#Sheith #spookin #werecritters

Hearing howls in the desert by coyotes was always kinda cathartic to Keith Kogane, but when he decided to transfer up to Southwestern Michigan University to continue his masters, a spur of the moment autumn vacation with his new pack of friends in

the Manistee National Forest, he'd never expected to hear the howl of wolves, of all things.

Hunk, a culinary arts major, said wolves were exceedingly rare in that part of michigan, but could sometimes be found up in the UP, or 'yoop' as Pidge sometimes called it.

Even so, from

the relative safety of the giant RV they'd rented, the howls - so long, so lonely sounding- resonated in his head for weeks after.

He found he had to go back. So the next spring, in early May, he rented a little squaredrop camper and made his way back to Manistee, as deep into

the pines as the rangers would let him go.

Keith got his fire going safely, around dusk, the mood of the night shifting from damp, easy spring, to something bordering creepy as a fog started to roll in.

And with it, a sense of being watched.

So he did the one thing he always

did when he'd felt that kind of nervous tension; He picked up his guitar and began to strum.

"My girl, my girl, don't lie to me. Tell me, where did you sleep last night?" His rough voice rang out in the stillness of the heavy laden night, his fire flickering merrily before him.

"In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines. I shivered the whole night through..." Keith let his eyes slide shut, his shaggy dark hair falling soft as feathers around his angular face.

His ears pricked at the sound of a stick cracking. Coulda been the fire. Coulda

been...somethin else. He didn't open his eyes. His Pa always told him, 'If you feel the spirits and you can't feel their intentions, don't look at em, boy. You sing to em and let them choose.'

Pa had been a wise man.

Something deep and resonant began to roll like thunder along

with the dark woods song until, together, Keith's voice and the mystery rang out through the night until the song ended with a long, low howl that dropped into a growl that faded.

Keith's skin prickled uncomfortably as he let the chords fade. The sound of leaves rustling closer

made Keith tense before he exhaled, trying so very hard to relax.

Suddenly, he felt heat on his ear, breath that smelled of meat, the scent of wet and pine and the faintest breathy laugh, a voice dark, dangerous and still...it sent a lightning thrill right through Keith's

traitorous body and Keith grimaced. "Shit..."

Rather than anger or malicious laughter, that little cuss seemed to make whatever was near him draw back in surprise, followed by a hard inhalation.

"Oh...Oh...." It sounded...pleased, if startled. Not a deep voice, really, but with

that rumble, that undertone, that menacing growl...

Well. Keith bit hard at his bottom lip. He was trembling, just a little.

"You came back. Alone. Foolish."

Keith waited a moment longer and the breath drew back. The young man almost felt bereft.

He chose his next words very

carefully.

"In the desert, the coyote songs are playful. I've never heard wolf song in real life."

"What does wolf song sound like to you?"

"Lonely."

That drew a low growl from the creature, the spirit and Keith flinched.

"What would you know of lonliness?"

"I'm a product

of the american foster system. I know a few things I wish i didn't." Absently, keith rubbed at his wrists (cw: past self-harm) and turned his head to his left side, angling his face down, but he still didn't open his eyes.

"You know. You can open your eyes."

Keith bared his

teeth and opened his eyes, turning his face towards...

A wolf. No. A man? A werewolf. Black as night, with grey eyes and a little tuft of white over his eyes. Golden and grey eyes, changing shades from across the fire.

Even more shocking than seeing an actual live werewolf

RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM was that the wolf was wearing khaki cargo shorts and a tshirt that stretched over a er....a very nice...ahem. Very Nice Chest.

But even tho Keith KNEW he was blushing, he was EVEN MORE unprepared to watch the were gasp and blink rapidly, staring right into

his own eyes.

"Like the night sky, bound to earth. What are you, Little Starfall?"

(End part 1?)

HELLO! I CONTINUE!

Also, I'm naming this thread "A Marvelous Night For a Moondance"

AND we continue...