Chapter 6: Silver Forest

It was a breezeless night in the famous Silver Forest, with the moon appearing large and intimidating as it hung close to the earth. Werewolves considered this a blessed time, for the Moon God was making his presence known to his children.

The Silver River flowed lazily, allowing any bypasser to see the moon's clear reflection in the water. It was close to midnight, and the forest was silent, except for the occasional cricket rubbing its legs in search of companionship. The moon shone at its brightest, softly illuminating everything in its silver light. Every full moon brought this enchanting glow to the forest, which is how it earned the name Silver Forest. However, tonight, the moon radiated an extraordinary beauty.

Gradually, a few bubbles erupted from the water, disturbing the tranquil atmosphere. Cautious frogs, sound asleep on their lily pads, sleepily turned to look at the disturbance. More bubbles followed, and fish nearby jumped out of the water as if frightened by something. The frogs anxiously croaked, waking some mother birds in nearby nests, who joined in the warning call. A few deer approached the scene to investigate the commotion. They sensed a powerful aura in the atmosphere that they could not explain and began bleating in concern.

A curious, large owl made his way to a nearby tree and screeched, "My, my, what is all this commotion? Is there a fire? Hunters?"

"Greer!" exclaimed a large stag. "You need to call his majesty! Look at the river!"

The owl twisted his head and observed the river behind him. "It's just a few bubbles; I'm sure it’s a sinkhole or an air pocket that opened. Nothing worth disturbing the prince for."

The stag looked at the river and surveyed his surroundings before saying, "It's not just the water. Can you not feel the atmosphere? There’s a disturbance; something unnatural is occurring. It's as though the forest's life source is gathering at that spot."

Greer tilted his head in confusion, then sighed and closed his eyes to sense his surroundings. He nearly fell off the branch when he felt a wave of energy wash over him and the rest of the forest. "I shall summon the prince right away!" he screeched in a panic, then took off into the air, flying silently into the depths of the forest.

Not too far from the river, a large white wolf was fast asleep when an unexplainable, overpowering force enveloped him. The large animal jumped and snarled fiercely, under the impression that there was a threat. He looked around his cave but saw nothing. Just as he was about to dismiss it as a bad dream, he stiffened when he sensed a strange presence in his forest.

"My lord! Prince Silas!" cried a voice outside.

"Greer, is there a threat upon us?" asked the wolf as he saw the silhouette of his Majordomo approaching.

"I am not sure if it is a threat, but it is very powerful—definitely magic, my lord," said Greer, out of breath from flapping his wings.

"I have felt it. Take me there!" the prince ordered sternly.

"Yes, my lord. Please follow me," Greer hooted, and he flew toward the river at great speed, with Silas right below him. Once the wolf and owl reached the river, more animals had gathered at the scene.

"Make way! His majesty is coming through!" ordered Greer cautiously. The animals obeyed, respectfully moving out of the way and bowing.

The wolf stood at the edge of the riverbank and assessed the bubbles, focusing on the forest from which the energy seemed to be gathering. It was powerful yet not threatening; in fact, it felt like an energy that could bestow life and health. Something familiar was drawing him near, but he did not let his instincts guide him for fear it could be a trap.

"Everyone, please stand back!" he barked as the bubbles intensified. The moonlight brightened like a natural spotlight on the strange phenomenon.

The bubbles erupted violently like boiling water, and in the blink of an eye, the forest was illuminated by a brilliant white light. Many animals closed their eyes, and some fled in fear—except for the wolf. He stood tall, baring his teeth, poised to leap at whatever was threatening his territory. Growling and in a tense stance, Silas observed something strange surfacing in the water. “Is that a fish? No, wait... it can’t be!” he exclaimed in shock.

Suddenly, a tall man emerged from the water, gasping for air. More animals scattered in terror at the sight of him. The white wolf growled deeply, issuing a warning to the intruder. The man looked down at his hands, bewildered and in complete shock. He shivered, though it was not from the water or the weather—it was the height of summer. Clumsily, he lifted his head to the moon.

“Leave, intruder,” the wolf commanded, aware that his words came out as barks and growls to human ears, but Silas did not care. The man widened his eyes and gazed into the wolf's striking blue and green eyes. He smiled and cautiously approached the animal, still trying to regain his bearings. To Silas, it was an odd sight; the man appeared as if he did not know how to use his limbs. Yet, the wolf sensed no malicious intent from this newcomer—just a familiar aura about him.

"I apologize for causing such an uproar, Your Highness, Prince Silas of the Silver Forest. Please forgive my trespassing," said the man meekly as he bowed with his hand over his heart. He was tall, with kind, earnest grey eyes. His hair was nearly silver, but it was difficult to tell due to it being wet. His skin was pale yet had an interesting glow, and although his face looked young, it radiated a profound wisdom.

Can this man understand me? Is he a wolf-breed? It’s strange, for I feel no wolf with him, yet he does not seem entirely human either. I need to uncover the truth behind this intrusion. The wolf's initially hostile expression softened slightly as he asked, "Do you understand me, human?"

"Yes, Your Highness," the man replied, slowly raising his head to meet the large wolf's gaze.

"How do you know who I am, and what is your business here?" the Prince inquired.

"My memory is a complete void, Your Highness. I can’t remember who I am or where I come from; the only things I recognise are your name and face."

Silas regarded the man uncertainly. "You’ve lost your memories?"

"Great Prince Silas, I had hoped you might know or could tell me more."

The prince froze at the stranger's words. He looked up at the moon, which seemed to have dimmed in brightness since moments ago. Its light had lost its lustre, reverting to a slumbering state. "I’m sorry, but I do not know who you are. Is there anything else you can remember?" Silas asked, somewhat intrigued.

"No," the man replied shakily, wiping his hand over his eyes. He then brought his hand in front of his face, examining it as if it were a strange design, and continued. "The only remaining information I have in my mind are the words meus lupus."

Suddenly, a silver ball of light emitted from his hand and shot toward the Wolf Prince's head. It travelled so swiftly that Silas had no chance to dodge it. Silas's open eyes glowed fiercely as he froze in a sitting position. The man trembled and moved closer to try to rectify his mistake, fearing he had harmed the creature. However, a barrier prevented him from touching the wolf.

Silas realized he was levitating, no longer in the forest, but in a vast open space filled with glittering stars. The moon, however, was nowhere in sight. Then, a familiar voice echoed among the stars, "Silas, these are the last words I spoke before I left the comfort of the heavens. By now, I shall have come to Earth in human form. I had to abandon all my memories to be reborn.

"Heed this warning Draven will return soon. We must again become one and find our fated. I trust my identity with you and you alone; once we unite, we will sense her presence. When we find her, everything will be revealed. Our last miracle has been initiated and is to be fulfilled."

Silas felt tears welling in his eyes as he exhaled, "Oh, how I have missed you, my dear Orion." Suddenly, everything around him turned white. When Silas opened his eyes again, he realized he was back in the forest, and the man before him looked distraught. Silas gave him a warm smile and reassured him, "Please do not worry, my friend. I am alright."

"Are you sure? What was that? I’m sorry, I didn't mean anything by it," the man replied.

"I know," Silas said warmly. "Put your hand on my head, friend."

The man looked at the wolf, confused, but seeing the large, multicoloured eyes that were so full of kindness stirred something within him—a reassuring yet familiar feeling. He lifted his hand and carefully placed it on Silas's head. The moment he touched Silas, he froze as a silver light emitted from the wolf, slowly travelling up his arm and enveloping his body. The more the light spread, the brighter Silas became. A comforting coolness washed over him, relaxing him as if he had drifted into a deep sleep. When his consciousness returned, he felt warm and whole, as though revitalized. He was still standing with his outstretched hand before him, but the large wolf had vanished. He gasped in surprise and worry, about to call for Silas when a voice spoke in his mind.

"I am here, my dear friend. Close your eyes and focus on my voice." The silver-haired man nearly jumped in fright, but Silas's voice was soothing, instantly calming him down. He obeyed and closed his eyes.

"Good. Now visualize a path and follow my voice." The man did as instructed, and slowly, a forest trail appeared in his mind. "That's it! I can feel your consciousness drawing near!" Silas exclaimed excitedly. The towering, dense pine trees seemed to stretch for kilometres until the man turned and continued a few meters, entering a clearing. He gasped at the beautiful sight before him. It resembled the Silver Forest, but almost everything glowed with silver and light blue lustres full of moonflowers. It looked magical and surreal.

"Welcome to our forest," Silas said with a bright smile as he appeared before the man. The wolf prince looked magnificent; his coat glowed softly, his eyes shone brightly, and his body was larger. He resembled a magnificent creature straight out of legend. "How do you feel?" he asked as he approached the stunned man.

At first, the man looked confused, but then he asked, "Is this real? Are you truly in my mind?" He knelt down, touching the soft grass with his hands like a curious child.

Silas let out a small laugh and said, "Actually, we are bound by body, mind, and soul."

The man hesitantly placed his hand on the wolf. As soon as they made contact, a spark flashed, and he suddenly felt Silas's emotions. A throbbing sensation filled his head as something began to reveal itself to him. He fell to his knees, clutching his head in pain. After some time, the man's painful expression relaxed, giving way to relief. He slowly looked up at Silas and smiled, saying, "My name is Orion, and we have to find someone important."

Silas smiled back, "Let us rest in my cave tonight, and tomorrow we can begin preparing for our quest. I have clothes for you and gold we can use for our quest."