Takko's Story Reboot: Prologue

The wolf trotted along a path in the forest.  He carried on silently, like a shadow.  He had a black pelt and gleaming yellow eyes.  In his mouth, he held a stone, which he had gone through great lengths to acquire.  He had known that the quest would be difficult, since its very purpose was to test those who attempted it.  He’d traveled far and carried out an arduous search through a rather treacherous cave to find the stone.  But now that he had prevailed, he would soon have all the power he could ever dream of.  He would finally have the respect that he deserved.  He would also be able to enact revenge on the wolves that humiliated him and cast him out; they would soon regret their actions.  Deep satisfaction spread through him at the thought of destroying them, and taking all the glory that he deserved.

At last he could hear the sound of waves rolling onto the shore, and tasted the salt lingering in the air.  He was very near the ocean, meaning he was also very close to his destination.  He swished his tail and increased his speed.  He headed towards the sound of the ocean, and eventually emerged onto the pebbly beach.  He heard a loud chuff, and looked over the water.  Three black fins had broken the surface, and were now submerging; a plume of mist lingered where they had exhaled.  How amusing, the wolf thought to himself.  That’s one thing I won’t have to search long for.

As he continued along the beach, he picked up the scent of another wolf.  Glad to have reached the end of his journey, he followed the scent trail.  It led him to a petite female wolf.  Her pelt was dark, with silver markings curled around her back.  As he approached, she turned to look at him.  Her light blue eyes flashed when she saw the stone he was carrying.  “So…you have succeeded.”  The black wolf dipped his head and dropped the stone at her paws.

“I have completed your task, Sisika.  Now give me what I have asked for.”  Sisika regarded him with a cold gaze.  “I knew that you would succeed.  I could sense your arrogance, and the deep confidence you have…as well as your determination.  I’ve told you the price of this power…do you truly know what you are asking for?”  The black wolf bristled at her words.
“I am well aware of what I am asking for.  I have completed the task.  You must give me what I seek!”
“Indeed I must.”  Sisika said.  “I will give you what you asked of me…I have no other choice.  I am bound by my own power to help you, as you know.  But beware!  Your power relies on bloodshed…such power comes with a price.”

The wolf flicked his tail dismissively.  Sisika then placed her paw on the stone and closed her eyes.  The stone had before been a clear pink color, but began glowing deep red.  Light began pouring out of it, and the dark wolf bristled with excitement.  The red light came towards him and enveloped him; he felt a burning sensation, as if his blood were on fire.  The sensation increased until his entire body descended into agony.  The force of it caused him to fall down, smacking down onto the pebbles.  He clamped his eyes shut and endured the pain, which finally faded after several minutes of agony..  He opened his eyes, which flashed the same red color that the stone had been.  As he staggered to his paws, Sisika looked at him with a hint of  disgust in her gaze.  “You now have the ability to steal the life and power from creatures superior to you.  I will be waiting for the day that you are stopped.”

“Have fun with that,” the black wolf growled.  He then walked towards the ocean, his anticipation filling him.  He walked into the rolling waves, continuing until the rocks beneath his paws fell away in a drop-off.  Then he dived.  Letting himself sink down into the depths, he felt his blood boiling once more.  In another explosion of fiery pain, he felt his body changing rapidly; he was growing, changing…his eyes glowed red once more as his transformation was completed.

He pumped his powerful tail, gliding forward swiftly in the water.  All of the time he had spent searching out the legends, finding Sisika, finding the wretched stone…all of it was now worth it.  His transformation had gone well.  He could take on this water-bound form to hunt down his new prey, to make the ocean red with their blood.  As long as he did that, he could harness the power—on land, or at sea—of the wolf’s spiritual counterpart…the killer whale.

He already knew his first victims: the three orcas he had seen earlier couldn’t have gotten far.  Sisika had told him, upon their first meeting, that true sea-wolves would give him the most power.  Unfortunately, he didn’t know where any of those were.  Regular orcas would have to do for now.  The shape-shifting wolf would simply have to seek out true sea-wolves some other time.  And when he found them, he would become unstoppable.