Young Duncan MacLeod did as the witch said - walked straight out from the cottage to meet his father.  Cassandra watched him go, hand on the head of the great white wolf, which had come to her side as soon as the boy had left. The two watched the happy reunion together, Cassandra sighing over the rocky future she knew the boy would have. And even though she was expecting it, she jumped when the werewolf changed form under her hand.

Cassandra remembered the time they first met, only a few years ago.

> > > > > > >
January 5, 1600, Cassandra's Cottage in the Donan Woods

It had been snowing for days, and the world was white and glittering. She had just finished milking the goat, and was taking the bucket inside so she could settle the cream off, when the nanny began bleating frightenedly. She'd turned to find a big wolf standing beside her goat pen.

The wolf had snow caked in its fur, and still she could see his ribs sticking out. For a moment she was sure that the goat was about to be eaten, but then realized that the wolf's attention was firmly on the bucket in her hand. Deciding that the wolf needed the milk more than she, she'd set the bucket down, backed away, and watched him drink it all.

The rest of that winter, she'd caught glimpses of the wolf watching her. Then in early spring, a short, blonde haired man had surprised her by bringing her the very herbs she had been looking for. Mistglow had visited her off and on all spring and summer, seeming very reluctant to discuss any personal details with her. They did talk about healing of all kinds - Mistglow was a font of information about animals and ways to heal them. She found him to be a charming companion, despite his reluctance to talk about himself, and enjoyed his visits.

The wolf still turned up watching her occasionally while she was out gathering things in the woods, but this had become a rare thing. Every time Cassandra mentioned the beast's rare behavior to her newfound friend, he simply smiled.

It had taken Mistglow until the middle of fall to finally divulge his secret to her - he was the wolf. From that point on, their relationship had gotten deeper. He had proved to be a gentle lover, and by winter was living with her. The cottage had never seemed warmer.

< < < < < < <

Mistglow's movement beside her brought Cassandra's attention back to the present.

"So that's the child of the prophecy?" Mistglow asked, standing from his wolvish crouch.

"Yes." She wrapped an arm around the warm man, pulled him close.  "Which way did Kantos go?"

"Northeast." He buried his nose in her hair, breathing deeply. "Do you think he was really fooled?" he whispered close to her ear.

"Should we track him or stay here to make sure he doesn't come back? I hate leaving Duncan defenseless against Kantos. Except the only way to keep Duncan safe is to make sure Kantos is long gone."

"Of course, if we follow him, we'll know where Kantos is - but we'll probably be behind him the entire way. He could double back...."

"Then we had best get ahead of him and lead him away, making sure he follows us by planting stories, taking him in the wrong direction from Duncan."

Mistglow nipped gently at her ear, then pulled away from her, bowing. "Then we had best pack, milady. And prepare the cottage for our absence."

Cassandra went inside. Mistglow began working around the cottage, gathering stray tools and checking to see if any repairs needed to be made. As he carried a load around the corner to take it inside, he caught sight of movement approaching. He managed to duck back around the corner without being seen. But he required a moment to set the tools down quietly, before he could risk a glance at the visitor.

To his surprise, it was a lynx. He had enough time to admire the reddish cast to her fur and intelligent gray eyes before she padded silently around the other corner of the building on her typically oversized lynx paws. Then before he had a chance to even start to sneak around the building, a woman stepped around the same corner.

Despite the large amount of silver jewelry the woman wore (the scent of which was already tickling his nostrils), her delightful figure, accented by beautiful, hip length, auburn hair, took the werewolf by the heart immediately. Mistglow was captivated, rooted to the spot. Just about the time she looked up, Mistglow remembered that he didn't have a single stitch of clothing on.

Surprise showed on the woman's face only an instant before Cassandra came bolting out of the door between them with her sword in her hand, obviously forgotten.

The woman laughed at them both. Then, looking at the sword, said to Cassandra, "What, is that for me?? I promise not to take him away from you!"

Cassandra and Mistglow both looked down at the sword and then at each other. Flustered, Cassandra said "I didn't realize it was you until I had picked up the sword and then I ...", she trailed off uncomfortably, looking from Mistglow to the newcomer.

The stranger laughed gaily again. "Cassandra,introduce me to your gorgeous new friend!" she said.

Cassandra looked back and forth between the two of them, then joined the newcomer in laughter.

Still laughing, the stranger added, "Maybe we should all go inside and sit down and talk... of course, some of us might feel more comfortable if one of us got dressed."

Mistglow blushed bright red to his toes and dashed inside. The women hugged, and arms around each other's waists, followed at a more leisurely pace. They caught another glimpse of Mistglow's still blushed skin as he threw an old tunic over his head, then rejoined them, shrugging the baggy garment into place.

"All right," he said, dropping with mock weariness into a chair beside the table. "Which one of you is going to explain?"

The newcomer claimed a chair, propped her chin in her hand with her elbow on the table, and looked at Cassandra, raising her eyebrows questioningly. Her slightly tilted, dark lashed gray eyes twinkled merrily.

Cassandra gave her a stern look. "Oh, you would think this is funny, Gwena!"

Mistglow leaned forward. "Gwena, what a beautiful name!"

Gwena straightened up and held out her hand. "Well,since Cass is being so slow, I'll go first. I'm Gwennolaik, but my friends call me Gwena!" She smiled mischievously.

Mistglow matched her smile, took her hand and kissed the back of it. "And I am Mistglow, but my friends call me Glow. You are an immortal."  He tilted his head to the side. "The lynx - that was you, wasn't it?"

He lingered, barely touching her fingers, while she replied, "Why, yes, it was."

Gwena retrieved her hand when Cassandra cleared her throat and said, "No wonder I didn't know you were coming. But you know it's dangerous being a lynx around here. They are not that common. You could have been killed by someone!"

"Especially with the clan MacLeod out looking for a sheep stealer!" Mistglow added, while worrying about the odd tone in Cassandra's voice.

"Well, they would have been very surprised when their 'prize' cat came back to life as a woman, wouldn't they?" Gwena replied, mockingly.

 "Would you have changed back if killed, Gwena?" Mistglow said, lingering even over the syllables of her name.

"Oh, yes, kill the animal and the woman returns!" she replied gaily. "Good thing I'm immortal. I have died any number of times in animal form."

"Wait, then..." Mistglow trailed off, shaking his head.  "Somebody please explain what the mix-up was all about."

"Go ahead, anamchara," Cassandra said irritably. "You seem to be in a talkative mood today, anyway. And while you're at it, tell me why you came back early."

"I'll try to keep this short, like my sister's temper," Gwena started teasingly, while Cassandra just narrowed her eyes and glared. "First, Cassandra and I are anamchara, meaning soulfriends and, I like to think, sisters, too. This means we have a special bond. Since both of us also have magickal powers, we are able to communicate through a "link". The closer we are, the stronger it is and the easier we can "talk". But as a lynx, I lose the ability to communicate, except by the same means as any other lynx, with what I call "animal speak".

Mistglow nodded to show he understood so far and Gwena continued. "The other change that happens when I become lynx, is I no longer sense or project the feeling of being immortal. But that sense returns the instant I begin to shapeshift. My ability to communicate returns only after the change is complete, which can be as long as fifteen seconds, depending on the situation."

"So Cassandra felt an immortal and didn't know it was you for several seconds, giving her time to grab her sword." Mistglow summed up the prior confusion. "So why have you returned early? Cassandra wasn't expecting you, obviously, or I am sure she would have warned me or at least told me about you."

Cassandra intervened, "I didn't tell you because Gwena was expecting to be in Eire for two or three more years."

"I was meditating several mornings ago and could feel your fear for Duncan, sister mine." Gwena addressed her reply to Cassandra." I came as quickly as I could, but it took a couple of days to arrange for passage on a boat from Eire. It seems I missed all of the excitement after all."

"Maybe not all." Mistglow arched his eyebrows, then winked at Gwena.

"Can we get on with business, now, you two?" the irritated Cassandra injected.

"By all means," Mistglow returned, grinning at both of the women, and scooting his chair closer to Cassandra's.

Quickly Mistglow and Cassandra brought Gwena up to date about their plans to follow Kantos.

"Shouldn't someone stay here and make sure Kantos doesn't come back?" Gwena asked the question that Mistglow and Cassandra had been avoiding.

"Yes," said Cassandra, reluctantly. "I was worried about that even before you came back. Now I guess I can stay and make sure Kantos doesn't double back."

"No, no, it makes sense that you and 'Glow should go after Kantos. I'll stay here!" exclaimed Gwena, who could tell through the mental link that they shared that Cassandra was torn.

Mistglow squirmed in his chair, keeping his opinions to himself.  Part of him was desperately loyal to Cassandra, with whom he'd been living for years. Another part of him, captivated still, wanted to get to know Gwena better.

"And if Kantos comes back and challenges you or threatens Duncan, then what?" Cassandra's voice again held that odd tone Mistglow had noted before. "You won't kill him and he won't go away! How long do you think you can keep Duncan hidden? Long enough for us to come back from how ever far away we may be? If it's far enough, you won't be able to hide Duncan, yourself, and call me! No, I need to stay and you should go with 'Glow. That's final!" With that Cassandra got up from the table and walked outside.

"Well, I know that tone of voice means I can talk until I'm blue in the face and won't change her mind, so...I guess that makes us traveling companions." Gwena said, looking at Mistglow with resignation, but feeling instead a secret thrill of delight which she tried to suppress, afraid Cassandra would feel it through their link.

"Guess so," Mistglow admitted, shaking his head and gazing out of the door. "I think she knows there's more going on, too." He paused. "Perhaps we should have tried to tone it down a bit, huh? We did just meet, after all."

Gwena stared soberly out the door where her soulfriend had disappeared and said, "She means everything to me. She gave me my sanity back and has saved my life several times. I don't want to hurt her."

"Me either. I'd better go see if she's okay. "He sighed and followed Cassandra outside.

Cassandra had wandered off to the spring. Mistglow found her there, sitting on a rock and trailing one hand into the water. He walked up behind her, careful to make enough noise to alert her to his presence.

"We don't have to do this, this way. I can stay, and you and your friend can go,"  he offered.

"Some things are meant to be." She looked up at him and smiled. "So how soon do you think you will be ready to leave? Knowing Gwena as I do, she's ready now," laughed Cassandra ruefully. "Besides you two won't be alone for long. Once you are sure Kantos is really gone, Gwena will let me know and I will catch up to you."

"I just don't want to see you hurt, Cass. "He drew circles in the soft dirt with his bare toe, then looked her in the eye. "I promise nothing will happen between her and me. We'll follow him, and maybe start a rumor about a 'solstice child' somewhere else." He dropped to his knees beside her. "And I'll stay in wolf form - until you join us."

Cassandra leaned forward and touched her forehead and nose to his. "I know you both and I'm not worried. Just be careful around Kantos and ... take care of Gwena. I always worry when we aren't together. She won't kill. At least she finally learned to use a sword well enough to defend herself. It took me nearly two centuries to get her to even pick up a sword. She will send an immortal to mortal death to allow herself to get away, but I am afraid without a 'killing instinct' she may not be aggressive enough to really protect herself." She studied him for a moment. "And we need to tell her you are a werewolf before you change."

He gathered her into his arms. I can see how much she means to you. I'll protect her as though she were my own sister. I think it should be you to tell her about me. I'll provide the example for emphasis - at your cue, of course."

Just then Gwena came bounding out the door and said, "Well, I'm packed. How about you?" Cassandra and 'Glow looked at the tiny woman and then at each other as they burst out chuckling. Gwena just looked at them both calmly and waited for them to stop. She knew the laughter was more about release of tension than true humor and was needed right now.

"I just told 'Glow you were most likely packed and ready to go and here you are!" Cassandra gasped, wiping tears from her eyes. "But before you go, there is something I need to tell you about 'Glow."

"Ok, what is it?" Gwena crossed her legs and gracefully sat down by the spring.

"I am not sure exactly how to put this. I've never had to tell anyone about 'Glow before. Let's see, first, do you believe in werewolves, Gwena?" asked Cassandra. 'Glow settled back on his heels.

Gwena considered the question carefully, staring off into the surrounding woods, before replying thoughtfully, I've never seen a werewolf, that I know of, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I know I have met a couple of wolves from the packs I've been in that would certainly make me wonder, now that I think about it. So I would say, yes, I do believe werewolves exist."

Cassandra breathed a silent sigh of relief before continuing. "How would you like to meet a werewolf?" Cassandra asked, somewhat gingerly, knowing this was the crucial moment, should Gwena burst out laughing again, this explanation could take awhile.

Gwena looked at 'Glow, comprehension dawning on her heart shaped face, and said, "You know, I just bet I already have!"

Mistglow caught Cassandra's slight nod. "I'm already packed," he said. "Just let me get ready...."

He placed both hands on the ground in front of him, and shifted shape again. The actual change was so swift that the human eye couldn't follow it. Just one second 'Glow was crouching on the ground, and the next, a big white wolf sat in his place. The wolf's amber eyes sparkled, and he opened his mouth a bit, letting his tongue loll in a wolf grin.

Gwena laughed and clapped her hands with delight. "Oh, I wish I could change that quickly! That's wonderful!" Jumping up, Gwena closed her eyes. A shimmering mist seemed to rise around her clouding form. When it cleared fifteen seconds later, a much smaller, ruddy colored wolf stood there with an identical grin on her face.

'Glow, the wolf, put his nose in the air and howled.The smaller wolf joined him in perfect dissonance. The ominous sound lilted through the forest - very much out of place in the sunlight. Cassandra clapped her hands over her ears.

"I knew you two would do that!" she complained when they had stopped.

Mistglow stepped back to her side and laid his big, shaggy head in her lap. Gwena walked over to Cassandra's other side and touched her nose to Cassandra's cheek, so she could talk through their link. While in animal form, Gwena didn't have as strong a link with Cassandra - they could communicate when only when touching.

::Don't worry.:: Gwena told her friend. ::We'llbe careful. I won't be able to hear you if you need us while I am wolf, so let's agree to communicate at sunrise. We can greet the sun together.:: Cassandra laid her head against Gwena-wolf's cheek and thought to her, ::Just watch out for Kantos! He is a very dangerous man. Let 'Glow take care of you, you stubborn old woman!::

Gwena stepped back, grinned wolfishly and whuffed at Cassandra.

"I love you, too," Cassandra replied.

Cassandra turned her attention to the head in her lap. Bright amber pools gazed back up at her. She buried her hands deep in his ruff and shook his head gently. "And you had best get some other clothing, 'Glow, just in case." The wolf licked her face, nodded, and trotted off toward the cottage once again.

Cassandra turned to Gwena again and said out loud, "Don't forget to eat! I know how hungry you get when you shapeshift, so eat!"

Gwena nodded and grinned, tongue lolling out. As Cassandra stood up, Gwena jumped up and laid both paws on the woman's shoulders. Licking her face, she shifted her body weight forward until Cassandra couldn't support them both anymore. Then, with the witch on the ground at her mercy, Gwena started in on a nip and lick game that cubs and kits played with adults - much as she usually did, being more gentle with her human friend.

The white wolf returned. Unable to resist the fun, he joined the two in gentle wolf play, being careful not to hurt either of them. Finally, Cassandra pushed them both off her and sat up, gaspingfor air.

"Get on your way, you two pranksters!"  She made shooing motions at them both, still laughing from the unmerciful tickling.

With the gestures and sounds that passed as language between wolves, 'Glow asked the other wolf if she needed anything else before they left. She shook her head. They each gave one more lick to Cassandra's face, then trotted off side by side into the forest.

The witch watched them disappear, and then waited longer until she was sure neither could hear. "Godspeed, both my loves. Take care of each other. When we meet again, much will have changed." She wiped a single tear from her eye.

***

End of Chapter One

If you are interested in more information about the world of werewolves according to D.J. Wolf you can find it: Here

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