blessing on the pair and their clan. Children of such a mating are considered blessed, and many of our heroes have been the children of soulbonds. It is magic so profound it can only come from our Goddess, and is sacred above all Her Gifts.
Because it is a gift from the Great Mother, we need never fear a soul bond between an alpha and a shaman, further guaranteed by the gender of all shamans since the First.”
Gray Shadow stretched subtly, tired from augmenting his tales with shadow, smoke, and firelight. The illusions faded, and Gray Shadow dropped the shadow wolves. He sent a small smile to the tiny cub who was grinning and squirming in his seat, proud to share this one slip in his professional demeanor. The cub was the child of a soulbonded pair, and was very proud of the honor.
“Black Pine Clan is lucky to have a soulbonded pair—my son Josiah, to the daughter of our Alpha, Marla. If any of you can mind your manners, and you are curious enough, you may ask them about their soulbond. Just be polite—they may both be betas, but they have big teeth.”
Gray Shadow grinned at his grandson, who giggled, a bright smile wide on his tiny face.
“So my little cubs, that is why all Shamans are born male—to prevent an exploitation of shamanic magic by an alpha through the matebond. And as there has only been a small handful of female Alphas in our long history, and none of them had the strength to force a bonding on a male Shaman—we need never fear again that our leaders will be driven mad by absolute power—that of Shaman and Alpha combined.”
Kane was nodding, as if to himself, and Gray Shadow sent him a faint smile of approval. He was an alpha to respect, a wolf who was content and happy with who he was. He was like all alphas to some degree, but his temperament was gentler and less self-absorbed, a stark contrast to most of the younger alphas these days.
A swath of brilliant moonlight broke across the council room, and Gray Shadow laughed aloud as the assembled cubs jumped at the intrusion. Gray Shadow nodded to the female beta standing politely by the door, and she gave him a tremulous nod in return. She was a member of the host clan, Red Fern Clan, who tended to the structures and buildings of the state park where the gathering was being held. It was bedtime for the littlest cubs, and the older ones would wish to spend time around the bonfire in the main square with their families.
“Goodnight, my cubs. Return to your mothers and fathers, and dream sweetly under the watchful gaze of our Great Mother. Remember, my cubs, that she is wiser than us all, and knows what we need and what is best, in spite of our own selfish desires.”
The cubs sprang to their feet, and Gray Shadow winced at their exuberance, the whole lot of them as energetic as if they just awoke instead of having spent the better part of the night sitting on a cold floor listening to old stories. He felt very old all of a sudden, and he sat until the last of them bolted from the room.
Kane stayed seated until most of the cubs were gone, then slowly unraveled his tall, lanky frame from its cramped position along the back wall. The tiny pup who knew all the answers was still in the back, playing with his shoelaces, but casting quick, shy glances at the alpha from under his thick lashes. Luca was a flirt, regardless of his target’s gender, and saw it as a challenge to get as many wolves as he could wrapped around his little tail. The alpha’s natural charisma was seemingly irresistible to Luca, and the alpha sent the cub a quick wink, which made the little wolf giggle. Kane responded with a gentle smile, and a soft pat on the cub’s head as he walked to the door. Kane gave Gray Shadow an abbreviated bow, a mere dip of his shoulders, as if in thanks for letting him observe before he ducked out past the female beta at the door. Gray Shadow nodded back, and turned his gaze to the tiny cub still left in the council room.
His little grandson, a precious five years old to his several centuries, wandered up through the stone and dirt tiers to clamber into Gray Shadow’s lap. He hugged his grandson tightly to his chest, and wrapped him in one of the many bearskins that draped the stone throne.
“Grandpa?” his grandson Luca said, burrowing into the furs and tucking his head under Gray Shadow’s chin. “Am I gonna be a shaman one day, just like you?”
Gray Shadow hugged his grandson, and walked to the door, the young female beta still waiting for them, eyes down, and doing her best to pretend she was furniture.
“I do not know yet, my little cub. You are the youngest of my many grandchildren, and you have several summers to go before I know if you will be shaman, alpha, or a steadfast and wonderful beta. But of all my children and grandchildren, my little wolf, you are the most like me, so that may be your path.”
“What if I’m just a beta, Grandpa?” Luca whispered, and Gray Shadow could hear the worry in his tiny voice. His older cousins must be teasing him again, all of them already confirmed in their powers and traits as shaman, alpha or beta. Gray Shadow had two grandchildren confirmed as alphas, and one was a budding shaman. The rest, bless their sweet natures, were betas, and happy to be so. Little Luca was only five summers, and Gray Shadow would not know of his true nature until he hit puberty, or perhaps sooner if his abilities were strong, and the Change came early.
“There is no shame in being a beta, Luca. Almost all of our brothers and sisters in the clans are betas. Only a few are alphas, even fewer are shamans. And not all alphas are clan leaders, as their fathers and grandfathers rule for many years. Some alphas will never see themselves become clan leaders, as they have brothers ahead of them in succession, or they haven’t the strength to hold against a stronger alpha.” Gray Shadow shifted the weight of the tiny boy in his arms, and left the council house, the young female beta at his heels. “And not all alphas and shamans have the same level of power, or the same abilities. Many alphas have the great strength and power of the warrior, yet lack the Voice, and many shamans can speak to the spirits, but cannot heal. Not all alphas and shamans are equal, Luca.”
His grandson, while young, was incredibly intelligent, and Gray Shadow always took the time to explain things to him, no matter the topic. Deep in Gray Shadow’s heart, he wished for Luca to be a shaman, for he saw in his grandson the compassionate and sweet, obstinate nature his clan would need when he was gone. His other grandson, Ezekiel, was only a few months into his apprenticeship in Russia, and was of a brasher, more abrupt nature than Luca. Zeke had the powers, but not the patience. Perhaps he would learn some before he returned home after his trials.
“I’m gonna be a shaman, Grandpa. Just like you.” Luca fell asleep as Gray Shadow carried him out into the cool night air, the last summer moon high in the sky, a week away from full. Autumn was battling with the final days of summer, and the inevitable victory of the colder moons was fast approaching. He smiled, thinking his lectures passed in one ear and out the other of the little cub, soothed to sleep by his grandfather’s long strides.
“And you may be one day soon, my little wolf,” Gray Shadow whispered in Luca’s tiny ear, and he walked to the Clan Leader’s cabin where they were staying for the gathering, his son and Luca’s father waiting on the porch of the large wooden structure.
“Hey Dad, you have fun telling campfire stories again?” Josiah teased him, reaching out to take his son from his father. Josiah was young for a wolf, only fifty summers old, and he had spent most of his early adult years bege
tting numerous children. Gray Shadow saw parts of himself and Josiah in Luca, and he had a special place in his heart for his youngest grandchild.
“Shush, whelp. Not long ago, you were one of those seated at my feet, begging me to tell another story before bedtime.” Gray Shadow clasped a hand on his son’s shoulder, smiling at the two of them. Luca cuddled up to his father, a tiny bundle of soft snores and awkward limbs.
“I know he loves the old tales. You had a big crowd tonight, which I was surprised to see. Most of the clans are leaving tomorrow for their home territories.” Josiah rocked Luca gently when the pup stirred, soothing his son back to sleep.
“I believe my lessons have become a new method of babysitting. I think every mated pair with kids left their children at the council house tonight so they could attend the festivities at the square,” Gray Shadow chuckled as he caught the scent of fire, beer and roasted meat on the night breeze, and his ears heard the faint far off sound of music and laughter. He thought briefly about joining his Clan Leader at the fire, but dismissed it just as quickly, not wanting to dampen anyone’s spirits by having the scary Shaman Gray Shadow show up at a party.
“Not every mated pair. Marla and the kids are inside sleeping with Andromeda’s brood, I just stayed up to wait on you and Luca.” Josiah mentioned his soul bonded mate, Marla, the first born beta daughter of Caius McLennan, Alpha of Black Pine Clan, the home clan of Gray Shadow and his family. Andromeda was the Clan Leader of Red Fern, and their hostess while in Baxter.
Half of Josiah’s children were grown and mated already, with a handful left under the age of ten. Female wolves were fertile for decades longer than humans, and males could father pups until the day they died. Wolves were allowed to mate once they hit seventeen years, which is exactly what Josiah and Marla did, having soul bonded in their early teens and anxious to have the ceremony, even though it was unnecessary, to celebrate their union.
Their kind would have overrun the humans in population if it didn’t take so long for werewolves to conceive. The average length of time between pups was five or more years, with gestation around ten to eleven months. Multiple births from a single pregnancy were common, resulting in twins and triplets at about half the rate of single births. This encouraged many mated pairs to stop having children after one instance of a multiple birth, or stopping at one live birth so as not to risk a multiple the next time around. Female werewolves also had the option of controlling their fertility, and they could prevent pregnancy as easily as they could Change, and they did so with practical efficacy.